ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 25, 2018 High of 90 Low of 78 Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 COMMUNICATION IS KEY TO AN EFFECTIVE OPPOSITION WORLD | PAGE 8 NEW ACCUSATION ROCKS KAVANAUGH NOMINATION; TRUMP STANDS FIRM 187840_PRINT-Ad-Strip-Compass-FiPage 1 8/31/18 7:08:06 PM Exotic and native trees on display at Botanic Park SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com Go for the blue iguanas. Stay for the exotic trees. The Queen Elizabeth II Bo- tanic Park has developed a rep- utation as the best place for residents and tourists to see Cayman’s endangered popula- tion of blue iguanas. But while the iguanas are sometimes hard to see, a wide variety of interesting trees are standing in plain sight. Stuart Mailer, the environ- mental programs manager of the National Trust for the Cayman Islands, has a number of personal favorites in the bo- tanic park that tell the story of Cayman’s history. Some of the trees have been imported from around the world, but others have played a key role in Cay- man’s development. One of Mr. Mailer’s favorites, a rainbow gum, stands directly in front of the botanic park’s FIRE CHIEF GIVES UPDATE ON SMOLDERING TIRE-FILL SITE KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com Though the smoldering tire-derived aggre- gate fire in the South Sound area is largely ex- tinguished, there were still four “hot spots” at the site that were dug out and cooled Monday morning, according to Chief Fire Of- ficer David Hails. Mr. Hails held a press conference Monday afternoon to update the public on the sit- uation. He said the fire posed no risk to the public, but that he wanted to provide facts about it to avoid speculation. According to the fire chief, the fire started on Wednesday because the shredded tire ma- terial was stacked too high. The decomposing areas near the bottom of the pile of the ag- gregate material did not have a chance to dis- sipate heat because the stack was too large, he explained. Work is currently under way to reduce the height of the material and to spread it around, he said. Mr. Hails added that the site was never a full-fledged fire, but was a smoldering fire that could have posed a risk if it were left untended. The material came from the George Town landfill, where nearly 6,700 metric tons (14.8 million pounds) of shredded tires have been produced since March 2017, when gov- ernment contracted a private company to shred the tires and sell the resulting tire-de- rived aggregate to various developers. Jim Schubert, the senior project manager for the government’s solid waste management system, said in July that about 5,000 metric tons of shredded tires have already been sold Ten-story condos approved for Seven Mile Beach JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A new, 10-story condominium project has been approved for Seven Mile Beach, continuing the shift toward taller buildings in Grand Cayman’s main tourist district. Seacrest is the latest development by the Butler Group, which has built 19 previous developments on the Seven Mile strip. The 20-unit condominium project will be on the site of an old medical clinic at the southern end of the beach, between Mar- garitaville and the Marriott Beach Resort. There were no objections to the project and neighboring residents wrote letters of support to the Central Planning Authority, which considered the application last week. The plan involves the removal of rock walls and fencing on the site that effec- tively cut off the southern end of the beach from the rest of the Seven Mile Beach. Ac- cording to an analysis of the application by PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » Several of the palm trees at the Botanic Park are growing at unusual angles because of storms, such as Hurricane Ivan. - PHOTO: ALVARO SEREY An architect’s drawing of the 10-story Seacrest condo development on Seven Mile Beach.2 LOCAL NEWS TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 25, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS • Matinees Daily (matinee price before 6pm) • Seniors $8.00, Mon-Fri Before 6pm • Additional charges apply per 3D/VIP tickets Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. - TUESDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) THE PREDATOR (R) 1:00 3D I 2:50 3D I 4:20 VIP I 9:00 10:00 VIP I 10:00 3D A SIMPLE FAVOR (R) 1:40 I 4:20 I 9:55 CRAZY RICH ASIANS (PG13) 1:30 I 4:15 I 7:00 I 9:45 BLOCKBUSTER RE-RELEASE: BLACK PANTHER (PG13) 3:40 I 6:40 THE HOUSE WITH A CLOCK IN ITS WALLS (PG) 1:25 I 4:00 I 6:30 BLOCKBUSTER RE-RELEASE: JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM (PG13) 1:15 VIP I 7:00 THE NUN (R) 12:30 I 5:20 I 7:40 I 9:40 CLASSICS @ THE CINEMA: A CLOCKWORK ORANGE (R) 7:00 VIP CAYMAN’S HOME EXPO GIFTS | DISCOUNTS | DEMOS | VISITING EXPERTS | PRIZES | FOOD & DRINKS Friday & Saturday, September 28 & 29 STARTS IN 3 DAYS | PRIZES | FOOD & DRINKS Friday & Saturday, September 28 & 29 3 DAYS CORRECTION In a story titled “Liquor store robbed Saturday night,” which ran in Monday’s newspaper, the reported time of the robbery was incorrect. The robbery at the liquor store oc- curred shortly after 9:40 p.m., and not at 10:30 p.m. as orig- inally reported, police confirmed. Students to experience serious side of gaming In conjunction with its annual convention and video game competition this Saturday, officials with Gamers Bay are touring Cayman government high schools this week. The government’s Youth Services Unit is partnering with the Cayman Islands- based eSports organiza- tion to introduce students to technology as it relates to the video game industry. During their visits, they will select students for a re- lated workshop Friday at the University College of the Cayman Islands. Guest speakers for the school visits include Trevor Martin, a YouTube star and professional eSports player, cosplayer and social media expert Joanie Brosas, and representatives from the Uni- versity of Tampa’s Art Insti- tute’s Media Arts and Interna- tional Admissions programs. Tours are scheduled Tuesday for Layman E. Scott High School, Wednesday for John Gray High School and Thursday at Clifton Hunter High School. On Friday, 33 students se- lected from the public and private schools will attend the UCCI workshop. Stu- dents will learn about the emerging market for eSports and video gaming. The all-day Gamers Bay 3 event will be held on Sat- urday at the Camana Bay Arts and Recreation Centre. More information is at www.gamersbaycayman.com. UCCI hosts STEM Carib conference California high school teacher and author Adam Weiner will be the featured speaker at this year’s STEM Carib Conference, sched- uled for Oct. 9-12 at the University College of the Cayman Islands. The conference, pre- sented by UCCI in part- nership with Harrisburg University, draws partici- pants from across the Ca- ribbean. Mr. Weiner is one of 20 speakers at this year’s event, 15 of whom will be coming from off island. Mr. Weiner’s book, “Don’t Try This at Home! The Physics of Hollywood Movies,” examines what filmmakers have gotten right and wrong when it comes to telling stories set in space or those that push the bound- aries of what is possible. He will speak during the conference’s opening re- ception at 5:30 p.m., Oct. 9. The reception is free and open to the public, although guests are asked to RSVP to ksanchez@ucci.edu.ky. Also on the speakers schedule are entrepreneur and fashion tech expert Lisa Morales-Hellebo and Dr. Ray Ann Havasy, founder and director of the Center for Science Teaching and Learning in New York, who will close the conference with a keynote address ti- tled “STEM for All Kids.” Participants can take part in more than 40 sessions on topics such as eSports, tech design, advanced manufac- turing, cybersecurity, bio- technology, marine biology, food science, astronomy and engineering. Some of the ex- hibits and demonstrations are specifically targeted at younger children. The registration deadline for the conference is Oct. 6. Information and registration is available at www.stem.ky. Youtube star Trevor Martin at last year’s Gamers Bay conference in Grand Cayman. - PHOTO: TMRTN INSTRAGRAM Tours are scheduled Tuesday for Layman E. Scott High School, Wednesday for John Gray High School and Thursday at Clifton Hunter High School. Grant Thornton staff help YMCA Swapping their computers and desks for a day of out- door work, staff at Grant Thornton converged on the Field of Dreams on Friday to spruce up the YMCA site, as part of the company’s corpo- rate social responsibility day. Each year, Grant Thorn- ton’s 50,000 employees worldwide close office doors as all staff are encouraged to get involved in local commu- nity projects, with a promise of the global initiative to “Act, Commit and Share,” the company stated in a press release. “The Y provide invalu- able support and resources for the local community,” said Dara Keogh, managing partner of Grant Thorn- ton’s audit practice, “and we were delighted that our staff could spend the day helping them improve their on-site facilities.” From painting to fencing, and erecting batting nets at the Field of Dreams, the 30 strong team provided much needed support in devel- oping the site, which in turn helps YMCA projects such as an extended after-school program, and getting things ready for other big devel- opment projects, such as a “learn to swim” pool. Margot MacInnis, co- head of the insolvency and restructuring practice, said, “It was a great opportunity for Grant Thornton to give time and energy back to the local community and sup- port the YMCA.” The Grant Thornton team gets ready for a day of work at the YMCA. DISTRICT PRESENTATIONS FOR RECOVERY MONTH The Department of Coun- selling Services’ Family Re- source Centre will host two district presentations during Recovery Month on issues con- cerning the process of recovery. Both free presentations will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 26, from 6-7:30 p.m. at locations in George Town and West Bay. The George Town meeting will be held at the Family Re- source Centre on North Sound Road, where the subject will be how to talk to children about drugs and alcohol. The West Bay presenta- tion, at John Gray Memorial United Church, will review the process of recovery, the impact it has on families and give insights into emerging drug use trends locally.3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 25, 2018 Want to hear the FACTS about the cruise berthing project? @supPORTourTOURISM Join Hon. Moses Kirkconnell, Deputy Premier and Minister of Tourism for a Public Meeting • Family Life Centre, Walkers Road • Wednesday September 26, 2018 • 6:30pm Light refreshments will be served MAN WOUNDED IN FIGHT OUTSIDE GEORGE TOWN BAR Police arrested a 49-year- old man following an al- tercation outside a George Town bar in the early hours of Sunday morning during which another man suffered a facial wound. Officers responded to a report of wounding around 12:30 p.m. outside the bar on Shedden Road, east of Eastern Avenue. Police did not specify the name of the bar. “It was reported that after leaving the bar, two men were involved in an altercation and both sustained injuries. One of the men received a wound to the face,” police said in a statement. Both men attended the Cayman Islands Hospital for treatment. Police sub- sequently arrested the sus- pect, from Bodden Town, and he remained in police custody Monday. The other man was treated and released from the hospital. Court rules in favor of resident’s extradition to US Ruling transmitted to governor for final decision CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Magistrate Angelyn Her- nandez has ruled in favor of the Crown’s request for the extradition of Cayman permanent resident Iain Nigel MacKellar to the United States. The magistrate gave her ruling on Monday morning, with reasons expected to be released later. The matter now goes to the governor of the Cayman Islands – cur- rently Acting Governor Franz Manderson – for a final de- cision as to whether the de- fendant is to be extradited. Mr. MacKellar, a resident of North Side and a perma- nent resident in Cayman since 2007, was arrested at his home on Dec. 17, 2017, after Cayman authorities received the extradition re- quest, which by treaty was formally made to the gov- ernor – then Governor Helen Kilpatrick. The governor then referred the matter to the courts. The defendant was named with others on an indictment issued in Texas. It alleged fraud involving a veterinary product for fleas. One of the charges related to “reboxed pet products not manufactured and ap- proved for sale in the United States.” Charges included conspiracy, smuggling and obtaining by deception, ex- tending from 2008. Three co-conspirators in the case have received prison sentences in the U.S. of 47, 36 and 32 months. The co-conspirators are: Lam Ngoc “Mark” Tran, of Fountain Valley, Cal- ifornia; Allen Smith, of Phoenix, Arizona; and Wil- liam Humphries, of Laguna Hills, California, according to the indictment filed at the United States District Court in the Southern District of Texas in Houston. Mr. MacKellar, a U.K. cit- izen, had indicated early in the proceedings that he would not voluntarily agree to extradition, so a hearing was required. Director of Public Pros- ecutions Cheryll Richards and Crown counsel Toyin Salako presented the evi- dence to show that the of- fense Mr. MacKellar is ac- cused of in the U.S. is one that would be an offense if committed in Cayman and that the evidence is suffi- cient to go to trial. Attorney James Austin- Smith represented Mr. MacK- ellar. He had argued success- fully for bail in the Grand Court in April and the magis- trate continued bail pending conclusion of the matter. She also advised Mr. MacKellar of his right to ap- peal within 14 days. Proceedings took place under the Extradition Act 2003 (Overseas Territo- ries) Order 2016. Bail conditions originally included a cash security of $5 million, a charge on Mr. MacKellar’s North Side property, and the posting of private security guards to ensure that he did not leave the island. The conditions were subsequently modified, removing the need for se- curity guards. Mr. MacKellar, a resident of North Side and a permanent resident in Cayman since 2007, was arrested at his home on Dec. 17, 2017, after Cayman authorities received the extradition request. Iain MacKellar LABOUR FORCE SURVEY BEGINS THIS WEEKEND The Fall Labour Force Survey, conducted by the Economics and Statistics Office to help determine information on Cayman’s em- ployment rate, will begin on Sunday, Sept. 30. The survey seeks to col- lect data on employed and unemployed persons in the Cayman Islands, as well as those who are not in the labor force, the ESO stated in a press release. During the survey, trained interviewers will visit ap- proximately 1,500 randomly selected households. “The data collected is kept in the strictest confidence as mandated by the Statistics Law (2016 Revision). Indi- vidual data will not be pub- lished or used outside of the ESO and is exempted from the Freedom of Information Act,” the ESO stated. For more information, contact the Economics and Statistics Office at 516-3329 or 949-0940 or visit www.eso.ky.The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion&Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will findtheirownway” An effective Opposition makes for a more effective, and representative, Government. In a parliamentary system, the Opposition provides a critical check on the ruling Government’s power – primarily by asking tough questions and providing dissenting viewpoints. Accordingly, we view as a welcome development the reinvigoration of Cayman’s Opposition, led by North Side MLA Ezzard Miller. Although his “army” is small (five of the 18 members of the Legislative Assembly, including himself), Opposition Leader Miller has leveraged effectively a singu- larly powerful weapon – clear and timely communication. The Compass Editorial Board does not always, or maybe even often, see eye-to-eye with Mr. Miller and those who align with him, but today’s editorial is not about whether we agree or disagree with the Opposition’s position on any particular topic. Rather, it is to observe that the Opposition is “doing far more with far less” than Government when it comes to communicating forcefully and effectively with the public. For example, Mr. Miller, speaking for the Opposition, has drawn attention to government spending and budget priorities, pushed for progress on the John Gray High School project and pushed back on education officials’ intransigence on the artificial turf for the North Side primary school playing field. He has spotlighted the non- performance of the Department of Environmental Health, particularly in relation to trash collection. Following the revelation that OfReg Board Chairman Linford Pierson had threatened a fellow board member with physical violence (a sort of “punch line” to the agency’s track record of dysfunction), Mr. Miller publicly called for Mr. Pierson’s removal as chairman. And after the U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office notified the country – via a two-sentence press release – that Anwar Choudhury would not be returning to Cayman as governor, following a months-long “investigation” into unspecified “allegations,” Mr. Miller was prepared with a powerful (and publishable) comment that the FCO’s shadowy handling of the situation constituted “an insult to every fair-minded Caymanian.” The Government, meanwhile, weighed down by its multitudes of “public relations professionals” (GIS, spokespersons, press secretaries, etc.,) and bogged down with levels upon levels of bureaucracy (necessitating approvals, edits and re-approvals of official statements), often is only able to muster “slow comments” or “no comments.” (Or, what’s worst of all, statements that are long on word count but woefully short on substance.) Lest anyone conclude that this editorial is a paean to Mr. Miller and the small band he leads, we cannot resist, nor should we, taking aim at their coordinated walkout of the Legislative Assembly in support of Deputy Opposition Leader Alva Suckoo, who had been suspended temporarily over his refusal to apologize to House Speaker McKeeva Bush for comments Mr. Suckoo had made about cruise berthing that Mr. Bush believed were directed at him. The walkout had little effect, except perhaps to expedite the majority Government’s carrying out of business in the Opposition’s absence – every elected majority’s dream. It’s pretty fundamental, the Opposition has to be in attendance in order to oppose. But putting that aside for the moment, we believe that the Government would be well served by a top-to- bottom re-examination of how it communicates with the people, meaning the voters, of these islands. If Government continues to be elusive, secretive and reluctant to interact regularly and candidly with the public (via its proxy, the media), it may learn a very harsh lesson that Mr. Miller and the Opposition already understand: In a democracy, a vocal minority can often defeat a silent majority. In fact, come election time, that is how minorities become majorities. Communication is key to an effective Opposition TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 25, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Welcome to Trump’s new economy Now streaming on your handheld devices is Amer- ica’s New Economy, and it will soon make the mes- sages of both political par- ties obsolete. American consumers al- ways spent too much. Thomas Jefferson went bankrupt by living high on credit and ever since, his countrymen have borrowed recklessly – until the next financial crisis com- pelled retrenchment. Periods of robust economic expansion have been defined by consumers’ willingness to splurge on big ticket items like cars and homes, and businesses’ appetite for grand new projects – Fulton’s steam- boat, canals, railroads, air- lines and, most recently, shale oil and pipelines. Remarkably, the economy is now on track to register annual growth of 3 percent for the first time in a dozen years, but auto and home sales are flat and corporate investments in hard busi- ness assets – factories, ma- chines and computers – are hardly rocketing. What has flipped are the jobs market and productivity. For the first time since the 1960s, workers, not jobs, are genuinely scarce. They are so hard to find that busi- nesses are jettisoning condi- tions that many positions re- quiring specific skills or just innate intelligence be filled by folks with substantial ex- perience and technical school or college diplomas. The marketplace, to the dismay of liberal academics, is holding universities to ac- count for indoctrinating instead of educating by ignoring educational creden- tials. At the same time, busi- nesses have learned to use capital and human resources much more efficiently. At the cutting edge, Google was launched with only $25 million in 1999 and grew into a $23 billion enterprise in five years, Now finding that two-year colleges do not im- part the technology skills businesses require, Google is offering eight- and 12-month certificate programs through Coursera that connects grad- uates with employers like Bank of America, Walmart and GE Digital. Post-secondary edu- cation is getting stream- lined, less pretentious and moved online. Productivity growth is taking off again. This per- mits businesses to offer low-skilled workers oppor- tunities for bigger pay in- creases, often through in- house training programs. As many businesses automate, they are training semi-skilled line workers to maintain ma- chines and even become soft- ware engineers. All this is happening, just as Generation Z – those born after 1996 and raised in the jaws of the financial crisis – is entering the labor force. They are more focused on ca- reer and financial success, more sober (they do not party nearly as much) and even more tech savvy than millen- nials who preceded them. They are more diverse – little more than 50 percent are white. Raised by baby- boom moms in non-tradi- tional careers, they are more comfortable with women and men working side-by-side and in racially mixed groups. All this spells change for the faculty at universi- ties, businesses and the po- litical class. Young folks are bargaining with colleges and often se- lecting the best value as op- posed to the most prestigious choice – or skipping college altogether – and forcing uni- versities to trim costs. MBA programs and law schools are downsizing. Busi- nesses cannot discriminate – workers and good skills are too scarce – and young em- ployees will not tolerate it. This is bad news for the new age Democrats like Al- exandria Ocasio-Cortez. She is merely reskinning Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton’s socialism and identity poli- tics that were better suited to an age of scarce jobs and discrimination in rationing opportunities. Similarly, the anti-Trump wing of the GOP’s obses- sions with the sanctity of the World Trade Organization and tariffs on automobiles and agricultural commodi- ties are tragically misplaced. Just about anything of value can be made or grown on any continent these days. What really matters is the intellectual property – the ar- tificial intelligence that goes into cars and the genetics in the seeds. That is what driving President Trump’s trade policy – look at the ex- tensive new protections for American intellectual prop- erty in the deal just struck with Mexico. Mr. Trump grasps all this in ways his critics cannot comprehend, or is backing into it thanks to Federalist Society screening his judicial nominations and his daughter, Ivanka, pro- moting Labor Department apprenticeship programs. The GOP may well get skewered in the midterms and Mr. Trump may be de- nied a second term from the sheer weight of hectoring by liberal Democrats, Bush- era Republicans and the media, but history will treat him more kindly. It will speak of a man who saw a new age coming and was vilified by those in- vested in the past. Peter Morici is an economist and business professor at the University of Maryland, and a national columnist. © The Washington Times, LLC. PETER MORICI LETTER Cars an eyesore Despite promises made by previous ministers regarding the prohibition of vehicles being offered for sale along the side of our thorough- fares, the ever-growing car lot on West Bay Road, oppo- site Queen’s Court, is an eye- sore and certainly lowers the tone of the area. That particular stretch was subject to beautification by the Rotary Club of Grand Cayman a few years back and certainly not with the inten- tion of providing shade by the palm trees for the cars be- tween which they are parked. Derek Haines Businesses cannot discriminate – workers and good skills are too scarce – and young employees will not tolerate it.5 LOCAL NEWS Truman Bodden Law School course leader Laura Panades has been named country correspondent for the Cayman Islands for the European Procurement & Public-Private Partnerships Law Review, a leading aca- demic journal. Ms. Panades will be re- sponsible for reporting reg- ularly to the review on Cay- man’s public procurement development and will be involved in the peer-review of other academic submis- sions to the journal. The appointment fol- lows Ms. Panades’s publi- cation of three reports on public procurement and public-private partnerships in Cayman in the review. Her research tackles the legislative develop- ments relating to pro- curement in Cayman and pinpoints a few areas where further inquiry is needed. This research will feed into the new LLM in “International Finance: Law and Regulation” at the Truman Bodden Law School, which includes a course on the law of public-private partner- ships. Laura Panades, LLM course leader and author of the research, said: “The articles highlight Cayman’s achievements in public procurement,” Ms. Panades said. “This is a very important area of Gov- ernment business, both in terms of the impact on Cay- man’s citizens, as well as to ensuring that Cayman’s money is well spent. “These articles put Cayman Islands in the aca- demic spotlight, for further discussion and improve- ment through dialogue.” The journal is available online with a subscrip- tion. Paper copies of Ms. Panades’ articles are avail- able at the Law School’s li- brary on request. CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 25, 2018 Mon – Fri: 7am-5:30pm • Sat: 8am-5pm • Public Holidays: 8am-3pm 345-328-4000 • info@ppcayman.com • www.ppcayman.com CAMANA BAY (BETWEEN AUDI & ECLIPZE) FRENCH BAGUETTE SANDWICHES WRAPS & PANINIS GOURMET SALADS QUICHE & LASAGNA SAUSAGE ROLLS & SAVORY PIES FRENCH CROISSANTS, PASTRIES & MACARONS CREPES SMOOTHIES & COFFEE CUSTOM MADE CAKES, TREATS AND SAVORIES BREAKFAST AND LUNCH CATERING P RIVATE DINNER PARTIES East Enders turn dumping ground into people’s park AIRPORTS AUTHORITY THANKS VOLUNTEERS The Cayman Islands Air- ports Authority recently pre- sented certificates of com- mendation and appreciation to volunteers and emergency responders who took part as victims or support personnel in a full-scale emergency ex- ercise at the Charles Kirkcon- nell International Airport in Cayman Brac in June. “In recent years, there have been several unthink- able acts against civil avi- ation around the world. Rather than pretend this could not happen here, the CIAA chose to be proactive and update our response to these type of incidents,” Chief Safety Management Officer Andrew McLaughlin said in a press release. “The scenarios used in the Airport Emergency Exercises this year were extremely chal- lenging. This is the first time, to my knowledge, we have pre- sented two separate incidents occurring within minutes of each other. This required all agencies to think on their feet as resources and personnel were stretched to their limits.” To comply with interna- tional standards, the CIAA stages two full-scale emer- gency exercises every two years to test the ability of airport staff and emergency response agencies to work to- gether to form an organized response to save lives and limit damage to property. “I am proud to say that airport personnel and emer- gency responders maintained focus on the basic skills needed to control both sit- uations and maintain per- sonal safety levels, while responding with the neces- sary plans and procedures to neutralise both threats. At the heart of these exercises are the volunteers, whether acting as victims or Red Cross first aiders. Without them, this would not be pos- sible,” Mr. McLaughlin said. JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com A group of concerned resi- dents in East End has trans- formed an area used as a dumping ground into a park. “The new park, located on the opposite side of Fiddler’s Park on Fiddler’s Way, East End, will be a place where the public can go to relax and have fun,” said East End resi- dent Edney McLean. Mr. McLean hopes that this kind of self-motivated local activism can spread, leading to the beautification of other vacant lots in East End. Mr. McLean came up with the idea while on a trip to Cuba with friend Harwell Dixon while discussing ways they could improve East End. “It’s government property, but we have the privilege of using it, and all the people around are on board with the project,” he said. Not long ago, he said, the site was a weed-choked, il- legal dump, full of discarded household items, car parts and leftover materials. Now, lush greenery with a cliff backdrop has replaced the garbage-filled site. “We need some fill, and once we get that, we will put in benches, a cabin, basketball court and other family friendly equipment,” Mr. McLean said. “This is going to be for the community. You can have func- tions, play netball or basket- ball games. It’s a place where [locals] come to have barbe- cues … [We] hope to draw ev- eryone together as a commu- nity. This is our neighborhood and we want to have it looking clean and pretty,” he said. After neighbors Eulene and Janice McLaughlin saw the improvements to the area, they donated some plants. Mr. McLean thanked the Recreation, Parks and Ceme- teries Unit for its assistance in helping to clear the area. “This is going to be for the community. You can have functions, play netball or basketball games. It’s a place where [locals] come to have barbecues.” EDNEY MCLEAN “At the heart of these exercises are the volunteers, whether acting as victims or Red Cross first aiders.” ANDREW MCLAUGHLIN, Cayman Islands Airports Authority Cayman Islands Airports Authority Chief Safety Management Officer Andrew McLaughlin, left, with volunteers of the full-scale emergency exercise. Edney McLean points to where the new park is situated. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY INTERNATIONAL LAW REVIEW PICKS CAYMAN CONTRIBUTOR Laura PanadesThe islands’ most-trusted news source 6 TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 25, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS the Department of Environ- ment, the removal of the wall would help “re-establish” the beach in this area. Butler Group owner Brian Butler said the aim was to open up the beachfront for the development and to ex- tend the walkability of Seven Mile Beach. Residents at Sunset Cove wrote to support the devel- opment, saying they wel- comed the opening up of the beachfront. Mr. Butler said the project itself would set a “new stan- dard in design” for Seven Mile Beach. It features 20 three-bedroom condos with glass walls and curved glass terraces to take advantage of the panoramic ocean views, he added. The development also includes a gym, spa, swimming pool and manag- er’s office, as well as a rooftop terrace. The properties have already sold out based on ad- vance publicity, according to the Butler Group. A letter to the CPA by the Butler Group in sup- port of its application indi- cates that the Dr. Margo Ko- eman Medical Clinic will also be demolished to make way for the condos. It adds that the devel- opment could be used for tourist rentals. “This project has been de- signed on the same premise as all my other twenty pre- vious Seven Mile Beach de- velopments, that is that while each apartment will be indi- vidually owned, the property will operate as a licensed premise for daily tourist ac- commodation with full man- agement and maid services,” the letter stated. There is to be no restau- rant nor entertainment facili- ties at Seacrest. The development con- tinues a growing trend of taller buildings on Seven Mile Beach, since The WaterCo- lours broke the mold when it opened in 2014. Since then, Dart has built two 10-story struc- tures for the Kimpton re- sort, and planning approval has been granted for several other projects of that height, including a proposed Hyatt hotel at Pageant Beach, the WaterMark development at the northern end of West Bay Road and the condo complex Aqua at the southern end of Seven Mile Beach. visitor center. The rainbow gum is a tall and fragrant spe- cies of eucalyptus that origi- nated in the Philippines and from other countries in that region, and it lends a bit of ex- otic beauty to the park. “It’s exceedingly fast- growing, but what’s most striking about this tree is that the bark peels away, revealing different colors,” Mr. Mailer said. “The underlying fresh bark is green, so when a strip peels off, you get a green ef- fect. Over time, that changes color to blue to purple and eventually to brick red.” Mr. Mailer said he is not certain when the rainbow gum was planted in the bo- tanic park, but he said it has visibly changed in diameter over the last few years. The tree is growing quickly, and its high limbs produce flowers that are fed on by parrots and pollinated by bees and other insects. The botanic park has sev- eral trees imported from other locales, but it also has a sec- tion dubbed the Nature Trail that is dotted with trees that grew wild on Cayman. One such tree, an interesting spe- cies of red bean, caused the bo- tanic park organizers to divert a planned walkway around it. The tree, which was likely felled by a hurricane and then resumed growing in another direction, features beautiful flowers that are pollinated by birds. Mr. Mailer said the tree, like many others in Cayman, is a picture-perfect embodiment of the resilience of Mother Na- ture after adversity strikes. “In this part of the world, big trees often get rolled in hurricanes. They get knocked over and then they grow back from the root,” he said. “The jury’s really out on whether this tree is native or not. They’ve been here a long time. But then Caymanians have been sailing around the re- gion for a long time. It’s very difficult to say whether this tree was growing here before humans settled on the island.” That dichotomy – the power of nature and the ability for living species to adapt – is evident wherever you look at the botanic park. There are tall and thin palm trees that have been blown to unnatural an- gles, and there are trees like the red bean that resort to new contours to keep alive. One such tree, a silk cotton tree, has grown thick and leans at a seemingly impos- sible angle. The trunk bends approximately 80 degrees from the ground, resurrecting itself after catastrophic damage. “I would use this as a symbol of recovery,” Mr. Mailer said. “When this happened – the devastation in the Bo- tanic Park – it must’ve been depressing to see this massive tree on its side. But here it is: It’s the star attraction of the park. If it had never got blown over, it wouldn’t be this inter- esting feature.” Much of the region was filled with large trees when people began to colonize and settle Grand Cayman, but the shipbuilding industry claimed many of those trees as mate- rial. Quickly, the big hardwood trees began to disappear in a spasm of logging, shipbuilding and local development. “Many of the early settlers were woodsmen who were ba- sically granted tracts of land for harvesting mahogany and other tropical hardwoods,” Mr. Mailer said. “There was enough mahogany to last for centuries, and people took that to mean it would last forever. They’d clear-cut an island and move on to another one. And there was always another is- land. Until they cut them all.” Here in Cayman, he said, they cut the mahogany that was easily accessible and left the specimens off the Mastic Trail intact. Mahogany is known for its enduring strength, and some trees that were felled by Hurricane Ivan had to be chopped away and removed so people could ac- cess the Nature Trail. Another local hardwood species, the ironwood tree, played a huge role in the early Cayman homes. Iron- wood was used for the foot- ings of Cayman cottages, and in some cases, these founda- tions have lasted for more than 100 years without with- ering away, despite sitting on quite moist ground. “It’s so heavy that it sinks in water. It’s so hard, you can’t drive nails into it,” Mr. Mailer said. “These cottages weren’t nailed together or even screwed together. They were pegged together. “A typical native Cayma- nian cottage was built more like a modern steel-frame building. The strength was not in the walls; it’s in the posts. They’d have a horizontal post pegged to a vertical post sit- ting up on the ironwood post up off the ground. And then the walls were comparatively flimsy. They were made from woven strips of split wood covered in a mortar made out of coral heated in the fire. It was a bit like cement, but no real strength. If you hit it with a sledgehammer, it would go right through the wall.” The roofs of those early homes were made from palm fronds, but not from the trees some might expect. There are only three native palm trees in Cayman: silver thatch, bull thatch and royal palm. All of the palm trees bearing coconuts, Mr. Mailer said, do not come from this re- gion of the world. The silver thatch, which has been chosen as Cayman’s na- tional tree, is tall and slender and can be distinguished from the bull thatch by the silvery underside of its leaves. Those leaves, in fact, became quite a valuable commodity to the early Caymanians. “Aside from using it in roofing materials, it’s also used in a multitude of thatch products. Handcrafted stuff. Hats and baskets and place mats and shoe straps,” said Mr. Mailer of the silver thatch, which is found in Cayman and nowhere else. “Most impor- tantly, it’s used in rope-making. It has incredibly strong fibers. For many, many years, an im- portant industry here was making rope. It was exported to other countries in the Carib- bean and was considered the highest quality, natural fiber rope in the world.” to Davenport Development to fill the site of a condo- minium the company built in South Sound. Davenport Development director Paul Pearson said the incident has not caused any damage to his property, and that the aggregate can still be used as fill. Mr. Hails said Dav- enport Development will be presented with a fire safety inspector report, which will outline the sit- uation and state whether any regulations were vi- olated in the handling of the material. Kirk weakens but storm re-formation still possible Tropical Storm Kirk was downgraded to a depres- sion and then to a tropical wave Monday, days before it had been forecast to reach the eastern Caribbean. Caribbean residents should not rest easy just yet, however, as the system could re-form in coming days. “Redevelopment of this system is possible over the next few days until it en- counters highly unfavorable upper-level winds while it approaches the Caribbean Sea,” the Miami-based Na- tional Hurricane Center said Monday afternoon. The system posed no immediate threat to the Cayman Islands. Kirk was located about 1,400 miles east of the Windward Islands Monday, bringing with it showers, thunderstorms and gale force winds. Re-formation over the next two to five days was forecast at a 50 per- cent probability. Meanwhile, another system of disorganized showers, located Monday about 450 miles south- southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, neared the already hurricane-battered U.S. East Coast. “Environmental con- ditions are expected to become slightly more conducive for develop- ment during the next day or so while the system moves west-northwest- ward to northwestward. By Tuesday night and Wednesday, upper-level winds are expected to in- crease, limiting the chances for additional develop- ment, while the system moves northward near the southeastern United States coast,” the National Hurri- cane Center stated. That system was fore- cast Monday at a 50 per- cent chance of develop- ment over the following two to five days. Subtropical Storm Leslie, located in the north-central Atlantic, posed no threat to the Ca- ribbean and no immediate threat to land. This storm was ex- pected to merge later in the week with a non- tropical, low-pressure system. At that time, con- ditions could be condu- cive for the low to develop tropical or subtropical characteristics. Fire chief gives update on smoldering tire-fill site CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Firefighters attend to a smoldering mound of shredded tires, which was destined to be used as ground fill, in South Sound Thursday. “Redevelopment of this system is possible over the next few days until it encounters highly unfavorable upper- level winds while it approaches the Caribbean Sea.” NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER Ten-story condos approved for Seven Mile Beach CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Exotic and native trees on display at Botanic Park CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 This cotton silk tree was felled by a hurricane and continued growing in a new direction. – PHOTO: ALVARO SEREYThe islands’ most-trusted news source 7 Community CALENDAR ■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR is published TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 25, 2018 For more details please contact 321-3403, keyzonerjm4@yahoo.com or 325-0143, almira.info@yahoo.com Philippine Tennis Club - Cayman Islands Executive Committee; from left to right - Edmon Dela Rosa, Fernando Dela Rosa, Benjomarie Vitasolo, Almira Navarro, Doris Makiramdam, Jirarat Phelps, Mauricio Quezon - Founder & President, and lastly, Francisco Mariano. Missing: Marcelo Junio, Amador Castro, Rosalyn Ibuyat, and William Baldwin. PTC - Cayman Islands is a recreational level tennis club and a newly registered Non-Profit Organization. WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 26 CRUISE BERTH PUBLIC MEETING: Deputy Premier and Minister of Tourism Moses Kirkconnell is holding a public meeting about plans to build a cruise berthing pier. Family Life Centre. 6:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be provided. All are invited. THURSDAY, SEPT. 27 BRAC COURT: Summary Court sits in the Aston Rutty Centre from 10 a.m. today and tomorrow. PALLIATIVE CARE: The Caribbean Palliative Care Conference, presented by Cayman HospiceCare, takes place 1:30-8 p.m. at the Westin Resort & Spa. No registration fee, but RSVP is required. Email info@caymanhospicecare.ky. Healthcare professionals can earn a total of 4.5 contact hours. FRIDAY, SEPT. 28 SENIORS ROCK: Dress Down Day to benefit Meals on Wheels. Host the day at your office or organization. Wear orange, or purchase T-shirt $15, ribbon $5, wristband, $3. Register/purchase at info@mealsonwheels.ky or call 769-1974. MUSICAL PRESENTATION: Members of the public are invited to attend a musical presentation by visiting Jamaican rising star, soprano signer Sashekia Brown, at special services at the Kings Adventist Church today and tomorrow. Today’s performance by Ms. Brown and a number of choirs and chorales begins at 7 p.m. Kings Church is located next to Cayman Academy on Walkers Road. For further information, call 938-2209. SATURDAY, SEPT. 29 EQUESTRIAN OPEN HOUSE: The Equestrian Center celebrates its 25th anniversary with an open house. Free for all. 3:30- 5:30 p.m. at the stables on the Linford Pierson bypass. Demonstrations of vaulting, quadrille, dressage and jumping. For more information, call 916-9119. MUSICAL PRESENTATION: Soprano singer Sashekia Brown and a number of choirs and chorales will perform at the Kings Adventist Church at two special services today, at 11:30 a.m. and at 4:30 p.m. All are invited. The weekend’s series of free musical attractions are sponsored by the Cayman chapter of the Northern Caribbean University Alumni Association. For further information, call 938-2209. BARGAIN SHOP BAG SALE: The NCVO’s New To You Bargain Shop invites customers to buy a bag for $5 and fill it to the brim with items they find in the store. The sale is 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Lightly used products on sale include Halloween costumes, household items, baby supplies (strollers, cribs, carrier seats), stuffed animals and toys, clothes (including select school uniforms), shoes, books and craft items. MONTHLY BARGAIN STORE: St. George’s Anglican Church holds its monthly Bargain Store sale 7-11 a.m. Located at 64 Courts Road (off Eastern Ave. opposite Kirk Market), George Town. All are invited. CLAY WORKSHOP: Visual Arts Society studio at Pedro St. James. Today and tomorrow, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fee is $150 for members, $175 for non-members. Includes terracotta clay, glazes, firing, use of tools and studio plus light lunch and beverage. Limited space. Register at workshops@ visualartcayman.com. SUNDAY, SEPT. 30 BREAST CANCER MONTH CHURCH SERVICE: Savannah United Church, 10 a.m. All are invited. 5K FOR RECOVERY: Hope Foundation sponsors this 5K walk/run to raise funds for the residential recovery program. Start at Seven Mile Public Beach. Walk, 6 a.m. Run, 6:30 a.m. Tickets $10 from Brent, 928-9099; or Chris, 938-0095. Prizes include staycations. MONDAY, OCT. 1 BREAST CANCER MONTH: Ribbon-cutting launch. Camana Bay. 5:30 p.m. All are invited. FRIDAY, OCT. 5 NCVO DRESS DOWN DAY: The NCVO appeals to schools, businesses and service clubs to dress in green in a show of solidarity and help raise funds, which can then be presented to the NCVO during the fundraising event at the Prospect Playhouse on Saturday Oct. 20. Participants are encouraged to take photographs and post them on social media outlets; tagging images to www.facebook.com/ NCVOCaymanIslands. To confirm participation or to volunteer for the upcoming Radio/Telethon contact Mona Meade on 949-2124 or ncvocoordinator@ncvo.org.ky. SATURDAY, OCT. 6 BOOK SALE: The Humane Society is having a huge book sale at the A L Thompson store front from 8:30 a.m. till 2 p.m. Books are 3 for $1. Please come and support the Humane Society and find a good read at the same time. Children’s books will be available as well as general fiction, romance, suspense and non-fiction of all sorts. BRAC CLEAN-UP: Meet at Eagle Ray, 7 a.m. All are invited. 5K WALK/RUN: The Brenda Tibbetts-Lund Memorial 5K in conjunction with Breast Cancer Month. Starts 6 a.m. at Kaibo Restaurant in North Side. GENERAL INTEREST PRE-SCHOOL OPENINGS: Miss Nadine’s Preschool still has space available in its two- year-old class. To register your child(ren), contact Preschool Director Heather Lopez on 945-1078/324-1498 or email ncvopreschool@ ncvo.org.ky Miss Nadine’s is a program of the NCVO (registered nonprofit) and is located in the Richard Arch Children’s Centre, 90A Anthony Drive, George Town. SPECIAL OLYMPICS: Be a volunteer and join the fun as athlete training begins at Truman Bodden Sports Complex 5:30 p.m. for basketball skills, track, bocce and football. Swimming on Wednesdays at the Lions Pool 10-11 a.m. or on Saturdays at the Cayman International School pool, 9:30 a.m. Email soci@candw.ky or call 916-2600. TOBACCO LICENSES: Tobacco license holders are reminded of the 5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 1 deadline to apply for their annual license renewals. Annual registration renewal fees are $500 for a retailer, $750 for a cigar bar and $5,000 for a wholesale distributor. Persons in Grand Cayman must submit their applications at the Business Licensing Counter, first floor, Government Administration Building. In the Sister Islands, applications must be submitted to DCI Senior Licensing Officer, Mrs. Lolita Bodden-Arch, in the Bodden and Bodden building on Cayman Brac. CAYMAN ARTISTS INVITED: Artists resident in the Cayman Islands or artists of the Caymanian diaspora are invited to submit photos of work (or work concept drawings/photos), with an accompanying artist’s statement relating the work to the exhibition synopsis for consideration, in electronic format, directed to the attention of the curator at assistantcurator@ nationalgallery.org.ky. Deadline for submission is Monday, Nov. 26, 2018 at 5 p.m. For more information contact public.engagement@ nationalgallery.org.ky. SEAFARERS HALL: The Cayman Islands Seafarers Association wishes to inform the community that the hall is now available for rental every day of the week, including Saturdays, as the church is no longer contracted with us at 11 Victory Ave. Prospect. LOCAL HARVEST MARKET: Wednesdays and Saturdays at Camana Bay. A produce-only market featuring local farmers. Located in Heliconia Court (the new courtyard next to the building containing Scotiabank). 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. U.K. SCHOLARSHIPS: The Chevening Secretariat is accepting applications for U.K. Government scholarships to study in the U.K. in 2019/2020. Applications for Chevening Scholarships are open until Nov. 6, 2018, with applications to be submitted via www. chevening.org/apply. Visit www.chevening.org/apply/ guidance for detailed information on the eligibility criteria and scholarship specifications. Contact Gill Skinner on 244-2431 or gillian.skinner@fco.gov.uk. NEW THRIFT SHOP: One Dog At A Time has launched its “New To You” Thrift Shop. Open Saturdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. throughout the summer. The shop is at Unit 26 at the warehouses on Bodden Road, which runs down the side of Kirk Home Store to the old screen print place. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell will answer questions about the proposed cruise berth project at a public meeting at the Family Life Centre on Walkers Road, at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 26.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 25, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Italy tightens eligibility for migrants Italy’s populist government is making it harder for migrants to be approved for humanitarian protection. Protection will only be granted for victims of labor exploitation, trafficking, domestic violence, natural calamities or those needing medical care. New accusation rocks Kavanaugh nomination; Trump stands firm WASHINGTON (AP) – Presi- dent Donald Trump staunchly defended his embattled Su- preme Court nominee against a new allegation of sexual misconduct Monday, calling the accusations against Judge Brett Kavanaugh “to- tally political.” The president spoke a day after a second allega- tion emerged against Kava- naugh, a development that further imperiled his nomi- nation to the Supreme Court, forced the White House and Senate Republicans onto the defensive and fueled calls from Democrats to post- pone further action on his confirmation. Trump, at the United Na- tions for his second General Assembly meeting, called the allegations unfair and unsub- stantiated, made by accusers who come “out of the wood- work.” He also questioned the political motivations of the attorneys representing the women, saying “you should look into the lawyers doing the representation.” On Kavanaugh, Trump stressed: “I am with him all the way.” The new accusation landed late Sunday in a re- port from The New Yorker, just a few hours after nego- tiators had reached an agree- ment to hold an extraordi- nary public hearing Thursday for Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford, who accuses him of sexually assaulting her at a party when they were teenagers. Kavanaugh denies the accusation. Presidential counselor Kellyanne Conway told CBS on Monday that the accu- sations against Kavanaugh sound like “a vast left-wing conspiracy,” using rhetoric that echoed Hillary Clin- ton’s 1998 description of allegations that her hus- band, President Bill Clinton, had had affairs. Trump is suggesting the timing of the New Yorker ar- ticle is further evidence of what he has been saying pri- vately for days: that the Dem- ocrats and media are con- spiring to undermine his pick. The second claim against Kavanaugh dates to the 1983-84 academic year, which was his first at Yale Univer- sity. Deborah Ramirez de- scribed the incident after being contacted by The New Yorker magazine. She recalled that Kavanaugh exposed him- self at a drunken dormitory party, thrust his penis in her face, and caused her to touch it without her consent as she pushed him away. In a statement provided by the White House, Kava- naugh said the event “did not happen” and that the allegation was “a smear, plain and simple.” However, Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, the ranking Democrat on the Ju- diciary Committee, called for the “immediate postpone- ment” of any further action on Kavanaugh’s nomination. Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee said they would investigate Ramirez’s accusation. Taylor Foy, a Judiciary spokesman, complained that Demo- crats “actively withheld in- formation” from the Repub- licans. He said they appear “more interested in a polit- ical takedown” than a bipar- tisan process. The New Yorker said it contacted Ramirez after learning of a possible inci- dent with Kavanaugh. It said that the allegation came to the attention of Democratic senators through a civil rights lawyer. The Democrats then began investigating. Ramirez was reluctant at first to speak publicly “partly because her memories con- tained gaps because she had been drinking at the time of the alleged incident,” The New Yorker reported. After “six days of carefully as- sessing her memories and consulting with her attorney, Ramirez said that she felt confident enough of her rec- ollections” to speak publicly, the report said. The Associated Press tried reaching Ramirez at her home in Boulder, Colo- rado. She posted a sign on her front door, indicating she would have no comment. Joining the maelstrom, Michael Avenatti, the attorney representing porn actress Stormy Daniels in her legal fight with Trump, claimed to represent a woman with in- formation about high school- era parties attended by Kava- naugh and urged the Senate to investigate. Avenatti told the AP that he will disclose his client’s identity in the coming days and that she is prepared to testify before the committee, as well as provide names of corrobo- rating witnesses. A White House official not authorized to speak publicly questioned the accusations coming from Avenatti’s client, saying that the presence of the high-profile attorney – who has publicly taken on Trump and is weighing a 2020 Democratic presiden- tial bid – makes the proceed- ings a “circus.” The accusation from Ramirez raises the stakes further for a dramatic show- down Thursday, as Kava- naugh and Ford testify in public about an incident she characterizes as attempted rape – and that he says simply never happened. Kavanaugh’s nomina- tion hangs precariously. A handful of senators in both parties remain undecided on his nomination. Defections among Republicans would likely block his path to the Supreme Court. The White House is ap- proaching Ford’s poten- tial testimony with trep- idation, nervous that an emotional appearance might not just damage Kavana- ugh’s chances but could fur- ther energize female voters to turn out against Republi- cans in November. Still, the White House and Republicans have cast doubt on Ford’s allegations. The Judiciary panel said it had talked to three other people whom Ford has told The Washington Post were at the party where the alleged assault took place – Mark Judge, Patrick J. Smyth and Leland Ingham Keyser. All three told investigators that they had no recollection of the evening in question, the committee said. The Post reported Sunday that Keyser said in a brief in- terview at her home that she still believes Ford, even if she does not remember the party. Kavanaugh plans to turn over to the committee per- sonal calendars from the summer of 1982. Those cal- endars, he says, do not show a party consistent with Ford’s description of the gathering in which she says he attacked her, The New York Times reported Sunday. The calendars list basketball games, movie outings, foot- ball workouts, college inter- views and a few parties with names of friends other than those identified by Ford, ac- cording to the Times. A person working on Ka- vanaugh’s confirmation backed up the Times account of the calendars to the AP. The person spoke on the con- dition of anonymity to dis- cuss the matter. Even before the latest turns, the carefully negoti- ated hearing at the Senate Ju- diciary Committee with Ka- vanaugh and Ford carried echoes of the Anita Hill hear- ings in 1991. Then, like now, another Republican president had selected a Supreme Court nominee, now-Justice Clar- ence Thomas, facing accusa- tions of sexual harassment. Senate Judiciary Com- mittee Chairman Chuck Grassley, Republican-Iowa, wrangled with Ford’s lawyers for the past week over the exact terms of her appear- ance. A breakthrough came over the weekend as Ford agreed to testify. Ford’s lawyers said it was still unclear as of Sunday who will ask questions, as Repub- licans were trying to hire an outside female counsel for the role. The 11 senators on the GOP side of the dais are all men, creating risky optics for a hearing that will be car- ried on live television. Democratic senators are expected to ask their own questions. They have pro- tested the panel’s treat- ment of Ford, comparing it to bullying. Protesters against Judge Brett Kavanaugh gather in front of the Supreme Court on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday. - PHOTO: AP The new accusation landed late Sunday in a report from The New Yorker, just a few hours after negotiators had reached an agreement to hold an extraordinary public hearing Thursday for Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford. Cosby lawyers argue over Pennsylvania’s sex predator law NORRISTOWN, Pa. (AP) – Bill Cosby’s sentencing hearing began Monday with a debate over a state law that could allow the 81-year-old come- dian to be branded a “sexually violent predator” – a scarlet letter that would make him subject to mandatory lifetime counseling and community no- tification of his whereabouts. Trying to avoid the desig- nation for their client, Cosby’s lawyers argued the law is un- constitutional. Lawmakers in Pennsylvania and elsewhere have repeatedly rewritten their sex-offender reporting laws after courts found them vague and punitive. Prosecutors told Judge Steven O’Neill the law is nec- essary for public safety. The legal wrangling came at the start of a hearing that will determine how the co- median will be punished for drugging and sexually as- saulting a woman at his home more than 14 years ago. Cosby was the first ce- lebrity to go to trial in the #MeToo era and could be the first to go to prison – perhaps for the rest of his days – after being convicted in April of violating Temple University employee Andrea Constand at his home in 2004. Cosby, looking grim, walked into the courthouse on the arm of his longtime spokesman as protesters shouted at him. Constand ar- rived a short time later. At the end of a hearing that could last two days, the judge could sentence Cosby to as many as 30 years in prison or send him home on probation. The state guide- lines for someone like Cosby, with no prior convictions, call for about one to four years behind bars. “Obviously, the allegations are serious, and, except for his age and poor health, would normally warrant some jail time,” said Samuel Stretton, a veteran defense lawyer not connected to the case. Cosby is legally blind and uses a cane, something his lawyers are certain to point out along with his achieve- ments and philanthropy. Prosecutors hoped to call some of his other accusers to paint Cosby as a sexual pred- ator deserving of prison. In the years since Con- stand first went to police in 2005, more than 60 women have accused Cosby of sexual misconduct, though none of those claims have led to criminal charges.9 WORLD&REGIONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 25, 2018 Second North Korea summit likely ‘soon,’ says Trump at UN UNITED NATIONS (AP) – Con- fronting the dangers of North Korea’s nuclear threat, Pres- ident Donald Trump arrived at the United Nations on Monday striking a far less ominous tone than a year ago, announcing he likely will hold a second summit with Kim Jong Un “quite soon.” Twelve months after Trump stood at the rostrum of the U.N. General Assembly and derided Kim as “Rocket Man,” the push to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula is a work in progress, although fears of war have given way to dreams of rapprochement. The presi- dent’s bellicose denunciations of Pyongyang have largely given way to hopeful notes. “It was a different world,” Trump said Monday of his one-time moniker for the North Korean leader. “That was a dangerous time. This is one year later, a much different time.” He added that prepara- tions are under way by Secre- tary of State Mike Pompeo for a second presidential meeting with Kim “quite soon.” Trump arrived at the U.N. on Monday morning for a meeting on the global drug trade, ahead of a sit-down with South Korean Presi- dent Moon Jae-in, who comes bearing a personal message to Trump from North Korea’s Kim after their inter-Korean talks last week. Trump and Moon are ex- pected to sign a new ver- sion of the U.S.-South Ko- rean trade agreement, one of Trump’s first successes in his effort to renegotiate trade deals on more favor- able terms for the U.S. Even so, some U.S. officials worry that South Korea’s eagerness to restore relations with the North could reduce sanc- tions pressure on Kim’s gov- ernment, hampering efforts to negotiate a nuclear accord. The nuclear threat was on the agenda at Trump’s first meeting in New York, a dinner with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Man- hattan on Sunday night. Abe stands first among world leaders in cultivating a close relationship with the pres- ident through displays of flattery that he has used to advance his efforts to in- fluence the unpredictable American leader. “We have our eyes wide open,” Pompeo told NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday. “There is a long ways to go to get Chairman Kim to live up to the commitment that he made to President Trump and, indeed, to the demands of the world in the U.N. Se- curity Council resolutions to get him to fully denuclearize.” Redoubling his commit- ment to “America First” on the most global of stages, Trump will stress his dedica- tion to the primacy of U.S. in- terests while competing with Western allies for an advan- tage on trade and shining a spotlight on the threat that he says Iran poses to the Middle East and beyond. Scores of world leaders, even those representing America’s closest friends, re- main wary of Trump. In the 12 months since his last visit to the U.N., the Repub- lican president has jolted the global status quo by pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal, starting trade conflicts with China and the West and em- bracing Russia’s Vladimir Putin even as the investiga- tion into the U.S. president’s ties to Moscow moves closer to the Oval Office. Long critical of the United Nations, Trump delivered a warning shot ahead of his arrival by declaring that the world body had “not lived up to” its potential. “It’s always been sur- prising to me that more things aren’t resolved,” Trump said in a weekend video message, “because you have all of these countries getting together in one loca- tion but it doesn’t seem to get there. I think it will.” Nikki Haley, the U.S. am- bassador to the United Na- tions, told reporters in a pre- view of Trump’s visit that the president’s focus “will be very much on the United States,” its role and the rela- tions it wants to build. “He is looking forward to talking about foreign policy successes the United States has had over the past year and where we’re going to go from here,” she said. “He wants to talk about pro- tecting U.S. sovereignty,” while building relationships with nations that “share those values.” In his four-day visit to New York, Trump will de- liver major speeches and meet with representatives of a world order that he has so often upended in the past year. On Monday he also was set to participate in a Global Call to Action on the World Drug Problem and then, in addition to Moon, meet with Egyptian Presi- dent Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi and French President Em- manuel Macron. Trump’s address to the General Assembly comes Tuesday, and on Wednesday he will for the first time chair the Security Council, with the stated topic of non-pro- liferation of nuclear, chem- ical and biological weapons. The subject initially was to have been Iran, but that could have allowed Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to attend, creating a poten- tially awkward situation for the U.S. leader. Aides say the president will also use the session to discuss North Korea and other proliferation issues. While Trump is not seeking a meeting with Rouhani, he is open to talking with the Iranian leader if Rouhani re- quests one, administration officials said. In meetings with Euro- pean leaders as well as during the Security Council session, Trump plans to try to make the case that global compa- nies are cutting ties with Iran ahead of the reimposition in five weeks of tough sanctions against Tehran. The penalties are a result of Trump’s deci- sion to withdraw the U.S. from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Trump at the time cited Iran’s role as a malign force in the region, particu- larly its support of terrorist groups, but also its involve- ment in Syria. U.S. officials say their priority for the re- gion now is removing Iranian forces from Syria. Trump is also expected to deliver a fresh warning to Syria’s Bashar al-Assad that the use of chemical weapons against civilians in the major rebel stronghold of Idlib would have serious repercussions. Trump arrived at the U.N. on Monday morning for a meeting on the global drug trade, ahead of a sit-down with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who came bearing a personal message to Trump from North Korea’s Kim. Florence: Evacuations continue as North Carolina rivers rise BLADENBORO, N.C. (AP) – Hur- ricane Florence is by no means done with the Caro- linas, where some rivers are still rising and thousands of people were told to plan to leave their homes on Monday before rivers reach their crest. About 6,000 to 8,000 people in Georgetown County, South Carolina, were alerted to be prepared to evacuate po- tential flood zones ahead of a “record event” of up to 10 feet of flooding, which is expected to begin Tuesday near parts of the Pee Dee and Waccamaw rivers, county spokeswoman Jackie Broach-Akers said. The county’s emergency management director, Sam Hodge, said in a video mes- sage posted online that au- thorities are closely watching river gauges, and law enforce- ment would be going door to door in any threatened areas. “From boots on the ground to technology that we have, we are trying to be able to get the message out,” Hodge said, warning people not to wait for an of- ficial evacuation order if they begin to feel unsafe. In North Carolina, five river gauges still showed major flood stage levels and five others were at moderate flood stage, according to the National Weather Service. The Cape Fear River was ex- pected to crest and remain at flood stage through the early part of the week, and parts of Interstate 40 are expected to remain underwater for an- other week or more. While hundreds of smaller roads remain impassable, there was some good news: Interstate 95 was reopened to all traffic Sunday night for the first time since the floods, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper announced. Floodwaters already re- ceding on one stretch of In- terstate 40 left thousands of rotting fish on the pave- ment for firefighters to clean up. Video showed firefighters blasting the dead fish off the highway with a fire hose in Pender County in eastern North Carolina. The local fire department posted online: “We can add ‘washing fish off of the interstate’ to the long list of interesting things fire- fighters get to experience.” North Carolina Emer- gency Management Director Michael Sprayberry said major flooding is continuing in eastern counties along the Black, Lumber, Neuse and Cape Fear rivers. “Florence continues to bring misery to North Caro- lina,” Cooper said in a state- ment Sunday evening. He added that crews conducted about 350 rescues over the weekend and that travel re- mains treacherous in the southeastern area of his state. But he said National Guard members would be shifting next to more door- to-door and air search well- ness checks on people in still- flooded areas. The storm has claimed at least 43 lives since slamming into the coast Sept. 14. In Washington, lawmakers are considering almost $1.7 billion in new money for di- saster relief and recovery, even as they face a deadline this week to fund the govern- ment before the Oct. 1 start of the new budget year. The chairman of the House Appropriations Com- mittee said the money would be available as grants to states to help rebuild housing and public works, as well as assist businesses as they re- cover. GOP Rep. Rodney Frel- inghuysen of New Jersey called it “a first round” and said lawmakers are ready to act quickly if the federal disaster relief agency also needs more money. An economic research firm estimated that Flor- ence has caused around $44 billion in damage and lost output, which would make it one of the 10 costliest U.S. hurricanes. The worst di- saster, Hurricane Katrina in 2005, cost $192.2 billion in today’s dollars, while last year’s Hurricane Harvey cost $133.5 billion. Moody’s Analytics offered a prelim- inary estimate that Flor- ence has caused $40 billion in damage and $4 billion in lost economic output. In other developments, at least three wild horse herds survived Florence on North Carolina’s Outer Banks, but caretakers were still trying to account for one herd living on a hard-hit barrier island, the News & Observer reported Sunday. Staff members are planning to make trips to the island this week to check on the Shackleford Banks herd. North Carolina environ- mental officials also said they are closely monitoring two sites where Florence’s floodwaters have inundated coal ash sites. Kayaks are paddled up Long Avenue past flooded sections of the Sherwood Drive community of Conway, South Carolina, Sunday, as homes were submerged deeper than ever in flood waters that have already set historic records. - PHOTO: APNext >