ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2018 Gov’t: Referendum would kill cruise port Delays would mean starting procurement again, says Ministry of Tourism JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Government has claimed that holding a referendum on the issue of cruise piers in George Town would delay the project to such an extent it would effectively kill it. With community groups collecting signa- tures in an effort to trigger a public vote on cruise berthing, the Ministry of Tourism has begun a pro-port social media campaign, in- cluding the claim that, “signing the refer- endum = a no vote for the port.” Government is hosting a public meeting on the cruise project on Wednesday night, Sept. 26, at the Family Life Centre in George Town, starting at 6:30 p.m. The Opposition an- nounced Tuesday that it is also planning a se- ries of public meetings. The government’s campaign has drawn criticism from those pushing for a refer- endum, who say it is misleading. The peti- tion calls for a public vote on whether or not to proceed with the plan for piers in George Town harbor. If the group is successful in col- lecting signatures from 25 percent of the elec- torate – 5,288 registered voters – there would be a separate ballot on cruise berthing. The organizers of the referendum cam- paign say they have received support from people on all sides of the debate who want the chance to have their say at the ballot box. A Ministry of Tourism spokesperson stood by the social media claim, telling the Cayman Compass that holding a referendum at this stage would likely mean the bidders would walk away from the process. Government is in the final stages of a two-year tendering pro- cess to find a conglomerate to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the new cruise and cargo port. The spokesperson said a referendum – even if it ultimately resulted in a yes vote to cruise berthing – would derail that process. “Funding does not have an indefinite shelf life and there are no guarantees the current Miss World Cayman contestants on environmental campaign Reigning Miss World Cayman Kristin Amaya, center, and, from left, contestants Nateisha Foster, Kelsie Woodman-Bodden, Roseanne Myles and Zorina McCoon take part in a beach cleanup with Plastic Free Cayman earlier this month. As the contestants prepare for the annual pageant, which takes place at the Harquail Theatre on Saturday, Sept. 29, they have been embracing the competition’s platform of conservation and environmental awareness. For more, see page 2. Premier, Minister Rivers visiting Monaco Yacht Show MICHAEL KLEIN mklein@pinnaclemedialtd.com Premier Alden McLaughlin and Minister of Financial Ser- vices Tara Rivers will join rep- resentatives from the Maritime Authority at the Monaco Yacht Show this week in an effort to promote Cayman’s service of- fering for yacht owners. The Cayman Islands Ship- ping Registry plays an impor- tant role in the financial services industry, and the Monaco Yacht Show is an important venue for Cayman to present it to inter- national clients, the government said in a press release. “The Monaco Yacht Show is the main annual event for the super yacht industry and pro- vides the ultimate showcase for industry influencers,” Mr. McLaughlin said. “It is a key event for Cayman representatives to network with the most influen- tial stakeholders in the industry.” Cayman has a strong market share in the super yacht seg- ment of vessels with a length of more than 98 feet. Of the super yachts currently under construc- tion worldwide, about 45 per- cent are built under the supervi- sion of the Cayman registry. Cayman dominates the ultra- large yacht segment as a flag state with a market share of more than 80 percent. Overall Cayman ranks number two in the world, second only to France. “We are a leading flag state in the super yacht industry and it is important for us to be part of this important event and be available to meet with owners EMPLOYEE CHARGED WITH FOUR HUMANE SOCIETY BURGLARIES Lack of electronic monitors keeps man in custody CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A former employee of the Cayman Is- lands Humane Society was brought to Sum- mary Court late Monday charged with four burglaries of the organization’s premises on North Sound Road. Ricky Johnny Alvarado, 26, was repre- sented by attorney Oliver Grimwood, who suc- cessfully applied for bail. That success was modified, however, by the fact that there was no electronic monitor available for the de- fendant to wear as required by Magistrate Valdis Foldats. Crown counsel Scott Wainwright had ob- jected to bail, pointing out that the four bur- glaries had occurred within a relatively short time, the last two while Mr. Alvarado was on police bail for the first two. Mr. Wainwright advised that entry to the premises was the same on all occasions – through the kennels into the reception area. He said identification would be by CCTV. The first burglary occurred on July 20 this year, around 8:47 p.m. Mr. Alvarado is charged with entering as a trespasser and stealing $2,100. Mr. Wainwright said the burglar went directly to the cash drawer. On July 24, also after hours, the suspect was allegedly seen entering the reception area, rummaging around and then taking an un- specified amount of money from a donation jar. Mr. Alvarado was then arrested. He told police he had been home all night on both occasions. On Sept. 10, around 1:45 a.m., the suspect allegedly entered, walked through the recep- tion area directly to the donation jar and took $25. On Sept. 18, around 10:50 p.m., he alleg- edly entered and took $57 from the jar. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » Premier Alden McLaughlinMinister Tara Rivers PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 »2 LOCAL NEWS WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 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. - WEDNESDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) THE PREDATOR (R) 1:00 3D I 2:50 3D I 4:20 VIP 7:00 VIP I 9:00 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 I 9:30 VIP 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 CAYMAN’S HOME EXPO GIFTS | DISCOUNTS | DEMOS | VISITING EXPERTS | PRIZES | FOOD & DRINKS Friday & Saturday, September 28 & 29 STARTS IN 2 DAYS | PRIZES | FOOD & DRINKS Friday & Saturday, September 28 & 29 2 DAYS Miss World Cayman contestants prepare for pageant Saturday Miss World Cayman Is- lands contestants have spent the last several weeks get- ting ready for this year’s pageant, which will be held Saturday, Sept. 29, at the Har- quail Theatre. The four contestants hit the road Saturday to take part in a motorcade through the districts, waving at mo- torists and passers-by from open top jeeps. Fully embracing the en- vironmental theme of this year’s pageant, earlier this month the group went on a tour of Grand Cayman to raise their awareness about the environment and conservation. Contestants Roseanne Myles, Nateisha Foster, Kelsie Woodman-Bodden and Zorina McCoon, along with reigning Miss World Cayman Islands Kristin Amaya, attended talks on Sept. 8 by guest speakers from various local environ- mental organizations. These included Johanna Kohler from Shark Conservation Cayman, Andrew McGovern from Ambassadors of the Environment, Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, Kafara Au- gustine from Health City (Conservation and Sustain- ability practices), and Cam- eron Douglas and Paul Lank- ford from The Lodge. Organizers said the ed- ucational tour focused on sustainability, shark conser- vation, the Shark Logger Pro- gram, as well as innovative ways to recycle and up-cycle plastic waste. As part of their environ- mental tour, the contestants also took part in a Plastic Free Cayman beach cleanup of an East End beach. In a press release, the Miss World Cayman Islands committee stated that it wanted to create an opportu- nity for contestants to gain a greater perspective on local environmental issues and conservation efforts. Director of Miss World Cayman Islands, Pamela Ebanks-Small, said the tour was “very informative and opened my eyes to what we can be doing.” Contestant Zorina McCoon said in the release, “As the day came to an end, I walked away thinking about ways in which I could actively be a part of conserving and pre- serving the environment.” The winner of Saturday’s competition at the Harquail will represent the Cayman Islands at the Miss World pageant in China on Sat- urday, Dec. 8. Tickets are $50 general admission and $75 VIP. Tickets can be purchased from Rock Gorgeous Salon, Beyond Basics and Back to Health (by World Gym). Gates open at 6 p.m. with cash bar. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. For more information, email info@missworldcayman.com. The Miss World Cayman contestants learn about recycling plastic at The Lodge at the Strand on West Bay Road. Big Shave events to support childhood cancer research Some preliminary shearing will take place be- fore Friday’s Big Shave at the Wicket in Cricket Square, all to raise money to fight childhood cancer. Funds from the haircut- ting events are being raised on behalf of Hannah’s He- roes, a local nonprofit, and will go to St. Baldrick’s Foun- dation, the largest non-gov- ernment funder of childhood cancer research. At 1 p.m. Thursday, Cayman Prep and High School will have a high school shave and fundraiser. On Friday, Clifton Hunter High School will host a sim- ilar event, along with an as- sembly, at 11:30 a.m. At 2:30 p.m., a staff shave – including Principal Paul Samuel – will be held at Sir John A. Cumber Primary School. The Big Shave will be held that same evening from 5-9 p.m. and features a silent auction, balloon prize raffle and food and drink specials from the Brasserie. The Big Shave was in- spired by Cayman-born Hannah Meeson, who was diagnosed in 2012 with an- aplastic medulloblastoma, a type of brain cancer. Han- nah’s parents Gaylene and Nigel Meeson created the event to create awareness about childhood cancer and raise money for research. Since the first event in September 2013, supporters of Hannah’s Heroes have raised US$1.7 million for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation and six research grants have been named in Hannah’s honor. Visit www.stbaldricks.org/ events/hannahsheroes or email team@hannahsheroes.ky for more information. Young cancer survivor Beau Shields, 6, at last year’s Hannah’s Heroes Big Shave event. RUN TO PROMOTE RECOVERY FROM ADDICTION Walkers and runners will hit the road Sunday in aid of the Hope for Today Foundation. The 5K walk and “run for recovery” starts at Seven Mile Beach from 6 a.m. for walkers and 6:30 a.m. for runners. There is a $10 entrance fee with all proceeds going to the foundation, which runs transitional housing for re- covering addicts in West Bay. Prizes include stayca- tions at the Holiday Inn and the Westin, and dinner for two at the Lobster Pot. For more information call Brent at 928-9099 or Chris on 326-6783 or go to www.caymanhopefoundation.com.3 LOCAL&REGIONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2018 One Honeywell Lynx touch wireless residential/ commercial security alarm panel with 4.3” full colour touchscreen display Three wireless door/window contacts (white) One Honeywell pet immune motion sensor (up to 40Lbs.) One 4 button remote keychain Full installation and demonstration 12 months parts warranty WIFI module for the mobile Apps. Honeywell Lynx Intruder Alarm Package Includes: The Honeywell intruder system is linked to our 24/7 monitoring centre to keep your family and your property safe. Upon system activation our experienced monitoring station staff will handle the situation. The Total Connect app allows you complete control of your security system from your mobile device. To find out more about this special offer contact the Security Centre on 949-0004 or email info@security.ky *The free alarm system and installation is available to new clients when signing up for a 12 month monitoring contract ($660 residential - $860 commercial). 24/7 Alarm Monitoring Secure and protect your property with the Honeywell Lynx intruder protection system. Controllable from your mobile device. Bail granted on rape charge Strict conditions include ban on social media CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A man accused of rape was granted bail after ap- pearing in Summary Court on Monday afternoon. Crown counsel Scott Wainwright told Magis- trate Valdis Foldats that the charge arose from an incident on Wednesday, Sept. 19. The complainant attended a police sta- tion the next day and re- ported the matter. He said the defen- dant and the woman had been in a relationship, but she had broken it off months earlier. A police press release in- dicated that the man, 43, had approached the woman and then drove her to an- other place where the al- leged offense took place. Defense attorney Crister Brady applied for bail, set- ting out the defendant’s stable background. The magistrate was told that the complainant/victim had told another woman about the incident before going to police. On that basis, he made a condition of bail that the defendant not come within 100 yards of either wom- an’s residence. He also re- quired a surety in the sum of $1,500 and residence at the defendant’s Bodden Town address. In addition to a require- ment that there be no con- tact with either woman, the magistrate made it a condi- tion that the man not make any comments about the matter on any social media. “It seems to me we should start adding that,” he said, referring to other standard bail conditions. Because rape is a charge that can be dealt with only in Grand Court, the magistrate transmitted the matter to the higher court for mention there on Friday, Oct. 12. 2 WOMEN ARRESTED OVER NORTH SIDE BAR ALTERCATION Police arrested two women in relation to an al- tercation outside a bar in North Side earlier this month. One woman, 38, of North Side, was arrested on Sat- urday on suspicion of as- sault causing actual bodily harm and disorderly conduct at a liquor licensed premises. The other woman, 19, also of North Side, was arrested on Monday on suspicion of the same crimes as well as damage to property. The arrests were made following the Friday night, Sept. 14, altercation out- side a bar in Frank Sound Road which involved a man and two women. According to police, the man was taken to Cayman Is- lands Hospital for minor in- juries, and was released later. A car at the location was also damaged during the dispute. Both women were granted bail as investigations con- tinue, police said. Shedden Road wounding charge sent to Grand Court Spanish-speaking defendant asks for interpreter CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm was sent to Grand Court on Tuesday after defendant Gregorio Camacho Hernandez appeared before Magistrate Valdis Foldats. Mr. Camacho Hernandez, who appeared to have a substantial cut on his right cheek, asked for an inter- preter of the Spanish lan- guage, but said he could un- derstand a little English. He identified himself as a Cayman resident. The magistrate and de- fense attorney John Furniss agreed that the charge was one that can be dealt with only in the Grand Court, so no bail application was made at this time and Crown counsel Kenneth Ferguson did not give any details of the incident. A press release from police indicated that Mr. Camacho Hernandez was charged after police responded to a report of a wounding on Sunday, Sept. 23, outside a bar on Shedden Road, east of Eastern Avenue. The report had been of two men involved in an alter- cation, with both sustaining injuries. Both attended the Cayman Islands Hospital and both received treatment. Mr. Camacho Hernandez, 48, and of a Bodden Town ad- dress, was arrested and kept in custody until his court ap- pearance. The other man was treated and subsequently re- leased from the hospital. In court, Mr. Furniss said he would wait until Grand Court before any bail ap- plication was made. Mean- while, he would go with an interpreter to speak to the defendant. The matter was set for mention in Grand Court on Friday, Oct. 12. MEXICO DISARMS ACAPULCO POLICE LINKED TO GANGS MEXICO CITY (AP) – Authori- ties in southern Mexico dis- armed and placed under in- vestigation the entire police force in the once-glittering re- sort of Acapulco on Tuesday, claiming the local cops were infiltrated by drug gangs. Officials in Guerrero state issued arrest warrants for two top Acapulco police com- manders, accusing them of homicide. It was the latest fall from grace for Acapulco, which was a favorite haunt of movie stars in the 1960s but has since fallen victim to warring drug gangs. The state government said it took the step “because of suspicion that the force had probably been infiltrated by criminal groups” and “the complete in- action of the municipal police in fighting the crime wave.” The rest of the police of- ficers were stripped of their guns, radios and bullet-proof vests and taken for back- ground checks. Law enforcement duties in the seaside city of 800,000 will be taken over by soldiers, marines and state police. Last year, Acapulco had a homicide rate of 103 per 100,000 inhab- itants, one of the highest in Mexico and the world. Local police in several parts of Mexico have been disbanded because they were corrupted by drug cartels.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. “Following an investigation into a number of alle- gations Mr. Choudhury will not return to the Cayman Islands as Governor, but will return to another diplo- matic posting in London. “A short term successor will be appointed soon while the recruitment process for a permanent replace- ment is under way.” … “Notes for Editors: The FCO will not be com- menting further.” – Statement, U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office I dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night, Alive as you and me, Says I, “But Joe, you’re ten years dead” “I never died,” said he, “I never died,” said he. – Joan Baez, “Joe Hill” If British officials believe last week’s two-sentence statement on the removal of the territory’s governor will be the final word in the story of Anwar Choudhury in the Cayman Islands, they are dreaming “happy dreams.” When they removed Mr. Choudhury from office, with no notice and no explanation, they created a victim whose legend is now exceeding any actual accomplishments he (or anyone else) might have been able to achieve during his short stay on these islands. As time goes on, and the authorities remain silent, we can assure them that Mr. Choudhury’s reputation will grow – and the U.K.’s will diminish. It was, and is, a public relations blunder by the FCO not even worthy of a rank amateur. They are in the process of trans- forming Mr. Choudhury into a martyr. Mr. Choudhury, of course, was Cayman’s governor for mere weeks, just long enough from his arrival in late March to make an impression as a leader with an intuition for the pulse of the people and a deter- mination to cut through, and cut down, the country’s asphyxiating bureaucracy. Then, in mid-June, in the equivalent of the dead of night, Governor Choudhury suddenly was no longer among us – “temporarily withdrawn from his post to allow the FCO to investigate a number of com- plaints against him,” according to the U.K. powers- that-be, writing under the anonymity of the “Office of the Governor.” Following an “investigation” that lasted longer than Mr. Choudhury’s tenure as governor, the FCO finally confirmed what almost everyone long suspected: Mr. Choudhury is not coming back. By refusing to present facts or substantive state- ments, the U.K. – and local officials – have invited Cayman residents to create their own interpretation of events, based on rumors, conjecture and their fertile imaginations. Here’s one take: Confronted with unsubstantiated allegations, the FCO acted precipitously and prematurely removed Mr. Choudhury from office. The ensuing investi- gation either proved the allegations, disproved them, or what is most likely, demonstrated the allegations were unprovable. The FCO’s playbook then became familiar to anyone who closely follows governments: Pull out the checkbook and start drafting the nondisclosure agree- ment. We assume we will never learn much more about the governor’s removal from the FCO or Mr. Choudhury, but information may come out through other sources. Certainly, Premier Alden McLaughlin is under no obli- gation to maintain the FCO’s brand of silence. After all, it was Premier McLaughlin who broke the news about Mr. Choudhury’s removal in June. (FCO officials appar- ently felt no urgent need to share the fact that they had removed the territory’s top figure in government, and head of Cayman’s roughly 6,000 public servants.) Remember, the governor and the FCO work for the Queen, but the premier and our MLAs work for the people of Cayman. Gentlemen, is there anything about the Choudhury affair you would like to share with the people who elected you, whom you represent and, ultimately, to whom you report? ‘Conspiracy of silence’ surrounding the Choudhury affair WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS A maelstrom of insincerities WASHINGTON – The current era of scorched-earth politics began five years after there was, according to Christine Blasey Ford, in 1982, an al- cohol-soaked party in a sub- urban Washington home. There her 15-year-old self was, she says, assaulted by 17-year-old Brett Kavanaugh, who categorically denies this accusation. On July 1, 1987, just 45 minutes after Ronald Reagan announced his nomination of Robert Bork to the Supreme Court, Ted Kennedy said in the Senate that Bork’s con- firmation would mean that “women would be forced into back-alley abortions, blacks would sit at segregated lunch counters, rogue police could break down citizens’ doors in midnight raids, and school- children could not be taught about evolution, writers and artists would be censored at the whim of government …. ” America, according to Ken- nedy, was living on the lip of a volcano, with no secure civil rights. None that could withstand the ascendancy to the court of a man whose ju- dicial philosophy resembled that of Justice Oliver Wen- dell Holmes, the progressives’ pinup who believed in vast ju- dicial deference to majorities. Kennedy spoke just 288 days after he and 97 other senators voted 98-0 to con- firm Antonin Scalia, Bork’s intellectual soul mate. Obvi- ously the Bork episode was not about jurisprudence. Four years after the Senate rejected Bork, it confirmed Clarence Thomas, 52-48, after weighing last-minute accusa- tions of past sexual misbe- havior – talk, not touching. The next two justices, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer, were confirmed with just three and nine opposing votes, respectively. Since then, however, the five justices con- firmed have had between 22 and 45 votes against them. All were eminently quali- fied, but none were more so than Merrick Garland, the shabby treatment of whom was supposedly justified by a terrible and profoundly anti- constitutional idea that the selection of justices should be tethered to our never-ending political campaigns, so that the court will reflect voters shifting constitutional pref- erences. Hence the confirma- tion process has followed the crumbling, descending path the rest of American politics has taken into the depths of cynicism, faux outrage and pandering to the parties’ hys- terical bases. The Senate committee might try to discover some pertinent things – when and where the party occurred, whether it was unusual, whether all those present were minors. If the committee cannot make such determi- nations, assisted by Ford’s timely testimony, this will be instructive and probably dis- positive. Her courage in ex- posing herself to examination and opprobrium has earned her a respectful hearing. How- ever, her rejection of multiple hearing options and her insis- tence on prolongations that serve her party’s agenda have earned her quizzical scrutiny. This debacle du jour dra- matizes how the court’s stature is hostage to the de- grading confirmation process, which has become a mael- strom of insincerities. The justices who emerge from it suffer subtractions from the dignity that gives their deci- sions momentum for respect. For 64 years, the infusion of prestige the court received from its desegregation rul- ings has been remarkably du- rable, despite decisions – e.g., Roe v. Wade and Bush v. Gore – that were made during, and that intensified, turbu- lence in public sentiment. But prestige is perishable, and senatorial ludicrousness can infect all who come into contact with it. In recent decades, all ci- vilian institutions impor- tant to national governance – Congress, the presidency, the parties, the bureaucracy, the media – have, by their igno- rance and arrogance, earned the disdain that now en- gulfs them. Yet although the court regularly renders con- troversial decisions on mat- ters about which the country is either deeply ambivalent or hotly divided, its decisions are usually broadly accepted as ratifying norms that must be, and soon are, accepted. The judiciary is (Alexander Hamilton, Federalist 78) “the least dangerous” branch be- cause, having “no influence over either the sword or the purse,” it has “neither force nor will, but merely judg- ment.” Its judgments, how- ever, can be uniquely pow- erful because they rely entirely on the moral au- thority of conscientious rea- soning explained in writing. The committee’s senators should try to minimize the damage their theatrics do to the government’s least dam- aged institution. George Will’s email address is georgewill@washpost.com. © 2018, Washington Post Writers Group GEORGE F. WILL This debacle du jour dramatizes how the court’s stature is hostage to the degrading confirmation process ... 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 find their own way”5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2018 CAYMAN ISLANDS National Tourism P aln 2018-23 N P CAYMAN ISLANDS National Tourism P aln 2018-23 N P PUBLIC CONSULTATION For more information, contact: ntp@caymanislands.ky or call 949-0623 caymanNTP.ky Tourism impacts us all. Tourism impacts us all. Share your feedback on the draft National Tourism Plan 2018-2023. between 22 August - 26 September to make your opinion count. Log on to PUBLIC CONSULTATION Police appeal to public to identify stolen goods Police have released pho- tographs of a variety of stolen items, including electronics and construction tools, and are asking the public to help them reunite the goods with their rightful owners. The recovered items, which were seized in various opera- tions, have been photographed and forensically examined. To claim an item from the police, members of the public must be able to prove that the items being identified belong to them. “There are several ways to do this – some of which are: 1) Providing pictures of the item when it was first purchased, 2) presenting re- ceipts of purchase, 3) pro- viding serial numbers or 4) descriptions of unique mark- ings on the item done by you in order to brand the item as your own,” police said in a statement. Detectives with the RCIPS are also reminding mem- bers of the public to re- member to record, list and photograph their valuables so that they can be easily identified by the police after making a report. Photos of the stolen items can be viewed on the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service Facebook page. Anyone who believes that they may be able to identify items on the list should contact DC Gomes at 926-2965 or DC Mendez at 916-1621. Man arrested for assault caught on video Police arrested a 33-year- old man on suspicion of as- sault after a video of a man hitting and kicking another man in the parking lot of Ca- ribbean Plaza on West Bay Road was circulated on so- cial media over the weekend. Police said they were made aware of the video just after 11:50 p.m. on Sat- urday. The video showed an assault in progress. The suspect was also heard in the video making threats to the man while assaulting him, police said. Several people were seen in the video observing the in- cident taking place. “After receiving the report and the footage of the inci- dent, an immediate inves- tigation was launched into the matter,” police said in a statement Monday. The suspect, from West Bay, was arrested shortly be- fore 2 p.m. Monday on sus- picion of assault causing ac- tual bodily harm, affray and damage to property. Superintendent Robert Graham said, “The behavior displayed in this video is not only alarming but also clearly unlawful. Such antiso- cial behavior will not be tol- erated, and any such reports that we are made aware of will be dealt with in accor- dance with the law.” Police are asking anyone who witnessed the assault to contact George Town Police Station on 949-4222 or via the RCIPS confidential tip line at 949-7777. These items are among the variety of goods the police are hoping members of the public can identify as their stolen possessions. The entire list of items can viewed on the RCIPS Facebook page.The islands’ most-trusted news source 6 WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS and their representatives to ensure they have the most up-to-date information on what the Cayman Islands can offer, and provide the best possible advice for their existing and future super yachts,” Mr. McLaughlin said. “In addition, I will be able to tell them how well the Cayman Islands is doing eco- nomically and politically and that we continue to be a good and stable jurisdiction in which to do business.” This year yacht show or- ganizers expect 580 exhibi- tors, including 67 shipyards, 22 brokerage agencies and 26 refit yards, and an antici- pated 34,000 visitors. About 125 yachts with a combined worth of more than $2.5 bil- lion euros will be on dis- play in Monaco. The Cayman Islands will host an event at the Mo- naco show in recognition of the 60th anniversary of Cayman’s Coat of Arms, which will be displayed on both the blue land and the red sea flags. The Maritime Authority of the Cayman Islands has been attending the yacht show since 1996. “This is our 22nd year at- tending the show,” said Joel Walton, head of the Mari- time Authority of the Cayman Islands. “Over these years, the Cayman Islands has es- tablished itself as the flag of choice for the super yacht industry.” Cayman’s registry typi- cally emphasizes its service level and technical expertise, including its involvement in the design of a yacht from an early stage. The different registration options offered in Cayman are also impor- tant depending on where a yacht is going to be used and whether it is for private or commercial use or a combi- nation of the two. Minister Rivers noted that the shipping registry has the most experienced staff among the flag states in the yachting industry, and that Cayman’s financial and legal sectors provide excellent cus- tomer service for its clients. “That’s what sets the Cayman Islands apart from the competition. We accept a wide choice of ownership structures and our clients ap- preciate that we have a solid political, legal, fiscal and so- cial environment,” she said. The Monaco Yacht Show is an annual trade show held in Port Hercules and is Eu- rope’s largest in-water dis- play of yachts. The event was launched in 1991 as a broker-ori- ented event focused on super yachts over 66-feet in length. Throughout the four-day event, there are more than 150 private events including press features, conferences, receptions and product presentations. Traveling with the premier will be Roy Tatum, head of the Premier’s Office, and Cab- inet Secretary Samuel Rose. bidders would still be in- terested in the project two or more years into the fu- ture. If that type of delay were to occur, the effort to get us this far in the pro- curement process will have been wasted,” the ministry spokesperson said. “We already know from experience that the procure- ment process takes approx- imately two years. Conse- quently, holding a referendum now would effectively stop the project, irrespective of the referendum outcome.” The social media page and internet site, Support Our Tourism, have been set up by the Ministry of Tourism to provide information and ad- vocate for the piers. The post suggesting that signing the petition would be a “no vote” for the piers at- tracted a backlash from sup- porters of the referendum. Johann Moxam, former president of the Chamber of Commerce and one of the ad- vocates for a public vote on the project, said government should take the time to en- sure it had the people’s sup- port before taking on such a significant project. “A decision of this mag- nitude, given the size, scope and potential costs to the country, requires a thorough national discussion. The gov- ernment and project leaders must be transparent and clearly provide a compre- hensive plan and full details as the environmental, finan- cial and socioeconomic im- pact will be significant to our country.” He said government had failed to provide updated data and information about appropriate infrastructure or a new environmental impact assessment given the new de- sign and scope of the project. “Failure to do things prop- erly with a clear indication from the voting public who will be left dealing with the consequences will be unfair and detrimental to this and multiple generations in the future. The voice of the people should be heard. What are the government afraid of, if this is good for the country? Prove it and help the people be fully informed based on all the facts,” he said. Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell has argued that the public effectively voted for cruise berthing when they elected the cur- rent government. In an op-ed published in the Cayman Compass as part of a special feature last week, he wrote, “It has taken five years to arrive at this stage in the procurement process. Delaying now, in this final phase, to hold a referendum on a project the people have already given the government a mandate to do will stop the piers and the cargo port ex- pansion, irrespective of the referendum result. The value from the investment already made will be lost.” The Opposition’s district meetings, which begin in North Side on Tuesday, Oct. 2, aim to garner support for a people-initiated referendum and to discuss alternate plans for the future of the cruise industry in Cayman. Opposition leader Ez- zard Miller and his political group are supporting a ref- erendum, which they believe will force government to dis- close more information about the port project. Mr. Miller added, “At these upcoming meetings, we will be sharing what our own re- search has revealed so that the people, who will ulti- mately bear the burden of the outcome, will be prop- erly prepared to come to their own informed conclusions.” The schedule for the Op- position’s islandwide district meetings, which all begin at 7:30 p.m., is: Tuesday, Oct. 2, at the North Side Civic Centre; Wednesday, Oct. 3, at the Bodden Town Civic Centre; and Thursday, Oct. 4, at Savannah Primary School Hall. Meetings in other dis- tricts meetings will be sched- uled in the following weeks. Police saw Mr. Al- varado in the area and tracked him to a store on Eastern Avenue. Mr. Wain- wright said the defen- dant was clearly identified from that store’s CCTV. His clothing was taken back to the Humane Society and filmed: “It shows up the same way,” Mr. Wainwright told the court. Mr. Grimwood said there was nothing unique or distinctive about the clothing. He pointed out that at the time of the first bur- glary, Mr. Alvarado was employed at the Humane Society and earning money. He was not a disgrun- tled employee or needing cash or committing a crime for spite. “They have a lot of vol- unteers,” the attorney said of the organization. The magistrate noted that the charges were for a non-residential prem- ises. The starting point for sentence after conviction would be non-custodial for a first offender. He pointed out that Mr. Alvarado had no previous convictions. Mr. Wainwright said the court had to consider the harm done because it was donated money stolen from a charitable organization. He said he would not have objected to bail except for the number of charges in- volving the same place in a short period of time. The magistrate indi- cated he would not have granted bail, but he had to be mindful of the amount of time the defen- dant would likely spend in custody before a trial. In the circumstances, bail had to be with an electronic monitor and 24-hour curfew. However, no electronic monitor was available. Mr. Grimwood said it could not be right that the man was not able to get bail because of a lack of electronic monitors. The magistrate indi- cated that it might be time for the issue of funding to be looked at. Mr. Grimwood sug- gested that the defendant could be required to re- port to a police station every morning and offi- cers could check him at his home any time. The magistrate said he was not prepared to grant bail without the elec- tronic monitor. “They come up randomly – you never know,” he said, adding that a monitor might become available the next day. Further conditions in- cluded a 24-hour curfew at Mr. Alvarado’s address, recognizance in the sum of $1,500 and a surety in the same amount. The matter was set for mention again on Thursday, Oct. 11. Premier, Minister Rivers visiting Monaco Yacht Show Employee charged with four Humane Society burglaries CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Cayman’s Coat of Arms will be on prominent display at the Monaco Yacht Show this week. - PHOTO: MICHAEL KLEIN CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Government: Referendum would kill cruise port CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Tourists walk along the George Town waterfront as three cruise ships are moored in the harbor. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY ARGENTINA’S UNIONS STAGE NATIONWIDE STRIKE TO PROTEST CRISIS BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) – Unions called a na- tionwide strike Tuesday to protest Argentina’s eco- nomic crisis, and walk- outs grounded airline flights, paralyzed bus and train lines and forced the closure of the main agri- cultural port. Many workers stayed home as the strike made commuting a puzzle, and some demonstrators blocked highways. Banks, courts and many schools and shops did not open. Many hospitals of- fered only emergency ser- vices, most Argentine flights were canceled and garbage was not picked up. The stoppage was led by labor unions protesting one of the world’s highest infla- tion rates and austerity mea- sures ordered by President Mauricio Macri. They in- clude the slashing of subsi- dies on utility rates, laying off state workers, and more recently putting new taxes on exports and eliminating several ministries. “We want to show our discontent in the streets,” said Katylin Balaguer, who said she was among more than 500 employees who were laid off last year after PepsiCo closed a plant on the outskirts of Buenos Aires. “Many of us are suf- fering, not just because we lost our jobs, but because we can’t find a new one,” she said surrounded by other flag-waving demonstrators at a bridge in the capital that was closely guarded by police officers in riot gear. Consumer prices are rising at an estimated 40 percent annually, and Argen- tines are growing increas- ingly frustrated over a more than 50 percent fall in the peso’s value this year.7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2018 For cyclists, danger lurks round every corner JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cyclists and runners say they face near misses with reckless motorists on Cayman’s roads on an al- most daily basis. Drivers parking in cycle lanes, buzzing by cyclists as they overtake and pulling out of junctions in front of bikes are among a litany of con- cerns reported by cyclists. The death of Geoff Corn- wall, a popular triathlete who was killed after his bike struck a vehicle that had come to a stop in a cycle lane earlier this month, sparked new debate over the dangers faced by runners and cyclists on Cayman’s roads. Mr. Corn- wall’s death is still under in- vestigation and there is no suggestion at this stage that the driver of the vehicle was to blame in that incident. But regular cyclists and runners say they face frequent issues on Cayman’s roads with impatient or bad drivers who put their safety at risk. Jerome Ameline, who runs Revolutions spinning gym and cycle shop, said the big- gest concern was drivers passing too close to cyclists. He said he had nearly been hit on several occasions and almost all of the people he cycles with have had acci- dents or near misses. “People are texting and driving and then they pass you by two inches,” he added. On one occasion, re- corded on video by a cy- clist with a helmet camera, he said a truck had pulled out right in front of a group of riders, causing several to crash. No one was seriously injured but he said the in- cident was fairly typical on Cayman’s roads. He added, “A lot of people tell me they don’t want to buy a bike because it is too dangerous.” Orrett Connor, one of the organizers of the Daybreakers recreational cycling group, a group of riders who are out on the roads several times a week, said there needed to be mutual respect from cy- clists and drivers. He said he had heard complaints on both sides, with some motor- ists also expressing concern about large groups of bikes taking over the whole road. He said he was particu- larly concerned about drivers failing to observe a reason- able passing distance from bikes when they overtake. He said other jurisdictions mandate a minimum 3-feet passing distance. He believes some drivers deliberately pass cyclists as close as they can while others are just careless. Mr. Connor, who hosts Radio Cayman’s morning talk show, said he had his own incident on Cayman’s roads several years ago when his leg got caught by a passing truck, which carried him and his bike along the road be- fore he fell into the gravel. “You can’t really call your- self a cyclist unless you’ve had a near miss,” he said. Mr. Connor, who used to work as a driving instructor in New York, believes all road users would benefit from more training. He said it was mandatory in New York for new drivers to go through a minimum of three hours of classroom training before they could take their test. He believes a similar system would work in Cayman. Craig Merren, president of the Cayman Islands Cycling Association, said a national campaign involving police, sporting associations, the ve- hicle licensing department and government was needed. “We need to focus on the safety of all road users. This cannot be solved by drivers, cyclists, runners, walkers or the average commuter trav- eling via bicycle or as a pe- destrian,” he said. He warned the problems would get worse as the island continues to grow and he called for a six-month cam- paign backed by enforcement. Runners have also ex- pressed concern about the safety of training on Cay- man’s roads. Steve Durksen, who was taking part in the PACCE Journey for Life Run over the weekend, said he was concerned to see an abandoned car on the roadside near the Kimpton Seafire, in the path of cyclists who were out training for next month’s triathlon. Mr. Durksen, a regular runner who has been com- peting in events in Cayman for 12 years and will take part in the Chicago mara- thon next month, said the situation had got worse in recent years. He said, “In addition to motorists driving while tex- ting or speaking on their mo- bile phones, I have observed cars dangerously overtaking other cars during my mar- athon training this past year. I have decided it is no longer safe to run on the main roads in Cayman …. I will be putting further mara- thon training on hold until I can find safe routes for long training runs.” Cayman Islands Traffic Laws do not currently con- tain any specific reference to cycle lanes, which are fairly new in Cayman. According to the Royal Cayman Islands Police Ser- vice, motorists can get a $100 ticket for blocking a pedestrian path, a measure which is sometimes used for cycle paths as well. Po- lice say there is no specific passing distance in the law or regulations but motorists are required to have “due re- gard for the safety and com- fort of other road users,” in- cluding by keeping a safe passing distance. “You can’t really call yourself a cyclist unless you’ve had a near miss.” ORRETT CONNOR, Daybreakers recreational cycling group A truck pulls out in front of a group of cyclists, leading to a crash in an incident captured on video by a group of riders.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Argentina’s central bank chief resigns Argentina says its central bank chief has resigned amid negotiations with the International Monetary Fund. The surprise resignation of Luis Caputo was announced in a bank statement Tuesday, which comes as the government is pushing for a new financing deal with the IMF. Trump boasts of America’s might, draws headshakes at UN US puts sanctions on Venezuela first lady, other officials WASHINGTON (AP) – The Trump administration on Tuesday slapped finan- cial sanctions on four mem- bers of Venezuelan Presi- dent Nicolas Maduro’s inner circle, including his wife and the nation’s vice president, on allegations of corruption. As part of the actions, the U.S. barred Americans from doing business with and will seize any financial assets in the U.S. belonging to First Lady Cilia Flores, Vice Presi- dent Delcy Rodriguez, Com- munications Minister Jorge Rodriguez and Defense Min- ister Vladimir Padrino. “We are continuing to des- ignate loyalists who enable Maduro to solidify his hold on the military and the gov- ernment while the Venezu- elan people suffer,” Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin said in a statement. “Treasury will continue to impose a fi- nancial toll on those respon- sible for Venezuela’s tragic decline, and the networks and front-men they use to mask their illicit wealth.” Over the past two years the Trump administration has sanctioned dozens of in- dividuals, including Maduro himself, on allegations of cor- ruption, drug trafficking and human rights abuses. But until now it had spared key leaders like Delcy Rodriguez, as well as the U.S.-trained Padrino, be- lieving they occupy seats of power and could play a key role in an eventual transition. David Smilde, a Tulane University professor who has spent more than two decades living and working in Vene- zuela, said Tuesday’s actions would seem to suggest the U.S. has given up trying to sow division within the gov- ernment in the hopes it could force a democratic transi- tion from within. “This clearly breaks from that strategy, said Smilde. “If everyone is sanctioned then it could end up uniting the government.” Trump, arriving at the United Nations Gen- eral Assembly before his speech Tuesday, said Ven- ezuela is “a very sad case and we want to see it fixed. What’s happening there is a human tragedy.” But beyond rallying Mad- uro’s opponents, it’s un- clear what impact the sanc- tions will have. For over a year, top U.S. officials have struggled to build support for more sweeping oil sanctions, facing resistance from en- ergy companies still active in the country and fearing it could tip the OPEC na- tion over the edge at a time of hyperinflation and wide- spread food and medi- cine shortages. As part of the actions an- nounced Tuesday, the Trea- sury Department also seized a $20 million private jet be- longing to an alleged front man for powerful socialist party boss Diosdado Cabello. UNITED NATIONS (AP) – Pres- ident Donald Trump deliv- ered a sharp rebuke of mul- tinational authority at the United Nations on Tuesday, drawing headshakes and even laughter from fellow world leaders as he boasted of America’s economic and military might. Trump arrived late, forcing a last-minute sched- uling switch, then received polite applause but also blank stares as he took his blustery brand of “America First” policies to the annual General Assembly. Speaking in triumphal terms, Trump approached the address as an annual report to the world on his country’s progress since his inaugura- tion. He crowed that in “less than two years, my admin- istration has accomplished more than almost any ad- ministration in the history of our country.” Rather than applaud or in- dicate they were impressed, the audience began to chuckle and some broke into outright laughter. Trump appeared briefly flustered before joking that it was not the reaction he expected but “that’s all right.” The moment only rein- forced Trump’s isolation among allies and foes alike, as his nationalistic policies have created rifts with erst- while partners and cast doubt in some circles about the reli- ability of American commit- ments around the world. Trump seized his oppor- tunity to assert American independence from the in- ternational body. He was unapologetic about his de- cisions to engage with the erstwhile pariah North Korea, remove the U.S. from the international Iran nuclear accord and object to U.N. pro- grams he believes are con- trary to American interests. “We reject the ideology of globalism and we em- brace the doctrine of patrio- tism,” Trump said. He referenced a long list of U.N. initiatives, from the International Criminal Court to the Human Rights Council, that his administration is working to undermine. “As far as America is con- cerned, the ICC has no juris- diction, no legitimacy and no authority,” he said. The U.S. is boycotting the Human Rights Council, arguing it overlooks abuses by some and serves as a venue for anti-American and anti-Israeli action. Trump’s denunciation of globalism drew murmurs from the room that stands as the very embodiment of the notion. Other tense moments in- cluded his criticism of Ger- many’s pursuit of a direct energy pipeline from Russia, which drew a dismissive headshake from a member of the U.S. ally’s delegation. His mention of the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Qatar all in one breath, was received by stone-faced Saudi officials. The UAE and Saudi Arabia have been boycotting Doha since last year as part of a political dispute tearing apart the typically clubby Gulf Arab nations. The laughter in the first moments of the address evoked a campaign line Trump frequently deployed against his predecessor Barack Obama – who em- braced international engage- ment – suggesting that due to weak American leadership, “the world is laughing at us.” In 2014, Trump tweeted “We need a President who isn’t a laughing stock to the entire World. We need a truly great leader, a ge- nius at strategy and win- ning. Respect!” In addition to the keynote speech, Trump is to chair a meeting of the U.N. Security Council on the topic of coun- tering nuclear proliferation on Wednesday. His four days of choreographed foreign af- fairs were to stand in con- trast to a presidency some- times defined by disorder. Appearances on the global stage tend to elevate the stature of presidents both abroad and at home. But even before his arrival for the annual gathering of world leaders and diplomats, the de- sired image was being over- shadowed at home by do- mestic political troubles, with Trump forced to confront the salacious and embarrassing. The fate of his second Su- preme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, was cast into fresh doubt over the weekend amid a second allegation of sexual misconduct, which Kavanaugh denies. Drama also swirled Monday around the status of his deputy attorney gen- eral. Rod Rosenstein was re- ported last week to have floated the idea of secretly re- cording Trump last year and to have raised the idea of using the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from of- fice. The man overseeing spe- cial counsel Robert Mueller’s Trump-Russia probe and a frequent target of Trump’s ire offered to resign and perhaps expected Monday to be fired. He received a stay of punish- ment at least until Thursday, when he is to meet with Trump at the White House. With cable news chy- rons flashing breathless up- dates about both Beltway dramas, news of Trump’s for- eign policy moves from the U.N., led by a new trade deal with South Korea, struggled to break through and disap- pointed White House aides. Over the past two years the Trump administration has sanctioned dozens of individuals, including Maduro himself, on allegations of corruption, drug trafficking and human rights abuses. President Donald Trump delivers a speech to the United Nations General Assembly, Tuesday at U.N. Headquarters in New York City. - PHOTO: AP Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro, his wife Cilia Flores, right, and Vice President Delcy Rodriguez wave upon their arrival to National Assembly building to attend a special session of the Constituent National Assembly in Caracas, Venezuela, May 24, 2018. - PHOTO: AP9 WORLD&REGIONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2018 WORLD ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DAY September 26 DH E Department of Environmental Health Working now and for the Future Theme: Global Food Safety & Sustainability Protect yourself and your loved ones from food related illness by utilising clean water and high quality food items, observing basic sanitation, avoiding cross contamination of foods and ensuring that foods are cooked and stored at the proper temperatures. Ensuring food safety throughout the Cayman Islands 625 Food premises inspections Telephone: Grand Cayman - 949 6696 | Cayman Brac - 948-2321 674 Inspections of locally slaughtered animals 0 Incidents of food related illness 19 Procured food samples 1,411 Imported container inspections 75 Food recall surveillances 19 Food condemnation inspections 626 Food handlers trained approved L-R: EHO Derrick Williams (Port Health Officer), EHO Gideon Simms (West Bay & Seven Mile Beach), EHO Mark Robson (Eastern District), and EHO Joel Victorine (George Town). Meet DEH Food Hygiene & Safety Officers EHO Patience Eke (Sister Islands). DH E Department of Environmental Health Working now and for the Future Statistics refer to the period from January 1, 2018 to August 31, 2018 With newfound aggressiveness, GOP ramps up Kavanaugh fight WASHINGTON (AP) – Brett Kavanaugh says he will not let “false accusations drive me out of this process” as he, President Donald Trump and top Republicans mount an aggressive drive to rally the public and GOP senators behind his shaky Supreme Court nomination. Trump and Republican leaders accused Democrats on Monday of a smear cam- paign by using accusations by two women of sexual mis- conduct by Kavanaugh in the 1980s to try scuttling his Senate confirmation. There were no immediate indica- tions that the emergence of a second accuser had fa- tally wounded Kavanaugh’s prospects, but the nominee took the unusual step of de- fending himself in a televi- sion interview that under- scored the GOP’s new-found combativeness. Kavanaugh, 53, said on the conservative-friendly Fox News Channel that he was not questioning that his ini- tial accuser, psychology pro- fessor Christine Blasey Ford, may have been sexually as- saulted in her life. But he added, “What I know is I’ve never sexually assaulted anyone,” a remarkable asser- tion for a nominee to the na- tion’s highest court. Kavanaugh’s TV appear- ance came three days be- fore a crucial Senate Judi- ciary Committee hearing at which he and his chief ac- cuser, Christine Blasey Ford, were slated to testify. That session loomed as a do-or- die wild card for Kavanaugh in which a split-second fa- cial expression, a tear or a choice of words could prove decisive. On Monday, Trump called the accusations among “the single most unfair, unjust things to happen to a can- didate for anything.” Senate Majority Leader Mitch Mc- Connell, Republican-Ken- tucky, angrily accused Demo- crats of slinging “all the mud they could manufacture” and promised a full Senate vote soon, but specified no date. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York retorted that if McConnell believed the allegations were a smear, “why don’t you call for an FBI investigation?” He accused Republicans of “a rush job to avoid the truth.” The similar wording and arguments that Republicans used suggested a concerted effort to undermine the wom- en’s claims and portray an image of unity among GOP senators while pressing to- ward a confirmation vote. Despite the forceful rhet- oric by Kavanaugh and his GOP supporters, it remained unclear how three mod- erate Republicans – Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Ari- zona’s Jeff Flake and Alas- ka’s Lisa Murkowski – would react to the latest accusation. With the GOP’s Senate con- trol hanging on a razor-thin 51-49 margin, defections by any two Republican sena- tors would seal his fate if all Democrats vote “no.” Collins said she re- mained undecided about Ka- vanaugh, a judge on the Dis- trict of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals. Proceeding with Kava- naugh seems to give Re- publicans their best shot at filling the Supreme Court va- cancy – and giving the court an increasingly conservative tilt – before November’s elec- tions, when GOP Senate con- trol is in play. Even if Republicans lose their Senate majority, they could still have time to con- firm a nominee in a lame- duck session, but the GOP has not indicated that is under consideration. Delaying Ka- vanaugh’s confirmation could allow time for doubts about him to take root or any fresh accusations to emerge. Pushing forward with Ka- vanaugh has its own risks, besides an embarrassing de- feat for Trump and the GOP. His nomination and the claims of sexual misconduct have stirred up women and liberal voters whose antip- athy to Republicans has al- ready been heightened by Trump’s policies and his own fraught history of alleged sexual transgressions. During the Fox interview, Kavanaugh said that while there were high school par- ties with beer and he was not perfect, “I’m a good person. I’ve led a good life.” He said he’d never done any- thing like the episodes his ac- cusers have described and said he didn’t have sexual in- tercourse until “many years” after high school. “I’m not going to let false accusations drive me out of this process. I have faith in God and I have faith in the fairness of the American people,” he said. Brett Kavanaugh shares a moment with his wife Ashley Kavanaugh before the start of a FOX News interview with Martha MacCallum, Monday. - PHOTO: APNext >