ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – THURSDAY OCTOBER 4, 2018 High of 90 Low of 78 Moderate to rough with wave heights of 4 to 6 feet. Small craft should exercise caution over open waters. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 INVINCIBLE INVESTMENT: TOKYO TAKES ON SEVEN MILE BEACH LOCAL | PAGE 2 PORT DIRECTOR SUSPENSION EXTENDED Premier Health Think of a number, then think of a health plan. BritCay settled 257,684 health claims in 2017. 97% in 5 working days and 60% automatically. Premier Health is number one for great numbers! British Caymanian Insurance Agencies Limited acts solely as an agent on behalf of Colonial Medical Insurance Company Limited and it does not act as an insurance broker on behalf of its customers. Call 949-8699 www.britcay.ky cgigrp BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE AGENCIES LIMITED BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town, P.O. Box 74, KY1-1102 Tel. 949-8699 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International Ltd. : insurance, health, pensions, life CAYMAN NATIONAL CORPORATION ACQUISITION Board recommends sale to Trinidad bank KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com The board of directors for local bank Cayman National Corporation Ltd. announced on Tuesday that it is recommending their shareholders to accept an offer by the Re- public Bank Trinidad and Tobago (Barbados) Ltd. to buy their shares. “The Board believes that the Partial Offer is a good opportunity for Cayman National shareholders to realise the value of their in- vestment in Cayman National,” the board stated in its announcement. The board of directors stated that in making the decision, it carefully considered the price per share Republic National is of- fering investors (US$6.25 per share), the pos- itive commitments Republic Bank made to the community, and the fact that Cayman Na- tional has the potential to benefit by being a part of a larger group of companies. The board stated that it will publish a di- rectors’ circular on or before Friday. The cir- cular will contain more information about Re- public National, the terms of the offer, and the board’s recommendation. The US$6.25 offer by Republic Bank repre- sents a $0.75 premium over the stock’s listed price, which was US$5.50 as of Tuesday. The price has steadily inched upward since the potential offer was announced in early August, from US$3 at that time to US$4.90 last month to the current price of US$5.50. Republic National is aiming to purchase between 51 percent and 74.99 percent of Cayman National. Cayman National’s notices about the sale state that it is subject to certain conditions, including Republic Bank maintaining a pres- ence in the Sister Islands, retaining the name and branding of Cayman National and its subsidiaries, and keeping the “majority” of NO AIR-POLLUTION CONTROLS AT LANDFILL INCINERATORS DEH does not track emissions KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com The George Town and Cayman Brac land- fill incinerators have burned nearly 2 million pounds of trash since August 2016, all without the use of scrubbers – devices to remove toxins from the incinerators’ exhaust. It is not clear how much hazardous emis- sions are being released into the atmosphere due to there being no air-pollution control de- vices at the landfill incinerators. A 2016 study by U.K. environmental consultant Amec Foster Wheeler recommended that government start assessing emissions from the incinerators and their likely impact, but that initiative has not yet started. “Accordingly, there is no data [on inciner- ator emissions],” the Department of Environ- mental Health told the Cayman Compass ear- lier this week. Despite the lack of data, the unfiltered burning of trash is a public-health concern, according to Richard Peltier, an associate pro- fessor of environmental health sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. “Burning municipal waste, especially in the absence of pollution filters, is often viewed as risky for a community because these emis- sions can contain many different toxins, such as heavy metals, pesticides, or plastics,” said Mr. Peltier, who is an atmospheric chemist and researches human exposure to air pollut- ants. “This can lead to sickness and even death in a community because these pollutants can Port project objections raised at North Side meeting MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com The first of several public meetings or- ganized by Opposition politicians to ad- dress questions on the proposed cruise ship docks for George Town harbor dealt with such questions as the environmental impact of the project, alternatives to the two-dock design, or whether any substan- tive change is even needed to accommodate cruise passengers. The project, which is estimated to about $200 million, would require dredging of the harbor to accommodate the draft of a new class of mega cruise ships. The concept received a hostile reception from about 20 people who attended the first of a series of district meetings Tuesday eve- ning at the North Side Civic Centre. Legisla- tive Assembly members Ezzard Miller and Arden McLean spoke at length on their con- cerns about the new project. Both said they support a referendum effort that would allow voters to have the final say on the current proposal. Proponents are currently in the process of gathering signatures on a petition to force such a referendum. Premier Alden McLaughlin and Tourism Carnival ships Freedom and Horizon, carrying more than 7,700 passengers between them, moor off George Town Wednesday morning. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL THURSDAY OCTOBER 4, 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. - THURSDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) NIGHT SCHOOL (PG13) 12:30 I 3:30 I 7:40 I 9:00 LIFE ITSELF (R) 1:00 I 7:10 I 9:50 BLOCKBUSTER RE-RELEASE: BLACK PANTHER (PG13) 2:00 VIP I 6:40 THE HOUSE WITH A CLOCK IN ITS WALLS (PG) 1:25 I 4:00 I 6:30 SMALLFOOT (PG) 12:40 3D I 4:25 I 6:35 THE NUN (R) 1:20 I 10:15 THE PREDATOR (R) 5:00 VIP I 7:30 VIP I 9:00 I 10:00 VIP BLOCKBUSTER RE-RELEASE: JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM (PG13) 3:40 I 9:40 Two Customs warehouse staff in court for theft CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A civilian employee at the Customs warehouse pleaded not guilty to two charges of theft when he appeared in Summary Court on Tuesday. Rhymiech Keyon Adol- phus, 31, pleaded not guilty to stealing five cellphones and a quantity of herbal supplements and vitamins on successive days in Au- gust this year. He was represented by attorney Dennis Brady. A second defendant, Danny Oscar Ebanks, also appeared, but he has been charged separately, albeit with the same thefts. The Crown’s case is that the men stole the items at the Customs warehouse on Owen Roberts Drive. The charges did not state the value of the items. Magistrate Valdis Fol- dats set a pre-trial case management conference for Mr. Adolphus for Oct. 18. He said he would set a trial date at that time. Mr. Ebanks, 48, ad- vised the court that he had changed attorneys. On that basis, the magistrate said he would set this defen- dant’s matter for mention on Oct. 18 also. Mr. Ebanks did not enter a plea. In a press release after the men were first arrested, Collector of Customs Charles Clifford referred to both men as civilian employees who had been placed on required leave. Suspension of port director extended JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman Islands Port Au- thority Director Clement Reid had his suspen- sion extended, according to minutes from recent board meetings. Mr. Reid was suspended “for a period of up to three months” in May in connec- tion with an internal inves- tigation at the authority. Minutes from an Aug. 16 meeting of the Port Au- thority board of directors, recently posted online, indi- cate that members voted to renew that suspension for a further three months. Joey Woods, acting di- rector of the port, referred questions on the suspen- sion to board chairman Errol Bush, who could not be reached Wednesday. Mr. Reid was suspended from his job in May in the aftermath of a damning auditor general’s report that highlighted breaches of hiring rules and exces- sive spending on office up- grades, among a number of concerns. The suspected theft of boat engines, which was not reported to police, was also highlighted as a concern by auditors. The port board said, at the time, that it was “gen- erally displeased” with Mr. Reid but opted not to termi- nate his employment. Around a week later, Mr. Reid was suspended from his job. Board chairman Mr. Bush said at the time that the suspension was related to some matters in the au- ditor general’s report but pertained to other issues as well. Mr. Bush told the Cayman Compass the sus- pension was not an indica- tion that Mr. Reid had done anything wrong, but rather that he could not continue in his position as director while the internal investiga- tion was proceeding. The board minutes from Aug. 16 also indicate that police investigations are “still ongoing.” It doesn’t say what aspect of the port’s activities are being inves- tigated and Mr. Woods declined to clarify for what he described as “ob- vious reasons.” Jury chosen for cocaine robbery trial Crown to open case on Monday CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Jurors and alternates were chosen in Grand Court on Wednesday for the trial of three men who have pleaded not guilty to charges relating to a Christmas Eve robbery and possession of cocaine. Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Patrick Moran confirmed to media only that the charges pertain to the robbery of a number of pack- ages of cocaine on Dec. 24 in the vicinity of Morritt’s Re- sort in East End. The defendants are Marvin Gregory Grant, rep- resented by attorney An- thony Akiwumi; Fred Allon McLaughlin, represented by attorneys Laurence Aiolfi and Jonathon Hughes; and Al Elford McLaughlin, represented by attorney Crister Brady. Persons present for jury selection were given the names of witnesses for the trial and asked to ad- vise the court if any were close friends or relatives. They were also directed to let the court know if they knew anyone who worked at Morritt’s. Justice Roger Chapple told the seven selected ju- rors and two alternates that, at the moment, they knew nothing whatsoever about the case, not even the charges the defendants faced. He asked them to re- sist any temptation to find out from the internet or any other source. The general charges re- ferred to above are cited on the published, public court list. Judge Chapple explained that he would be dealing with preliminary legal is- sues for a day or so and then there was a lengthy list of other matters set for Friday. On that basis, he told released the jurors and alternates until Monday morning, Oct. 8. A number of potential ju- rors were not present when their names was called. Judge Chapple said he did not propose to deal with them that day. Jurors who are summoned but fail to at- tend without being excused are subject to a fine of $500. Clement Reid More rain in store for Cayman A broad area of low pres- sure continues to linger south of the Cayman Islands near the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica and Nicaragua. The U.S.- based National Hurricane Center advised Wednesday that the system had a 30 per- cent chance of tropical for- mation by Monday. “Showers and thunder- storms remain disorganized, however, some slow devel- opment within this broad circulation is possible this weekend and early next week as it drifts northwestward,” the NHC said in Wednesday’s afternoon forecast. The NHC’s forecast map- ping showed the system drifting in coming days to- ward the Yucatan Peninsula and potentially affecting the Cayman Islands. Forecasting of the system remains early, however, and it is still un- clear if the area will de- velop into an organized, tropical system. Meanwhile, the Cayman Islands National Weather Service anticipated more iso- lated showers in coming days. “Isolated showers along with moderate winds and slight to moderate seas are expected over the Cayman area for the next 24 hours in association with a broad sur- face trough over the North- west Caribbean, which is as- sociated with a broad area of low pressure over the south- west Caribbean,” the NWS said Wednesday afternoon. “Radar images show iso- lated showers across the Cayman area moving to- wards the west southwest.” Hurricane Leslie in the north-central Atlantic posed no threat to the Ca- ribbean and no immediate threat to land. PROSECUTORS WANT PRISON FOR MUSIC FEST PROMOTER NEW YORK (AP) – Prosecu- tors say the promoter of a botched, highly publicized music festival in the Ba- hamas should serve over 15 years in prison. The government deliv- ered its arguments before the sentencing next week of Billy McFarland in court papers filed Wednesday in Manhattan federal court. McFarland has twice pleaded guilty to charges. First, he admitted earlier this year he defrauded inves- tors in the 2017 Fyre Festival in the Bahamas. Then, weeks later, he pleaded guilty to charges in a ticket selling scam. His lawyer has urged leniency, saying McFarland suffers from mental illness that includes delusional be- liefs that his talents will lead to “fame and fortune.” SOURCE: NOAA3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY OCTOBER 4, 2018 Clean Choice. Monopoly Pricing Price Drop with Clean Gas *Clean Gas competitive pricing has resulted in lower rates, depending on tank size, from 33%-40%. Call 233-4427 or order your tank refills online at cleangas.ky Lower propane prices are a Clean choice. Did you know? Stop paying old monopoly prices. Since Clean Gas has entered the market, propane prices have dropped 40%*. Premier meets with shipowners in Athens Greek shipping fleet an important market for Cayman registry Premier Alden McLaughlin traveled to Athens earlier this week to meet with Greek merchant ship owners and shipping industry represen- tatives after his visit to the Monaco Yacht Show. He accompanied the chairman and the CEO of the Maritime Authority of the Cayman Islands, Phillip Barnes and Joel Walton, in an effort to support the au- thority’s plans to increase the number of merchant ships on the Cayman Islands Ship- ping Registry. Currently, there are 2,008 yachts registered in Cayman, compared with 203 merchant ships on the registry. On Tuesday, the pre- mier hosted a luncheon for 15 shipowners and CEOs of Greek shipping companies at the historic Piraeus Ma- rine Club, a hub of the Greek shipping community, where Mr. McLaughlin and Mari- time Authority representa- tives were able to highlight the benefits of the Cayman Shipping Registry. “MACI asked me to attend and to personally speak to individuals involved in ship- ping, including those at the luncheon from traditional Greek shipping families who together control many hun- dred ships,” Mr. McLaughlin said in a press release. “Some of the individuals I met do business with us now, but most do not. We cannot substantially grow this sector of the shipping market without accessing Greek shipping,” he noted. “So, I came to Athens to thank firsthand those who do busi- ness with us, and to say to those who do not that we as a Country and as a Govern- ment are committed to the shipping industry, committed to supporting Greek shipping, and we want their business.” Greek ship owners ac- count for almost 25 percent of the world’s total mer- chant shipping fleet and are an important market to tap into if the Cayman Islands is to substantially grow the number of merchant ves- sels on the Cayman Register, the government said in the press release. Mr. Barnes, chairman of MACI said, “The mere fact that this number of high- powered individuals took time out of their busy day to be with us for several hours over lunch is an in- dication of their interest in the registry, as well as their interest in hearing first- hand from the leader of the Cayman Islands.” Mr. Walton, CEO of MACI, said he was grateful to the premier for joining the Mar- itime Authority in Greece. “This is important to MACI but it is also important to the Cayman Islands. The indi- viduals who met with us are not only significant players in Greek Shipping, but are also significant in terms of the global shipping industry. “When the Premier of the Cayman Islands can say to them that we are com- mitted to shipping and will work hard to get and keep their business, this means something to them. I am hopeful that we will win a lot more merchant ship- ping business from Greece and today is the start.” During the week, MACI staff and representatives in Athens are meeting with individual Greek shipping compa- nies and brokers. Greek-Caymanian Nicky Pappadakis also attended the lunch and spoke warmly about the Cayman Islands and the Caymanian people when he addressed his com- patriots, the government press release noted. Speaker of the House McKeeva Bush also attended as he was in Athens independently visiting his friend Mr. Pappadakis. Traveling with the pre- mier was Roy Tatum, head of the Office of the Pre- mier. Mr. McLaughlin and Mr. Tatum flew back to Cayman Wednesday. Premier Alden McLaughlin, right, meets shipowners in Athens, Greece, on Tuesday. MAN REMANDED ON CHARGE OF WRONGFUL CONFINEMENT A man charged with wrongful confinement and assault causing actual bodily harm was remanded in cus- tody Wednesday when he appeared before Magistrate Philippa McFarlane. Joseph Hurlston, 36, of George Town, will ap- pear in Summary Court again for mention on Wednesday, Oct. 10. Police last week appealed to the public to help them locate Mr. Hurlston. He was arrested on Sunday, Sept. 30. Another man, age 42 of George Town, was also ar- rested on suspicion of har- boring a fugitive. He was re- leased on police bail while investigations continue. Currently, there are 2,008 yachts registered in Cayman, compared with 203 merchant ships on the register. Police last week appealed to the public to help them locate Mr. Hurlston. 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” We do not know much about Invincible Invest- ment Corporation, but we share at least one thing in common with the newest landlord on Seven Mile Beach: confidence in the strength of the Cayman Islands tourism sector. The Japanese real estate firm’s addition of the Westin Grand Cayman Seven Mile Beach Resort and Sunshine Suites Resort will, we hope, yield positive returns for their investors and our country. The acqui- sition itself serves as a boost to Cayman because it represents Invincible’s lone foray beyond the shores of Japan into the international market. It is encouraging that the firm, which owns more than 125 properties (about half of them hotels), chose to invest in Cayman out of all the possible locations on the globe. In a notice concerning the US$340 million acqui- sition, the corporation remarked upon the “high quality of the assets, excellent location, and attrac- tive supply/demand for hotels in the Cayman Islands” and specifically mentioned the Owen Roberts International Airport expansion, Cayman’s economic and political stability and our country’s close ties to the United States. Before the acquisition, both the 343-room Westin (a local landmark serving the higher end of Cayman’s tourist demographic) and the 132-room Sunshine Suites (which caters more toward the middle of the market), had been owned since 2015 by a private U.S.-based investment group. The Westin emerged last October from a two-year CI$50 million renovation and has become the single largest acquisition (according to purchase price) in Invincible’s investment portfolio, which has a value of well over US$3 billion. Under the new owner, the two properties will continue to be managed on a day-to-day basis by Pyramid Hotel Group, meaning a seamless transi- tion for employees and guests. Jim Mauer, managing director of the Westin Grand Cayman, said Invincible sees the hotel as a long-term investment and is inter- ested in further upgrades to the property. The firm’s perspective on the hotel is an encouraging insight into investors’ informed projections of the future tra- jectory of Cayman’s tourism landscape, which is set only to grow more competitive as new resorts enter the marketplace. These include, for example, the NCB Group’s hotel on the former Treehouse restaurant site, the Grand Hyatt at Pageant Beach and the Mandarin Oriental at Beach Bay, in addition to the Dart Group’s projects, including the reopening of the former Beach Suites hotel and the five-star resort planned on the Royal Palms site. Unlike other markets, where “vultures” swoop on distressed properties during downtimes and strip assets from their purchases, here in Cayman the trend is for investors to acquire properties at a significant price, inject them with more capital, and eventually to sell them at an even higher price to another investor, who continues the virtuous cycle of profit-generation. Just as we have seen with previous acquisitions of major Seven Mile Beach properties (including The Ritz-Carlton, Marriott and the Westin itself), our expec- tation is for Invincible to maximize the potential of its newest properties, and through its resources and expe- rience, increase the value of its own investments, but also to raise the standard even higher for Cayman’s hospitality industry. Invincible Investment: Tokyo takes on Seven Mile Beach THURSDAY OCTOBER 4, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Fixing higher education and student debt Ten years after the fi- nancial crisis banks may be safer and the economy recovered, but intoler- able burdens have been hoisted on America’s youth. Too many are handi- capped by horrendous stu- dent debt, forcing them to delay marriage, children and first homes. Faced with massive un- employment and the failure of his $831 billion stimulus package, President Obama encouraged more young people to borrow hundreds of billions of dollars to at- tend college and graduate school. That took millions off the jobless rolls. Mr. Obama propagated false reasoning: College graduates earn on average much more than high school graduates, hence sending most young people to col- lege would assure most above average incomes. That is sadly reminis- cent of Garrison Keillor’s Lake Wobegon, where every child is above average. To send most everyone to college, nearly everyone has to receive a college prepara- tory high school education. Pressures to “pass them through” resulted in what even The New York Times admits are counter- feit high school diplomas. Fewer than 40 percent of secondary school gradu- ates have the math and reading skills to do col- lege-level work. State governments pres- sured by rocketing Med- icaid costs, the needs of K-12 education and flagging tax revenues, slashed sup- port and jacked up tuition at public colleges. That en- abled private colleges to do the same and compelled bigger student loans. Facing tight budgets, limited pools of qualified applicants and Obama ad- ministration pressures to increase diversity, colleges and universities lowered admission requirements and gutted curriculums. Mr. Obama’s legacy: About 70 percent of high school graduates now en- roll in two- or four-year programs, student loan bal- ances now top $1.5 trillion and most young people do not get the quality educa- tion they are promised. No one should be sur- prised to meet younger adults – even among grad- uates of prestigious law schools, business schools and members of Congress – who espouse slogans as facts, or believe that the mere accusation of crime based on vague recollec- tions and without the tes- tament of witnesses is a writ of guilt. That is what they learn in English class, women’s studies and sadly even at business schools and eco- nomics departments in- stead of how to gather credible facts, reach logi- cally supportable conclu- sions and express those with clarity. Colleges and universi- ties cannot possibly edu- cate students so burdened by pedagogical promiscuity and poor secondary-school preparation. Many enrolled drop out – especially those admitted through affirma- tive action or who enjoy spe- cial privileges as the chil- dren of rich parents. And too many simply receive fraudulent degrees. These problems are par- ticularly acute but by no means isolated among for- profit colleges. Often, those use exaggerated claims and easy access to student loans to sell the least sophisti- cated young people – those from economically and eth- nically disadvantaged fam- ilies – expensive and use- less programs. Standardized tests in- dicate four years of college often adds little to students’ analytical abilities and four in 10 college graduates lack the critical thinking skills necessary for entry-level professional work. Consequently, more than 40 percent of young college graduates remain stuck in jobs that do not require a college education, and more than 3.6 million graduates live below the poverty line. President Trump gets good and bad grades. His emphasis on apprentice- ships that pay students, leave them without debt and after a year or two provide most with oppor- tunities that pay better than the $50,000 the av- erage new college graduate earns are admirable. How- ever, his efforts to roll back Mr. Obama’s crackdown on for-profit colleges are not flattering. To clean up the mess, it’s time for some good old- fashioned debt forgiveness. If Mr. Obama could bail out the banks, Mr. Trump could do the same for students sold on a lousy idea by their government. And he can fi- nance some of that by going after the resources of for- profit colleges and main- stream universities. A few bankruptcy auc- tions for the properties of second-rate schools and tort judgments against en- dowments of revered in- stitutions that have hap- pily exploited all this fraud – and indoctrinated stu- dents instead of educating them – would have the same reformative conse- quences as suing negligent corporations that hawk shoddy products. Threaten the job security of cossetted, intolerant pro- fessors and see how quickly they relearn how to teach Chaucer, calculus and cred- ible critical thinking skills. Academics are always lecturing us to hold greedy businesses to account. Now the time has come to hold them to account. Peter Morici is an economist and business professor at the University of Maryland, and a national columnist. © 2018, The Washington Times, LLC. PETER MORICI If Mr. Obama could bail out the banks, Mr. Trump could do the same for students sold on a lousy idea by their government. And he can finance some of that by going after the resources of for-profit colleges and mainstream universities.5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY OCTOBER 4, 2018 UCCI reopens expanded student-run canteen MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com The recently reopened canteen at the University Col- lege of the Cayman Islands is not only getting favorable student reviews, but is also giving hospitality students a chance to gain culinary skills. The Oasis Lounge is the newly remodeled and newly energized cafe for the college’s students and personnel. Pres- ident Roy Bodden said it has been a goal of his to revamp the facility for some time. “Since we have a thriving school of hospitality, this is a classic example of putting that education to work,” Mr. Bodden said, noting that the hospitality students will be engaged in running the eatery. “I want to give my students every opportunity to develop confidence in their abilities.” The enlarged space, with tables and chairs for diners, also gives the campus an im- portant added element as it renews its efforts at gaining international accreditation. “The accreditors told us we need to have a place for students to gather socially,” Mr. Bodden said. The Oasis lounge provides that space, he said. But for Wayne Jackson, the director of the school’s hospi- tality program, it is an exten- sion of the classroom. In years past, the student canteen was subcontracted out to private businesses. Now, it is run by the hospitality program. Students are not only learning the basics in the ca- fe’s kitchen, they also have to learn about managing the business and evaluating its profitability. The goal is for the operation to break even. Working in the Oasis lounge is now a required part of the hospitality program, Mr. Jackson said. “This allows us to add an additional element for stu- dents to practice,” he said. “This is their first step.” Students already have a practicum requirement that is typically met by working in a local restaurant. Mr. Jackson said he expects half of the required hours to now be spent in the campus cafe, and he expects the total number of required hours may increase in the coming years, given the accessi- bility the students will now have. It can sometimes be a struggle, he said, for those in the hospitality program to find an internship with a local business. Anastascio Mena-Heb- bert, 22, graduated from UCCI in 2014 and works at The Ritz-Carlton. He is also the kitchen supervisor for the Oasis lounge. He said he would like to have been able to work in the campus can- teen when he was a student. “It would have given me more practical work, in- stead of learning on the job,” he said. He thinks students will benefit by getting initi- ated in kitchen work in an environment with a little less pressure. “It’s a perfect opportunity for kids to learn knife skills as well,” he said. “When they go to get a job, they won’t go in blind.” Between 60 and 75 stu- dents visit the cafe on a typ- ical day, Mr. Jackson said. He expects that number to in- crease as the new business gets its legs. “We’re in the incubator phase,” he said. “We’re not quite where we want to be yet. We’re still going through figuring out what works, what products are movers.” Some students are already happy with the change. Jody Otu, 21, a literary studies student, who was sit- ting at a table eating lunch, said the canteen is much im- proved from previous years. “Before, I would give it a zero,” Ms. Otu said. “Since it restarted, I could give it an eight. It’s good.” Science student Kacie Ramos, 19, also likes the change. “When you come in, it kind of feels homey and nice. It’s better than it used to be in how it looks and how it’s run,” she said. By the first of the year, Mr. Jackson said he would like to start having restaurant “labs” in the evening, where stu- dents prepare full dinners for the general public. “They’re going to create a menu and they’re going to pair that with a couple bot- tles of wine,” he said. A recent reallocation of capital funds pumped an additional $40,000 into the canteen. “That additional funding allowed us to get a convec- tion oven and a lot of pots and pans,” Mr. Jackson said. He still has a lot on his wish list. “A year from now,” he said, “we’ll have more furniture in place, nice background music. We’ll have a TV. It will be more student run and we’ll be able to have more students involved.” Those students, he said, will be better prepared for the careers they are working toward. “They will grow by the im- mersion we can provide,” he said. “If we get these skills down, they can go anywhere.” Dalesha Hurlston, left, and Brandon Cunha serve a customer at the Oasis Lounge on the UCCI campus. Anastascio Mena-Hebbert is the kitchen supervisor for the newly reopened student canteen at UCCI. - PHOTOS: MARK MUCKENFUSS Cayman student named as ‘HearStrong Champion’ Zachary Franklin, a 16-year-old student ath- lete who has had hearing loss for most of his life, has been recognized by the Hear- Strong Foundation. According to HearStrong, its mission is to “shatter so- cial stigmas surrounding hearing loss and radically challenge the general per- ception of hearing in our so- ciety,” and help address the 80 percent of people with hearing loss who face some form of barrier to treatment. HearStrong celebrates people worldwide who have faced the challenges sur- rounding their hearing loss “with a determined spirit, a focused mind and an unwav- ering heart.” These individ- uals are then named as Hear- Strong Champions. Audiology practice Cayman Hearing Center has been involved with Hear- Strong since the foundation began in 2013. This summer, Dr. Annette Stephenson nominated patient Zachary Franklin to become a Hear- Strong Champion. Zachary is involved in swimming, sailing, track and field and soccer. He is also a prefect and a peer mentor at his school. He was first diagnosed with hearing loss in ele- mentary school. His mother Lisa was surprised to hear his teacher say that he was having difficulties in the classroom because he was a very polite and well-be- haved child. She then began to suspect that there was a problem with his hearing. After visiting a number of specialists, it was discov- ered that Zachary had mild to moderate hearing loss. He was fitted with hearing aids soon after, and has been wearing them ever since. “What I like most about wearing hearing aids is being able to build relationships with my peers, teachers and myself. It’s nice to hear my own voice,” said Zachary. Today, Zachary wants his experience to inspire others with hearing loss to go after their goals and never hold themselves back. “As a HearStrong Cham- pion, I have the opportu- nity to show others that being hearing impaired does not dictate who you are or who you can be in life. I have not allowed it to be my story,” he said. To nominate someone to be the next HearStrong Champion, visit www.hearstrong.org/nominate.php. For more information on Cayman Hearing Center and its involvement with HearStrong, contact 946-9174. UCCI ADDS MASTER’S IN HUMAN RESOURCES The University College of the Cayman Islands has added a master’s degree in human resource manage- ment to its offerings. The program was devel- oped in collaboration with the Cayman Islands Society of Human Resources Pro- fessionals and is tailored to suit those working in the Cayman Islands human re- sources market while also meeting the requirements of international workplaces. Courses begin Oct. 12, with the first of three two- day seminars, the other two being held in November and December. The two- day events are being of- fered as stand-alone sem- inars for those interested in certification in specific areas, but not necessarily the master’s degree. The program is a mix of such seminars along with regular courses. Students will also do courses from the executive certificate in global leadership program that is offered in partner- ship with Florida Inter- national University and taught by FIU professors. Program applicants must have at least two years of HR experience and should have a bachelor’s degree. Applicants who do not hold a bachelor’s degree but who have significant experience in an HR role may be given consideration for entry into the program. The cost of the program is $14,500, inclusive of ma- terials (except one textbook) and all fees. Stand-alones are priced separately with discounts offered when participants sign up for multiple seminars. HearStrong Champion Zachary Franklin “Since we have a thriving school of hospitality, this is a classic example of putting that education to work.” ROY BODDEN, UCCI presidentThe islands’ most-trusted news source 6 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. THURSDAY OCTOBER 4, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS THURSDAY, OCT. 4 CELEBRATE CAYMAN DISPLAY: Celebrate Cayman’s Travelling District Display for the Coat of Arms is in North Side at the Craddock Ebanks Civic Centre today and tomorrow, 5 to 8 p.m. All are invited. BREAST CANCER FOUNDATION FUNDRAISER: A portion of proceeds from the sale of items from the Strozzi Italian Women’s Collection will be donated to the charity. Today’s events will be held at The Residences of Stone Island, Yacht Drive, just past Vista del March Luncheon at 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and cocktails at 5-7:30 p.m. RSVP to contact@viastrozzi.com. BREAST CANCER: Public awareness meeting in North Side at William Pouchie Memorial Church Hall, 7:30 p.m. Clinic in East End, 10 a.m. to noon. CRUISE PIER MEETINGS: The Opposition invites the public to a meeting on the cruise ship pier and strategies for the sector’s continued well-being. Meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. at Savannah Primary School Hall. 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 to 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 CELEBRATE CAYMAN: Family fun day at the North Side Civic Centre 2-6 p.m. In addition to viewing the Coat of Arms display, the public will enjoy treats, prizes, music and surprises. BOOK SALE: The Humane Society is having a huge book sale at the A. L. Thompson storefront from 8:30 a.m. till 2 p.m. Books are 3 for $1. Children’s books will be available, as well as general fiction, romance, suspense and non-fiction of all sorts. BRAC CLEANUP: Today and tomorrow. 7 a.m. Red Sail Sports and Plastic Free Cayman invites the public to help clean up a Cayman Brac beach. Meet at Eagle Ray House, east of Bat Cave. All are invited. Bring a reusable water bottle, refill stations will be available. Visit Plastic Free Cayman Facebook page for more details. 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. MONDAY, OCT. 8 BREAST CANCER: Public awareness meeting, East End United Church Hall, 7:30 p.m. CRUISE PIER MEETINGS: The Opposition invites the public to a meeting on the cruise ship pier and strategies for the sector’s continued well-being. Meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. at West Bay School Hall. TUESDAY, OCT. 9 STEM CONFERENCE: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Conference hosted by the University College of the Cayman Islands today through Friday, Oct. 12. BREAST CANCER: Clinic in West Bay, 10 a.m. to noon. CRUISE PIER MEETINGS: The Opposition invites the public to a meeting on the cruise ship pier and strategies for the sector’s continued well- being. Meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. at South Sound Community Centre. WEDNESDAY, OCT. 10 LOOKYA: National Museum, Harbour Drive, 3-6 p.m. Respecting the Wisdom and Values of Older Persons. District booth displays, music, local food and more. In conjunction with Dept. of Children and Family Services, celebrating Older Persons Month. CRUISE PIER MEETINGS: The Opposition invites the public to a meeting on the cruise ship pier and strategies for the sector’s continued well-being. Meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. at Seafarers Association Hall, Prospect. THURSDAY, OCT. 11 BREAST CANCER: Public awareness meeting in West Bay, John Gray Memorial Church Hall, 7:30 p.m. SUNDAY, OCT. 14 5K WALK/RUN: Brenda Tibbetts-Lund Memorial, in conjunction with Breast Cancer Month. 6 a.m. West Bay Road Public Beach. MONDAY, OCT. 15 CRUISE PIER MEETINGS: The Opposition invites the public to a meeting on the cruise ship pier and strategies for the sector’s continued well-being. Meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. at East End Civic Centre. TUESDAY, OCT. 16 BREAST CANCER: Public awareness meeting, Savannah United Church Hall, 7:30 p.m. WEDNESDAY, OCT. 17 BREAST CANCER CLINIC: Bodden Town, 10 a.m. to noon. THURSDAY, OCT. 18 BREAST CANCER AWARENESS: Public meeting, Webster Memorial Church Hall, 7:30 p.m. SATURDAY, OCT. 20 NCVO RADIO/TELETHON: The annual fundraiser for the National Council of Social Services is held at the Prospect Playhouse, from 7 p.m. SUNDAY, OCT. 21 CHURCH SERVICE: Boatswain Bay Presbyterian Church invites all to a Pink Sunday Service in support of Breast Cancer Month. 11 a.m. Everyone is asked to wear pink attire. GENERAL INTEREST 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. 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, 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, 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 the association at 11 Victory Avenue, 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. 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. BETHESDA COUNSELLING CENTRE: Caters to all who seek help. Open Monday to Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at 68 Mary St. Appointments available Saturdays and late evenings. Owned and operated by the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. Call 946-6575. HUMANE SOCIETY BOOK LOFT: North Sound Road. Open Monday 12:30-4 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday 5:30-7:30 p.m. Volunteers needed for front desk a few hours per week. Email humanesocietybookloft@ candw.ky or call 946-8053. Donations of books, games, CDs, stationery, DVDs, cards etc. in good condition always needed. COMMUNITY CHESS: Tuesdays 5-8 p.m., West Indies Wine Company. Join the Cayman Chess Club for a complimentary chess class and open challenges weekly. Anyone can learn to play and enjoy chess, even beginners. ART OPEN CANVAS: At KARoo Restaurant in Camana Bay, Wednesdays 7-11 p.m. Artists of all levels are welcome to come and enjoy painting and socializing with other artists. Includes use of easels, lights, space, beverage ticket. No fee. For more information, contact info@visualartcayman.com or jar.was@gmail.com. VISUAL ARTS SOCIETY: Adult Open Studio available to those who want to work independently in an inspiring atmosphere. Wednesdays for adults, 9 a.m. till noon. Thursdays Adults and Youth, 10 a.m. till noon. Watler House Art Studio, Pedro St. James. Fee is $5/$15 or Ceramics. $15 pp/$25 pp non-members. Includes use of studio, glazes, and ceramic tools. Clay available $30 per bag/fee for kiln usage. To register, call 546-9422 or email info@visualartcayman.com. CLUBS, ORGANIZATIONS ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS: Meets daily to help with drinking problems. Call 926-9044 or visit www.caymanaa.org. NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS: Is available for substance abuse help. Call the info line at 929–NANA (6262). AL-ANON GROUP MEETING: Are you troubled by someone’s drinking? Al-Anon Family Groups can help. Call 928-8843 or email caymanalanon@gmail.com for meeting times. OVERCOMERS OUTREACH: A Christ-centered 12-step recovery group addresses addictions and those affected by them. Meetings at Cayman Islands Baptist Church, Pedro Castle Road, Tuesdays, 7:15 p.m. For details, contact Vanessa Gilman at 946-2422, or visit www.overcomersoutreach.org. DEMENTIA/ALZHEIMER’S SUPPORT GROUP: This group meets on the last Wednesday of each month at ADACI’s office, 4th floor, Cardinall Plaza, 30 Cardinall Ave., George Town. Call 924-4170 or email info@adacayman.com. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. Two Brenda Tibbetts-Lund Memorial 5K walks/runs in conjunction with Breast Cancer Month will be held this month, one in North Side on Saturday, Oct. 6, and the other at Seven Mile Beach Public Beach on Sunday, Oct. 14.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY OCTOBER 4, 2018 Cayman National’s workforce and management team. The offer is also subject to conditions, such as Re- public Bank acquiring at least 51 percent of Cayman National’s stock, govern- ment and regulatory ap- provals, and approvals by Cayman National share- holders to amend the local bank’s articles of associ- ation in order to approve the acquisition. Cayman National Presi- dent Stuart Dack said there is currently a restriction on anyone owning more than 10 percent of the bank’s shares, and that the restric- tion would have to be re- moved for the transaction to be finalized. The Cayman National board is scheduled to hold an extraordinary general meeting for shareholders on Tuesday to vote on an amendment of the articles of association to remove that restriction. The Republic Bank Trin- idad and Tobago (Barbados) Ltd. is a wholly owned sub- sidiary of Republic Finan- cial Holdings Ltd., which also owns banks in Guyana, Gre- nada, Suriname and Ghana, according to its website. The institution’s website says that it was originally called Colonial Bank when it was formed in 1837. Colonial Bank was Trinidad and To- bago’s first commercial bank, the website states, adding that Republic Bank has more than 4,000 employees in Trinidad alone. travel great distances from an incinerator. “Adults take around 20,000 breaths per day, and it’s important to make sure each of those breaths isn’t contaminated with pollutants that make us sick.” “Once [the gases and par- ticulates] are emitted from a source, they can travel great distances in whatever direction the wind might be blowing,” he added. “If you are downwind, you are very likely to be exposed to them, and there aren’t many good ways to mitigate this exposure in your home or workplace.” Mr. Peltier also said that incinerating waste is risky even if the incinerator burns a relatively low volume of waste. This is the case in Cayman, which incinerates less than half a percent of the more than 100,000 tons of garbage dropped at the dump annually, landfilling the other waste. This is far less than other territories, such as the British Virgin Islands, which burns more than 40,000 tons of trash per year despite having about half the popula- tion of Cayman. The George Town land- fill incinerator has burned about 490 tons of waste per year from August 2016 to Au- gust 2018, while the Cayman Brac incinerator has burned about 4 tons of waste annu- ally during that same time. Waste that gets burned here includes infectious med- ical waste, confidential doc- uments, and drugs seized by police, according to the Amec Foster Wheeler study. All types of waste on Little Cayman are incinerated, and are “commonly set alight without any formal control,” the 2016 study added. The amount of waste in- cinerated here is partly lim- ited by the frequent disre- pair of both incinerators. Multiple breakdowns of the nearly 20-year old Brac in- cinerator has led to un- treated medical waste being dumped into a pit there – a practice that violates public health regulations. The George Town landfill incinerator also broke down a few times between June and August this summer, ac- cording to records obtained by the Compass. But unlike on the Brac, medical waste was stored on roll-off con- tainers instead of being dumped untreated, the De- partment of Environmental Health stated. The 2016 Amec Foster Wheeler study stated that cracks and chips in the re- fractory lining of the primary combustion chambers will “probably result in failure of the unit within the next two or three years.” Cayman is not the only Caribbean territory that in- cinerates waste without air- pollution control devices. The incinerator in the BVI also is without a scrubber, which has led to widespread concerns from the commu- nity there, as well as com- plaints being filed with the Environmental Protection Agency in the neighboring United States Virgin Islands. The territory’s local news- paper, The BVI Beacon, has reported on residents near the incinerator complaining about coughing regularly and having difficulty breathing from the unfiltered emissions. No air-pollution controls at Cayman’s landfill incinerators The Cayman Brac landfill incinerator, pictured above, does not have a scrubber or other air-pollution controls. Neither does the incinerator at the George Town landfill. - PHOTO: KEN SILVA Cayman National board recommends sale to Trinidad bank CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The Cayman National headquarters in George Town. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Minister Moses Kirkcon- nell, speaking at a public meeting last week, said such a referendum could damage the prospects of moving forward on con- struction, saying that cur- rent companies bidding on the project would likely back out. “Moses and Alden should be embracing a ref- erendum,” East End repre- sentative Mr. McLean said. He argued that if the government felt it has a strong case, it should be willing to let Caymanians vote on it. It was not Mr. McLean’s only criticism. “This government has really made a mess of this process,” he said at one point. Claiming his own en- gineering expertise, Mr. McLean proposed that in- stead of constructing a solid dock, a long pier using pilings would be able to service the larger cruise ships and would not have the environmental impact of the proposed dredging. “What I’m suggesting is go out to 40 feet [depth] and then you turn,” he said, noting that as the pier ex- tended at an angle from that point, the water gets deeper. “You don’t need to do any dredging.” Passengers who were loath to walk what would be a substantial distance, he said, could be served by trams, “like they have at Disney World.” The concerns about dredging come from the silt the process would pro- duce and how it might af- fect the surrounding reefs and sea life. Tuesday night’s meeting began with a pre- sentation by Courtney Platt, an underwater photogra- pher and a longtime ac- tivist in conserving Cay- man’s coral reefs. Mr. Platt said he is not convinced by assur- ances from mitigation ex- perts that the silt from the dredging can be con- tained to a small area. He argued the silt would likely kill the coral reefs between the Margaritaville Beach Resort and Sunset House, some of the most pop- ular spots for tourists ex- periencing Cayman’s un- derwater life. Mitigations on similar projects, he said, have not been successful. “This would be a mas- sively destructive process,” he said. “The silt would ra- diate out from the port, re- gardless of the mitigations.” He worried that the new port might kill the very environment that brings many people to Cayman in the first place. He pre- sented a slideshow of photos and videos of Soto’s Reef, Eden Rock and the wreck of the Cali, showing brightly colored corals and sponges along with fish and other sea life. “Everything you see in this slideshow, it’s all going to die if they dredge,” he said. Mr. Miller argued that the government’s own data does not support the project it is pushing. “They say if we don’t build this dock and build it soon, the cruise business will be cut in half,” he said. “That’s not what their sta- tistics show.” Cruise line officials have said as traffic shifts to the larger cruise liners now being built, the smaller ships will see less service, and ports that cannot ac- commodate the larger ves- sels will see tourist num- bers decline. Mr. Miller said that contradicts num- bers showing a steady in- crease in tourists over the past decade. He suggested improving the tourist experience by streamlining the transpor- tation off and on ship. He envisions building a depar- ture lounge to handle pass- port and security checks more efficiently for de- parting tourists. The cur- rent process, which takes place on board the ships, is cumbersome, he said. Mr. Miller also proposed improving the current cargo dock to accommodate some cruise ships during the day, and said he supported the idea of a pier on pilings. He questioned the need for increasing the number of cruise visitors, saying Cayman is currently the fourth most popular stop- ping point for tourists on Caribbean cruise ships. “Why do we need more?” he asked. Mario Rankin spoke during the question-and-an- swer portion of the meeting, also arguing that the is- land may be maxed out in terms of the number of tourists it can accommo- date. He encouraged those at the meeting to back the referendum. “There’s no other line of defense other than this pe- tition,” he said. “This peti- tion is it.” Emile Levy drew the only applause of the night after objecting to undue influence on the project by outsiders. Mr. Levy said he resented “people that have never seen the bottom of Hog Sty Bay coming here and telling us what’s best for us. No to the dock in George Town bay.” Port project objections raised at North Side meeting CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 THURSDAY OCTOBER 4, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Imprisonment endorsed for ex-IMF chief Spain’s Supreme Court has confirmed a 4-year prison sentence for former International Monetary Fund head Rodrigo Rato for misusing a Spanish bank’s corporate credit card. A judge of the lower court will now need to order the imprisonment of Rato, who was IMF chief from 2004 to 2007. Senators Flake, Collins criticize Trump for mocking Kavanaugh accuser Russia’s Putin calls poisoned ex-spy ‘scumbag,’ traitor MOSCOW (AP) – Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday called Sergei Skripal, the ex-spy who was poisoned with a military grade nerve agent in Britain, a traitor and a “scumbag.” It was the first time Putin directly condemned Skripal, who spent weeks hospi- talized with his daughter after both were poisoned in the city of Salisbury in March. Britain put the blame squarely on the Russian gov- ernment, but Moscow has de- nied any role in the attack. Asked about international sanctions on Russia triggered by the poisoning, Putin called the ex-spy a “traitor” who betrayed his country and “just a scumbag.” Putin reiterated Russia’s claim that it has nothing to do with the poisoning. He added that the former agent was of no interest to the Kremlin since he was tried in Russia and exchanged in a spy swap in 2010. “He was caught, punished and served a total of five years in prison. We let him go. That’s that,” he told a panel discus- sion at an energy forum. Britain charged two Rus- sian men with the poisoning last month. Putin said the men were civilians who did nothing criminal, and urged them to speak to news outlets. The pair then appeared on Russia’s state-funded RT channel, saying they had vis- ited Salisbury as tourists and denying any involvement in the attack. Last week international investigative group Bellingcat reported that one of the sus- pects, identified by authori- ties as Ruslan Boshirov, is in fact Col. Anatoly Chepiga of the Russian military intelli- gence agency GRU, who was awarded Russia’s highest medal in 2014. Several Russian media out- lets interviewed residents in a village where Chepiga’s family once lived, who identified the colonel as the man caught in CCTV footage in Salisbury. WASHINGTON – Two senators considered crucial to the con- firmation prospects of Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh criticized President Donald Trump on Wednesday for mocking the account of a woman who has accused his Supreme Court nominee of sexual as- sault decades ago. “There’s no time and no place for remarks like that,” Sen. Jeff Flake, Re- publican-Arizona, said on NBC’s “Today” show. “To dis- cuss something this sensi- tive at a political rally is just not right. It’s just not right. I wish he hadn’t done it. It’s kind of appalling.” About two hours later, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, also took exception to Trump’s re- marks, telling reporters, “The president’s comments were just plain wrong.” The assessments of Col- lins and Flake, the Judi- ciary Committee member who pushed to delay the vote on Kavanaugh so the FBI could investigate, came the morning after Trump drew laughs for his remarks at a political rally in Mississippi. In his most direct attack on Christine Blasey Ford, who has accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault while both were teenagers in Mary- land, Trump sought to high- light holes in the account Ford gave in sworn testi- mony to the Judiciary Com- mittee last week. “‘I don’t know. I don’t know.’ ‘Upstairs? Down- stairs? Where was it?’ ‘I don’t know. But I had one beer. That’s the only thing I remember,’” Trump said of Ford, as he impersonated her on stage. “‘I don’t remember,’” he said repeatedly, apparently mocking her testimony. Ford has said that the in- cident happened in an up- stairs room at a gathering of teenagers and that she is “100 percent” certain it was Kavanaugh who assaulted her, although she has ac- knowledged that her mem- ories of other details of the evening remain unclear. Trump’s comments at Tuesday night’s rally prompted a debate that played out on cable television and elsewhere over whether he had hurt his nomi- nee’s chances. Among those who weighed in was Sen. Lindsey Graham, Republican-South Carolina, who said everything Trump had said was factual, but took issue with his tone. “I would tell him, ‘Knock it off, you’re not helping,’” Graham said during an appearance at the At- lantic Festival. Trump highlighted an- other part of the rally Wednesday morning, dis- tributing a clip on Twitter in which he attacks Democrats for opposing his nominee, saying “all they really know how to do is obstruct, resist, demolish, destroy and delay.” In a later tweet, he wrote that, based on what he’s heard at recent rallies, “VOTERS ARE REALLY ANGRY AT THE VICIOUS AND DESPI- CABLE WAY DEMOCRATS ARE TREATING BRETT KAVANAUGH! He and his wonderful family deserve much better.” During a floor speech Wednesday morning, Senate Majority Leader Mitch Mc- Connell, R-Ky., reiterated his vow to hold votes this week on Kavanaugh’s nomi- nation, saying: “It’s time to put this embarrassing spec- tacle behind us.” He also took aim at Dem- ocrats, who have suggested that Friday might be too soon to vote and who have asked for a full briefing by FBI agents of their findings about accusations against Kavanaugh. McConnell char- acterized those requests as part of an ongoing effort “to move the goal posts” on Kava- naugh’s nomination by sena- tors bent on delay. “If my friends across the aisle had their way, the goal posts on Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination would be in an- other time zone,” he said. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, Dem- ocrat-New York, fired back in remarks after McConnell, saying the week-long delay to the let the FBI investigate came at the request of Re- publican senators who were not prepared to vote for Ka- vanaugh’s nomination. “Man up and say it’s your decision, not ours,” Schumer said. He also criticized Trump, calling the president’s com- ments at the Mississippi rally “beneath the office of the pres- ident and beneath common decency.” Schumer said Trump owes Ford an apology. White House coun- selor Kellyanne Conway de- fended her boss during a Wednesday morning televi- sion appearance. “The president is pointing out factual inconsisten- cies by Ford’s own testi- mony,” Conway said on Fox News. “There are gaps in her memory. There are facts she cannot remember.” Besides Ford, two other women have publicly accused Kavanaugh of sexual miscon- duct while he was in high school or college. Flake, Collins and one other key Republican – Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Alaska – are declining to say how they will vote until they see the results of the FBI inves- tigation, which is expected to be completed before the Senate votes. Democratic Sens. Heidi Heitkamp, N.D., and Joe Man- chin III, W.Va., also have yet to announce how they will vote. Some Democrats have voiced concerns about the scope of the FBI probe, the ex- tent to which the White House is limiting it and whether a week is long enough to con- duct a thorough investigation. Sen. Christopher A. Coons, D-Del., another Judiciary Committee member, said he is concerned by reports that the investigation could wrap up as soon as Wednesday. “That would concern me,” said Coons, who appeared alongside Flake on NBC. “I hope the FBI has been al- lowed to follow all the reason- able leads that were before the committee last week, and I know that puts them under a lot of pressure, but they have the resources to do it.” As a vote nears, Democrats have also sought to highlight concerns about Kavanaugh’s temperament, pointing to mo- ments in last week’s hearing in which he grew testy at senators and was emotional at other points. During his television ap- pearance, Flake reiterated that he, too, was concerned that Kavanaugh at times was “sharp and more par- tisan than a lot of us would like to see.” Those interviewed by the FBI so far include a second accuser, Deborah Ramirez, who alleges that Kavanaugh exposed himself to her while both were in college. A third accuser, Julie Swetnick, has yet to be inter- viewed, according to her at- torney, Michael Avenatti. Swetnick said last week in an affidavit that Kavanaugh was present at a house party in 1982 where she al- leges she was the victim of a gang rape, a claim he vehe- mently denies. On Tuesday, Avenatti re- leased a written declaration from a second woman whose statements supported Swet- nick’s claims. The woman, whose name was redacted in the document Avenatti posted, said she “witnessed firsthand Brett Kavanaugh, together with others, ‘spike’ the ‘punch’ at house parties I attended with Quaaludes and/or grain alcohol.” Avenatti said in a tweet Wednesday that the uniden- tified woman “is prepared to meet with the FBI today and disclose multiple facts and witnesses.” Avenatti, who is consid- ering a 2020 presidential bid as a Democrat, also took aim at Trump on Wednesday for his comments at the rally in Mississippi. “Regardless of your poli- tics, you should be outraged by the POTUS standing be- fore a crowd and mocking a woman who claims she was sexually assaulted,” Av- enatti said on Twitter. “@re- alDonaldTrump sought ap- plause and laughter at her expense. Call him what he is – a misogynist pig with no respect for women.” © 2018, The Washington Post Flake, Collins and one other key Republican – Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Alaska – are declining to say how they will vote until they see the results of the FBI investigation, which is expected to be completed before the Senate votes. Ruslan Boshirov, left, and Alexander Petrov, charged by Britain in the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal, attend their first public appearance Sept. 13, in an interview with the RT channel in Moscow, Russia. - PHOTO: AP Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona is among senators holding out his decision on Kavanaugh’s confirmation until learning more from the FBI. - PHOTO: THE WASHINGTON POST9 WORLD&REGIONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY OCTOBER 4, 2018 Indonesia disaster survivors search debris for food, drinks Watchdog: US unprepared for ‘zero tolerance’ immigration WASHINGTON (AP) – Immi- gration officials were not prepared this summer to manage the consequences of a “zero tolerance” policy at the Southwest border, which resulted in the separation of nearly 3,000 children from their parents, Home- land Security’s watchdog said in a report made public on Tuesday. The resulting confusion along the border led to mis- information among separated parents who did not know why they had been taken from their children or how to reach them, longer deten- tion for children at border fa- cilities meant for short-term stays, and difficulty in iden- tifying and reuniting fami- lies. And backlogs at ports of entry may have pushed some into illegally crossing the U.S-Mexico border, the report found. While the Trump adminis- tration had been widely criti- cized for the policy, the criti- cism previously came mostly from political opponents and not from independent, non- political investigators. Investigators with Home- land Security’s Office of the Inspector General compiled the report after speaking with about 50 immigration employees, plus 17 detainees and parents who had been separated from their chil- dren and later released. They also reviewed documents and data. Homeland Security is the umbrella department for U.S. Customs and Border Pro- tection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Homeland Security of- ficials say the report illus- trates how difficult it is to enforce broken and poorly written immigration laws. The inspector general, they said, wrongly mixed up what happens to migrants caught crossing illegally between borders with migrants who come to legal ports of entry seeking asylum. “This administration will no longer turn a blind eye to illegal immigration and will continue to refer illegal border crossers for prosecu- tion. We are committed to en- forcing the rule of law and ensuring that there are con- sequences for illegal actions,” Homeland Security spokes- woman Katie Waldman said. Illegally crossing the U.S. border had already been a criminal charge, but authori- ties had previously avoided large-scale family separa- tion. But the Trump admin- istration has made curbing immigration a major focus, working to harden what ad- ministration officials say are lax laws. In May, officials began criminally prosecuting anyone caught crossing the border il- legally. Children were sepa- rated from their parents as the adults went through crim- inal proceedings. The move prompted inter- national outrage and Pres- ident Donald Trump even- tually signed an executive order stopping the separa- tions. A lawsuit was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of parents, and a judge ordered the fam- ilies reunited. That process is ongoing, though the gov- ernment has said it has re- united all eligible parents with children. “Thousands of children are living with trauma because of the Trump administration’s family separation fiasco,” said Lee Gelernt, lead lawyer on the ACLU case. “Some parents may never see their children again. This report shows not just the cruelty of the Trump administration’s actions, but also its ineptitude and his- toric failure of foresight in comprehending the devas- tating effects and fallout from this policy.” Children are only sup- posed to be held for 72 hours before being transferred to the custody of officials with Health and Human Services, which manages the care of migrant children and must adhere to strict policies gov- erning their welfare. But, at least one child was held for 25 days in a Border Pa- trol facility. During the weeklong pe- riod of fieldwork by the in- spector general’s office, the average time children spent in a Border Patrol facility was 65 hours – but one child remained for 12 days. The delay meant Border Pa- trol officers could not focus on their work. “Instead of patrolling and securing the border, of- ficers had to supervise and take care of children,” the report said. Immigration officials also struggled to identify, track and reunify families because agency systems were not properly integrated, according to the report. Three different agencies were involved: U.S. Customs and Border Protec- tion officials police the bor- ders and ports where mi- grants come. Adults are turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement where their asylum claims are reviewed, and children must be turned over to U.S. Health and Human Services. Border Patrol agents also did not ensure that children who were too young or oth- erwise unable to talk could be correctly identified with a wrist bracelet or other iden- tifier. Most children were not photographed – any easy way to link them with parents. Some parents were not properly advised of what was happening, and lacked access to communicate with their children, the report found, though some facilities worked to change that. PALU, Indonesia (AP) – “Awe- some Indonesia,” a young man shouted sarcasti- cally as a crowd of people, some pushing their arms elbow deep into a jumbled pile of sodden food and de- bris, searched for any- thing edible in the shell of a warehouse that tsunami waves had pounded. Clambering over the reeking pile or staking out a patch of territory, the people pulled out small cartons of milk, soft drinks, rice, sweets and painkillers. One man dig- ging out packets of biscuits had half submerged him- self in the mess. They had come from dev- astated neighborhoods and elsewhere in the remote In- donesian city of Palu, which was hit by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake and powerful tsunami on Friday. They were young and old, middle class and poor, university students and sullen young men. “We came here because we heard there was food,” said Rehanna, a 23-year-old student, wearing a bright red motorcycle helmet. “We need clean water, rice.” She pulled out a prize – a packet of red rice wedged be- neath a plank. She’d come from Balaroa, a neighborhood of several hundred houses in Palu that was turned upside down by the quake and where resi- dents still remain buried be- neath the rubble. “I’m very angry,” she said about the lack of aid. “I know the assistance is coming, but the distribution is very bad.” Officials say more than 1,200 people were killed in the twin tragedies that hit Palu and the surrounding district of Donggala on Su- lawesi island. The death toll is expected to rise. Search and rescue per- sonnel are overwhelmed by a multitude of hard-hit areas, including a neighborhood that was swallowed by the earth when the ground liqui- fied during the quake. Aid is only trickling in, and five days after the disaster, the region remains without power. Indo- nesia, in a rare move, has ap- pealed for international help. President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo visited Palu for a second time Wednesday, viewing a collapsed hotel where search and rescue workers are still searching for victims. The focus on the hotel has angered some in Palu, who wonder why their own neighborhoods, such as Belaroa, are being neglected. Aid being distributed in Palu on Wednesday included red and white bags – the colors of the Indonesian flag – marked as being supplied by the president’s office. A stretch of Palu’s coast- line once occupied by ware- houses, but now a tangled unrecognizable mess, was being picked over by hun- dreds of people for anything salvageable. People carried away corrugated iron, wood, pipes and other materials, hoping to build shelters or sell them for cash. Furniture maker Khairul Hassan said he was working nearby when the quake hit and ran to hills behind the warehouses. He said he saw women and children swal- lowed by the tsunami waves and trapped warehouse workers swept out to sea. In the shells of a row of buildings still standing, word had spread that there was a cache of food, and dozens milled about. “I’m looking for this for my kids,” said Andi Arif, holding a bottle of syrup. “There is some aid, but we never got it.” Fifty-year-old Rosminah sat on the pile, a plastic shopping bag bulging with muddied packets of food next to her, chatting as she picked through the debris. “There’s no support. Our house was destroyed,” said Rosminah, who like many Indonesians uses one name. “We came here to search for food. There’s no assis- tance. We have to find it by ourselves.” Officials say more than 1,200 people were killed in the twin tragedies that hit Palu and the surrounding district of Donggala on Sulawesi island. The death toll is expected to rise. People line up to cross into the United States to begin the process of applying for asylum near the San Ysidro port of entry in Tijuana, Mexico, July 26, 2018. - PHOTO: AP Indonesian men dig through sodden piles of food at an abandoned warehouse in an earthquake and tsunami- affected area in Palu, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia Indonesia, Wednesday. - PHOTO: APNext >