ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – THURSDAY OCTOBER 11, 2018 High of 89 Low of 77 Smooth to slight with wave heights less than 2 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 RESPECT SCHOOL BUSES, PROTECT CAYMAN’S SCHOOLCHILDREN WORLD | PAGE 8 HURRICANE MICHAEL SLAMS INTO FLORIDA Lifestyle Protection From happy beginnings to happy ever after. BritCay has been protecting home owners since 1984 with the best insurance cover at the best possible price. BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE COMPANY 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 cgigrp Call 949-8699 www.britcay.ky Cayman National shareholders pave way for bank’s sale KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com After a spirited debate on Tuesday night, shareholders of Cayman National Corporation Ltd. voted to remove a restriction on anyone owning more than 10 percent of the local bank’s stock. The move paves the way for the Re- public Bank Trinidad and Tobago (Bar- bados) Ltd. to acquire majority ownership in Cayman National. Republic Bank is offering US$6.25 per Cayman National share, which is US$3.25 more than what the stock was trading at be- fore the offer was announced in early Au- gust trading – the share price has increased to US$5 since then. If Republic Bank does not obtain at least 51 percent of Cayman National, then the acquisition will be canceled, the cur- rent shareholders will retain their stock, and the bank will remain Caymanian owned. Before shareholders voted to amend Cayman National’s articles of association to remove the 10-percent ownership threshold, a number of them raised objections to having a Trinidadian organization take over Cayman’s only locally owned bank. Businessman A.L. Thompson was one of the most vocal objectors. “They want this company for a reason. It’s probably because of their image,” he said of Republic Bank. “But I don’t trust them, I don’t know who they are, and I don’t trust the whole country.” Mr. Thompson asked Cayman National’s board of directors whether they negotiated the US$6.25 per share, and what happens if share- holders want to sell at a higher price. DEVELOPMENT PLAN SEEKS TO SHAPE CAYMAN’S FUTURE First update in 20 years JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Government is seeking to help shape the future growth of Grand Cayman with its first Development Plan in more than 20 years. The plan aims to manage the conflict be- tween environment and development and to ensure that a high quality of life is maintained as the island’s population grows. It will also look at the likely infrastructure demands, including new schools, roads and potential public transport improvements re- quired in the coming years. Topics as diverse as building heights on Seven Mile Beach, traffic flows in and around George Town, and stormwater manage- ment across Grand Cayman are all factored into the mix. A draft Strategic Planning Statement will be released for public input Thursday morning. That document sets out the broad objectives of the plan. It will be used to help craft detailed plans for each specific area of Grand Cayman, along with a general plan and a new zoning map for the entire island. The introduction to the document states that it is intended to be a “long-range com- prehensive plan” used to guide physical de- velopment and the overall use of land in Grand Cayman. It notes that Cayman’s population has Tourism Association stays neutral in port debate JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands Tourism Association is maintaining a neutral stance in the on- going debate over government’s plans for new cruise piers in George Town harbor. With the industry appearing to be split over the controver- sial proposal, CITA president Theresa Leacock-Broderick said it was impossible to come to a position that represented a gen- uine consensus. The association released a brief public statement Wednesday, saying it had a di- verse membership that included businesses focused on both stay- over and cruise tourism. It said the board of directors had taken the decision to remain neutral and help facilitate access to infor- mation for its members to make their own decisions. Ms. Leacock-Broderick told the Cayman Compass in an email, “With fair and equal recognition of the range of feedback and in- terests across all our sectors, the Acting governor pinned with first poppy In an annual tradition, military veterans pin Acting Governor Franz Manderson with the first poppy of this year’s Poppy Appeal campaign. The veterans visited the Government Administration Building to meet Mr. Manderson and launch the fundraising campaign, which raises funds for veterans in need. For more on this story, see page 2. – PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 »2 LOCAL NEWS THURSDAY OCTOBER 11, 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) VENOM (PG13) 12:20 I 4:20 VIP I 7:00 VIP I 7:15 9:00 3D I 10:00 NIGHT SCHOOL (PG13) 1:00 I 4:00 I 7:00 I 9:40 THE PREDATOR (R) 2:00 I 4:45 I 9:40 VIP I 9:50 BLOCKBUSTER RE-RELEASE: STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI (PG13) 1:00 VIP I 3:25 I 9:20 THE HOUSE WITH A CLOCK IN ITS WALLS (PG) 1:15 I 4:00 I 6:30 SMALLFOOT (PG) 3:00 3D I 5:20 I 7:40 BLOCKBUSTER RE-RELEASE: INCREDIBLES 2 (PG) 12:45 I 6:40 Acting Governor gets year’s first poppy JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman veterans pre- sented the first symbolic red paper poppy to Acting Gov- ernor Franz Manderson at the Government Administra- tion Building on Wednesday. The presentation by vet- eran Shadden McLaughlin to the Acting Governor set the stage for the veterans’ poppy campaign to get under way. Veterans were also cele- brating 100 years since the end of World War I. “Today we remember those people who gave their lives to give us the standard of living we have today,” Mr. Manderson said. “When we see these pop- pies, it reflects to me that we are blessed, that we have had so many people who came before us who gave their life for freedom to ensure that we could continue as a de- mocracy, and to ensure that our way of life was sustained … we must never forget that,” he said. The poppy, which sym- bolizes peace, compassion and hope, was chosen shortly after World War I as a token of remembrance for ev- eryone who had suffered the tragedy of war. This year, Cayman’s vet- erans are also honoring those who made the ultimate sac- rifice, in the form of a black wristband with the words “Lest We Forget,” and an image of a red poppy. “The poppy is traditionally worn during the poppy appeal a few weeks up to Remem- brance Day, but the armband can be worn all year,” said An- drew McLaughlin, president of the Veterans Association. “We want the young ones to remember we have made sacrifices for the freedom they enjoy today,” he said. Mr. McLaughlin also said when you receive your poppy, consider making a small do- nation to show your dedica- tion and commemoration for people who have served. He said the red of the poppy reminds him of the people that they left along the way. The appeal kickoff also featured “Tommy – There But Not There,” a 10-inch-high acrylic glass silhouette stat- uette of a World War I sol- dier, standing tall, with head bowed and rifle in hand. The piece, made by vet- erans who work for Royal British Legion Industries, was bought and donated to Cayman’s veterans by vet- eran Paul Ebanks and his wife. He said the silhouette represented all those from World War I and II who gave their lives. Funds raised from the poppy appeal will go toward the care of elderly veterans, Mr. McLaughlin said. “We are trying to get the Cayman community sensi- tized to the value of the vet- erans in this society, espe- cially Cayman veterans who have given so much in the defense and preservation of freedom and democracy, which we all embrace here today so fully,” said veteran Loxley Banks. “There is not the recogni- tion within the community for the service they have ren- dered. Some made the su- preme sacrifice, but some gave all,” he added. He said there were a myriad of things that the community can do, such as coming out to help sell pop- pies, and there were vet- erans who need to be visited and comforted. “Any kind of contribu- tions that can be made to the veterans will be appreci- ated,” he said. Poppies will be in all the schools and supermarkets, and anyone can contact the Veterans Association to make arrangements to have a small display for a donation bin at a given location. There is no require- ment to make a dona- tion. The poppies are free, in remembrance. “Please, come get a poppy and wear it proudly,” Mr. McLaughlin said. The poppy, which symbolizes peace, compassion and hope, was chosen shortly after World War I as a token of remembrance for everyone who had suffered the tragedy of war. NASSAU RE DONATES TO HUMANE SOCIETY Employees of Nassau Re (Cayman) Ltd. volunteered their time Friday to walk dogs and bathe puppies at the Cayman Islands Hu- mane Society. The company also donated US$2,500 to the animal shelter. Over four hours, the em- ployees took more than 30 dogs for walks and bathed 25 puppies. Lesley Walker, who is on the board of directors at the Humane Society, said in a press release that she was thrilled at the contribution by Nassau Re. “We especially appreciate it when people let us know that the work we are doing for the animals in our com- munity is recognized and valued, and that they want to help us to continue by sup- porting us,” she said. “The funds are needed to replace outdated equipment in our surgery room, so that we can continue to carry out spays and neuters for community dogs.” Graham Mackay, chief op- erating officer at Nassau Re, said, “Cayman Islands Hu- mane Society has done a great job in caring for ani- mals without a voice. We are very delighted to support the great work done by the Hu- mane Society.” The Humane Society pro- vides shelter, care and atten- tion to all unwanted com- panion animals, and seeks out responsible, loving homes for them. It also assists the community in promoting an- imal welfare and responsible pet ownership, and helps combat pet overpopulation and animal abuse through its spay and neuter clinic and community education. Nassau Re employees, from left, Devin Conolly, Cameron Leitch and Cora Joseph, walk dogs from the Cayman Islands Humane Society shelter. Veterans Association president Andrew McLaughlin, right, and Paul Ebanks display black wristbands with the words ‘Lest We Forget,’ and an image of a red poppy. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY Efforts under way to refloat Jolly Roger JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Jolly Roger pirate- themed ship which ran aground in George Town harbor on Tuesday remained stuck near shore Wednesday. Workers from West In- dian Marine boarded the ship, which was leaning on its side, to determine how it could be removed from the hard pan near the Lobster Pot public dock, according to crewmember Ryan Elle. He said divers from Har- bour House Marine had also checked the ship and did not notice any punc- tures in the hull. He said everyone involved was still trying to determine how to move the ship without causing extra damage. “The ship, the reef, the environment, everything … there is a lot of factors to consider,” he said. “It’s a delicate situation trying to get it out … Iron- shore is right close to it, it’s a narrow channel, and we were even lucky to have gotten in there. Getting it out, we don’t want to tear it up,” Mr. Elle said. He said he had spoken to Department of Environ- ment staff and they were on the same page. “We want to get this out as quickly as possible, but we want to do it safely and effec- tively,” Mr. Elle said. According to DoE Deputy Director Scott Slaybaugh, a member of the Jolly Roger crew advised the Department of Environment Wednesday afternoon that a preliminary assessment of the vessel has not found any breaches in the ship’s hull, although it was difficult to see the damage on the side of the ship that was lying on the seabed. Once the vessel is floated, it will be taken to dry dock, he said. Mr. Slaybaugh said the DoE would assess any envi- ronmental impact caused by the grounding later this week once the vessel had been re- moved and the underwater visibility improved. The Jolly Roger lies on its side after running aground in rough seas. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY3 LOCAL&REGIONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY OCTOBER 11, 2018 4% WITH AN EXTRA CASH BACK ON ALL AMAZON PURCHASES* Visit your nearest branch or or learn more at ky.scotiabank.com/goldmc #SayYesToMore PUBLICATION: Caymanian Compass JR. 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Say yes to even more cash back 2% = 1% = 4% = 10620 Q3 CC ACT GOLD CAY Caymanian Compass_JP.indd 12018-08-17 4:24 PM VEHICLES COLLIDE HEAD-ON Two vehicles collided on Bodden Town Road, in Pease Bay, Tuesday night. The cars collided head-on around 8:20 p.m., police said. One of the vehicles had one occupant and the other had three occupants. Police said four people were injured and taken to the Cayman Islands Hospital. They have all been released. Woman jailed after carrying drugs on plane Drugs hidden in underwear CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A woman “under pressure” to carry cocaine from Grand Cayman to Cayman Brac was sentenced to two years, eight months in prison on Monday. Samantha Leeann Chris- tian, 29, admitted to having the drug with intent to supply on Sept. 15, 2017, at Owen Roberts Interna- tional Airport. Crown counsel Kenneth Ferguson told Magistrate Valdis Foldats that customs officers were in the depar- ture lounge with passengers for the flight to Cayman Brac. They noticed a male pas- senger whose behavior at- tracted their suspicion, so they directed that his luggage be removed from the plane. The man said one of his packages belonged to his cousin, Ms. Christian, who was already on board the plane. She was escorted back to the terminal along with her be- longings, which included two suitcases, a gym bag, a pet car- rier and a purse. These items were searched. Ms. Christian was then asked if she had drugs on her person. Eventually she said yes, that the drugs were in her underwear. She subsequently produced a transparent plastic bag with four smaller bags in- side containing matter that re- sembled crack cocaine. A fifth small bag contained powder. The items were analyzed and proved to be 22 grams of cocaine base and six grams of cocaine salt, totaling ap- proximately one ounce. Ms. Christian said she got the drugs for $600 from a Ja- maican man, but refused to identify him. She said she was going to sell the drug in Cayman Brac to make some quick cash. She indicated she was put “under pressure” by a third party, but refused to name that person because it would cause problems for her. She initially pleaded guilty to simple possession, but when the Crown did not accept that plea, she admitted possession with intent to supply. Defense attorney Amelia Fosuhene asked the court to consider her client’s personal factors and unresolved issues. Ms. Christian grew up with “an incredibly dysfunctional family” and suffered abuse, the attorney said. Then someone was good to her. “When people come into your life and are kind to you, you may feel pressure to help them,” the attorney said. “She has not had the right people around her who would offer assistance.” Ms. Christian had only a part-time job, so along with the pressure to carry the co- caine, there was a “sweetener” in the form of earning some money, Ms. Fosuhene said. She pointed to the defen- dant’s frankness with the cus- toms officers and her inter- viewer, along with her early guilty plea and no relevant previous convictions. The magistrate said anyone who is in court regularly hears these same personal circum- stances, financial problems and pressures. “That is some mitigation but not sufficient to avoid im- mediate imprisonment,” he said. “If you reduce sentences because vulnerable people are used, then drug traffickers will use vulnerable people.” The magistrate said ev- eryone had to realize how serous cocaine offenses are. Week in and week out, the court saw people who had wrecked their health and/or lost their job because of co- caine. He referred to remarks made in an earlier case – that cocaine is not a “party” drug, that users are supporting a drug trade in which people are murdered or subjected to unspeakable acts. In the local family court, magistrates saw children who had to be res- cued from a life affected by their parents’ addiction. That was why the Chief Justice had set eight years as a starting point for offenses involving two ounces or more of cocaine. Magistrate Foldats agreed that the lesser quan- tity of one ounce would miti- gate the sentence, and he ac- cepted that Ms. Christian’s offending was a “one-off.” He told her, “I have no evidence you were connected with any ongoing enterprise.” He said it was clear she had been dealing with signif- icant factors in her life when she made the decision to carry the cocaine. That said, the most impor- tant factor for him was deter- ring other people from trying to do the same thing. “I have to send a message in the clearest terms: If you are involved in the cocaine trade, you will go to jail,” he said. With the starting point of eight years, he indicated that mitigating factors reduced that to four years. Then he applied a full one-third dis- count, bringing the sentence to 32 months. “I cannot suspend it,” he concluded. VENEZUELAN POLITICIAN SUFFERS SUSPICIOUS DEATH CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) – Ven- ezuela’s chief prosecutor dou- bled down Wednesday on claims that a jailed opposition activist killed himself while the Trump administration condemned the government of President Nicolas Maduro for its alleged involvement in the suspicious death. Attorney General Tarek William Saab appeared on state TV and said prelimi- nary findings rule out foul play in the death of the Fer- nando Alban. He held up a photo of an open window at the police headquarters where Alban had been held and cited autopsy results finding no injuries before those from the fatal impact of his fall from the 10th story of the building. In Washington, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders issued a statement condemning “the Maduro regime’s involvement” in Alban’s death. She said the Trump ad- ministration would “continue to increase pressure on the Maduro regime and its in- siders until democracy is re- stored in Venezuela.” Opposi- tion supporters, meanwhile, poured onto the streets of the capital to join the fu- neral procession. Officials say Alban was under investigation for a sus- pected role in an assassina- tion attempt against Maduro.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” Road Safety 101: When you see red flashing lights on a school bus, stop your car. There is no excuse not to. School buses in the Cayman Islands are impossible to miss. They are large and yellow. They have flashing red lights. They even have extendable “STOP” signs for the benefit of especially obtuse motorists. Any driver who finds these instructions too subtle or confusing has no business being on the road. Nevertheless, as the Compass reported this week, school bus drivers say that regularly, as they load and unload their young passengers, cars zoom right past them, breaking the law and endangering the lives of Cayman’s children. “Pretty much every day, there is an instance,” said school bus driver Derren Burlington. “Last year, I had a car drive up on the sidewalk to get around and nearly hit a girl getting off the bus.” He said his passengers have taken to shouting out warnings when they see a car that looks as if it is going to overtake the bus. Other drivers shared simi- larly distressing anecdotes. They described standing in the lane of traffic, physically grabbing students to pull them back from the path of a speeding car and parking their bus in such a way as to block all traffic, only to have cars pass them anyway. Cayman seems to have more than its share of irre- sponsible, negligent and reckless drivers, but disregard for school buses is a particularly acute and poten- tially dangerous threat to public safety that must be addressed by law enforcement. As Mr. Burlington said, “All of the buses are properly labeled and there are a lot of lights. Either you can’t read, or you just don’t care.” Of course, it is illegal for motorists to pass a school bus that has its stop arm extended – either from behind or in the opposite lane. Violations are pun- ishable by fines of $150 or more, with penalties for passing on the right side of a stopped school bus reaching $1,000 and a suspended driver’s license. In this instance, the law is clear but, according to the bus drivers, the level of enforcement is not. Police said they have heard unofficial and non- specific complaints but have not received any official police reports of this nature since the beginning of the school year, nor have they issued any tickets for failure to stop for a school bus. In light of the stories shared readily by bus drivers to the Compass, it appears obvious that police have the opportunity to take more forceful and effective action. Police encourage anyone who sees a driver failing to yield to a stopped school bus to call 911 and report the incident. That sort of advice (“Call the cops.”) is the bare minimum for anyone who sees any crime being committed, at any time. Some have suggested equipping buses with cameras to secure video evidence of lawbreaking motorists. That could help, in theory, but only if police and prosecutors are willing to follow through with investigation and prosecution. As with all human activity, however, the overall trend will be determined by the accumulation of indi- vidual decisions. It is up to each of Cayman’s drivers to pay attention to their responsibilities and surroundings. If you see a school bus with red lights flashing – Stop. Period. Respect school buses, protect Cayman’s schoolchildren THURSDAY OCTOBER 11, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS What would Adam Smith think? Edinburgh, Scotland - This historic and most inter- esting city has never looked better, even during its ear- lier pre-eminence in the late 1700s when Adam Smith lived and died here. The cur- rent economy is largely based on financial services, research and tourism – all of which are “clean” indus- tries – resulting in the end of the historic smoky image of Edinburgh. Adam Smith was, of course, one of the towering figures on the Scottish En- lightenment. Smith is pri- marily known for two land- mark books, “The Theory of Moral Sentiments” (pub- lished in 1759) and “An In- quiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Na- tions” (published in 1776), both of which were best- sellers in his time. “Wealth of Nations” was the first modern economics book and is rightly viewed as one of the most significant books ever written. Even after two centuries, many thou- sands of copies are still sold each year. In the current debate over trade policy, Smith is often quoted by those on both sides of the argument. Smith was a free trader who argued that free trade increases the real income of consumers by reducing prices. Free trade increases the extent of the market that any one pro- vider of a good or service can serve. An increase in market size reduces production-cost per unit (i.e. economies of scale), and both consumers and producers benefit. (It would be several more de- cades before the theory of comparative advantage was developed by David Ricardo that gave the other major ar- gument for free trade.) Despite being a free trader, Smith did support several exceptions. He pro- vided limited support for the infant industry argu- ment, which is based on the notion that new industries need to have some protec- tion until they reach crit- ical mass. He also acknowl- edged that there were a few cases where the imposition of a temporary tariff may induce another country to reduce trade restrictions, thus benefiting consumers in both countries. This is the Trumpian argument that Smith, like present-day critics, understood was risky and could backfire. Critics of Smith claim that he was not “rigorous” enough – often meaning that he did not rely enough on empirical data and logical proofs. These critics tend to ignore that in Smith’s time little in data (in the modern sense) was available, along with the tools to process it. Smith was a practical man who wrote about the importance of “common sense.” After two centu- ries, we know that most of his common-sense insights as to the way the world works were indeed correct then and are now. Both Smith partisans and critics tend to misrepresent Smith’s views on the appro- priate size of government. He argued that there was an appropriate role for gov- ernment – in providing for a court and justice system to protect property rights and basic liberties, in pro- viding for defense, in pro- viding for at least some public education, and even limited public works, such as roads and harbors. But he argued that most government should be at the local level, where the individual citizen can un- derstand what is going on and has more say. Smith had little use for politi- cians and those in govern- ment, who, he said, often wasted the labors of the people. He well understood the tendency and dangers of special interests, and par- ticularly business people, to try to use government to restrict competition and grant monopolies. Thus, he was a fierce opponent of what we refer to today as crony capitalism. Smith had spent some time in France and con- cluded that its more cen- tralized government system was inferior to the more de- centralized British one at the time. Despite the fact that Smith is well known for his laissez-faire views and favored minimal gov- ernment regulation and taxation, he also made the argument for limited gov- ernment interventions when he thought it would pro- mote the public good. Thus, people on both sides of many current political and economic arguments can find something in Smith to support their views. The government sector of the economy was tiny in Smith’s time; and given his concern about government waste and misallocation of resources and income and restrictions on liberty, it is likely that he would be firmly in the small-govern- ment camp today. Most of the American Founding Fathers had read “Wealth of Nations,” and its influence (and that of other thinkers of the Scot- tish Enlightenment, such as David Hume) can be readily seen in the U.S. Constitu- tion and the Federalist Pa- pers and other publica- tions by the Founders. Smith and Benjamin Franklin were personal friends who met with each other a number of times, both in Paris and London. Smith was well regarded among the educated in American at the time, not only because of the power of his books, but in part because he was a critic of the war being waged against the American colo- nies. Smith had made spe- cific recommendations about how London should govern its colonies through inclusion. Perhaps if King George III and the leaders of Britain at the time had listened to Smith, the world might have turned out a bit better. Richard W. Rahn is chairman of Improbable Success Productions and on the board of the American Council for Capital Formation. © 2018, The Washington Times, LLC. RICHARD W. RAHN RICHARD W. RAHN Smith was a practical man who wrote about the importance of “common sense.” After two centuries, we know that most of his common-sense insights as to the way the world works were indeed correct then and are now.5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY OCTOBER 11, 2018 STEM conference takes off with superhero theme MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com Spotlighting superheroes and e-sports, this year’s STEM Carib conference at the Uni- versity College of the Cayman Islands got off to a heavily entertainment-influenced start for its weeklong run at the campus. Tuesday night’s keynote ad- dress by teacher and author Adam Weiner looked at physics through the prism of Holly- wood action films. Mr. Weiner spoke again on Wednesday morning and was followed by a presentation on e-sports by representatives of Harrisburg University, a partner school of UCCI and co-sponsor of the conference. A high school physics in- structor in San Diego, Cali- fornia, Mr. Weiner said he wrote his book “Don’t Try This at Home: The Physics of Holly- wood Movies” as a way to help science teachers engage stu- dents through popular culture. “It works really well,” Mr. Weiner said. “Any hook in is good and the thing most kids are connected to is movies.” Since he began using the strategy more than a de- cade ago, he said, others have picked it up. “There are more and more people that do this now,” he said. “Neil deGrasse Tyson does this now. It’s become a more common thing.” For Tuesday night’s opening event, more than 200 people listened to Mr. Weiner, a former actor, talk about the physics – and often the lack thereof – behind the fantasy of popular films. “Physics is beautiful,” he said, “but not everybody knows that. When you see the rules and the laws of how it all fits together, it’s kind of amazing.” Knowing those laws, he said, allows one to analyze what is presented on a movie screen, whether it’s intended to be real or not. “It’s interesting to look at these scenes and ask, ‘What could really happen?’” Perhaps his best illustration was an initial clip he played from “The Dark Knight,” where Batman flies across downtown Hong Kong, from one sky- scraper to another and crashes through a window to get at one of the film’s villains. Mr. Weiner presented charts from an anal- ysis on the wings used by the Caped Crusader and whether they could actually carry him on the flight he takes. The analysis showed that yes, in fact, the action could take place in the real world. But the end of the flight would create certain problems. For Batman to succeed in reaching the other building, he’d need to be traveling at approximately 50 miles per hour. Crashing into a plate glass window at such speed, Mr. Weiner said, “is probably going to be something we call fatal.” For students like Alec Harding, 15, such scrutiny is intriguing. “I like problem-solving,” said Alec, a UCCI student studying engineering. He said this is the third year he has attended the conference. “A lot of the career choices I will make are [related to] this,” Alec said, adding that he has benefited from the pre- vious conferences. “I learned a lot about renewable energy sources. Last year, someone talked about geospatial map- ping with drones.” Fellow student, Danielle Garcia, 16, is working on a de- gree in computer science. An avid video game player, she said she was looking forward to learning more about gaming. Wednesday morning’s presentation by Harrisburg University President Eric Darr and the school’s media department director Charles Palmer was as much a pro- motion of the school’s re- cently formed e-sports team – they tossed T-shirts embla- zoned with the team’s logo to the audience – as it was a dis- cussion of the opportunities in the field. They noted that the global e-sports industry (separate from game develop- ment) is expected to generate $1 billion this year. There are currently more than 100 college teams in the National Association of Colle- giate E-sports, Mr. Darr said. “We offered 16 full-ride scholarships,” he said, adding that represented half of the school’s 32 recruited players. Such scholarships are being offered by other universities as well, he said. In addition to professional players, there are career op- portunities for announcers, coaches, business and event managers, marketing and more. “There’s definitely a job in this, if you’re interested,” Mr. Palmer said. “It’s here to stay and it will only get bigger,” Mr. Darr added. He’s hoping the same is true of the conference. During his opening remarks on Tuesday night, Mr. Darr said he believed a bright future lay ahead for the conference. “Every year has gotten bigger and better,” he said. “These three days are about exploration, inspiration, about what’s possible.” UCCI President Roy Bodden paid homage to the late Dr. Bill Hrudey, who, along with Mr. Bodden, established the conference. “We lost our mentor, our energizer and adviser,” Mr. Bodden said, referring to Dr. Hrudey’s death in February. “[He] would not be satisfied if this initiative died with him. I’m proud to say we are going on stronger than ever.” The conference represents part of the effort Mr. Bodden has made in his nine years as president to bring science to a campus that was dom- inated by accounting and business programs. STEM courses, he said, provide stu- dents with important tools for an increasingly techno- logical society. “I believe it is the way to go,” he said. The conference con- tinues through the week, fin- ishing on Friday with a free family fun afternoon from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Teacher/author Adam Weiner speaks at the STEM Carib 2018 conference at UCCI Tuesday night. - PHOTO: MARK MUCKENFUSSThe islands’ most-trusted news source 6 THURSDAY OCTOBER 11, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Cayman National chairman Truman Bodden said that the bank received an unsolicited offer from Re- public Bank. Cayman Na- tional then hired Deloitte to value the business, and it was determined that Republic Bank’s offer of US$6.25 per share was a good price. With that established, the Cayman National directors were legally bound to bring the offer to the shareholders, Mr. Bodden explained. Other shareholders ex- pressed confusion over what exactly they were voting for that night, asking whether they would be forced to sell their stock if the reso- lution passes. Mr. Bodden and CEO Stuart Dack explained mul- tiple times throughout the 90-minute meeting that the resolution at hand was about removing the 10-percent ownership threshold on the bank. Even if that threshold is lifted, shareholders can still choose not to sell to Re- public Bank, they said. The board members also explained that the deci- sion to sell will not be put to a vote. Instead, each in- dividual shareholder will choose whether to sell his or her shares by Oct. 22, and if at least 51 percent are sold to Republic Bank, then the acquisition will be finalized, subject to government and regulatory approvals. In response to concerns about Republic Bank’s inten- tions for Cayman National, Mr. Dack said that the Trin- idad bank has committed to largely maintain Cayman Na- tional as it is. “All indications from Re- public is that they very much want to leave things as they are at the moment. Cayman National is a very profitable business,” he said. “That’s why they want to leave staff as it is, that’s why they re- main on all three islands, and leave the board majority Cay- manian. They want to leave the culture of the business intact and to continue to do well, so they can get a return on their investment. That’s really their strategy.” While some Cayma- nians may be upset at po- tentially losing the only lo- cally owned bank, that is the risk of running a profitable, publicly traded company, Mr. Dack said. “We’ve become a victim of our own success,” he said. Near the end of the de- bate, Mr. Thompson said he still had many questions about the potential sale, and made a motion to delay the vote until more information about Republic Bank and other issues was provided. Another shareholder sec- onded the motion, drawing applause from dozens of other investors in attendance. However, “I’m afraid that’s not how things work,” said Mr. Bodden, explaining that there was already a mo- tion on the floor that needed to be voted on. The Cayman National chairman called for those in favor of lifting the 10-percent ownership threshold to raise their hands, and about half of the room did so. He then asked for those who were against the motion to raise their hands, and the other half of the room did so. But the decision was a one-share, one-vote ballot – not one person, one vote. Once the shareholders turned in their ballots and the results were checked by accounting firm Price- waterhouseCoopers, the re- sult was not nearly as close: The motion carried with 79.7 percent of the voting shares in favor and 20.3 percent against. Five of the six directors voted in favor of the motion, with Clar- ence Flowers Jr. being the lone holdout. Shareholders have until Oct. 22 to decide whether they want to sell to Republic Bank, unless that dead- line is extended. board understands that it cannot find nor take one singular stance on either side of this matter that truly represents a collec- tive position of the Asso- ciation’s members. Thus, the Board’s position of neutrality, and its inten- tion to facilitate our mem- bers’ access to informa- tion, rather than think that we can make a decision for our members.” She said CITA’s under- standing from comments made by tourism Min- ister Moses Kirkconnell, was that the business case and environmental im- pact study on the project would be updated once a preferred bidder is se- lected and before any final contract is signed. At that point, with more informa- tion available about costs and other factors, she said CITA’s members would be in a better position to take an informed position. “We expect that if this Government is to re- main consistent with their stated commitment to transparency, the updated documents will be shared with the public,” she said. “From that point, we hope ultimately that the views of the constituency and the larger community of stakeholders will be taken into consideration before Cabinet makes a final decision.” CITA had previously come out against the port project in a statement in 2015. Ken Hydes, who was president at the time and remains on the board of di- rectors as immediate past president, said that posi- tion reflected a marginal vote among the member- ship at the time. He said it was a smart approach for the association to avoid taking a stance now. “Different times have different results,” he said. “That was a painful pro- cess. There was certainly division over it and it came to a point where it became counterproductive. We agreed that if we ever came to a point where there was no clear consensus, we would take a neutral posi- tion and let our member- ship effectively vote their conscience and speak as freely as they want to on an individual level.” CITA’s membership, even within its board of directors, is diverse. It in- cludes representatives of businesses like Sunset House and the tender op- erators who stand to lose out as a result of the cruise port, as well as downtown retailers, the Cayman Turtle Center and the transport sector that have been among its greatest advocates. Mr. Hydes said it was a sensible and responsible position for the board to avoid alienating one sec- tion of its membership, and remain united and fo- cused on the broader goals of improving Cayman’s tourism product. “The last thing we need is to end up with a frag- mented association. We have a solid, working team and it is important to keep that in place.” grown by 8,000 people in the last five years alone and that significant new development of homes, hotels, offices and highways is taking place to support that growth. Haroon Pandohie, Cay- man’s director of planning, told the Cayman Compass it is important that this kind of growth does not take place in an ad hoc manner. He said Grand Cayman was at a crucial stage in its development, and gov- ernment, in collaboration with the people, needs to shape how that develop- ment takes place. He highlighted pressures on the road network, the re- development of older proper- ties along Seven Mile Beach, and the impact of growing development on the envi- ronment and public open space as key areas that the plan will seek to tackle. The new plan will also include a “capital improvement pro- gram,” highlighting what upgrades will be needed to public amenities. Mr. Pandohie said, “You have a growing population, growing infrastructure de- mands and pressures: roads, availability of classrooms, other public amenities. It is going to be crucial that we plan for public open space, because otherwise you could have a very densely popu- lated island without the nec- essary recreational outlets.” The nexus between where people live and how people move is one of the key con- siderations. The familiar morning traffic jams around Walkers Road, where the ma- jority of the island’s schools are located, are a symptom of a lack of coordinated plan- ning, Mr. Pandohie said. The Development Plan will look at situating new schools within high-density residential areas to avoid exacerbating the morning rush hour or having to fund more new roads. “A lot of that traffic is as- sociated with moving chil- dren to and from school,” Mr. Pandohie said. “Why account for a six- lane highway when it is more cost-effective to allocate land for a school within that resi- dential area?” Public transport is an- other crucial part of the plan. Everything from a dedicated bus lane to potential innova- tions like water taxis are up for discussion. From a zoning perspec- tive, Mr. Pandohie said the plan will aim to create more mixed-use neighborhoods and lessen the need for people to drive. He said the planners do not have a figure in mind for the island’s maximum popu- lation but that may be some- thing that comes out of the consultation process. He said the key question is: “What carrying capacity can we support, based on the quality of life we want to have on the island?” Richard Mileham, part of the department’s policy and development unit that has worked on the plan, said the strategic planning statement was just the beginning of a lengthy process. It is due to be launched Thursday with a dedicated website, www. plancayman.ky. The public is invited to give feedback. Mr. Mileham said, “It sets out vision, goals and objec- tives for the future of the is- land. At this point, we really want people to tell us if they agree with our approach.” He said the document incorporated input from previous efforts to up- date the plan, as well as other national reports, in- cluding Vision 2008, the Na- tional Energy Policy and the Solid Waste Manage- ment Strategy. From January, he said, planners would be going into more detail looking at each neighborhood, starting with the Seven Mile Beach corridor. At that point, there will be a chance for public meetings and debates, be- fore area-specific plans are formulated, he added. A more general plan will also be produced with spe- cific proposals for land use throughout the island, be- fore a zoning map and regu- lations go to the Legislative Assembly for approval. Tourism Association stays neutral in port debate CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Development plan seeks to shape Cayman’s future Cayman National shareholders pave way for bank’s sale CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 By show of hands, it looked as though about half of the Cayman National shareholders were against a resolution that would allow a Trinidad bank to acquire the majority of the local bank’s shares, but when the shares were tallied, the motion passed 79.7 percent to 20.3 percent. - PHOTO: KEN SILVA CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Haroon Pandohie, director of Department of Planning, spoke about the new draft of a Grand Cayman Development Plan at a Road Safety Conference earlier this month. - PHOTO: SPENCER FORDINThe islands’ most-trusted news source 7 Community CALENDAR ■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR is published TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY OCTOBER 11, 2018 Featured Speakers... 1 6 O C T O B E R PEOPLE, PURPOSE & PASSION: The Pathway to Success 2018 ANNUAL TOURISM CONFERENCE events@caymanislands.ky 9:00AM - 12:30PM Westin Grand Cayman Resort & Spa, Governor’s Ballroom Learn more about the state of our local tourism industry and gain global market insights with local & international speakers Register now at: BRYAN KINKADE VP, Publisher, AFAR Media MARLA DUKHARAN Digital media, marketing & advertising Keynote Speaker PAUL BYLES President - Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce FERNANDO FERNANDES Vice President Development, Apple Leisure Group KEN HYDES Moderator Economist THURSDAY, OCT. 11 BREAST CANCER: Public awareness meeting in West Bay, John Gray Memorial Church Hall, 7:30 p.m. FRIDAY, OCT. 12 BRAC HERITAGE: Autumn Festival and Celebrate Cayman present the Coat of Arms Display at Cayman Brac Heritage House today. Also, Gospel concert 7 p.m., Cemetery Pier. SATURDAY, OCT. 13 DEALS ON WHEELS: The Red Cross mobile shop will be in West Bay 6-10 a.m. at the Lord’s Church Compound, junction with the West Bay Town Hall. BRAC HERITAGE DAY: 3-11 p.m., Cemetery Pier, Parade, demonstrations, fireworks. All are invited. Visit www. caymanbracautumnfestival. com for more information. SUNDAY, OCT. 14 5K WALK/RUN: Brenda Tibbetts-Lund Memorial, in conjunction with Breast Cancer Month. 6 a.m. West Bay Road Public Beach. Entry fee $25. Register online at www.CaymanActive.com or at the Lions Club of Tropical Gardens Pink Shop in Elizabethan Square, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. until Friday. BRAC HERITAGE: Old- fashioned Evangelistic Service, 6-9 p.m. Church of God Holiness, Spot Bay. 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 SEAFARERS: The Seafarers Association informs all members of a general meeting, 7:30 p.m. in the Seafarers Hall, 11 Victory Ave. Prospect. Buses will be provided from West Bay Town Hall at 6 p.m. A bus route in George Town leaves the public library parking area at 7 p.m., stopping at the Cayman Compass building and the Airport Foster’s. The bus is blue and marked Bobo $1 Public transport, but there is no charge. OLDER PERSONS MONTH: Cayman Brac Social, Aston Rutty Civic Centre, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. BREAST CANCER: Public awareness meeting, Savannah United Church Hall, 7:30 p.m. WEDNESDAY, OCT. 17 OLDER PERSONS MONTH: Sustaining Older Persons lecture, UCCI, 5:30 p.m. All are invited. BREAST CANCER CLINIC: Bodden Town, 10 a.m. to noon. THURSDAY, OCT. 18 OLDER PERSONS MONTH: Bingo Night, Aston Rutty Civic Centre, 6-9 p.m. The Big Stage cultural event, Harquail Theatre, 6:30-9 p.m. BREAST CANCER AWARENESS: Public meeting, Webster Memorial Church Hall, 7:30 p.m. FRIDAY, OCT. 19 OLDER PERSONS MONTH: Island Tour Cayman Brac, 9 a.m. SATURDAY, OCT. 20 SOY MONSTER DASH: The Save Our Youth Foundation hosts its annual Monster Dash 5K Walk/ Run fundraiser at Camana Bay. Registration 6:15 a.m. Walkers and runners start at 7 a.m., taking off in opposite directions. All participants are encouraged to wear costumes. To register online, go to www.caymanactive.com/ monsterdash. Entry fee is $20 for adults, $15 for students (age 10-18), children under 10 free. Registration on the day of the event costs $25 for adults. Prizes for best overall costume, best family costume and first runner. Water and snacks provided at the end of the race, with a water stop at the turnaround. OLDER PERSONS MONTH: Tea Party, Pines Retirement Home, 4-6 p.m. 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. MONDAY, OCT. 22 ADULT MENTORS NEEDED: Mentoring Cayman is accepting applications from adult role models who wish to serve as mentors for the 2019 class. Today is the deadline to apply. Mentoring Cayman is a six-month initiative coordinated by the Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Ministry of Youth and Education. Apply at www.caymanchamber.ky/ mentoringcayman.html. TUESDAY, OCT. 23 YOUTH CONVENTION: The Wesleyan Churches of the Cayman Islands open their 6th Annual Youth Convention at 7:30 p.m. in the Craddock Ebanks Civic Centre, North Side. Convention continues through Oct. 28. The theme is “Navigating your spiritual journey in a post- modern world.” Featured are Pastors Alson Ebanks, Ronald Benjamin and John Gray High School Counselor Christopher Murray. Bus service will be available nightly from George Town to North Side. For more information contact Cassandra on 925-1930 or Pastor King on 916-5372. FRIDAY, OCT. 26 LEADERSHIP CAYMAN: Today is the deadline to apply for Leadership Cayman, a six-month personal and community leadership program coordinated by the Chamber of Commerce. Applicants must be 30 years of age, in a middle management position and must have resided in the Cayman Islands for at least one year. Apply online at www.leadershipcayman.ky. SATURDAY, OCT. 27 FAMILY FUN DAY: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Location at Leeward Drive, North Sound Estates, Newlands. Follow balloons from ICCI College. Kids/ family games with prizes, magicians, balloon bending, face painting, bouncy castle, raffle, baked goods stall, used goods stall, Xmas stall. Food vendors, music and more. Fundraiser organized by North Sound Estates Neighbourhood Watch and Community Group. Contact 321-9443 for more details. 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 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. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 THURSDAY OCTOBER 11, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS EU warns on security after Brexit European Union commissioners are stressing the importance of security cooperation once Britain leaves the EU. Commissioner Julian King said ‘there are some issues that will need to be addressed in the context of a future partnership including on security.’ Hurricane Michael slams into Florida Haley became a popular UN diplomat despite Trump policies UNITED NATIONS (AP) – Nikki Haley came to her job as the top U.S. diplomat at the United Nations with no for- eign policy experience, but in less than two years she made many friends – even among ambassadors from countries at odds with the Trump ad- ministration’s policies. Tuesday’s sudden an- nouncement that she was leaving by the end of the year ricocheted through U.N. headquarters like a light- ning bolt, with many ex- pressing shock, and some sadness and dismay. “It was a surprise, not a very pleasant one for me personally,” said Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia, whose country has clashed with U.S. po- sitions including on Syria, Iran and the Israeli-Pales- tinian conflict. The ambassadors on the powerful U.N. Security Council who worked closely with Haley praised her – a testament to her skills and success as a diplomat – though many of their coun- tries, including America’s tra- ditional allies, have serious issues with her government’s foreign policy. When Haley arrived at the U.N. on Jan. 27, 2017, she was the former governor of South Carolina and a novice at international affairs but she wasted no time in an- nouncing a new way the U.S. was going to do business. The Trump administra- tion’s goal was to show U.S. strength, speak out, and de- fend its allies – and as for countries opposing America, “we’re taking names” and will respond accordingly, she said. Haley has kept to that goal, but she has also honed her diplomatic skills, which were recognized by half a dozen members on the 15-na- tion Security Council as they headed into a closed meeting Tuesday afternoon on chem- ical weapons in Syria. Nebenzia said he and Haley have “good working and personal relations de- spite all the differences that we were and are having.” “She’s a charismatic per- sonality,” he said. “She was a friend to all of us, and … be- yond the doors of the Secu- rity Council we as a group were very friendly.” Bolivia’s U.N. Ambas- sador Sasha Llorentty Soliz said the Security Council “is like a family – sometimes a dysfunctional family – but nevertheless we care about each other and I really like Nikki very much.” The good personal rela- tions, however, could never mask the sharp differ- ences over a host of issues ranging from U.S. policy to- ward Syria to Trump’s with- drawal from the Iran nuclear deal, the Paris climate agree- ment and the U.N. Human Rights Council. Washington’s decisions to halt funding for the U.N. agency for Pales- tinian refugees and to move the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem also upset some council members. Llorentty Soliz stressed the separation of personal re- lations and policy differences. He echoed Bolivian Pres- ident Evo Morales, who launched a blistering critique of U.S. policy toward Iran, the Mideast and Trump’s im- migration policies at a Se- curity Council meeting the American president pre- sided over on Sept. 26 during the annual U.N. gathering of world leaders. Sweden’s U.N. Ambas- sador Olof Skoog said “there are issues that relate to the U.N. where we don’t always see eye to eye, but with Nikki there has always been a very close relationship, respectful and very frank.” While Haley’s speeches in the council can sometimes “be very strong,” he said, council members were often invited to her apartment afterward. France’s U.N. Ambas- sador Francois Delattre, who met Haley when she was governor of South Car- olina and he was ambas- sador to Washington, said “even though we didn’t agree on everything, we had estab- lished a particularly close and constructive working re- lationship based on trust.” “Nikki Haley is one of the most talented, most authentic U.S. government officials that I have ever met,” he said. At a White House event, seated near Trump in the Oval Office, Haley told re- porters that her six years as governor followed by nearly two years at the U.N. has been an “intense time, and I’m a believer in term limits.” “I have given everything I’ve got these last eight years,” she said. “I think you have to be selfless enough to know when to step aside and allow someone else to do the job.” Trump told her: “Hope- fully, you’ll be coming back at some point.” The daughter of Indian immigrants, Haley, who is 46 and not personally wealthy, hinted in her resignation letter to Trump that she is headed to the private sector. She said that as a busi- nessman Trump would ap- preciate “my sense that re- turning from government to the private sector is not a step down but a step up.” PANAMA CITY, Fla. (AP) – Su- percharged by abnormally warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico, Michael slammed into the Florida Panhandle on Wednesday with potentially catastrophic winds of 155 mph, the most powerful hur- ricane to hit the U.S. main- land in nearly 50 years. Its winds shrieking, Mi- chael crashed ashore in the early afternoon near Mexico Beach, a tourist town about midway along the Panhandle, a lightly populated, 200-mile stretch of white-sand beach resorts, fishing towns and military bases. It battered the coastline with sideways-blown rain, powerful gusts and crashing waves. It swamped streets and docks, flattened trees, stripped away limbs and leaves, knocked out power to a quarter-million homes and businesses, shredded awnings and sent shingles flying. Explosions appar- ently caused by blown trans- formers could be heard. “We are catching some hell,” said Timothy Thomas, who rode out the storm with his wife in their second- floor apartment in Panama City Beach. He said he could see broken street signs and a 90-foot pine bent at a 45-degree angle. The meteorological brute quickly sprang from a weekend tropical depression, becoming a furious Category 4 by early Wednesday, up from a Category 2 less than a day earlier. It was the most powerful hurricane on record to hit the Panhandle. “I’ve had to take antacids I’m so sick to my stomach today because of this im- pending catastrophe,” Na- tional Hurricane Center sci- entist Eric Blake tweeted as the storm – drawing energy from the unusually warm, 84-degree Gulf waters – be- came more menacing. More than 375,000 people up and down the Gulf Coast were urged to evacuate as Michael closed in. But emer- gency authorities lamented that many people ignored the warnings and seemed to think they could ride it out. “While it might be their constitutional right to be an idiot, it’s not their right to en- danger everyone else!” Walton County Sheriff Michael Ad- kinson tweeted. Hurricane-force winds ex- tended up to 45 miles from Michael’s center. Forecasters said rainfall could reach up to a foot, and the life-threat- ening storm surge could swell to 14 feet. A water-level sta- tion in Apalachicola, close to where Michael rolled ashore, reported a surge of nearly 8 feet. Based on its internal barometric pressure, Michael was the third most powerful hurricane to blow ashore on the U.S. mainland, be- hind the unnamed Labor Day storm of 1935 and Camille in 1969. Based on wind speed, it was the fourth-stron- gest, behind the Labor Day storm (184 mph), Camille and Andrew in 1992. It appeared to be so pow- erful that it is expected to re- main a hurricane as it moves over Georgia early Thursday. Forecasters said it will un- leash damaging wind and rain all the way into the Carolinas, still recovering from Hurricane Florence’s epic flooding. At the White House, Presi- dent Donald Trump said the government is “absolutely ready for the storm.” “God bless everyone because it’s going to be a rough one,” he said. “A very dangerous one.” In Panama City, plywood and metal flew off the front of a Holiday Inn Express. Part of the awning fell and shattered the glass front door of the hotel, and the rest of the awning wound up on ve- hicles parked below it. The hotel swimming pool had whitecaps, and people’s ears popped because of the drop in barometric pres- sure. The roar from the hur- ricane sounded like an air- plane taking off. Meteorologists watched satellite imagery in complete awe as the storm intensified. “We are in new territory,” National Hurricane Center Meteorologist Dennis Feltgen wrote on Facebook. “The his- torical record, going back to 1851, finds no Category 4 hurricane ever hitting the Florida panhandle.” Colorado State University hurricane expert Phil Klotz- bach said in an email: “I re- ally fear for what things are going to look like there to- morrow at this time.” The storm is likely to fire up the debate over global warming. Scientists say global warming is responsible for more intense and more fre- quent extreme weather, such as storms, droughts, floods and fires. But without extensive study, they cannot directly link a single weather event to the changing climate. With Election Day less than a month away, the crisis was seen as a test of lead- ership for Scott, a Repub- lican running for the Senate, and Tallahassee Mayor An- drew Gillum, the Democratic nominee for governor. Just as Northern politicians are judged on how they handle snowstorms, their Southern counterparts are watched closely for how they deal with hurricanes. More than 5,000 evac- uees sought shelter in Tal- lahassee, which is about 25 miles from the coast but is covered by live oak and pine trees that can fall and cause power outages even in smaller storms. The meteorological brute quickly sprang from a weekend tropical depression, becoming a furious Category 4 by early Wednesday, up from a Category 2 less than a day earlier. U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley addresses the United Nations Security Council, Monday, Sept. 17, 2018, at U.N. headquarters. - PHOTO: AP A storm chaser climbs into his vehicle during the eye of Hurricane Michael to retrieve equipment after a hotel canopy collapsed in Panama City Beach, Florida, Wednesday. - PHOTO: AP9 WORLD&REGIONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY OCTOBER 11, 2018 Take me to some high place Of heather, rock and ling; Scatter my dust and ashes, Feed me to the wind. So that I will be Part of all you see, The air you are breathing I'll be part of the curlew's cry And the soaring hawk, The blue milkwort And the sundew hung with diamonds. I'll be riding the gentle wind That blows through your hair; Reminding you how we shared In the joy of living The Joy Of Living by Ewan MacColl From Mum, Eric, Neil,Fiona , Ginny, Richard, Johny and Harry, Fabreez, James,Isabel, Johnathan and Humphrey John Rockwell Thomson Hobday 10/10/63 - 11/10/14 For Our Beloved Rocky Canada prepares for national rollout of legal marijuana DELTA, British Columbia (AP) – Mat Beren and his friends used to drive by the vast greenhouses of southern British Columbia and joke about how much weed they could grow there. Years later, it’s no joke. The tomato and pepper plants that once filled some of those greenhouses have been replaced with a new cash crop: marijuana. Beren and other formerly illicit growers are helping cultivate it. The buyers no longer are unlawful dealers or dubious medical dispensaries; it’s the Canadian government. On Oct. 17, Canada be- comes the second and largest country with a legal national marijuana marketplace. Uru- guay launched legal sales last year, after several years of planning. It’s a profound social shift promised by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and fueled by a desire to bring the black market into a regulated, taxed system after nearly a century of prohibition. It also stands in contrast to the United States, where the federal government out- laws marijuana while most states allow medical or rec- reational use for people 21 and older. Canada’s national approach has allowed for un- fettered industry banking, inter-province shipments of cannabis, online ordering, postal delivery and billions of dollars in investment; na- tional prohibition in the U.S. has stifled greater industry expansion there. Hannah Hetzer, who tracks international mari- juana policy for the New York-based Drug Policy Alli- ance, called Canada’s move “extremely significant,” given that about 25 countries have already legalized the medical use of marijuana or decrimi- nalized possession of small amounts of the drug. A few, including Mexico, have ex- pressed an interest in regu- lating recreational use. “It’s going to change the global debate on drug policy,” she said. “There’s no other country immediately consid- ering legalizing the nonmed- ical use of cannabis, but I think Canada will provide al- most the permission for other countries to move forward.” At least 109 legal pot shops are expected to open across the nation of 37 mil- lion people next Wednesday, with many more to come, according to an Associated Press survey of the prov- inces. For now, they will offer dried flower, capsules, tinc- tures and seeds, with sales of marijuana-infused foods and concentrates expected to begin next year. The provinces are tasked with overseeing marijuana distribution. For some, in- cluding British Columbia and Alberta, that means buying cannabis from licensed pro- ducers, storing it in ware- houses and then shipping it to retail shops and on- line customers. Others, like Newfoundland, are having growers ship directly to stores or through the mail. Federal taxes will total $1 per gram or 10 percent, whichever is more. The feds will keep one-fourth of that and return the rest to the provinces, which can add their own markups. Consumers also will pay local sales taxes. Some provinces have chosen to operate their own stores, like state-run li- quor stores in the U.S., while others have OK’d pri- vate outlets. Most are letting residents grow up to four plants at home. Canada’s most populous province, Ontario, will not have any stores open until next April, after the new conservative government scrapped a plan for state- owned stores in favor of pri- vately run shops. Until then, the only legal option for On- tario residents will be mail delivery – a prospect that did not sit well with long- time pot fan Ryan Bose, 48, a Lyft driver. “Potheads are notoriously very impatient. When they want their weed, they want their weed,” he said after buying a half-ounce at an il- licit medical marijuana dis- pensary in Toronto. “Waiting one or two three days for it by mail, I’m not sure how many will want to do that.” British Columbia, home of the “B.C. Bud” long cher- ished by American pot con- noisseurs, has had a preva- lent marijuana culture since the 1970s, after U.S. draft- dodgers from the Vietnam War settled on Vancouver Is- land and in the province’s southeastern mountains. But a change in government last year slowed cannabis distri- bution plans there, too, and it will have just one store ready next Wednesday: a state-run shop in Kamloops, a few hours’ drive northeast of Van- couver. By contrast, Alberta expects to open 17 next week and 250 within a year. There is no immediate crackdown expected for the dozens of illicit-but-tolerated medical marijuana dispen- saries operating in British Columbia, though officials eventually plan to close any without a license. Many are expected to apply for private retail licenses, and some have sued, saying they have a right to remain open. British Columbia’s min- istry of public safety is forming a team of 44 inspec- tors to root out unlawful op- erations, seize product and issue fines. They will have re- sponsibility for a province of 4.7 million people and an area twice as large as California, where the black market still dwarfs the legal market that arrived in January. Chris Clay, a longtime Ca- nadian medical marijuana ac- tivist, runs Warmland Centre dispensary in an old shop- ping mall in Mill Bay, on Van- couver Island. He is closing the store Monday until he gets a license; he feared con- tinuing to operate post-legal- ization would jeopardize his chances. Some of his eight staff members will likely have to file for unemployment benefits in the meantime. “That will be frustrating, but overall I’m thrilled,” Clay said. “I’ve been waiting de- cades for this.” The federal government has licensed 120 growers, some of them enormous. Canopy Growth, which re- cently received an investment of $4 billion from Constella- tion Brands, whose holdings include Corona beer, Robert Mondavi wines and Black Velvet whiskey, is approved for 5.6 million square feet of production space across Canada. Its two biggest greenhouses are near the U.S. border in British Columbia. Next to Canopy’s green- house in Delta is another huge facility, Pure Sunfarms, a joint venture between a longtime tomato grower, Vil- lage Farms International, and a licensed medical marijuana producer, Emerald Health Therapeutics. Workers pulled out the remaining tomato plants last winter and got to work renovating the green- house as a marijuana farm, installing equipment that in- cludes lights and accordion- shaped charcoal vents to con- trol the plant’s odor. By 2020, the venture expects to move more than 165,000 pounds of bud per year. Some longtime illegal growers who operate on a much smaller scale worry they will not get licensed or will get steamrolled by much larger producers. Provinces can issue “micro-producer” licenses, but in British Co- lumbia, where small-time pot growers helped sustain rural economies as the mining and forestry industries cra- tered, the application period hasn’t opened yet. Sarah Campbell of the Craft Cannabis Association of BC said many small operators envision a day when they can host visitors who can tour their operations and sample the product, as wineries do. Officials say they in- tend to accommodate craft growers but first need to en- sure there is enough can- nabis to meet demand when legalization arrives. Hiccups are inevitable, they say, and tweaks will be needed. “Leaving it to each prov- ince to decide what’s best for their communities and their citizens is something that’s good,” said Gene Makowsky, the Saskatchewan minister who oversees the province’s Liquor and Gaming Authority. “We’ll be able to see if each law is successful or where we can do better in certain areas.” British Columbia safety minister Mike Farnworth said he learned two primary les- sons by visiting Oregon and Washington, U.S. states with recreational marijuana. One was not to look at the in- dustry as an immediate cash cow, as it will take time to displace the black market. The other was to start with rela- tively strict regulations and then loosen them as needed, because it’s much harder to tighten them after the fact. Legalization will be a process more than a date, Farnworth said. “Oct. 17 is actually not going to look much different than it does today,” he said. A customer talks with manager Ruby Bressan, left, at the Warmland Centre, a medical marijuana dispensary in Mill Bay, British Columbia. - PHOTOS: AP Marijuana plants are shown growing in a massive tomato greenhouse being renovated to grow ganja in Delta, British Columbia. At least 109 legal pot shops are expected to open across the nation of 37 million people next Wednesday, with many more to come, according to an Associated Press survey of the provinces.Next >