High of 89 Low of 77 Slight to moderate with wave heights of 3 to 5 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 CELEBRATING OUR ACADEMIC CHAMPIONS LOCAL | PAGE 5 DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT CONDUCTS GENETIC TESTING OF GREEN IGUANAS ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – TUESDAY OCTOBER 16, 2018 Rising to the occasion every day, year after year PROUD TO BE THE BANKER’S BANK OF THE YEAR IN THE CAYMAN ISLANDS. www.butterfieldgroup.com Butterfield Bank (Cayman) Limited is licensed to conduct banking and investment business by the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority. Address: 12 Albert Panton Street, George Town, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. 187202_HR-Ad-Strip-BOTY2017-6colPage 1 12/15/17 10:16:40 AM Canal-side residents face boat dilemma JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A neighborhood in Newlands has become ground zero for a slew of concerns and dis- putes over use of Grand Cayman’s resi- dential canals. Residents in North Sound Estates say they are fed up with what they describe as antiso- cial behavior in the canals. Complaints range from the dumping of derelict boats to com- mercial fishing operations using the canals. Residents say deep sea fishing vessels fre- quently moor up in the canals to unload their catch, with the crew often living on the boats for several days, before returning to sea. Newlands legislator Alva Suckoo has taken up the cause and is calling for changes to the law to allow the planning department more power to deal with complaints in the canals. He believes the issues in Newlands are reflected in canal-side communities across Cayman. He said there was a wide range of issues. “There are environmental concerns, con- cerns that people are using residential canals to run businesses, there are people coming in with their fish and living on the boats for days at a time,” he said. Mr. Suckoo said he was particularly con- cerned about discarded boats tied up to the mangroves. “What happens if there is a storm and those boats end up in someone’s yard?” he asked. As the law stands, he said, it was not clear whether the Port Authority, the police, plan- ning, immigration or the Department of En- vironmental Health was best placed to deal with the variety of complaints emanating from residents of the North Sound Estates. He said some of the issues, including the use of the canal by oversized vessels, in some cases of greater than 100 feet in length, were not currently illegal but were considered a DART DONATES MOUNTAIN BIKE PARK TO NEW ZEALAND GOV’T Businessman Ken Dart is making headlines on the other side of the world after donating more than 2,000 acres of land, including a hand-cut 43.4 mile mountain bike course, to the New Zealand government. Mr. Dart is Cayman’s biggest investor and a mountain bike enthusiast. He recently built a private trail on his land in Little Cayman and is reported to have a network of similar bike trails all over the world. His Little Cayman trail is currently closed to the public for safety reasons, according to a Dart spokesperson. One of those paths snakes through the Wairoa Gorge, an expansive area of natural forest in the Tasman region of New Zealand’s South Island. RHL, a Dart-owned company, announced Monday that the land and the trail will be donated to the New Zealand Depart- ment of Conservation. The mountain bike park on the property is being made accessible to the public through an agreement with the Nelson Mountain Bike Club to maintain and operate the existing net- work of trails. According to a press release from the company, Dart bought the land in 2010 as an investment in “conservation of the nat- ural environment” and to create the moun- tain bike trails. The land is expected to be formally handed over to the Department of Conservation by the end of the year. Roy Grose, director of operations of the New Zealand Department of Conservation, said in the release, “Wairoa is an area of out- standing natural beauty. We are delighted the park will be conserved in perpetuity for recre- ational use and are grateful to RHL for their exceptional stewardship of the land over the Local authors lauded at book fair JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com The George Town Public Library hosted a group of local authors at a book fair and exhibition over the weekend. The authors shared information about their books with the attendees at the li- brary Saturday. In addition to a wide variety of fiction, non-fiction and poetry on display, story- telling, face painting and massages were also on offer. “The response has far exceeded our ex- pectations. The turnout has been amazing … there has been nonstop traffic all day,” said librarian Kevin Goring. Public Library Service Acting Director Paul Robinson said the event has grown tremendously since it started. “We are so happy for the library to have [the authors] here because it’s local. It’s not just any authors; it’s them telling their per- sonal stories and experiences of here in the Cayman Islands,” he said. Mr. Robinson said authors go through a lot of effort to publish and it’s good they get this opportunity to share their work, he said, applauding Mr. Goring for his efforts in bringing it all together. Author Kate Ure said the inspiration for her children’s book “Alphabet Island” came from having two small children born on the island. “Their first words were vocab- ulary words that were in their environ- ment,” she said. “things I didn’t see when I was growing up.” She said her young children spoke of PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » Public library volunteer Victor Valencia, left, and Literacy is for Everyone’s Marilyn Conolly share a story from the book ‘Room on the Broom’ with children attending the book fair Saturday. – PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 »2 LOCAL NEWS TUESDAY OCTOBER 16, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS • Matinees Daily (matinee price before 6pm) • Seniors $8.00, Mon-Fri Before 6pm • Additional charges apply per 3D/VIP tickets Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. - TUESDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) A STAR IS BORN (R) 1:00 VIP I 3:50 I 9:30 VENOM (PG13) 12:20 I 1:15 3D I 4:00 VIP I 6:50 9:15 3D I 9:40 VIP I 10:00 NIGHT SCHOOL (PG13) 1:30 I 4:15 I 7:15 I 9:50 BLOCKBUSTER RE-RELEASE: STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI (PG13) 3:25 I 9:20 GOOSEBUMPS 2: HAUNTED HALLOWEEN (PG) 12:15 I 2:30 I 4:45 I 7:00 SMALLFOOT (PG) 7:40 BLOCKBUSTER RE-RELEASE: INCREDIBLES 2 (PG) 12:45 I 6:40 CLASSICS @ THE CINEMA: BATMAN: THE MOVIE (1966) (PG) 7:00 VIP Wounded teenager lost sight in one eye Defendant was 16 when he hit victim with tree branch CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A young man hit in the head with a tree branch lost his sight in one eye as a re- sult, Justice Roger Chapple heard earlier this month. The guilty person was 16 years and nine months old – three months shy of being considered an adult in court – when the incident oc- curred. Given several legal is- sues involved, the judge ad- journed sentencing until Monday, Oct. 15. Defense attorney James Stenning had asked the judge to determine whether the de- fendant should be publicly named, given his age at the time of the offense. He also asked that the U.K. guidelines for sentencing of children and young persons be considered. On Monday, Justice Chapple said his view was that the defendant was now an adult: It seemed to him he had no power to restrict reporting of the defendant’s identity, Allan Lester McK- enzie. However, in terms of sentencing, he said the right approach was to consider the age of the offender on the date of the offending. For a person of Mr. McKenzie’s age, the sentencing should be “of- fender-focused,” he said. Crown counsel Kenneth Ferguson provided the back- ground to the charges. On Dec. 12, 2016, the com- plainant/victim was in a West Bay yard with others when Mr. McKenzie rode up on a bicycle. The complainant did not pay much attention until a female shouted, “Watch out!” He turned his head and felt himself hit hard. He fell to the ground, felt blood and could not see out of his right eye. He was taken to the hos- pital, where an ophthalmolo- gist operated on him. Damage included a complex laceration of the cornea, resulting in the loss of sight in that eye. There was also the possible risk of sympathetic ophthalmia – problems developing in the good eye because of trauma to the other eye. Mr. Ferguson told the court that the victim, 19 at the time, had not been able to access requisite medical attention be- cause he had no insurance. His medical bill “as a result of the defendant’s actions” had been $13,055 as of August 2017. The prosecutor said it was accepted that Mr. McKenzie had hit the other young man with a piece of tree branch without intending to blind him. He had pleaded not guilty to a charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. On the second day of trial, when the Crown added a charge of simple wounding, he entered his guilty plea. Mr. Ferguson had de- scribed the defendant and complainant as friends. Mr. Stenning said, no, they were only acquaintances. Neither counsel gave any explanation for what had happened. In mitigation, Mr. Stenning asked the court to consider his client’s guilty plea, his gen- uine remorse and keenness to pay compensation, and the time he had spent on curfew. He outlined Mr. McKenzie’s early life difficulties, but said the young man was always willing to work although he lacked skills; he fished when possible to make extra money. The attorney urged the court to consider commu- nity service. Clearly, he noted, no compensation order was going to be enough to com- pensate the victim for his loss and the defendant did not seek to minimize the dreadful impact of what had happened. In passing sentence, Justice Chapple said an adult would have realized that hitting someone about the head with a tree branch would result in serious injury. The question was – what difference did Mr. McKenzie’s age make? After summarizing sub- missions, he imposed a sen- tence of nine months’ impris- onment, suspended for two years. Hearing that Mr. McK- enzie now had a job and was earning $6 per hour, he or- dered payment of $5,000 com- pensation at a rate of $150 per month. He further ordered the defendant to perform 60 hours of community service, attend an anger management program and follow the direc- tions of his probation officer. The judge said his sen- tence reflected credit for the 18 months Mr. McKenzie had spent on curfew, as well as 25 percent for the guilty plea. He said the injury to the victim had been devastating, not only physically, but the young man’s ambitions had been shattered. “If you had been a man in your twenties, I would have been sending you to prison for a long time,” he told the defendant. “If you had been a man in your twenties, I would have been sending you to prison for a long time.” JUDGE ROGER CHAPPLE, to defendant Speaker Bush attends meeting in London for Royal Commonwealth Society Speaker of the House McKeeva Bush is repre- senting the Cayman Islands branch of the Common- wealth Parliamentary As- sociation this week during the 150th meeting of The Royal Commonwealth So- ciety in London. Mr. Bush was nominated by Cayman branch chairman Lemuel Hurlston to at- tend the event. The three-day meeting began Monday. Meetings were scheduled at South Af- rica House and Westminster. Philip Parham, U.K. envoy to the Commonwealth, pre- sented the keynote address and outlined the U.K.’s pri- orities for the Common- wealth. Also addressing the delegates were Royal Com- monwealth Society Chair Dr. Linda Yueh, Chief Exec- utive Dr. Greg Munro and High Commissioner for South Africa, Nomatemba Olivia Tambo. Attendees will hear about ways to better engage youth in Royal Commonwealth So- ciety programs, adapting Sustainable Development Goals to the needs of each jurisdiction, environmental challenges for the Common- wealth, and engaging Com- monwealth citizens. ARSON SUSPECTED IN CAR FIRE Police are investigating a Saturday morning arson of a car in George Town. Just before 6 a.m., po- lice and emergency per- sonnel were dispatched to a report of a vehicle on fire along Watler’s Drive. The Cayman Islands Fire Service put out the fire, which had engulfed a blue Honda Torneo. Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or the George Town Police Station at 949-4222. CORRECTION A story titled “MLA Bryan wants new meeting to air all views on port project” in the Oct. 15 Compass, incorrectly stated that MLA Kenneth Bryan had invited Premier Alden McLaughlin to a public meeting. Deputy Premier Moses Kirkconnell was the politician Mr. Bryan had invited. Speaker McKeeva Bush with Royal Commonwealth Society Chair Linda Yueh. Cayman’s UK rep to attend hearing for Commons Select Committee Eric Bush, Cayman’s rep- resentative to the United Kingdom, is scheduled to at- tend a hearing with the Com- mons Select Committee on Tuesday as part of the on- going inquiry into the rela- tionship between the U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the British Over- seas Territories. The committee’s inquiry is looking into the resilience of the overseas territories, how effectively the FCO manages its responsibilities toward them, and how it envisages their future. According to an an- nouncement from govern- ment, Mr. Bush will provide further information about Cayman’s written submis- sion. Those submissions call for things such as sufficient safeguards to protect over- seas territories from con- stitutional overreach by the Houses of Parliament, that U.K. designates ministers in each relevant department to ensure that Cayman has total cross-Whitehall partici- pation, and that the Cabinet Office make every effort to involve the Cayman Islands in all elements of Common- wealth engagement. Premier Alden McLaughlin said he welcomes the review, especially in light of Britain’s imminent departure from the European Union. “It is the right time for the U.K. Government and the Overseas Territories to re- view the way in which the re- lationships are managed and make real changes that will see a stronger Global Britain in which the Cayman Islands, and indeed all Overseas Ter- ritories, are an important part,” he said. The committee has stated that this inquiry has been spurred by recent events that have strained the rela- tionship between the U.K. and its overseas territories, including hurricanes, data leaks and Brexit. A similar review was con- ducted in 2008, and the re- sults prompted the U.K. to create and adopt the 2012 Whitepaper, which is the most recent U.K. policy doc- ument regarding its over- seas territories. Premier Alden McLaughlin said he welcomes the review, especially in light of Britain’s imminent departure from the European Union.3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY OCTOBER 16, 2018 CALYPSO’S OPEN S you TODAY… Work begins for 2020 census The Economics and Sta- tistics Office has started working on the 2020 census, government an- nounced on Friday. According to government, the Census Advisory Com- mittee met for the first time last Wednesday. The committee includes 20 “resource persons” from various branches of the public sector, as well as non- governmental agencies such as the National Council for Persons with Disabilities. The Sister Islands are repre- sented by the district com- missioner, Ernie Scott, and his deputy, Mark Tibbetts. The committee will “in- form and advise” the Eco- nomics and Statistics Office in planning for the October 2020 census, government stated. This will include helping finalize the census questionnaire. The census is an impor- tant tool for making policy decisions, government stated. Important initiatives un- dertaken using census 2010 data included the review of electoral boundaries, busi- ness planning by the private sector, roads and transport planning, policy reviews for the elderly and persons with disabilities, national energy policy and education sector planning, government stated. “The good value of strong data cannot be underesti- mated,” said Finance Min- ister Roy McTaggart in the announcement. The plan- ning for the 2020 census will cover all phases of census preparation, field work im- plementation and post-field dissemination under three sub-committees for mapping, logistics and training as well as publicity, said Economics and Statistics Office Director Maria Zingapan. Shaka Hislop: Football corruption has not changed since FIFA case MICHAEL KLEIN mklein@pinnaclemedialtd.com Despite the waves that the FIFA corruption case has made worldwide, and partic- ularly in the Caribbean, fol- lowing the arrest and guilty plea of former CONCACAF president Jeffrey Webb and other national and regional football bosses, nothing has changed, according to former football professional Shaka Hislop. Asked whether the inves- tigation into FIFA corrup- tion and subsequent criminal charges have had any effect on the way football is run, the former Trinidad and To- bago national goalkeeper said, “I don’t think so. I continue to have my concerns.” Speaking to the Cayman Compass after his keynote ad- dress at the Anti-Money Laun- dering/Compliance and Finan- cial Crime conference at the Marriott resort on Thursday, he said that although he knows someone he respects within football’s world gov- erning body, who assures him that things had changed at FIFA, it was difficult to see that from the outside. The 2015 football corrup- tion investigation by the FBI focused mainly on bribery, fraud and money laundering in the sale of media and mar- keting rights for FIFA-sanc- tioned football competitions and matches in the Americas. It also touched on the issue of corrupt vote buying in the election of the FIFA president by member organizations and the nomination of countries as hosts of the FIFA World Cup, one of the world’s largest sports events. One of the most high-pro- file individuals in the case, Cayman Islands businessman Jeffrey Webb, a former FIFA executive, CONCACAF and Ca- ribbean Football Union pres- ident, was arrested in May 2015 and pleaded guilty in No- vember 2015 to seven counts in a U.S. federal court indict- ment. The indictment alleges he and dozens of other de- fendants had solicited bribes in exchange for directing lu- crative broadcast and com- mercial rights deals for var- ious football tournaments to sports marketing companies. Mr. Webb’s sentencing has been pushed back seven times and it is currently set for March 2019. Mr. Hislop said he had worked closely with Mr. Webb and had held him in high es- teem when Mr. Webb served as a negotiator in a settle- ment between members of the Trinidad and Tobago na- tional team and Jack Warner, another former president of CONCACAF and Trinidad and Tobago’s football association, who was also indicted in the football corruption probe. “I believed in his vision. I believed in what he was doing. I believed that he had the region’s game and inter- ests at heart,” Mr. Hislop said at the conference hosted by GCS Advisory. When Mr. Webb got swept up in the criminal investi- gation and charges by the U.S. courts, Mr. Hislop said he was heartbroken. “It hit me like a bus.” “We went from a Trin- idad head of CONCACAF [Jack Warner] to the Cayman Islands and it was the same story.” Mr. Hislop said, as a result, “it has affected not just the game, not just what money trickled down from CON- CACAF, it has affected our standing internationally.” Trinidad and Tobago’s na- tional teams are now so under- funded that government often has to step in “at the eleventh hour” to fund trips to interna- tional matches, he noted. More than 10 years ago, Mr. Hislop, a former Eng- lish Premier League goal- keeper, and his teammates of the Trinidad and Tobago Soca Warriors national team had locked horns with Mr. Warner, then Trinidad foot- ball association president, over broken promises about the way commercial proceeds from the 2006 World Cup would be shared between the association and its players. While Mr. Warner had promised 50 percent of the commercial proceeds, players were ultimately told they would receive only TT$5,000 (US$740) each. It was a first glimpse of the extent of the alleged em- bezzlement that took place under Mr. Warner’s reign at the TTFA, the Caribbean Football Union and CON- CACAF that would later be exposed by the FIFA corrup- tion investigation. Mr. Warner is currently wanted for extra- dition to the United States. However, Mr. Hislop said he believes that will never happen. “If they have not been able to get him by now, they won’t. He is never going to leave the country and give them the opportunity. And I don’t think there is much of a will or way for them to come in and just grab him,” he said. “He is smart enough and has been involved in that game long enough to tie it up in court.” Mr. Hislop, now a com- mentator with U.S. TV sports channel ESPN, admitted that reforming the way football is run is very difficult. On the one hand, the power and wealth of Eu- rope’s football governing body UEFA within FIFA was still so large that it could rely “on tried-and-tested foot- ball colonialism” by exerting its influence over the block voting of smaller confed- eration bodies. On the other hand, the culture of corruption even at the grassroots level in foot- ball across the Caribbean is another huge factor. “That is as big a chal- lenge. It goes from the very top to the very bottom,” he said. “Even at the local level, there are people making deci- sions with their own self-in- terest in mind.” The rewards may not be more than a nice trip or a fancy meal, but local officials would generally vote with the heads of associations, he said. Football needs to become more autonomous to solve the problem. Ideally, poli- tics and football should not mix, Mr. Hislop said. At the very least, there needs to be better oversight from govern- ments, given their financial contributions to the sport in many countries. What is needed is “govern- ment oversight,” not “govern- ment meddling,” he said. More player influence is an additional layer of over- sight that could provide transparency. “I am a huge advocate for players’ rights and represen- tation,” the ESPN commen- tator said. “I think if more players and their representa- tives are aware of and privy to discussions held behind closed doors and know why certain decisions are made and what is being done or not done, the players them- selves would have better faith in the system,” he said. “It provides another layer of oversight in terms of the finances and where they go.” Shaka Hislop Minister for Finance and Economic Development Roy McTaggart, seated, fourth from right, meets members of the Census Advisory Committee at the first meeting organized by the Economics and Statistics Office last week.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” Our children’s future success will depend on their ability to compete in a global workforce which is highly skilled, technically proficient and based on continuous learning and improvement. The Japanese actually have a word for this concept. It’s called “Kaizen” and means “continuous improvement.” What better way to prepare our young people than through a bit of friendly competition here at home? The 7th annual KPMG Brain Bowl academic tourna- ment, held today, provides an excellent example. The Jeopardy-like competition tests teams’ knowledge of high school academic subjects such as mathematics, English, science, Caribbean history and current events. The goal is to unite schools in the spirit of collegial academic competition through an event that promotes teamwork, academic growth and critical thinking skills. Last year marked the first time teams from all 12 of Cayman’s high schools competed, including students who flew in from Cayman Brac. Cayman has a long-standing tradition of supporting school and club athletics – which are a healthy outlet for young people and teach valuable skills, including physical health, perseverance, goal-setting teamwork and sports- manship. That said, the odds of even the most skilled athlete making a career of their athletic abilities are so low as to be nearly zero. Take a country as large as the United States. According to the National Collegiate Athletic Association, only 480,000 of the nearly eight million students who compete in high school sports make the cut for teams at NCAA schools. Of those elite college-level athletes, only a handful – around 1 percent of college soccer and basket- ball players, for example – will go on to compete at the professional or Olympic level. On the other hand, every student must be prepared to succeed in the workplace, manage a household and participate as responsible members of the community – all vital roles that rely on brainpower over “brawnpower.” Despite this, opportunities for academic competition and public celebration of scholarly achievement have been in too short supply on our islands. Perhaps that is changing. Last Saturday at the George Town Library, budding literati were able to meet local authors and celebrate the literary arts at the Cayman Islands Book Fair. Also last week, approximately 800 students attended the STEM Carib 2018 conference at the University College of Cayman Islands, where they experienced firsthand exciting real-world applications of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) skills, from virtual reality to biology to the physics of superheroes. Let us not forget the Dart Group’s diverse offerings through the Minds Inspired Education Programme, which are designed to nurture students’ academic excellence in STEM. STEM-related careers, specifically, are a fast-growing component of employment in our digital age, but they require rigorous training and study – as do academic pursuits in every field. Efforts to celebrate and promote academic excellence are important tools to spark students’ interest and prevent their enthusiasms from flagging. As role models and future leaders, our academi- cally gifted students should be both applauded and given every opportunity to sharpen their skills. Like a nimble body, a nimble brain requires inspira- tion, training, conditioning and healthful nutrition (i.e., a steady intellectual diet of facts, figures, logical argument and ideas). And, as athletes know, it never hurts when your fans are cheering in the stands. Celebrating our academic champions TUESDAY OCTOBER 16, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Trade agreements do not threaten US sovereignty At the U.N. General As- sembly, U.S. President Donald Trump stood up for the sovereign responsi- bility of each government to put its national security and citizens first. Globalists cringe but every president, king and potentate has struggled with the limits of sov- ereignty domestically and in the conduct of foreign policy. Our government does not enjoy absolute power – we have the Bill of Rights and a broader right of pri- vacy the U.S. Supreme Court found implicit in the U.S. Constitution. Even the Chinese Communist Party and Saudi royals would be flummoxed if virtually all their citizens decided to stay home from work for a few weeks. In our legal tradition, formal limits on the sover- eign began with the Magna Carta, assent of the British Parliament and the Amer- ican Revolution. In foreign affairs, the United States respects the sovereignty of other na- tions and asserts its own but only selectively. Through the Monroe Doctrine, the United States substantially limited Eu- ropean influence in the Western Hemisphere but often without the consent of its southern neighbors. After the two World Wars, the Allies limited Germany’s self-defense ca- pabilities and its discretion in foreign affairs. Chancellor Angela Merkel presides over a pa- rade ground army – lots of hardware but little hot war experience. If Mr. Trump really wants to stop the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline, which will help fund the Russian military, he could withdraw U.S. troops from Germany. More practically, the United States, like all other nations accepts limits on its sovereignty in interna- tional agreements where they see compensating ben- efits. In the Nuclear Non- Proliferation Treaty, signa- tory nations accept that five states – the United States, China, Russia, the U.K. and France – have weapons but agree to abstain to better ensure their own security. Iran is a signatory but North Korea has with- drawn – much as the United States has withdrawn from the U.N. Human Rights Council. That gives the United States and its allies some legal justification to bully Iran to dismantle its nuclear program, but Mr. Trump now acting alone is on shakier ground. Front and center these days, are free trade agree- ments. President Trump and his trade advisers see those as a threat to Amer- ican sovereignty but that is hardly the case. In their view, the inter- national dispute settlement panels those establish – and in whose composition the United States enjoys considerable influence – are a burden on the authority of U.S. courts. However, the United States has his- torically insisted on inter- national arbiters as a safe- guard in bilateral, regional and multilateral commer- cial agreements. Presidents and Congress have concluded the gains in security for U.S. commer- cial interests and workers far outweighed the cost of letting those panels resolve disputes instead of U.S. and foreign courts. Investment and trade agreements are much like domestic contract law in two respects. Or- dinary folks and govern- ments do not always honor their obligations, and what those obligations re- quire can become impre- cise or inadequate with the passage of time. Under their cover, Amer- ican multinationals and or- dinary folks invest across the globe and those dis- pute settlement panels pro- tect their private prop- erty – financial, physical and intellectual – from ex- propriation and foreign courts that are often politi- cized and biased in favor of local interests. Ultimately, those ar- rangements have proven a virtually indispensable protection for those whose interests Mr. Trump says he is bound to defend. Trade agreements and in particular, the World Trade Organization (WTO), have failed the United States not because dispute set- tlement violates American sovereignty – we are merely pooling sovereignty there with other governments. Rather, the rules do not cover practices that have come into malignant use with the ascent of China. WTO rules were cre- ated for market economies adhering to Western con- cepts of law, and China has taken industrial policy and state-sponsored con- fiscation of foreign intel- lectual property and indus- trial espionage to criminal levels that the WTO was simply not designed to dis- cipline. China has exploited North American and Euro- pean commercial interests and workers to unconscio- nable dimensions. The Europeans want to negotiate new rules in the WTO, but that is about as futile as handing a serial killer a Bible with a book- mark to the Sixth Com- mandment. Protectionism and stealing commer- cial property are written into the Chinese Commu- nist Party’s DNA. The answer is not to gut dispute settlement – ei- ther in the WTO or other agreements – but rather to boot China from the club and quarantine it as best we can. Peter Morici is an economist and business professor at the University of Maryland, and a national columnist. © 2018, The Washington Times, LLC. PETER MORICI WTO rules were created for market economies adhering to Western concepts of law, and China has taken industrial policy and state-sponsored confiscation of foreign intellectual property and industrial espionage to criminal levels that the WTO was simply not designed to discipline. 5 LOCAL&REGIONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY OCTOBER 16, 2018 Department of Environment conducts genetic testing of green iguanas Jamaican files legal challenge to permanent residency denial KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com Jamaican national Clide Coley is challenging govern- ment’s decision to deny his permanent residency appli- cation, arguing that the Cay- manian Status and Perma- nent Residency Board did not fully factor his invest- ment in a local business when making its decision. According to the origi- nating motion, Mr. Coley applied for permanent res- idency on March 17, 2014, and had his hearing on Sept. 13, 2017. His applica- tion was denied because he scored a 93.5 on the per- manent residency point system, falling short of the 110 points required. He appealed to the Im- migration Appeals Tribunal on Oct. 3, 2017, but was again denied on Sept. 17, 2018, according to his orig- inating motion, which is posted on the financial ser- vices site OffshoreAlert. However, government did not give him enough points for having an investment in a local company, Mr. Coley argues in his challenge. Mr. Coley, an electrician with more than 20 years of experience, stated that he has a 40-percent own- ership stake in C&W Elec- trical & Renovations Ltd., which he claims is worth $114,344,000. “The applicant was awarded only 13.5 points; we now seek 16.5 addi- tional points of which he was rightfully entitled,” Mr. Coley’s challenge states, adding that the 13.5 points he received for his invest- ment “cannot be consid- ered fair, reasonable nor correct under the given circumstances.” According to the Cayman Islands Immigration Depart- ment’s permanent residence points system, applicants can gain a maximum of 30 points for investments in a locally licensed company. Mr. Coley further states that he was “not per- mitted” to attend the ap- peals hearing. “If he had been per- mitted to do so, which is not only a statutory right but a fundamental right to be heard and thus given a fair hearing, he could have addressed the issue of the absence of the supporting documents,” the originating motion states. The motion does not explain what “sup- porting documents” were missing at his hearing. Mr. Coley’s application asks the court to allow him to remain in Cayman until the substantive matter of his case is heard. More than 200 applicants who were denied permanent residence since 2017 have filed challenges to those de- cisions, according to records obtained by a Cayman Com- pass Freedom of Information request earlier this year. Tests prompted by 2016 birth of hybrid iguanas SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Department of En- vironment is compiling a li- brary of green iguana ge- netics to determine whether the first documented case of hybridization with the rock iguana on the Sister Islands was a fluke or a pattern. The hybridization case – which occurred in August 2016 – was recently doc- umented in the scholarly journal Biological Invasions. An invasive female green iguana gave birth to a clutch of offspring that appeared to be hybridized, and the DoE and researchers from Mis- sissippi State University con- ducted genetic testing that appeared to confirm that the two species were able to cross-breed. The DoE is following up by collecting green iguana genetics to establish a base- line, and it recently captured a female of reproductive age in the same range where the hybridization occurred. Fur- ther testing may determine whether it was an isolated incident or a harbinger of things to come. “We’re certain that was one clutch. We obviously don’t know what else is out there,” said Jane Haa- konsson, terrestrial unit re- search officer for the DoE. “We’re trying to determine whether the hybridiza- tion was 15 or 20 indepen- dent colonization events or just one female.” There were three hatch- lings found from the hybrid clutch, and the researchers found another three iguanas that appeared to be from the same clutch in the fol- lowing year. The genetic testing has not yet deter- mined whether the hybrid iguanas will be able to repro- duce on their own. The recently captured fe- male green iguana was found with 41 eggs, which are un- dergoing genetic testing at a laboratory connected to Mis- sissippi State researchers. With the information found through testing, the DoE can set priorities for control and eradication policies on Little Cayman and Cayman Brac. Ms. Haakonsson said there is no reason to believe that the green iguana and blue iguana can produce hy- brids, but then again, she said that hybridization had never been documented previously. “At this point in time, no- body had expected to see hy- bridization,” she said. “And we’re seeing it.” The testing occurs at the same time that Cayman is registering applicants for a nationwide cull of the green iguana. The DoE is hoping to cull one million green iguanas in one year, and it’s requiring that applicants will commit to killing at least 400 a month. Each applicant who meets that standard will be paid between $4.50 and $5 per iguana, with the first year of the cull expected to cost $7 million. Mr. Coley, an electrician with more than 20 years of experience, stated that he has a 40-percent ownership stake in C&W Electrical & Renovations Ltd., which he claims is worth $114,344,000. A side-by-side comparison of the hybrid and green iguana hatchlings. These hatchings, a green iguana, left, and a hybrid, were born in August 2016. - PHOTOS: FRED BURTON, DOE CHAMPION HOUSE CASE ADJOURNED AGAIN Defendant responsible for financial statement CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The case of Champion House, charged with failing to make pension contribu- tions for employees, was ad- journed again on Monday after counsel updated the court on progress, or lack thereof. The company has been in court since 2008 on charges relating to pension payments amounting to $177,000 on be- half of 32 employees between 1999 and 2008. Guilty pleas have been entered. At a hearing last month, Magistrate Valdis Foldats had asked if company assets should be sold to repay em- ployees. Both Crown counsel Greg Walcolm and defense attorney Graham Hampson agreed that an assessment should be undertaken. Mr. Walcolm advised that he had spoken with officers of the Fi- nancial Crime Unit, who were willing to assist with an ap- praisal of company property. On Monday, however, Mr. Walcolm said he had received further communication from the Financial Crime Unit. “They are unable to do it,” he explained, because they were short-staffed and it would be “too burdensome to take this matter on.” The magistrate asked if he had the power to order the company to produce financial statements. In the absence of any such power, he wondered what might be done. He shared an earlier expe- rience regarding a non-crim- inal matter. In the absence of a financial disclosure state- ment, the court could make an inference regarding an indi- vidual’s ability to pay, he said. Mr. Hampson agreed. He said if he were representing a person, he would be giving the court all the information he had in mitigation. In this case, he thought it would be helpful to have a certificate of an accountant regarding the status of the company. The magistrate adjourned the matter until Nov. 15, on the basis that such a certifi- cate would be pursued. ECUADOR TELLS ASSANGE TO CURB SPEECH LONDON (AP) – Ecuador has formally ordered Julian As- sange to steer clear of topics that could harm its diplo- matic interests if he wants to be reconnected to the in- ternet, according to a memo published in a local media outlet Monday. The nine-page memo pub- lished by Ecuadorean web- site Codigo Vidrio said As- sange is prohibited from “interfering in the internal af- fairs of other states” or from activities “that could preju- dice Ecuador’s good relations with other states.” There was no indica- tion Assange signed onto the memo, which governs the WikiLeaks founder’s ac- cess to the Wi-Fi network of the Ecuadoran Embassy in London, where he lived since seeking asylum there in 2012. Tension has been long building between Assange and his hosts, particu- larly after the Australian ex- hacker began cheering on Catalonian secessionists in Spain last year. In March, Ec- uador announced it was re- stricting Assange’s access to the internet.6 HEALTH NEWS TUESDAY OCTOBER 16, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com The future of spinal cord surgery will be cheaper and will not involve rods or screws, according to sur- geons who visited Cayman last week to speak about the latest advances in ultra- sonic surgery. Dr. Jeffrey Cantor, a sur- geon with the Cantor Spine Institute in south Florida, and his peer, Dr. John Asghar, spoke to a group of doctors and medical professionals at the Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort on Thursday af- ternoon. The surgeons are part of a very small fraternity of doctors that have adopted ul- trasonic surgery for work on the spinal cord. “This is where spine sur- gery is going. All the big com- panies know about this,” Dr. Cantor said. “Their plans over the next 10 years all include this type of surgery. The goal of medicine is to eliminate older techniques and to start moving toward safer, less aggressive and less expen- sive techniques.” Ultrasonic surgery, Dr. Cantor said, will ultimately allow surgeons to perform more precise procedures without necessitating the re- moval of important struc- tural bodies that hold the spine together. Traditional procedures on the spine are problematic, Dr. Cantor said, because they require large incisions that allow the surgeon to go in and work around the nerves. The surgeon then has to re- move structures that hold the spine together and replace those structures with metal rods and screws. But now, with a device that Dr. Cantor says “feels like an electric toothbrush,” the entire process is being thought anew. Dr. Cantor and his peers at the Cantor Spine Institute are able to perform precise operations that re- lieve the pressure on nerves without creating even bigger structural problems. “We can work closely to delicate structures safely be- cause this doesn’t spin and doesn’t tear. It essentially melts the bone,” he said. “Typically, what’s happening is bone is pushing on nerves. Traditionally, you have to go in and remove structure. When you do that, you have to do big operations. “This tool allows us to do these procedures with tiny incisions. And when we’re done, we don’t have to re- build anything because this allows us to work inside the spine rather than damaging the tissues and the structures that hold us up. We don’t have to rebuild them with rods and screws.” Dr. Cantor said that the ultrasonic scalpel, which is made by a company named Misonix, is like a butter knife with a blunt edge. It vibrates 22,000 times a second and can operate in small areas next to delicate nerves. Dr. Cantor said there is a long learning curve for surgeons who want to use the device. After suffering a wrist in- jury, Dr. Cantor said, he took about three or four months to learn how to wield the next- generation device, and he spent three or four hours a day getting acclimated to it. Now, he says, he can take a tool that can “cut the leg off a chair in a second” and use it in the most delicate spaces. “Lasers can’t do this. La- sers can only numb nerves. They can’t safely take pres- sure off nerves,” he said of the difference between la- sers and ultrasonic devices. “Lasers can’t be controlled. This thing can shell an egg. Literally, I can put an egg in my hand and take the whole shell off and give you the soft part with no shell on it. La- sers can’t do that. Laser sur- gery is a temporary fix, but this is a permanent fix.” And why is that so revo- lutionary? Traditional oper- ations, Dr. Cantor said, are often creating as many prob- lems as they fix. When rods and screws are placed in the spine, they can start a domino effect that will cause other structures above and below to systematically fail and ne- cessitate more surgeries. “In ultrasonic surgery, we don’t remove the important stuff,” Dr. Cantor said. “We go inside the spine and clean the bone spurs out from the inside out so only the bad stuff is removed. The good stuff is left, kind of like when you go to the dentist and they take the plaque off your teeth but don’t take your teeth out. “This removes just the bad stuff that is grown into the spinal canal and leaves ev- erything else.” Future of spine surgery takes center stage in Cayman Dr. Jeffrey Cantor, left, and Dr. John Asghar came to Cayman to speak about the development of ultrasonic spine surgery. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY EAST END HEALTH CENTER TO IMPROVE DISABLED PARKING The Health Services Au- thority is creating a new parking area at its East End District Health Centre specifically for patients with mobility issues. Construction of the new area started last week. Lizzette Yearwood, chief executive officer of the Health Services Authority, said, “Accessible parking is a key factor of our pa- tients’ experience with the organization and, in par- ticular, those with mobility challenges. This is just one aspect of our strategic ap- proach in considering the differing needs of disabled patients when accessing all our facilities. We will con- tinue to make structural improvements necessary to ensure greater convenience and a more positive experi- ence for these patients.” Ms. Yearwood said one of the main considerations of the project is ensuring greater proximity of dis- abled parking spaces to the clinic’s main entrance to en- able a patient to transition from a vehicle to a wheel- chair close to the door. The project also includes construction of a sheltered seating area for people waiting for their ride or waiting to be escorted. “To our patients, we apologize for the unin- tended disruptions to normal clinic access, the increased noise levels and any other inconvenience you may experience during the construction phase as we work to improve our fa- cility to better serve you,” said Ms. Yearwood. The mental health impact of disasters like Michael, Irma or Maria J. BRIAN HOUSTON, JENNIFER M. FIRST, University of Missouri-Columbia When major disasters hit, the first priority is to keep people safe. This process can involve dramatic evacuations, rescues and searches. However, after the initial emergency passes, a much longer process of recov- ering and rebuilding begins. For individuals, families and communities, this can last months or even years. At the University of Mis- souri’s Disaster and Com- munity Crisis Center, much of our research into disaster recovery, rebuilding and re- silience shows that natural disasters can have a mean- ingful impact on survi- vors’ mental and behavioral health. These issues typically emerge as people try to re- cover and move forward after the devastation. Immediately after a nat- ural disaster, it’s normal to experience fear, anxiety, sad- ness or shock. However, if these symptoms continue for weeks to months following the event, they may indi- cate a more serious psycho- logical issue. The disaster mental health problem most com- monly studied by psy- chologists and psychia- trists is post-traumatic stress disorder, which can occur after frightening events that threaten one’s own life and the lives for family and friends. Following a disaster, people might lose their jobs or be displaced from their homes. This can con- tribute to depression, partic- ularly as survivors attempt to cope with loss related to the disaster. Substance use can in- crease following disasters, but usually only for individ- uals who already used to- bacco, alcohol or drugs be- fore the disaster. In a study of Hurricane Katrina survi- vors who had been displaced to Houston, Texas, approxi- mately one-third reported increasing their tobacco, al- cohol and marijuana use after the storm. There’s also evidence that domestic violence increases in communities experiencing a disaster. After Hurricane Katrina, another study found that, among women in Mis- sissippi who were displaced from their homes, domestic violence rates increased dra- matically. Perpetrators may feel a loss of control fol- lowing the disaster and turn to abusive behavior to try to gain that control back in their personal relationships. Disaster recovery While many disaster survivors show resilience, studies have shown mental and behavioral health is- sues cropping up weeks, months and even years after a disaster. Rebuilding can be a long process, with a series of ups and downs. Survivors may bounce back after a few months, or they may expe- rience ongoing stressors, such as financial issues or problems finding perma- nent housing. In addition, early disaster recovery efforts often focus on physical reconstruction. Psychological recovery may end up on the back burner. Individuals and organi- zations working to help di- saster survivors need to re- member that disasters can affect many aspects of survi- vors’ lives. As a result, several different community systems need to be working together as part of recovery efforts. Researchers sometimes call the multi-agency disaster response and recovery net- work that is needed to help individuals cope with a di- saster a “system of care.” A disaster system of care will include disaster groups like FEMA and Red Cross. It should also involve agencies representing public health, mental health, schools, local government, social ser- vices, local businesses and workforce development, faith-based organizations and local media. For example, combating domestic violence after a di- saster will require collabo- ration among disaster orga- nizations, domestic violence groups, law enforcement, local media and more. Re- sources intended to help women and families expe- riencing domestic violence – such as legal aid or trans- portation assistance – should be included in disaster re- sponse programs. This article is republished from The Conversation, an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. The new parking area will be located closer to the East End District Health Centre’s main entrance.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY OCTOBER 16, 2018 iguanas, palm trees, co- conuts and dolphins, so she started keeping track of those words and inter- twined them into a story from A to Z so that island children could identify with vocabulary what they see in their environment. Fifty percent of the sale of her books, she said, was donated to organizations to help rebuild islands that have been devastated by natural disasters. Elke Feuer, author and founder of CayWriters as well as the Book Fair, said they were fortunate to have the George Town Public Li- brary take over the event. “I hope, with the George Town Library taking over the event, it will get the rec- ognition it needs, as well as the authors,” she said. She said the event started five years ago and approximately 15 to 20 au- thors have been attending the event every year. nuisance by residents. “What we really need is an extension of the plan- ning laws to deal with ca- nals,” he said. North Sound Estates is a residential neighborhood with one main canal and 26 small tributaries, with homes lining them. On Nancy Street, a large red cargo boat of around 100 feet in length has been tied up to an empty lot for sev- eral years. It does not belong to the owner of the lot and residents have been unable to get it moved. The presence of the Cayman Aggressor – a 110- foot liveaboard dive boat, tied up in the canals – also caused concern for some residents. Wayne Hasson, the owner of the business, told the Cayman Compass it was tied up to his own land and was no longer used for commercial purposes since the Aggressor upgraded to a newer vessel. He said he was keeping it there tempo- rarily until he could move it to the U.S. Elsewhere, smaller boats that appear to have been abandoned have been tied up to the mangroves. Several residents also told the Compass that mul- tiple lots in the neighborhood were being used by com- mercial fishing operations. They claim fishermen are offloading their catch and, in some cases, living on board, causing noise disturbances and defecating in the canals. Some of them appear to be associated with le- gitimate fishing operations, though residents have ques- tioned whether offloading in a residential neighborhood is a breach of planning reg- ulations that restrict com- mercial activity in residen- tial communities. Olson Anderson, chair of the Newlands District Council, said residents were also concerned about the be- havior of the fishing crews that use the canals. “We don’t know any- thing about these people or who they are fishing for. They are driving down the value of the property. They are doing commercial oper- ations within a residential area,” he said. Residents have also com- plained about fishing crews drinking and playing music on their boats late at night. Mr. Suckoo added, “People are living on some of these boats with no toilets or running water.” Director of Planning Ha- roon Pandohie said there were some gaps within the existing planning legisla- tion that could potentially be filled to better regulate ac- tivity in the canals. There are currently no guidelines to designate what is a residential canal and what restrictions, if any, should apply. He said it might be possible, through amended legislation, to zone certain canals as residential and limit the size and type of boats that use them and restrict them to recreational use only. He said the ministry was looking into the problem to see what could be done from a legislative perspective. past eight years.” In partnership with the Nelson Mountain Bike Club, the Wairoa Gorge trails have been open to members since 2016. “This generous gift will help our community establish Nelson as one of the world’s leading destinations for down- hill mountain biking,” said Paul Jennings, a spokesperson for the Nelson Mountain Bike Club. Peter Fyfe, manager of RHL, said, “Wairoa is a spe- cial place to Ken. It wasn’t just the physical beauty of the land that impressed him, it was the work ethic and spirit of the team involved in building the trails, a group of young New Zealanders who learned their trade here in Wairoa and have gone on to become skilled trail builders working on projects else- where in New Zealand and around the world.” Canal-side residents face boat dilemma CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Dart donates mountain bike park to New Zealand gov’t CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Local authors lauded at book fair A chess game has children in deep concentration. – PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY A large red cargo boat has been sitting in the canals at North Sound Estates, apparently unused, for several years. Residents in North Sound Estates say abandoned vessels frequently show up, tied to the mangroves in their canal system. A mountain biker descends one of the trails in the Wairoa Gorge. Dart has donated land located within the scenic Wairoa Gorge to the New Zealand government. POPE MAKES SAINTS OF EL SALVADOR’S OSCAR ROMERO, POPE PAUL VI VATICAN CITY (AP) – Pope Francis on Sunday praised two towering figures of the 20th-century Cath- olic Church as prophets who shunned wealth and looked out for the poor as he made saints of Pope Paul VI and martyred Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero. Francis canonized two men at a Mass in St. Peter’s Square before some 70,000 faithful, a handful of presi- dents and 5,000 Salvadoran pilgrims who traveled to Rome to honor a man con- sidered a hero to many Latin Americans. Tens of thousands more Salvadorans stayed up all night at home to watch the Mass on giant TV screens outside the San Salvador cathedral where Romero’s remains are entombed. In a sign of the strong influence that Paul and Romero had on the first Latin American pope, Francis wore the blood- stained rope belt that Romero wore when he was gunned down by right- wing death squads in 1980, and also used Paul’s staff, chalice and pal- lium vestment. Paul, who was pope from 1963-1978, presided over the modernizing yet polarizing church reforms of the 1960s. He was the pope of Francis’ formative years as a young priest in Ar- gentina and was instru- mental in giving rise to the Latin American church’s “preferential option for the poor” that Francis has made his own. Francis also has a close personal connection to Romero, and like him lived through the terror of right-wing military dic- tatorships when Francis was in Argentina. Francis was responsible for even- tually declaring Romero a martyr for his fearless de- nunciations of the mili- tary oppression at the start of El Salvador’s 1980- 1992 civil war. In his homily, Francis called Paul a “prophet of a church turned out- wards” to care for the far- away poor. He said Romero gave up his security and life to “be close to the poor and his people.” And he warned that those who do not follow their example to leave be- hind everything, including their wealth, risk never truly finding God. “Wealth is dangerous and – says Jesus – even makes one’s salvation diffi- cult,” Francis said. “The love of money is the root of all evils,” he said. “Where money is at the center, there is no room for God or for man.”The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 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. TUESDAY OCTOBER 16, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS TUESDAY, OCT. 16 GREEN IGUANA CULL: The Department of Environment is accepting registrants for its green iguana cull program between 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. today through Friday at DoE headquarters, 580 North Sound Road. To register, an individual culler must be Caymanian and at least 18 years old. Businesses possessing a valid Trade and Business License may also register. All cullers must be willing to commit to bring in at least 400 iguanas during the first month of the effort and must seek to maintain a similar level of participation throughout the year. Proof of Caymanian status must be brought. A valid firearms license must be brought if the culler is planning to use an air rifle. 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. All participants are encouraged to wear costumes. To register online, go to www.caymanactive. com/monsterdash. Entry fee $20 for adults, $15 for students (age 10-18), children under 10 free. Registration on the day costs $25 for adults. Prizes for best overall costume, best family costume and first runner. Water and snacks provided at the end, 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. BREAST CANCER AWARENESS: George Town Clinic, 10 a.m. to noon. 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. BREAST CANCER AWARENESS: North Side Clinic, 10 a.m. to noon. THURSDAY, OCT. 25 BRAC COURT: Today and tomorrow from 10 a.m. Aston Rutty Civic Centre BREAST CANCER AWARENESS: Public meeting, Lions Community Centre, 7:30 p.m. 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. DRESS DOWN DAY: Dress Pink in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, organized by the Lions Club of Tropical Gardens. SATURDAY, OCT. 27 FAMILY FUN DAY: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Location at Leeward Drive, North Sound Estates, Newlands. Follow balloons from the ICCI campus. 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. SUNDAY, OCT. 28 DAY OF BEAUTY: A fundraiser for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. At Sameena’s Beauty Centre, 80 North Church Street. 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Special prices on facials, massages, manicures and more. OLDER PERSONS SERVICE: Boatswain Bay Presbyterian Church, 11 a.m. All are invited. 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 for athlete training 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. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. A culler armed with an air rifle takes aim at a green iguana in a tree during an earlier cull. The Department of Environment is accepting applications for a cull that begins at the end of this month. - PHOTO: MATT LAMERSThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY OCTOBER 16, 2018 Fracking begins in UK for first time since 2011 Protesters gathered near a shale gas exploration site Monday in Lancashire, England, as fracking began in the U.K. for the first time since 2011. Hydraulic fracturing had been stalled in the country after two earthquakes in the same area led to legal challenges. Gone but not forgotten It’s now two sad years since you’ve been gone, But the heartache and memories linger on. We’re le only with pictures which help to remind just how wonderful you were, how thoughtful, how kind. You were a Mother, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother and friend, And you were loved by all to the very end. Sadly missed by your loving Family and Friends. Gloria Magarite Hunter Aug 21, 1920 – Oct 16, 2016 IN LOVING MEMORY OF Anthony James Beenie Conner January 3, 1981 Fifth Anniversary in Heaven October 11, 2018 Fifth Anniversary in Heaven From your loving Mother Sandra Connor God saw you getting tired, When a cure was not to be. So he wrapped his arms around you, and whisper come to me. You did not deserve what you went through. So he gave you rest God ‘s garden must be beautiful He only takes the best. Rest In Peace Happy Belated Birthday Maxwell ! Coming from Mom, Dad, your Brothers, Extended Family and Friends. We Love You . Maxwell Hyman Words cannot explain the sorrow that we feel knowing you are not here with us for your 30th birthday. Nevertheless, we take comfort in every fond memory we have of you. Happy Belated Birthday Maxwell !Happy Belated Birthday Maxwell ! Coming from Mom, Dad, your Brothers, Coming from Mom, Dad, your Brothers, we take comfort in every fond memory we have of you. we take comfort in every fond memory we have of you. Coming from Mom, Dad, your Brothers, Extended Family and Friends. Maxwell Hyman Words cannot explain the sorrow that we feel knowing you are not here with us for your 30th birthday. Nevertheless, we take comfort in every fond memory we have of you. Happy Belated Birthday Maxwell ! Coming from Mom, Dad, your Brothers, we take comfort in every fond memory we have of you. Koreas agree to break ground on joint railroad SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – North and South Korea con- tinued their push for peace Monday with high-level talks that resulted in a host of agreements, including a plan by the rivals for a groundbreaking ceremony this year on an ambitious project to connect their rail- ways and roads. The agreements come amid unease in Washington over the speed of inter-Ko- rean engagement. Many out- siders believe that U.S.-led ef- forts to rid North Korea of its nuclear-tipped missiles are lagging significantly behind the Koreas’ efforts to move past decades of bitter rivalry. There was also controversy over a decision by South Ko- rea’s Unification Ministry to block a North Korean defector- turned-reporter from covering the talks at the border village of Panmunjom over concerns of angering North Korea. This drew a fierce reaction from other journalists, who accused the ministry of in- fringing media freedoms and discriminating against North Korea-born citizens. A series of weapons tests by North Korea last year, and an exchange of insults and threats between U.S. Pres- ident Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, had many on the Korean Peninsula fearing war. But there has since been a surprising peace initiative, with three inter-Korean sum- mits and a June meeting in Singapore between Trump and Kim. The U.S. and North Korea are working on plans for a second such summit. Still, there is widespread skepticism that North Korea will disarm. And, despite the fanfare for the proposed railway and road projects, the Koreas cannot move much further along without the lifting of international sanc- tions against North Korea, which is not likely to come before it takes firmer steps toward relinquishing its nu- clear weapons and missiles. South Korea’s Unification Ministry, which handles af- fairs with the North, said in a statement that the govern- ment will share details from Monday’s meeting with the United States and other na- tions and will closely coordi- nate with them to avoid any friction over sanctions. The ministry said the ri- vals agreed Monday to hold general-level military talks soon to discuss reducing border tensions and setting up a joint military committee that is meant to maintain communication and avoid crises and accidental clashes. The Koreas also agreed to use their newly opened liaison office in the North Korean border town of Kaesong to host talks between sports offi- cials in late October to discuss plans to send combined teams to the 2020 Summer Olympics and to make a push to co-host the 2032 Summer Games. And the two countries will hold Red Cross talks at North Korea’s Diamond Mountain resort in November to set up video-conference meet- ings between aging relatives separated by the 1950-53 Ko- rean War and potentially ex- pand face-to-face reunions between them. Monday’s talks were aimed at finding ways to carry out peace agreements announced after a summit last month between South Korean President Moon Jae- in and Kim in the North Ko- rean capital of Pyongyang. South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon said it was meaningful that the Koreas are getting faster in reaching agreements as their diplomacy gains trac- tion. His North Korean coun- terpart, Ri Son Gwon, who heads an agency dealing with inter-Korean affairs, said “no group and no force will be able to prevent the path to- ward peace, prosperity and our nation’s unification.” At the most recent summit between Moon and Kim, the two leaders com- mitted to reviving economic cooperation when possible, voicing optimism that inter- national sanctions could end and allow such activity. They also announced mea- sures to reduce conventional military threats, such as cre- ating buffer zones along their land and sea boundaries and a no-fly zone above the border, removing 11 front-line guard posts by December, and demining sections of the De- militarized Zone. Moon has described inter- Korean engagement as cru- cial to resolving the nuclear standoff and is eager to re- start joint economic proj- ects held back by sanctions if the larger nuclear nego- tiations between the United States and North Korea begin yielding results. The head of the North Korean delegation Ri Son Gwon, center left, is greeted by an unidentified South Korean official upon his arrival for the meeting with South Korea at Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone, South Korea, Monday. - PHOTO: AP TRUMP OVERFLIES DEVASTATED FLORIDA COMMUNITIES PANAMA CITY, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump got a bird’s-eye view Monday of Florida commu- nities left in ruins by Hur- ricane Michael, including houses without roofs, a toppled water tower and 18-wheel trucks scattered in a parking lot during a nearly hour-long heli- copter tour of portions of the Panhandle. Trump initially saw up- rooted trees and houses with blue tarps covering damaged roofs after his he- licopter lifted from Eglin Air Force Base near Val- paraiso. But the severity of the damage worsened significantly as Trump ap- proached Mexico Beach, a town of about 1,000 people that was nearly wiped off the map in a di- rect hit from the hurricane and its 155 mph (250 kph) winds last week. Many of the houses in Mexico Beach had no roofs. In some cases, only the foundations were left standing. The water tower lay on its side and 18-wheelers were scat- tered in a parking lot like a child’s toys. At the end of the tour, Trump landed at an airport near Panama City, where power poles bowed toward the ground, pieces of metal roofing were scattered in brush land and pine trees had been uprooted or were snapped off halfway up their straight trunks. More than 190,000 homes and businesses in Florida were without elec- tricity as of Sunday, along with about 120,000 in Georgia, where Trump also planned to survey hur- ricane damage. Florida Gov. Rick Scott greeted Trump upon his ar- rival at Eglin Air Force Base, and Trump immediately praised Scott for an “incred- ible” storm response. Gov. Rick Scott, Republican-Florida, right, looks on as President Donald Trump talks with reporters after arriving at Eglin Air Force Base to visit areas affected by Hurricane Michael, Monday. - PHOTO: APNext >