ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 14, 2018 LANDFILL CONTRACT WILL NOT BE SIGNED UNTIL NEXT YEAR JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Work to close and remediate the George Town landfill site and replace it with a suite of modern waste management facilities is not expected to begin until the latter part of next year. A consortium led by the Dart group was selected as the “preferred bidder” for Cay- man’s new Integrated Solid Waste Manage- ment System in October 2017. More than a year later, the two parties are still thrashing out the details of the 25-year contract to de- sign, build, maintain, finance and operate the facilities. Jim Schubert, government’s senior project manager, acknowledged the negotiations were taking a long time but insisted they were going well. He said government was making a 25- year commitment and needed to be satisfied with the overall function and designs of the various facilities before finalizing the contract. The new system is expected to reduce the 100,000 tons of waste currently going into landfill every year by as much as 95 percent. Instead, much of the trash would be fed into a 7-megawatt, waste-to-energy plant and sold as electricity to the Caribbean Utilities Company. Recycling and composting centers and a much smaller, lined landfill site are part of Dart’s proposal, but roadside waste collection DATES SET FOR WINTER NICE PROGRAM The traditional end-of-the-year National Community Enhancement project will run Nov. 26 to Dec. 14. Applications for the registration and training for the 15-day project will be held at the Lions Centre on Nov. 19, beginning at 9 a.m. and running until noon. Led by the Ministry of Commerce, Planning and Infrastructure, the program will be deliv- ered by the Public Works Department, the Na- tional Roads Authority and the Department of Environmental Health. Work will enhance the physical environment throughout the com- munity before Christmas, and provide job op- portunities and wages for the unemployed who qualify. As part of the November/December tempo- rary employment initiative, the NiCE workers will perform repairs and maintenance, gar- dening, as well as clearing parks, beaches, beach access and roadside verges. A similar project will also be undertaken in the Sister Islands under the supervision of District Administration. This will be the second NiCE project this JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The release of genetically modified mosquitoes in Grand Cayman has stopped and no new public funds have been committed to the project for next year. Government has not ruled out future collaboration with British biotech firm Oxitec, but appears to be scaling down its commitment to the controversial technique as a means of erad- icating the disease-spreading Aedes aegypti mosquito in the Cayman Islands. An $8 million plan for an islandwide rollout of the ge- netically modified mosquito program was aborted at the last minute in late 2017 amid budget cuts and concerns that the technology has yet to fully prove itself. Instead government opted for a much smaller-scale deploy- ment, testing the GM mosqui- toes in combination with other suppression techniques in a $588,000 trial throughout 2018. Now that project is winding down and officials say there are no plans to make any financial commitment to the technology, pioneered by Oxitec, next year. According to a joint statement from the Mosquito Research GM mosquito release halted The Legislative Assembly faces a packed agenda that includes 18 bills and several other legislative and regulatory amend- ments as the House prepares to resume on Wednesday. The meeting is expected to be the last one before the Christmas period. Among the bills to be considered by leg- islators are the Customs and Border Control Bill and the Immigration (Transition) Bill, which address the merging of the Customs and Immigration departments and the es- tablishment of the Workforce Opportunities and Residency Cayman agency. A third re- lated bill is the Advance Passenger Informa- tion Bill, which seeks to set up a new vetting system for incoming travelers before they ar- rive in Cayman, in order to improve border security and speed up the flow of arriving passengers. Also under review will be the Stamp Duty (Amendment) Bill, which introduces a new schedule of concessions for Caymanians buying their first home and which would close what government describes as a “loop- hole” that allowed people to pay reduced stamp duty on new homes if they purchase prior to construction. Two bills deal with the introduction of stalking as a crime – an amendment to the Penal Code and the Stalking (Civil Jurisdic- tion) Bill, which aims to establish an investi- gative and complaints procedure in relation to allegations of stalking. A Gambling (Amendment) Bill has also been tabled. This will amend the Gambling Law to update the penalties for offenses in- volving gambling. Other bills that have been tabled include a Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill, which carves out new exemptions to open records requests; Limited Liability Partner- ship (Amendment) Bill; Roads (Naming and Numbering) Bill; Cadet Corps (Amendment) Bill; Formal Validity of Wills (Persons Dying Abroad) Bill; Banks and Trust Companies (Amendment) Bill; Companies (Amendment) Bill; Evidence (Amendment) Bill; Legal As- sociations (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill; Non-Profit Organisations (Amendment) Bill; and a Proceeds of Crime (Amendment) Bill. Active agenda for Legislative Assembly Run for the band Students of the John Gray High School Music Department perform on the beach at Smith Barcadere earlier this month after runners and walkers took part in the Breeze Fusion 5K Walk/Run. Their music department was a recipient of funds raised at the event. The next leg of the event is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 24, on Cayman Brac. The fundraising walks/runs, organized by Radio Cayman and Breeze FM, also support the National Council for Voluntary Organisations. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 14, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS • Matinees Daily (matinee price before 6pm) • Seniors $8.00, Mon-Fri Before 6pm • Additional charges apply per 3D/VIP tickets Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. - WEDNESDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) THE GRINCH (PG) 12:30 | 4:15 3D | 4:45 VIP | 6:30 3D | 9:45 BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY (PG13) 1:40 VIP I 3:20 I 6:30 I 9:30 THE GIRL IN THE SPIDER’S WEB: A NEW DRAGON TATTOO (R) 12:40 I 2:45 I 7:00 VIP | 9:55 COLDPLAY: A HEAD FULL OF DREAMS (PG13) 7:00 NOBODY’S FOOL (R) 2:00 | 4:40 | 7:25 | 10:00 THE NUTCRACKER AND THE FOUR REALMS (PG) 1:20 | 8:45 OVERLORD (R) 1:00 | 3:35 | 7:10 | 10:00 VIP Cayman rides in memory of Pete Ribbins SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cyclists are getting ready to pedal long distance in sup- port of Cayman HospiceCare. Cayman Water will stage the sixth annual Pete Rib- bins Memorial Ride on Nov. 18, and is raising money for the hospice for the sixth straight year. Cayman Water has raised more than $20,000 for Cayman HospiceCare over the last five years, and it will match whatever contribu- tions are made in 2018. “We say we have two pil- lars for this event,” said Manuel Thomaz, the general manager of Cayman Water, about the memorial ride. “There’s the man himself. He was a sports lover. And then we have HospiceCare, which took care of him in his last days. It’s still doing a very important job. We know they’ll be having a new fa- cility, so it’s very important that we and the community support them.” Mr. Ribbins was a gen- eral manager for Cayman Water, and he passed away after a battle with Parkin- son’s disease. Mr. Thomaz said that Mr. Ribbins was a former football player, biker and triathlete, and the idea to do something active in his memory made sense for all parties involved. The ride will have some- thing for people of all ac- tivity levels. There will be a 40-kilometer ride that draws the most competitive bikers on the island, and there will also be a 10-kilometer ride. Finally, there will be a 5-kilo- meter walk/run designed for people that want to take their time around the track. There will be three dif- ferent tracks for the three different distances, and all will start at the Abel Castillo Water Works plant in Gover- nors Harbour. People can reg- ister on www.caymanactive. com, and Cayman Water will match donations for everyone who wants to remember Mr. Ribbins. “Everybody loved him. He really inspired people. And, unfortunately, he left us very early,” said Mr. Thomaz of his predecessor. “He had Parkin- son’s and he was taken care of by hospice in his last days, so that’s why we do this with HospiceCare. It had a lot of value for this man. A lot of people really use it, and they do it free of charge, so every- body that needs that type of support gets it free.” It will cost $20 to register for the 40-kilometer race and $15 for the 10-kilometer ride. The shortest distance, the 5-kilometer walk/run, will also cost $15. Children can do any distance for $10. Mr. Thomaz said that Cayman Water raised more than $6,000 last year in reg- istration and matching fees, and he hopes the community will be just as generous in their donations this year. “It’s good for your body. It’s good for your mind. It’s good for the family. And it’s good for HospiceCare,” said Mr. Thomaz. “They are really in need of this and other do- nations. They’re just building a new facility and it’s going to be a much bigger one. They will be able to provide more services to the needy. And as they’ve been saying, any penny is a valuable contri- bution for their mission on this island.” Cyclists take part in an earlier Pete Ribbins Memorial Ride. This year’s race is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 18. “It’s good for your body. It’s good for your mind. It’s good for the family. And it’s good for HospiceCare.” MANUEL THOMAZ, general manager, Cayman Water Cocaine seized by Customs at airport SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com A 30-year-old man ap- peared in Summary Court Tuesday on charges of impor- tation of five pounds of co- caine to Cayman. Michael Junior Palmer, a Jamaican national, was ap- prehended by Customs offi- cers on Friday night. According to a press re- lease from Customs, Mr. Palmer arrived in Cayman on a Cayman Airways flight from Kingston. Mr. Palmer’s bags were searched by customs offi- cers, who allegedly found five pounds of cocaine inside them, the court heard. Crown counsel Toyin Salako told Magistrate Valdis Foldats that Mr. Palmer is in Cayman on a work permit and that she has no knowl- edge of prior convictions on his record. The magistrate told Mr. Palmer that he could be looking at “double-digit years” of incarceration if he is found guilty. “That’s how serious it is,” Mr. Foldats said of the impor- tation charge. The magistrate refused bail because of the gravity of the charges against Mr. Palmer, and he will be back in court for his next appear- ance on Tuesday, Nov. 20. According to the Cus- toms press release on Tuesday morning, the drugs, which were concealed in food product boxes, were seized in a joint operation between Customs and the Royal Cayman Islands Po- lice Service. Mr. Palmer’s bags were searched by customs officers, who allegedly found five pounds of cocaine inside them, the court heard. BANDS VIE TO PLAY KAABOO Well before their February festival, KAABOO officials are hosting a battle of the bands. On Saturday, 12 local bands will take the stage at Royal Palms Beach Club, vying for the opportunity to be featured during the coming KAABOO Cayman festival. Andrea River, Clever Knots, Cotterell, Danny Loops, Lionfish, Madame- speaker, Rico Rolando, Shameka Clarke, Suckerbox, Teodoro, The Neverines, and the Swanky Kitchen Band will compete in front of a panel of judges including Health Min- ister Dwayne Seymour, Jeán- eric “Notch” Smith, president of the Cayman Music and En- tertainment Association, Carl Monzo of KAABOO, Jason Howard of Hurley’s Enter- tainment, Cheryl Birch of DMS Broadcasting and Jason Felts, chief brand and mar- keting officer for KAABOO. The 7 p.m. event is free. Mexico to hold another referendum, this time on new train MEXICO CITY (AP) – Mexico’s president-elect said Monday he will hold another public referendum later this month on his proposal for a railway to connect the main tourist attractions across the Yu- catan peninsula. Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said during a trip to the Yucatan state capital of Merida that the public can vote on the train and nine other proposed projects and programs Nov. 24 and 25. A referendum last month canceled Mexico City’s new $13 billion airport that was already one-third completed. Lopez Obrador has said the train would run 932 miles across five states. He promotes it as a regional economic development project that would share the economic boom of Cancun’s world-class beach resorts with poorer, more remote parts of the south. Another project on the ballot will be construc- tion of an oil refinery in his home state of Tabasco as well as social programs such as giving scholarships to students and pensions to seniors. Lopez Obrador said he would openly push for public support because they are campaign promises. He won election July 1 in a re- sounding victory and will take office Dec. 1. The referendum, like the last one, will be conduction by a private nonprofit, the Rosenblueth Foundation. Thousands of people marched in Mexico City on Sunday in favor of the new airport project and against the idea of public referendums. The proposed “Mayan train” would run from Cancun south through Tulum and to the Mayan ruins of Palenque. A spur would include the cities of Campeche, Merida and Val- ladolid. Lopez Obrador pre- viously said it would cost $6 billion to $8 billion. The region is full of jungle, wetlands, wildlife reserves and pre-Hispanic archaeological sites, but Lopez Obrador said Monday that there would be no en- vironmental impact. He said it would be offset by a simultaneous project to plant about 250,000 acres of fruit and timber trees in southern Mexico. “The truth is that I have polls and I’m very confident that the people are going to vote to build the Mayan train, because it won’t hurt anyone. On the con- trary, it will benefit a lot of people,” he said.3 WORLD&REGIONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 14, 2018 One Honeywell Lynx touch wireless residential/ commercial security alarm panel with 4.3” full colour touchscreen display Three wireless door/window contacts (white) One Honeywell pet immune motion sensor (up to 40Lbs.) One 4 button remote keychain Full installation and demonstration 12 months parts warranty WIFI module for the mobile Apps. Honeywell Lynx Intruder Alarm Package Includes: The Honeywell intruder system is linked to our 24/7 monitoring centre to keep your family and your property safe. Upon system activation our experienced monitoring station staff will handle the situation. The Total Connect app allows you complete control of your security system from your mobile device. To find out more about this special offer contact the Security Centre on 949-0004 or email info@security.ky *The free alarm system and installation is available to new clients when signing up for a 12 month monitoring contract ($660 residential - $860 commercial). 24/7 Alarm Monitoring Secure and protect your property with the Honeywell Lynx intruder protection system. Controllable from your mobile device. MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Brac Day Care Centre has made sat- isfactory progress in ad- dressing problems that were identified as “important weaknesses” in a report is- sued in April by the Office of Education Standards. Inspectors first came to the center after being alerted by officials at the Ministry of Education. They identified a lack of space for the students, inadequate curriculum and health and hygiene problems. Some of the health and hygiene issues, such as an ample number of child-sized toilets, still need to be ad- dressed, the latest report, is- sued last Friday, said, al- though it mentioned these items are on order. The report also said that while the center has made progress in eliminating a cluttered environment by in- stalling shelves, it is “still in need of a designated area to store materials and large equipment for the early child- hood program.” It said an isolation area, other than the staff room, was needed for children who become sick while at school. Reorganization of class- room areas, the report said, has created what inspec- tors deemed was adequate space for the children, and teacher/student ratios were at accepted levels. It also said children had a wider va- riety of activities available to them and improved access to those activities. Brac Day Care Centre now satisfactory Appeal begins for police discrimination lawsuit KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com An appeals hearing began on Tuesday involving former Caymanian police officers who claim they were discrimi- nated against on the grounds of age and nationality when they were forced to retire or accept a demotion at age 55. The officers originally sued the Royal Cayman Islands Po- lice Service in 2016, arguing that former Police Commis- sioner David Baines discrimi- nated against them by forcing them to retire or accept demo- tions at age 55 while allowing British police officers to work until they were 60. The retirement age of 55 no longer applies to of- ficers following a legislative amendment made on Nov. 11, 2010. The retirement age for all police officers who joined the force after that date is 60. In May, the Grand Court ruled against the officers, finding that Mr. Baines’ hiring decisions constituted an “entirely appropriate gov- ernment action.” “The commissioner of po- lice was well aware of the needs of the police force and he had an absolute duty to meet those needs,” states the Grand Court judgment. “He had an absolute discretion to determine the contractual terms of each officer engaged on a special contract; and he could not be fettered in the terms that he used to attract and retain necessary officers.” On Tuesday, attorney Jef- frey Munk argued that the Grand Court erred in its judg- ment on several accounts. For instance, the Grand Court found that the RCIPS’s retirement policy was not discriminatory because it al- lowed for exceptions, such as that of Sergeant Davis Scott, a Caymanian, who was retained by former Commissioner Ba- ines beyond the age of 55 due to his special relationship and knowledge of the East End community on Grand Cayman. However, Mr. Munk said on Tuesday that Sergeant Scott was actually retained when he was only 52 or 53. Sergeant Scott served past the age of 55, but was given his final contract before then, Mr. Munk said. The attorney also argued against the RCIPS’s justifi- cation for the mandatory re- tirement age, which was that the RCIPS wanted officers physically capable of car- rying out their duties. Given that the retirement age was increased to 60 in November 2010, it makes no sense to force someone hired before then to retire while allowing someone hired afterward to remain working for five more years, he said. Mr. Munk further ar- gued against the idea that the RCIPS was trying to in- centivize specialist talent to come here from overseas by allowing British officers to work until they are 60. Many of the Caymanian officers forced to retire at 55 were specialists, and many British officers originally brought here as specialists have since been promoted to other posi- tions on the RCIPS, Mr. Munk said. The attorney compared the practice of age discrim- ination to gender-based discrimination. “What we now find ut- terly unfathomable was stan- dard 40 years ago,” he said of sexual discrimination. “We must be careful to accept the same standards for age.” The hearing was still con- tinuing as of this issue’s press deadline, with the At- torney General’s Chambers scheduled to make its argu- ments in the afternoon. Former Caymanian police officers claim they were discriminated against on the grounds of age and nationality when they were forced to retire or accept a demotion at age 55. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY The retirement age of 55 no longer applies to officers following a legislative amendment made on Nov. 11, 2010.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. To environmentalists and conservationists alike, there is no mission more sacred than protecting tropical wetlands, the incubator and habitat of many forms of life itself. We in Cayman need look no farther than out of our airplane windows to view the vast Everglades National Park as our pilots navigate their way toward South Florida Airports. For decades, an intense battle has been ongoing in Florida between environmentalists and ecologists on the one hand, developers and Tallahassee politicians on the other. To date, about 50 percent of the “River of Grass” has been replaced with the fruits of human encroachment, one housing development or shopping center at a time. And so, even the editorial board of this newspaper – which, let’s face it, is more pro-growth than many of our conservationist readers might prefer – let out a collective gasp when we learned that the National Roads Authority has been unceremoniously dumping toxic sludge from stormwater wells directly into these environmentally fragile areas. As the Compass reported on Tuesday, tests of sites the NRA has used for dumping stormwater-well effluent have revealed the presence of the known carcinogen Benzo(a)pyrene, as well as other potentially harmful “semi-volatile organics.” The authority ordered the testing after a Cayman 27 reporter filmed an NRA truck unloading wastewater, sand and sludge in a wetlands area last June – a practice in direct contravention of Water Authority Law. It is unknown just how long the NRA has been so despoiling our wetland areas. The reason it is unknown is that no one will tell: Neither the NRA, nor the Depart- ment of Environmental Health nor the Water Authority responded to a reporter’s inquiries about the arrangement, as of our press deadline Tuesday afternoon. According to the Water Authority board meeting minutes reviewed by the Compass, the authority stopped accepting the well effluent at the wastewater treatment works back in 2007. After that, the Department of Envi- ronmental Health granted – and then rescinded – permis- sion for the effluent’s disposal at the George Town landfill, at which time the roads authority presumably began the practice of pumping the waste directly into various “disposal sites.” If you identify yourself as a “conservationist” – as many of our readers do – then you must also identify this practice for what it is: environmental heresy. Was the Department of Environment consulted or, less formally, made aware of this illegal dumping? If so, did the protectors of Cayman’s natural wonders (up to, and including, beach rock) sign off on using wetlands as a dumping ground for the dirty water, sand and concrete, automotive fluids, bits of detritus and whatever else makes up the miasma that washes down our roadside drains? This seems a good time to pause to reflect on the tangled and conflicted nature of Cayman’s overabun- dance of authorities and departments. With their over- lapping responsibilities (not to mention their platoons of public employees), one would think that someone at the DoE, DEH or the Water Authority would have grown wise to this unacceptable practice. This lack of direct accountability makes a mockery of Cayman’s so-called environmental protections. Nor is there any sign that officials have recognized the scope and magnitude of their fundamental failure. Indeed, contained within the Water Authority’s meeting minutes was a self-congratulatory note about setting a “positive example of various Government agencies working together to find a suitable and respon- sible solution,” now that the DEH has agreed to again accept the stormwater waste at the landfill (this time, we are told, it will be deposited in a “special trench”). A “positive example?” Of course, it is just the opposite. The fact is that Cayman’s sprawling bureau- cracy stood by, and did nothing – perhaps for more than a decade – as NRA trucks backed up to water’s edge and dumped tons of potentially cancerous effluent into what should be pristine wetland sanctuaries for our waterfowl and other marine life. The Water Authority’s statement attempts to put a positive spin on a serious environmental breach – one which cannot be minimized by Hallmark-greeting-card platitudes of inter-departmental love. When government despoils Cayman’s precious wetlands WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 14, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS With good policy, poor nations can succeed The theory of “economic convergence” is based on the notion that poor nations should grow faster than rich nations and eventually achieve the same level of development. This theory is quite rea- sonable, but I’ve pointed out that decent public policy (i.e., free markets and small gov- ernment) is a necessary condi- tion for convergence to occur. The link between good policy and convergence ex- plains why Hong Kong and Singapore, for instance, have caught up to the United States. And the adverse effect of bad policy is a big reason why Europe continues to lag. Moreover, it also explains why some nations with awful policy are de-converging. Today, let’s look at conver- gence between Western Eu- rope and Eastern Europe. A new study of income convergence in central, eastern and south-eastern Europe published by the Eu- ropean Central Bank finds common characteristics in fast-converging econo- mies in that region. They in- clude: “strong improvement in institutional quality and human capital, more out- ward-oriented economic policies, favourable demo- graphic developments and the quick reallocation of la- bour from agriculture into other sectors.” The study is filled with fascinating data (at least if you are a policy wonk). The good news, at least rela- tively speaking, is that all nations are catching up to Western Europe. But the report notes that some are catching up faster than others. The au- thors write: “The developments were … heterogeneous within CESEE countries that are EU Member States. Some of them (the Baltic States, Bul- garia, Poland, Romania and Slovakia) experienced par- ticularly fast convergence in the period analysed. At the same time, other CESEE EU Member States found it hard to converge … In fact, GDP per capita in Croatia and Slo- venia diverged from the EU average after 2008 … Given these heterogeneous develop- ments, it appears that while in some CESEE countries the middle-income trap hypoth- esis could be dismissed (at least given their experience so far), in others the signs of a slowdown in convergence after reaching a certain level of economic development are visible.” The report does a great job of documenting relative levels of prosperity over time. And it also has a thorough discussion of the character- istics that are found in fast- converging countries. But there’s not nearly enough attention paid to the policies that promote and en- able convergence. Why, for instance, has there been so much convergence in Estonia and so little convergence in Slovenia? So I’ve tinkered with their analysis by adding each na- tion’s ranking for Economic Freedom of the World. Lo and behold, a quick glance shows that higher-ranked nations have enjoyed the greatest de- gree of convergence. Here are some specific observations. ■■ The Baltic nations are the biggest success sto- ries of the post-com- munist world. Thanks to pro-market reforms, they have enjoyed the most convergence. ■■ Romania and Slovakia also experienced big in- come gains. Romania is in the “most free” group of nations and Slovakia was in the “most free” group until a few years ago. ■■ Poland has enjoyed the most convergence since 2008. Not coinciden- tally, that is a period during which Poland’s economic freedom score climbed from 7.00 to 7.27. ■■ Bulgaria also merits a positive mention for a big improvement, doubt- lessly driven by a huge improvement (from 5.55 to 7.41) in economic freedom since 2000,. ■■ Sadly, Slovenia and Cro- atia have not experi- enced much convergence, which presumably is caused in part by their comparatively low rank- ings for economic liberty. To be sure, there’s not an ironclad relationship be- tween a nation’s annual score and yearly growth rates. But, over time, poor na- tions that want conver- gence almost certainly will not get the necessary levels of sustained strong growth without high scores for eco- nomic liberty. Daniel J. Mitchell, chairman of the Center for Freedom and Prosperity, is on the Editorial Board of the Cayman Financial Review. DANIEL J. MITCHELL PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will find their own way” The link between good policy and convergence explains why Hong Kong and Singapore, for instance, have caught up to the United States. And the adverse effect of bad policy is a big reason why Europe continues to lag5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 14, 2018 FILENAME 2018-04-3031-Logic-FibreCampaign-NewspaperAds-Business-6.8x11.9.indd INTERNAL REVISION 6 TRAP AT FINAL OUTPUT CLIENT Logic TRIM 6.8222" x 11.8975" CLIENT REVISION 4 CREATION DATE 04/05/18 BLEED -.--" x -.--" OPERATOR AT REVISION DATE April 18, 2018 3:19 PM FOLD -.--" x -.--" T: 604.417.7865 OUTPUT DATE 04/18/18 LIVE -.--" x -.--" E: horsman@123w.ca SAFE -.--" x -.--" APPROVALSSEENAPPROVED RESOLUTION 300dpi CREATIVE/DESIGNER FONTS -- COPYWRITER NOTES CREATIVE DIRECTOR ACCOUNT IT'S EVERYONE'S JOB TO PROOF. DO YOUR PART! HAVE YOU PROOFED AGAINST THE COPYDECK? HAS SPELLING AND SPACING BEEN CHECKED? ARE BRAND STANDARDS BEING FOLLOWED? RIGHT LOGO RIGHT COLOURS RIGHT FONTS IS THE TAG INFORMATION CORRECT? IS IT THE CORRECT VERSION? DOES THE FILE HAVE THE CORRECT BLEEDS? ARE THE IMAGES THE RIGHT RESOLUTION? HAVE CREATIVE AND ACCOUNTS SIGNED OFF ON IT? REALLY? YES REALLY. CMYK “ Now that lag isn’t an issue, our webcam freeze faces are a lot less funny.” Experience the fastest internet on the Island. Switch to Logic Fibre to get lightning fast connectivity for your business. BUNDLE & SAVE FIBRE INTERNET WITH TV & PHONE Please contact a Corporate Sales Expert for a solution that fi ts your business needs. Your life connected | 745.5555 FIBRE INTERNET | TV | PHONE | LOGIC.KY SAM, CEO AND NEW LOGIC FIBRE BUSINESS CUSTOMER. As much of the island was recovering from Friday night’s Pirates Week kickoff celebration, 75 volunteers spent their Saturday morning combing the beach at Barkers in West Bay to collect more than 500 pounds of trash and recyclables. The event was coor- dinated by Plastic Free Cayman, Red Sail Sports and Pirates Against Plastic in an effort to raise awareness re- garding single-use plastic consumption. Volunteers encountered hundreds of thousands of micoplastics, with an enor- mous amount of styrofoam embedded in the sargassum that washed ashore. Many volunteers commented that this beach in particular had more styrofoam than any other beach they had cleaned. To help tackle this issue in Cayman, this week also marked the start of Plastic Free Cayman’s 3-4-5 pledge for individuals and busi- nesses. The 3-4-5 pledge en- courages consumers to be more of aware of their plastic consumption, as they pledge to take three actions imme- diately, four actions within the next six months, and five total actions this year, regarding the reduction of single-use plastics. Ac- tions include such things as not using plastic straws or single-use plastic containers and bringing a reusable bag when shopping. Leading the way, Bri- gita Nemet, owner of The Creperie and Lucky Slice in George Town, and Lana Har- grave, owner of Tukka in East End, became the first two businesses to sign the 3-4-5 pledge and receive platinum environmental status for their sustainability efforts. They were acknowl- edged by both Plastic Free Cayman and the Captain Planet Foundation for their business model. For more information regarding the 3-4-5 pledge, visit https://plasticfreecayman.com/345pledge. Barkers cleanup draws 75 volunteers Volunteers spend part of their Pirates Week cleaning up Barkers beach Saturday morning. Teens arrested following car break-ins Police arrested two teen- agers, aged 18 and 19, fol- lowing reports of four ve- hicles being broken into in downtown George Town during the Pirates Week fes- tivities over the weekend. Three of the break-ins oc- curred in the early hours of Sunday morning, Nov. 11, and the fourth was reported early Monday, Nov. 12. They happened on North Church Street, Dr. Roy’s Drive and Main Street, with two purses, a wallet, tools and quanti- ties of cash reported missing. In two of the incidents, the passenger-side window had been smashed. The arrests were made shortly after 2 a.m. Monday morning after patrolling of- ficers in central George Town came upon two men acting suspiciously in a white car at the rear of Bayshore Mall. According to a police press release, the officers checked the vehicle and the men, and subsequently arrested the pair “on suspicion of going equipped for stealing, theft, and possession and con- sumption of ganja.” The two teens, one from Bodden Town and the other from West Bay, remained in police custody Tuesday. Police said they recov- ered “a substantial amount of property” from the vehicle. “Several police officers were on patrol in central George Town late into the evenings over the weekend to increase the safety of the festivities for all, but also to discourage this kind of opportunistic crime that can happen around large events,” Robert Graham, super- intendent of Uniform Opera- tions, said in the press release. “Arrests like these deter and prevent such crime, and we are glad to note that the festivities were fun and peaceful despite large crowds,” he added. “However, we continue to ask the public to avoid leaving any valuables in vehicles, especially when attending events at night.” The arrests were made shortly after 2 a.m. Monday morning after patrolling officers in central George Town came upon two men acting suspiciously in a white car at the rear of Bayshore Mall. Volunteers encountered hundreds of thousands of micoplastics, with an enormous amount of styrofoam embedded in the sargassum that washed ashore. The islands’ most-trusted news source 6 WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 14, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS will remain the remit of the Department of Environ- mental Health. The current landfill site will be capped and covered with grass. There are still a number of steps that need to take place, even before the con- tract can be signed. That includes an environmental impact assessment, which is expected to be completed by the end of June 2019. Mr. Schubert said gov- ernment had been working with the Dart-led consor- tium to update the tech- nical layouts for the facili- ties that will make up the new system. These include a materials recovery fa- cility, household waste re- cycling center, scrap metals facility, waste-to-energy fa- cility, and a smaller, lined landfill to dispose of re- sidual waste. He said all technical, fi- nancial and legal reserved matters should be resolved by early next year, with a draft contract ready by the end of the first quarter. The EIA and planning approval process are expected to take at least until the end of June to conclude. The final contract and “financial close” will take place once the EIA is complete. Construction is expected to begin in the latter part of next year, with the bulk of the new facilities likely to be operational by the end of 2020. The waste-to-energy facility will take the longest time to complete, and is un- likely to be up and running until the end of 2021. and Control Unit and Oxitec, the two entities are still dis- cussing the possibility for fu- ture collaboration. The statement indicated that the 2018 trials had been designed to test how well Ox- itec’s methods worked along- side more traditional control methods. It indicates that re- leases of the genetically mod- ified mosquitoes have now stopped, a month earlier than originally planned, but scien- tists continue to monitor and analyze data. MRCU Director James McNelly said in the state- ment his department and Oxitec had also regularly re- viewed data during the re- lease phase of the program. He gave no indication of the results of the trial except to say that mosquito population numbers have been generally low this season. He said, “As intended, this programme provided both government and Oxitec with valuable information that we can use going forward. The project has given us valuable insight into how Oxitec’s ap- proach might be integrated with our conventional tools.” Whatever the results of the 2018 trials, it does not appear they were convincing enough to persuade govern- ment to make an immediate financial commitment to the technology going forward. The statement indicates, “While the project, which cost Government $588,000, has now stopped releases of Oxitec’s male mosquitoes, MRCU and Oxitec are consid- ering a further, no-cost col- laboration in 2019.” It remains possible that, subject to further trials in 2019, government could make a long-term invest- ment in genetically modified mosquitoes. Oxitec CEO Grey Frandsen indicated the company was interested in continuing the partnership and thanked gov- ernment for facilitating the 2018 project. “This project will help shape how we can build new interventions in the future. We applaud MRCU’s will- ingness to pilot new, inno- vative tools that can play a role in combating this dis- ease-spreading mosquito. It is efforts like this that will help to eliminate this dan- gerous public health threat, and we look forward to fu- ture collaborations.” The new position repre- sents a significant cooling of interest from government over the last 18 months. In June of last year, the National Conservation Council ap- proved the islandwide rollout of the technology. It was later revealed that government had tentatively committed to a US$8 million two-year rollout of genetically modified mos- quitoes, scheduled to start in 2018, only to back out at the last minute. Internal emails, released under the Freedom of Infor- mation Law, showed that MRCU scientists were skep- tical about the efficacy of the technology and be- lieved Oxitec was overstating the results. Dr. McNelly, who took over as head of the MRCU in March, told the Compass ear- lier this year that there was strong evidence that the tech- nique did work. However, he said GM mosquitoes should not be considered a “silver bullet” and any future de- ployment would be as part of a combined approach. “It has potential as a tool among many tools that could be combined to achieve the eradication of the Aedes ae- gypti mosquitoes from Grand Cayman,” he said. year. For the first time, the government ran a two-week summer program, in which 467 people took part. The NiCE initiative is open only to unemployed Cayma- nians and spouses of Cayma- nians who are 18 years old and over. Stringent vetting will take place to ensure that only those who are qualified are taken onto the program, according to a press release announcing the program. Those accepted are re- quired to work daily from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and will earn $10 per hour. Foremen will receive $12 per hour. Application forms are available at the district libraries in Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac, as well as from District MLA Offices and at the Government Administration Building’s reception area in George Town. Landfill contract will not be signed until next year CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Dates set for winter NiCE program CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Applicants for temporary jobs in this summer’s NiCE program line up on registration day. – PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY GM mosquito release halted CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Oxitec project manager Renaud Lacroix examines GM mosquito pupae in a lab on the MRCU premises as the first batch of mosquitoes were bred at the laboratory in 2016. - PHOTO: MATT LAMERS Cuban migrant vessel lands in Cayman Brac Nine Cubans who landed in Cayman Brac on Saturday have chosen to stay in the Cayman Islands and will likely apply for asylum. The group, which includes eight males and one female, was part of a larger expedi- tion carrying 27 passengers, according to the Department of Immigration. The remaining 18 individuals requested to re- main on their hand-built vessel and continue on their journey, the DOI said, indicating that they have since left the island. Immigration indicated that the raft, seen in photos on social media bouyed by barrels and held together by branches, was not damaged when it arrived to the Brac. The group follows the ar- rival of 11 Cubans, consisting of nine males and two fe- males, that arrived to the Brac in September and were transported to the Immi- gration Detention Centre in Grand Cayman. It is expected that the latest group will be sent to the de- tention center following inter- views by Immigration officers. In addition to the Cubans who arrived in September, this group will join Cubans who were previously re- leased under government su- pervision but who have since been returned to detention. One migrant indicated that they returned due to an issue with rental housing. Gov- ernment acknowledged that some migrants had been re- turned to the center but has not confirmed the details or circumstances of their re- newed detention. All Cuban asylum appli- cants had been released from the center in August, following concerns about indefinite de- tention periods, in some cases surpassing two years. At the time, the deten- tion center was being eyed as an overflow facility for Cay- man’s crowded prisons, but the Human Rights Commis- sion flagged concerns about the facility in July. Commission Chairman James Austin-Smith urged Her Majesty’s Prisons Ser- vice to respond, stating: “Due to the extensive nature of the unsanitary conditions, the government must take steps to rectify this situation.” Government has not pro- vided an update on the con- dition of the center since migrants were returned to the facility. The group follows the arrival of 11 Cubans, consisting of nine males and two females, that arrived to the Brac in September and were transported to the Immigration Detention Centre in Grand Cayman.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 14, 2018 WHO: Congo Ebola battle continues The World Health Organization predicted Tuesday that Congo’s Ebola outbreak will last at least another six months, saying that informal health facilities have become vectors of the current, deadly outbreak. 9th Tourism Human Resources Conference 2018 28-30 NOVEMBER GRAND CAYMAN MARRIOTT BEACH RESORT REGISTER TODAY! Bringing together tourism public and private sector practitioners, human resource professionals, tourism educators/trainers, consultants, tertiary-level tourism and hospitality students to share tourism and hospitality sector human resource development strategies and best practices. FOR MORE DETAILS AND TO REGISTER: www.onecaribbean.org TM Cease-fire takes hold between Israel and Hamas GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) – Hamas and other militant groups said Tuesday they had accepted an Egyptian-bro- kered cease-fire to end two days of intense fighting with Israel that had pushed the sworn enemies to the brink of a new war. The sudden announce- ment brought relief to a re- gion that had been paralyzed by hundreds of Palestinian rocket attacks in southern Is- rael and scores of Israeli air- strikes on targets in the Gaza Strip. But it did not address the deeper issues that pushed Israel and Gaza’s Hamas rulers toward their latest vi- olence and left doubts about international efforts to forge a broader truce agreement. Those efforts had ap- peared to be making prog- ress in recent days as Is- rael allowed Qatar to deliver financial aid to the cash- strapped Hamas government, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that he wanted to avert an “unnec- essary” war in Gaza. Hamas, in turn, had scaled back its mass protests that have led to weekly bloodshed along the Israeli border. But hours after Netan- yahu spoke Sunday, an Israeli commando unit on an under- cover mission was caught be- hind enemy lines in Gaza by Hamas militants. Their dis- covery set off a battle that led to the deaths of seven mili- tants and an Israeli officer, and triggered the heaviest barrage of rocket fire since a 2014 war. The Israeli military said that Palestinian militants fired 460 rockets and mor- tars into Israel in a 24-hour period, while it carried out airstrikes on 160 targets in Gaza. Seven Palestinians, in- cluding five militants, were killed, and 26 people were wounded. In Israel, a 48-year- old Palestinian laborer was killed in a rocket strike on an apartment building where he was staying. Nearly 30 people were wounded, three critically. With air raid sirens wailing throughout southern Israel and the explosions of airstrikes thundering in Gaza, the sides had appeared to be headed to what would have been their fourth war in a decade. But late Tuesday, Hamas and other military groups is- sued a joint statement saying they had accepted an Egyp- tian cease-fire. Terms of the deal ap- peared to be modest. Daoud Shehab, a spokesman for the Islamic Jihad militant group, said each side would promise quiet in exchange for quiet. “It’s a mutual commit- ment to the cease-fire,” he said. “From our side, we re- sponded positively to the Egyptian endeavor on the condition that the occupation does the same.” The announcement set off celebrations in Gaza City as Hamas supporters de- clared victory. At a demonstration staged in the rubble of Hamas’ TV station, demolished by an Israeli airstrike, crowds chanted the name of Hamas’ military wing. Shops re- opened and cars jammed the streets. Israeli reconnais- sance drones continued to buzz overhead. Ismail Radwan, a Hamas official, expressed Hamas’ commitment to the cease-fire but warned that “our hands are on the trigger” if Israel vi- olates the agreement. In Israel, officials had no comment on the cease-fire claim even as dozens of pro- testers in the rocket-battered town of Sderot chanted “Dis- grace!” at what they saw as the government’s capitulation to militant violence. But after nightfall, both the rocket at- tacks and Israeli airstrikes had stopped. The announcement came shortly after Netanyahu’s Se- curity Cabinet ended a seven- hour discussion on the rising tensions in Gaza. The Cabinet said it had ordered the military to “con- tinue operations as needed.” Israel’s Channel 10 TV re- ported deep divisions among the participants, with sev- eral hard-line ministers re- portedly opposed to another cease-fire with Hamas. Hamas, an Islamic mili- tant group that opposes Isra- el’s existence, seized control of the Gaza Strip from the in- ternationally recognized Pal- estinian Authority in 2007. Israel and Egypt immedi- ately imposed a blockade on Gaza to contain Hamas. The blockade has ravaged Ga- za’s economy, and Israel re- fuses to lift it unless Hamas disarms, a demand the mili- tants reject. The standoff has pro- duced repeated rounds of violence, including indis- criminate Gaza rocket fire at Israeli towns and cities and punishing Israeli military offensives, but Hamas re- mains firmly in control. Ne- tanyahu’s apparent reluc- tance to launch a full-scale war reflected the lack of good choices at his disposal. Israel Ziv, a retired gen- eral who once commanded the Israeli military’s Gaza di- vision, said Netanyahu was running out of options for dealing with Hamas. “Either we come to a set- tlement or there’s an all-out campaign. Nothing in the middle is going to make a difference,” he said. Tuesday’s cease-fire did not appear to address any of the underlying issues, in- cluding the blockade and Hamas’ vast arsenal of rockets, and it was unclear whether U.N. and Egyptian efforts toward a broader deal might resume. U.N. and Egyptian me- diators had been making progress in recent weeks to- ward informal understand- ings between Israel and Hamas that would ease the blockade in exchange for ratcheting down the border protests. Demonstrators each week approach the border fence, throwing firebombs, gre- nades and burning tires at Israeli troops. Israeli snipers have killed about 170 people, most of them unarmed. Israel says it is defending its border against attackers, but it has come under heavy interna- tional criticism for shooting unarmed people. In recent days, Israel al- lowed fuel shipments to in- crease the power supply in Gaza, which suffers from fre- quent blackouts, and agreed to additional Qatari assis- tance to allow Hamas to pay the salaries of its thousands of unpaid workers. A diplomatic official said the cease-fire included an “understanding” to return to a 2014 cease-fire that prom- ised some relief for Gaza in exchange for quiet. The official said he ex- pected a return to the situ- ation before the latest burst of violence and for media- tors to resume their efforts. He spoke on condition of an- onymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter with the media. The U.N. Security Council scheduled closed consulta- tions on the Hamas-Israel clashes later Tuesday at the request of Kuwait and Bo- livia, U.N. diplomats said. The Israeli military said that Palestinian militants fired 460 rockets and mortars into Israel in a 24-hour period, while it carried out airstrikes on 160 targets in Gaza. Broken windows line an apartment building hit by a rocket fired by Palestinian militants from Gaza, in the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon, Israel, Tuesday. – PHOTO: AP8 WORLD&REGIONAL WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 14, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS UK CABINET TO MEET AFTER BRITAIN, EU REACH DRAFT BREXIT DEAL LONDON (AP) – After months of stalled talks, false starts and setbacks, negotiators from Britain and the European Union struck a proposed divorce deal Tuesday to provide for the U.K.’s smooth exit from the bloc. But the agreement faces major political hurdles starting Wednesday, when British Prime Minister The- resa May will try to win the approval of her divided Cab- inet for a deal many minis- ters view with skepticism. The British government confirmed that the nego- tiating teams had reached a draft agreement and the Cabinet would hold a spe- cial meeting Wednesday afternoon to consider the proposal. Its support is not guaranteed: May is under pressure from pro-Brexit ministers not to make fur- ther concessions to the EU on the key issue of the Irish border. A spokesman for chief EU negotiator Michel Bar- nier urged caution, saying a deal was not yet finalized and the bloc would “take stock” Wednesday. Ambassadors from the 27 other EU countries are also due to hold a meeting in Brussels on Wednesday. Britain wants to seal a deal this fall, so that Par- liament has time to vote on it before the U.K. leaves the bloc on March 29. The Eu- ropean Parliament also has to approve any agreement, as do all 28 EU nations. Officials have said for weeks that agreement on divorce terms and a frame- work for future U.K.-EU relations was 95 percent complete, and for several days negotiators have been meeting late into the night in Brussels in a bid to close the remaining gaps. The main obstacle has long been how to ensure there are no customs posts or other checks along the border between the U.K.’s Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland after Brexit. Britain and the EU agree that there must be barriers that could disrupt busi- nesses and residents on ei- ther side of the border and undermine Northern Ire- land’s hard-won peace pro- cess – but they have differed on how to achieve that. Irish national broad- caster RTE said the draft agreement involves a common customs arrange- ment for the U.K. and the EU, to eliminate the need for border checks, with special provisions for Northern Ireland and a re- view mechanism to oversee its functioning. A sticking point in talks has been Britain’s insis- tence that any such cus- toms arrangement must be temporary. The EU says that in order to guarantee an open border, it cannot have a time limit. The pound rallied on news of a deal, rising 1.5 percent against the dollar to $1.3038. But May faces pressure from pro-Brexit Cabinet members and lawmakers not to agree to an arrange- ment that binds Britain to EU trade rules indefinitely. Former Foreign Sec- retary Boris Johnson, a staunch Brexiteer, said the deal was unacceptable and Cabinet ministers should “chuck it out.” Trump: France would have been defeated without US WASHINGTON (AP) – Presi- dent Donald Trump escalated his verbal assaults against France on Tuesday, sug- gesting that America’s stal- wart European ally would have been vanquished in both world wars if not for the military firepower pro- vided by the United States. Trump tweeted about a suggestion by French Presi- dent Emmanuel Macron that Europe build up its mili- taries because the continent can no longer depend on the U.S. for defense. Macron had also said Europe needs to protect itself against cyber- threats from China, Russia and the U.S. “Macron suggests building its own army to pro- tect Europe against the U.S., China and Russia,” Trump tweeted. “But it was Germany in World Wars One & Two – How did that work out for France? They were starting to learn German in Paris before the U.S. came along. Pay for NATO or not!” The president has long complained that NATO coun- tries do not pay their fair share of the defense alliance’s expenses, leaving the U.S. to carry much of the burden. He has criticized Macron be- fore and after attending a weekend ceremony in Paris to commemorate 100 years since the end of World War I. Trump and Macron met Saturday at the Elysee Palace and discussed defense, trade and other issues. A top adviser to Macron said Tuesday that the French position has been “clari- fied.” The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in keeping with French cus- toms, said Macron explained the European army issue to Trump, stressing that France was not making a choice be- tween a European defense mechanism and multilateral organizations such as NATO. Trump also complained Tuesday about tariffs on U.S. wines sold in France and appeared to take a dig at Macron’s low public ap- proval rating. Trump tweeted that French tariffs on Amer- ican wine is “not fair, must change!” “On Trade, France makes excellent wine, but so does the U.S. The problem is that France makes it very hard for the U.S. to sell its wines into France, and charges big Tar- iffs, whereas the U.S. makes it easy for French wines, and charges very small Tariffs. Not fair, must change!” Nearly all U.S. wine ex- ports to major markets, in- cluding the European Union – of which France is a part – face tariffs, according to the Wine Institute, which repre- sents California winemakers in Washington on matters of tax, trade and regulatory is- sues. Trump, who built a ca- reer as a businessman before he entered politics, opened a winery in Charlottesville, Vir- ginia, in 2011. The president added that “The problem is that Em- manuel suffers from a very low Approval Rating in France, 26%, and an unem- ployment rate of almost 10%. He was just trying to get onto another subject. By the way, there is no country more Na- tionalist than France, very proud people-and rightfully so! … …. MAKE FRANCE GREAT AGAIN!” he said. Macron is hovering at around 30 percent in popu- larity polls, while the unem- ployment rate is just above 9 percent. Trump’s continued complaints about France and Macron struck a nerve with some in the European nation, especially since the presi- dent’s latest broadsides came on the third anniversary of the Paris terror attacks that killed 130 people in 2015. It prompted French jour- nalist Hugo Clement to tweet in response: “We are al- ready great, especially on no- vember 13th. Go back to your room and give the phone to an adult.” Trump also defended his decision to cancel a trip Saturday to the Aisne- Marne American Cemetery at Belleau Wood in Northern France after rainy weather grounded his helicopter. The president did go ahead with a trip and speech in the rain Sunday at the Suresnes American Cemetery and Me- morial just outside Paris. “By the way, when the he- licopter couldn’t fly to the first cemetery in France be- cause of almost zero vis- ibility, I suggested driving. Secret Service said NO, too far from airport & big Paris shutdown. Speech next day at American Cemetary in pouring rain! Little reported- Fake News!” he tweeted. Florida recount chugs along as more irregularities surface FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) – Florida’s election recount is chugging along as more ir- regularities are uncovered and a judge asked the war- ring sides to “ramp down the rhetoric,” saying it erodes public confidence in the elec- tion for Senate and governor. One county revealed Monday that it had allowed some hurricane-displaced voters to cast their ballots by email – a violation of state law. Another had to re- start its recount after get- ting about a quarter finished because someone forgot to push a button. Palm Beach said it will not finish its recount by the Thursday deadline. And in oft-criticized Broward County, additional sheriff’s deputies were sent to guard ballots and voting machines, even though a judge said no Republican who has publicly alleged fraud in the county’s process – a list that includes President Donald Trump and Gov. Rick Scott – has pre- sented any evidence to law enforcement. “An honest vote count is no longer possible” in Florida, Trump declared Monday, without elaborating. He de- manded that the election night results – which showed the Republicans leading based upon incomplete ballot counts – be used to deter- mine the winner. Trump went on to allege that “new ballots showed up out of nowhere, and many ballots are missing or forged” and that “ballots (are) massively infected.” It was unclear what he was referring to. State law requires a ma- chine recount in races where the margin is less than 0.5 percentage points. In the Senate race, Scott’s lead over incumbent Democrat Bill Nelson was 0.14 percentage points. In the governor’s con- test, unofficial results showed Republican former Rep. Ron DeSantis ahead of Democratic Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum by 0.41 percentage points. Once the recount is complete, if the differences in any of the races are 0.25 per- centage points or less, a hand recount will be ordered. All 67 counties face a state-ordered deadline of Thursday to finish their recounts. Trump’s comments came just hours before Broward Chief Circuit Judge Jack Tuter held an emergency hearing on a request by Scott’s lawyers that deputies be put in charge of ballots and voting ma- chines that aren’t being used until the recount is over. An attorney for Election Supervisor Brenda Snipes de- scribed layers of security in- cluding keycard and pass- word access to rooms where ballots are kept, secured by deputies and monitored by security cameras and repre- sentatives of both campaigns and parties. Scott’s lawyers had al- leged in court documents that Snipes was engaging in “suspect and unlawful vote counting practices” that vio- late state law and that she might “destroy evidence of any errors, accidents or un- lawful conduct.” The judge said he could see no evidence of any viola- tions, and said “I am urging because of the highly public nature of this case to ramp down the rhetoric.” “If someone in this lawsuit or someone in this county has evidence of voter fraud or irregularities at the super- visor’s office, they should re- port it to their local law en- forcement officer,” Tuter said. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Donald Trump listen to French President Emmanuel Macron delivering a speech Sunday before a lunch at the Elysee Palace in Paris during commemorations marking the 100th anniversary of the 11 November 1918 armistice, ending World War I. – PHOTO: AP Broward County Supervisor of Elections Brenda Snipes, right, shows a ballot box that was found in a rental car after the elections and turned out to only contain election day supplies, as election employees sort ballots and prepare to count them Monday in Lauderhill, Florida. – PHOTO: AP9 WORLD&REGIONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 14, 2018 After 17 years, many Afghans blame US for unending war KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) – When U.S. forces and their Afghan allies rode into Kabul in November 2001 they were greeted as liberators. But after 17 years of war, the Tal- iban have retaken half the country, security is worse than it’s ever been, and many Afghans place the blame squarely on the Americans. The United States has lost more than 2,400 soldiers in its longest war, and has spent more than $900 billion on ev- erything from military op- erations to the construction of roads, bridges and power plants. Three U.S. presidents have pledged to bring peace to Afghanistan, either by adding or withdrawing troops, by en- gaging the Taliban or shun- ning them. Last year, the U.S. dropped the “mother of all bombs” on a cave complex. None of it has worked. After years of frustration, Af- ghanistan is rife with con- spiracy theories, including the idea that Americans did not stumble into a forever war, but planned one all along. Mohammed Ismail Qa- simyar, a member of Afghan- istan’s High Peace Council, wonders how U.S. and NATO forces – which at their peak numbered 150,000 and fought alongside hundreds of thousands of Afghan troops, were unable to vanquish tens of thousands of Taliban. “Either they did not want to or they could not do it,” he said. He now suspects the U.S. and its ally Pakistan deliber- ately sowed chaos in Afghan- istan to justify the lingering presence of foreign forces – now numbering around 15,000 – in order to use the country as a listening post to monitor Iran, Russia and China. “They have made a hell, not a paradise for us,” he said. Afghanistan is rife with such conspiracy theories. After last month’s assassina- tion of Kandahar’s powerful police chief, Gen. Abdul Raziq, social media exploded with pictures and posts suggesting he was the victim of a U.S. conspiracy. Recent insider at- tacks, in which Afghan forces have killed their erstwhile U.S. and NATO allies, have at- tracted online praise. “In 2001 the Afghan people supported the arrival of the United States and the interna- tional community wholeheart- edly,” said Hamid Karzai, who was installed as Afghanistan’s first president and twice won re-election, serving until 2014. “For a number of years things worked perfectly well,” he said in a recent interview. “Then we saw the United States either changed course or simply neglected the views of the Afghan people and the conditions of the Afghans.” He blames the lingering war on the U.S. failure to eliminate militant sanctu- aries in neighboring Pakistan, the bombing of Afghan vil- lages and homes, and the de- tention of Afghans in raids. Afghan National Army soldiers participate in a live fire training exercise, at the Afghan Military Academy, in Kabul, Afghanistan. – PHOTO: AP MOSCOW (AP) – Russian op- position leader Alexei Na- valny was stopped at the border Tuesday and barred from leaving Russia as he was about to travel to a court hearing at the Eu- ropean Court for Human Rights in France. Navalny said in a blog post on Tuesday that he was due to attend a hearing at the ECHR which is expected to rule if his countless detentions have been politically motivated. He was stopped by border guards and told that a ruling by court bailiffs has barred him from leaving Russia. The hearing in Strasbourg on Thursday could prove a major embarrassment for the Kremlin which routinely dis- misses Navalny, arguably Russia’s most popular opposi- tion figure, as a trouble-maker with no political backing. “Apparently, Putin’s re- gime thinks [that] not letting me fly to Strasbourg to hear this ruling will change any- thing,” he wrote on Twitter. Navalny said later on Tuesday that the formal reason for barring him from leaving Russia was a bailiffs ruling, dated Friday, to collect from him 2.1 million rubles (US$31,000) in damages in a civil lawsuit against a timber company. He lost the lawsuit last year but Navalny said the court never provided any documents or banking details for him to pay the damages. Navalny has faced nu- merous criminal charges in the past that are widely viewed as attempts by the Kremlin to sideline him. Two separate criminal cases have prevented Na- valny from traveling in the past but the ban was lifted in spring last year when he had to leave to Spain for urgent medical treatment. OPPOSITION LEADER NAVALNY BARRED FROM LEAVING RUSSIA Alexei NavalnyNext >