ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – THURSDAY NOVEMBER 15, 2018 High of 86 Low of 73 Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet, with some swell likely along the west coast. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 THE LANDFILL SAGA CONTINUES – SEEMINGLY WITHOUT END LOCAL | PAGE 3 FOOTBALL COMMUNITY PAYS TRIBUTE TO COACH CHUNG FAH HomeOptions Pay less for more cover with home insurance Save $250 with your first BritCay buildings insurance policy and a 10% car insurance discount . Many extra benefits, like $1 million liability insurance, are included in your cover. Ask for a quote! BRITISH CAYMANIAN INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED BritCay House, 236 Eastern Avenue, George Town, P.O. Box 74, KY1-1102 Tel. 949-8699 www.britcay.ky A member of Colonial Group International Ltd: insurance, health, pensions, life Call 949-8699 www.britcay.ky cgigrp 10% discount applies if you have buildings Insurance OfReg rejects Cayman Water proposal Calico Jack’s submits Barkers plan KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Utilities Regulation and Competition Office, known as OfReg, has rejected Cayman Water’s most recent proposal for a licensing deal to serve customers in the Seven Mile Beach and West Bay areas, according to the third-quarter financial report from Cayman Water’s parent company, Consolidated Water. Cayman Water’s retail license was originally set to expire in July 2010, but has been extended several times over the years so that government and the company could reach a new deal. The most recent license extension expired on Jan. 31 this year, but Consolidated Water stated in its report that it continues to provide water on the assumption that the license has been further extended to allow negotiations to continue without interrupting an essential service. The company began negotiating with OfReg in July last year, the report states. OfReg has stated that one of its priorities was to reach a new deal with Cayman Water, but the regulator has rejected the company’s most recent proposal. “The Company began license negotiations with OfReg in July 2017 and such negotiations are continuing. On Nov. 2, 2018, the Company received a letter from OfReg in which OfReg rejected the Company’s most recent commer- cial proposal,” Consolidated Water stated in its financial report. “Further, OfReg indi- cated that if the Company is unwilling to submit a new proposal offering certain ad- ditional concessions, then OfReg will have to consider its other available options.” The financial report does not elaborate on what OfReg’s “other available options” are. Consolidated Water stated that it has not yet determined how it will respond to OfReg. “The Company cannot make any assurances that it will be able to reach an agreement with OfReg for a new license or that the terms of any license agreed to will be on terms as favorable to the Company as the terms of the license that expired Jan. 31, 2018,” Consolidated Application to clear sea grass for swimming beach JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Calico Jack’s owner Handel Whittaker is seeking permis- sion to remove around 180,000 square feet of sea grass to create a swimming area at Barkers Beach as part of a plan to relocate the popular Seven Mile Beach bar. The proposal is linked to a 21-acre parcel of beach- front land owned by the Dart group, which is sup- porting his application. Mr. Whittaker, who has an agreement to lease the land, hopes to create a venue that will attract cruise-ship tourists to the western side of the island. The Coastal Works Appli- cation, seen by the Cayman Compass, also includes plans for a T-shaped pier stretching 300 feet into the ocean, with a 120-foot dock for tour boats and visiting pleasure craft. The application, which will be decided by Cabinet, with input from the National Conservation Council, requests approval for the “removal of sea grass to facilitate swim beaches” over an area equivalent in size to around three football pitches and stretching across a 1,300 foot parcel of beach. It has already attracted some opposition, including an online petition WATER AUTHORITY RELEASES REPORT ON WETLANDS DUMPING KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Water Authority has released a report addressing previously unanswered questions about the National Roads Authority dumping waste containing a carcinogen into Grand Cay- man’s wetlands. According to the report, the NRA has been dumping wastewater and sludge from roadside storm drains into the island’s wetlands since at least 2011. The NRA began doing this after the Water Authority and the Department of Environ- mental Health stopped accepting the waste at their facilities. The report states that the NRA’s dumping was not “formally endorsed” by the Department of En- vironmental Health, the Department of Environ- ment or the Water Authority, but the report does not mention why those departments allowed the practice to continue for years. Along with detailing how long the NRA has been dumping waste in wetlands, the report also suggests that thousands of gallons of waste may have been dumped in the wetlands over the years. According to the report, the NRA cleans out about 500 wells with two 4,000-gallon trucks, and “each truck is emptied 3 to 4 times per day.” Only one truck was in service as of September. The waste will now be deposited at the George Town landfill. Meanwhile, other government departments have been silent about plans to clean the wetlands, whether any penalties will be levied against the NRA, how the NRA’s wetlands-dumping policy was made, and whether the waste will be treated before PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Cabinet is considering a Coastal Works Application to clear sea grass and install a pier at Barkers Beach in West Bay. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY2 LOCAL NEWS JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman appears to be in for some early “Christmas breezes” as a cold front is forecast to move into the northwestern Carib- bean Thursday. National Weather Ser- vice meteorologist Shamal Clarke said the models in- dicate the cold front will move west of Cayman and become stationary as of Thursday afternoon. The cold front, currently across the eastern Gulf of Mexico, will move to- ward the Yucatan Peninsula and will support north to northeasterly winds across the northwestern Carib- bean. Radar images show isolated showers over the Cayman area, moving to- ward the west. Winds are expected to be about 15 to 20 knots as of Friday. Mr. Clarke said the cold front will bring fresh winds and rough seas, with some swells likely on the west coast. “It’s hard to say what to expect from it when it stalls west of us,” he said. Mr. Clarke said this kind of colder weather is typi- cally the trend approaching Christmastime. “As it is right now, if this cold front makes it any closer to us, possibility we will have colder tempera- tures … I am sure a lot of people are looking forward to that,” Mr. Clarke said. However, he said the drop in temperature will not be significant – current overnight temperatures are in the mid-70s, but they could drop to the low 70s. Mr. Clarke said Friday is likely to bring a decrease in wind speed and choppy seas, and by Saturday, normal weather conditions will resume. One Bodden Town resi- dent, former Speaker of the House Mary Lawrence, said she is looking forward to the cold front bringing in what is known locally as “Christmas breezes” to cool off the island. Ms. Lawrence said, in the past, people always knew Christmas was coming when the wind shifted and “we would get that little north breeze and everything would cool down from as early as November.” “The temperature would drop into the 60s and that was really cold for Cayman,” she said. “Cold weather was what we called it. Everyone looked forward to getting out their sweaters and blankets.” THURSDAY NOVEMBER 15, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS • Matinees Daily (matinee price before 6pm) • Seniors $8.00, Mon-Fri Before 6pm • Additional charges apply per 3D/VIP tickets Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. - THURSDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) THE GRINCH (PG) 12:30 | 4:45 VIP | 5:25 3D | 7:40 3D I 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 | 9:55 NOBODY’S FOOL (R) 2:00 | 4:40 | 7:25 | 10:00 THE NUTCRACKER AND THE FOUR REALMS (PG) 1:20 | 3:45 | 6:40 | 9:10 OVERLORD (R) 1:00 | 3:35 | 7:10 | 10:00 VIP Motorbike rider pleads guilty to 8 offenses SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com A motorcycle rider pleaded guilty in Summary Court Wednesday to eight of- fenses after being arrested over the weekend. The rider had been intercepted by po- lice after being followed by the police helicopter. Alvin Shaquille Ebanks, 21, pleaded guilty to dan- gerous driving, riding without insurance, riding without being qualified, re- sisting a police officer and handling stolen goods. Mr. Ebanks also pleaded guilty to using a motorcycle without a certificate of road- worthiness, failing to display a license plate and failing to comply with signals given by a constable. In a press release issued Tuesday, the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service said police responded on Sat- urday to a report of two mo- torbike drivers riding errati- cally and doing stunts on a public road. The riders were headed in the direction of West Bay on the Esterley Tibbetts Highway when the police he- licopter located them and signaled for them to stop. The riders separated, and the he- licopter followed one of them. That rider was eventually intercepted by patrol offi- cers who signaled with lights and sirens for him to stop. He continued driving and was observed using his mobile phone while operating the bike, police said. He eventually abandoned the motorcycle in the Boat- swains Bay area of West Bay and ran into a nearby store. Officers later went inside the store and arrested the rider, according to the RCIPS press release. The motorcycle was later recovered by police and found to have been stolen in August 2018. The court heard Wednesday that Mr. Ebanks has several prior convictions on his record. Defense attorney John Furniss said that Mr. Ebanks requested bail because he has a young child at home that requires his supervision. Magistrate Valdis Fol- dats denied bail and said he had zero confidence that Mr. Ebanks would abide by the bail conditions or refrain from further criminal conduct. Mr. Foldats also said Mr. Ebanks’s behavior demon- strated “absolute disrespect and disregard for authority and safety of the public.” Mr. Ebanks is expected back in court for sentencing on Dec. 12. Magistrate Valdis Foldats said Mr. Ebanks’s behavior demonstrated “absolute disrespect and disregard for authority and safety of the public.” Meteorologist Shamal Clarke said the drop in temperature will not be significant – current overnight temperatures are in the mid-70s, but they could drop to the low 70s. Cold front on the way ‘Art of Fashion’ is gala theme for 2018 Last year, it was the fashion of the future. In other years, guests have dressed in Cuban style, as circus entertainers and other themes. This year, the fashion will take an “extreme” turn as the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands holds its annual fundraising gala on Saturday, Dec. 1. The theme is inspired by the current exhibit, “Art of Fashion,” which features the creations of two Cayman Is- lands designers and runs through Nov. 28. The gala is the gallery’s major income producer for the year. Funds from last year’s event provided the gallery with supplies and teaching resources for the education department and helped to fund the multifac- eted Family Fun program. The money also ensured that admission to all the exhibitions remained free of charge. Guests are en- couraged to adopt the ex- treme fashion dress code for this year’s event and organizers have published a Pinterest page at nat- galcayman, to share vi- sual collections of extreme fashion-inspired looks as inspiration. For event details, visit www.nationalgallery.org.ky/gala or email events@nationalgallery.org.ky. Funds from last year’s event provided the gallery with supplies and teaching resources for the education department and helped to fund the multifaceted Family Fun program. Isy B’s thatch dress design is part of the current ‘Art of Fashion’ exhibit at the National Gallery. - PHOTO: JEREMY WALTON DR. HORTOR’S GRAVE GETS HEADSTONE JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Where once was a blank, white slab of cement, a headstone now marks the resting spot of Dr. William Alfred Conrad Hortor, a medical doctor who served Cayman from the mid-1930s until his death in 1961 at the age of 64. To honor his memory, members of the public, es- pecially those who do- nated to purchase the head- stone for the late doctor, are invited to view the re- cently installed marker at the West Bay cemetery on Monday, Nov. 26, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Kenrick Welds and Betty Ebanks had been trying for years to raise the funds to recognize and memorialize the doctor’s grave, which fi- nally came through a couple of months ago. Churchill’s Funeral Home placed the headstone on Dr. Hortor’s grave at the West Bay Cemetery just over a week ago. “It has been a hard battle …. I didn’t figure to get some- thing done for him would be as hard as it was. This is not the Cayman I grew up in, I know that much,” Mr. Welds said. He said he is apprecia- tive of the people who do- nated money to help pay for the tombstone. Mr. Welds hopes that people will visit the grave in Dr. Hortor’s memory. Dr. Hortor, who hailed from England, was among the early pioneers of medi- cine who was honored in the 2015 Heroes Day. His name is also included in the Wall of Honor in Heroes Square in George Town, which was unveiled during the Cayman Islands Quincentennial cele- brations in 2003. He arrived in Grand Cayman in 1936 on board the Cimboco from Jamaica and remained in Cayman for the rest of his life.3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY NOVEMBER 15, 2018 Football community pays tribute to coach Chung Fah MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com Winston Chung Fah, a well-known soccer coach who helped raise the level of play in the Cayman Islands and who encouraged young players to pursue sport scholarships at American universities, died Nov. 8 in a Miami-area hospital near his home. He was 78. Mr. Chung Fah first made a name for himself in Ja- maica, founding the Santos Football Club in 1964 in an impoverished area, in part to address the needs of at-risk youth. This combination of coaching and community in- volvement was something he practiced throughout his ca- reer. By making connections with U.S. colleges and boarding schools, he established some pipelines for players to con- tinue their educations. “I have quite a few boys that went off to college to play, even my two sons,” said Ernie “Gillie” Seymour, Cay- man’s under 20/under 23 national football coach and someone who worked with Mr. Chung Fah over the years. “Kids were working their way through college, getting de- grees and getting jobs. I think that has been his biggest contribution.” It’s estimated that 50-60 Cayman players ben- efited from those efforts over the years. After his first club team, Mr. Chung Fah went on to coach school teams, most notably the Clarendon Col- lege team, which won both the DaCosta Cup and Olivier Shield in 1977 and 1978. Sometime in the mid to late 1980s, Mr. Chung Fah came to Cayman to serve as the technical director for the national football team. He would remain in Cayman for most of the rest of his career. Neil Murray is the youth committee chairman with the Cayman Islands Foot- ball Association. He remem- bers being a player when Mr. Chung Fah arrived on the island. “We had a senior national team,” Mr. Murray said. “We really just got together and played games.” Mr. Chung Fah took what was an informal organization and demanded a better cal- iber of play. “We were well aware of his reputation,” Mr. Murray said. “He brought more of a professional attitude to the team.” He said the coach was also a bit of a social worker. “He was a great friend to a lot of us,” he said. “He was a mentor. He would go out of his way to assist when he could.” Coach Chungie, as he was known, went the extra mile, Mr. Murray said. When players did not show up for early morning prac- tice, Mr. Chung would often visit the players’ homes to find out why. On one occa- sion, a parent told him their son could not attend prac- tice because he had too many chores to do in the morning. The next day, Mr. Murray said, “He took the whole team and we went to the house and did the chores so the player could come and train.” After a stint as the na- tional team coach, Mr. Chung Fah founded the Scholars Sports Club and, later, the Academy Sports Club, both in the 1990s. He still empha- sized education to his players, bringing in teachers and tu- tors to help them with their studies, Mr. Murray said. Mr. Chung Fah left coaching around 2010, he said. He moved to Miami to be closer to his two daughters. In 2012, he was recog- nized by FIFA, soccer’s in- ternational governing body, with the Order of Merit, the organization’s highest honor, which is bestowed upon those making a profound contribution to the sport. By then, Mr. Chung Fah was already in poor health, primarily from complica- tions from diabetes, Mr. Murray said. “He gave of himself more than he took care of himself,” he said. “He was someone who was less concerned about his situation than other people’s situation. He would give you the clothes off his back and never wanted any- thing in return.” Mr. Seymour called Mr. Chung Fah a no-nonsense coach and a great motivator. “The body is going to rest, but his legacy will live on,” he said. “He’ll always be here.” Winston Chung Fah passed away last week at the age of 78. - PHOTO: JAMAICA OBSERVER Government buys land for public park Premier Alden McLaughlin announced Wednesday that government has purchased a plot of land known as Scranton Central Park for $272,500 as part of plans to enhance public park areas in the middle of George Town. Mr. McLaughlin said he and former Leader of Govern- ment Business Kurt Tibbetts had been trying to buy the land on behalf of the people of George Town for “well over a decade” but the owners had not been willing to sell until this year. “Although the property was privately owned, the owners graciously allowed the community to use the land for many years as a park. And so over the years, it has been used for many things – everything from commu- nity gatherings to basketball games and more. It was, in many respects, an oasis for the neighboring community in an area that was becoming more and more commer- cial,” Mr. McLaughlin said in a statement in the Legisla- tive Assembly. During its last adminis- tration, government received approval from Cabinet to purchase property behind the Government Administra- tion Building. The Scranton Central Park site is adjacent to this land. Mr. McLaughlin said two independent valuations of the Scranton Central Park were obtained, as well as a valua- tion by Lands and Survey, to determine the value of the property. He said the negotia- tions for the land were “a bit protracted,” but were final- ized last month. The premier added that the government still plans to use the old Government Ad- ministration building, known as the Glasshouse, site as a public park. “God willing, we will get this done over the next budget cycle,” he said. “The purchase of this property [the Scranton Cen- tral Park] by government en- sures that it continues to be available for use by the com- munity and can serve other community purposes in the future. The ability to improve the condition of the park, as well as to expand the current quarter-acre site using the adjacent Crown land creates exciting possibilities,” Mr. McLaughlin added.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” Four years ago, the Compass published a history of the George Town landfill, from its accidental beginnings through successive decades of government inaction, punctuated by studies, recommendations and assurances that a more suitable waste management system was in the works (“George Town landfill: 25 years of broken promises,” Aug. 8, 2014). The story remains, unfortunately for the country, relevant reading. We will not spend too much time recycling the contents of the 2014 article, but here’s a single para- graph that could easily have been written this afternoon: “By the end of the 1980s, Cayman’s legislators realized that a problem was developing with the George Town landfill, and over the past 25 years a steady stream of politicians has discussed the issue, formed committees and commissioned studies to investigate solutions, and made promises that haven’t been kept.” The long wait continues, despite last year’s selection of a Dart group-led consortium to build and operate what officials like to call an “Integrated Solid Waste Manage- ment System” (or “ISWMS”) but what we’ll refer to as a “new landfill.” As we reported on Wednesday, 13 months after announcing Dart as the “preferred bidder” (or “PB”) for the 25-year contract, government has not successfully negotiated the terms of the contract, which of course is the next substantive step toward the ultimate goal of closing and remediating the current landfill site, and opening a modern waste management facility. The newest series of firm-ish deadlines forecasts the beginning of construction at the end of 2019, the initial opening of the new landfill at the end of 2020, and com- mencement of the much-touted waste-to-energy plant at the end of 2021.… Provided of course that a contract acceptable to all parties is drafted by the end of March 2019, and an environmental impact assessment (yes, for a dump) is finished by the end of June 2019. Perhaps in response to our article, or at least shortly after it was published, the Ministry of Health issued a 400-plus-word statement laden with jargon, acronyms and non-concrete chronological touchstones – but oddly without evidence to support the government’s first-sen- tence assertion that “Negotiations between CIG and the Preferred Bidder (PB) have been going well.” (For the record, we were listening and taking notes when Dart was announced as the contractor for the new landfill project in October 2017. At the time, negotiations were expected to take “several months” to complete; planning and environmental paperwork was supposed to take place during the interim; and construction was supposed to begin in the summer of 2018. Interestingly, the final deadline for the new facility to become opera- tional – the year 2021 – has not changed, although all of the previous benchmarks have fallen to the wayside.) Government officials may think phrases such as the following are compelling – “the ISWMS project is twenty- five (25) year long term contract with the PB to Design Build Finance Operate and Maintain (DBFOM) the ISWMS Facilities” – but they ought to understand by now that all the public really wants to know could be expressed in a short answer to an even shorter question: “When?” --- Editor’s Note: In Wednesday’s editorial (“When gov- ernment despoils Cayman’s precious wetlands”), we asked how long the National Roads Authority had been dumping stormwater-well effluent into wetland areas. That answer – from 2010 or 2011 – along with answers to several other important questions was received by the Compass from the Water Authority shortly after our press deadline. For more information, please see today’s Page One article. The landfill saga continues – seemingly without end THURSDAY NOVEMBER 15, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Harvard’s problem is a version of America’s WASHINGTON – In the hier- archy of pleasures, schaden- freude ranks second only to dry martinis at dusk, so con- servatives are enjoying Har- vard’s entanglement with two things it has not sufficiently questioned – regulatory gov- ernment and progressive sen- timent. The trial that recently ended in Boston – the judge’s ruling might be months away, and reach the U.S. Supreme Court – concerns whether Harvard’s admissions policy regarding Asian-Americans is unjust, and whether the gov- ernment should respond. Practically, the case per- tains only to the few highly se- lective institutions that admit small portions of their appli- cants. But everyone, and es- pecially conservatives, should think twice – or at least once – before hoping that govern- ment will minutely super- vise how private institutions shape their student bodies. The clearest thing about the relevant law is the ab- sence of clear guidance. Since 1978, the Supreme Court has said “a diverse student body” is a “constitutionally permis- sible goal” and a “compelling” educational interest that can be pursued using racial clas- sifications if they are “nar- rowly tailored” to achieve a “critical mass” of this or that minority without “quotas” and if they do “not unduly harm members of any racial group” and are no more than a “’plus’ factor” in a “holistic” assessment of applicants. “Distinctions between citi- zens solely because of their ancestry are by their very na- ture odious,” and “outright racial balancing … is pa- tently unconstitutional.” (Em- phases added.) Such open- textured language, deployed in the pursuit of “diversity” (of cultures, perspectives, ex- periences, etc.), leaves vast scope for practices to engi- neer various student bodies. Schools should go beyond “objective” metrics – school transcripts and SAT scores – because they measure only what can be quantified, which is not all that matters about individuals. It prob- ably is impossible for schools or government to devise rules-based assessments that tightly limit the discretion that admissions offices ex- ercise, given the unavoidable imprecision of the open-tex- tured legal language quoted above. And given the needs of schools’ subgroups – the or- chestra, the athletic teams, the classics department, etc. Harvard’s practices, say the plaintiffs, who include some aggrieved Asian-Amer- icans, constitute racial dis- crimination that has the in- tended effect of suppressing admissions of people like them: Asian-American ap- plicants are rejected in spite of objective academic attain- ments that would result in admissions for African-Amer- icans, Hispanics or whites. So, when Harvard’s presi- dent is “unequivocal” that his institution “does not discriminate against any- body” in admissions, this looks like hypocrisy, under- stood as the tribute that vice pays to virtue. Except that progressives and their institutions long since stopped believing that colorblind policies are vir- tuous. And regarding admis- sions, they might have a point. Stuart Taylor, a legal ana- lyst as temperate as he is ac- complished, argues (in The Weekly Standard) that racial preferences can ratify stereo- types when “holistic” evalu- ations emphasize person- ality traits that are supposed group attributes. There really are, however, attributes that are disproportionately prev- alent among various groups at various times. Families are the primary transmitters of social capital – the habits and mores conducive to flour- ishing – and family cultures that produce applicants with stellar objective academic at- tainments should be encour- aged. However, relying exclu- sively on objective academic metrics (Taylor notes that only Caltech does this; its student body is more than 40 percent Asian) would substantially re- duce the number of black and Hispanics admitted. Harvard’s own conclusion, in a docu- ment presented in the trial, is that admissions based solely on academic metrics would result in a student body that is 43 percent Asian-Amer- ican and less than 1 percent African-American. Eight decades ago, Har- vard put itself and the na- tion on the path toward one understanding of meritocracy by emphasizing in admis- sions the Scholastic Aptitude Test. This was done partly to reduce discrimination against Jewish applicants from family cultures that stressed academic attain- ments, and partly to dilute fa- voritism toward the inherited privileges of wealthy families funneling boys through pres- tigious prep schools. Harvard’s problem today is a version of America’s, the tension between two prob- lematic approaches to pro- viding opportunities – “mer- itocracy” that is clearly but too simply quantified, and a less tidy but more nuanced measurement of the mixture of merits that serves a uni- versity’s, and society’s, sev- eral purposes. The optimum result of the court case might already be occurring in vol- untary, prudential adjust- ments of elite university practices to forestall gov- ernment interventions that would serve shifting agendas of various constituencies. The adjustments would include admissions policies more welcoming to academic ex- cellence regardless of other attributes of those who man- ifest it, and more sensitivity regarding the felt injustices that inevitably accompany admission disparities pro- duced by preferences, how- ever benignly intended. George Will’s email address is georgewill@washpost.com. © 2018, Washington Post Writers Group LETTER Trash in Bodden Town Your Friday, Nov. 6 story of the horrible situation of the garbage situation in Cuba (“Havana fights trash problem ahead of 500th anniversary”) immediately brought to mind our condition here in Bodden Town, which threatens to be nearly as bad as that in Cuba. One wonders how our island, not affected by any embargo, could let our situa- tion deteriorate to the extent now existing. To add insult to injury, there has been no ex- planation for the delays of up to three weeks at a time, or any notification to our res- idents as to when the situa- tion will be regularized. The irony is the slogan touted some time ago, “No garbage in Bodden Town.” Now, my residents, you have it. Patrick C. Broderick Sr. GEORGE F. WILLThe islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY NOVEMBER 15, 2018 The islands’ most-trusted news source 6 Community CALENDAR ■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR is published TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. THURSDAY NOVEMBER 15, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS THURSDAY, NOV. 15 GT ROAD CLOSURE: In order to facilitate the Cayman Islands National Museum and Cayman Airways’ anniversary event, a section of Goring Avenue, just east of South Church Street, will be closed from 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. FIDDLER ON THE ROOF: Musical opens tonight at St. Ignatius School Hall. Shows are at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday. Tickets on sale at the school office. VIP tickets $25. Others are $15 for adults, $10 for students. Family Pass for two shows, $50. $5 discount on all tickets for the matinee. Phone 949-9250 for further details. MOVEMBER INFORMATION NIGHT: November is designated as a month to highlight men’s health. Men (and women) are invited to attend an information evening at the Lions Community Centre, 7-9 p.m. For more information, visit www.movember.ky. PUB QUIZ: 7 p.m. at Fidel’s. Benefits Humane Society. Teams up to six members, $10 each. Contact 949-5189 or sarah.dyer.81@gmail.com. SATURDAY, NOV. 17 GT ROAD CLOSURE: In order to facilitate the Cayman Islands National Museum and Cayman Airways’ anniversary event, a section of Goring Avenue, just east of South Church Street, will be closed between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. to facilitate the opening of the anniversary exhibits. HOLIDAY WALK/RUN/ROLL: Organized by Triple C School to include wheelchairs. Registration in advance through www.caymanactive. com or at the school office. Registration on event day at 3:30 p.m. Walk starts at 4:30 p.m. Run starts at 5 p.m. A Christmas tree lighting at the school immediately following, with opportunity to hang an ornament for hope and love. Walk/Run/Roll fee is $25 per person for adults/$20 for students. Corporate and individual event sponsorships are available, visit www. triplecschool.org for details. BOOKS FOR SALE: Large selection at A. L. Thompson’s from the Humane Society Book Loft. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Christmas books both adult and children’s available. CHILDREN’S STORY TIME: At 10:30 a.m. every other Saturday, George Town Public Library. Lasts approximately 45 minutes. Age range is 0 to 5 years. For more information on special programs at the library, call 949-5159. SUNDAY, NOV. 18 GT ROAD WORK: The National Roads Authority and subcontractors will be carrying out repairs/ upgrades to the pavement on Grand Harbour Roundabout (near Hurley’s). During the construction, traffic control will be in place and drivers will be diverted to either the inner lane or outer lane. Please watch out for traffic diversions and drive with caution, Call 946-7780 or 325-6004 with any questions or comments regarding this project. ONE DOG AT A TIME FUNDRAISER: Design your own biscuit/treat jar for your favorite dog or cat. ODAAT will be joining Three Girls and a Kiln to design a snack container. The pots have been pre-made, so participants can paint them in their own styles and colors. Nibbles for the event are included. MONDAY, NOV. 19 INTERNATIONAL MEN’S DAY: The Family Resource Centre hosts the film premiere of “Men’s Voice” at Regal Cinemas, Camana Bay, 6 p.m. The locally produced film features our men and boys discussing the challenges they face and how to overcome those obstacles. Admission to watch the 15-minute documentary is free. Great seat prizes are up for grabs. TUESDAY, NOV. 20 SEAFARERS ASSOCIATION: Members are advised that there will be a General Meeting at 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 leaves the George Town Public library parking area at 7 p.m., stopping at Cayman Compass building and the Airport Foster’s. The bus is marked Bobo $1 Public transport and is blue in color; there is no charge. FRIDAY, NOV. 23 MOVEMBER GOLF TOURNAMENT: Also known as “MOpen.” Players are invited to take part in this tournament at the North Sound Golf Course. 12:30 p.m. until sunset. For more information, visit www.movember.ky. SATURDAY, NOV. 24 PINK LADIES CHRISTMAS BAZAAR: The annual bazaar will be held at the Arts and Recreation Centre in Camana Bay. 2-5 p.m. $5 entrance ticket includes homemade tea. The event will feature country kitchen, handmade crafts, a plant sale, white elephant, kids’ arts and crafts, book sale, musical entertainment, a silent auction and raffle prizes. SINGING CHRISTMAS TREE: Today and tomorrow. 6-8 p.m. Lions Centre. Free event. SUNDAY, NOV. 25 EPIC JOURNEYS: Concert by Cayman National Choir and orchestra. The Westin Ballroom. Family matinee 2 p.m. Tickets $15 and $7.50. Features Cayman Youth Choir. Full concert, 7:30 p.m. Tickets $25 and $10. Visit www.eventpro.ky for tickets. MONDAY, NOV. 26 DR. HORTER’S TOMBSTONE: All members of the public, especially those who donated to the purchase of a tombstone for the late Dr. William Alfred Conrad Hortor, are invited to view the recently installed tombstone between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. today at the West Bay Cemetery, across from the fire station. CAYMAN ARTISTS: 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. Today, 5 p.m., is the deadline. For more information, contact public.engagement@ nationalgallery.org.ky. SUNDAY, DEC. 2 DINNER CONCERT: Organized by the East End Seventh-day Adventist Church. At The Ritz-Carlton, 7 p.m. Entertainment by international artist Carey Sayles and local performers. Tickets are $150 each, available at SDA Conference office, off Walkers Road; or call Constance Ebanks at 525-0941. Proceeds for Pathfinders and Pioneers Fire Adventure. GENERAL INTEREST 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. 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. LIFE ON THE COLONY: Exhibition of artwork by Gordon Solomon at the National Gallery. Through Dec. 5. For related events and school tours, email education@nationalgallery. org.ky. 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-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 needed. COMMUNITY CHESS: Tuesdays 5-8 p.m., West Indies Wine Company. Join the Cayman Chess Club for a complimentary chess class and open challenges weekly. Anyone can learn to play and enjoy chess, even beginners. ART OPEN CANVAS: At KARoo Restaurant in Camana Bay, Wednesdays 7-11 p.m. Artists of all levels are welcome to come and enjoy painting and socializing with other artists. Includes use of easels, lights, space, beverage ticket. No fee. For more information, contact info@visualartcayman.com or jar.was@gmail.com. VISUAL ARTS SOCIETY: Adult Open Studio available to those who want to work independently in an inspiring atmosphere. Wednesdays for adults, 9 a.m. till noon. Thursdays Adults and Youth, 10 a.m. till noon. Watler House Art Studio, Pedro St. James. Fee is $5/$15 or Ceramics. $15 pp/$25 pp non-members. Includes use of studio, glazes, and ceramic tools. Clay available $30 per bag/fee for kiln usage. To register, call 546-9422 or email info@visualartcayman.com. CLUBS, ORGANIZATIONS ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS: Meets daily to help with drinking problems. Call 926-9044 or visit www.caymanaa.org. NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS: Is available for substance abuse help. Call the info line at 929–NANA (6262). AL-ANON GROUP MEETING: Are you troubled by someone’s drinking? Al-Anon Family Groups can help. Call 928-8843 or email caymanalanon@gmail.com for meeting times. OVERCOMERS OUTREACH: A Christ-centered 12-step recovery group addresses addictions and those affected by them. Meetings at Cayman Islands Baptist Church, Pedro Castle Road, Tuesdays, 7:15 p.m. For details, contact Vanessa Gilman at 946-2422, or visit overcomersoutreach.org. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. St. Ignatius Catholic School students dance in a wedding scene from the upcoming school musical ‘Fiddler on the Roof,’ which will be staged at the school hall on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Nov. 15, 16 and 17 at 7 p.m., with a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday.7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY NOVEMBER 15, 2018 MONDAY - DECEMBER 3, 2018 Tourism minister quizzed over port campaign spending JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell has denied that any public funds were spent on advertising that suggests signing the petition for a ref- erendum on the cruise port amounts to a no-vote for the project. Answering questions in the Legislative Assembly from George Town Central member Kenneth Bryan, Mr. Kirkconnell confirmed that government had hired PR firm Fountainhead to market the controversial project. He also acknowledged that gov- ernment had used other re- sources, including using civil servants for voice-over spots in radio advertisements, to drum up support for the cruise piers. He said he did not have the figures for how much gov- ernment had spent on adver- tising the cruise project, but would provide those details at a later sitting of the house. Asked specifically whether his ministry was paying for advertising claiming signing the petition for a referendum would kill the port project, he said it was not. A Facebook post was running several months ago on a government- sponsored page, indicating “signing the referendum – a no vote for the port.” How- ever, there is no evidence there was any cost associated with this post. Under further questioning from Mr. Bryan and other op- position members, Mr. Kirk- connell again emphasized why he believes a referendum would delay the project to such an extent that it would effectively kill it. He suggested loan agree- ments were in place with the cruise lines that would likely expire if a referendum was required. “It has been common knowledge that we have en- tertained the idea of the cruise lines themselves of- fering finance for the project,” he said. “When they offer a finan- cial package, they offer it with timing. I made a state- ment a couple of months ago that we have six-month clock ticking. I don’t think that is out of ordinary when you go to a bank or lending institu- tion to say ‘I would like to borrow money.’” He said the terms of the loan offer could change or the offer could disappear completely if there were de- lays. He said the time it would take for a referendum would likley mean the loan offer would expire and the negotiations would have to start again. It was not clear from his comments how the loan of- fers from the cruise lines factor into the ongoing tender process involving three con- sortiums vying for “preferred bidder” status on the project. Mr. Kirkconnell was speaking during question time on the opening day of the second meeting of the 2018/19 session of the Leg- islative Assembly. The legis- lators are scheduled to de- bate 18 bills over the next few days. That process started Wednesday after- noon with debate over a new Stalking Bill. Moses Kirkconnell said the terms of the loan offer could change or the offer could disappear completely if there were delays. Tender boats dock in George Town’s South Terminal, bringing cruise passengers from ships mooring off the waterfront. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY RCIPS: Officers not severely impacted by forced retirement KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Attorney General’s Chambers on Tuesday de- fended former Police Com- missioner David Baines’s hiring and retirement deci- sions, as an appeal hearing continued into claims by former Caymanian police of- ficers that they were dis- criminated against when forced to retire. The officers originally sued the Royal Cayman Islands Po- lice Service in 2016, arguing that Mr. 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’s hiring decisions constituted an “entirely appropriate gov- ernment action.” One of the RCIPS’s ratio- nales for allowing British of- ficers to retire at a later age was to attract specialist talent from overseas, according to statements made in court. During the appeal hearing on Tuesday, Deputy So- licitor General Reshma Sharma argued further that the RCIPS was justified in making its hiring and retire- ment decisions. Ms. Sharma said that even if the Caymanian officers were discriminated against, it’s not enough for them to show that they were nega- tively impacted. Instead, they have to meet a high threshold of adverse impact, she said. The deputy solicitor gen- eral cited a case from the European Union involving several Russians who were banned from taking on em- ployment after they left the KGB. Those Russians were able to show the courts that their rights were violated be- cause they were severely im- pacted, but that case is “dis- tinguishable” from that of the Caymanian officers, she said. “We say they do not meet the threshold [of adverse im- pact],” she said. Ms. Sharma’s arguments were in response to submis- sions made earlier Tuesday morning by attorney Jeff Jupp, who is representing the Caymanian officers. A total of 10 current or former officers joined the suit, but four later withdrew their claims. Mr. Jupp argued against the RCIPS’s justification for the mandatory retirement age, which was that the RCIPS wanted officers physically ca- pable of carrying out their du- ties. 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 al- lowing someone hired after- ward to remain working for five more years, he said. Mr. Jupp 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 po- sitions on the RCIPS, Mr. Jupp said. The attorney com- pared the practice of age dis- crimination 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 islands’ most-trusted news source 8 THURSDAY NOVEMBER 15, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS REVIVAL TIME! Church of God (Universal) – 83 Walkers Road George Town NOVEMBER 20-25, 2018 Services 7:15 each night- Tuesday to Saturday 11:A.M. and 7 P.M. Sunday Inspiring Musical Selections Bible Messages for these times Musical Visiting Evangelist from the USA Bro. Harley McClung All are Welcome! Water stated. Under its current license regime, Cayman Water pays a 7.5 percent royalty to the government of its gross re- tail water sales revenues – excluding energy cost adjust- ments. The selling prices of water sold to its customers are determined by the license and vary depending upon the type and location of the customer and the monthly volume of water purchased, according to Consolidated Water’s annual report. Consolidated Water’s fi- nancial reports do not go into detail about the negotiations, but state that government is looking to restructure its water supply deal with Con- solidated Water in a manner that could significantly re- duce the company’s income. “The resolution of these li- cense negotiations could re- sult in a material reduction of the operating income and cash flows we have historically generated from our retail op- erations,” Consolidated Water stated in a previous report. The report added that one of the likely outcomes to the negotiations will be that Consolidated Water will no longer receive tax breaks on its imports related to the re- tail license. Under the ex- isting license agreement, Con- solidated Water does not pay duty on supplies imported into the Cayman Islands under its retail water license. According to a 2010 filing, the Cayman Islands gov- ernment is looking to lower water rates for residents. “Depending upon the terms included in such new license, the company’s water rates to customers could be reduced, thereby resulting in a cor- responding reduction in the company’s operating income as compared to operating in- come that the company has historically generated under the license,” Consolidated Water stated in a 2010 filing. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 OfReg rejects Cayman Water proposal Water Authority releases report on wetlands dumping it is disposed of at the landfill. Health and Environment Minister Dwayne Seymour declined to comment on the matter, while the Department of Environmental Health and the NRA did not respond to inquiries. Infrastructure Minister Joey Hew, who is responsible for the NRA, did not respond to inquiries, either. The Department of En- vironment sent a response after the Cayman Com- pass print deadline. That re- sponse will be reported in Friday’s edition. The Water Authority’s re- port was drafted in Sep- tember, about two months after a Cayman 27 reporter filmed the NRA dumping wastewater into the wet- lands near the Linford Pierson Highway. The Water Authority sub- sequently sent samples from the wetlands, a roadside well, and an unpolluted control site to Florida for testing. According to the report, the tests found the wetlands and well samples to contain the carcinogen Benzo(a)pyrene at levels higher than Florida soil remediation standards. Benzo(a)pyrene has been found in soot and is linked to “chimney sweeps’ carcinoma,” or cancer of the scrotum, ac- cording to the U.K.-based Royal Society of Chemistry. The report states that the carcinogen in the sludge sample from the Linford Pierson Highway disposal sample was measured at 424 micrograms per kilo- gram, surpassing the Florida “contaminant cleanup target level” threshold for residen- tial soil of 100 micrograms per kilogram – the Florida threshold for industrial soil is 700 micrograms per kilo- gram. The sample directly from the well also tested for the carcinogen at 1,140 mi- crograms per kilogram. The issue of carcino- genic wastewater being dumped in wetlands stems from improvements the NRA made in cleaning out road- side drainage wells about 12 years ago. The Water Authority’s re- port states that in 2006 the NRA started vacuuming out stormwater wells in order to clear debris and miti- gate flooding. Before that, the NRA would blow out the debris with compressed air, which was an inferior method because debris in the wells was left on the surface and would drain back into the wells when it rained – resulting in reduced drainage capacity. When the NRA started vacuuming out the wells, the agency initially took ma- terial to the Water Author- ity’s wastewater treatment ponds. However, the Water Authority stopped this prac- tice because it was con- cerned that the NRA trucks could possibly collapse the embankment of the pond when driving on it, the re- port states. After the Water Authority stopped accepting the waste, the NRA began disposing of it at the George Town land- fill. But around 2011, the De- partment of Environmental Health stopped accepting the waste as well. The Water Authority’s re- port does not state why the Department of Environ- mental Health stopped ac- cepting the waste at the land- fill, or whether any plans were made to dispose of the waste somewhere other than the wetlands. With the Water Authority and Department of Environ- mental Health not accepting the waste, the NRA began dumping it at four sites: off Linford Pierson Highway nearly opposite the Eques- trian Centre; off of Halley Street in Frank Sound; in West Bay near Ristorante Pappagallo; and at the Bobby Butz former quarry across from the Spotts dock – dumping at this location was discontinued when the quarry was closed off with a chain, the report states. The amount of waste dumped at the site has in- creased over the last three years, according to the report. Before 2015, the well vac- uuming was only done at a “moderate level,” with the NRA using its trucks in re- sponse to flood emergencies only. About three years ago, the NRA started a preventa- tive cleaning program during the dry season, focusing on the roughly 500 wells in areas that flood frequently. The NRA stopped vac- uuming the wells fol- lowing negative media re- ports in June, and reverted to blowing them with com- pressed air, according to the Water Authority. Now that the Department of Environmental Health is again accepting the waste at the landfill, the Water Au- thority stated that how the issue has been handled is “a good and positive example of various Government agencies working together to find a suitable and responsible so- lution for this challenge that affected every agency.” CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Calico Jack’s submits Barkers plan which had gathered 1,000 signatures by press time Wednesday. Mr. Whittaker said he believes the venue can be a “great facility for cruise ship passengers, tourists and locals,” that will bring business and opportu- nity to West Bay. He said clearing the sea grass was necessary to make the beach accessible. “People don’t want to go to the beach and not be able to swim,” he added. The lease for the existing site of Calico Jack’s on Dart-owned land at Seven Mile Beach expires at the end of 2020 and Mr. Whittaker hopes to be able to reopen in the new location soon after. Dart Real Estate issued a state- ment in response to questions from the Compass about the project in- dicating that it supports the appli- cation and is still in separate talks with government over a proposal to protect 279 acres in the Barkers area as a national park. Dart and govern- ment are the principal landowners in the Barkers peninsula. Dart’s statement said, “As the Cayman Islands’ tourism needs con- tinue to grow, the Barkers area in West Bay presents an option for low-impact tourism development. Sustainability for Dart Real Estate is top of mind and the company is sensitive to the biodiversity that exists in areas of Barkers. “Dart Real Estate believes that thoughtful public beach amenity proj- ects can co-exist in proximity to the area earmarked for the proposed Barkers National Park. “The application is a result of ex- tensive collaboration with local busi- nessman Handel Whittaker of Calico Jack’s Bar & Grill through the cur- rent tenant/landlord relationship. Re- locating Calico Jack’s from Seven Mile Beach to the Barkers peninsula offers [an] opportunity to enhance and diver- sify the jurisdiction’s tourism product for both residents and visitors.” The proposal has attracted some opposition since the application was advertised in the Compass on Friday. A change.org online petition urging government not to grant the coastal works license highlights the fact that the coastal area is in a Replenishment Zone and cites the threat of erosion caused by previous instances where sea grass was removed. Some of those who signed left com- ments suggesting they felt the Barkers area should be left untouched and was an important area for camping. Others highlighted that sea grass is an im- portant habitat for marine life, in- cluding turtles. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 A sunset view of Barkers Beach in West Bay. - PHOTO: CHRIS COURT According to a 2010 filing, the Cayman Islands government is looking to lower water rates for residents.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY NOVEMBER 15, 2018 EU: Migrant arrivals set to hit 5-year low The EU’s border agency says 2018 is likely to see the lowest number of unauthorized migrant arrivals in five years. Frontex said around 118,900 irregular border crossings were recorded in the first 10 months of the year, around 31 percent lower than the same period a year ago. 2018 Open House Pre-Christmas Specials & Gifts Galore Meet the Artist 5 pm - 6:30 pm Refreshments 5 pm – 7 pm Open 9 am – 7 pm Thursday 15th November 2018 South Church Street May secures Cabinet backing for Brexit deal as critics rage LONDON (AP) – British Prime Minister Theresa May said that she won her Cabi- net’s backing for a draft di- vorce deal with the European Union after a “long, detailed and impassioned” marathon meeting Wednesday. The breakthrough came as pro-Brexit lawmakers raged against a draft agree- ment they said would make the U.K. subservient to the bloc indefinitely. May’s Cabinet debated whether to support the deal after negotiators from Britain and the European Union broke a months-long logjam and reached agreement on di- vorce terms. May referred to the sup- port from her Cabinet as a “collective agreement,” but didn’t say whether the deal received unanimous backing. She emerged from the five- hour meeting to tell reporters in Downing St. that the deal was “the best that could be negotiated.” She said approval by Cab- inet was a “decisive step which allows us to move on and finalize the deal in the days ahead.” “I firmly believe, with my head and my heart that this is a decision which is in the best interests of the United Kingdom,” she said. Earlier, May told law- makers in the House of Commons that the draft deal “takes us significantly closer to delivering what the British people voted for in the referendum” of 2016 that opted to leave the EU. May said Britain would “take back control of our bor- ders, our laws and our money … while protecting jobs, se- curity and the integrity of our United Kingdom.” But pro-Brexit lawmakers in May’s Conservative Party – a group that includes some members of the Cab- inet – say the agreement will leave Britain tethered to the EU after it departs and un- able to forge an independent trade policy. Euroskeptic Conservative legislator Peter Bone warned May that she would “lose the support of many Conserva- tive (members of Parliament) and millions of voters across the country” if she pressed ahead with the agreement. May’s supporters argue that the deal is the best on offer, and the alternatives are a chaotic “no-deal” Brexit that would cause huge disruption to people and businesses, or an election that could see the Conservative government re- placed by the left-of-center Labour Party. Former Foreign Secretary William Hague warned “ar- dent Brexiteers” that if they shoot down May’s deal, it could lead to a change of government and a new ref- erendum and “Brexit might never happen at all.” Failure to secure Cab- inet backing will leave May’s leadership in doubt and the Brexit process in chaos, with exit day just over four months away on March 29. If the Cabinet supports the deal, it still must be ap- proved by leaders of the 28-nation EU. Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said EU leaders had penciled in a Nov. 25 Brexit summit to discuss the deal – though he cautioned nothing was guaranteed and much could still go wrong. Then May will need to win backing from Britain’s Parliament – no easy task, since pro-Brexit and pro-EU legislators alike are threat- ening to oppose it. The main obstacle to a withdrawal agreement 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 Ire- land after Brexit. Britain and the EU agree that there must be no barriers that could disrupt businesses and residents on either side of the border and undermine Northern Ireland’s hard-won peace process. The proposed solution in- volves a common customs ar- rangement for the U.K. and the EU, to eliminate the need for border checks, with some provisions that are specific to Northern Ireland. The solution is intended to be temporary, but pro- Brexit politicians in Britain fear it may become perma- nent, hampering Britain’s ability to strike new trade deals around the world. Pro-Brexit former For- eign Secretary Boris Johnson said the agreement would make his favored option, a loose Canada-style trade deal with the bloc, impossible. He tweeted: “Cabinet must live up to its responsibilities & stop this deal.” Northern Ireland’s Demo- cratic Unionist Party, which props up May’s minority gov- ernment, said it would op- pose any deal that leaves Northern Ireland subject to different rules to the rest of the U.K. after Brexit. “We could not as union- ists support a deal that broke up the United Kingdom,” DUP leader Arlene Foster said. May also faced dis- quiet from Scottish Conser- vative lawmakers, worried about what the deal means for Scotland’s important fishing industry. The party’s Scottish leg- islators – including Scottish Secretary David Mundell, a Cabinet minister – wrote to May saying Brexit must mean “full sovereignty over domestic waters” and Britain must leave the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy after Brexit. May also faces growing opposition from pro-EU law- makers, who say her pro- posed Brexit deal is worse than the status quo and the British public should get a new vote on whether to leave or to stay. Sophie in ‘t Veld, a Dutch member of the European Par- liament who is deputy to the legislature’s Brexit chief Guy Verhofstadt, said the real problem during the negotia- tions “lies within the U.K.” be- cause Britain doesn’t know what relationship it wants with the EU. “That is the real problem, because if the U.K. had a single agreed line, backed by the majority of parties and the majority of MPs, then the whole situation would not be so unclear,” she said. Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May speaks during Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons, London, Wednesday. - PHOTO: PA WIRE VIA AP She emerged from the five-hour meeting to tell reporters in Downing St. that the deal was “the best that could be negotiated.” Southeast Asian trade deal set for delays SINGAPORE (AP) – Leaders of Southeast Asian nations have again pushed back an agree- ment on a pan-Asian free trade deal amid a whirlwind of diplomacy Wednesday at their annual summit. In convening talks among the leaders of countries par- ticipating in the plan, Sin- gapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said a final agreement on the deal, which is expected to encompass nearly half the world’s pop- ulation and 40 percent of world trade, will be delayed until 2019. Lee’s comments confirmed earlier expectations that the 16 countries in the plan, called the Regional Com- prehensive Economic Part- nership, or RCEP, would not meet their goal of finalizing the accord this year. The trade talks followed scores of bilateral meetings among the leaders and talks on other issues such as re- gional security, how to keep peace in the South China Sea and the crisis over hundreds of thousands of ethnic Ro- hingya Muslims who have fled to Bangladesh to escape violence in Myanmar. During the meetings in Singapore, Lee has champi- oned the region’s commit- ment to free trade and a mul- tilateral approach to sorting out the issue – in contrast with U.S. President Donald Trump’s “American First” preference for bilateral trade deals and distrust of interna- tional institutions. “We are meeting at a crit- ical time. Protectionism and anti-globalization senti- ments are on the rise. This can have a devastating im- pact on the regional as well as the global economy, and business confidence in Asia is already being af- fected,” Lee said. “It’s important that we redouble our economic in- tegration efforts and main- tain a free, open and rules- based multilateral trading system which has under- pinned our growth and pros- perity,” he said. Trump withdrew from a Pacific Rim trade initiative, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, just after taking office last year. That trade pact is due to take effect on Dec. 30. The U.S. is not part of the RCEP initiative, which includes China, India, Australia and most other Asian economies. Lee said participating countries had finished seven of 18 chapters in their agree- ment and shown “strong po- litical will” to finish it. He warned that further delays in reaching an agreement, already in negotiations for six years, would damage the RCEP’s credibility. “We are now at the final stage of negotiations. With a strong momentum gener- ated this year, I am pleased to note that the RCEP negoti- ations are poised for conclu- sion in 2019,” he said. The 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations members are Brunei, Cam- bodia, Indonesia, Laos, Ma- laysia, Myanmar, the Philip- pines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Next >