ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – TUESDAY DECEMBER 18, 2018 High of 84 Low of 73 Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 MISS UNIVERSE: A CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT WORLD | PAGE 8 MAY SAYS POSTPONED BREXIT VOTE TO BE HELD WEEK OF JAN. 14 187202_HR2-Ad-Strip-BOTY2017-6coPage 1 10/29/18 11:04:38 AM UK agrees to new ministry Hong Kong office approved MICHAEL KLEIN mklein@pinnaclemedialtd.com The U.K. government has formally agreed to Cayman’s plans of establishing a new Min- istry of International Trade, Investment, Avia- tion and Maritime Affairs, as well as a Cayman Islands Government Office in Hong Kong. Premier Alden McLaughlin announced British consent and support in a statement in the Legislative Assembly on Monday. Mr. McLaughlin said both endeavors come in response to a changing business and regu- latory environment. “While it is perhaps extraordinary for an administration to create a new ministry,” he said, “these are indeed extraordinary times.” Both the threat of an EU blacklisting and potentially falling afoul of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Forum on Harmful Tax Practices are forcing Cayman to adapt. “What we continue to see is an ever- changing landscape as regards the required regulation of the financial services sector; requirements that are no longer European Union-centric but are becoming the interna- tional standard – and so Cayman must move with the times if we are to maintain a vibrant financial services Industry,” he said. The U.K. government had to approve the initiatives because, under the Cayman Islands constitution, foreign policy and external af- fairs are functions reserved to the governor. The governor may delegate responsibilities for external affairs to elected ministers, which then gives them freedom to act within certain prescribed limits in relation to overseas gov- ernments and institutions. Mr. McLaughlin said that, at the polit- ical level, he as the premier was leading ROGUE BIKERS A ‘MENACE TO THE PUBLIC,’ WARNS MAGISTRATE Biker took selfies during police chase JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A rogue biker who took selfies as he led po- lice on a 30-minute chase across West Bay has been jailed for a year. Alvin Shaquille Ebanks pulled wheelies and stood on the seat of a stolen motorcycle as he weaved in and out of traffic at high speed on Nov. 10 this year, a court heard Monday. Passing sentence, Magistrate Valdis Fol- dats said reckless bikers were a “menace to the public.” He said the court was “handi- capped” in its efforts to send a message on the issue because the maximum sentence for dangerous driving in Summary Court is one year in prison. Mr. Foldats said Mr. Ebanks had shown a disdain for the rules of the road and sug- gested he may have been given a longer sen- tence if the prosecution had elected to take the case to Grand Court. He added that the legislature might wish to take another look at the sentencing guide- lines for dangerous driving in the light of the threat posed to the public by rogue bikers. Summarizing the evidence at Monday’s sentencing hearing, Crown counsel Garcia Kelly said Mr. Ebanks was tracked by the po- lice helicopter during a lengthy pursuit that started on the Esterley Tibbetts Highway and ended on Birch Tree Hill Road. She said officers in the air support unit had spotted Mr. Ebanks filming the chase on his phone as he rode at speed through West Bay. When he was eventually caught, he abandoned Philippines’ Catriona Gray named Miss Universe 2018 BANGKOK (AP) – The Philip- pines’ Catriona Gray was named Miss Universe 2018 in a com- petition held in Bangkok on Monday, besting contestants from 93 other countries and de- lighting her home nation. Gray wore a sparkling red dress that she said was inspired by a volcano in the Philippines as she was handed the crown to the delight of a roaring crowd in the Thai capital that gener- ally favored Southeast Asian contestants. The 24-year-old singer and model said she wore red because “when I was 13, my mom said she had a dream that I would win Miss Universe in a red dress.” She said her mom cried when they saw each other after she won the competition, the 67th Miss Universe pageant. Gray edged out first runner-up New murals at KAABOO site An artist creates a giant painting while standing inside a cherry picker on Saturday. Stacks of shipping containers on the KAABOO Cayman festival site below the Esterley Tibbetts Highway bridge are being covered with colorful murals as part of the arts element of the Feb. 15-16 event. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Catriona Gray of the Philippines is crowned the new Miss Universe 2018 by Miss Universe 2017 Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters. – PHOTO: AP PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 »2 LOCAL&REGIONAL TUESDAY DECEMBER 18, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS • Matinees Daily (matinee price before 6pm) • Seniors $8.00, Mon-Fri Before 6pm • Additional charges apply per 3D/VIP tickets Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. - TUESDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) SECOND ACT (PG13) 2:25 I 4:50 I 9:30 VIP I 10:00 MORTAL ENGINES (PG13) 12:40 3D I 3:30 VIP I 6:50 I 9:45 3D ELLIOT THE LITTLEST REINDEER (PG) 1:10 I 6:30 ROBIN HOOD (PG13) 1:00 I 3:45 I 7:10 I 9:50 THE GRINCH (PG) 1:45 I 4:00 I 6:20 SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE (PG) 12:45 VIP I 3:35 3D I 7:20 I 8:45 3D RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET (PG) 3:25 3D I 8:35 CLASSICS @ THE CINEMA: NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION (PG) 7:00 VIP Luxury development aims to set new standards in the east Industry insiders and pro- spective buyers got a sneak peak of a new luxury condo project under development in Rum Point at a launch event last week. The Rum Point Club Res- idences are the latest project from Caribbean Club devel- oper Joe Imparato. Though the residences will not be complete till May, the event at LUCA restaurant offered a preview of what the finished project will look like. Mr. Imparato said his aim was to bring Caribbean Club-style luxury to North Side. He said 18 of the 31 units had been sold, mostly to local investors looking to put the properties into a rental pool. The five-story venue, over- looking 500 feet of beach in North Side, will effectively function as a boutique hotel. It includes a mix of one- to four-bedroom units, ranging in price from US$1.1 million to US$2.9 million. Featuring a gym, spa, dining and concierge ser- vices, as well as boat trans- portation to and from Ca- mana Bay, Mr. Imparato believes the development will set a new standard in luxury for the area. “I am very excited,” he said. “I think this one is breaking new ground. It is new territory and I don’t think there is anything that comes close to this currently out there in the east.” He said last Tuesday’s launch event had gone well, with several guests signed up to tour the property. A fully furnished model unit has been completed and the rest of the units are expected to be finished in May, ahead of full opening later in 2019. Mr. Imparato said Tues- day’s event, which also in- cluded a Christmas raffle, was the official launch of the venue. Brazil police say celebrity faith healer has turned himself in RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) – A ce- lebrity faith healer accused of sexually abusing more than 300 women turned himself in Sunday to authorities in Bra- zil’s central state of Goias, after spending almost a day as a fugitive, police said. Joao Teixeira de Faria, who is known as Joao de Deus, had been given until 3 p.m. Saturday to comply with an arrest warrant, but he did not surrender by the deadline and was deemed a fugitive from justice, offi- cials had said. He finally surrendered Sunday afternoon on the out- skirts of Abadiania, a city in Goias, a Civil Police officer told The Associated Press. The officer’s name could not be used under police regulations. According to a video re- leased by the newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo, de Faria said: “I surrender to divine justice and justice on Earth.” De Faria, 76, was to spend the night at the State Delega- tion of Criminal Investiga- tions in the state capital. He has been a faith healer for four decades in a small town in central Brazil and became famous for con- ducting “psychic surgeries” that he said could cure dis- eases, including cancer. The allegations against de Faria first surfaced last week, with several individ- uals going on a Globo Televi- sion show to recount charges that he had been sexually vi- olent with them or relatives. After that, authorities were contacted by more than 300 other accusers, including de Faria’s adult daughter, Dalva Teixeira. In an interview published Friday by Brazilian maga- zine Veja, Teixeira said that under the pretense of mys- tical treatments he abused and raped his daughter be- tween the ages of 10 and 14. She said her father stopped after she became pregnant by one of his em- ployees. Teixeira said she was beaten so severely by her father that she suffered a miscarriage. “My father is a monster,” she said. Representatives for the law office representing de Faria have said that they were not making statements on the case. De Faria attracted fol- lowers from around the world, all looking for spiri- tual guidance or cures for afflictions. He gained international exposure in 2012 when Oprah Winfrey visited his retreat to interview him for her talk show. In a since-de- leted column on www.oprah. com, Winfrey wrote that she was overwhelmed by the ex- perience of seeing him cut into the breast of a woman without anesthesia and that she left feeling “an over- whelming sense of peace.” MEXICAN PRESIDENT SEEKS TO REVAMP HEALTHCARE FOR POOR MEXICO CITY (AP) – Mex- ican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador an- nounced a $5.7-billion, two- year plan Friday to revamp the country’s healthcare system for the poor. He also said the country should consider a program for eu- thanasia, or voluntary as- sisted dying, which is cur- rently not allowed. “Why don’t we imple- ment some program for dignified death? Why not, assisted?” said Lopez Ob- rador. “These are very im- portant questions we have to resolve among all of us.” The plan aims to im- prove hospitalization ser- vices and ensure supplies of medications for poor Mexicans not covered by one of the two main federal health insurance programs. Mexico already has one system for private sector workers whose employers contribute health insur- ance payments, and an- other system for govern- ment employees. Farmers, the self-em- ployed and street vendors fall outside those plans. “More than half the population has no health insurance,” Lopez Obrador said. “So this program is for them. It is for everybody, but the emphasis is to care for those with no insur- ance, the poorest people.” At present they are treated at a patchwork of state and local clinics, which often do not have the level of care or medications they need. But under the new plan they would be eli- gible for emergency treat- ment at hospitals in the two other, better-funded systems. Lopez Obrador pledged to improve funding and staffing at the federal facilities. Lopez Obrador also said the federal government would take responsibility for treating everyone in eight states in the impover- ished southeast, the first to join the plan. Mexico’s other 24 states would be added eight at a time, so all would be covered within two years. Lopez Obrador put spe- cial emphasis on providing medications; while Mexi- cans can often get diag- nosis, the medicines they need often simply aren’t available at hospitals and clinics. Patients are often forced to buy medications at pri- vate pharmacies with their own funds, and there have been many instances of fraud and corruption in the bidding to supply medications the govern- ment does buy. Images of the new Rum Point Residences development on display at the launch event at LUCA restaurant last Tuesday. “More than half the population has no health insurance.” MEXICAN PRESIDENT ANDRES MANUEL LOPEZ OBRADOR Stefan Prior, Michael Joseph, Joe Imparato, Jacqueline Imparato, Sophie Prior and Anne Lauer at Tuesday’s launch event for the Rum Point Club.3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY DECEMBER 18, 2018 T: 949 5111 E: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com FROM THE MANAGEMENT & STAFF OF PINNACLE MEDIA LTD. PLEASE BE ADVISED OF OUR PUBLICATION DEADLINES & CLOSING HOURS OFFICE HOURS Friday, December 21: 8a.m. – 5p.m. Monday, December 24: 8a.m. – NOON December 25, PUBLIC HOLIDAY: CLOSED December 26, PUBLIC HOLIDAY: CLOSED Thursday, December 27: 8a.m. – 5p.m. Friday, December 28: 8a.m. – 5p.m. Monday, December 31: 8a.m. – NOON January 1, PUBLIC HOLIDAY: CLOSED RE-OPEN FOR BUSINESS TUESDAY, JANUARY 2 & HAPPY NEW YEAR PUBLICATIONDEADLINE Friday, December 21 Tuesday, December 18 Monday, December 24 Wednesday, December 19 Tuesday, December 25 NO PUBLICATION Wednesday, December 26NO PUBLICATION Thursday, December 27 Thursday, December 20 Friday, December 28 Friday, December 21 Monday, December 31Thursday, December 27 Tuesday, January 1 NO PUBLICATION Wednesday, January 2 Thursday, December 27 Thursday, January 3Friday, December 28 Friday, January 4 Monday, December 31 Students run ‘Smile in a Box’ gift drive Students at Cayman Prep and High School organized a holiday gift drive, called “Smile in a Box,” to benefit families of the Department of Children and Family Services. Students throughout the high school were encouraged to bring gifts, educational toys and games, along with hygiene items that would be used to fill up shoeboxes for children of all ages. Year 10H students, along with form tutor Jenavieve van den Bergh worked for two weeks putting together the gifts, which students de- livered last week to Chil- dren and Family Services for distribution. The initiative came about after student Nadia Sim- monds approached school principal Karl Murphy asking his permission to run and or- ganize the entire campaign. Nadia, along with fellow students Leah Alberga, Ol- ivia Barnett, Jenny Gray, Norah Hughes, Olivia Plun- kett, Lauren Chiazza and Ciara Galway spent their free time packing, wrapping, col- lecting and buying items for the gift boxes. The students collected more than 100 gifts. “As a teacher and these students’ form tutor, it has been incredibly rewarding to watch these students working together, making positive con- tributions in our community and ultimately putting the needs of others before their own,” said Ms. van den Bergh. “As a school we are ex- tremely proud of every stu- dent who has helped us with this awesome cam- paign, whether that be dona- tions, gifts or just their time and help. We really hope next year it will be even bigger and better.” ANNUAL DCFS TOY DRIVE UNDER WAY The Department of Children and Family Ser- vices is currently accepting gifts, gift certificates and check donations from the public for its annual Christmas Toy Drive. Donations will be re- ceived up until 3 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 21. The initiative, will see presents distributed to a wide range of deserving people, from infants to seniors, across Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac. “The holiday season is a time when the department partners with the wider community in a very tan- gible way,” said Paulinda Mendoza-Williams, director at DCFS. In organizing this annual toy drive, she said they are harnessing the de- partment’s reach, encour- aging the wider commu- nity to spread Christmas cheer, while championing one of government’s broad policy outcomes of building stronger communities by supporting the most vulnerable. “We are extremely thankful for the generosity of all our donors, from the little girl who gave us her week’s pocket money to the firms that have cut large cheques,” she said. Among the dona- tions being dropped off at DCFS’s George Town office are bicycles, shoe boxes full of gift items and larger parcels for families such as clothing, toiletries and per- sonal care items, plus gift certificates from a range of local stores. Similarly, the depart- ment is receiving donations of Christmas meals for se- niors and families; as well as sponsorships for tab- lets and laptops for those pursuing education or wanting to build on tech- nology skills. “We have had a tremen- dous outpouring of contri- butions for worthy recipi- ents from the community this Christmas,” said So- phia Walker, a DCFS social worker coordinating this month’s drive. “These initiatives are coming from diverse sources who, having heard about our annual appeal, are gift-giving so that no child or person goes without a gift to open on Christmas Day,” she said. To donate to the Department of Children and Family Services’ Christmas Toy Drive, contact Ms. Walker on 244-7235 or email her on sophia.walker@gov.ky. 8 ARRESTED IN GAMBLING RAID Police arrested eight people on suspicion of il- legal gambling and seized more than $3,000 in cash Friday. The officers executed a warrant at an address on Owen Roberts Drive shortly after 9:30 p.m. They made the arrests at the location on suspi- cion of unlawful gaming and using a place as a common gaming house. The suspects, seven men aged between 39 and 66, from Bodden Town and George Town, and a 39-year- old woman of George Town, were all granted bail as in- vestigations continue. New police commander for eastern districts Acting Police Inspector Fernando Soto is the new area commander for the eastern districts, the Royal Cayman Islands Police Ser- vice announced Monday. Acting Inspector Soto is taking over from Inspector Winsome Prendergast who will retire in January after 21 years of service. In a statement, the RCIPS acknowledged “Inspector Prendergast’s energy and commitment to policing during her career, and her dedication to the welfare of officers and staff.” In the coming months, Mr. Soto will be organizing community meetings in each district, to properly introduce himself to resi- dents and hear their po- licing concerns and priori- ties, police said. According to the state- ment, Acting Inspector Soto has identified drug use/sales and gambling, speeding and traffic violations in school zones and residential areas, and building stronger rela- tionships with the public as among his top priorities. “As Area Commander, my goal is to ensure the profes- sionalism of our service de- livery and build safer com- munities. We can only achieve this if we the police and the public work together in part- nership. Therefore I am eager to meet with the residents and community groups in the Eastern Districts and en- courage them to reach out to me,” he said. Cayman Prep and High School students deliver gifts to the Department of Children and Family Services for distribution to families this Christmas. Acting Inspector Fernando SotoThe 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” Congratulations are in order for Miss Philippines, Catriona Gray, for being named Miss Universe 2018. Miss Gray’s confidence, articulateness and authen- ticity (along with that ever-elusive but all-impor- tant quality, “poise”) separated her from the field of 94 contestants from around the world. Her crowning on Monday night was a proud and joyful moment for her nation, its 100 million residents and the more than 2.3 million Filipino workers who are employed overseas – including some 3,500 right here in the Cayman Islands. According to the Miss Universe organization, “The women who compete embody the modern, global aspi- ration for the potential within all women.” That is an accurate description for Miss Gray – and also our own Miss Cayman, Caitlin Tyson, who repre- sented our country in the Miss Universe pageant, as well as Miss World Cayman, Kelsie Woodman-Bodden, who competed in the Miss World pageant earlier this month. The contestants participating in Monday’s Miss Universe competition, held in Bangkok, Thailand, repre- sented the “best of the best” from the nearly 10,000 young women who participate in Miss Universe pageants around the globe, according to the organization. Contestants must remain composed under intense scrutiny during interviews, swimsuit presentations and evening gown competitions – preliminary events designed to help judges and audiences get to know them before a half-dozen contestants are selected for the final round. Miss Gray, a 24-year-old singer and model, is the fourth Miss Universe to hail from the Philippines, where her mother was raised in Oas town in the northeastern province of Albay. Miss Gray’s father is from Australia – where she herself was born and raised before leaving to study music in the United States. Her globe-trotting experiences may sound familiar to the millions of Filipinos working abroad and the thou- sands who make up our Filipino community in Cayman. (The nearly 3,500 Filipinos in Cayman on work permits form the second-largest contingent of foreign workers here, following only workers from neighboring Jamaica.) Filipino workers can be found from the Americas and the Caribbean, to the Middle East and Africa and – quite literally – everywhere in between, working on ships at sea. Their remittances are a vital contributor to their home nation’s economy. As a workforce, they are valued for their work ethic, high education level and respectful conduct – admi- rable characteristics that are ingrained in the home and carried throughout adulthood. On an individual basis, many Filipinos who initially arrived in Cayman on work permits have settled down, grown roots and become permanent fixtures in our societal landscape. The new Miss Universe, Miss Gray, will move to New York City where she will work with the organization on humani- tarian issues that are important to her, as well as her personal career goals – learning to use her newly ampli- fied voice to effect positive change in the world. Perhaps her mission will bring Miss Gray to Cayman, a repeat of visits from her predecessors. We would cer- tainly welcome such an honored guest. It was just two years ago when another Miss Universe from the Philippines – Pia Wurtzbach – spent time in Cayman after winning her crown, to the delight of our entire community. Of course, we would love to host another reigning Miss Universe from the Pearl of the Orient Seas. Miss Gray, we know you’ve got a busy schedule, but consider this an invitation. Miss Universe: A crowning achievement It is ironic that General Motors CEO Mary Barra has drawn the ire of President Donald Trump and members of Congress for announcing plant closures in Michigan, Ohio and Canada when it is her shareholders who should be calling for her head. Barra claims she is re- sponding to shifts in car- buying habits away from sedans toward SUVs, and wants to move aggressively into electric vehicles, hybrids and self-driving platforms. But these are the fifth round of layoffs in 14 years. The truth is that Japanese auto makers can sell sedans at a profit, and GM cannot. And GM is struggling to compete on its home turf in SUVs too. Five years ago, sedans were half of U.S. auto sales, but those now capture only about 35 percent. And all the major auto makers must grapple with the plateauing of annual U.S. light vehicle sales at a bit more than 17 million. SUVs are bigger and more expensive but improvements in the engine and vehicle de- sign have greatly reduced the gas-mileage penalty imposed on drivers that choose those over sedans. And vehicles of all kinds are more durable these days. Thanks to advances in metallurgy, fuels and lubri- cants – these industries are more high-tech than most folks recognize – and better design, engines last a lot longer now – over 200,000 miles as compared to half that a few decades back. Consequently, car buyers are paying for the gas and keeping vehicles longer to compensate for higher SUV price tags. Options like Zipcar and Uber, inexpensively deliv- ered meals and groceries, and Amazon Prime free more young people from the ne- cessity of car ownership. In- creasingly, those living in cities and congested close-in suburbs with access to de- cent public transportation for commuting are opting to skip car ownership. Still, the battle for the sedan and smaller SUV mar- kets indicates just how vul- nerable GM and Ford remain to more agile foreign com- petitors. Since 2015, sales of Impalas are down about 49 percent and sales of Fu- sions are down about 45 per- cent, whereas Toyota Camry and Honda Accord sales are down only 20 percent and 19 percent. Japanese sedans simply deliver more value, reliability and verve, and do not think for a moment the problem does not repeat where car buyers are heading. The three best-selling ve- hicles in America are still U.S. pickup trucks – the Ford F-150, Chevy Silverado and the Dodge Ram – but those are followed by Jap- anese SUVs – the Nissan Rogue, Toyota RAV4 and the Honda CR-V. Ford and Chrysler al- ready announced they are ef- fectively pulling out of the sedan market and with GM’s exit, Asian auto makers and Volkswagen will have a clear path to most of the remaining 5 million sedans sold here. And those are often the first cars young folks own and a gateway for manufacturers to hawk their SUVs as careers mature and incomes rise. The U.S. tariff on sedans is only 2.5 percent but SUVs and trucks benefit from a 25 percent levy. When announcing the re- cent jobs cuts, GM carped that the recent steel tariff was costing it about $1 bil- lion, but I did not hear Barra offer to give up her truck/ SUV tariff if the steel duty were dropped – that is the hypocrisy of Detroit. It’s going to get worse – a lot worse. Barra is betting that elec- tric vehicles and autono- mous drive are coming fast, but GM has been late to the party with just about every major innovation that insti- gated change in what Amer- icans buy since the 1970s. Chrysler pioneered the min- ivan and SUV, and Honda, Toyota and Nissan were first with contemporary front wheel drive, hybrid and all- electric vehicles. GM’s most basic problem is a culture of mediocrity among its top managers and the difficulties of com- petitively producing vehi- cles in United Auto Workers organized plants. It is im- portant to remember Japa- nese competitors make se- dans in the United States profitably without a union- ized workforce. Whereas the Japanese aim to make best in class vehicles, GM executives are happy to settle for good enough. For a long time now, good enough has been not enough, and the matron of this culture of failure, Barra, should be shown the door. Peter Morici is an economist and business professor at the University of Maryland, and a national columnist. © 2018, The Washington Times, LLC. TUESDAY DECEMBER 18, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS GM’s shareholders should be calling for Barra’s head PETER MORICI General Motors CEO Mary Barra speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., Wednesday, Dec. 5, after a meeting with Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, to discuss GM’s announcement it would stop making the Chevy Cruze at its Lordstown, Ohio, plant, part of a massive restructuring for the Detroit-based automaker. - PHOTO: AP5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY DECEMBER 18, 2018 It’s a hotel within a hotel. The Westin Grand Cayman Resort pastry team, led by executive pastry chef Baranidharan Thirunavukkarasu, has created a gin- gerbread scale model of the resort. They spent 350 hours making the creation, using 170 pounds of dark choco- late, 50 pounds of white chocolate, 120 pounds of pow- dered sugar, 10 pounds of egg whites, 10 pounds of flour, 5 pounds of gelatin and 20 pounds of cane sugar. Members of the pastry team put some finishing touches on the edible Christmas display.A tiny railroad and some familiar holiday characters complete the display. New neighborhood watch groups started in West Bay West Bay Community Po- lice Officers say more neigh- borhood watches have been launched throughout the dis- trict, with two new watches being formed in recent weeks in areas that have never had a watch or community group before. There are now eight ac- tive community watches in the area. Officers said they spent time going door-to-door in West Bay neighborhoods asking if people wanted to join police WhatsApp groups for notifications. Most did and began to see the benefit of sharing information and of having a neighborhood watch, they said. A new neighborhood watch was inaugurated re- cently in Suellis Estates. And on Saturday, Commu- nity Police Department of- ficers also attended the ini- tial meeting of another neighborhood watch in the Ebanks Road area of West Bay following the opening of the Leo Ebanks Children’s Playground. Officers said anyone inter- ested in joining the Ebanks Road watch should contact the West Bay Police Station at 949-3999. Anyone who is interested in starting a neighborhood watch should contact their local police station or beat officer. An interactive map of the islands with the beats and contact information for beat officers can be found at www.rcips.ky/community.House Speaker McKeeva Bush, fifth from left, helps officers and residents kick off a new neighborhood watch group in West Bay. The Westin pastry team with the gingerbread model of the hotel that is on display now in the lobby. The hotel is inviting guests and residents to come by and check it out.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. TUESDAY DECEMBER 18, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS TUESDAY, DEC. 18 CUSTOMS OFFICE HOURS: Customs collection office open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. CANCER SOCIETY AGM: The Cayman Islands Cancer Society’s annual general meeting will be held at 6 p.m. at the Chamber of Commerce office in Governors Square. BT SENIORS CHRISTMAS DINNER: A Christmas dinner for the seniors of Bodden Town will be held at the Nurse Josie Centre, Cumber Avenue, today at 6 p.m. To schedule a pick-up, call 945-3281. EE CHRISTMAS PROGRAM: The Church of God Universal at East End presents a Christmas Program this evening at 7:15 p.m. WEDNESDAY, DEC. 19 CUSTOMS OFFICE HOURS: Customs collection office open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. THURSDAY, DEC. 20 CUSTOMS OFFICE HOURS: Customs collection office open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. CLASSICAL MUSIC AT LIBRARY: Cayman Arts Festival and the Cayman Islands Public Library Service present monthly one-hour concerts at the old George Town Public Library. 6-7 p.m. Includes classical music, poetry and readings from local poets and writers. Tickets available at the door, $20 for adults, $5 for children. Please note that there will only be 75 tickets available per event. HUMANE SOCIETY QUIZ: 7 p.m. at Fidel Murphy’s, Anna Haydon is hosting. Cost $10 per person. Six people per team. FRIDAY, DEC. 21 CUSTOMS OFFICE HOURS: Customs collection office open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. BLUE CHRISTMAS SERVICE: St. George’s Anglican Church hosts a Blue Christmas Service at 7 p.m. CHRISTMAS LIGHTS TOUR: Visit some of Cayman’s best Christmas lights displays. The National Trust’s Christmas Lights Bus Tour leaves the Trust’s Visitor Centre at 6 p.m. SATURDAY, DEC. 22 UWC CAYMAN WINTER SOCIAL: United World Colleges Cayman Islands invites all alumni and supporters of UWC for its annual winter social. A short film titled “We Will Live” starring alum Hailee Robinson will be featured. The Attic, West Bay Road. 3-6 p.m. CUSTOMS COLLECTION OFFICE CLOSURE: Customs’ collection office will be closed today. SUNDAY, DEC. 23 SERVICES HELD: St. George’s Anglican Church hosts services for The Fourth Sunday of Advent 7 a.m.; 9 a.m. Youth Sunday. CHOIR CANTATA: “Christ has Come.” John Gray Memorial Church, West Bay, 10 a.m. MONDAY, DEC. 24 SPOT BAY CHRISTMAS HOMECOMING: The Spot Bay Committee on Cayman Brac presents Christmas caroling on foot and door-to-door gift distribution to seniors starting at 7 p.m. IMMIGRATION HOLIDAY CLOSURE: The Immigration headquarters, including public counters and the passport and visa offices will close to the public at 11:30 a.m. NAU HOLIDAY CLOSURE: The Needs Assessment Unit offices on Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac will be closed from noon today. NWDA HOLIDAY CLOSURE: The National Workforce Development Agency office will close to the public at noon today. TUESDAY, DEC. 25 NATIONAL MUSEUM HOLIDAY CLOSURE: The National Museum Gift Shop will be closed today. WEDNESDAY, DEC. 26 DASHING THRU THE SAND: The annual Dashing Thru the Sand run will be held this morning at 7:30 a.m. at Seven Mile Public Beach. SERVICES HELD: St. George’s Anglican Church hosts services for St. Stephen Deacon and Martyr at 8 a.m. NATIONAL MUSEUM HOLIDAY CLOSURE: The National Museum Gift Shop will be closed today. THURSDAY, DEC. 27 SERVICES HELD: St. George’s Anglican Church hosts services for St. John Apostle and Evangelist 8 a.m. ST. IGNATIUS ALUMNI SOCIAL: All St. Ignatius graduates and former students are invited to attend the schools’ annual Christmas Social today at 7 p.m. at Sunset House on South Church Street. Anyone who ever attended Our Lady of Perpetual Help or St. Ignatius School is welcome. Catch up with friends, swap stories, and enjoy the sea breeze! FRIDAY, DEC. 28 SERVICES HELD: St. George’s Anglican Church hosts Holy Innocents Mass and Children’s Fun Day at 10 a.m. SATURDAY, DEC. 29 CUSTOMS COLLECTION OFFICE CLOSURE: Customs’ collection office will be closed today. SUNDAY, DEC. 30 SERVICES HELD: St. George’s Anglican Church hosts The First Sunday after Christmas services at 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. GENERAL INTEREST SPECIAL OLYMPICS: Be a volunteer for athlete training at Truman Bodden Sports Complex. Tuesdays, 5:30 p.m. for track, bocce and football, and Thursdays, 5:30 p.m. for basketball. 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. 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. SEAFARERS HALL: The Cayman Islands Seafarers Association wishes to inform the community that the hall is now available for rent every day of the week, including Saturdays, as the church is no longer contracted with the association at 11 Victory Avenue, Prospect. HOLIDAY MARKET: Visit the weekly holiday market on Wednesdays at Camana Bay for local artisanal and farm goods. Noon to 7 p.m. at The Paseo. The final market of the year will take place on Dec. 19. THRIFT SHOP: One Dog At A Time’s “New To You” Thrift Shop is open Saturdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 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 Street. 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. For more information, email humanesocietybookloft@ candw.ky or call 946-8053. Donations of books, games, CDs, stationery, DVDs, cards etc. in good condition needed. CLUBS, ORGANIZATIONS ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS: Meets daily to help with drinking problems. Call 926-9044 or visit www.caymanaa.org. NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS: Is available for substance abuse help. Call the info line at 929–NANA (6262). AL-ANON GROUP MEETING: Are you troubled by someone’s drinking? Al-Anon Family Groups can help. Call 928-8843 or email caymanalanon@gmail.com for meeting times. OVERCOMERS OUTREACH: A Christ-centered 12-step recovery group addresses addictions and those affected by them. Meetings at Cayman Islands Baptist Church, Pedro Castle Road, Tuesdays, 7:15 p.m. For details, contact Vanessa Gilman at 946-2422, or visit www.overcomersoutreach.org. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. The National Trust is hosting a Christmas Lights Bus Tour on Friday, Dec. 21. The bus leaves the Trust’s Visitor Centre at 6 p.m. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY CHRISTMAS CHURCH SERVICES CHRISTMAS EVE, MONDAY, DEC. 24: ■■ John Gray Memorial Church, West Bay: Service at 7 p.m., caroling at 8:15 p.m. ■■ Stella Maris Catholic Church (Cayman Brac): Mass, 4 p.m. ■■ St. Ignatius Catholic Church: Children’s Christmas Play, 5:15 p.m. ■■ St. Ignatius: Children’s Mass, 6 p.m. ■■ Safe Harbour Lutheran Church: Lessons and carol service on the beach at Sunset Cove (behind the Margarita- ville Resort, off West Bay Road), 6.30 p.m. ■■ Christ the Redeemer Catholic Church, West Bay: Carol service, 7:30 p.m. ■■ Christ the Redeemer: Mass, 8 p.m. ■■ St. Ignatius: Carol service, 11 p.m. ■■ St. Ignatius: Midnight Mass ■■ Elmslie Memorial United Church: Joint Charge Candlelight Service, 6:30 p.m. ■■ St. Alban’s Church of England, Shedden Road: Christmas Eve Fes- tival of Lessons and Carols, 7 p.m. ■■ St. George’s Anglican Church: Christmas Eve Carols and Mass, 10:45 p.m. CHRISTMAS DAY, TUESDAY, DEC. 25 ■■ St. Ignatius Catholic Church: Mass, 8 a.m. ■■ Christ the Redeemer: Mass, 9:45 a.m. ■■ St. Ignatius: Mass, 10 a.m. ■■ Safe Harbour Lutheran Church: Service at the South Sound Community Centre, 10 a.m. ■■ St. Ignatius: Mass, 11:30 a.m. ■■ John Gray Memorial Church, West Bay: Service, 10 a.m. ■■ Elmslie Memorial United Church: Service, 9 a.m. ■■ Savannah United Church, Bodden Town: Service, 8 a.m. ■■ Webster Memorial Church, Bodden Town: Service, 11 a.m. ■■ William Pouchie Memorial Church, North Side: Service, 9 a.m. ■■ East End United Church: Service, 11 a.m. ■■ Gun Bay United Church, East End: Service, 9:30 a.m. ■■ Church of God Universal: Service, 11 a.m. ■■ St. George’s Anglican Church: Mass, 8 a.m.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY DECEMBER 18, 2018 cross-governmental interna- tional exchanges but there was no one within the civil service charged with coordinating or leading these activities. “Opportunities to present a coherent and consistent ap- proach to other governments and to potential investors and partners are being missed. The new ministry will provide this coordinating function,” the premier said. In addition, the new min- istry would make it easier for potential overseas investors to do business in Cayman and help enhance the reputation of the Cayman Islands. The new ministry will take direct responsibility for the Cayman Islands Government Office in London; the Depart- ment of Investment, which is going to be split off from the Department of Commerce and Investment; the Shipping Reg- istry of the Maritime Authority; and the Aircraft Registry, but not the regulatory functions of the Civil Aviation Authority. The ministry’s role will be limited to the promotion of the shipping and aircraft registries and does not affect the gover- nor’s responsibilities over other areas of maritime and avia- tion affairs. It is expected that, in addi- tion to the Cayman Islands Gov- ernment Offices in London, the ministry will develop a network of international offices, and pro- posals would be brought for- ward on a case-by-case basis. The Hong Kong office is the first of these proposed offices and was chosen because of its existing links to Caymanian businesses and government entities and its location as a gateway to other Asian markets. “The primary focus for the office will be in the realiza- tion of economic benefits,” Mr. McLaughlin said. “It will sup- port the existing twin pillar in- dustries of tourism and finan- cial services and also serve to support the diversification of the Cayman economy through establishing links and pro- moting inward investment op- portunities with Asia’s highly developed knowledge-based in- dustrial sectors.” The Hong Kong office will provide certain real-time sup- port services, such as certifi- cates of good standing, dealing with immigration-related que- ries for Asian visitors, and po- tentially company incorpora- tion and funds registration on the same day and in the same time zone. “This will add tremen- dous value to the efforts of Cayman-based firms already operating in Asia, and in par- ticular in Hong Kong,” the premier said. Government plans to allocate an initial $3 million in its annual budget to staff the new ministry and Hong Kong office and for pro- motional activities. Tamaryn Green of South Af- rica and third-place Sthefany Gutierrez of Venezuela. She succeeds Demi-Leigh Nel-Pe- ters of South Africa. Miss Cayman, Caitlin Tyson, did not feature among the final 20 contes- tants in the competition, but in a Facebook post, she said, “This has been a life changing and eye opening experience that I will never forget! What a way to end the year.” In the Philippines, pag- eants are a popular attrac- tion, and Gray’s countrymen watching the televised con- test cheered wildly and jumped for joy when she was declared the winner. Celebrations were espe- cially buoyant in Oas town in the northeastern province of Albay, from which Gray’s Filipina mother hails. Ac- cording to Gray, her gown’s design, with its lava color and appearance, was in- fluenced by Albay’s iconic Mayon Volcano. Gray’s father is Austra- lian, and she was born and grew up in Cairns, Australia. She studied at the Berklee College of Music in Boston in the United States. The office of Philip- pine President Rodrigo Duterte was quick to con- gratulate the winner – the fourth Filipina to be named Miss Universe. “Ms. Gray truly made the entire Philippines proud when she sashayed on the global stage and showcased the genuine qualities de- fining a Filipina beauty: con- fidence, grace, intelligence and strength in the face of tough challenges,” Duterte said in a statement from the presidential palace. “In her success, Miss Philippines has shown to the world that women in our country have the ability to turn dreams into reality through passion, diligence, determination and hard work.” An early round of ques- tioning touched on the issue of drugs, a contro- versial subject in the Phil- ippines, where Duterte’s aggressive anti-drug crack- down has taken thousands of lives, many in what critics charge were extra- judicial executions. Duterte raised even more contro- versy when he recently joked that he smoked mari- juana to deal with his busy schedule of meetings with other Asian leaders at a re- gional summit. Asked what she thought about legalizing marijuana, Gray said: “I’m for it being used for medical use, but not so for recreational use. Because I think if people will argue, then what about alcohol and cigarettes? Ev- erything is good, but in moderation.” This year’s Miss Uni- verse competition included the first transgender contes- tant, Angela Ponce of Spain. She said in a video presen- tation that it was not im- portant for her to win, but was more important for her “to be here.” One of the few controver- sies of this year’s contest in- volved Miss United States, Sarah Rose Summers, who appeared to mock contes- tants from Cambodia and Vietnam over their English language skills. Summers apologized. The finale was again hosted by Steve Harvey, who infamously announced the wrong winner in the 2015 contest. Harvey joked briefly about the incident in ex- changes with contestants, saying, “You all can’t let that go” and “I’m still here.” The theme of this year’s pageant was “Empowered Women” and was judged by seven women, including former pageant winners, businesswomen and a fashion designer. the stolen Yamaha motor- cycle in the bushes and fled into a store, locking himself in the bathroom. He later attempted to flee the store, shoving a police of- ficer into shelves of produce, before he was subdued with pepper spray and arrested. Mr. Ebanks pleaded guilty to two counts of handling stolen goods, dangerous driving, riding without insurance, riding without being qualified, failing to display license plates and failing to comply with police. Magistrate Foldats said the courts had to send a message that such brazen disregard for the law from “grandstanding bikers” could not be tolerated. He said “the brazenness of recording the chase” while being pursued was an aggra- vating factor. Mr. Foldats said it was un- fortunate that the maximum sentence for dangerous driving in traffic court is only one year. “I imagine the legislators weren’t aware of motorcycle grandstanding when they put those [sentencing guidelines] in place,” he added. John Furniss, who repre- sented Mr. Ebanks, said the only mitigation he could offer was that the offenses took place in daylight, where they were less likely to cause an accident. He acknowledged his client had previous convictions for similar offenses. He claimed that Mr. Ebanks was at least a skilled mechanic and apparently a skilled rider who had never ac- tually caused an accident. “I am going to put that down to luck,” Magistrate Fol- dats interjected. “All you have to have is somebody crossing the street at the wrong time and someone standing on their seat is not in a position to do the right thing. That’s not much mitigation I am afraid.” Mr. Ebanks also plead guilty to a charge of handling stolen goods in connection to the bike he was riding during the chase, which had been stolen from outside the Marriott hotel in August. He admitted a second charge of handling stolen goods in relation to another motor- cycle he was caught riding on a separate occasion. He was given separate sen- tences ranging from one month imprisonment to six months’ imprisonment for each of the eight offenses. The total sen- tence adds up to one year be- hind bars. He was also banned from driving for two years. Rogue bikers a ‘menace to the public,’ warns magistrate Miss Cayman Caitlin Tyson with Miss Universe presenter Steve Harvey. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Philippines’ Catriona Gray named Miss Universe 2018 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 UK agrees to new ministry CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Most teen drug use is down, but officials fret vaping boom NEW YORK (AP) – Twice as many high school students used nicotine-tinged elec- tronic cigarettes this year compared with last year, an unprecedented jump in a large annual survey of teen smoking, drinking and drug use. It was the largest single- year increase in the survey’s 44-year history, far sur- passing a mid-1970s surge in marijuana smoking. The findings, released Monday, echo those of a government survey earlier this year. That survey also found a dramatic rise in vaping among children and prompted federal regula- tors to press for measures that make it harder for kids to get them. Experts attribute the jump to newer versions of e-cigarettes, like those by Juul Labs Inc. that resemble computer flash drives and can be used discreetly. Trina Hale, a junior at South Charleston High School in West Virginia, said vaping – specifically Juul – exploded at her school this year. “They can put it in their sleeve or their pocket. They can do it wherever, when- ever. They can do it in class if they’re sneaky about it,” she said. Olivia Turman, a freshman at Cabell Mid- land High School in Ona, West Virginia, said she too has seen kids “hit their vape in class.” The federally funded survey released Monday is conducted by University of Michigan researchers and has been operating since 1975. This year’s findings are based on responses from about 45,000 students in grades 8, 10 and 12 in schools across the country. It found 1 in 5 high school seniors reported having vaped nicotine in the pre- vious month. After vaping and alcohol, the most common thing teens use is marijuana, the survey found. About 1 in 4 students said they’d used marijuana at least once in the past year. It was more common in older kids – about 1 in 17 high school seniors said they use mar- ijuana every day. Overall, marijuana smoking is about the same level as it was the past few years. Vaping of marijuana rose, however. More teens, however, are saying no to lots of other substances. Usage of al- cohol, cigarettes, cocaine, LSD, ecstasy, heroin and opioid pills all declined. Experts say it’s not clear what’s behind those trends, especially since the na- tion is in the midst of the deadliest drug overdose ep- idemic ever. “What is it that we’re doing right with teen- agers that we’re not doing with adults?” said Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the Na- tional Institute on Drug Abuse, a federal agency that funds the Michigan study. One leading theory is that kids today are staying home and communicating on smartphones rather than hanging out and smoking, drinking or trying drugs. “Drug experimentation is a group activity,” Volkow said. What about vaping? “Vaping mostly is an indi- vidual activity,” said David Jernigan, a Boston Univer- sity researcher who tracks alcohol use. The vaping explosion is a big worry, however. Health officials say nicotine is harmful to developing brains. Some researchers also believe vaping will make kids more likely to take up cigarettes, and per- haps later try other drugs. A high school student uses a vaping device near a school campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts. – PHOTO: APThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 TUESDAY DECEMBER 18, 2018 • CAYMAN COMPASS Pre-Christmas strikes at Amazon Germany Workers at two Amazon distribution centers in Germany have gone on strike as part of a push for improved work conditions, leading to fears that Christmas orders may not arrive in time. Amazon has said in the past that its employees earn relatively high wages for the industry. May says postponed Brexit vote to be held week of Jan. 14 Saudi Arabia rejects US Senate’s ‘interference’ in kingdom WHITE HOUSE CLOSER TO PARTIAL SHUTDOWN WITH WALL DEMAND RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) – Saudi Arabia issued an un- usually strong rebuke of the U.S. Senate on Monday, re- jecting a bipartisan resolu- tion that put the blame for the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi squarely on the Saudi crown prince and describing it as interference in the kingdom’s affairs. It’s the latest sign of how the relationship between the royal court and Congress has deteriorated, more than two months after Khashoggi was killed and dismembered by Saudi agents inside the king- dom’s consulate in Istanbul. The assassins have been linked to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. U.S. Senators last Thursday passed the mea- sure that blamed the prince for Khashoggi’s killing and called on Riyadh to “ensure appropriate accountability.” Senators also passed a sepa- rate measure calling for the end of U.S. aid to the Saudi- led war in Yemen. In a lengthy statement early Monday, Saudi Arabia said the Senate’s resolution “contained blatant interfer- ences” in the kingdom’s in- ternal affairs and undermines its regional and international role. The resolution was based on “unsubstantiated claims and allegations,” the statement also said. “The kingdom categori- cally rejects any interfer- ence in its internal affairs, any and all accusations, in any manner, that disrespect its leadership … and any attempts to undermine its sovereignty or diminish its stature,” it said. Such language is usually reserved for those who crit- icize the kingdom’s human rights record, such as Sweden in 2015 after the public flog- ging of a blogger, and Canada this year over the arrests of women’s rights activists. But the statement was also tempered in saying the kingdom “reaffirms” its com- mitment to relations with the United States and describing the Senate as “an esteemed legislative body of an allied and friendly government.” President Donald Trump has been reluctant to con- demn the crown prince, de- spite U.S. intelligence officials concluding that Prince Mo- hammed must have at least had knowledge of the plot. Trump instead has touted Saudi arms deals worth bil- lions of dollars and has thanked the Saudis for lower oil prices. Saudi Arabia denies Prince Mohammed was in- volved in the Oct. 2 killing of Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist who wrote critically of the crown prince. Under intense international pressure, the kingdom re- cently acknowledged that the plot was masterminded by top Saudi agents close to Prince Mohammed. WASHINGTON (AP) – Pushing the government to the brink of a partial shut- down, the White House is insisting that Congress pro- vide $5 billion to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border despite lawmaker re- sistance from both parties. Without a resolution, parts of the federal gov- ernment will shut down at midnight Friday. “We’re going to do what- ever is necessary to build the border wall to stop this ongoing crisis of illegal im- migration,” White House se- nior adviser Stephen Miller said Sunday. Asked if that meant having a government shut- down, he said: “If it comes to it, absolutely.” President Donald Trump said last week he would be “proud” to have a shut- down to get Congress to approve a $5 billion down payment to fulfill his cam- paign promise to build a border wall. But the presi- dent doesn’t have the votes from the Republican-con- trolled Congress to sup- port funding for the wall at that level. Both major political parties in Congress have suggested that Trump would likely need to make the next move to re- solve the impasse. The House is taking an ex- tended weekend break, re- turning Wednesday night. The Senate returns Monday after a three-day absence. The Democratic con- gressional leaders, Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Nancy Pelosi, have pro- posed no more than $1.6 billion, as outlined in a bipartisan Senate bill. The money would not go for the wall but for fencing upgrades and other border security. Democrats also offered to simply keep funding at its current level, $1.3 billion. LONDON (AP) – Prime Min- ister Theresa May said Monday that the postponed vote in Parliament on Brit- ain’s Brexit agreement with the European Union will be held the week of Jan. 14 – more than a month after it was originally scheduled and just 10 weeks before Britain leaves the EU. But even as May insisted she could salvage her unpop- ular divorce deal, pressure was mounting for dramatic action – a new referendum or a vote among lawmakers – to find a way out of Britain’s Brexit impasse. May’s government and the EU sealed a divorce deal last month, but May postponed a parliamentary vote intended to ratify the agreement last week when it became clear legislators would overwhelm- ingly reject it. She tried to win changes from the EU to sweeten the deal for reluctant lawmakers, but was rebuffed by the bloc at a summit in Brussels last week. May’s authority also has been shaken after a no- confidence vote from her own party on Wednesday that saw more than a third of Con- servative lawmakers vote against her. May told lawmakers in the House of Commons on Monday that they would re- sume debate on the deal when Parliament comes back after its Christmas break the week of Jan. 7, with the vote held the following week. “I know this is not every- one’s perfect deal,” May said. “It is a compromise. But if we let the perfect be the enemy of the good then we risk leaving the EU with no deal.” Opposition legislators – and many from May’s Con- servative Party – remain op- posed to the deal and to the prime minister’s handling of the Brexit negotiations. “The prime minister has cynically run down the clock trying to maneuver Parlia- ment into a choice between two unacceptable outcomes: her deal and no deal,” La- bour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said. A growing number of poli- ticians from across the polit- ical spectrum believe a new referendum may be the only way to break the political logjam over Brexit. But May told lawmakers that staging another refer- endum “would say to mil- lions who trusted in democ- racy that our democracy does not deliver.” She said such a ballot would “further divide our country at the very mo- ment we should be working to unite it.” Lawmakers’ concerns over the deal center on a conten- tious insurance policy known as the “backstop,” designed to guarantee the border be- tween Ireland and Northern Ireland remains open. EU officials insisted at last week’s summit that the withdrawal agreement cannot be renegotiated, al- though they also stressed that the backstop was meant only as a temporary measure of last resort. May said she had had “robust” exchanges with other EU leaders in Brus- sels, but that the two sides were still holding talks about “further political and legal assurances.” European Commis- sion chief spokesman Mar- garitis Schinas, however, said Monday that “at this stage, no further meetings with the United Kingdom are foreseen.” With Britain’s departure from the bloc looming on March 29, it remains unclear whether the country will leave with a deal or crash out with no deal– a chaotic outcome that could see grid- lock at U.K. ports, planes grounded and shortages of essential goods. The Cabinet will dis- cuss “no-deal” planning at its weekly meeting on Tuesday, with details to be announced soon of 2 billion pounds (US$2.5 billion) in govern- ment funding to absorb some of the potential eco- nomic shock. Pro-EU Cabinet minis- ters, meanwhile, are seeking to work with opposition pol- iticians to find a way out of the morass. One suggestion is to give members of Parliament votes on a range of options – from leaving without a deal to holding a new referendum – to see if there is majority sup- port for any course of action. May’s spokesman, James Slack, said Monday that the government had “no plans” to hold such an indicative vote. But the idea has support in Cabinet. “We can’t just have con- tinuing uncertainty and I think Parliament should be invited to say what it would agree with,” Business Secre- tary Greg Clark told the BBC. He said “I think busi- nesses up and down the country would expect elected members to take respon- sibility, rather than just be critics.” [May] tried to win changes from the EU to sweeten the deal for reluctant lawmakers, but was rebuffed by the bloc at a summit in Brussels last week. British Prime Minister Theresa May walks by the EU stars as she arrives for a media conference at an EU summit in Brussels, Friday. – PHOTO: AP Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi speaks on his cellphone at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland in January 2011. – PHOTO: AP9 WORLD&REGIONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY DECEMBER 18, 2018 Malaysia files criminal charges against Goldman Sachs Nissan board meets but no chairman picked to replace Ghosn U.S. CONDUCTS 6 AIRSTRIKES AGAINST SOMALIA EXTREMISTS, 62 DEAD YOKOHAMA, Japan (AP) – Nis- san’s board met Monday but failed to pick a new chairman to replace Carlos Ghosn, who was arrested last month on charges of violating financial regulations, saying more dis- cussion was needed. Nissan Motor Co. Chief Executive Hiroto Saikawa told reporters that the board approved a special committee of outsiders to strengthen governance at the company. A date for the selection of a chairman was not decided. “We plan to be cau- tious in this process, and I do not plan to rush this,” Saikawa said. The recommendations for beefing up governance are due in March, and Saikawa said he was willing to wait until then to choose a chairman. The board meeting came amid an unfolding scandal that threatens the Japanese automaker’s two-decade al- liance with Renault SA of France and its global brand, and highlights shoddy gover- nance at the manufacturer of the Leaf electric car. Ghosn and another board member Greg Kelly were for- mally charged last week with falsifying financial reports in underreporting Ghosn’s in- come by about 5 billion yen (US$44 million) from 2011 to 2015. They were arrested Nov. 19 by Tokyo prosecutors and remain in detention. A source close to Ghosn’s family says Ghosn is inno- cent, as the alleged income was never decided upon or paid. Aubrey Harwell, the U.S. lawyer for Kelly, an Amer- ican, says he is innocent, and that Nissan insiders and out- side experts had advised him that the financial reporting was proper. The chairman must be selected from among the board members. Three out- side board members – race- car driver Keiko Ihara, Ma- sakazu Toyoda, an academic, and Jean-Baptiste Duzan, formerly of Renault – are making that decision. The special committee for governance includes the three outside board mem- bers and four other outsiders, including former judge Seiichiro Nishioka. One candidate for chairman is Saikawa, who was hand-picked by Ghosn to succeed him as chief ex- ecutive. He has denounced Ghosn and Kelly as the “masterminds” in a scheme to falsify income reports and abuse company money and assets. Renault has kept Ghosn as chief executive and chairman, saying its investi- gation has not found wrong- doing in the awarding of Ghosn’s compensation. Nissan Motor Co.’s al- legations also include mil- lion-dollar homes in several nations, including France, Japan, Brazil, Lebanon and the Netherlands, purchased by Nissan or a subsidiary and used by Ghosn. Wrangling over a home in Rio de Janeiro has devel- oped into a court battle in Brazil, with Nissan seeking to block Ghosn’s family from re- trieving items. Ghosn was born in Brazil of Lebanese ancestry and holds French citizen- ship. He was sent in by Re- nault in 1999 to turn around Nissan from the brink of bankruptcy. It’s unclear when Ghosn and Kelly may be released, with Tokyo prosecutors saying they are a flight risk. NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) – Six U.S. airstrikes that killed more than 60 people in a coastal Somali town were preemptive strikes to pre- vent a major extremist at- tack, according to a Somali intelligence officer. The U.S. military said Monday it carried out four strikes on Dec. 15 in which 34 people were killed and two more on Dec. 16 which killed 28. The air at- tacks targeted Gandarshe, south of the capital, Moga- dishu, it said. No civilians were in- jured or killed in the at- tacks, it said. The strikes were car- ried out in close coordina- tion with Somalia’s govern- ment and were “conducted to prevent al-Shabab from using remote areas as a safe haven to plot, direct, inspire, and recruit for fu- ture attacks,” said the U.S. military statement. The U.S. airstrikes were aimed at al-Shabab fighters who were preparing a major attack on a Somali government military base in the Lower Shabelle re- gion, said a Somali intelli- gence official, who insisted on anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press. “The strike has neutral- ized an imminent attack,” he said. The airstrikes hit both a military camp and battle vehicles in Gan- darshe, the official told The Associated Press. Al-Shabab has long used historic Gandarshe town, roughly 30 miles south- west of Mogadishu, as a launching pad from for at- tacks, including car bombs that hit the capital. Al-Shabab uses parts of southern and central So- malia to plot and direct ex- tremist attacks, steal hu- manitarian aid, extort the local populace to fund its operations, and shelter radicals, said U.S. mili- tary statement. With these attacks, the U.S. military has carried out at least 46 airstrikes so far this year against al-Shabab, which is allied to al-Qaida and Africa’s most active Islamic ex- tremist group. Al Shabab, which is fighting to estab- lish its version of Shariah law in Somalia, controls parts of rural southern and central Somalia and continues to stage deadly attacks in Mogadishu and other cities. KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) – Malaysia filed criminal charges against Goldman Sachs and two former execu- tives on Monday for their role in the alleged multibillion- dollar ransacking of state in- vestment fund 1MDB. Attorney General Tommy Thomas said the government is seeking several billion dol- lars in fines from Goldman Sachs for breaches of secu- rities laws that involved it making false and misleading statements to investors. He said his office will seek prison sentences of up to 10 years for the former Goldman executives, Roger Ng Chong Hwa and Tim Leissner, who is married to model Kimora Lee Simmons. Malaysian and U.S. prose- cutors allege that bond sales organized by Goldman Sachs for 1MDB provided one of the means for associates of former Malaysian Prime Min- ister Najib Razak to steal bil- lions over several years from a fund that was ostensibly set up to accelerate Malay- sia’s economic development. The scandal, first reported by Sarawak Report and the Wall Street Journal, resulted in Najib and his ruling co- alition losing power in a historic election defeat ear- lier this year. Najib himself is facing corruption charges. He has said that more than $700 mil- lion that moved through his bank account was a polit- ical donation from the Saudi royal family, but U.S. prosecu- tors say it came from 1MDB, of which Najib was the top official. U.S. legal filings that are part of a Justice Department civil case to recover assets bought with 1MDB funds al- lege the money was used to finance Hollywood films and spent on luxuries such as diamond jewelry for Najib’s wife, a yacht, artworks and high-end properties. Goldman Sachs de- nied any wrongdoing in re- sponse to Malaysia’s crim- inal charges. “We believe these charges are misdirected and we will vigorously defend them and look forward to the oppor- tunity to present our case,” bank spokesman Edward Naylor said in a statement. “The firm continues to coop- erate with all authorities in- vestigating these matters.” Thomas, the Malaysian at- torney general, said $2.7 bil- lion was stolen from three bond sales organized by sub- sidiaries of Goldman Sachs. The investment bank, he said, received $600 million in fees for organizing the bond deals, which was several times higher than industry norms. Leissner and Ng con- spired with Najib associate Low Taek Jho, a key architect of the entire 1MDB fraud, to bribe Malaysian government officials to use Goldman Sachs as the arranger of the bond deals, according to Thomas. They and Goldman Sachs knew that the money would be stolen, he said. “Having held themselves out as the pre-eminent global adviser/arranger for bonds, the highest standards are ex- pected of Goldman Sachs,” the attorney general’s state- ment said. “They have fallen far short of any standard. In consequence, they have to be held accountable.” Prosecutors plan to seek fines “well in excess” of the amount allegedly stolen be- cause of the severity of the violations of Malaysia’s laws, Thomas said. Leissner, who headed Goldman’s operations in Southeast Asia, pleaded guilty in the U.S. last month to money laundering con- spiracy and conspiring to violate foreign bribery laws after the Justice Department charged him, Ng and Low in relation to the 1MDB scandal. Ng was arrested in Ma- laysia in early November and Low, also known as Jho Low, remains at large. He has previously maintained his innocence in statements via a lawyer. “As has been stated pre- viously, Mr. Low will not submit to any jurisdiction where guilt has been pre- determined by politics and there is no independent legal process,” a spokes- person for Low said in a statement on Monday. “It is clear that Mr. Low cannot get a fair trial in Malaysia, where the regime has proven numerous times that they have no interest in the rule of law.” Malaysian police said in July that Low had fled Macau to an unknown destination. Before facing criminal charges, Low became well known in the New York City and Los Angeles club scenes. In 2012, he threw a lavish 31st birthday bash attended by Leonardo DiCaprio, Kim Kardashian and other celebrities. Ghosn and another board member Greg Kelly were formally charged last week with falsifying financial reports in underreporting Ghosn’s income by about 5 billion yen (US$44 million) from 2011 to 2015. Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak walks out of courtroom Sept. 20, 2018 after a court hearing at Kuala Lumpur High Court in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. – PHOTO: AP Nissan Motor Co. Chief Executive Hiroto Saikawa speaks during a press conference Monday in Yokohama. – PHOTO: APNext >