ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – WEDNESDAY JANUARY 2, 2019 Cayman welcomes 2019 with celebrations and fireworks As the clocks struck midnight, the light show began. Fireworks illuminated the night sky from West Bay to East End as Grand Cayman rang in the new year in style. Thousands of revelers spilled out of hotels and bars along the Seven Mile strip for the final countdown to 2019. Fireworks from multiple parties combined to create a spectacular display of light and sound that spanned the length of the famous beach. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY NETHERLANDS PUTS CAYMAN ON TAX BLACKLIST MICHAEL KLEIN mklein@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Netherlands has compiled a new list of 21 low-tax jurisdictions, including the Cayman Islands, to fight tax evasion, according to the Dutch ministry of finance. The list was published on Dec. 28 in the country’s government gazette. It contains the five jurisdictions – American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, Samoa, and Trinidad and Tobago – that are currently blacklisted by the European Union. In a sign that substance legislation, re- cently passed by several offshore jurisdictions to avoid an EU-wide blacklisting, will not be enough to appease EU member countries, the Dutch list also contains 16 low-tax jurisdic- tions. The only criterion for the list appears to be that these jurisdictions have a corporation Multiple top officials left in 2018 without explanation KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com At least five top public of- ficials left their posts during 2018, with government pro- viding little to no explanation for their removals. The highest-profile depar- ture was that of Governor Anwar Choudhury, who was initially “temporarily withdrawn” from his post by U.K. officials pending an internal investigation into complaints about his behavior. He had only been on duty for two-and-a-half months. In September, Mr. Choudhury was officially removed from his post and placed in another dip- lomatic posting in London. The U.K.’s Daily Mail has re- ported allegations based on anonymous sources that Mr. Choudhury, 59, had been “bul- lying” staff members during his time in office here, and engaging in inappropriate conduct with both Governor’s Office staff and family members. However, both the Cayman PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » Port Authority Director Clement ReidGovernor Anwar ChoudhuryCINICO CEO Lonny Tibbetts2 LOCAL®IONAL WEDNESDAY JANUARY 2, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS • Matinees Daily (matinee price before 6pm) • Seniors $8.00, Mon-Fri Before 6pm • Additional charges apply per 3D/VIP tickets Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. - WEDNESDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) MARY POPPINS RETURNS (PG) 12:50 I 3:50 I 6:45 I 9:45 AQUAMAN (PG13) 12:45 VIP I 2:05 3D I 3:45 I 6:35 VIP 8:00 I 9:40 3D MORTAL ENGINES (PG13) 12:40 3D I 3:40 I 6:50 ELLIOT THE LITTLEST REINDEER (PG) 12:15 I 4:50 BUMBLEBEE (PG13) 1:00 I 3:55 VIP I 7:00 3D I 9:25 I 9:50 VIP SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE (PG) 5:20 I 9:50 THE GRINCH (PG) 2:30 I 7:05 No Caymanians on New Year’s Honours List No Caymanians or is- land residents feature on the U.K.’s annual New Year’s Honours List for 2019. The Queen’s list, which recognizes the outstanding achievements of people across the U.K., typically in- cludes a handful of names from across the overseas territories. Former Commissioner of Police David Baines was appointed to the Order of the British Empire in the 2014 list, hearing the news on the same day as he foiled a New Year’s Day armed robbery at a George Town jewelry store. Other well-known hon- orees in Cayman include Olive Miller, who received the OBE last year for a long list of community service achievements, in- cluding helping establish the Pines retirement home, and Dr. Virginia Hobday for her contributions to Hospi- ceCare in 2015. Going further back, Cayman’s national heroes Sybil McLaughlin, Thomas Farrington, Sybil Hylton, Ormond Panton, Des- mond Watler and William Conolly received OBEs for their work. Honors are handed out twice a year – once at New Year and again in June to mark the Queen’s birthday – in a British tradition that dates back to the days of Queen Victoria. The 2019 list, published Friday, does not include any prominent Caymanians among the 1,148 names. A spokesman for the Gover- nor’s Office said they were unaware of any Cayman con- nections on this year’s list. Those honored include British comedian Michael Palin, one of the stars of Monty Python, who was given a knighthood. Eng- land football manager Ga- reth Southgate, who led the national side to a World Cup semifinal spot, was given the OBE, while striker Harry Kane, top scorer in the tournament, received an MBE – Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. Author Philip Pullman and film- maker Christopher Nolan, who made the Batman trilogy, and Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas were also honored. The divers involved in the re- covery of a youth foot- ball team that had be- come trapped in a cave in Thailand in a rescue effort that captivated the world in July were awarded the George Medal, for gallantry. Governor seeks unity in New Year’s message Governor Martyn Roper issued a video message via Twitter to wish everyone in the Cayman Islands a happy new year. The new governor spoke of the warm welcome he has received since arriving in the territory in October in a short message from the lawn of government house. He said he aimed in 2019 to help strengthen the rela- tionship between the Cayman Islands and the U.K. and con- tribute to the continued pros- perity of the islands. “Since arriving here two months ago with my wife Lissie, we have been over- whelmed by a truly won- derful Caymankind welcome,” Mr. Roper said. “As we look to 2019, I be- lieve these islands are very stable and very prosperous and I want to assure you I will do my utmost to sup- port that in 2019. I do believe the relationship between the U.K. and the Cayman Islands is very strong and one of my objectives in 2019 will be to nurture and strengthen that relationship.” He also revealed that he has been getting immersed in Cayman culture, including its varied cuisine. “I have eaten a lot every day since I arrived whether it is conch, turtle, the won- derful varieties of heavy cake, some fantastic seafood and, of course, some sorrel and rum punch,” he said. An avid Twitter user, Mr. Roper suggested he would use social media to engage with the Cayman Islands people in the new year. He added, “I will continue to try and finds ways to be very open and accessible and find new and innovative ways to reach out to people across all sectors of society.” Guatemala village mourns second child to die in US custody YALAMBOJOCH, Guatemala (AP) – White flowers and flickering candles sat atop a low table inside the simple wooden home in remote, rural Gua- temala. Nearby was a small pair of rubber boots, sized to fit an 8-year-old. Taped to the wall were three photos, alternately smiling and serious, bearing a simple epitaph for the boy whose memory the makeshift altar honored: “Felipe Gomez Alonzo. Died Dec. 24 2018 in New Mexico, United States.” On Christmas Eve, Felipe became the second Guate- malan child this month to die while in U.S. custody near the Mexican border. The deaths prompted widespread crit- icism of President Donald Trump, who has sought to deflect responsibility to- ward Democrats even as his Homeland Security secre- tary vowed additional health screenings for detained mi- grant children. In the boy’s village of Yalambojoch, in western Gua- temala, the political fallout in the United States seemed a world away and there was only deep sadness over his death. Relatives said they had no idea that such a tragedy could occur. Nor had they heard about U.S. poli- cies that led to thousands of migrant children being sepa- rated from their parents ear- lier this year. “We don’t have a televi- sion. We don’t have a radio,” Catarina Gomez, Felipe’s sister, said Saturday. “We didn’t know what had hap- pened before.” The hamlet, set on a plain and surrounded by spec- tacular, pine-covered moun- tains, is a place of crushing poverty and lack of opportu- nity, home to a single small school, dirt roads that be- come impassible during the rainy season and rudimen- tary homes without insula- tion, proper flooring, water or electricity. The community is popu- lated by families who fled to Mexico during the bloodiest years of Guatemala’s 1960- 1996 civil war but returned after the signing of peace ac- cords. There are no jobs, and people live off meager sub- sistence farming and local commerce. Residents say the Guatemalan government has turned a blind eye to their plight, a complaint that can be heard in other impover- ished villages in the country. Felipe’s sister, Catarina, said that in recent years “ev- eryone started heading for the United States,” so much so that a local project to boost education financed with Swedish help was aban- doned because there were practically no more young people to take the classes. It was extreme poverty and lack of opportunity that drove Felipe’s father, Agustin Gomez, to decide that he and the boy would set off for the United States. Others from the community had been able to cross the U.S. border with children, and he figured they would have the same luck. Felipe was chosen because he was the oldest son. It did not occur to anyone that the journey could be dangerous. “I didn’t think of that, be- cause several families had al- ready left and they made it,” the boy’s mother, Catarina Alonzo said, speaking in the indigenous Chuj language as her stepdaughter translated into Spanish. Felipe was healthy when they left, according to the family. The last time he spoke with his mother was a day before they were taken into detention by border agents. Felipe told her he was well, that he had eaten chicken, that the next time they talked would be by phone from the United States. Instead, the call that came Christmas Day was from her husband, who said Felipe had died the day before. The two had been ap- prehended a week ear- lier, on Dec. 18, near the Paso del Norte bridge con- necting El Paso, Texas, to Juarez, Mexico, according to border officials. Father and son were held at the bridge’s processing center and then the Border Patrol station in El Paso before being trans- ferred on Dec. 23 to a facility in Alamogordo, New Mexico, about 90 miles away. Governor Martyn Roper sits during his first press conference in Cayman in October. Magdalena Gomez Lucas, center, a sister of Felipe Gomez Alonzo, an 8-year-old Guatemalan boy who died in U.S. custody, holds her stepbrother Oliver as her aunt Maria adjusts her shawl, at their home in Yalambojoch, Guatemala, Saturday. - PHOTOS: AP Felipe Gomez Alonzo, 8 Honors are handed out twice a year – once at New Year and again in June to mark the Queen’s birthday.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS WEDNESDAY JANUARY 2, 2019 COMMERCIAL. HEALTH. HOME. MARINE. MOTOR. STRATA. Cayman First Insurance is committed to supporting our local community in 2019 through “Charities of First” and we thank our employees for their ongoing commitment. Call 345-949-7028 Email askus@caymanfirst.com Visit caymanfirst.com COMMUNITY FIRST Charities of First: Each month, our employees make charitable contributions to an array of worthy local charitable organizations with Cayman First Insurance matching the overall employee donations. In a short while, Cayman First Insurance and our employees have contributed over $25,000 KYD to admirable causes in the Cayman Islands. November - Cayman Islands Diabetes Association October - The National Council of Voluntary Organisations April - Special Needs Foundation Cayman February - Have a Heart Cayman February - January - YMCA of the Cayman Islands April - March - MS Foundation of the Cayman Islands - July - Community Outreach Youth Program -CI Skateboard Association July -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 find their own way” WEDNESDAY JANUARY 2, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS OUSSAMA EL OMARI Interpol’s ‘red notices’ are being abused; one ru- ined my life Leadership turmoil at In- terpol over the past two months has brought long- overdue attention to the inter- national police organization and how it allows authori- tarian regimes to abuse its “red notice” alerts. Red notices were devised to function, in effect, as an international ar- rest warrant for suspected terrorists or fugitives. But au- thoritarian regimes, including Russia and China, have real- ized that red notices can be used to harass and intimidate perceived foes. My world was turned up- side down two years ago when I discovered that a red notice had been issued against me by the United Arab Emirates. I still have my life, but I no longer have a livelihood. In 1997, I was hired to de- velop the Free Trade Zone Au- thority in Ras Al Khaimah, or RAK, one of the seven inde- pendent entities making up the UAE. I was appointed chief executive and director gen- eral of the free-trade zone in 2004, reporting to a member of the RAK royal family, Sheik Faisal bin Saqr al-Qasimi, a son of the emirate’s long- time ruler, Sheik Saqr bin Mo- hammed al-Qasimi. Due to a succession battle, Sheikh Faisal ran into trouble, and as it turned out, so did the senior executives who worked under him. We were fired in the 2012-2013 period. I was not told why I had been fired, and when I sought compensation I was owed, the request was denied, also without explanation. Lawyers I hired in the UAE made no progress when I sought legal redress in the courts. Those efforts appear to have engen- dered a backlash. In July 2016, I was warned by a U.S. customs of- fiver to avoid traveling to the UAE because I was likely to be jailed. The United States doesn’t have an extradi- tion treaty with the UAE, he noted, “but you be careful.” I contacted Interpol and requested my file, discovering that UAE had requested a red notice because, unbeknown to me, I had been convicted in absentia of “embezzlement and abuse of position.” Once you are flagged with a red notice, getting it re- moved is extremely difficult. Interpol refused my request, saying it is not the organi- zation’s role to assess coun- tries’ law enforcement or ju- dicial systems. I am now afraid to travel internationally, which is es- sential to my work developing free-trade zones. I am alive, for which I am grateful, but I fear for the safety and secu- rity of friends and colleagues I left behind in the UAE. Oussama El Omari is the former chief executive and director general of the Ras Al Khaimah Free Trade Zone Authority in the United Arab Emirates. © 2018, The Washington Post “You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing that we call ‘failure’ is not the falling down, but the staying down.” – Mary Pickford C’mon, c’mon. It’s only January 2, and some of us have already broken our New Year’s resolutions. Don’t fret – certainly don’t give up. Mary Pickford, in the quote above, has it right. Another way of saying the same thing is the old Texas adage, “It’s not about how often a cowboy falls off his horse. What matters is how often he gets back on.” As we wrote in an editorial last year, psychology professor David DeSteno estimates that by Jan. 8, 25 percent of New Year’s resolutions will be aban - doned. By the end of the year, more than 90 percent will remain unfulfilled. It does not have to be that way. It’s clear that audacious but attainable goals are the first step toward transformational success, and routine and commitment are early followers. We want our intentions and actions to become habits and our habits then to become rituals — activities we perform seemingly without conscious effort, such as brushing our teeth or showering daily (You are bathing daily, aren’t you?). It has become fashionable these days to talk about “grit” – that ephemeral quality of persever- ance through tribulation. Previous generations called it stamina, tenacity or determination. A more apt, but less-common term, we believe, is “conation.” Defined simply, it is the will to succeed, to “find a way” around, above, or through any obstacles that impede our forward or desirable progress. The good news about grit is that it can be learned, practiced and honed. Angela Duckworth has authored an instant New York Times bestseller entitled, simply, “GRIT: The Power of Passion and Perseverance.” It’s a book well worth reading – especially as 364 days still remain in the new year. Personally, we’d like to see habitual reading on more lists of New Year’s resolutions. A personal recommendation, perhaps to help you get started, is Dr. Jordan B. Peterson’s “12 Rules for Life” which has already sold more than 1 million copies. New York Times columnist David Brooks, in a cover blurb, describes Dr. Peterson’s “gift” (that’s what it really is) thusly: “The Peterson way is a harsh way, but it is an idealistic way – and for millions of young men, it turns out to be the perfect antidote to the cocktail of coddling and accusation in which they are raised.” Perfect reading for Week One of the new year. To be sure, there is no magic in making New Year’s resolutions. The worthy endeavor – the act of taking stock of our lives, of mapping out the journey from where we are to where we wish to be – is a positive gesture of desire and good faith. Following this declaration of intent, what matters is the work of rededicating ourselves day after day, week to week, even when progress seems slow or setbacks seem insurmountable. It is possible; success is ours for the taking – or, more accurately, for the making. Good habits which have their roots in resolutions – New Year’s or oth- erwise – may not make success inevitable, but they make it far more probable. The message? Keep getting back on that horse … In the New Year: ‘I do hereby resolve …’ LETTER TO THE EDITOR Dutch blacklist and Cayman’s policy of EU ‘appeasement’ The difficulty of at- tempting to deal with the EU and the OECD in rela- tion to their ridiculously en- titled ”harmful” tax practices initiative, whether through the introduction of economic substance legislation or how- soever, is well illustrated today by that paragon of tax avoidance techniques The Netherlands which, when I last looked, was a member of the EU, now introducing its independent “black list” in- cluding the Cayman Islands. That should have sur- prised no one. As matters stand under EU law, EU countries retain the right of self-determination over tax matters and it seems therefore what they should and should not be shy about. But clearly the policy of appeasement adopted by the Cayman Islands govern- ment (no doubt in good faith) is rendered somewhat more difficult when dealing with a multi-headed hydra com- prising, it seems now, the EU, the OECD and each indepen- dent EU jurisdiction. An alternative strategy might begin with someone, anyone, explaining precisely what is ”harmful“ about Cayman Islands tax struc- turing which, I am as certain as may be, involves full taxes being paid on profits in the jurisdiction of investment. Clearly, therefore, what the EU and the OECD must simply mean, and their objective, is that Cayman Islands invest- ment vehicles will be “harmful“ unless taxed twice (difficult as a proposition for a global stan- dard), or otherwise rendered uncompetitive through the en- tirely novel and entirely fan- ciful “economic substance” initiative. (This is much, much easier since firstly, no one has the slightest idea what this means, except we can say with certainty that for Cayman it cannot possibly mean any- thing good and, secondly, since now we have the legislation, the EU can make up the rules as it goes along, however arbi- trary and discriminatory.) There is no other sound explanation for the EU and OECD position. And since a satisfactory explanation cannot, as a matter of logic or international tax law, be forth- coming, we should ask how precisely a policy of appease- ment is intended to achieve an outcome that does not secure the EU and OECD objective. Anthony Travers Senior Partner, Travers Thorp Alberga Interpol’s ‘red notices’ are being abused5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY JANUARY 2, 2019 Bins overflow amid waste collection delays Miss Cayman Islands Universe returns from Thailand CHRISTMAS DAY SHOOTING SUSPECT APPEARS IN COURT Miss Cayman Islands Uni- verse, Caitlin Tyson, returned home Sunday, still glowing from her time in Thailand, where she competed against 93 other Miss Universe con- testants earlier this month. “I can’t even describe it. I’m just so thankful I was able to go,” Ms. Tyson, 24, said after deplaning at the Owen Roberts International Airport, where she was accompanied by members of the local Miss Universe committee. “It was a life-changing experience. I had a great time. I met some really cool girls. I have friends all over the world now. We were saying, now, we have a bed to sleep in all over the world.” While Ms. Tyson did not make it to the coveted top 20 at the Miss Universe con- test in Bangkok, she said she would not change the experi- ence for anything. “The Thai people are so amazing. I’ve made so many Thai fans and just new con- nections that I’m so excited for. I thank the Miss Cayman Islands organization for this opportunity,” she said, adding that the best part for her was representing her country on an interna- tional stage. “It wasn’t my name across the sash, it was my country’s. So to be called ‘Cayman Is- lands’ everywhere you go, you felt that sense of pride and it made me so happy to be able to represent my country. It’s a dream come true.” Regarding the year ahead and the rest of her reign, she said she hopes to engage in community work. “I have a lot of ideas for my reign. I can’t wait to start helping children in the school system. I really want to bring a voice to those who feel they don’t have a voice, and know that they can lean on me, and we’re a community.” KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com William Isaac Ebanks, 21, appeared in court on Monday to face allegations that he fatally shot Dar- rington Ebanks in the early hours of Christmas Day. According to Crown counsel Kenneth Ferguson, emergency services and po- lice officers were dispatched around 1:50 a.m. on Dec. 25 to the vicinity of Boat- swain Bay Road and King Road, where they found Mr. Ebanks, 29, with an ap- parent fatal gunshot wound to the head. There were a number of people at the scene, and two of them eventually pro- vided witness statements to the police which alleg- edly identified William Ebanks as the shooter, Mr. Ferguson said. Police sub- sequently searched the de- fendant’s home and ar- rested him on the afternoon of Christmas Day. Mr. Ebanks claimed he was at a party when the shooting happened and did not hear about it until the next morning. Mr. Ferguson said the investigation is still on- going, including police searching for more wit- nesses and conducting a fo- rensic analysis on the de- fendant’s clothes. The Crown counsel said it would take about two more weeks to make full disclosures to the defense. Mr. Ebanks is scheduled to appear in court again on Jan. 11. His attorney, Crister Brady, did not make an application for bail. JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Garbage piled up by the roadside in the eastern dis- tricts over the festive pe- riod with equipment failure blamed for more delays in residential collections. Communities from New- lands to North Side com- plained of late pick-ups in the aftermath of Christmas, with waste lying uncollected on the roadside, in some cases for several days. The Department of En- vironmental Health had in- dicated in the run-up to Christmas that it was on top of the issue, which has been an intermittent problem for the past 18 months. A me- chanical problem with one of the collection trucks was blamed for the setback, and crews have been working overtime to catch up with missed routes. Dwayne Seymour, the minister with responsi- bility for the issue, defended the recent record of the de- partment, saying there had been no problems reported in the two months before Christmas. He acknowledged there had been late collec- tions over the holiday due to broken equipment, but said he had been assured collec- tions were back on track by Monday. In the longer term, he said he was looking at “all options,” including possibly buying new trucks. Al Suckoo, legislator for Newlands, said he had been inundated with complaints over the holidays from resi- dents whose garbage had not been collected. He said his constituents had put their garbage out Thursday as directed, but it had not been picked up. The problem seemed to be rife throughout the eastern dis- tricts, even in Minister Sey- mour’s own Bodden Town East constituency, Mr. Suckoo said. “At least we know it is not political, as I had people from the minister’s own constitu- ency calling to complain.” Images taken by Mr. Suckoo show garbage cans piled high with trash, in- cluding packaging from Christmas presents and other additional waste as- sociated with the festivities. In some areas he said stray dogs and cats had ripped open the trash bags and litter was strewn around the neighborhood. Mr. Suckoo said it was important that garbage was collected quickly over the holiday season because of the extra waste. The Oppo- sition deputy leader was among several legislators to raise concerns about persis- tent problems with garbage collection in a recent meeting of the Legislative Assembly. At the time, Minister Sey- mour said an influx of new temporary workers had been hired to help deal with the problem. He also highlighted plans to use low-risk pris- oners to assist on routes, though this project has not yet fully launched. Mr. Suckoo said it was disappointing that there had been no long-term fix. “I give the minister credit for acknowledging the problem and for saying that it is unacceptable, but at some point it has to be fixed,” he said. “If it is a staffing issue, get it resolved. If it is an equip- ment issue, then get that fixed. This has been going on for 18 months. Somebody needs to put their foot down and get this resolved.” North Side MLA Ezzard Miller said similar issues had been reported in his dis- trict. He added that he had observed bins overflowing in every area from East End to George Town, and at the recy- cling depot at Kirk Plaza. “Government is boasting about millions of dollars in excess revenue, but we can’t seem to collect the gar- bage,” he said. Mr. Miller does not sup- port using prisoners on the trucks, but suggested the un- employed people recruited for the community enhance- ment program in the run-up to Christmas could have been used to supplement collection crews over the busy season. “We had 300-400 people working in the NiCE pro- gram before Christmas. Are you telling me there weren’t 20 of those that could have been hired to help with collections?” Mr. Miller said the problem had gone on for too long, and suggested heads should roll in the ministry. The Department of En- vironmental Health issued a press statement Monday apologizing for delays in col- lections in Bodden Town, East End and West Bay. The statement said the regular schedule should resume by the end of the week. Caitlin Tyson, center, stands among Miss Universe supporters, from left, Heather Bodden, Derri Dacres-Lee, Catherine Tyson and Donna Bush. - PHOTO: ALVARO SEREY Trash piled high in some neighborhoods over the Christmas holiday after more delays in garbage collections. Police subsequently searched the defendant’s home and arrested him on the afternoon of Christmas Day.The islands’ most-trusted news source 6 WEDNESDAY JANUARY 2, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS government and the U.K. have declined to release the contents of staff com- plaints made against the former governor – govern- ment said the records “be- long to the government of the United Kingdom,” and the U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office said releasing the records would violate data-pro- tection laws. It appears the people of the Cayman Islands may never be told why the governor was pulled from his post. Other departures in- cluded CINICO CEO Lonny Tibbetts, NRA CEO Paul Parchment, Port Au- thority Director Clement Reid, and Department of Environmental Health Di- rector Roydell Carter. In addition, Utility Regula- tion and Competition Of- fice CEO J. Paul Morgan left his position when his contract expired in Au- gust, though the OfReg board of directors gave him a vote of confidence on his way out. In March, Mr. Carter was placed on required leave from the Depart- ment of Environmental Health for unspecified reasons, and in September government announced that he chose to “retire” from the civil service. His departure coincided with an internal government inquiry over the manage- ment of overtime in his department. The results of that inquiry by the In- ternal Audit Service have not yet been revealed. A month after Mr. Carter was placed on re- quired leave, Mr. Parch- ment was placed on leave from the NRA in April. Mr. Parchment was dis- missed in October, with the NRA board releasing a brief statement through Government Information Services indicating he had been fired after an “in- vestigation into possible misuse of NRA resources.” The statement did not give details. Mr. Reid was sus- pended from his job in May in the aftermath of a damning auditor general’s report that highlighted breaches of hiring rules and excessive spending on office upgrades, among a number of concerns. The suspected theft of boat en- gines, which was not re- ported to police, was also highlighted as a concern by auditors. Mr. Reid was terminated by “mutual consent” in November. Mr. Tibbetts was also abruptly dismissed in early October. The insur- ance company’s board declined to comment on or explain his departure from the publicly-funded government health insur- ance company. Paul Parchment, CEO of the National Roads Au- thority, was dismissed from the National Roads Authority later the same month. The board released a brief statement through Government Information Services indicating he had been fired after an “in- vestigation into possible misuse of NRA resources,” but did not give details. While most of these top public officials left under suspect circum- stances, OfReg Chairman Linford Pierson praised Mr. Morgan, saying that the former CEO “has done a fantastic job since he’s been there” and that hope- fully he will be available to assist Cayman in the future if the need arises. However, OfReg ran a nearly $1.5 million oper- ating deficit in 2017, its first year of existence, racking up some $234,000 in travel expenses, $234,000 in legal fees, and $304,630 in “other oper- ating expenses.” tax rate of less than 9 percent or no corporation tax at all. They are Anguilla, the Ba- hamas, Bahrain, Belize, Ber- muda, the British Virgin Is- lands, Guernsey, the Isle of Man, Jersey, the Cayman Is- lands, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the Turks and Ca- icos Islands, Vanuatu and the United Arab Emirates. “By drawing up its own stringent blacklist, the Netherlands is once again showing that it is serious in its fight against tax avoid- ance,” said State Secretary for Finance Menno Snel in a press release. “And that’s just one of the steps we’re taking.” The list will be applied to several measures to combat tax avoidance. From Jan. 1, 2021, companies registered in blacklisted jurisdictions will be subject to a 20.5 percent withholding tax on interest and royalties received from the Netherlands. “With this measure, the government aims to prevent companies avoiding tax by moving mobile assets to low- tax jurisdictions,” the Dutch ministry of finance said. In addition, Dutch tax authorities will no longer issue advance tax rulings on transactions with companies headquartered in blacklisted jurisdictions. In its implementation of EU Anti-Tax Avoidance Direc- tives, the Netherlands will go beyond prescribed minimum standards with stricter con- trolled foreign company rules and special measures to pre- vent earnings stripping and hybrid mismatches that at- tempt to exploit differences between tax systems. The Netherlands itself has come under criticism for oper- ating a tax haven for interna- tional corporations, which use the extensive international treaty network of the country with 150 double taxation agreements to shift profits to low-tax jurisdictions. A recent study by gov- ernment agency Statistics Netherlands found that the country had received 4.6 trillion euros (US$5.2 tril- lion) in “foreign direct invest- ment” in 2017. However, less than a fifth of that money – $836 bil- lion – remained in the Dutch economy, while $4.2 trillion was routed through shell companies to other jurisdic- tions. Researchers said about a third of the money ended up in “offshore tax havens.” In 2016, the Netherlands accounted for the third most foreign direct investment (FDI) outflows in the world, making it one of the domi- nant global FDI centers for multinational corporations. IMF data, reported by ac- ademic Jan Fichtner in the Cayman Financial Review, shows that in 2015 Cayman entities received $53 billion in foreign direct investment from the Netherlands, and $49 billion were sent in the opposite direction. In a fact sheet, the Dutch government acknowledged that its tax system was open to abuse. “It comes in for partic- ular criticism for allowing funds to be channeled to tax havens. The Netherlands is therefore sometimes (incor- rectly) labelled a tax haven. This damages the country’s image and makes it less at- tractive to real businesses,” the fact sheet said. “Fur- thermore, it can undermine taxpayer compliance and weaken support for tax fa- cilities that are important to multinationals, such as the extensive treaty network and the provision of certainty in advance. This is undesirable.” The Dutch list will be up- dated each year, while the EU list will be updated in the first quarter of 2019. If, in the future, jurisdictions are added to the EU list that are not on the Dutch list, the measures will also apply to these jurisdictions. The Dutch list was sub- ject to a consultation from Sept. 25 to Oct. 22, 2018. The consultation resulted in 16 responses from non-govern- mental organizations, law firms and others. The only criterion for the list appears to be that these jurisdictions have a corporation tax rate of less than 9 percent or no corporation tax at all. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Multiple top officials left in 2018 without explanation National Roads Authority CEO Paul Parchment Department of Environmental Health Director Roydell Carter CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Netherlands puts Cayman on tax blacklist Brazil’s Bolsonaro assumes office amid big hopes, fears BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) – Jair Bolsonaro was sworn in as Brazil’s president Tuesday, taking the reins of Latin America’s largest and most populous nation with prom- ises to overhaul myriad as- pects of daily life and put an end to business-as- usual governing. For the far-right former army captain, the New Year’s Day inauguration was the culmination of a journey from a marginalized and even ridiculed congressmen to a leader who many Bra- zilians hope can combat en- demic corruption as well as violence that routinely gives the nation the dubious dis- tinction of being world leader in total homicides. A fan of U.S. President Donald Trump, the 63-year- old longtime congressman rose to power on an anti-cor- ruption and pro-gun agenda that has energized conser- vatives and hard-right sup- porters after four consec- utive presidential election wins by the left-leaning Workers’ Party. Bolsonaro was the latest of several far-right leaders around the globe who have come to power by riding waves of anger at the estab- lishment and promising to ditch the status quo. Tuesday’s festivities in the capital of Brasilia began with a motorcade procession along the main road leading to Congress and other gov- ernment buildings. Bolsonaro and his wife, Michelle, stood up in an open-top Rolls- Royce and waved to thou- sands of onlookers. They were surrounded by dozens of guards on horses and plain-clothes bodyguards who ran beside the car. Brasilia was under tight security, with 3,000 police patrolling the event. Mili- tary tanks, fighter jets and even anti-aircraft missiles also were deployed. Journal- ists were made to arrive at locations seven hours before festivities began, and many complained on Twitter of of- ficials confiscating food they had brought for the wait. The increased security came at Bolsonaro’s request. His intestine was pierced when a knife-wielding man stabbed him at a campaign rally in September, and he has to wear a colostomy bag. His sons, politicians them- selves, insist their father could be targeted by radicals, but security officials have not spoken of threats. Bolsonaro did little moderating since being elected in October, with progressives and liberals decrying stances that they say are homophobic, sexist and racist. The incoming president, who spent nearly three de- cades in Congress, has also drawn international criticism for his plans to roll back reg- ulations in the Amazon and his disinterest in social pro- grams in a country that is one of the world’s most un- equal in terms of income. On the economic front, where Bolsonaro will ulti- mately lead Latin America’s largest economy is unknown, as during the campaign he reversed course from pre- vious statist stances with pledges to lead market- friendly reforms. He also promised to overhaul Brazil’s pension system and priva- tize several state-owned com- panies, which has given him wide support among finan- cial players. Standing next to first lady Michelle Bolsonaro, Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro waves as he rides in an open car after his swearing-in ceremony, in Brasilia, Brazil, Tuesday. - PHOTO: AP In September, Governor Anwar Choudhury was officially removed from his post and placed in another diplomatic posting in London.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY JANUARY 2, 2019 Infant pulled alive from collapsed building Rescuers on Tuesday pulled an infant boy alive from the rubble of an apartment building in Magnitogorsk, Russia, some 35 hours after a collapse that killed at least seven people and left dozens missing. They found the baby after hearing cries amid the debris. GERMAN POLICE: MAN INTENTIONALLY DROVE INTO CROWD, INJURED 4 BERLIN (AP) – A man ploughed his car into a crowd of people in western Germany early Tuesday, in- juring at least four in what appears to have been an in- tentional attack directed at foreigners, police said. The 50-year-old driver of a silver Mercedes first at- tempted to hit a group of people in the city of Bot- trop shortly after midnight, but the pedestrians were able to jump out of the way, Muenster police said. The man, who was not named, then drove into the center of Bottrop where he slammed into a crowd. Po- lice said those hit by the car included Syrian and Afghan citizens, and some were seriously injured. The driver then sped off toward the nearby city of Essen, where he tried and failed to hit people waiting at a bus stop before being arrested by police on suspicion of attempted homicide. Authorities said the driver made anti-foreigner comments during his arrest. “Investigating authorities are currently working on the assumption that this was a targeted attack, possibly mo- tivated by the anti-foreigner views of the driver,” police said, adding that there were indications the suspect suf- fered from mental illness. Angela Luettmann, a spokeswoman for Muen- ster police, could not im- mediately confirm whether the driver was German but said he came from Essen. In April, a German man drove a van into a crowd in Muenster, killing four people and injuring dozens. The driver, who had sought psychological help in the weeks preceding the attack, then killed himself. On Dec. 19, 2016, a Tuni- sian man ploughed a truck into a busy Christmas market in Berlin, killing 12 people. The attack was claimed by the Islamic State group. UK: New Year’s Eve stabbing of 3 treated as terrorism LONDON (AP) – Police in the English city of Manchester are questioning a man ar- rested in the New Year’s Eve stabbing of three people at a train station and treating it as a terrorist attack, authori- ties said Tuesday. Greater Manchester Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said a man and a woman suffered “very serious” injuries in the attack and remained in the hospital. Both have abdom- inal injuries and the woman also has injuries to her face. A police sergeant who was stabbed in the shoulder has been released. The attack happened at Manchester’s Victoria Sta- tion shortly before 9 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. The busy train station is next to Man- chester Arena, where a sui- cide bomber killed 22 people at an Ariana Grande con- cert in 2017. Police have detained the suspect, who has been ar- rested on suspicion of at- tempted murder, but not yet provided a motive for the stabbings. A witness said the suspect shouted Islamic slogans during the fren- zied attack. Assistant Chief Constable Russ Jackson said police be- lieve they have identified the suspect and are searching his home in the Cheetham Hill neighborhood of Manchester. BBC producer Sam Clack, who was on the train plat- form, said he heard a “blood- curdling scream” when the attack started and saw a man dressed in black having what looked like a fight with two victims. Clack said he heard the man with the weapon shout Islamist slogans during the assault, and then the attacker was chased by police. “He came towards me. I looked down and saw he had a kitchen knife with a black handle with a good, 12-inch blade,” Clack said, adding that his reaction “was just fear, pure fear.” Clack said police used pepper spray and a stun gun to bring the man down. Police say there’s no indi- cation that any others were involved in planning or as- sisting the attack. The inves- tigation is being led by Brit- ain’s counterterrorism police. British police tried to reassure the public that the area was safe despite the attack. The incident is “not on- going” and there is “cur- rently no intelligence to sug- gest that there is any wider threat,” Assistant Chief Con- stable Rob Potts said. “I know that the events of last night will have affected many people and caused con- cern,” Hopkins said. Police restrain a man after he stabbed three people at Victoria Station in Manchester, England, late Monday. - PHOTO: AP8 WORLD®IONAL WEDNESDAY JANUARY 2, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Hello, 2019: Revelry and reflection greet the new year around the world (AP) – Fireworks, concerts, spiritual services and polit- ical addresses abounded to mark the transition to 2019 as revelers around the globe bid farewell Monday to a year filled with challenges to many of the world’s most basic institutions, including in the realms of politics, trade, alliances and religion. A look at how the world is ushering in 2019: New York A drenching rain could not keep crowds from packing Times Square for the tradi- tional crystal ball drop and a string of star performances. Christina Aguilera pumped up the crowd, per- forming in a snow-white dress and coat while par- tygoers danced in their rain ponchos. Bebe Rexha sang John Lennon’s “Imagine” just be- fore the midnight ball drop. The celebration took place under tight security. Partygoers were checked for weapons and then herded into pens, ringed by metal barricades, where they waited for the stroke of midnight. But the weather forced police to scrap plans to fly a drone to help keep watch over the crowd. Revelers paid up to $10 for plastic ponchos trying to stay dry. Umbrellas were banned for security reasons. Rio de Janeiro More than 2 million people celebrated the new year on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro. A 14-minute fireworks dis- play ushered Brazil into 2019 only hours before far-right politician Jair Bolsonaro will be sworn in as president. Many Brazilians were on the road to the cap- ital of Brasilia on Monday night to watch the former army captain’s inauguration Tuesday afternoon. The last evening of 2018 in Rio was 85 degrees Fahr- enheit, and many Brazil- ians took a dip in the water and made their offerings to Yemanja, a sea goddess in the Afro-Brazilian Can- domble faith. London Britons ushered in the new year with the familiar chimes of Big Ben, even though the world famous clock has been disconnected for more than a year because of a conservation project. Parliament announced last week that the clock’s massive bell would sound to mark the new year with the help of a specially built elec- tric mechanism to power the hammer, which weighs about 440 pounds. The clock mech- anism, which has kept time since 1859, has been disman- tled as part of the renovation work. New Year’s Eve without Big Ben would be positively un-British. The comforting chimes are used by TV and radio stations throughout Britain to herald the moment of transition from the old to the new year. Paris Parisians and tourists gathered on the Champs-El- ysees to celebrate New Year’s Eve under heavy security. Anti-government pro- testers from the yellow vest movement have issued calls on social media for “festive” demonstrations on the fa- mous avenue. Paris police set up a se- curity perimeter in the area, with bag searches, a ban on alcohol and traffic restric- tions. The Interior Ministry said Sunday that the heavy security measures are needed because of a “high terrorist threat” and concerns about “non-declared protests.” President Emmanuel Ma- cron gave his traditional New Year address to briefly lay out his priorities for 2019, as some protesters angry over high taxes and his pro-busi- ness policies plan to con- tinue their demonstrations in coming weeks. Ahead of mid- night, a light show with the theme of brotherhood took place on the Arc de Triomphe monument at the top of the Champs-Elysees. Berlin Tens of thousands of people celebrated the start of 2019 at Berlin’s landmark Brandenburg Gate. The annual New Year’s celebrations took place amid tight security, with about 1,300 officers deployed throughout the heart of the German capital and revelers banned from taking fire- works, bottles or large bags into the fenced-off party zone. By midnight, Berlin police reported fewer incidents than in previous years. Vatican City Pope Francis has rounded out the most problematic year of his papacy by pre- siding over a vespers service and praying before the Vati- can’s giant sand sculpture Nativity scene. During his homily Monday, Francis lamented how many people spent 2018 living on the edge of dig- nity, homeless or forced into modern forms of slavery. Accompanied by his chief alms-giver, Francis then walked out into St. Peter’s Square, where he greeted pil- grims and prayed before the Nativity scene, carved out of 720 tons of packed sand. On Tuesday, Francis will celebrate Mass to mark the start of a new year and of- ficially leave behind 2018, which saw a new eruption of the clergy sex abuse scandal. United Arab Emirates Fireworks crackled at Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, as hundreds of thousands of spectators gathered down- town to watch the spectac- ular display. The fireworks replaced last year’s somewhat anticli- mactic LED lightshow that ran down the facade of the 2,716-foot-tall tower. Cafes and restaurants with a view of the Burj Khalifa charge a premium for their locale on New Year’s Eve. Casual sandwich chain Pret a Manger, for example, charged $817 for a table of four. That price gets you hot and cold drinks and some canapes. For burgers near the action, fast food chain Five Guys charged $408 per person for unlim- ited burgers, hot dogs, fries, milkshakes and soda. Elsewhere in the United Arab Emirates, the emirate of Ras al-Khaimah attempted to set a new Guinness World Record with the longest straight-line display of fire- works reaching 7.35 miles. Thailand While many celebrate New Year’s Eve with fire- works, hundreds of Thais traveled to Takien Temple in a suburb of Bangkok to lie in- side coffins for traditional fu- neral rituals. Participants believe the ceremony – symbolizing death and rebirth – helps rid them of bad luck and allows them to be born again for a fresh start in the new year. They held flowers and incense in their hands as monks covered them with pink sheets and chanted prayers for the dead. “It wasn’t scary or any- thing. It is our belief that it will help us get rid of bad luck and bring good fortune to our life,” said Busaba Yoo- kong, who came to the temple with her family. China New Year’s Eve is not celebrated widely in main- land China, where the lunar New Year in February is a more important holiday. But countdown events were held in major cities, and some of the faithful headed to Bud- dhist temples for bell-ringing and prayers. Beijing held a gala with VIP guests at the main site of the 2008 Summer Olympics. The event looked ahead to the 2022 Winter Games, which also will be held in the Chi- nese capital. Outdoor revelers in Bei- jing had to brave tempera- tures well below freezing. Additional police were deployed in parts of Shanghai, where a New Year’s Eve stampede in 2014 killed 36 people. In Hong Kong, festive lights on skyscrapers pro- vided the backdrop for a fire- works, music and light show over Victoria Harbor on a chilly evening. Australia An estimated million people crowded Sydney Harbor as Australia’s largest city rang in the new year with a spectacular, soul- tinged fireworks celebration. One of the most complex displays in Australia’s his- tory included gold, purple and silver fireworks pul- sating to the tune of “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Nat- ural Woman,” made famous by Aretha Franklin, who died in August. The show used 8.5 tons of fireworks and fea- tured more than 100,000 py- rotechnic effects. Earlier, a thunderstorm drenched tens of thousands of people as they gath- ered for the traditional dis- play, creating a show of its own with dozens of light- ning strikes. In Melbourne, 14 tons of fireworks deployed on the ground and on roofs of 22 buildings produced special effects including flying dragons. In Bris - bane, people watched as fireworks exploded from five barges moored on the Brisbane River. Fireworks explode over the Sydney Harbour during New Year’s Eve celebrations in Sydney. - PHOTOS: AP Fireworks explode over the London Eye as midnight strikes in London. Joey and Claudia Flores, of California, kiss as confetti falls during a celebration in New York’s Times Square. Performers take selfies at the end of a countdown to the new year event in Beijing, China.9 WORLD®IONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY JANUARY 2, 2019 INVEST IN EDUCATION TODAY!! Train locally to compete globally! ACCA Diploma in Accounting & Business ACCA Advanced Diploma in Accounting & Business ACCA Tutorial Services Get a Solid Foundation in Accounting! 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At the same time, the president struggled to find leverage to break the stalemate be- fore the GOP’s monopoly on Washington power ended. Democrats in the House unveiled two bills Monday to fund shuttered govern- ment agencies and put hun- dreds of thousands of fed- eral workers back on the job. They planned to pass them as soon as the new Congress convened Thursday, one of the first acts after Democrats took control, according to an aide who was not authorized to discuss the plan and spoke on condition of anonymity. Whether the Republican- led Senate, under Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, would consider the bills – or if Trump would sign either into law – was unclear. Mc- Connell spokesman Donald Stewart said Senate Repub- licans would not take action without Trump’s backing. “It’s simple: The Senate is not going to send something to the president that he won’t sign,” Stewart said. Even if only symbolic, the passage of the bills in the House would put fresh pres- sure on the president. At the same time, administration officials said Trump was in no rush for a resolution to the impasse. After early threats to shut down government over the wall, Trump now be- lieves public opinion is on his side and, at very least, he has his base of supporters behind him, the officials said, speaking on the condi- tion of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. Trump spent the weekend saying that Democrats should return to Washington to negotiate, firing off Twitter taunts. He then revised his aides’ comments to state that he really still wants to build a border wall. “An all concrete Wall was NEVER ABANDONED,” Trump tweeted Monday. “Some areas will be all concrete but the experts at Border Patrol prefer a Wall that is see through (thereby making it possible to see what is happening on both sides).” Later Monday, Trump tweeted, “The Democrats will probably submit a Bill, being cute as always, which gives everything away but gives NOTHING to Border Security, namely the Wall.” Trump told Fox News Channel in an interview Monday that he was “ready, willing and able” to nego- tiate. He added: “No, we are not giving up. We have to have border security and the wall is a big part of border security.” White House officials, in- cluding his departing chief of staff, had indicated that Trump’s signature campaign pledge to build the wall would not be fulfilled as ad- vertised. Chief of staff John Kelly told the Los Angeles Times in an interview pub- lished Sunday that Trump abandoned the notion of “a solid concrete wall early on in the administration.” The Democratic package to end the shutdown would include one bill to tempo- rarily fund the Department of Homeland Security at current levels, with $1.3 billion for border security – far less than $5 billion Trump has said he wants for the wall – through Feb. 8 as talks continued. It would also include an- other measure made up of six other bipartisan bills – some that have already passed the Senate – to fund the depart- ments of Agriculture, Inte- rior, Housing and Urban De- velopment and others closed by the partial shutdown. It would provide money through the remainder of the fiscal year, to Sept. 30. Democrats under House leader Nancy Pelosi were all but certain to swiftly approve the package in two separate votes Thursday. They would take place after the election of a new House speaker, a contest Pelosi was expected to win as leader of the new House majority. The White House did not respond to multiple re- quests for comment on the House proposal. Repub- lican senators left for the holidays refusing to vote on any bills until all sides, including Trump, were in agreement. The lawmakers were frustrated that Trump had dismissed their earlier legislation. The president has not said he would veto the Dem- ocratic legislation, if the bills were to land on his desk. But the idea of clouding Pelosi’s speakership only emboldened Trump, the officials said. A prolonged crisis could hobble House Democrats’ ability to launch their agenda, which included investigations of the president and oversight of his administration, in- cluding Russian interference in the election. At least one Republican, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, encouraged Trump to use the budget impasse as an opportunity to address issues beyond the border wall. But a previous at- tempt to reach a compromise that addressed the status of “Dreamers” – young immi- grants brought to the U.S. as children – broke down last year as a result of es- calating White House de- mands. Graham said Trump was “open minded” about his proposal The Capitol is mirrored in the Reflecting Pool in Washington, as a partial government shutdown heads into a second week. - PHOTO: AP GARBAGE, FECES TAKE TOLL ON NATIONAL PARKS AMID SHUTDOWN WASHINGTON (AP) – Human feces, overflowing garbage, illegal off-roading and other damaging behavior in fragile areas were beginning to over- whelm some of the West’s iconic national parks, as a partial government shutdown left the areas open to visitors but with little staff on duty. “It’s a free-for-all,” Da- kota Snider, 24, who lives and works in Yosemite Valley, said by telephone Monday, as Yo- semite National Park officials announced closings of some minimally supervised camp- grounds and public areas within the park that are overwhelmed. “It’s so heartbreaking. There is more trash and human waste and disregard for the rules than I’ve seen in my four years living here,” Snider said. The partial federal gov- ernment shutdown, now into its 11th day, has forced fur- loughs of hundreds of thou- sands of federal govern- ment employees. This has left many parks without most of the rangers and others who staff campgrounds and oth- erwise keep parks running. Unlike shutdowns in some previous administrations, the Trump administration was leaving parks open to visitors despite the staff furloughs, said John Garder, senior budget director of the non- profit National Parks Conser- vation Association. “We’re afraid that we’re going to start seeing signifi- cant damage to the natural resources in parks and po- tentially to historic and other cultural artifacts,” Garder said. “We’re concerned there’ll be impacts to visitors’ safety.” “It’s really a nightmare scenario,” Garder said. Under the park service’s shutdown plan, authorities have to close any area where garbage or other problems become threats to health and safety or to wildlife, spokesman Jeremy Barnum said in an email Monday.Next >