ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – MONDAY JANUARY 7, 2019 High of 85 Low of 74 Moderate with wave heights of 3 to 5 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 IT’S TIME FOR DEH TO COME CLEAN ON GARBAGE PICKUP LOCAL | PAGE 2 2018 RAINFALL 20 PERCENT BELOW AVERAGE SEVEN MILE BEACH WATERFRONT WALKERS ROAD TOWN CENTRE PLAZA RED BAY ORIGINAL CHICKEN FRIES NEW CHICKEN FRIES TODDLER DROWNS IN EAST END IN 2ND WATER DEATH OF YEAR A child just under 2 years of age drowned Friday evening after being reported missing from her home in East End. Her death marks the second water-related fatality in the first week of 2019, following the drowning of a 60-year-old male tourist off Seven Mile Beach on Thursday. The toddler went missing just before 6 p.m. Friday evening and was later found in the ocean near Austin Conolly Drive in East End. The girl’s family had notified police that she was missing. Shortly after officers ar- rived at the family’s home, they were informed that a family member had found the child in the water. She was transported to the Cayman Islands Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Police said they are still investigating the death and no name has yet been released. On Thursday, the American tourist was pulled unresponsive from the water off Seven Mile Beach in the vicinity of Tanager Way, near the Kimpton Seafire resort. Police said they responded to a call shortly CUSTOMS AGENT GUILTY IN COCAINE CASE SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com A Grand Court jury on Friday unanimously convicted customs officer David Karl Lobo on one of two counts of being involved in smug- gling cocaine into the Cayman Islands. The jury found Mr. Lobo, who worked in the Fraud Enforcement Division of the Cus- toms Department, guilty of a charge of “being knowingly concerned” in the importation of 1.8 kilograms of cocaine. They acquitted him, by a majority verdict, of an identical second charge. The charges stem from a pair of incidents in May and June of 2017 in which Mr. Lobo allegedly conspired with Alan Taylor Domin- guez and Lesme Perez Ruiz to bring cocaine into the Cayman Islands. Mr. Dominguez and Mr. Perez Ruiz both pleaded guilty and testified against Mr. Lobo in court. Patrick Moran, the acting director of public prosecutions, sought to prove that Mr. Lobo had aided Mr. Perez Ruiz in bringing cocaine Ambulance involved in three-vehicle crash JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com An ambulance responding to an emergency call was involved in a three-vehicle collision at a roundabout in George Town Friday morning. No patient was in the ambulance at the time. The ambulance’s blue lights and sirens were on when the crash occurred at the roundabout at the junction of Crewe Road and Shamrock Road near King’s sports center around 7 a.m. Two paramedics were among three people who re- quired hospital treatment fol- lowing the crash. None of the injuries were believed to be life threatening. Steve Duval, Emergency Med- ical Services manager for the Health Services Authority, said on Friday that the cause of the crash and the extent of the damage to the ambulance were still being investigated. The ambulance itself was damaged in the incident and will be out of service in the short term. Mr. Duval said the authority had spare units as a contingency for this kind of sit- uation and it would not impact its service. The HSA has a total of six units, three of which are in service at any one time. “We have spares that will be put right back into service,” he said. He said the incident would be reviewed by the HSA. He added a reminder to the public to be mindful of emergency vehicles with blue lights flashing. “It is too early to say the cause of this collision,” he said, “but as a general reminder we want motorists to be aware of emergency vehicles of any kind, particularly when they are re- sponding to a call.” The matter is currently under police investigation and anyone with any information is asked to call the Traffic Management Unit at 649-6254 and speak with PC Matthew Thomas. Dog walk unfazed by light rain MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com The crack of thunder, the threat of rain and the smell of wet dogs were not enough to deter participants in the first One Dog at a Time 5K walk/jog on Sunday morning, as about 50 people showed up to support the canine rescue group. Paula Wythe, treasurer for the organiza- tion, said this is the first of what she hopes will be an annual fundraising event. She was hoping $1,000 would be raised at Sun- day’s One Dog Jog. “We got our charity status last year,” Ms. Wythe said. “We were looking at the calendar and we thought New Year’s resolu- tions. Get out of bed and get some exercise.” One Dog at a Time finds foster and adoptive homes for dogs in Cayman, as well as abroad. Founded in 2013, the charity helped find homes for 248 dogs last year, Ms. Wythe said. One of those dogs, Astrid, was at the event Sunday. Eric Schwandt, 42, was holding the 8-week-old black puppy, convinced that he was just helping care for the dog for the duration of the morning event. He and his wife Katie, 34, have a black lab of their own, which was at home that morning. The couple has fostered two dogs, one for One Dog at a Time, the other for Cayman Ca- nine Friends. So far, Ms. Schwandt said, “We’ve had no foster fails. But that might change,” she said, smiling at Astrid and hinting that the pup might become a permanent addition to the family rather than being adopted by someone else. “We have a massive soft spot for dogs,” she said. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » Meredith Whitney, left, leads a group of dog walkers during Sunday’s One Dog Jog, a fundraiser for One Dog at a Time. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 »2 LOCAL®IONAL MONDAY JANUARY 7, 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. - MONDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) ESCAPE ROOM (PG13) 1:55 I 4:30 I 5:35 I 7:25 I 10:00 MARY POPPINS RETURNS (PG) 12:50 I 3:50 I 6:45 I 9:45 ELLIOT THE LITTLEST REINDEER (PG) 12:15 I 4:50 AQUAMAN (PG13) 12:45 VIP I 2:05 3D I 3:45 I 6:35 VIP 8:00 I 9:40 3D THE GRINCH (PG) 2:30 I 7:05 BUMBLEBEE (PG13) 1:00 I 3:55 VIP I 7:00 3D I 9:25 I 9:50 VIP 2018 rainfall 20 percent below average MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com Weather records show that 2018 was a dry year for Grand Cayman, with rainfall measured at Owen Roberts International Air- port more than 20 percent below normal. The 30-year average for the island is 56.2 inches, but just 43.5 inches was mea- sured for the past year. The data was included in an an- nual summary of weather systems that affected the Cayman Islands, which was compiled by the National Weather Service. While 2017 rainfall was above average – the 59.3 inches that fell made it the wettest year since 2010 – 2016 was the driest on re- cord. Just 29 inches fell that year, the lowest since records started being kept in 1957. The wettest month of 2018 was September, when 13.5 inches fell, 54 percent more than the 8.74 inches the month usually sees. March was the driest with just 0.29 inches, a mere 22 percent of the 1.32-inch 30-year average for the month. Director General John Tibbetts said the long-term trend is for the nation to ex- perience drier weather. “A number of years ago we did a climate change study,” Mr. Tibbetts said. “The gradual trend is toward a drying impact.” The annual weather sys- tems report is primarily gen- erated for a regional meeting of Caribbean nations in order to review the year’s weather events. “Every year, I get to- gether with the national weather service directors from around the Caribbean,” Mr. Tibbetts said. At this year’s conference, they discussed the impacts of hurricanes, such as Isaac and Michael, and the “significant flooding” experienced by Trin- idad and Tobago in October. The weather events listed in Cayman’s annual summary of weather systems are those that generated a half inch or more of rain in a 24-hour pe- riod, or that required a high- seas warning for small boats. Looking at the list of weather events, Mr. Tibbetts said, can be revealing. “One of the things most Caymanians tend to notice is the Nor’westers we had in the past were much more powerful,” he said. In truth, he said, the sys- tems may be similar in inten- sity, but because of changes in the George Town water- front, the coastline is better protected from waves and flooding. Mr. Tibbetts empha- sized that the annual sum- mary is not a climate report. That report, which will be is- sued in the coming weeks, will include not only rainfall, but temperature and wind re- cordings along with an anal- ysis of the data. JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY. JUN. JUL. AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC. 2018 monthly rainfall totals vs 30 year average monthly rainfall totals 16.00 14.00 12.00 10.00 8.00 6.00 4.00 2.00 0.00 201830 yr average 2.04 1.44 0.29 1.50 1.32 0.61 1.27 0.49 10.80 5.96 6.20 2.34 5.78 1.10 5.80 13.50 8.74 8.65 6.05 3.12 2.39 2.79 1.56 Tourists make their way through George Town in the rain on May 22, 2018. The National Weather Service recorded 10.8 inches for that month, 4.84 inches above the long-term average of 5.96 inches. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY The 30-year average for the island is 56.2 inches, but just 43.5 inches was measured for the past year. ATTEMPTED MURDER CASE TRANSMITTED TO GRAND COURT SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com Jeffrey William Powery, a 32-year-old West Bay man, appeared in Summary Court Friday on a charge of at- tempted murder. Mr. Powery appeared before Chief Magistrate Nova Hall, who indicated that the charge is a Class A offense and must auto- matically be transmitted to Grand Court. Mr. Powery will next ap- pear in Summary Court on Jan. 10 for unrelated mat- ters, and then will appear in Grand Court for a mention of his attempted murder charge on Jan. 25. No details of the charge against Mr. Powery were mentioned in court. However, on Dec. 14, the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service is- sued a statement in relation to the case. The police stated that of- ficers had been notified by a member of the public about an altercation that had oc- curred on the night of Dec. 12 between a woman and a man known to her. Officers who attended the location on North West Point Road did not receive a response from within, and found the woman unconscious inside. Mr. Powery was arrested on Dec. 14 and first appeared in court on Friday. Venezuela’s congress names new leader, vows to battle Maduro CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) – Venezuela’s opposition-con- trolled congress opened its first session of the year Sat- urday, installing a fresh- faced leader who struck a de- fiant tone and vowed to take up the battle against socialist President Nicolas Maduro. Juan Guaido, 35, assumes the presidency of a National Assembly stripped of power by Maduro, whose govern- ment is blamed for leading the once-wealthy oil nation into a historic political and humanitarian crisis. Speaking to legislators, Guaido named off several op- position politicians and op- ponents of Maduro’s govern- ment who have been jailed, driven into exile or killed. He said desperation has forced masses of citizens to flee abroad looking for work. “We are under an oppres- sive system,” he said. “It’s not just that – it is miserable.” Tall and youthful, Guaido represents the next genera- tion of Venezuelan political opposition, taking up the as- sembly’s leadership following 74-year-old Omar Barboza. Guaido is an industrial engineer and former student leader from the same polit- ical party as Leopoldo Lopez, Venezuela’s most popular op- position leader under house arrest. Government oppo- nents consider him a polit- ical prisoner. Guaido called Maduro a dictator whose legitimacy has run out. Venezuela is living a “dark but transi- tional” moment of its history, he said, adding that among its first acts congress will create a transitional body to restore constitutional order, but he offered no details. He addressed a hall filled only with opposition law- makers as the government loyalists have long boycotted any sessions, saying the Na- tional Assembly has itself overstepped its authority. However, roughly 20 for- eign diplomats from the United States, Canada, Japan, Italy and Germany attended the assembly’s inaugural ses- sion in a show of solidarity. “The National Assembly should inspire hope in the Venezuelan people for a peaceful, prosperous, and democratic future, even as the corrupt and authoritarian Maduro regime and its allies seek to deny Venezuelans that right,” the State Department said in a statement. It added: “Every nation must take strong action to help the Ven- ezuelan people reclaim their democracy.” The assembly opened days before Maduro’s inau- guration to a second, six-year term widely condemned as il- legitimate after he declared victory in the May 20 election that many foreign powers considered a sham. Venezuela’s socialist party boss Diosdado Cabello said Saturday that Maduro will be sworn in on Jan. 10 before the Supreme Court, which is stacked with government loy- alists. This defies the consti- tution that requires a presi- dent take the oath before the National Assembly. As international pressure mounts, a dozen Latin Amer- ican countries and Canada on Friday urged Maduro to cede power and hand it over to congress until a valid president is elected. Rainfall in inches Venezuelan lawmaker Juan Guaido is sworn in as president of the National Assembly in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday. – PHOTO: AP3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY JANUARY 7, 2019 DoE receives objections about Barkers plan JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com An application to remove some 180,000 square feet of sea grass to create a swim- ming beach for cruise ship tourists off Barkers pen- insula received more than 100 written objections from members of the public, ac- cording to the Department of Environment. A total of 117 people wrote to object to the coastal works application brought by Adven- tures in Taste, the company of Handel Whittaker, who owns the Calico Jack’s beach bar and who hopes to move the venue to create a Rum Point- style attraction in Barkers. The proposal is linked to a 21-acre parcel of beach- front land owned by the Dart group, which is supporting his application. The application process involves a public consulta- tion phase, which has now been completed. According to Tim Austin, deputy director of the De- partment of Environment, the department has been no- tified of 117 written objec- tions from members of the public to the plans. He said a hand-signed petition with 365 names and an online pe- tition with 2,678 names were also submitted. The Department of Envi- ronment is required to factor in those objections in its re- port to the Ministry on the application. Under delegated authority from the National Conserva- tion Council, the DoE’s tech- nical review team is tasked with producing a report on the environmental consider- ations and technical feasi- bility of any coastal works application. The ministry then pres- ents a report to Cabinet, which has ultimate decision- making authority on such applications. It is legally re- quired to consider the con- servation council’s advice, but not necessarily to follow it. Mr. Austin said the DoE had filed its report with the ministry, though he could not reveal details at this stage. He acknowledged that the number of public responses was unprecedented for a coastal works application, which typically attract no more than a handful of let- ters or comments. The application requests approval for the “removal of sea grass to facilitate swim beaches” over an area equivalent in size to around three football pitches and stretching across a 1,300 foot parcel of beach. It also in- cludes plans for a T-shaped pier stretching 300 feet into the ocean, with a 120-foot dock for tour boats and vis- iting pleasure craft. Mr. Whittaker told the Compass in November that he believes the venue can be a “great facility for cruise ship passengers, tourists and locals,” that will bring business and opportunity to West Bay. Dart Real Estate, which owns much of the land on Barkers, had indicated its support for the applica- tion. The company said in a statement that “thoughtful public beach amenity proj- ects can co-exist in prox- imity to the area earmarked for the proposed Barkers Na- tional Park.” The development site ear- marked for Calico Jack’s is just outside the pro- posed boundaries of the na- tional park. The application to remove sea grass, and the wider plan, attracted widespread public criticisms over the past few months. Concerns high- lighted have included the re- moval of marine habitat in a Replenishment Zone, ques- tions over the feasibility of creating a swimming beach on that coastline and general concerns that Barkers should remain untouched by com- mercial development. The application process involves a public consultation phase, which has now been completed. The Barkers peninsula in West Bay.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” With three broken-down trucks, trash piling up and heaps of overtime, the new year is shaping up to be much like the last year in terms of solid waste. As the Compass reported last week, garbage col- lectors have been working double time in an effort to catch up on roadside collections. It appears that the problems the department experienced in 2018 are unresolved as we enter 2019. In a statement, the Department of Environmental Health explained that three garbage trucks had to be taken out of service in late December, causing the delays, and they are awaiting parts from overseas. That explanation is incomplete. When are these critical parts arriving? When will the trucks be opera- tional. Has someone called FedEx? Machines break, so it’s possible to imagine trucks, or cars, or washing machines malfunctioning. But three at once that provide essential services to this island? What happened to the twice-daily inspections promised by Acting Director Richard Simms last summer, which he assured us would ensure critical equipment was in good working order? Are those inspections being conducted? If so, how did the the problems go undetected? The DEH should have been better prepared. Readers will recall that equipment deficiencies were one of the many vague “explanations” officials offered last year when confronted with justified public anger over DEH’s seeming inability to capably handle this fundamental public (and public health) function of gov- ernment. Later, of course, we learned that their public assurances repeatedly downplayed the department’s crippling labor, equipment and cost-overrun issues. It is not clear that officials learned anything from auditors’ scathing report on the chronic dysfunction. Still, officials are tight-lipped about the unexpected departure of Roydell Carter, the longtime civil servant who oversaw the troubled department as the director of the Depart - ment of Environmental Health before his retirement last fall, following an extended period of leave. It is worth remembering that Mr. Carter’s unspeci- fied leave began roughly concurrently with an Internal Audit Service inquiry into his department’s man- agement of overtime (to the tune of $100,000 per month for routine service). Of course, we cannot know anything more unless or until we receive an official explanation – which has not been forthcoming. Despite the clear public interest that we (and, we suspect, a great portion of the population) see in publicly disclosing the circumstances, terms and possible grounds for Mr. Carter’s unexplained leave and seemingly sudden departure, government has denied a Freedom of Information Act request filed by the Compass seeking details about that case. The Compass is challenging that decision, asking the office of the ombudsman to review government’s refusal, based, in part, on assertions that a non-disclo- sure clause prevents the public sharing of any details – including the language of the nondisclosure clause itself. Increasingly, non-disclosure clauses in separation agreements appear to be little more than an artifice to limit or prevent information from being shared with the public, which deserves to know where and how its government is spending its money. It’s time for DEH to come clean on garbage pickup MONDAY JANUARY 7, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS A list of hopes and fears for 2019 I started my end-of-year “best and worst” series back in 2013, but didn’t begin my start-of-year “hopes and fears” series until 2017. In that first year, I got part of what I hoped for (some tax reform and a bit of reg- ulatory easing) and part of what I feared (no Medicaid and Medicare reform), but I mostly felt relieved that some of my fears (border-ad- justment tax and an infra- structure boondoggle) were not realized. For 2018, none of my hopes (government col- lapse in Venezuela and wel- fare reform) became reality, but we dodged one of my fears (Trump killing NAFTA) and moved in the wrong di- rection on another (a bad Brexit deal). Here are my good and bad expectations for 2019. Things I hope will happen in the coming year: ■■ Hard Brexit – There is a very strong long-run ar- gument for the United Kingdom to have a full break with the European Union. Unfortunately, the political establishment in both London and Brus- sels is conspiring to keep that from happening. But the silver lining is that the deal they put together is so awful that Parliament may vote no. Under current law, that hopefully will lead to a no-deal Brexit that gives the U.K. the freedom to become more free and prosperous. ■■ Supreme Court imposes limits of Washington’s power – I did not write about the fight over Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court be- cause I do not know if he believes in the limits on centralized power in Article 1, Section 8. But I’m semi-hopeful that his vote might make the dif- ference in curtailing the power of the adminis- trative state. And my fin- gers are crossed that he might vote with the Jus- tices who want to restore the Constitution’s protec- tion of economic liberty. ■■ Gridlock – Some people think gridlock is a bad thing, but it is explic- itly what our Founders wanted when they cre- ated America’s separa- tion-of-powers system. And if the alternative to gridlock is politi- cians agreeing to bad policy, I will cheer for stalemate and divi- sion with great gusto. ■■ Maduro’s ouster – For the sake of the people of Ven- ezuela, I’m going to keep listing this item until it eventually happens. ■■ Limits on the execu- tive branch’s power to impose protectionism – Trade laws give a lot of unilateral power to the president. Ideally, the law should be changed so that any protectionist policies proposed by an administration do not go into effect unless also approved by Congress. ■■ Chilean-style reform in Brazil – Brazil recently elected a president who is viewed as the Trump of Latin America. But he might be the good kind of populist who uses his power to copy Chile’s pro-market reforms Things that worry me for 2019: ■■ Trump – The president does not believe in small government. In my night- mare scenario, I can see him rolling over to Demo- crat plans for a higher minimum wage, infra- structure pork, wage subsidies, and busting (again) the spending caps. ■■ Recession-induced statism – If there’s an economic downturn this year, then I fear we might get an Obama- style Keynesian spending orgy in addition to all the things I just mentioned. ■■ More protectionism – Until and unless there are limits on the president’s unilateral power, there is a real danger that Trump could do further damage to global trade. I’m par- ticularly concerned that he might pull the U.S. out of the very useful World Trade Organization and/ or impose very punitive tariffs on auto imports. ■■ Fake Brexit – This is the flip side of my hope for a hard Brexit. Regard- less of the country, it’s not easy to prevail when big business and the political elite are lined up on the wrong side of an issue. Sadly, I think my fears for 2019 are more likely than my hopes. And I did not even mention some additional con- cerns, such as what happens if China’s economy suffers a significant downturn. I fear that is likely because there has not been much progress on policy since the liberaliza- tion of the 1980s and 1990s. Or the potential implica- tions of anti-market popu- lism in important European nations such as Germany, Sweden, and Italy. Last but not least, we have a demographic sword of Damocles hovering over the neck of almost every na- tion. That was a problem last year, it’s a bigger problem this year, and it will become an even-bigger problem in fu- ture years. We know the an- swer to this problem, but real solutions are contrary to the selfish interests of politicians. Daniel J. Mitchell, chairman of the Center for Freedom and Prosperity, is on the Editorial Board of the Cayman Financial Review. DANIEL J. MITCHELL Gridlock – Some people think gridlock is a bad thing, but it is explicitly what our Founders wanted when they created America’s separation-of-powers system. 5 LOCAL NEWS MICHAEL KLEIN mklein@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands gov- ernment has issued a state- ment saying it “regrets” that the Netherlands had chosen to break from other EU member states by estab- lishing its own “blacklist” of 21 jurisdictions, including the Cayman Islands. On Dec. 28, the Dutch ministry of finance released a tax list of 21 jurisdictions aimed at preventing com- panies from avoiding tax by moving mobile assets to low- tax jurisdictions. From 2021, a withholding tax of 20.5 percent will be levied on interest and royalty payments from the Nether- lands to entities in listed ju- risdictions. The list will also be applied to a number of other cases and transactions. In a statement issued by the Premier’s Office Friday, the government said the list was based on the sole cri- terion of those jurisdic- tions having a lower corpo- rate tax rate than any EU member state. All of the countries on the list have a corporation tax rate of less than 9 percent, while some, like Cayman, have no corporation and in- come tax at all. “This ‘blacklisting’ does not take into account Cay- man’s demonstrated ad- herence to international standards for tax transpar- ency, or participation with the OECD’s BEPS Inclusive Framework, and ignores our engagement with the EU’s Code of Conduct Group over the last two years to address their concerns regarding economic substance,” the statement said. The government rejected the blacklisting as “unjusti- fied” and “lacking in fairness and credibility.” “It is unfortunate that the Netherlands has chosen to attempt to divert criticism of its own tax practices by at- tacking the legitimate tax re- gimes of other jurisdictions,” the statement continued. “Putting aside this unfor- tunate action, the Cayman Islands continues its long- standing commitment to ad- hering to global standards, and to working with the global community to improve their effectiveness.” CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY JANUARY 7, 2019 One Honeywell Lynx touch wireless residential/ commercial security alarm panel with 4.3” full colour touchscreen display Three wireless door/window contacts (white) One Honeywell pet immune motion sensor (up to 40Lbs.) One 4 button remote keychain Full installation and demonstration 12 months parts warranty WIFI module for the mobile Apps. Honeywell Lynx Intruder Alarm Package Includes: The Honeywell intruder system is linked to our 24/7 monitoring centre to keep your family and your property safe. Upon system activation our experienced monitoring station staff will handle the situation. The Total Connect app allows you complete control of your security system from your mobile device. To find out more about this special offer contact the Security Centre on 949-0004 or email info@security.ky *The free alarm system and installation is available to new clients when signing up for a 12 month monitoring contract ($660 residential - $860 commercial). 24/7 Alarm Monitoring Secure and protect your property with the Honeywell Lynx intruder protection system. Controllable from your mobile device. Government has ap- pointed Niasha Brady as the deputy director of operations at the Public Works Depart- ment, effective from Jan. 1. Mrs. Brady is a product of the succession planning ini- tiative which begun at PWD several years ago, according to a press release issued by the PWD on Thursday. After being identified as a likely successor for the new role, she took part in training and development initiatives to enhance her academic and practical competencies. “My congratulations to Niasha on this very well-de- served promotion to the new post of PWD Deputy Director Operations. Niasha has dem- onstrated over and over again that she has the drive, deter- mination, skill set and now the experience to perform to a very high level in this role,” PWD Director Max Jones said in the press release. “I’m particularly delighted that we have been able to fill this senior post with a pro- motion from within PWD. This is a testament to the hard work PWD has been doing for a number of years in succession planning and in developing individual, cus- tomized career development plans for key employees,” Mr. Jones added. Mrs. Brady was the de- partment’s first female senior project manager, and is its first female deputy director of operations. In her new role, she will strategically manage a re- structured Operations Divi- sion of the Public Works De- partment and lead the four core sections of the depart- ment, which are Project Man- agement, Consultancy Ser- vices, Facilities Management, and Recreation, Parks and Cemeteries. “It will be our goal to con- tinue to improve our focus on providing our customers with high quality, professional and reliable World Class service,” Mrs. Brady said in the release. She has been an employee of PWD for about 11 years, during which time she has worked as project manager, acting senior project manager in the Major Projects Office, and senior project manager. Over the past year, she has been carrying out the role of acting deputy director of de- velopment and planning. According to the re- lease, she will continue to work closely with the Major Projects Office, managing the Long-Term Residential Mental Health Project. Mrs. Brady was the department’s first female senior project manager, and is the first female deputy director of operations. New deputy director for PWD Niasha Brady Cayman government rejects blacklisting by Netherlands The government rejected the blacklisting as “unjustified” and “lacking in fairness and credibility.”The islands’ most-trusted news source 6 MONDAY JANUARY 7, 2019 CAYMAN COMPASS Jonathan Wells and Brit- tanni Seymour, both 27, came with their dogs Bo, a mix, and Rugar, an energetic rottweiler. Mr. Wells said the event was a good way to support the dog rescue operation while getting some exercise and also getting the dogs out for a walk. “It’s like killing three birds with one stone,” he said. Many of the partici- pants walked or ran with their dogs along the route, which went from the junc- tion of the Esterley Tibbetts Highway and SafeHaven Drive to the Holiday Inn and back along SafeHaven Drive. Others, without dogs, simply ran the course. Volunteers, including Brian and Sally Munro, manned several water sta- tions along the route. Mr. Munro was holding Rascal, a schnauzer the couple ad- opted a month ago. Rascal was newly spayed and was wearing a plastic cone on her head. Mr. Munro said the small dog had already had a big impact on their lives. “We weren’t allowed to have dogs where we lived,” he said. “So we moved.” Ms. Munro laughed and shrugged. “That’s what happens when you fall in love with dog,” she said. One Dog at a Time finds foster and adoptive homes for dogs in Cayman, as well as abroad. Founded in 2013, the charity helped find homes for 248 dogs last year. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Meredith Whitney holds Astrid, a dog looking for a foster home, prior to Sunday’s jog. Dog walk unfazed by light rain A runner and her dog enjoy the morning during the One Dog Jog, a fundraiser for One Dog at a Time. - PHOTOS: TANEOS RAMSAY AND MARK MUCKENFUSS Some runners had their hands full during Sunday’s One Dog Jog. One Dog at a Time treasurer Paula Wythe, right, speaks with volunteer Erin Brosnihan during Sunday’s fundraiser. Claudia Moreda and Martin Pilat walk Lolita and Zeus during the One Dog Jog. Brian and Sally Munro, along with their dog, Rascal, manned a water station. Among the 50 participants were, from left, Michelle Hayes, Genevieve Georgiades, Aileen Sargent and Tarryn Humphries. Brando Rankin’s dog, Kona, seems to have an agenda of its own as the two ran the 5K course.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS MONDAY JANUARY 7, 2019 ARE YOU A BLOGGER? To enter and for official rules visit: www.visitcaymanislands.com/CulinaryBlogger The Cayman Islands Department of Tourism wants to give one lucky blogger the opportunity to cover Cayman Cookout, 17-20 January 2019. Simply blog to enter. Write an article on what you think will be the new culinary trend to hit the Cayman Islands. Illustrate your article with exciting pictures and/or videos. Enjoy four days of access to Cayman Cookout and blog for the destination! Winner will be selected by 11 January 2019. into Cayman from Colombia and ultimately selling it. The defendant admitted in court that he had sent wire transfers to Mr. Ruiz before his journeys from Colombia to Cayman. He also said he had made multiple visits to the hotel where Mr. Ruiz and his accomplices were converting liquid cocaine into powder. Mr. Lobo also admitted purchasing a digital scale and bringing castor oil to Mr. Perez Ruiz, but he denied any knowledge of a conspiracy to bring cocaine into Cayman. Mr. Lobo was arrested with $13,400 in his possession after leaving Mr. Perez Ruiz’s hotel on the afternoon of June 2, 2017. The defendant claimed he had been attempting to purchase antique pre-Co- lumbian gold statues from Mr. Perez Ruiz, and said the money found in his car was intended to be used to pur- chase a vehicle in Honduras. During his testimony, he told the jury, “One bil- lion percent, I was never in- volved in any conspiracy or any conversations dealing with importing cocaine to the Cayman Islands or anywhere else in the world.” Mr. Perez Ruiz detailed a pair of efforts to bring co- caine into Cayman. He said that on the first occasion, in mid-May, he accompa- nied two drug mules who had ingested a kilogram of liquid cocaine in condoms. Mr. Perez Ruiz said that they repeated the process with nearly two kilograms of co- caine in late May. Defense counsel Amelia Fosuhene attempted to dem- onstrate to the jury that Mr. Perez Ruiz and Mr. Domin- guez had not been entirely truthful in their testimony. The jury of five women and two men deliberated for four hours on Thursday af- ternoon and for another two hours on Friday before Jus- tice Linda Dobbs informed them that they could issue a majority decision. Mr. Lobo, who was ac- quitted of a similar charge of importation of cocaine in Grand Court in 2013, wept upon hearing Friday’s verdict and was remanded into cus- tody a short time later. Mr. Lobo, Mr. Dominguez and Mr. Perez Ruiz will be back in court for sentencing on Feb. 27. The Cayman Compass pre- viously reported that Mr. Lobo was placed on leave from his Customs post shortly after being arrested in June 2017. Charles Clifford, the Cayman Islands Collector of Customs, was not immedi- ately available for comment Friday on Mr. Lobo’s employ- ment status. before 2 p.m. that a snorkeler had lost consciousness while in the water. He was reportedly pulled onto a nearby vessel where CPR was performed as he was taken back to shore, but he remained uncon- scious. Emergency Services was waiting on the beach and transported him to the Cayman Islands Hospital where he was later pro- nounced dead, officials said. Last year, 12 people per- ished in Cayman Islands waters. All but one were adult tourists from the United States and nine out of the 12 were snorkeling at the time. Toddler drowns in East End in 2nd water death of year Customs agent guilty in cocaine importation case Mr. Lobo, who was acquitted of a similar charge of importation of cocaine in Grand Court in 2013, wept upon hearing Friday’s verdict and was remanded into custody a short time later. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Meetings and conference highlight youth support month A series of meetings fo- cused on combating crime with assets is scheduled in various locations over the next several days. Support our Youth Month, along with the Royal Cayman Islands Police Force, is spon- soring the community meet- ings, the first of which will be held from 7-9 p.m. Monday night, Jan. 7, at the Seafarers Hall in Prospect/Red Bay. Other meetings are as follows: ■■ Tuesday: John A. Cumber Primary School ■■ Wednesday: George Town Town Hall ■■ Thursday: South Sound Civic Centre ■■ Friday: Bodden Town Civic Centre ■■ Jan. 14: North Side Civic Centre ■■ Jan. 15: Gun Bay Civic Centre ■■ All meetings are from 7-9 p.m. The meetings are being held in advance of a Jan. 18 Planning for Youth Suc- cess conference, which will be from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the University Col- lege for the Cayman Is- lands. The conference will feature Deputy Gov- ernor Franz Manderson as guest speaker and keynote speaker Coleridge Minto, Jamaica’s assistant super- intendent of police. A panel discussion with government officials, breakout sessions and group work on asset building will be part of the conference. According to Supporting Cayman Youth’s website, asset building involves “in- vesting wisely in our youth, increasing their exposure to positive, constructive activi- ties, and instilling values and skills that will guide them from the inside. Building the assets of young people help them to succeed and de- creases their susceptibility to risks such as drugs, violence, delinquency, etc.” The organization will also hold Celebrate our Youth Day 2019 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 19 at UCCI. The event will feature per- formances by youth groups, as well as activities in- cluding games and arts and crafts. For details visit www.supportingcaymanyouth.com.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 MONDAY JANUARY 7, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Spain rescues 549 migrants from Med Spain’s maritime rescue service says it has saved 549 migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea over the weekend. The European Union’s border agency says that 57,000 migrants reached Spain last year, double the figure for 2017. CROSS ISLAND RELAY HASH HOUSE 45th Annual CROSS ISLAND RELAY SUNDAY 3rd, FEBRUARY 2019 Proceeds from this event will be donated to Special Olympics Cayman Islands. HARRIERS Organized by Cayman Hash House Harriers Register online at www.caymanactive.com until 5pm on Friday 1st February 2019. Race packet pick up and in-person registration at Camana Bay Visitor Centre between midday & 4pm on Saturday 2nd February. Race route and rules on www.caymanhash.com Any questions email: caymanhash@gmail.com Starts: 6:00 am Awards:10:00 am Entry Fee: or CI $120 per team US $150 per team CROSS ISLAND RELAY Come out and participate in the oldest running event in the Cayman Islands. Teams of 6 people run 4 miles each starting from Colliers Public Beach and finishing at Smith Cove. T-shirts for all participants. Trophies awarded in male, female and corporate divisions. Register early to avoid disappointment – race limited to 100 teams. Democrats take power in House; impeachment talk flares WASHINGTON (AP) – House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had only been in office for a few hours when a handful of Democrats defied her per- sistent calls not to begin the new Congress by talking about impeachment. Just after Pelosi was sworn in Thursday, long- time Democratic Reps. Brad Sherman of California and Al Green of Texas introduced articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump. That evening, newly elected Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan riled up a sup- portive crowd by calling the president a profanity and predicting that he will be re- moved from office. Tension over impeach- ment is likely to be a per- sistent thorn for Pelosi, who will have to balance between a small, vocal group of the most liberal members of her caucus, who want to see Trump removed immediately, and the majority of her mem- bers who want to wait for special counsel Robert Muel- ler’s Russia investigation to finish. Pelosi purposely avoided – and encouraged most fellow Democrats to avoid – any talk of impeach- ment during the election, be- lieving there could be back- lash from voters. While eager to paint im- peachment as the Demo- crats’ only agenda, Trump has also expressed some worry both publicly and pri- vately at the prospect. He has told confidants that he finds the impeachment talk somewhat unnerving, ac- cording to an outside ad- viser who spoke to him in recent days. The president, who has long fashioned himself as the ultimate winner, told the con- fidant that he worried that impeachment, even if he re- tained office, would be a stain on his legacy. And while he thought the impeachment would rally his own base in the 2020 election it could hurt his standing with for- eign leaders as he negoti- ates trade deals, according to the adviser. While many Democrats might favor impeachment, those calling for it now are largely outliers. Most Dem- ocratic lawmakers listened to Pelosi and campaigned on kitchen table issues such as healthcare and jobs and prefer to keep them at the forefront of the party’s focus. Still, it will be hard for Pe- losi to quiet some on her left flank who see their new ma- jority as a direct challenge to Trump. “Impeachment is on the table,” Sherman said. “You can’t take it off the table.” Tlaib, who represents a liberal district in De- troit, exclaimed at an event late Thursday that Demo- crats were going to “im- peach the mother–––.” She didn’t back down Friday, tweeting that “I will al- ways speak truth to power.” She added the hashtag, “#unapologeticallyMe.” Her spokesman, Denzel McCampbell, said in a state- ment that Tlaib, one of only two Muslim women in Con- gress, “was elected to shake up Washington” and will not stay silent. “The congresswoman ab- solutely believes he needs to be impeached. She ran and won by making this very clear to the voters in her dis- trict,” McCampbell said. Pelosi said Friday at an MSNBC town hall said she would not censor her col- leagues, and that Tlaib’s lan- guage was no worse than things Trump has said. Still, Pelosi said she did not like the language and would not use it. She said, as she has many times be- fore, that the House should not move to impeach Trump without more facts and that she believes impeachment is divisive. The prospect of that di- vision delights Republicans, who have used impeachment calls to fire up their base of voters. Trump immediately seized on the topic, asking in a tweet Friday, “How do you impeach a president who has won perhaps the greatest election of all time, done nothing wrong.” Speaking later Friday to reporters in the Rose Garden, Trump said he thought Tlaib’s comments were “dis- graceful” and she “dishon- ored herself.” At a meeting at the White House Friday on the gov- ernment shutdown, Trump opened his remarks with his concerns about impeach- ment, according to a White House official and a tweet from Pelosi’s spokesman Drew Hammill. Trump said that Pelosi as- sured him during the meeting that “we’re not looking to im- peach you,” and that he re- plied “that’s good, Nancy, that’s good.” Hammill later tweeted a slightly different recap: “Speaker Pelosi made clear that today’s meeting was about re-opening govern- ment, not impeachment.” There has been some dis- cussion in Trump’s orbit about how to deal with a possible impeachment effort. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who led impeach- ment efforts against Presi- dent Bill Clinton two decades ago, encouraged conserva- tives to foster what he be- lieves would be counter-pro- ductive impeachment talk among Democrats. The 1998 battle backfired on Republi- cans, who were seen as over- reaching while Clinton’s poll numbers rose. “Make it the speaker’s problem, make her deal with the nutty wing of her party,” Gingrich said in a recent interview with The Asso- ciated Press. Top Democrats have so far supported Pelosi’s cau- tious approach to impeach- ment, with House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler also saying that it is a di- visive, even traumatic, pro- cess that should only be done with Republican support. Both Nadler and Pelosi were in Congress during Clinton’s impeachment. Sherman and Green forced votes to impeach Trump in 2017 and 2018, but the Re- publican House blocked those resolutions twice, with the help of many Dem- ocrats who said the effort was premature. Even if the House should approve articles of impeach- ment – very unlikely at present – a two-thirds-ma- jority vote to convict Trump in the Republican-led Senate and remove him from office would seem out of the ques- tion, barring new revelations or a dramatic decline in the president’s political support. Many Democrats on Friday distanced themselves from Tlaib’s words. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said he does not think “com- ments like these particularly help.” House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings, D-Md., said the comments were “inappro- priate” and go against efforts to reclaim civility. Other Democrats were more forgiving, even if they disagreed. “I think some of our new members probably don’t re- alize that you are always on, that when you are a member of Congress, there’s always someone listening,” said Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill. Virginia Rep. Gerry Con- nolly said the comments were just “red meat” for Tlaib’s supporters. “I think it’s a forgivable sin, an outburst of exuber- ance with her and her sup- porters, and I think we all need to move on,” he said. “It doesn’t reflect the caucus, and I’m sure upon reflection, she might choose other words to describe her feelings.” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., poses during a ceremonial swearing-in with Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., sixth from right, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, during the opening session of the 116th Congress. – PHOTO: AP While many Democrats might favor impeachment, those calling for it now are largely outliers.9 WORLD®IONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY JANUARY 7, 2019 The family of the Late Neil Thomas Cox regret to announce his passing on Wednesday, 2 January 2019. A Funeral Mass will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, 8 January 2019 at St. Ignatius Catholic Church. A Rosary, along with viewing will be held 6:00 p.m. Monday, 7 January 2019 at Bodden Funeral Service. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page In lieu of flowers please make donations to the George Town Chemo Unit. Neither side blinks in shutdown debate MAY: BREXIT CRITICS RISK DAMAGING UK DEMOCRACY Wall debate obscures other struggles at the border LONDON (AP) – British Prime Minister Theresa May said Sunday that a de- layed vote in Parliament on her Brexit deal will “defi- nitely” go ahead later this month, as she promised to set out measures to win over skeptical lawmakers. May told the BBC that in the coming days she will give more details about measures addressing Northern Ireland and con- cern over the Irish border. She also promised a greater role for Parliament in nego- tiations over future trade relations with the Euro- pean Union as a sweetener. May struck a with- drawal agreement with the EU in November, but that deal needs Parliament’s ap- proval. In December, May decided to postpone a par- liamentary vote intended to ratify the agreement at the last minute after it became clear that it would be over- whelmingly defeated in the House of Commons. Lawmakers are re- suming debate on the deal Wednesday, before a vote expected to be held around Jan. 15. If the deal is voted down, Britain risks crashing out of the EU on March 29 with no agree- ment in place, a messy out- come that could plunge the country into its worst re- cession for decades. May’s Brexit deal is un- popular with British law- makers across the spectrum. As part of her efforts to win support for her deal, May on Sunday reiterated that the agreement she ne- gotiated was the only one that respects the 2016 ref- erendum result, protects jobs and provides certainty to people and businesses. She warned in the Mail on Sunday newspaper that critics of her Brexit deal risk damaging Britain’s de- mocracy and its economy by opposing her plan. SAN DIEGO (AP) – In Wash- ington, it’s all about the wall. At the border, it’s only part of the story. Border authorities are struggling with outdated fa- cilities ill-equipped to handle the growing increase in family migrants, resulting in immigrants being re- leased onto the streets every day. The immigration court system is so clogged that some wait years for their cases to be resolved, and lacks funding to pay for basic things like in-person transla- tors. An increase in sick chil- dren arriving at the border is putting a strain on med- ical resources. But the Washington de- bate has focused almost ex- clusively on the $5 billion in wall spending that President Donald Trump wants. Other proposals being discussed keep the rest of the Home- land Security department funding at existing levels. “The wall is a tool. Un- fortunately even if it’s im- plemented across the border it isn’t a solution to all the problems,” said Victor M. Manjarrez, a former Border Patrol sector chief with more than 20 years of experience, now a professor at the Uni- versity of Texas-El Paso. Trump has suggested migrants will not bother to come if he gets his way, making other immigration is- sues less problematic. Walls and fencing currently blanket about one-third of the border – mostly built under Presi- dent George W. Bush – and the president wants to ex- tend and fortify them. But contracting, designing and building new wall systems complete with updated tech- nology could take years. Trump met Friday with Congressional leaders who said the president threatened the shutdown could go on for “years.” Trump later said he’d considered using executive authority to get a wall built on the border. “You can call it a barrier, you can call it whatever you want,” Trump said a day ear- lier, flanked by immigration union heads. “But essentially we need protection in our country. We’re going to make it good. The people of our country want it.” Meanwhile, the House passed a bill Thursday eve- ning to fund the government without the $5 billion, with new Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi calling the wall an “immorality.” The debate overlooks major bottlenecks in the im- migration system as more families and children trav- eling alone turn themselves in to authorities to seek asylum, instead of trying to elude capture as almost ev- eryone did just a few years ago. In some cases, migrants are climbing existing border fence and seeking out agents to surrender. The backlog in immigra- tion courts has more than doubled to 1.1 million cases since shortly before Trump took office, according to Syr- acuse University’s Transac- tional Records Access Clear- inghouse. Families and children now account for about six of 10 Border Patrol arrests, but there are only about 3,300 family deten- tion beds and the number of unaccompanied children in government care has soared under Trump. Border crossers are stuck in short-term holding cells for days and there has been a spike in sick migrant children, including two who died in custody. In addition, the wall will do little to address the issue of visa overstays – when im- migrants come to the country legally and remain here after their papers expire. Authori- ties say there were nearly 740,000 overstays during a recent 12-month period. And border agents con- tinue to struggle with growing numbers children and families. Officials say they are stopping about 2,000 people a day, more than 60 percent children and families, higher than during many pe- riods under President Barack Obama. They referred 451 cases to a medical provider from Dec. 22 to Dec. 30, more than half children. David Aguilar, the Border Patrol chief from 2004 to 2010 and a former acting Customs and Border Protec- tion commissioner, said agen- cies that oversee long-term immigration custody need more funding to immediately step in after the Border Patrol makes an arrest. He says the agency is “overwhelmed” in dealing with all the children and families coming across the border now, much dif- ferent from 1990s and 2000s. WASHINGTON (AP) – A first round of talks between White House officials and congres- sional aides has made little progress toward ending the government shutdown, with each side accusing the other of giving no ground. More discussions took place Sunday, while President Donald Trump, who did not attend the negotiating ses- sion, was at Camp David for a retreat with White House staff on border security and other topics. With the talks stalled, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said House Demo- crats intend to start passing individual bills to reopen agencies. The first would be the Treasury Department, to ensure people receive their tax refunds. “Not much headway made today,” Trump tweeted on Saturday after receiving a briefing from the team led by Vice President Mike Pence. Democrats said the White House did not budge on the president’s key demand, $5.6 billion to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. The White House said money was not discussed in depth, but the administration was clear about the need for a wall and the goal of resolving the shutdown all at once, not piecemeal. Acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney told NBC’s “Meet the Press” that he believes Democrats “think they’re win- ning the PR battle and they’re willing to drag this out be- cause they think it hurts the president.” Democrats fa- miliar with the meeting said the White House position was “untenable.” A White House official said the meeting included a briefing on border security by Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. Democrats sought written details from the Department of Home- land Security on their budget needs; the White House said it would provide that. Mulvaney said Trump was willing to forgo a con- crete wall for steel or other materials. “If he has to give up a concrete wall, replace it with a steel fence in order to do that so that Democrats can say, ‘See? He’s not building a wall anymore,’ that should help us move in the right di- rection,” Mulvaney told NBC. The president has sug- gested his definition of the wall is flexible, referring to slats and other “border things.” Democrats have made clear they see a wall as immoral and ineffective and prefer other types of border security funded at already agreed upon levels. Trump had campaigned on the promise that Mexico would pay for the wall. Mexico has refused. He’s now demanding the money from Congress. The White House said money was not discussed in depth, but the administration was clear about the need for a wall and the goal of resolving the shutdown all at once, not piecemeal. White House Senior Adviser Jared Kushner, left, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, and Vice President Mike Pence, talk as they walk down the steps of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House complex, Saturday in Washington. – PHOTO: AP A migrant from Honduras passes a child to her father after he jumped the border fence to get into the U.S. side to San Diego, California, from Tijuana, Mexico, Thursday. – PHOTO: APNext >