ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – TUESDAY JANUARY 8, 2019 High of 86 Low of 74 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 LIGHTING THE PATH FOR CAYMAN’S YOUNG PEOPLE ENTERTAINMENT | PAGE 14 ‘BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY’ UPSETS ‘STAR IS BORN’ AT GOLDEN GLOBES Cayman’s oldest man celebrates 104th birthday JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Looking as spry as ever, shoemaker Wellesley Howell, born Jan. 7, 1915, cele- brated his 104th birthday at his Shedden Road shop on Monday. He said he is looking forward to cele- brating his birthday, and playing a few games of dominoes, with family and friends on Sat- urday at the South Sound Community Centre. On Monday, he had several wishes for his birthday, including finding a wife. “I know it’s something I would take a chance with but shouldn’t ask for, [and] that is a wife,” Mr. Howell said with a huge grin. “A wife … I have more wishes, but they not attached to my brain as yet,” he added with a laugh. Mr. Howell said the last year had gone by quickly. “It’s just recently I had the [103rd] birthday performance at the George Town Town Hall, and look how soon it peak again,” he chuckled. “I won’t pick the music for the party because I am a musician [but] they can certainly ‘flash’ me around with the music.” He said joyful moments from God and knowing God’s purpose for his life made him happy. He added that just knowing that he is 104 years old frightens him, but he Businesses weather storms for strong shopping season JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Retailers in Grand Cayman reported a strong Christmas shopping season in spite of the impact of bad weather at the most lucrative time of the year. A total of 14 cruise ships bypassed Cayman because of December storms and George Town’s main street was closed to traffic as waves battered the harbor on the last Saturday before Christmas. Despite those setbacks, businesses re- ported strong sales bolstered by high tourism arrivals and on-island con- sumer spending. Matthew Bishop, CEO of Cayman Dis- tributors Group and Island Companies, said it had been a “B-plus” season for the group’s collection of stores, which span various sectors of the market, including jewelry, watches, sunglasses, souvenirs and liquor. CONSERVATION COUNCIL RE-FORMED AFTER HIATUS JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The National Conservation Council has been reappointed, with McFarlane Connolly as chairman, and is scheduled to meet shortly. The council has been effectively out of action since September because the term limits of the counselors expired and were not renewed. The body, which has not met publicly since June, plays a role in advising government on the environmental impact of planning appli- cations and other developments, and has re- sponsibility for drawing up recommendations on protection of environmentally important land and species. Members of the council serve two-year terms which expired en-masse in September. It is understood that an administrative mix- up meant the members were not reappointed in time to meet in September or in December. Mr. Connolly was announced as the new chairman in August, replacing Christine Rose- Smyth, who resigned from the role last Jan- uary. Four other new members, Edward Ch- isholm, Dominic Oliver Williams, Franklin Thompson and Nadia Hardie, were an- nounced at the same time, as replacements for others who had stepped down, but their term limits expired almost immediately and were not renewed. The Department of Environment con- firmed this week that it now had a properly appointed and fully functional council, and a meeting would be scheduled in short order. The cabinet appointees to the council Rough seas flooded the harborfront road on the Saturday before Christmas, leading police to close off the road for nearly two days. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » Wellesley Howell enjoys a birthday game of dominoes at his shoe repair store in George Town on Monday, when he turned 104 years of age. - PHOTO: ALVARO SEREY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 »2 LOCAL®IONAL TUESDAY JANUARY 8, 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. - TUESDAY - 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 THE GRINCH (PG) 2:30 I 7:05 AQUAMAN (PG13) 12:45 VIP I 2:05 3D I 3:45 I 8:00 9:40 3D BUMBLEBEE (PG13) 1:00 I 3:55 VIP I 7:00 3D I 9:25 I 9:50 VIP CLASSICS @ THE CINEMA: GREMLINS (PG) 7:00 VIP VENEZUELA SUPREME COURT JUDGE FLEES TO U.S. TO PROTEST MADURO CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) – A Venezuelan Supreme Court justice who has been a longtime government loy- alist has fled to the United States, saying he’s pro- testing President Nicolas Maduro’s upcoming second term. Christian Zerpa said Sunday that Venezuela’s high court has become an appendage of Maduro’s inner circle since he and a group of ruling party mem- bers were appointed to the bench in 2015. Venezue- la’s government lacks the any type of separation of powers, he said. “We are in the presence of an autocracy that has condemned to death any opposition to this partic- ular vision of power,” Zerpa told Miami-based broad- caster EVTV. He said the government “has only brought hunger, misery and destruction to the country,” calling it a “failed state.” A once wealthy oil na- tion, Venezuela is in the throes of a historic crisis after two decades of so- cialist rule. Millions have fled, while runaway infla- tion leaves those remaining behind struggling to afford scarce food and medicine. Maduro is scheduled to take the oath of office on Thursday, launching a second, six-year term that critics say is illegitimate. Political opponents and many foreign nations con- sider his re-election in May a sham after popular op- ponents were banned from running and the largest anti-government parties boycotted the race. Zerpa said that he fled with his family to Florida because he did not want to play a role legitimizing Maduro’s rule when the Su- preme Court swears him. Supreme Court chief justice Maikel Moreno – a Maduro loyalist – said Sunday that Zerpa fled to escape allegations of sexual harassment charges lodged by women in his office. Zerpa, who said he is now willing to collaborate with a sweeping U.S. in- vestigation into corruption and human rights abuses among Venezuela’s well- connected, described re- ceiving directions from the influential first lady Cilia Flores on how to rule in po- litically sensitive cases. As a newly installed justice, he recounted being summoned to the court and told to sign off on a key ruling without first re- viewing its details. It dis- qualified three elected representatives of Ama- zonas state from taking their seats in congress fol- lowing the opposition’s sweep of legislative elec- tions in 2015. The outcome pre- vented the opposition from amassing a two-third super majority that would have severely curtailed Mad- uro’s power. Fuel theft poses first big battle for Mexican president MEXICO CITY (AP) – Mexi- co’s new president is facing the first big domestic battle of his month-old administra- tion, taking on fuel thieves who drill into government pipelines and steal from dis- tribution depots. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who took of- fice on Dec. 1, has taken the unusual step of shutting off some particularly theft-prone pipelines carrying gasoline and diesel. That has caused gasoline shortages and gas station closures in several states. But Lopez Obrador said Monday he is not backing down. “Let’s see who gets tired first, the fuel thieves or us,” Lopez Obrador said. “We know it is not going to be easy, but we are not going to back down.” Fuel theft is a $3 billion per year clandestine industry, so sophisticated that Lopez Obrador said the gangs had established an alternative, clandestine and illegal dis- tribution network with their own depots. Lopez Obrador said some gangs had actually built warehouses over pipe- line rights of way to drill il- legal taps into the ducts. At big construction proj- ects, the gangs would set up sales points to supply stolen diesel to heavy equip- ment operators. The pipeline shutdowns forced the government to switch temporarily to more distribution by tanker trucks. Lopez Obrador also has tightened the screws on fuel theft gangs, posting soldiers at fuel depots. Lopez Obrador showed graphs Monday indicating the government was actually selling more gasoline after the pipeline shutdowns, sug- gesting that part of the de- mand has previously been met by stolen fuel. The state-owned Petroleos Mexicanos company said it was working to fix the supply problems, and stressed it had enough fuel to meet demand. It said the gas shortages had affected mainly the cen- tral states of Hidalgo, Jalisco, Michoacan, Guanajuato and Queretaro. Long lines formed at some of the few gas sta- tions still operating over the weekend in place like Guana- juato, which is also a leader in illegal fuel taps. “We are opening the pipe- lines back up carefully, and that means with the super- vision of specialized per- sonnel,” Lopez Obrador said. The government knows it is up against fierce, deeply ingrained gangs that often recruit entire neighborhoods to face off against police and military personnel during raids against the thefts. “There are groups, not all the people, but some, that stage protests when the gov- ernment carries out opera- tions against pipeline taps,” he said. “I am calling on all people not to partici- pate in illegal acts. Illegal acts are never justified, but even less so when there are alternatives.” That was an apparent ref- erence to Lopez Obrador’s policy of increased wages, training programs and schol- arships to help wean people away from illicit activities. Local restaurateur pleads guilty to labor offenses SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com Luigi Moxam, the pro- prietor of Cayman Cabana, pleaded guilty to a number of labor-related offenses on Monday and not guilty to several charges of failing to make contributions to a pension plan. Mr. Moxam pleaded guilty to seven counts of failing to comply with a requirement of the Director of Labour and Pensions to produce documents and one count of failing to provide a gratuities statement. Defense counsel John Furniss said Mr. Moxam pro- duced that gratuities state- ment, but not on time. The defendant also pleaded guilty to failing to pay arrears contributions within the time given by the superintendent, but Mr. Furniss said that Mr. Moxam has since paid that sum. “He is completely up-to- date with all requirements,” Mr. Furniss said. Mr. Moxam pleaded not guilty to seven counts of failing to make contri- butions to a pension plan and 11 counts of failure to pay national minimum basic wage. He also pleaded not guilty to providing false in- formation on a trade and business license and en- tered no plea on a charge of making a false statement. Mr. Moxam will next ap- pear in court on Feb. 4. Pipelines to carry gas from Texas to Mexico, eventually reaching the city of Guanajuato, are laid underground near General Bravo in Nuevo Leon, Mexico. - PHOTO: AP More than 3 inches of rain recorded Sunday Thunderstorms dumped more than three inches of rain on Grand Cayman on Sunday, flooding local roads and reportedly affecting traffic at Owen Roberts In- ternational Airport. Avalon Porter, a meteo- rologist with the National Weather Service, said 3.3 inches of rainfall were re- corded at the airport. Airport spokeswoman Rhonda Verhoeven said she had no details on how air- port traffic was affected. A request for that information received no response. How- ever, passengers at the air- port Sunday reported that some departing flights had been delayed. Showers continued through Monday morning, but are expected to lessen Tuesday and Wednesday be- fore a new system brings the chance of more rain toward the end of the week. “A weak cold front should move into the area Thursday morning, which will give us a few showers and some more on Friday,” Mr. Porter said. Thursday’s forecast is for a 40 percent chance of showers, increasing to 50 percent on Friday. Sea con- ditions are expected to pro- duce only slight to moderate waves. Temperatures are av- erage for this time of year, Mr. Porter added.3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY JANUARY 8, 2019 Two more challenge denials of permanent residency Tribunal took seven years to hear appeal KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com Two more people are chal- lenging government’s deci- sion to deny their permanent residency bids, arguing that the Immigration Appeals Tri- bunal unfairly discriminated against them in considering their applications. The Compass is aware of at least seven permanent residency cases that have made their way to the Grand Court after being denied by government. One of the latest chal- lengers is Sharon Staples, a Jamaican citizen who has been in Cayman for 28 years. During nearly that entire time, Ms. Staples has worked as a domestic helper, ac- cording to her legal challenge. Ms. Staples stated in her claim form that she first ap- plied for permanent resi- dency in 2006 and had her application denied in 2009. She stated that she appealed that decision in 2010, but her appeal hearing was not heard until November 2017, and she received a decision in June last year. Ms. Staples stated that she “has lived for most of her adult life in the Cayman Islands, that she is an ac- tive member of her church and broader community, that she lived through and worked diligently to rebuild her community in the after- math of Hurricane Ivan, that she volunteers as a hurricane shelter coordinator, [and] that she has been in gainful em- ployment and self-supporting throughout the time [of] her residence in Cayman and that she has been an exem- plary resident in all respects.” Despite those facts, the Immigration Appeals Tri- bunal gave her an insufficient number of points for finan- cial assessment, contribu- tions to the community, and connections to Caymanians, according to Ms. Staples, who is represented by Walkers. Along with arguing that the Immigration Appeals Tri- bunal should have granted her more points, Ms. Staples also argues that the Immigra- tion Law and Regulations as applied by the tribunal and Permanent Residency Board do not comply with the Bill of Rights. Ms. Staples’s claim form cites the preamble of the Cayman Islands Constitution, which calls for “an immigra- tion system that protects Cay- manians and gives security to long-term residents.” “It is not reasonable, ra- tional, fair or proportional, nor is it consistent with the Christian values and prin- ciples of social justice upon which the Constitution is ex- pressed to be founded, for the effect of the application of the Immigration Law and Regulations to be to deprive a person lawfully resident in the Cayman Islands for al- most thirty years of her right against expulsion,” her claim form states. The other challenger, Kas- sandra Cartagena Domin- guez, is a 36-year-old Co- lombian citizen who has one child in her home country and another that lives here with her parents. Ms. Domin- guez states in her claim form that her permanent residency application was denied on Nov. 2, but that the Immi- gration Appeals Tribunal did not provide clear reasons for its denial. “This lack of transparency and thus opacity has plagued this immigration process since or about the time of the introduction of the new residency regime,” states Ms. Dominguez, who is repre- sented by Clyde Allen. “Appli- cants are not properly able to understand the methodology, if any, applied by the Board or the IAT as the procedure was being rolled out.” Ms. Dominguez further argues that she was awarded insufficient points for her Caymanian connections, local investments and salary. “Kassandra Cartagena Dominguez considers the is- sues raised here are of some considerable importance as the IAT are applying a method of dismissal of her applica- tion without any basis that begs explanation and thus on its face appears capricious,” states her claim form, adding that she “humbly requests that this matter be remitted back to the Immigration Ap- peals Tribunal for a proper consideration of her applica- tion for the grant of Perma- nent Residency.” The challenges of Ms. Sta- ples and Ms. Dominguez are both posted on the financial services site OffshoreAlert. Man who died while snorkeling identified Police have released the name of a man who died after losing consciousness while snorkeling on Seven Mile Beach last week. Gregory Scott Azeltine, 60, of North Carolina, was pulled unresponsive from the water off Seven Mile Beach in the vicinity of Tanager Way on Thursday. Police said they responded to a call shortly before 2 p.m. that a snorkeler had lost con- sciousness 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 were 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 wa- ters. All but one were adult tourists from the United States and nine out of the 12 were snorkeling at the time. Ms. Staples argues that the Immigration Law and Regulations as applied by the tribunal and Permanent Residency Board do not comply with the Bill of Rights.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” THE [BATON ROUGE, LA] ADVOCATE EDITORIAL BOARD … Many of us are thinking a lot about eating better in 2019. But as the arrival of January brings renewed at- tention on nutritional diets, citizens might do well to think about their media diets, too. All of this comes to mind because of some new research by an LSU scholar concluding that when voters reduce their consumption of local news and depend more on national news instead, their voting pat- terns become more partisan. Joshua Darr, an assistant professor at LSU’s Manship School of Mass Communica- tion, teamed with Matthew Hit of Colorado State Univer- sity and Johanna Dunaway of Texas A&M to study split- ticket voting …. It’s a practice that sug- gests a voter is driven less by partisan feeling in selecting a candidate. The researchers found that split-ticket voting in counties that had lost their local newspaper dropped by 1.9 percent, which might seem a small decline but is considered significant in elections research, where a difference of even 1 percent can be meaningful. “Where there’s less local media, there’s going to ei- ther be less information on the candidates for office or people are going to use a dif- ferent kind of media when the local source goes away, and that tends to be more loaded with partisan mes- saging,” Darr said. The research does not suggest that all national media outlets are partisan. But in an increasingly seg- mented media landscape, particularly on cable news, where networks such as Fox News and MSNBC play to a particular political base, get- ting objective information on a candidate can be more challenging. When local news sources disappear, voters “are forced to fall back on something easy, which is party, rather than something hard, which is knowing lots of facts about the candidates they’re voting on,” Darr said. “Consuming local news and supporting local news really does matter, and that’s what the research shows,” he added. “The very existence of local papers is what shields people from turning to more partisan sources that they might oth- erwise read.” Of course we welcome any research that affirms the value of local newspa- pers, which feature national content in their news and commentary pages but also provide readers with re- ports on community issues where party lines can seem less sharp. When it comes to filling a pothole or improving drainage, for example, there’s usually not a distinctly Re- publican or Democratic way to get the job done. Any healthy diet needs to include a variety of sources. Darr is right to re- mind us that when it comes to being well-informed, local newspapers should be part of the mix. © 2019, The Advocate. Excerpted and distributed by the Associated Press. Contact: www.theadvocate.com. Lighting the path for Cayman’s young people Readers may be familiar with the parable of the two wolves: A grandfather tells his young grandson there is an internal struggle going on inside him. He likens it to a terrible fight between two wolves: One is good, kind, generous, humble and hopeful. The other is jealous, greedy, arrogant, selfish, angry and false. The grandfather says the same struggle is going on inside the boy, too, and everyone else in the world as well. The grandson listens in wonder, then finally asks, “Which wolf will win?” The grandfather replies, “The one you feed.” Every day, the young people of the Cayman Islands make decisions and cultivate relationships that form the foundation for their future successes or failures. Broadly speaking, the choices can be between such things as self-discipline or instant gratification, integ- rity or selfish impulses, and healthy relationships or antisocial behavior. This week, the Cayman Islands Youth Develop- ment Consortium and Royal Cayman Islands Police Service are holding a series of community meetings about “asset building,” which organizers describe as “investing wisely in our youth, increasing their exposure to positive, constructive activities, and instilling values and skills that will guide them from the inside. Building the assets of young people help them to succeed and decreases their susceptibility to risks such as drugs, violence, delinquency, etc.” The meetings will be held in schools and civic centers throughout Grand Cayman over the next week, including from 7-9 p.m. tonight (Tuesday, Jan. 8) at John A. Cumber Primary School. (For a complete schedule, see today’s Community Calendar on Page 6, or our online calendar at www.caymancompass.com/ events.) We encourage community members who have an interest in promoting the well-being of future gen- erations – that is, everybody – to attend if they can or otherwise consider how they might contribute to this worthy initiative. It is well-accepted that early intervention and positive behavioral supports can have life-changing effects on at-risk and troubled youths, helping to forge brighter individual futures and to reduce societal problems such as crime. Contributing factors to juvenile delinquency are also well known, and include social issues such as poor parenting, lack of education, unemployment and early pregnancy. Over the years, governments (including Cayman’s) have produced mountains of reports and studies offering similar recommendations for treating these and other root causes of poverty and crime. Years ago, youth worker Michael Myles sifted through locally commissioned reports and devised a clear, concise and actionable list of key initiatives, including youth diversion and early intervention programs, school-based mental health services and transitional housing, a community parenting program and closer networks for sharing information between police, social services and schools. Despite the exis - tence of this roadmap, Cayman has struggled to follow through on the recommendations. As we have written, such a comprehensive network of opportunities and supports cannot be the remit of a single agency or advocate. It will require a diverse and dedicated network of government departments, non- profit organizations, private and public supporters, and committed professionals and volunteers to ensure that each child on our islands is given the full opportunity to realize his or her true potential. TUESDAY JANUARY 8, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS LETTER TO THE EDITOR The port: Putting the cart before the horse The proposed port is the cart; a breakwater is the horse. Nothing points out the foolishness of putting the cart before the horse as the recent Northwester which inundated South Church Street with water and would inundate any piers with water. George Town and the harbor must be protected by a breakwater which stretches into the Caribbean. The best site for the break- water is Pageant Beach. This has been known at least since 1999 when David Burditt was the Port Au- thority engineer. David was a world-class port engineer who had worked around the world. He was unceremoniously fired for raising the objec- tion to the Royal Watler cruise terminal that, without a breakwater, the pier would be damaged by every North- wester. What did he know? We, as a people, don’t listen to advice from individuals who actually have some real–world experience worth listening to. We have been discussing George Town revitaliza- tion since 2004, just after Hurricane Ivan. We should have been looking then, and should continue to look now, at building residential con- dominiums on prime real estate, such as the Tower Building site, which has been sitting empty since 2004. George Town will not be revitalized by cruise ship passengers; it would be re- vitalized by people living in George Town who want to be within walking dis- tance of the offices in which they work. Residents would en- courage the opening of res- taurants and bring life to an after-hours dead zone. Paul Simon George Town will not be revitalized by cruise ship passengers; it would be revitalized by people living in George Town who want to be within walking distance of the offices in which they work. Minding media ‘diets’ this year Any healthy diet needs to include a variety of sources.5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY JANUARY 8, 2019 Delayed CUC ocean swim slated for Saturday MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com Bad weather in October forced organizers of the CUC 800-meter, open water swim to postpone the event, which is now scheduled to take place at 4 p.m. on Saturday at Governors Beach. This marks the 30th year of the annual swim, said Neil Murray, spokesman for the Caribbean Utilities Company. Organizers have bumped up the level of prizes that will be raffled off among participants after the swim. Mr. Murray said there will be five $200 gift vouchers for Cayman Airways flights among the prizes. This is not the only swim- ming competition that CUC helps support. “We’re also a sponsor of the CARIFTA swim team,” Mr. Murray said, referring to the Caribbean Free Trade Association Swim- ming Championships held annually in the region. “We’ve been doing that for close to 20 or 25 years.” He said supporting such events is a way for the com- pany to focus on Cayman’s young people. “It’s one of our primary focuses for youth sponsor- ships,” he said. Sandy Hew, who heads the booster club for the Cayman Islands Aquatic Sports Asso- ciation, said funds raised at this and other CIASA events go back toward aquatic sports and the development of aquatic sports directly. That includes, she said in an email, “the cost of sending the Cayman Islands national teams to international events such as CARIFTA, Island Games, CAC Games, to sup- porting the training of our pool officials and coaches, aquatic equipment, clinics for swimmers and officials, [and] international federation fees to note a few.” Ms. Hew said the event is meant to be open to ev- eryone, from kids dipping their toes into open water for the first time, to competitive Olympic swimmers. The swim has changed over the years. Previously, the course ran from Public Beach to Governors Beach, or vice versa, depending on the current. Now it is a loop around buoys off Governors Beach. It also was not always a metric event. “It was initially a half mile,” Mr. Murray said of the promoted distance. Sev- eral years ago, he said, CIASA changed the length of the swim to meters. Three years ago, a shorter 400-meter dis- tance was added for children 12 and under. Although he has helped promote the event for a number of years, Mr. Murray says no one should ex- pect to see him in the water on Saturday. “That’s hard, man,” he said of the swim. “I’ll stick to organizing.” Participants are requested to print and fill out an entry form before coming to the race. Registration is from 3-3:45 p.m. The cost is $20 for adults and $15 for children for the 800-meter race. For CIASA members, the fee is $15 for adults and $10 for children. The entry fee for the 12 and under 400-meter race is $10. Details are at www.caymanactive.com/cuc800m/info. Swimmers prepare for a CUC open water swim in 2016. The 2018 swim was postponed because of bad weather, and is being held on Saturday. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Brac gears up for fundraiser Cayman Brac’s National Trust branch will hold its an- nual winter fundraiser, the Octopus’s Garden Party, on Saturday, Jan. 26, during the Heroes Day holiday weekend. Proceeds from the under- water-themed event, which will be held at the Brac Trust House from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., will go toward the National Trust’s Habitat Protection Fund. Tickets are $25 and in- clude food, entertainment, and a live and silent auction. Guests wishing to drink al- coholic beverages may bring their own to the function. One of the organizers, Kathleen Bodden-Harris, said the party venue will be decorated to look like a reef. Guests are encouraged to wear costumes, but it’s not mandatory, she said. Music from DJ Mark Knowlton will include the Beatles’ “Octopus’s Garden,” as well as plenty more hits from the 60s/70s and Cay- manian music. Sustainability and conser- vation will be at the center of the celebrations, with com- postable paper plates, china, glasses and stainless steel utensils being used. Ms. Bodden-Harris said, “We’re … very mindful of re- ducing our carbon footprint when we do our celebrations. Even our centerpieces on the tables are being made from [items collected during] beach cleaning, and using thatched fishes for our table tops. “Organic waste is fed to the soldier crabs down by the beach. Typically, a function with 75-100 people will only yield one bag of garbage. The live auction will take place at 8 p.m., after the winner of the “Split the Cash” raffle is announced. Raffle tickets will be avail- able before and at the event, and people do not need to be present to win. Call 916-3960 for tickets or more information. Proceeds from the event will go toward the National Trust’s Habitat Protection Fund.The islands’ most-trusted news source 6 Community CALENDAR ■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR is published TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. TUESDAY JANUARY 8, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS TUESDAY, JAN. 8 RED CROSS THRIFT SHOP: The shop at Cannon Place, Unit 130, 294 North Sound Road, will reopen today at 9 a.m. COMMUNITY MEETING: The Cayman Islands Youth Development Consortium and Royal Cayman Islands Police Service will hold a community meeting kicking off Youth Month from 7-9 p.m. at John A. Cumber Primary School in West Bay. For more information call 917-3885, 928-2798 or visit www. supportingcaymanyouth.com. WEDNESDAY, JAN. 9 LOCAL HARVEST MARKET: The weekly farmers market returns today, and every Wednesday, at Camana Bay for local farm goods. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Heliconia Court, between 18 Forum Lane and One Nexus Way. COMMUNITY MEETING: The Cayman Islands Youth Development Consortium and Royal Cayman Islands Police Service will hold a community meeting kicking off Youth Month from 7-9 p.m. at the George Town Town Hall. For more information call 917-3885, 928-2798 or visit www. supportingcaymanyouth.com. THURSDAY, JAN. 10 THATCH PLAITING: Community thatch plaiting class, 7-9 p.m. at the Heritage House, Cayman Brac. Cost $5. For more details, contact bracautumnfestival@gmail.com. COMMUNITY MEETING: The Cayman Islands Youth Development Consortium and Royal Cayman Islands Police Service will hold a community meeting kicking off Youth Month from 7-9 p.m. at the South Sound Civic Center. For more information call 917-3885, 928-2798 or visit www. supportingcaymanyouth.com. FRIDAY, JAN. 11 FUNDRAISER: Annual Zak Quappe fundraiser, titled “Best of Woodstock and Disco!” and starring Sea ‘N’ B, will be held tonight and tomorrow night. Prospect Playhouse. 7.30-9:30 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $20. For more information and tickets, visits www.cds.ky. Proceeds will be donated to the Zak Quappe Flight Scholarship. COMMUNITY MEETING: The Cayman Islands Youth Development Consortium and Royal Cayman Islands Police Service will hold a community meeting kicking off Youth Month from 7-9 p.m. at the Bodden Town Civic Center. For more information call 917-3885, 928-2798 or visit www. supportingcaymanyouth.com. SATURDAY, JAN. 12 SEA SWIM: The annual CUC 800 meter sea swim starts at 4 p.m. at Governors Beach. Register online at www.caymanactive.com. BEACH CLEANUP: Plastic Free Cayman and Red Sail Sports are hosting their monthly cleanup at Barefoot Beach, North Side. Arrive from 8 a.m. Bring a reusable water bottle and sturdy footwear. MONDAY, JAN. 14 COMMUNITY MEETING: The Cayman Islands Youth Development Consortium and Royal Cayman Islands Police Service will hold a community meeting kicking off Youth Month from 7-9 p.m. at the North Side Civic Center. For more information call 917-3885, 928-2798 or visit www. supportingcaymanyouth.com. TUESDAY, JAN. 15 COMMUNITY MEETING: The Cayman Islands Youth Development Consortium and Royal Cayman Islands Police Service will hold a community meeting kicking off Youth Month from 7-9 p.m. at the Gun Bay Civic Center in East End. For more information call 917-3885, 928-2798 or visit www. supportingcaymanyouth.com. WEDNESDAY, JAN. 16 CAYMAN COOKOUT: Internationally renowned chefs, culinary influencers and wine and spirit experts will gather Jan. 16 to 20 at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman for the 11th annual Cayman Cookout. THURSDAY, JAN. 17 LITTLE CAYMAN VEHICLE LICENSING: 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Little Cayman District Office. PTA MEETING: Layman E. Scott Sr. High School PTA meeting, 7 p.m. SATURDAY, JAN. 19 COMMUNITY MEETING: Cayman 2020, Visualising Our Future. Community groups, including the National Trust, Saved The Cove, Save Barkers, Save Cayman and CPR Cayman, will host this event to address local marine and terrestrial conservation efforts and legislation, sustainable tourism and development, voter registration and constitutional rights, and more. South Sound Civic Centre. Noon to 4 p.m. CHRISTMAS TREE MULCH: The Department of Environmental Health is inviting residents who purchased natural Christmas trees to participate in its annual Christmas tree recycling program. Collection bins can be found until Jan. 18 at the Ed Bush Stadium in West Bay; the George Town Cricket Field; the George Town landfill public drop-off area; Spots Dock, Savannah; and the entrance of Frank Sound Road. The trees will be shredded and the mulch will be available at the George Town Cricket Field today from 8 a.m. Mulch will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis. Residents are invited to come out early and to bring their shovels and bags for the removal of the mulch. FAMILY FUN DAY: The Garden Club of Grand Cayman and the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park will host a family fun day today at the Botanic Park. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Park entrance fee $5; children 12 and under, free. Activities include games, craftmaking and a magic show. Plants, baked goods, food and drink for sale. Tours of the Heritage Garden, Butterfly Trail and Blue Iguana Habitat. All proceeds raised will go to the new Children’s Garden. Email manager@botanic-park.ky for more details. THURSDAY, JAN. 24 ‘EDUCATING RITA’: Starting today and running until Saturday, Feb. 2, the Prospect Playhouse presents Willy Russell’s award-winning comedy “Educating Rita.” Jan. 24, 25, 26, 31 and Feb. 1 and 2. Shows at 7:30 p.m. Happy Hour at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for students. Email boxoffice@cds.ky or visit www.cds.ky. FRIDAY, JAN. 25 BURN’S SUPPER: A Burn’s Night Supper fundraiser for Jasmine, formerly known as Cayman HospiceCare, will be held at Grand Old House from 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $150 per person and include a cocktail reception, four- course dinner including haggis, wine and whisky. Dress is black tie – kilts and tartan are welcome. To reserve tickets, email info@jasmine.ky. SATURDAY, JAN. 26 TASTE OF CAYMAN: The annual food and drink festival will be held at Festival Green in Camana Bay. Find the best of Cayman’s diverse cuisines, local produce and drinks to match. Begins at 5 p.m. This year’s charity partner for the raffle is the National Council of Voluntary Organisations. TEA PARTY: Cayman Brac District Council of the National Trust presents an Octopus Tea Party from 6–11 p.m. at the Brac Trust House off Northside Road at the end of White Bay Road. Tickets CI$25 includes entry, food, tea, entertainment, and auction. More informatiion, contact 547-0892. SUNDAY, JAN. 27 STRIDE AGAINST CANCER: The annual Nationwide Stride Against Cancer 2019 will be held this morning at Seven Mile Public Beach. $25 early bird registration closes on Jan. 12. $30 standard rate from Jan. 13. No registration on the day. Race packets (T-shirts) can be collected from the Cancer Society office starting the week of Monday, Jan. 21. Sizes are limited to collect early. The Half Marathon, 13.1 miles, begins at 6 a.m. The Quarter Marathon, 6.5 miles, starts at 7 a.m. Gather for the big group start picture at 6:45 a.m. HATITUDE: The National Trust’s annual fundraiser, Hatitude, a fun family brunch, will take place at Grand Old House under the theme “Birds of the Caribbean.” 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tickets are $135 for adult members, $165 for adult non-members (includes 2019 membership of the National Trust), and $45 children (4 to 12 years old). MONDAY, JAN. 28 HEROES DAY: National holiday. BRAC RACE/RELAY: The Lions Club of Cayman Brac annual Corporate Cup Race/ Relay will be held at Stake Bay Loop. TUESDAY, JAN. 29 SCHOOLS CLOSED: Cayman Brac and Little Cayman schools closed for professional development. THURSDAY, JAN. 31 THATCH PLAITING: Community thatch plaiting class, 7-9 p.m. at the Heritage House, Cayman Brac. Cost $5. GENERAL INTEREST SPECIAL OLYMPICS: Be a volunteer for athlete training at Truman Bodden Sports Complex. Tuesdays, 5:30 p.m. for track, bocce and football, and Thursdays, 5:30 p.m. for basketball. Swimming on Wednesdays at the Lions Pool 10-11 a.m. or on Saturdays at the Cayman International School pool, 9:30 a.m. Email soci@candw.ky or call 916-2600. COMMUNITY CHESS: Tuesdays 5-8 p.m., West Indies Wine Company. Join the Cayman Chess Club for a complimentary chess class and open challenges weekly. Anyone can learn to play and enjoy chess, even beginners. ART OPEN CANVAS: At KARoo Restaurant in Camana Bay, Wednesdays 7-11 p.m. Artists of all levels are welcome to come and enjoy painting and socializing with other artists. Includes use of easels, lights, space, beverage ticket. No fee. For more information, contact info@visualartcayman.com or jar.was@gmail.com. VISUAL ARTS SOCIETY: Adult Open Studio available to those who want to work independently in an inspiring atmosphere. Wednesdays for adults, 9 a.m. till noon. Thursdays Adults and Youth, 10 a.m. till noon. Watler House Art Studio, Pedro St. James. Fee is $5/$15 or Ceramics. $15 pp/$25 pp non-members. Includes use of studio, glazes and ceramic tools. Clay available $30 per bag/fee for kiln usage. To register, call 546-9422 or email info@visualartcayman.com. SEAFARERS HALL: The Cayman Islands Seafarers Association wishes to inform the community that the hall is now available for rent every day of the week, including Saturdays, as the church is no longer contracted with the association at 11 Victory Avenue, Prospect. THRIFT SHOP: One Dog at a Time’s New To U shop is now located at JJT Warehouses, Row 2, Unit 2 on Industrial Way. Open every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Variety of items available, including men’s, women’s, children’s and baby clothes, shoes, household, electrical items, CDs, DVDs, books, home furnishings, toys, games, furniture, baby cribs, car seats, dog beds and more. BETHESDA COUNSELLING CENTRE: Caters to all who seek help. Open Monday to Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at 68 Mary Street. Appointments available Saturdays and late evenings. Owned and operated by the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. Call 946-6575. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. Zak Quappe, left, is congratulated by his Florida instructor on getting his pilot’s license in January 2012. His parents’ band Sea ‘N’ B will hold ‘Best of Woodstock and Disco!’, a musical fundraiser for the Zak Quappe Flight Scholarship, at Prospect Playhouse on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 11 and 12.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY JANUARY 8, 2019 leaves that up to God. “To live, I cannot use my knowledge towards it; that’s left to the Master above,” he said. When it came to the things in life he cherishes, Mr. Howell said, “That is a funny one. The three things I have been very attached to is my music, my performance and playing dominoes.” He said the three people he admires most are his daughter, his son and his caregiver. Mr. Howell says that while he acknowledges that he is the oldest man in the country, it can be hard thinking about getting old. But the easiest part about growing old, he said, was smiling – something he seems to do regularly. To prepare for old age, Mr. Howell advises, “Do right in life,” and when it comes to dealing with the future, “just laugh.” He said if he should live another 10 years, he would keep smiling the same way and looking forward to good days with family, friends and others. “Always be nice to others is one of the wishes for when I was younger,” he said. Mr. Howell was born in Jamaica but for more than 60 years, since moving to Cayman, he has shared his love of music, crafts and shoe-making talents with Cayman residents. These days, Mr. Howell enjoys the company of others. He is lucid and full of life, and he loves a good laugh with anyone who visits his shop. Congratulating him on his birthday milestone, vis- iting friend Roger Myles said, “May you live to see many more.” He acknowledged that the loss of ships downtown, in- cluding five on a single day the week before Christmas, had an impact, but said the group still hit its targets. “We managed to hold on pretty well downtown,” he said. “It was more than last year but perhaps not quite as much as we expected.” He said the tourism spend on island appeared to be lower than anticipated. “We didn’t get quite as much hotel traffic as we ex- pected, but on the plus side, we opened our airport store and that has done really well,” he added. Chris Kirkconnell, vice president of Kirk Freeport and the current president of the Chamber of Com- merce, said it had been a suc- cessful retail season. He said he had been concerned when a strong “nor’wester” forced the closure of South Church Street on Dec. 22. “We were definitely con- cerned but we still saw quite a bit of foot traffic, even though the road was closed,” he said. “We might have expected a little more business on the Saturday before Christmas, but it wasn’t too bad.” He said sales had dipped after Christmas, something he believes could be linked to the turmoil in the U.S. finan- cial markets. Robert Hamaty, owner of the Tortuga Rum Com- pany and a member of the Royal Watler Tenants Associ- ation, said all the businesses in the group had reported a strong season. Though some ships did not stop off be- cause of the weather, he said the overall growth in tourism was helping businesses. While it was not ideal to see a dozen or more ships unable to dock, he said there had been far worse seasons. “Some years ago we lost 92 ships during the season because there were so many nor’westers,” he recalled. According to the Port Au- thority a total of 14 ships, carrying 24,304 passengers, bypassed Grand Cayman, mostly because of weather is- sues, in December. The storm at the weekend before Christmas did more direct damage to some businesses. Paradise Restaurant and Rackam’s bar on the George Town waterfront were among those that were forced to close for the weekend to make repairs to damaged decking and pillars. The Royal Watler dock also suffered some damage. Joey Woods, acting director of the Port Authority, said there was damage to the chain-link fence on the water side, asphalt on the dock and a drain blew out. He said port staff had the equipment restored and ready for cargo operations by Sunday the same weekend. He said storms were a part of the landscape for port workers in Cayman. “Every so often, there is a strong one,” he said. “That is Mother Nature. We just pre- pare for it and implement the plan once it has passed.” Water-sports opera- tors also took a hit as bad weather reduced the number of days when marine-based tour operators were able to take guests out on the water. Curtis Eldemire, of Marineland tours, said around five days had been lost at Stingray Sandbar. But he said this was not out of the ordinary for this time of year. Overall, he said, business was “rocking.” are Mr. Connolly, Patricia Bradley, Frederic Burton, Franklin Thompson, Lisa Hurlston-McKenzie, Dom- inic Oliver Williams, Ed- ward Chisholm and Pedro Lazzari. The statutory govern- ment appointees are Gina Ebanks-Petrie, director of the Department of Envi- ronment, Timothy Austin, deputy director of the DoE, Adrian Estwick, director of the Department of Ag- riculture, Colleen Stoetzel, on behalf of the Planning Department director, and Nadia Hardie, director of the National Trust of the Cayman Islands. It is expected to be an interesting year ahead for the conservation council, with the proposed devel- opment of Barkers, the de- bate over a potential na- tional park in that area, the second phase of the envi- ronmental impact assess- ment on the cruise port, and a host of other large- scale developments in the offing. Government has also made vague overtures about the prospect of re- visions to the National Conservation Law. Pre- mier Alden McLaughlin de- scribed some elements of the law as “ridiculous” in late 2017, and announced plans for a review com- mittee. That does not ap- pear to have been followed through, however. CRUISE SHIPS THAT BYPASSED CAYMAN IN DECEMBER ■■ Dec. 5 – Carnival Paradise missed call because it could not leave its home port of Tampa on time due to fog. ■■ Dec. 11 – Carnival Freedom, Norwegian Pearl, Crystal Symphony and Disney Fantasy missed calls due to a cold front. ■■ Dec. 12 – Norwegian Breakaway and Oosterdam canceled due to heavy swells in the GT Harbour from the cold front. Liberty stayed in GT and Carnival Horizon tendered at Spotts. ■■ Dec. 16 – Azamara Journey and MSC Opera missed due to swells from front. ■■ Dec. 17 – Caribbean Princess missed due to swells from front. ■■ Dec. 21 – Seven Seas Navigator and Carnival Miracle missed due to swells in GT. ■■ Dec. 30 – Viking Star missed. No reason given. ■■ Dec. 31 – Brilliance of the Seas missed due to fog in port of Tampa. Source: Port Authority of the Cayman Islands CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Businesses weather storms for strong shopping season CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Conservation council re-formed after hiatus CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Cayman’s oldest man celebrates 104th birthday Mr. Connolly was announced as the new chairman in August, replacing Christine Rose-Smyth, who resigned from the role last January. Wellesley Howell holds up a party invitation to his 104th birthday celebrations. - PHOTO: ALVARO SEREY Israeli PM rejects corruption allegations in live address JERUSALEM (AP) – In what was billed as a “dramatic an- nouncement,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netan- yahu used a prime-time ad- dress on Monday to again dismiss a series of corruption allegations against him. Netanyahu said that it would be “unjust” for him to be indicted ahead of early elections called for April 9 without a chance to respond to the claims against him. He said authorities had denied his requests to confront state witnesses in person, and he offered to do so on live tele- vision. “What are they afraid of? What do they have to hide?” he said. Police have recommended indicting Netanyahu on an array of charges stemming from three corruption investi- gations, but it falls to Netan- yahu’s hand-picked attorney general, Avichai Mandelblit, to decide whether to bring charges. It’s unclear whether he will do so before early elec- tions scheduled for April 9. Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing and branded the investigations a “witch hunt” orchestrated by his polit- ical opponents and a hostile media. He has said he will not give up his re-election campaign or resign from of- fice if indicted. The Israeli media scram- bled to cover his address on Monday, running it live on all major stations, only to have commentators widely dismiss the brief address as a ploy by the prime min- ister to again attack the investigation. In a terse statement, the Justice Ministry defended its probes, saying they had been handled professionally. Last month, police recom- mended indicting Netanyahu on bribery charges, saying they believed he had used his connections with the con- trolling shareholder of Isra- el’s telecom giant, Bezeq, to promote regulatory changes worth hundreds of mil- lions of dollars in exchange for positive press coverage on Bezeq’s popular news site Walla. Police said they believed there was sufficient evi- dence to charge Netanyahu and his wife Sara with ac- cepting bribes, fraud and breach of trust. Police have also recom- mended indicting Netanyahu on corruption charges in two other cases. One involves ac- cepting gifts from billionaire friends, and the second re- volves around alleged offers of advantageous legislation for a major newspaper in re- turn for favorable coverage. Over the course of the in- vestigations, three former top aides to Netanyahu have turned state witnesses against him. Netanyahu nev- ertheless said Monday that he was “certain of my innocence.” “I request to confront all the witnesses who stated things that don’t align with my position, the truth,” he said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opens the weekly cabinet meeting at his Jerusalem office on Jan. 6. - PHOTO: AFPThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 TUESDAY JANUARY 8, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Ex-banker on trial over sold account info A former employee with Swiss bank UBS is going on trial for allegedly selling account information to tax authorities in Germany for over $1.1 million. The ex-employee is accused of having sifted through the bank’s electronic databases and paper documents between 2005 and 2012. WASHINGTON (AP) – With no weekend breakthrough to end a prolonged partial gov- ernment shutdown, President Donald Trump is standing firm in his border wall funding demands and newly empowered House Democrats are planning to step up pres- sure on Trump and Repub- lican lawmakers to reopen the government. Trump showed no signs of budging on his demand for more than $5 billion for a wall along the U.S.- Mexico border, though on Sunday he did offer to build it with steel rather than con- crete, a concession Demo- crats panned. With the shutdown lurching into a third week, many Republicans watched nervously from the sidelines as hundreds of thousands of federal workers went without pay and government disrup- tions hit the lives of ordi- nary Americans. White House officials af- firmed Trump’s funding re- quest in a letter to Capitol Hill after a meeting Sunday with senior congressional aides led by Vice President Mike Pence at the White House complex yielded little progress. The letter from Of- fice of Management and Budget Acting Director Rus- sell Vought sought funding for a “steel barrier on the Southwest border.” The White House said the letter, as well as details pro- vided during the meeting, sought to answer Democrats’ questions about the funding request. Democrats, though, said the administration still failed to provide a full budget of how it would spend the bil- lions requested for the wall from Congress. Trump cam- paigned on a promise that Mexico would pay for the wall, but Mexico has refused. The letter includes a re- quest for $800 million for “urgent humanitarian needs,” a reflection of the growing anxiety over mi- grants traveling to the border – which the White House said Democrats raised in the meetings. And it re- peats some existing funding requests for detention beds and security officers, which have already been panned by Congress and would likely find resistance among House Democrats. Trump sought to frame a steel barrier as progress, saying Democrats “don’t like concrete, so we’ll give them steel.” The president has al- ready suggested his defini- tion of the wall is flexible, but Democrats have made clear they see a wall as immoral and ineffective and prefer other types of border secu- rity funded at already agreed upon levels. House Speaker Nancy Pe- losi intends to begin passing individual bills to reopen agencies in the coming days, starting with the Treasury Department to ensure people receive their tax refunds. That effort is designed to squeeze Senate Republicans, some of whom are growing increasingly anxious about the extended shutdown. Among the Republicans expressing concerns was Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell should take up bills from the Demo- cratic-led House. “Let’s get those reopened while the negotiations con- tinue,” Collins said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” Adding to concerns, fed- eral workers might miss this week’s paychecks. Acting chief of staff Mick Mul- vaney said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that if the shut- down continues into Tuesday, “then payroll will not go out as originally planned on Friday night.” Trump reaffirmed that he would consider declaring a national emergency to circumvent Congress and spend money as he saw fit. Such a move would seem certain to draw legal challenges. Incoming House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith, D- Wash., said on ABC’s “This Week” that the executive power has been used to build military facilities in Iraq and Afghanistan but would likely be “wide open” to a court challenge for a border wall. Speaking on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Intelli- gence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff called the idea a “nonstarter.” Trump also asserted that he could relate to the plight of the hundreds of thou- sands of federal workers who aren’t getting paid, though he acknowledged they will have to “make ad- justments” to deal with the shutdown shortfall. President Donald Trump waves as he departs after speaking on the South Lawn of the White House as he walks to Marine One, Sunday. - PHOTO: AP With the shutdown lurching into a third week, many Republicans watched nervously from the sidelines as hundreds of thousands of federal workers went without pay and government disruptions hit the lives of ordinary Americans. Britain testing ‘no-deal’ scenario LONDON (AP) – Britain is testing how its motorway and ferry system would handle a no-deal Brexit by sending a stream of trucks from a re- gional airport to the port of Dover – even as some legisla- tors try to pressure the govern- ment to rule out the scenario. The tests began Monday morning and are intended to gauge how severe the dis- ruption would be if Britain leaves the European Union on March 29 without an agreed upon withdrawal deal. It is expected that an abrupt departure without a deal would lead to the in- troduction of tariff and cus- toms barriers that would slow fast-moving ferry and rail traffic that links Britain to continental Europe. There are concerns that major traffic jams leading into and out of ferry ports like Dover could greatly hamper trade and leave Britain without ad- equate food and medicine. Parliament is expected to resume its debate over the government’s planned with- drawal deal Wednesday, with a vote tentatively scheduled for early next week. There are no indications that lobbying over the hol- idays has garnered Prime Minister Theresa May more support for her plan, which has sparked wide opposition in Parliament. A vote that had been scheduled in November was delayed as May admitted it would face certain defeat. The prospect of the bill’s possible defeat next week has renewed concern about the “no-deal” situation that Britain would face as the withdrawal date approaches without any arrangements in place. Fears about economic disruption Monday sparked roughly 200 legislators in- cluding some from the prime minister’s Conservative Party to write to May asking her to rule out the no-deal scenario. May has not spelled out how she will respond if the withdrawal bill is voted down next week. Brexit minister Kwasi Kwarteng said Monday that the government is still fo- cused on winning the vote. “A week is a very long time in politics. We don’t know what the numbers are,” he told BBC. “We have got a week. I think the situation – as it always does – has de- veloped, it evolves. I am very hopeful that the deal will be voted through next week.” Some of 150 trucks leave Manston Airfield as they take part in a no-deal Brexit test in which 6,000 trucks could be parked at the airfield near Ramsgate, England, Monday. - PHOTO: AP GINSBURG MISSES COURT ARGUMENTS FOR 1ST TIME WASHINGTON (AP) – Jus- tice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is missing arguments for the first time in more than 25 years as she recuper- ates from cancer surgery last month, the Supreme Court said. Ginsburg was not on the bench as the court met Monday to hear arguments. It was not clear when she would return to the court, which will hear more cases on Tuesday and Wednesday, and again next week. Court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg said the 85-year-old justice is con- tinuing to recuperate and work from home after doc- tors removed two can- cerous growths from her left lung on Dec. 21. Ginsburg was dis- charged from a New York hospital on Dec. 25. Chief Justice John Rob- erts said in the court- room Monday that Gins- burg would participate in deciding the argued cases “on the basis of the briefs and transcripts of oral arguments.” Ginsburg had two ear- lier cancer surgeries in 1999 and 2009 that did not cause her to miss court sessions. She also has broken ribs on at least two occasions. The court said doctors found the growths on Gins- burg’s lung when she was being treated for fractured ribs she suffered in a fall at her office on Nov. 7. After past health scares, Ginsburg has come back to work relatively quickly. In 2009, she was at the court for arguments on Feb. 23, 18 days after surgery for pancreatic cancer. Weeks after her fall in November, Ginsburg was asking questions at high court arguments, speaking at a naturalization cere- mony for new citizens. Democrats plan more pressure on Trump to reopen government9 WORLD®IONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY JANUARY 8, 2019 US, Turkey set to negotiate fate of Kurds ANKARA, Turkey (AP) – U.S. Na- tional Security Adviser John Bolton is set to press Turkey for assurances that it will not attack the Kurdish fighters in Syria, which he said is now a condition for the withdrawal of American troops from northeastern Syria. Bolton arrived Monday for negotiations with the NATO ally about the safety of the Kurds, who have fought alongside American forces against the Islamic State in Syria, and fear a military as- sault from Turkey should the U.S. pull out. His visit comes a day after Bolton said guarantees about the safety of the Kurds were a “condition” of the withdrawal of about 2,000 troops in the region that President Donald Trump ordered last month. The talks are likely to be contentious, as Turkey con- siders the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units, or YPG, a terrorist group linked to an insurgency within its borders, and has threatened to mount a campaign against the groups. Bolton, who is ex- pected to meet Tuesday with Turkish officials including President Recep Tayyip Er- dogan, said the U.S. would oppose any such move against its allies in the fight against IS. “We don’t think the Turks ought to undertake military action that’s not fully coor- dinated with and agreed to by the United States,” Bolton said Sunday. Trump has made clear that he would not allow Turkey to kill the Kurds, Bolton added. “That’s what the president said, the ones that fought with us.” Turkish Defense Min- ister Hulusi Akar hit out at Bolton on Monday, saying on Twitter that Turkey’s fight is not against Kurds but against Kurdish rebels and Islamic States militants who pose a threat to all ethnic groups. “Our fight is against YPG, PKK and IS terrorists who are a threat against our Kurdish, Arab, Turkmen brothers and all ethnic and religious groups,” he said. PKK is the outlawed Kurd- istan Workers’ Party. And Turkey’s presiden- tial spokesman, with whom Bolton will meet Tuesday, called allegations that his country planned to attack the U.S.-allied Kurds in Syria “irrational” and said Turkey was fighting terrorism for national security. “That a terror organiza- tion cannot be allied with the U.S. is self-evident,” Ibrahim Kalin said Sunday in com- ments carried by the official Anadolu news agency. Bolton had said the pro- tection of U.S. allies in Syria, including the YPG, was among “the objectives that we want to accomplish that condition the withdrawal” of U.S. forces. Those comments marked the first public confirma- tion that the drawdown has been slowed since Trump’s announcement in mid-De- cember. Trump had faced widespread criticism from allies about his decision, in- cluding that he was aban- doning the Kurds in the face of Turkish threats. Of- ficials said at the time that although many details of the withdrawal had not yet been finalized, they expected American forces to be out by mid-January. At the time, Trump had also said that Turkey would step up the fight against the remnants of the Islamic State in Syria, but Bolton said Sunday U.S. troops will eliminate what remains of IS before leaving north- eastern Syria. Bolton maintained there is no fixed timetable for completing the drawdown, but insisted it was not an in- definite commitment to the region. Still, some 200 U.S. troops will remain in the vi- cinity of al-Tanf, in southern Syria, to counter growing Iranian activity in the re- gion, he said. In meetings with Turkish officials Tuesday, Bolton said he will seek “to find out what their objectives and capabil- ities are and that remains uncertain.” He will be joined by the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford, who will remain in Turkey for additional meet- ings with Turkish military officials centered pressing for protection for the Kurds, as well as Jim Jeffrey, the special representative for Syrian engagement and the newly named American spe- cial envoy for the anti-Is- lamic State coalition. Jef- frey will travel from Turkey into Syria to reassure the Kurdish fighters that they are not being abandoned, Bolton said. A senior Kurdish offi- cial said Monday that Syr- ia’s Kurds are awaiting clarifications from the U.S. Speaking to The Associated Press from northern Syria Monday, Badran Jia Kurd said the Kurds have not been informed of any change in the U.S. position and were in the dark about Bolton’s latest comments. Kurdish officials have held conversations with Moscow and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government about protection. Bolton said the U.S. has asked the Kurds to “stand fast now” and allow the U.S. to continue negotiations. “I think they know who their friends are,” he added, speaking of the Kurds. U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton - PHOTO: AP The talks are likely to be contentious, as Turkey considers the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units, or YPG, a terrorist group linked to an insurgency within its borders. China protests over US warship sighting as trade talks start BEIJING (AP) – Chinese and American officials began talks Monday aimed at ending a bruising tariffs battle be- tween the world’s two biggest economies, as Beijing com- plained over the sighting of a U.S. warship in what it said were Chinese waters. It was unclear if the ruckus over the warship might disrupt the working level talks being held at the Chinese Commerce Ministry. The two sides have provided scant information about the discussions. Both sides have expressed optimism over the potential for progress in settling their tariff fight over Beijing’s tech- nology ambitions. Yet neither has indicated its stance has changed since a Dec. 1 agree- ment by Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping to postpone further increases. Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Monday during a routine briefing that Chinese military aircraft and naval vessels were dispatched to identify the U.S. vessel and warn it to leave the area near disputed islands in the South China Sea. “We have made stern com- plaints with the U.S.,” Lu said. He said the warship, which he said was the de- stroyer the USS McCampbell, had violated Chinese and in- ternational law, infringed on Chinese sovereignty and un- dermined peace and stability. “As for whether this move has any impact to the on- going China-U.S. trade con- sultations … to properly re- solve existing issues of all kinds between China and the U.S. is good for the two coun- tries and the world,” Lu said But he added, “The two sides both have responsi- bility to create necessary and good atmosphere to this end.” There was no immediate comment from the U.S. side about the Chinese complaint. The American side in the trade talks is being led by a deputy U.S. trade represen- tative, Jeffrey D. Gerrish, ac- cording to the U.S. govern- ment. The delegation includes agriculture, energy, com- merce, treasury and State De- partment officials. The talks went ahead de- spite tensions over the arrest of a Chinese tech executive in Canada on U.S. charges re- lated to possible violations of trade sanctions against Iran. Trump imposed tariff in- creases of up to 25 percent on $250 billion of Chinese imports over complaints Bei- jing steals or pressures com- panies to hand over tech- nology. Beijing responded by imposing penalties on $110 billion of American goods, slowing customs clearance for U.S. companies and sus- pending issuing licenses in fi- nance and other businesses. Economists say the 90- day postponement of tariff increases that had been meant to take effect Jan. 1 may be too short to settle the disputes bedeviling U.S.-Chi- nese relations. But cooling economic growth in both countries is raising pressure to reach a settlement. Chinese growth fell to a post-global crisis low of 6.5 percent in the quarter ending in September. Auto sales tum- bled 16 percent in November over a year earlier. Weak real estate sales are forcing devel- opers to cut prices. The U.S. economy grew at an annual rate of 3.4 per- cent in the third quarter, and unemployment is at a five-decade low. But sur- veys show consumer confi- dence is weakening because of concern that growth will slow this year. Washington, Europe and other trading partners com- plain Beijing’s tactics vi- olate its market-opening obligations. The standoff also reflects American anxiety about Chi- na’s rise as a potential com- petitor in telecommunica- tions and other technology. Trump wants Beijing to roll back initiatives intended to create homegrown Chinese leaders in robotics and arti- ficial intelligence. China’s leaders see such strategies as a path to greater prosperity and global influence and have tried to defuse complaints by emphasizing the coun- try’s potential as a huge con- sumer market. They have also promised to allow more foreign access to its auto, finance and other industries. Beijing has tried in vain to recruit France, Germany, South Korea and other gov- ernments as allies against Trump, but they have echoed U.S. complaints about Chi- nese industrial policy and market barriers. The European Union filed its own challenge in the World Trade Organization in June against Chinese rules that the 28-nation trade bloc said hamper the ability of foreign companies to protect and profit from their own technology. For their part, Chinese of- ficials are unhappy with U.S. curbs on exports of “dual use” technology with pos- sible military applications. They complain China’s com- panies are treated unfairly in national security reviews of proposed corporate acquisi- tions, though almost all deals are approved unchanged. Some manufacturers that serve the United States have shifted production to other countries to avoid Trump’s tariffs. Chinese residents walk past a sign marking the new year outside a shopping mall in Beijing, China. - PHOTO: AP The talks went ahead despite tensions over the arrest of a Chinese tech executive in Canada on U.S. charges related to possible violations of trade sanctions against Iran.Next >