High of 83 Low of 74 Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 TICK-TOCK, TICK-TOCK: THE BREXIT BOMB GETS CLOSER LOCAL | PAGE 3 HONDA RECALL EVENT DRAWS MORE THAN 1,000 ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – TUESDAY JANUARY 15, 2019 AUDITOR CALLS FOR MORE DIVERSITY ON PLANNING AUTHORITY Majority of board from industry JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Auditors have raised concerns that the membership of the Central Planning Authority is made up largely of developers. In a report on corruption prevention mea- sures, the Auditor General recommends Cab- inet consider candidates from more diverse backgrounds to avoid the appearance of bias on the authority, which is responsible for adjudicating planning applications in Grand Cayman. The CPA is chaired by A.L. Thompson, who owns A. L. Thompson building supplies and construction companies, among other busi- nesses. The deputy chair is Robert Watler, of Bob Watler’s Development and Real Estate. Several other members of the 13-person board have declared interests in construction, devel- opment or related areas. Although this report focused on the plan- ning boards, it is not uncommon in Cayman for board members in many areas to be drawn from within related industries and the audi- tors noted that this brought advantages in terms of relevant expertise as well as risks of conflicts of interest. The audit, which focused on the planning department as a case study within a larger re- view of anti-corruption measures across gov- ernment, highlighted significant progress in implementing new transparency measures in both the CPA and the Development Control Board, which performs the same function for the Sister Islands. The authorities now host their meetings in public, and all members are required to fill out declarations of interest, revealing which companies they own or have investments in. For the CPA, some, but not all, of those dec- larations of interest are available to view on the planning department’s website. According to the report, auditors noted in 2015 that the majority of the members of the CPA come from development and construction industries. “While this provided expertise to the CPA, there were potential and perceived risks of conflicts of interest,” the report notes. The new report states that little has changed in this regard, with the two new members of the board recruited since 2015 also coming from within the industry. The auditors recommend the membership of the authority and the Sister Islands board Artificial playfields planned for primary schools KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com Government is planning to build a number of new foot- ball fields and playfields at primary schools throughout Grand Cayman. According to a request for proposals from the Ministry of Education, the plans include building new artificial football fields at Red Bay Primary School, Bodden Town Primary School and Prospect Primary School. Additionally, the plans entail building artificial playfields at Spot Bay Primary School in Cayman Brac and East End Pri- mary School. The work will include re- moving the existing grass and topsoil from the existing fields and replacing them with artifi- cial turf laid on a four-inch bed of crushed stone. Documents about the proj- ects suggest that the main dif- ference between the football and playfields is size: the foot- ball fields are 250 feet long by 150 feet wide and the playfields are around 150 feet long by 80 feet wide. The education ministry’s plans to build playfields comes on the heels of North Siders building their own artificial field Record number of stingrays at sandbar Concerns persist over management of attraction JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A record 113 stingrays were counted at the North Sound Sandbar during the latest census, according to the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation. Despite the encouraging news, re- searchers remain concerned about increasing boat traffic, overcrowding and the mishan- dling of rays at the popular attraction. Mr. Harvey’s research organization has been carrying out population surveys at the Sandbar since 2008, and conducting bian- nual head counts since 2012. Louisa Gibson of the foundation said this year’s total was the highest ever re- corded. She said numbers had dipped as low as 57 in 2013, and credited the intro- duction of the National Conservation Law, which includes protection for rays, as one of the key reasons for the resurgence. Before that she said there had been inci- dents of people fishing or stealing the rays and selling them to attractions. Ms. Gibson said that did not appear to be an issue any longer, and the popula- tion had been on a generally upward trend since 2014. Leader of the Opposition Ezzard Miller PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » Cayman’s stingrays are a major draw for visitors, and conservation efforts to protect the population at Stingray Sandbar appear to working.2 LOCAL®IONAL TUESDAY JANUARY 15, 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) ON THE BASIS OF SEX (PG13) 2:50 I 9:40 ESCAPE ROOM (PG13) 1:55 I 4:30 I 7:25 I 10:00 MARY POPPINS RETURNS (PG) 12:50 I 3:50 I 6:45 I 9:45 AQUAMAN (PG13) 12:45 VIP I 3:45 I 9:40 VIP A DOG’S WAY HOME (PG) 12:30 I 3:55 I 6:30 THE UPSIDE (PG13) 1:00 I 6:40 I 9:40 BUMBLEBEE (PG13) 1:00 I 3:55 VIP I 7:00 3D I 9:00 CLASSICS @ THE CINEMA: E.T. THE EXTRA TERRESTRIAL (PG) 7:00 VIP Visiting Specialist will be available for consultation at Novo Clinic, Britcay House 236 Eastern Avenue from 21 January - 8 February, 2019 For appointments please call +1 (345) 746-6082 clinic@novocayman.com Gynecology, Urogynecology, Cosmeti c Gynecology Iguana cull update Week 11 of Grand Cayman’s green iguana cull, from Jan. 7 to Jan. 12, netted a total of 10,581 iguanas, according to statis- tics from the Department of Environment. Cullers have now caught and killed 322,599 of the inva- sive reptiles. As expected, the weekly cull numbers have continued to de- cline, as the iguana population declines and cullers are forced to seek more elusive targets. In week 10, Dec. 31 to Jan. 5, cullers brought in 17,826 iguanas. The cull aims to eradicate at least 1.3 million green iguanas from the island. CLARIFICATION Chilean bishops meet Francis year after disastrous pope trip The article “Boggy Sand Beach vendor defends chair rentals,” published in the Cayman Compass on Jan. 10, about a new business launched by The Tour Com- pany Cayman Ltd. stated that another company is also renting beach chairs next to Alfresco Restaurant. K’Man Sun Splash Wa- tersports, a licensed tour company, provides the sun loungers and food to cruise ship tourists as part of its packaged tour of the island on private beach land belonging to Alfresco Restaurant, with permission of the land owner. The business meets all the necessary requirements under Cayman law, and the beach chairs are other- wise not offered for rent, ac- cording to company owner Shaun Ebanks. VATICAN CITY (AP) – A delegation of Chilean bishops met Monday with Pope Francis a year after he threw his pa- pacy into turmoil by defending a Chilean bishop accused of covering for a noto- rious sexual predator. The five-member permanent com- mittee of the Chilean bishops’ confer- ence requested Monday’s meeting to brief Francis on its efforts to address the clergy sex abuse crisis in the South Amer- ican country and chart a future course. “It’s a long process,” the secretary- general of the bishops’ conference, Bishop Fernando Ramos, told reporters after the meeting, which included lunch and lasted for nearly three hours. “All in- stitutions in Chile have lost a lot of cred- ibility, the church included, not just for cultural reasons but because of our own sins and crimes that were committed in- side the church.” The pope’s January 2018 trip to Chile fueled a crisis of confidence in the Chilean Church and the Vatican hi- erarchy, given the mounting claims of sex abuse and cover-up that were dis- missed for years. After returning home, Francis com- missioned an investigation, admitted he had been was wrong about the accused bishop, Juan Barros, and pressured every active Chilean bishop to resign. To date, the pope has accepted seven of those resignations, but several more are expected. Two members of the dele- gation, for example, are under investiga- tion by Chilean prosecutors for their al- leged roles in the cover-up. Ramos claimed the resignation of- fers expired after three months, but a Vatican official has said there’s no such expiration. Ramos described the meeting as “cor- dial” and “interesting.” Francis has claimed he was misin- formed about the Barros case by mem- bers of the Chilean hierarchy. Recently he removed the retired archbishop of Santiago, Cardinal Javier Errazuriz, from his inner cabinet. Bishop Fernando Ramos, Secretary General Episcopal of the Conference of Chile, speaks to the media near the Vatican on Monday. - PHOTO: AP MAN DIES IN SWIMMING- RELATED INCIDENT A Filipino national living in Bodden Town died Sunday afternoon in a water-related accident near Breakers, police said. The unidentified man, 57, was reportedly with a group of men in two boats around 1:45 p.m. He was swimming when he began having difficulties and was unable to get back into ei- ther of the boats. He was pulled onboard by some of the other men and trans- ported to shore. A local resident lent his assistance, calling 911 and performing CPR on the man until an emergency crew arrived to transport the man to the hospital. He was later pronounced dead, officials said. The man has not yet been identified by police, who said the matter is under investigation. Green iguana cull update A local resident lent his assistance, calling 911 and performing CPR on the man until an emergency crew arrived to transport the man to the hospital. Mexico president declares gains in fight against fuel theft MEXICO CITY (AP) – Presi- dent Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador stopped short Monday of declaring vic- tory over Mexico’s fuel theft scourge, but said the government was making progress amid frustration over gas shortages. Long lines continued at gas stations in many parts of the country, but Lopez Obrador asked for patience and said things would soon be getting back to normal. Security patrols had prevented any new illegal taps since late Friday in an important pipeline that brings gasoline from the Gulf coast to Mexico City, he said at his near-daily morning news conference. Mario Avante, 45, who drives a small truck for a cleaning services company, waited a mere 20 minutes Monday morning to fill his tank at a service station in the Roma neighborhood of Mexico City, while people in other parts of the capital re- ported waiting four or five hours the day before. “The gasoline has started to arrive,” he said, calculating that the panic over gasoline has begun to subside. Avante, who said he voted for a candidate other than Lopez Obrador, felt it was too early to judge the president’s performance a little over a month after he took office. He applauded Lopez Obrador’s efforts to stem fuel theft, but wished he had planned it better so that distribution was not affected. More than 5,000 mem- bers of the armed forces and federal police are now focused on pipeline se- curity. Lopez Obrador promised to continue the stepped-up security until supplies normalize but said conditions are starting to improve in some places. He asked citizens to avoid panic buying, saying, “We have enough fuel; it is a distribution issue.” Octavio Romero, director of the state fuel company Pemex, displayed charts showing fuel sales begin- ning to pick up in some im- portant parts of the country. Jalisco, home to Mex- ico’s second-biggest city, Guadalajara, had seen daily sales drop nearly 40 percent and regain about half that in recent days. Lines as long as 1.2 miles have been seen in the city. Saiji Bojorquez spent two hours queued up to fill his pickup truck in Guada- lajara on Monday, and said he knew it had been that long because he watched two episodes of a Netflix show while waiting. “We have all been re- spectful. Nobody has broken into the stores,” Bo- jorquez said. “And you learn to conserve gasoline, to de- mand better public trans- portation, and I’m carrying my bicycle back there to in- flate the tires.”3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY JANUARY 15, 2019 Honda recall event draws more than 1,000 KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com Of the at least 4,000 Honda and Acura vehicles on Grand Cayman that needed to have their air bags re- placed following a worldwide recall, 1,050 were serviced at Car City’s recall event from Thursday to Saturday, ac- cording to Car City service manager Diane Hedge. Ms. Hedge said that the 30 American Honda tech- nicians who were brought here for the event have re- turned home. However, those who have yet to have their air bags re- placed still have a chance to do so. Ms. Hedge said an- other replacement day will take place this Saturday, when Honda drivers can take their vehicle to Car City to be serviced. Two local Honda technicians will be doing the work, she said. Those who cannot make it this Saturday can call or email Car City to set up an ap- pointment, she said. Car City is also planning on sending technicians to Cayman Brac, and Honda owners there should contact the dealer- ship to discuss when would be a good time for that trip to happen, she added. The air bags in ques- tion can cause pieces of their housing to break off during deployment, becoming dangerous projectiles that can injure drivers and/or passengers. A technician who came here for the event, Kevin Newby from Montana, ex- plained that the problem with the air bag inflators is that their manufacturer did not put enough moisture-ab- sorbing desiccant in them. “When the manufacturer made these, there’s a chem- ical compound that’s explo- sive and a desiccant that’s a moisture absorbent – and there’s not enough of that in there,” he said at the event on Thursday. “So the powder becomes a solid and when it gets voltage to ignite, it be- comes a bomb.” Mr. Newby said that means that projectiles from the air bag could shoot-out anywhere – a very hazardous situation for passengers or drivers. People should email service@carcity.ky to see if their car needs to have its air bags replaced. Drivers wait in traffic Saturday, with lines leading up to the air bag event wrapping around the airport and Foster’s Food Fair. – PHOTO: KAYLA YOUNG Technicians from the U.S. work on vehicles during Car City’s three-day air bag replacement event for Hondas and Acuras. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY CONTRACTOR SENTENCED FOR THEFT, FALSE ACCOUNTING SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com Kenneth Anthony Wil- liams, a former contractor and sales representative for A. L. Thompson, was sen- tenced to nine months in prison Monday for theft and false accounting relating to a series of fraudulent transac- tions totaling $10,000. Mr. Williams pleaded guilty to falsifying a number of credit invoice documents between 2007 and 2010, and defense counsel Prathna Bodden said he was prepared to make an immediate reim- bursement of $7,000 toward the total amount outstanding. Ms. Bodden said that Mr. Williams was “extremely em- barrassed and extremely re- morseful,” and she noted that a social inquiry report classi- fied the defendant as a man of good character who rep- resented a very low risk of re-offending. “This isn’t just a good re- port,” Ms. Bodden said. “It’s an impeccable one.” Mr. Williams admitted that there were at least 20 to 30 instances of theft. Magistrate Angelyn Her- nandez remarked that the case was one involving breach of trust, which carries with it a sentence of immediate im- prisonment unless there are exceptional circumstances. The victim impact report stated that Mr. Williams was a trusted employee, and also noted that he attempted to shield his crimes by putting the names of his co-workers on the receipts, thus unfairly implicating them. The case first came to court in April 2012, and Mr. Williams previously pleaded not guilty in 2013. There were more than 10 trial dates scheduled and va- cated over the last five years, but Mr. Williams ultimately pleaded guilty to amended charges in 2018. Magistrate Hernandez noted several aggravating factors including the long pe- riod of offending, casting sus- picion on others and resent- ment toward his employer. Magistrate Hernandez also said that she did not find much in the way of mitigation. “In this case, general de- terrence must prevail,” Mag- istrate Hernandez said. Mr. Williams was sen- tenced to 12 months but given a one-fourth discount for his guilty plea. He was sentenced to nine months on both charges, but the sen- tences will run concurrently. Mr. Williams was re- manded into custody and or- dered to immediately repay $7,000 with the remaining outstanding balance due after his release from prison.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” “It is dismaying that most of the binding law in Britain comes from the European Commission in Brussels.” – George F. Will To the right of this editorial lies a column by George F. Will who explains, as aptly as is possible, the mess that the U.K. and by proxy its prime minister Theresa May find themselves in, relative to Brexit. The column is especially timely because today (Tuesday) the British Parliament will vote on whether to support the “May Compromise” that would move the country toward disentangling itself from the European Union and, as they are now commonly called, the “bullies from Brussels,” who seem to have a voracious appetite for inserting themselves in what were once thought to be the sovereignty of nation states. Quoting Mr. Will, who in turn was quoting Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in 1988: “We have not successfully rolled back the frontiers of the state in Britain, only to see them re-imposed at a European level with a European super-state exercising a new dominance from Brussels.” It was that sentiment of nationalism that led yet another prime minister of the U.K., David Cameron, to attempt to shut up the Thatcherites once and for all on the issue of de-annexing England from the whole of Europe. Mr. Cameron made the biggest – and most ill-conceived – bet of his life. He engineered a refer- endum to “let the people decide,” and in June 2016, they decided. By a vote of 52 to 48 percent, the plebiscite (a.k.a. the “people”) of the U.K. voted to leave the European Union. They didn’t vote to negotiate, they didn’t vote to dilly or to dally. They voted to leave. Prime Minister May, however, was not among their ranks. Her sentiment and position was, in fact, to stay (or, in the parlance of the moment, she was a “remainer.”) Nevertheless, given the unfathomable topography of British politics, she found herself in the untenable position of first being against Brexit before she was duty-bound to support it. That is the lose-lose position she now finds herself in. At the Compass, the publisher/editor recently opined that the newspaper might have the wrong reporters covering the Brexit drama. Certainly they are knowledgeable and competent, but when the editor suggested that artist/marine biologist Guy Harvey might be a better choice, his remarks elicited nothing by blank stares in the newsroom. Guy Harvey? Why Guy Harvey? Simply because Guy Harvey happens be one of the world’s foremost experts on sharks, and Brexit has become a shark story more than merely a polit- ical melee. The blood is in the water, in this case the English Channel, and the sharks on both sides of the Brexit issue – from Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to Conservative Boris Johnson – want Theresa May’s job. She may not know it yet, but regardless of how the vote goes in Parliament today, she’s finished. All of this, of course, is (or should be) of great interest to all of us in Cayman. After all, we are in the passenger seat (as are all the British territories) with these ambitious incompetents at the wheel. But even more so, Cayman at this moment appears enamored with an ever-expanding array of people’s petitions, referenda and a general, but misguided, belief in governance via anonymous blogs and cranky calls to radio talk shows. Again, we pass the podium to columnist Will: “The bedrock principle of representative gov- ernment is that ‘the people’ do not decide issues, they decide who shall decide. And once a legislature sloughs off responsibility and resorts to a referendum on the dubious premise that the simple way to find out what people want is to ask them, it is difficult to avoid recurring episodes of plebiscitary democracy.” We imagine Prime Ministers Cameron (former) and May (soon to be former) would weep if they were to read Mr. Will’s words in today’s column. Tick-tock, tick-tock: The Brexit bomb gets closer TUESDAY JANUARY 15, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Brexit shows the dangers of direct democracy “In my country the people can do as they like, al- though it often happens that they don’t like what they have done.” – Winston Churchill, 1946 LONDON – During the Second World War, as U.S. power was eclipsing Brit- ain’s, Harold Macmillan, a fu- ture prime minister, report- edly said, “These Americans represent the new Roman Empire and we Britons, like the Greeks of old, must teach them how to make it go.” Today, Britain’s Brexit ago- nies – its two-and-a-half-year struggle to disentangle itself from the European Union – indicate that America’s Founders could teach 21st- century Britain something: Direct democracy is dan- gerous because public senti- ments need to be refined by filtration through deliberative institutions. A June 2016 referendum endorsed (52 percent to 48 percent) exiting the EU. Im- plementing this has, how- ever, become messier than anyone, especially voters, anticipated. In a House of Commons debate on Brexit, a Conservative member said that democracy is like sex – if it is not messy you are not doing it right. However, messiness is not proof of correctness. European unification was conceived in fear – Euro- peans’ fear of themselves, a residue of wars produced by various atavisms, including unhinged nationalism. For decades Britain’s Tories have been bitterly divided about the project of “harmonizing” political practices and eco- nomic policies, with a prob- able consequence of homog- enized national cultures. The embryo of the EU was a free trade zone – a single market. But as the unification project became more ambitious, it re- quired the derogation of na- tional parliaments and hence of nations’ sovereignties. So, in 1988 Margaret Thatcher voiced what became Conser- vative Euroskeptics’ cri de coeur: “We have not success- fully rolled back the frontiers of the state in Britain, only to see them re-imposed at a Eu- ropean level with a European super-state exercising a new dominance from Brussels.” Hoping to cauterize the Conservative Party’s long- festering wound, in 2016 then-Prime Minister David Cameron succumbed to the plebiscitary tempta- tion, scheduling the refer- endum that he thought Re- main would win. It lost, he resigned, and Theresa May, who had voted Remain, be- came prime minister. She called an election expecting to increase her parliamen- tary majority and thus her le- verage negotiating terms of divorce from the EU. Instead, she lost her majority and was forced into an alliance with a Northern Ireland party. It is dismaying that most of the binding law in Britain comes from the European Commission in Brussels. But why, with its primacy at stake, did Parliament punt one of the most momentous decisions in British history to a referendum? The bed- rock principle of representa- tive government is that “the people” do not decide issues, they decide who shall de- cide. And once a legislature sloughs off responsibility and resorts to a referendum on the dubious premise that the simple way to find out what people want is to ask them, it is difficult to avoid recurring episodes of plebi- scitary democracy. Last October, 700,000 marched in London de- manding a second refer- endum, which would indeed be based on better informa- tion: Few who voted Leave 30 months ago had any in- kling of the complexity of unwinding decades of ever- thickening legal relation- ships. May contends that another referendum would “break faith with the British people.” This, however, pos- tulates a false clarity about what the Leave-voting ma- jority willed. May favors “de- livering the Brexit people voted for,” but even the po- litical leaders who fa- vored Brexit voted simply for leaving, the details – wherein the devil always is – be damned. A second referendum would have to offer a bi- nary choice, lest there be an unhelpful plurality out- come. But should the choice be ”Hard Brexit” (no agree- ment about future relations with the 27 EU members) versus May’s agreement? Her agreement versus remaining in the EU? Hard Brexit versus remain? Although the deal May ne- gotiated addresses immigra- tion anxieties by ending the free movement of people be- tween Britain and the EU, and limits payments to the EU and subjection to the European Court of Justice, Britain would remain indef- initely subject to many EU regulations and some assess- ments but without the ability to shape them. Today, Parlia- ment probably will resound- ingly reject the deal. The 73 days until the March 29 deadline for leaving the EU will be eventful. In 2016, a majority of voters over age 43 favored leaving, a majority of those younger favored remaining. Since then, mortality has taken many Leavers, and many young people have joined the electorate. So, de- mography, combined with a new understanding of Brex- it’s certain costs and myriad uncertainties, could cause 2016’s big bang that began Brexit to end with a 2019 whimper of a referendum saying, “Oh, never mind.” George Will’s email address is georgewill@washpost.com. © 2019, Washington Post Writers Group. Pro- and anti-Brexit protesters gather on the pavements outside parliament in London, Thursday. Prime Minister Theresa May’s proposed Brexit deal seems widely disliked by both pro-European and pro-Brexit politicians, threatening the exit agreement and future relations with the EU. – PHOTO: AP GEORGE F. WILL European unification was conceived in fear – Europeans’ fear of themselves, a residue of wars produced by various atavisms, including unhinged nationalism.5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY JANUARY 15, 2019 Switch to us for competitive mortgage interest rates and: We’ll pay your mortgage switching costs* Up to 35 years to repay* No commitment fee A pre-approved credit card with 5,000 bonus reward points The Interest Free** EasyCover Revolving Loan to pay your insurance and land tax in up to 11 monthly payments (where available). Banking that fits your life.® *CIBC FirstCaribbean terms and conditions apply. **The interest free EasyCover Revolving Loan offer is available to clients using the CIBC FirstCaribbean home and auto insurance plan only. Promotion runs 13 January to 30 April 2019. The CIBC logo and “Banking that fits your life.®” are registered trademarks of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, used by FirstCaribbean International Bank under license. How much can you save? Bring us your existing mortgage or credit card to find out!* Call 1-866-743-2257 to speak to a Sales Specialist and find out how smart your switch could be. Switch to us for a more competitive credit card and: You’ll pay 0% interest on the balance transferred for the first 6 months. Receive 5,000 bonus reward points with your new card! Now that’s better! Make the Smart Switch Governor pitches in on Barefoot Beach cleanup Governor Martyn Roper got down and dirty on Sat- urday, lending a hand in the latest beach cleanup spon- sored by Plastic Free Cayman and Red Sail Sports. The event drew more than 70 volunteers who scoured the North Side beach, re- moving more than 900 pounds of trash, 90 percent of which was plastics, orga- nizers said. In addition to the gov- ernor, Miss World Cayman Kelsie Woodman-Bodden, and Casson Trenor, an American environmental activist, were also part of the cleanup crew. Plastic Free Cayman had student experts on hand to educate volunteers on the dangers of plastic pollu- tion and to promote the or- ganization’s 345 Pledge, a staged approach to ob- serving more ecologically friendly practices. Representatives from KAABOO Cayman set up their own information area, pro- moting sustainability initia- tives and recruiting volun- teers to help with recycling efforts during the upcoming two-day music festival, Feb. 15-16. KAABOO officials re- cently announced they will have separate bins at the event for recyclable trash. The art cooperative STOK’D is creating a large portrait of Jimi Hendrix, which will be on display at the festival. STOK’D special- izes in creating art from recy- cled materials and this piece will be made completely from plastic bottle caps. More than 20 pounds of bottle caps were gathered during the cleanup for that purpose. Saturday’s event was part of Plastic Free Cayman’s on- going series of monthly cleanups. It will be part- nering with conservation group Parley, the Depart- ment of Environment and the Central Caribbean Ma- rine Institute to host two Little Cayman beach clean up events on Feb. 2 and 3. Volun- teers are welcome to attend. Governor Martyn Roper, seventh from left in second row, was part of the volunteer group that helped clean up Barefoot Beach on Saturday. Cayman delegation meets with EU finance officials Cayman politicians are meeting with officials in Brussels this week regarding Cayman’s future status in terms of how its tax laws are seen by the European Union. On Monday, Premier Alden McLaughlin and members of the Cayman delegation had discussions with two sepa- rate commissions along with representatives of the EU’s DG TAXUD and the Code of Conduct Group. Discussions were also had with the repre- sentatives of Belgium, Cyprus and Luxembourg. Mr. McLaughlin, Financial Services Minister Tara Rivers, Attorney General Samuel Bulgin and the Cayman del- egation met with David Bou- blil, a member of the cab- inet of Pierre Moscovici, the commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxa- tion and Customs; Gints Frei- manis, a member of the cab- inet of Valdis Dombrovskis, who oversees financial ser- vices and capital markets; and Emer Traynor, deputy head of unit at the Director General of Taxation and Customs Union. The Cayman group also later met with represen- tatives of the EU Code of Conduct Group, which as- sesses whether jurisdictions have tax regimes deemed potentially harmful to EU member states. In between the two meet- ings with EU representatives, the delegation was sched- uled to meet with Christophe Vinck, adviser general for di- rect taxation at the Belgian Permanent Representation to the EU. Separate meetings are also planned with offi- cials involved with direct and indirect taxation and with Ambassador Georges Friden, Luxembourg’s permanent representative to the EU. Premier Alden McLaughlin, second from left, and Financial Services Minister Tara Rivers, left, are part of a Cayman delegation meeting this week with EU officials in Brussels.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 15, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS 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. SEAFARERS MEETING: The Cayman Islands Seafarers Association invites members to a General Meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 15, at 7:30 p.m. at the Seafarers Hall, 11 Victory Avenue, Prospect. Buses will be provided from West Bay Town Hall at 6 p.m. A bus route has been added in George Town, leaving the Public library parking area at 7 p.m., stopping at Cayman Compass building and the Airport Fosters. The bus is marked Bobo $1 Public Transport and is blue in color; there is no charge. 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. CHRISTMAS TREE RECYCLING: The Department of Environmental Health invites residents who purchased natural Christmas trees to participate in its annual Christmas tree recycling program. Collection bins can be found until Jan. 17 at the Ed Bush Stadium in West Bay; the George Town Cricket Field; the George Town landfill public drop-off area; Spotts Dock, Savannah; and the entrance of Frank Sound Road. 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. SUNDAY, JAN. 20 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 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 BURNS SUPPER: A Burns 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 include entry, food, tea, entertainment and auction. For more information, contact 547-0892. CHRISTMAS TREE MULCH: The Department of Environmental Health invites residents to collect mulch from recycled Christmas trees from the George Town Cricket Field from 8 a.m. today. 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. 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, so 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. HUMANE SOCIETY BOOK LOFT: North Sound Road. Open Monday 12:30-4 p.m.; Tuesday-Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Volunteers needed for front desk a few hours per week. For more information, email humanesocietybookloft@ candw.ky or call 946-8053. Donations of books, games, CDs, stationery, DVDs, cards etc. in good condition needed. CLUBS, ORGANIZATIONS ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS: Meets daily to help with drinking problems. Call 926-9044 or visit www.caymanaa.org. NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS: Is available for substance abuse help. Call the info line at 929–NANA (6262). AL-ANON GROUP MEETING: Are you troubled by someone’s drinking? Al-Anon Family Groups can help. Call 928-8843 or email caymanalanon@gmail.com for meeting times. OVERCOMERS OUTREACH: A Christ-centered 12-step recovery group addresses addictions and those affected by them. Meetings at Cayman Islands Baptist Church, Pedro Castle Road, Tuesdays, 7:15 p.m. For details, contact Vanessa Gilman at 946-2422, or visit www.overcomersoutreach.org. DEMENTIA/ALZHEIMER’S SUPPORT GROUP: This group meets on the last Wednesday of each month at ADACI’s office, 4th floor, Cardinall Plaza, 30 Cardinall Ave., George Town. Call 924-4170 or email info@adacayman.com. GRAND CAYMAN TOASTMASTERS: Club meets each Thursday 6-7:15 p.m. on 3rd Floor, George Town Public Library. Visitors and guests welcome. Contact George R. Ebanks at 322-9369 or Grand Cayman Toastmasters club on Facebook. Email info@ toastmastersclub2686.org. THE LIONS CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN: Meets every first and third Thursday 7:30 p.m. at the Lions Community Centre. Email lionsclubgcm@hotmail.com. THE LIONS CLUB OF TROPICAL GARDENS: Meet every first and third Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Elizabethan Square (corner unit). Members of the public are invited to attend. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. Jose Andres and other internationally renowned chefs return for Cayman Cookout, starting Jan. 16. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY JANUARY 15, 2019 be balanced to include members representing sec- tors beyond the building and development industry. “We appreciate that given the size of the Cayman Islands, the lim- ited pool of people who may be willing or able to serve on public boards will be a constraint. “However, we believe it is important that the com- position of boards be bal- anced to avoid any percep- tion of bias or conflict and that appointments made promote fairness and equal opportunity.” The auditors noted sig- nificant progress within the planning department since its last report in 2015. Up to that point, planning meetings had been held be- hind closed doors. The report notes, how- ever, that there is still scope for further transpar- ency measures, including indicating how the voting process works and pro- viding evidence that tech- nical advice from agencies like the Department of En- vironment has been taken into account. Auditor General Sue Winspear wrote in her con- clusion to the report, “My office previously reported a number of risks of cor- ruption in this sector and I am pleased to note that improvements have been made over the past few years. The Central Plan- ning Authority and De- velopment Control Board have changed some of their practices to address these risks, including opening their meetings up to the public, making decisions public and maintaining registers of interests. How- ever, there is still scope to improve. For example, a more balanced member- ship of these boards and ensuring that technical ad- vice is taken into account in decision making could help avoid any percep- tion of potential conflicts of interest.” In a government press release in response to the report, planning director Haroon Pandohie wrote, “We are always seeking ways to improve the work we do and the service we provide to the people of the Cayman Islands. The recommendations made by the OAG to strengthen processes have been con- sidered and taken on board. We’ve started the work of developing the necessary policies and procedure, and will con- tinue to encourage and support the Central Plan- ning Authority and the De- velopment Control Board in its efforts to improve transparency.” Neither the Premier’s office nor the Cabinet sec- retary responded by press time Monday to questions over the recommendation to diversify the makeup of the planning authority membership. In its response to the wider report “Fighting Cor- ruption in the Cayman Is- lands,” the government characterized the audi- tor’s assessment of its anti- corruption measures as “high praise.” The report highlighted multiple new policies and pieces of legislation intro- duced by successive gov- ernments in its efforts to fight fraud and corruption, but cautioned that these actions had not yet been extended across the full public sector, and noted it was not yet clear how effective the framework had been. It also raised concerns that the Standard in Public Life Law 2014, a major piece of that anti-corrup- tion framework, had yet to be enacted. Deputy Governor Franz Manderson welcomed the report in the press re- lease, stating: “As the Of- fice of the Auditor General itself has recognized, the civil service has instituted a zero tolerance approach to corruption and has a proven track record of re- ferring cases of corrup- tion to the Anti-Corruption Commission. “Over the years we have implemented a range of legislation and established government bodies to help us protect the integrity of the service. These find- ings provide an opportu- nity for us to continue to evolve our response to this challenge which every ju- risdiction faces to ensure that we are as effective as possible.” According to the release, further new corruption- fighting measures are now planned, including: ■■ The formation of an Audit and Risk As- surance Committee. ■■ A proposal to seek Cabi- net’s support to extend the Anti-Fraud Policy to statutory authori- ties and government- owned companies. ■■ Seeking other ave- nues to administer anti-fraud training that will complement the online offering. ■■ Exploring the exten- sion of the list of designated authori- ties to whom whistle- blowers can turn. “The population is stable at around 100, and seems to be increasing,” she said. “We do need to look at the food they eat and how the stingrays are handled.” Tour guides typically allow tourists to feed squid to the rays, but based on con- cerns raised by scientists during previous surveys, the Department of Environment is encouraging them to diver- sify that diet to include crab and fish – more natural food sources for rays. The latest survey was carried out over three days, Thursday through Sat- urday, earlier this month. Researchers catch the rays by hand, swim them into a salmon net and lift them on board where they are trans- ferred to a paddling pool, while the team takes the vital measurements and checks for tags. Any new rays are tagged before they are returned to the water, to aid fu- ture counts. This year there were 98 “resident” rays at the Sandbar that had been tagged previ- ously and 15 newcomers. Visiting scientist Dom- inique Keller from Busch Gardens, Tampa Bay, car- ried out an ultrasound on the rays and found that 24 of the 90 female rays at the site were pregnant. This is sig- nificantly lower than on pre- vious occasions, and the re- search team hopes to make ultrasound checks a more regular part of the surveys to see if any pattern can be established. The Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation estimates each stingray is worth more than $500,000 a year to the Cayman Islands economy be- cause of the enduring popu- larity of the Sandbar. Ms. Gibson said it was important for the health of the rays and for the quality of the experience at the Sandbar that issues like overcrowding and the proper handling of rays are ad- dressed. The foundation will collaborate with the DoE on various measures, including a video for tour guides on the right way to handle the animals. “We don’t want the rays being lifted out the water, we don’t want them being man- handled,” she said. “It is important that the tour operators do self po- lice and look out and see that people are handling them the right way.” Tim Austin, deputy di- rector of the Department of Environment, said the new guidelines could be em- bedded in a species man- agement plan and regulated through the National Con- servation Law. Activity at the Sandbar is currently regulated through the Wildlife Interaction Zone guidelines. Mr. Austin said there was a limit of 20 commer- cial boats or 1,500 people allowed in the zone at any one time. But he acknowl- edged this was largely self policed by the operators. He said this was an “attrac- tion management” issue that may need to be looked at as tourism increases. He said more and more boats were registering to go into the zone. He added, “The rays are an important asset and any activity that goes on around that area from feeding them, to plastic waste and boat handling issues, has poten- tial impacts.” for the primary school there in October – a project that had been in the works for four years, according to North Side MLA Ezzard Miller. Mr. Miller said one dis- trict resident paid $20,000 of his personal funds to pur- chase artificial turf from Chi- cago and ship it down to Grand Cayman for use on the playfield. Mr. Miller had tried to get government to redo the fa- cility and eliminate the un- even surface, which was often unusable after rain be- cause of drainage problems. However, the Ministry of Education stated that the plan to put turf on what was then a rocky, flood-prone field was not funded within the current 2018-2019 budget cycle, and would require some extensive remediation works on site. Mr. Miller said at a PTA meeting in August that gov- ernment wanted to put the project off until 2019. Instead, “We [North Siders] came up with a pro- posal to do it ourselves,” he said at the meeting. In October, work on the North Side field began, with seven men putting in a full day’s work with no pay ex- cept for a “thank you.” Don- ovan Ebanks, retired deputy governor and a former chief engineer with the Public Works Department, served as the “project consultant,” and other work was done by Apec Consulting Engineers, KP’s Heavy Equipment, and a number of volunteers. Mr. Miller told the Cayman Compass on Monday that the turf has been laid out but is not completely in- stalled because government is building a track around the perimeter. All work should be finalized by the end of Feb- ruary, he said. The opposition leader added that it was frustrating that government was not able to install his district’s field, but he is glad his public ad- vocacy may have contrib- uted to other fields being planned, too. Record number of stingrays at sandbar CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Volunteers work to build an artificial playfield at the North Side primary school in October. - PHOTO: CAROL WINKER CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Artificial playfields planned for primary schools A record number of rays were counted during this year’s survey. - PHOTO: CLAIRE FLETCHER, DOE YEAR MONTH NUMBER OF STINGRAYS COUNTED AT THE SANDBAR 2019Jan113 2018July104 2018Jan106 2017July109 2017Jan100 2016July107 2016Jan96 2015July90 2015Jan90 2014Oct74 2014July84 2014Apr98 2014Jan87 2013Jul81 2012Jul57 2012Jan61 2008Jul99 Auditor calls for more diversity on planning authority CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 Greek gov’t faces confidence vote Greece’s parliament has scheduled a confidence vote for late Wednesday following the collapse of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’ governing coalition over a proposed deal to end a decades-old dispute with Macedonia. TUESDAY JANUARY 15, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Trump rejects suggested short-term government shutdown fix UK leader mounts last-ditch bid to win Brexit deal backing LONDON (AP) – British Prime Minister Theresa May offered both a promise on workers’ rights and a reassuring letter from European Union leaders on Monday as she implored British lawmakers to support her floundering Brexit deal. But the British leader had few concrete measures up her sleeve a day before a vote in Parliament which looks likely to see her Brexit deal rejected. A defeat on Tuesday would throw Brexit plans into disarray just weeks be- fore the U.K. is due to leave the bloc on March 29. May warned that the only alternatives to her agreement were an economically dam- aging, chaotic “no-deal” exit from the EU or a halt to Brit- ain’s departure that would defy British voters’ decision in 2016 to leave the bloc. In a speech Monday at a ceramics factory in the pro- Brexit central England city of Stoke-on-Trent, May said “people’s faith in the dem- ocratic process and their politicians would suffer catastrophic harm” if her deal is rejected and Brexit was abandoned. The other option, leaving the EU without a deal, “would cause turbulence for our economy, create bar- riers to security cooperation and disrupt people’s daily lives,” she said. “The only deal on the table is the one (members of Parliament) will vote on to- morrow night,” May said. Britain and the EU reached a hard-won divorce deal in November, a mile- stone that should have set the U.K. on the road to an orderly exit. But the deal has been re- jected by both sides of Brit- ain’s Brexit divide. Many law- makers who back leaving the EU say it leaves the U.K. teth- ered to the bloc’s rules and unable to forge an indepen- dent trade policy, while pro- Europeans argue it is inferior to the frictionless economic relationship Britain currently enjoys as an EU member. May postponed a vote on the deal in December to avoid a resounding defeat, and there are few signs sen- timent has changed signif- icantly since then. Several previously opposed British legislators have swung be- hind May’s agreement in the last few days, but they re- main outnumbered by those determined to vote against it. In a bid to win support, May sought reassurances from EU leaders about the deal’s most contentious mea- sure – an insurance policy known as the “backstop” that would keep Britain in an EU customs union to main- tain an open border between Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland after Brexit. Pro-Brexit lawmakers worry that Britain could be trapped indefinitely in the backstop, unable to strike new trade deals around the world. In a letter to May pub- lished Monday, European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commis- sion President Jean-Claude Juncker offered an assurance that the backstop “would only be in place for as long as strictly necessary.” They promised that the EU would work quickly to strike a permanent new trade deal with Britain that would render the backstop unnecessary. But the letter also reiter- ated the bloc’s refusal to re- negotiate the divorce deal. The two men said “we are not in a position to agree to anything that changes or is inconsistent with the With- drawal Agreement.” May will make a state- ment to Parliament later Monday expanding on the EU commitments. She also sought to win op- position Labour Party law- makers’ support for her Brexit deal by promising that her Conservative government will not try to water down environmental standards and workers’ rights after Brexit. Some opposition law- makers’ suspect that the gov- ernment plans to reduce the protections in a bid to boost the economy after Britain leaves the EU. If May’s deal is rejected, she has until the following Monday to come back to Par- liament with a new proposal. So far, May has refused pub- licly to speculate on a pos- sible “Plan B.” Some British lawmakers are exploring ways to use parliamentary procedures to wrest control of the Brexit process away from the gov- ernment, so that lawmakers by majority vote could specify a new plan for Brit- ain’s EU exit. But with no clear majority in Parliament for any single alternate course, there is a growing chance that Britain may seek to postpone its de- parture date while politicians work on a new plan. Without a Brexit deal, Britain faces an abrupt break from the EU, a scenario that economists warn could batter the British economy and bring chaotic scenes at borders, ports and airports. Conservative lawmaker Dominic Grieve, who is spearheading efforts to unite Parliament to prevent a no- deal Brexit, said a cliff-edge exit from the EU would be “national suicide.” “The economic damage which it will do to us will be immense, so that the most vulnerable in our society will be those who suffer most as a consequence,” Grieve said. WASHINGTON (AP) — Pres- ident Donald Trump on Monday rejected the sugges- tion that he temporarily re- open government while ne- gotiations continue on his proposed border wall, sig- naling no speedy resolu- tion to the partial govern- ment shutdown now into a fourth week. Leaving the White House for a trip to New Orleans, Trump said he had dismissed the proposal from Repub- lican Sen. Lindsey Graham to reopen for several weeks and continue dealing with Democrats over Trump’s long- promised wall on the U.S.- Mexico border. “I did reject it, yes,” Trump said. “I’m not interested. I want to get it solved. I don’t want to just delay it.” Trump also backed further away from the idea of de- claring a national emergency as an escape hatch, saying: “I’m not looking to call a na- tional emergency. This is so simple we shouldn’t have to.” As Congress returned to Washington for their second week of legislative business since House control reverted to Democrats, the shutdown hit Day 24, affecting federal workers and services with no end in sight. Trump has de- manded $5.7 billion for his long-promised wall, while Democrats, who oppose the wall as both immoral and wasteful, insist Trump re- open the government before they negotiate border security. From the White House, Trump argued that he alone was ready to negotiate, noting that a group of House and Senate Democrats were touring hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico. “A lot of the Democrats were in Puerto Rico celebrating something. I don’t know, maybe they’re celebrating the shutdown,” Trump said. Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Mi- nority Leader Chuck Schumer were not on the trip to Puerto Rico. Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill tweeted Monday: “Speaker Pelosi has been in DC all weekend working from the Capitol.” Trump also targeted Pe- losi and Schumer on Twitter, arguing that the shutdown “has become their, and the Democrats, fault!” But Trump weeks ago asserted that he would “own” the shutdown and polls show that he is taking most of the blame. Trump has kept Wash- ington on edge over whether he would resort to an emer- gency declaration, citing what he says is a “crisis” of drug smuggling and the trafficking of women and children at the border. The president initially sounded as though such a move was imminent, but then pulled back. He has said sev- eral times since he first men- tioned the idea in public this month that he prefers a legis- lative solution. A key question is how much more time is Trump willing to give lawmakers. Graham, who spoke with Trump by telephone on Sunday morning, said the leg- islative path “is just about shut off” and blamed intran- sigence by Pelosi. The speaker’s office had no immediate comment. Democrats oppose an emergency declaration but may be powerless to block it. Some Republicans are wary, too, fearing how a future Democratic president might use that authority. Such a move, should Trump ulti- mately go that route, would almost certainly be chal- lenged in the courts. Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., called Graham’s idea to re- open the government a “great place to start.” “I do think if we reopen the government, if the pres- ident ends this shutdown crisis, we have folks who can negotiate a responsible, modern investment in tech- nology that will actually make us safer,” Coons said. Trump says technology is nice, but that the border can’t be secured without a wall. The White House has been laying the groundwork for an emergency declaration, which is feared by lawmakers in both parties. Senate Homeland Secu- rity Committee Chairman Ron Johnson, R-Wis., said he’d “hate to see” a declara- tion issued because the wall wouldn’t get built, presum- ably because of legal chal- lenges. Democrats voted in the past for border security and should again, he said. “I actually want to see this wall get built,” Johnson said. “I want to keep pres- sure on Democrats to actu- ally come to the negotiating table in good faith and fund what they have supported in the past.” Graham favors a decla- ration and said the time for talk is running out. “It’s the last option, not the first option, but we’re pretty close to that being the only option,” he said. Prime Minister Theresa May makes a speech during a visit to the Portmeirion pottery factory in Stoke-on-Trent on Monday. - PHOTO: PA WIRE President Donald Trump gives a prime-time address about border security at the White House in Washington on Jan. 8. - PHOTO: AP9 WORLD®IONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY JANUARY 15, 2019 China sentences Canadian to death LA teachers go on strike in 2nd-largest US school district LOS ANGELES (AP) – Tens of thousands of Los An- geles teachers went on strike Monday after contentious contract negotiations failed in the nation’s second-largest school district. “Students, we are striking for you,” teachers union Pres- ident Alex Caputo-Pearl told a cheering crowd of teachers marching in pouring rain. Members of United Teachers Los Angeles voted last year to walk off the job for the first time in three decades if a deal was not reached on issues including higher wages and smaller class sizes. Months of talks between the union with 35,000 mem- bers and the Los Angeles Unified School District ended without a deal. It follows teacher walkouts in other states that emboldened orga- nized labor. Schools will stay open because the district with 640,000 students has hired hundreds of substitutes to replace teachers and others who leave for picket lines. The union has called it irre- sponsible to hire substitutes and called on parents to con- sider keeping students home or join marchers. The district maintained that the union’s demands could bankrupt the school system, which is projecting a half-billion-dollar deficit this budget year and has billions obligated for pension pay- ments and health coverage for retired teachers. Negotiations broke down in December and started again this month, but little progress was evident in the contract dispute. The union rejected a district offer Friday to hire nearly 1,200 teachers, counselors, nurses and li- brarians and reduce class sizes by two students. It also included a previ- ously proposed a 6 percent raise over the first two years of a three-year contract. The union wanted a 6.5 percent hike at the start of a two- year contract. The union also wants sig- nificantly smaller class sizes, which routinely top 30 stu- dents, and more nurses, li- brarians and counselors to “fully staff” the district’s cam- puses in Los Angeles and all or parts of 31 smaller cities, plus several unincorpo- rated areas. Teachers are hoping to build on the “Red4Ed” move- ment that began last year in West Virginia and moved to Oklahoma, Kentucky, Arizona, Colorado and Washington state. It spread from con- servative states with “right to work” laws that limit the ability to strike to the more liberal West Coast with strong unions. Actions elsewhere em- boldened Los Angeles teachers, Caputo-Pearl said before the strike. The union argues that the district is hoarding reserves of $1.8 billion that could be used to fund the pay and staffing hikes. The district said that money is needed to cover retiree benefits and other expenses. District Superintendent Austin Beutner asked Friday for Gov. Gavin Newsom to step in to avoid a strike. The union says Beutner, an investment banker and former Los Angeles deputy mayor without experience in education, and school board members who voted him in are trying to privatize the district. The union says they are encouraging school clo- sures and flipping public schools into charters, which are privately operated public schools that compete for students and the funds they bring in. Beutner has said his plan to reorganize the dis- trict would improve services to students and families. He and his supporters on the board envision an educa- tion system with public and charter schools under the same leadership. BEIJING (AP) – A Chinese court sentenced a Cana- dian man to death Monday in a sudden retrial in a drug smuggling case that is likely to escalate tensions between the countries over the ar- rest of a top Chinese tech- nology executive. The court in northeastern Liaoning province announced that it had given Robert Lloyd Schellenberg the death penalty after rejecting his plea of innocence and con- victing him of being an ac- cessory to drug smuggling. It gave no indication that the penalty could be commuted, but Schellenberg’s fate is likely to be drawn into diplo- matic negotiations over Chi- na’s demand for the top exec- utive’s release. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in Ot- tawa that he is extremely concerned that China chose to “arbitrarily” apply the death penalty to a Cana- dian citizen. In his strongest comments yet against China, Trudeau said “all countries around the world” should be concerned that Beijing is acting arbi- trarily with its justice system. Schellenberg was detained more than four years ago and initially sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2016. But suddenly last month, an ap- peals court agreed with pros- ecutors who said the sen- tence was too lenient, and scheduled Monday’s retrial with just four days’ notice. The Chinese press began publicizing Schellenberg’s case in December after Canada detained Meng Wan- zhou, chief financial officer of the Chinese telecommu- nications giant Huawei, on Dec. 1 at the request of the United States. Since then, China has ar- rested two Canadians in ap- parent retaliation for Meng’s arrest. Both Michael Kovrig, a former diplomat, and Mi- chael Spavor, a businessman, were arrested on vague na- tional security allegations. A Canadian teacher was de- tained but released. Schellenberg’s lawyer, Zhang Dongshuo, said his client now has 10 days to appeal. Zhang said he argued in the one-day trial Monday that there was insufficient evidence to prove his cli- ent’s involvement in the drug smuggling operation. He added that prosecutors had not introduced new evidence to justify a heavier sentence. “This is a very unique case,” Zhang told The Associ- ated Press in a phone inter- view. He said the swiftness of the proceedings – with a retrial held so soon after it was ordered – was unusual, but declined to comment on whether it was related to Meng’s arrest. Schellenberg had been prepared for a more severe punishment, so he main- tained a calm demeanor in court, Zhang said. The court said it found that Schellenberg was in- volved in an international drug smuggling opera- tion and was recruited to help smuggle more than 488 pounds of methamphet- amine from a warehouse in Dalian city to Australia. A Chinese person convicted of involvement in the same op- eration was earlier given a suspended death sentence. Fifty people, including Ca- nadian diplomats and foreign and domestic media, attended Monday’s trial, the court said in an online statement. In 2009, China executed a Briton, Akmal Shaikh, on charges of smuggling heroin despite his supporters’ pro- test that he was mentally ill. Earlier Monday, a Chinese spokeswoman said Kovrig, the former Canadian dip- lomat detained in December, does not enjoy diplomatic im- munity, rejecting a complaint from Trudeau that the man’s rights were being denied. Trudeau said last week that Chinese officials were not respecting Kovrig’s dip- lomatic immunity. However, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters that Kovrig is no longer a diplomat and en- tered China on an ordinary passport and business visa. “According to the Vienna Convention of Diplomatic Relations and international law, he is not entitled to dip- lomatic immunity,” Hua said at a daily briefing. “I sug- gest that the relevant Cana- dian person carefully study the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and in- ternational law before com- menting on the cases, or they would only expose them- selves to ridicule with such specious remarks.” Kovrig, a Northeast Asia analyst for the International Crisis Group think tank, took a leave of absence from the Canadian government. Trudeau accused China again on Monday of not re- specting long-standing practices regarding diplo- matic immunity. A former Canadian am- bassador to China, Guy Saint-Jacques, said he be- lieves the Chinese likely in- terrogated Kovrig about his time as a diplomat in China, and that would break the Vi- enna convention on diplo- matic relations. He said there is a notion of residual diplo- matic immunity that means a country is not allowed to question someone on the work they did when they were a diplomat. He told The Associated Press that “it’s difficult not to see a link” between the case and Canada’s arrest of Meng. Washington wants Meng – the daughter of Huawei’s founder – extradited to face charges that she misled banks about the company’s business dealings in Iran. She is out on bail in Canada and awaiting a bail extradition proceeding next month. China’s ambassador to Canada accused the country last week of “white su- premacy” in calling for the release of the two Cana- dians, while describing the detentions as an “act of self-defense.” However, Hua said the allegation that China arbi- trarily detained Canadian cit- izens is “totally groundless.” On Friday, Poland arrested a Huawei director and one of its own former cyberse- curity experts and charged them with spying for China. That comes amid a U.S. cam- paign to exert pressure on its allies not to use Huawei, the world’s biggest maker of telecommunications network equipment, over data secu- rity concerns. Poland’s move has raised concerns over the safety of its nationals in China, although Hua appeared to brush off such worries, emphasizing China’s desire for the “sound and steady” development of relations with Poland. “As long as the foreign cit- izens in China abide by Chi- nese laws and regulations, they are welcomed and their safety and freedom are guar- anteed,” Hua said. Schellenberg’s fate is likely to be drawn into diplomatic negotiations over China’s demand for the top executive’s release. Months of talks between the union with 35,000 members and the Los Angeles Unified School District ended without a deal. Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou Los Angeles Unified District teachers brave the pouring rain to join in a picket line during a citywide teacher strike in front of Los Angeles High School on Monday. – PHOTO: APNext >