CAYMAN’S LOCAL GUIDE FEBRUARY 2019 FUN & ROMANTIC IDEAS ISLAND WEDDING GUIDE WHAT’S HOT Show your love High of 84 Low of 72 Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 SCRANTON’S PARK: A LESSON IN SELF-RELIANCE ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – TUESDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2019 Scranton community comes together to revive park JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Dozens of volunteers turned out Saturday to clear an area of land earmarked for a community park in central George Town. The park was littered with debris, undergrowth, chicken coops and broken playground equipment Thursday. With the help of around 75 volunteers, it has been transformed into a blank canvas, which the com- munity will help determine how to fill. Government acquired the small park and an adjoining piece of overgrown land in Scranton at the end of last year. Now Kenneth Bryan, the legislator for Central George Town, is leading a community effort to help make the most of the location. “The dream is starting to come true,” Mr. Bryan said Monday, as he surveyed the CINICO holds seven meetings before firing boss JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The board of national health insurance company CINICO held a series of seven extraor- dinary meetings in September and October before firing CEO Lonny Tibbetts. Documents provided to the Cayman Compass under the Freedom of Information Law re- veal a fraught series of meet- ings within the space of two weeks after unspecified allega- tions emerged against Mr. Tib- betts. At one of those meetings, Mr. Tibbetts’s cellphone and lap- tops were confiscated. He was dismissed three days later. The minutes are brief and re- veal little about the nature of the allegations against the CEO, who was fired on Oct. 8 last year. The board has refused to give any in- formation about the reasons for the decision. The Compass requested min- utes from all board meetings from 2018. While some offer de- tailed accounts of the board’s CAYMAN WORKS ON EARTHQUAKE PLAN Local and overseas disaster man- agement teams met Monday to work on Cayman’s National Earthquake Plan. The workshop, helmed by Hazard Management Cayman Islands, brought a team of experts from the United States-based Emergency Management Accreditation Program, with the goal to examine a draft of the plan to find any gaps and weaknesses in it. For more on this story, see page 7. PRISONERS TRANSFERRED TO IMMIGRATION DETENTION CENTRE KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com Four male prisoners were transferred on Sunday to George Town’s Immigration De- tention Centre at Fairbanks, a low-secu- rity facility that houses male and female mi- grants who have requested asylum in the Cayman Islands. The plan to move prisoners from over- crowded jails to the immigration facility was first made public in July, when Prisons Di- rector Steven Barrett said “suitably selected” prisoners from Northward would be consid- ered for transfer. On Monday, the Prison Service reiterated the goal to “alleviate capacity constraints that have impacted Her Majesty’s Prison (HMP) Northward” through the use of the immigra- tion center. The new prison ward there will be known as the Enhanced Reintegration Unit. “The unit began initial operations earlier this month and will be able to house up to 21 low-risk prisoners,” a Prison Service statement said, adding that most prisoners there will be working at community placements during daytime, business hours. “The necessary security measures and pro- tocols have been implemented in order to make the facility suitable for inmates, while ensuring the privacy and safety of the mi- grants isn’t compromised. “Prison operations at the IDC [Immigration Detention Centre] will function as normal, such as daily meal times, access to recreational and hygiene facilities, while coordinating sched- ules around the group of migrants that are currently housed at the facility.” Since the July 2018 announcement, work has been under way to retrofit the facility for PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » Lucille Seymour, far left, and MLA Barbara Conolly, far right, join Kenneth Bryan, third from right, at Saturday’s park cleanup project. - PHOTOS: DAVID R. LEGGE George Town Central MLA Kenneth Bryan stands beside bags of trash collected during the park cleanup. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 »2 LOCAL NEWS TUESDAY FEBRUARY 5, 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) THE KID WHO WOULD BE KING (PG) 12:50 I 6:45 GLASS (PG13) 12:40 I 3:35 I 6:50 I 9:45 AQUAMAN (PG13) 1:40 I 4:50 I 8:00 THE UPSIDE (PG13) 1:15 I 4:10 I 7:05 I 10:00 MISS BALA (PG13) 1:55 VIP I 4:40 I 9:50 DRAGON BALL SUPER: BROLY (PG) 2:00 I 4:30 VIP I 7:30 I 9:45 VIP I 10:05 CLASSICS @ THE CINEMA: SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER (R) 7:00 VIP Rescue dogs have a Rum Tails day Brac hospital staff completes air medical training WATERCOURSE ROAD POWER OUTAGE SCHEDULED Six members of the Faith Hospital’s medical team com- pleted Cayman Brac’s first air medical training course. According to the Health Services Authority, the training will enhance the safety of critically ill or in- jured patients needing airlift services from the Brac. The staff concluded the 40-hour Air Medical Crew Course over five days last month. The practical course meets and exceeds the Florida State requirements for air medical education, the HSA stated. The course is based on the United States Department of Transportation’s National Standard Curriculum and Guidelines for Air Medical Crew Course Education. It is also approved by the Florida Bureau of EMS for Con- tinuing Education credits. “The air medical industry is complex, and caring for critical patients at altitude differs from doing so in other modes of medical trans- port,” said paramedic Ralston Dilbert, who completed the course. He said the program was developed “to provide stu- dents with multiple exercises that will challenge even the most experienced caregiver.” The course is geared to- ward licensed physicians, registered nurses and para- medics. Topics covered in- cluded aircraft and landing zone safety, preventing pilot and crew error, flight phys- iology, crew requirements, communications, survival and fitness. Other topics include pa- tient assessment and man- agement of medical emer- gencies, respiratory, cardiac, neurological, orthopedic, trauma, burn patients, shock, obstetrical and pediatrics. Director of Sister Islands Health Services, Dr. Srirangan Velusamy, said, “Air me- divac crew medical training for Faith Hospital staff en- hances the safety of our criti- cally ill and injured patients who needs … transport to the tertiary care center. This is one more step to reassure the community that we are taking all the necessary ac- tions to give the appropriate care, adhering the [to] inter- national standard for their loved ones when they are airlifted.” Scott Schein, a clinical in- structor with the National Association of EMT, con- ducted the program, which was completed by Faith Hos- pital registered nurses No- ralee McIntosh, Jose Salazar, Michael Nichol and Raju Manu, EMT Damion Ferron and Mr. Dilbert. CUC is advising cus- tomers on Watercourse Road in West Bay that they will experience interruptions to their electrical service on Wednesday, Feb. 6 between 9:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Areas affected include all customers on Water- course Road between the junction of Hell Road and the junction of Boatswain Bay Road, including Nettie Rivers Lane, Bowman Close, Hillandale Close, Cad- bury Link, Windstar Drive, Bristol Close, Fruitland Way, Ruby Lane, Alexandra Close and Knolls Crescent. Motorists are asked to drive with caution on Wa- tercourse Road as CUC will have vehicles and personnel in the area and will be re- quired to temporarily block one lane on several sections of the street. CUC said the work was being carried out to facilitate required overhead infrastruc- ture upgrades. For more information on the outage and streets affected, contact CUC’s Customer Service Team at 949-5200 or email service@cuc.ky. One Dog At A Time held its annual Rum Tails event Saturday to raise money for the canine charity. Dozens of dogs, many of them rescue dogs, and their owners showed up for the fun, family-friendly fundraiser at Cayman Spirits Company. Dog trainer Heidi Su- arez Rivera led a dog agility competition, where she ran through the course with one of the pooches, fol- lowed by participants who then had a go. After a workout on the agility course, the pets had a chance to get some pampering at the Doggy Hair Salon. There were several com- petition categories, including best toy pooch, best rescue, best trick, best costume and waggiest tail. The staff concluded the 40-hour Air Medical Crew Course within five days last month. The Faith Hospital team gather in front of the police helicopter, which is used for medical evacuations between the islands, after several of its staff completed the first air medical training course held in Cayman Brac. Dog trainer Heidi Suarez Rivera gives one of the participants in the agility contest a cuddle.Up, up and away. Dogs were put through their paces at the agility course.This dog easily makes it over the bar at this agility course obstacle. This little pooch gets a bath at the Doggy Hair Salon. - PHOTOS: HAMISH HAMILTONThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS TUESDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2019 dartscholar.ky Beyond prestige and financial support for both high school and university students, the Dart Scholarship provides young Caymanians with life-changing experience in the real world of industry. If you’re a high achieving Caymanian student with aspirations to be a future leader and innovator, we invite you to apply for the 2019 programme. A whole new world of possibilities. It begins with a simple application. The Dart High School Scholarship Submit your application by 10 April 2019The 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” “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, com- mitted citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead A cross section of Grand Cayman turned out this past Saturday morning to begin the tough work of transforming a blighted neighborhood park into a clean and safe space for play and recreation. It was heartening to see such a diverse crowd of citizens, representing all ages and backgrounds, come together under the leadership of MLA Kenneth Bryan to reclaim this plot of land in the central George Town neighborhood of Scranton from the heaps of weeds, trash and refuse that add to the general state of neglect. On full display this weekend were abundant quanti- ties of cooperation, care and, most importantly, com- munity contributions. For background, last fall government purchased the derelict property with the intention of cleaning it up and turning it into a park. Several months of subsequent inaction was more than enough for the neighborhood. With Mr. Bryan leading the effort – he refers to the park as his com- munity’s “dream” – residents, civil servants and other volunteers rolled up their sleeves, picked up their tools and got to work on the project themselves. Their commitment of time, expenditure of effort and “can-do” attitude (actually, more like “get out of our way”) are laudable, and will benefit the entire neighborhood. Particular recognition must be given to Mr. Bryan (who out of fairness or more likely, modesty, eschewed taking credit himself, preferring to share the spotlight with the dozens of donors, workers and volunteers who have joined him in this worthwhile effort. Never- theless, let’s be clear: No Kenneth Bryan, no project.) There may be some problems in this world which can only be addressed through blue-ribbon panels, tome-like consultants’ reports and hours of parlia- mentary debate … maybe. But so many more issues can be tackled with individual effort, coordination and personal, not governmental, sweat equity. Consider, for example, Opposition Leader Ezzard Miller and his North Side constituency taking the initia- tive when government dragged its feet on installing an athletic field for area schoolchildren. Or the Herculean efforts that continually take place in the Cayman Islands’ nonprofit sector – where numerous groups have pledged themselves to a myriad of worthy causes, such as feeding the elderly, supplying books to young children, fighting diseases and caring for abandoned cats and dogs. (And do not forget the country’s private schools, which together provide education for more than 40 percent of Cayman’s children, including nearly all of the non-Cay- manian students.) These good Samaritans are stepping in to pick up where Cayman’s sprawling and funds-flush public sector has fallen short. Public parks. Caring for the ill, elderly or otherwise vulnerable. Animal welfare. Literacy. Education. Should those be societal goals to be pursued by individual citizens with altruistic intentions? Or core responsibilities that are the remit of a public service with some 6,000 employees and a budget approaching $1 billion per year? Think about that the next time you find yourself paying stamp duty, the standard 22 percent tax on imported goods, or any of government’s miscellaneous fees … or when you look at the Cayman Compass and see headlines about buyouts of retiring senior officials, globetrotting officials, bureaucratic waste, or the ever- growing costs of our ever-expanding government. Scranton’s park: A lesson in self-reliance TUESDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Western decadence risks democracy With the fall of France in 1940, Britain and America were left to defend democ- racy and capitalism – sys- tems built on the ideas that ordinary people choosing their leaders and pursuing their own destinies in free markets best serves the progress of civilization. Once the dust settles from Brexit, the world may not be in much dif- ferent a place. Continental Europe is in disarray. Unable to grow, innovate or defend its bor- ders, the yellow jackets par- alyzing the Macron govern- ment in Paris will likely prove precursors of popu- list upheavals in places like Italy, Hungary and Poland, gradually pulling the Euro- pean Union into complete dysfunction. Britain’s future is brighter than defenders of the status quo realize. That will not be defined by seamless supply chains in manufacturing across the channel but rather by services – finance, artifi- cial intelligence and the like – which are now driving growth in global trade and where its universities are on a par with the best in America. China and Russia look a lot like fascist Japan and Germany in the 1930s. Each features disciplined govern- ment finance and state-di- rected businesses. And their advance is assisted by dec- adence among the most sig- nificant actors in Western democracies. China may have big gov- ernment and private sector debt but it sits on huge holdings of U.S. Those sub- stantially limit the possi- bility of a bubble bursting and enable Beijing to project power. Putin keeps Russian debt in check while investing its oil wealth in military mod- ernization and disciplined expansion of social pro- grams. Those appeal to Rus- sian nationalism and expec- tations established during the communist era for guar- anteed employment, health- care and a steady diet of propaganda. Corporate chieftains un- derstand absolute loyalty to Moscow and Beijing is essential to business suc- cess and personal survival. And those centers of tyr- anny have successfully en- snared America’s corporate leaders – consider Ford’s decision to stick with Russia after the annexation of the Crimea and Google’s cooperation with Chinese firms that can ultimately advance Beijing’s popula- tion-monitoring and con- trol technologies. So far, Moscow and Bei- jing are scoring wins where it counts. Russia is in the eastern Ukraine and Georgia, un- dermining public confi- dence about elections in Eu- rope and the United States (how else could Demo- cratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer deny the legitimacy of President Donald Trump), and ex- tending its menacing influ- ence in Syria, Iran and the wider Middle East. Notwithstanding some pushback to its Belt and Road initiative, Beijing continues to win acolytes among autocrats in Asia, Africa and elsewhere. Even growing more slowly than in the past, it still boasts more progress for workers and a lot less terrorism and crime than Western democracies. Rationalized as engage- ment to encourage demo- cratic reforms, bankers and multinational CEOs, aca- demics and civil society grow rich and influential by lobbying to keep American markets open to cheap Chi- nese manufactures. Ultimately, the U.S. ne- gotiations with China will yield a document remi- niscent of the 2001 World Trade Organization acces- sion agreement and the bi- lateral trade deficits will continue. The resulting U.S. borrowing builds Bei- jing’s dollar horde, Euro- pean leaders happily buy Russia’s natural gas, and together those finance Chi- na’s and Russia’s soft power and military buildups and adventures. Now Russia has devel- oped a hypersonic nuclear- weapons delivery system to foil America’s defenses. China has landed a rover on the dark side of the moon and plans a perma- nent colony to claim its re- sources before manned American voyages can re- turn to lunar soil. And it is claiming the lead in quantum computing and important dimensions of artificial intelligence. All because Moscow and Beijing can focus resources where it counts, while Washington and European capitals remain engulfed in sterile quarrels about the viability of the WTO and sanctity of the EU, ho- mophobia and shaming his- torical figures, and whether the advent of robots entitle adults to a guaranteed an- nual income. Have you ever heard Bernie Sanders or Al- exandria Ocasio-Cortez talk about national se- curity or the importance of technology to their so- cialist utopia? Meanwhile, Google re- fuses to cooperate with the Pentagon, and along- side Facebook, and Twitter, Google builds private sys- tems that monitor the be- havior and thoughts of every private citizen every bit as threatening as Chi- na’s emerging social- credit system. Ultimately, democracies in the West are at risk, be- cause their leaders too are hostage to the false gods of multilateralism, political correctness, and good old- fashioned greed. Peter Morici is an economist and business professor at the University of Maryland, and a national columnist. © The Washington Times, LLC. PETER MORICI Corporate chieftains understand absolute loyalty to Moscow and Beijing is essential to business success and personal survival. And those centers of tyranny have successfully ensnared America’s corporate leaders ...5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2019 Opposition highlights concerns over three-year port construction Miller asks, where’s the plan? JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Opposition leader Ezzard Miller has called for govern- ment to explain how it plans to handle cruise ship passen- gers during an anticipated three-year construction pe- riod for the new port. Mr. Miller reiterated that he opposes the port project and believes government ul- timately will have to discard the plan after a people’s ref- erendum. But he said he was concerned at the absence of information coming from the administration about its plans, should the project ma- terialize as proposed. He said in a state- ment, “Government has said nothing about how they plan to mitigate the impact of the dredging and complex con- struction activities for the proposed cruise ship port on the disembarkation, pro- cessing and return of pas- sengers to ships, as well as passengers’ ease of ac- cess to landside recreational arrangements. “How that management aspect that could have mark- edly adverse impacts on the future of the industry will be addressed has to be a con- cern for the industry and the population as a whole and should be addressed. “At the very least, we need an explanation by Govern- ment on how the disembar- kation and re-boarding of passengers will be handled over the two-to-three years of works – if the project sees the light of day.” Responding to Mr. Mill- er’s comments on Sunday, a spokesperson for the Min- istry of Tourism said man- agement of the facility during construction would be the responsibility of whichever consortium wins the bid. She said details would not be made public until the preferred bidder had been selected. “The invitation to submit [a] final tender included a requirement for the cruise and cargo port operations to remain functional during the construction phase of the project. “As the procurement pro- cess is still ongoing, it is pre- mature and inappropriate to release information regarding the project during this pe- riod. When the final submis- sions are received and the successful bidder has been identified, the Ministry looks forward to sharing more in- formation with the public,” she said in an emailed re- sponse to questions from the Compass. Mr. Miller, in his press re- lease Friday, repeated some of his concerns about the project, refuting government’s oft-stated argument that piers were necessary because the larger Oasis-class ships would not tender. He said that would be proved wrong when a mega- ship, similar in size to the Oasis ships, does just that later this year. The 171,598 ton MSC Meraviglia, the fourth largest cruise ship in the world at the time it was built in 2017 and re- portedly capable of holding more than 5,700 passen- gers at maximum capacity, is scheduled to stop in Cayman in December. Cruise arrivals rose 10 percent to a decade-long high of 1.92 million in 2018. Though government attri- butes this largely to an influx of ships from hurricane-hit destinations in the eastern Caribbean, Mr. Miller says there is no evidence to sup- port the theory that Cayman will lose ground in the cruise business if it does not build a port. “The trend of the in- creasing numbers of cruise- ship passenger arrivals and the tendering of the mam- moth ship later this year un- dermine Government’s argu- ment that tendering poses an overwhelming threat to the continued wellbeing of the cruise industry,” he added. He said the lack of in- formation about the man- agement of the facility during construction could actually have the oppo- site effect of damaging the cruise industry. “While the Opposition re- mains opposed to the project and do not believe it will be- come a reality, the lack of information on the interim management for the disem- barking and re-boarding of cruise passengers is defi- nitely another big concern joining all the others, in- cluding costs, and environ- mental and business im- pacts,” Mr. Miller said. “It would be really ironic that the costliest investment resulted in the gravest of consequences.” Leader of the Opposition Ezzard Miller Cruise arrivals rose 10 percent to a decade-long high of 1.92 million in 2018. MLA’S POLL SHOWS LITTLE SUPPORT FOR PORT JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com As opinion polls go, it may not be the largest data set, but MLA Kenneth Bryan’s personal survey of his central George Town constituency of- fers little encouragement to the government over its cruise berthing plan for the capital. Mr. Bryan is directly polling his constituents to ask them what position he should take on the contro- versial project. So far, he has reached just under 400 of the 1,250 registered electors in his district. According to Mr. Bryan, 40 percent have come out against the dock, 40 percent said they were unsure or did not feel there was enough informa- tion, and 20 percent sup- ported the dock. Mr. Bryan said Cayman was small enough for rep- resentatives to go di- rectly to the people on major issues. He said he person- ally had doubts about the wisdom of the project, based on the information available, but was open to changing his position if and when the full infor - mation on the cost of the project and other factors were made available. He said the aim of his poll was simply to gauge what the people in his dis- trict, the area where the new piers will be located, felt about the project. “The key factor for me is that I can go to the Leg- islative Assembly and say confidently that I know what my people’s position is,” he said. “I can use that as my personal guidance on whether to support the government or not.” Though he has indicated his support for a refer- endum as the best way for the issue to be decided, Mr. Bryan said he is not pre- judging the results of his poll. He continues to reach out to voters in an effort to get as close to 100 percent as possible. “If the poll comes back and says 60 percent are in favor of the port, then I will stand on any po- dium anywhere and give my full backing to the project,” he said. “At this point, all the indications are that people don’t want me to support this project based on what they have heard so far.” He said he had reached out to Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell to offer him the chance to meet with his constituents and provide more information on the project, but so far the minister has declined those invitations. Garage sale to assist Cuban tornado victims A garage sale to raise funds to help victims of last month’s deadly tornado in Havana, Cuba, will be held on Saturday in Grand Cayman. Organizers say they are hoping to raise funds to help families and individuals af- fected by the tornado, which killed six people, injured more than 170 people, and dam- aged nearly 3,500 homes. The Category F4 tornado ripped through a substantial portion of Havana City for 16 minutes, uprooting trees, tearing down power lines and ripping off hundreds of roofs. The tornado was a part of a larger storm that resulted in flooding in low-lying prov- inces of Pinar Del Rio, Ar- temisa, Regla, 10 de Octubre, Guanabacoa and Mayabeque. Organizers of the fund- raiser in Cayman say they will be sending cash to tornado victims. They said members of the public can donate cash the same day of the garage sale or by approaching a group member before the event. Cesar Cruz, one of the or- ganizers, said there has al- ready been a good response from the local community to the appeal for donations. “We already have 15 to 20 boxes, and people are also giving cash. Companies are also behind us … People have been calling, calling, calling,” he said. The garage sale will be held at the Tortuga head- quarters in Industrial Park in George Town. Unsold items will be donated to the Red Cross. “The proceeds raised from this event will be sent to trusted members from the three most affected commu- nities, Regla, 10 de Octubre and Guanabacoa. They will be responsible for gathering information, dispersing the funds to the families in need and documenting how it is spent,” organizers said in a press release. “We have seen the power of the Cayman community, and its generosity when it comes to supporting our brothers and sisters afflicted by natural disasters, whether that be here in Cayman or even on the other side of the world. Now more than ever, our Cuban brethren need our help, and we are asking you to help us, help them stay strong,” the release continued. People who wish to donate goods for the garage sale can deliver the items to the Tortuga warehouse on Redgate Road or by calling organizer Cesar Cruz at 326-4748. A refrigerator is seen inside a house damaged in a Jan. 28 tornado in Havana, Cuba. Organizers in Cayman will hold a garage sale on Saturday to help raise funds for the victims of the twister, which killed six people. - PHOTO: AP MARINE POLICE RESCUE DRIFTING PADDLEBOARDERS Two paddleboarders off West Bay Public Beach re- quired assistance Thursday evening when they began drifting out to sea and had difficulty returning to shore. The boarders were able to contact police for assistance via mobile phone around 7 p.m. and were instructed to turn on the phone’s flash- light to assist officers in lo- cating them. Officers with the Joint Marine Unit on board the vessel M/V Ty- phoon were able to locate them and transport them safely to shore. “This incident shows how easily one can get into a dan- gerous situation while partic- ipating in water-related ac- tivities, even something like paddleboarding,” said RCIPS officer Brad Ebanks. “That’s why it is always advisable to carry some means of communication with you, as this is one of the tools that will help ensure your safety.”The islands’ most-trusted news source 6 TUESDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS cleared land. “The overall goal of the cleanup was to get people inspired. People are starting to buy into the vi- sion of the park and really see what it can be.” Wielding rakes, ma- chetes and trash cans, the small army of volunteers hacked through the under- growth and cleared trash from the site Saturday. Local businesses donated heavy equipment to assist with the clearing, which continues this week. Mr. Bryan said he was “ecstatic” with the turnout Saturday. He be- lieves the park, located off Shedden Road, can be- come an important area for the people of central George Town and the wider Cayman community. He said his aim now was to get sponsorship to develop the site. “I really hope the rest of the community and the businesses will come on board and help with funding that we may need after we finish clearing,” he said. “These things take money. I don’t know where government is in that respect, but we don’t want to wait.” Once the preliminary work is complete, Mr. Bryan is planning a community meeting along with the Cen- tral Scranton Committee. “We will invite the res- idents of the area and brainstorm about what they want from this park,” he said. As well as a play area and upgraded basketball court, Mr. Bryan said the park could include areas for people to relax, cov- ering for craft and pro- duce stalls, and a place to host events on Mother’s Day and Father’s Day and other occasions. He said a pond in the center of the parcel could be landscaped to create a picnic area. “There is still a long way to go, but the first steps are always the hardest and we have taken them, so I am excited about that,” he added. prison purposes. While the center is managed by the Prison Service, it has not pre- viously been categorized as a prison and was rather con- sidered a short-term facility for immigration purposes. In a December letter from Mr. Barrett to the Human Rights Commission, he said, “There is conversion work being carried out at the fa- cility to provide a separate section of the building for convicted low-risk prisoners. The work in this area does not in any way impact upon the living quarters of the detainees.” The Prison Service clari- fied Monday that an internal dividing fence will be used to keep migrants, including a female migrant, separate from prisoners. Migrants detainees at the center confirmed that prisoners were being kept separate from them in an- other dormitory. In the same letter, Mr. Barrett recognized on- going hygienic complaints at the facility. “Conditions at the IDC are not as I would like and the facility as a whole is in ur- gent need of significant up- grading. I have had the fa- cility deep cleaned and staff deployed to the IDC are re- quired to ensure that basic housekeeping by detainees is carried out daily,” he wrote. The Cayman Compass has made multiple requests to tour the facility over the past year, to independently confirm conditions inside the center, but access has not been granted. In July 2018, hygienic con- cerns flagged by the Human Rights Commission raised concern that the detention facility was nearing “unin- habitable” status. The reve- lation came just weeks after the Ministry of Home Affairs announced the center would be used as an overflow fa- cility for male prisoners from Northward. Following an inspection of the center, Human Rights Commission Chairman James Austin-Smith high- lighted poor hygiene, mold, missing shower heads and lack of maintenance in bath- room areas. In the kitchen, he noted “completely unhy- gienic fridges/freezers and cooking areas (including rotten food) with infesta- tion of flies.” A response from Mr. Bar- rett, issued the same week, indicated immediate action would be taken. “I am extremely disap- pointed at the conditions en- countered within the rest- room areas of this facility. I have directed a number of immediate responses. This will include engaging a local plumbing contractor to affect repairs to all malfunctioning mixing valves on showers and to repair malfunctioning toilets,” Mr. Barrett wrote in his July response. “It should also be noted that the detainees have a re- sponsibility to ensure their environment is clean; clearly they have not done this.” Regarding the kitchen situation, he wrote, “The is- sues highlighted within the kitchen are unacceptable. Food storage and handling areas will be deep cleaned and a programme of hygiene inspections commenced.” A follow-up letter sub- mitted to the Prison Ser- vice from the Human Rights Commission in December, however, indicated that the hygienic concerns at the fa- cility continued “as the centre is currently under repair” and that the facility had a rat problem. Mr. Barrett recognized that “the surrounding area of the IDC is prone to rat infestation and where we can, we take steps to ad- dress the issue,” adding that the Department of Envi- ronmental Health would be placing rat traps. The facility was briefly uninhabited last year, through August and part of September, after migrants, many of whom had been de- tained in the facility for one to two years, were trans- ferred off site to community housing under a supervised release program. After a migrant boat was intercepted in Cayman Brac in September, however, the fa- cility was reopened for im- migrant detention. Those detainees continue to be held there. During the time the fa- cility was uninhabited, a gov- ernment spokesperson said work was completed on the building to render it suitable for prison purposes. The center has a history of escapes, with migrants jumping the barbed wire fencing and escaping into the surrounding wetlands. The most recent escape oc- curred in July 2017. The man was apprehended by police and convicted to serve three months in Northward. The Prison Service gave reassurances that use of the facility would not compro- mise public safety. “[Prison Service] officials assure the public that the transfer of inmates to the IDC will in no way impact the Department’s statutory obligations or compromise safety,” the Prison Service said Monday. “The [Prison Service] will continue to maintain the wel- fare and security of those en- trusted in their care, as well as Prison Service staff and members of the public.” First Lions Benzarama spot cash draw winner chosen William Sullivan is the winner of the Lions Ben- zarama first $250 spot cash drawing. Mr. Sullivan held the lucky ticket during a happy hour launch of “Benzarama 2019” at the Mango Tree on Friday, Jan. 25. This year, the Lions Club will be raffling a 2019 Mer- cedes Benz CLA 250 valued at $51,500 on Saturday, June 1, at the Mango Tree. Before June 1, the Lions will host four spot cash drawings of $250. People must be present in order to win. Tickets are available from Lions Club members and various sales locations throughout the island over the next four months. The price is $25 per ticket, or five tickets for $100. Marking World Cancer Day Government officials and staff, along with representatives of the Cayman Islands Cancer Society and the Cancer Registry, gather outside the Government Administration Building Monday to mark World Cancer Day. They placed lavender-colored plant pots containing aloe along the steps of the building. Lavender is the color that represents all forms of cancer. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Lions President Stephen Best, left, presents the $250 prize to the first cash winner in the Lions Club Benzarama draw, William Sullivan. Scranton community comes together to revive park CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 “ The overall goal of the cleanup was to get people inspired. People are starting to buy into the vision of the park and really see what it can be.” KENNETH BRYAN , George Town Central MLA Prisoners transferred to Immigration Detention Centre CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The Immigration Detention Centre is now housing prisoners who would normally be held at Northward Prison, as well as Cuban migrants. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAYThe islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2019 monthly discussions, details of the board’s handling of Mr. Tibbetts’s firing are truncated into a two-page document. The first meeting was held Sept. 24 in the Baraud board- room “to discuss the allega- tions against the CEO,” the documents indicate. A second meeting was held the next day at HSM, followed by a se- ries of meetings on consecu- tive days the following week at the Credit Union and HSM boardrooms, culminating in a meeting at CINICO on Oct. 5. The notation for that meeting indicates that Pa- tricia Estwick, the board chair, accompanied by two other board members, the attorneys and two security guards met with Mr. Tibbetts to inform him of an investi- gation against him. No de- tails were given of to what the investigation entails and who was carrying it out. The notation indicates, “The CEO’s company cell- phone and three laptops were confiscated …. The day ended with a meeting with the staff to inform them about the investigation.” The documents indicate that a further meeting was held the following Monday morning – three days after Mr. Tibbetts’s computers and phone were confiscated. Fi- nance Minister Roy McTag- gart and Financial Secretary Ken Jefferson were present at this meeting. A seventh and final emergency gathering was called Monday afternoon during which, the documents indicate, Ms. Estwick led a delegation of board members and attorneys to speak with Mr. Tibbetts. The notes to this meeting indicate, “Met with the CEO to pose questions, then in- formed him of the board’s de- cision. The CEO was then es- corted into his office by two security guards to pack up his personal belongings. The CFO and general manager were asked to jointly act as interim CEO.” A meeting was held with staff the same day to inform them of the decision. The board put out a brief press release later that week through Government Infor- mation Services, stating, “Unfortunately, as a result of information which recently came to the attention of the Board of Directors and which has been investigated, a decision was taken to ter- minate the employment of the CEO of CINICO with im- mediate effect. The Board of Directors does not propose to make any further com- ments at this time.” The board has not added any further comment since then and Mr. Tibbetts has so far declined to comment. At the time, Ms. Estwick re- fused to answer questions as to the nature of the alle- gations, the scope of the in- vestigation, who carried out the investigation or whether Mr. Tibbetts was accused of criminal wrongdoing. A po- lice spokesperson confirmed he had not been arrested. The Anti-Corruption Com- mission said in a statement that it was not its policy to confirm or deny details of any complaints or reports it received. The minutes for the rest of 2018 offer little indication of antipathy between the board and the CEO. They in- clude regular updates from the CEO on a range of is- sues, including the stra- tegic plan for the company, new human resources poli- cies and negotiations for a contract over a new claims system. The board appears to have had some concerns in the early part of the year about the implementation of recommendations stemming from a Cayman Islands Monetary Authority inspec- tion report. A series of extraordinary meetings were held in June in an effort to meet dead- lines set by CIMA to address its concerns, which appear to include concern over a lack of up-to-date manuals for risk management, claims processing and anti-money laundering. CUBAN WOMAN ALLEGES SEXUAL HARASSMENT AT DETENTION CENTER KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com A sexual harassment complaint from a Cuban woman brought police to the Immigration Detention Centre on Friday. The woman alleges that a prison officer has ha- rassed her and made un- wanted sexual advances. The Royal Cayman Is- lands Police Service con- firmed that an investiga- tion will be carried out in conjunction with the Prison Service, which manages the facility. The detention center houses both men and women who have applied for asylum in the Cayman Islands, and now houses male prisoners, kept in a separate dormitory, as well. The woman has been on hunger strike for three weeks now, in an attempt to bring government’s at- tention to how asylum cases are managed in the Cayman Islands. She is joined currently by three other hunger strikers, who stepped up the protest over the weekend by ceasing to drink water, in addition to refusing food. The hunger strikers had previously consumed water and fruit juices, but indi- cated over the weekend that they would like to step up pressure on government and will now refuse both solid foods and liquids. Detainees reported mul- tiple hospitalizations over the weekend to treat de- hydration and blood pres- sure issues resulting from the strike. The hunger strike is the second at the facility in the past year. Cayman works on earthquake plan SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman’s earthquake pre- paredness took a step forward Monday, when representatives of public and private agencies met with foreign experts on disaster management. The workshop, helmed by Hazard Management Cayman Islands, brought a team of ex- perts from the United States- based Emergency Manage- ment Accreditation Program, with the goal to take a draft of Cayman’s National Earth- quake Plan and search for gaps and weaknesses in it. “We have a plan drafted already but it’s still in draft form, so we’ve brought in some experts from EMAP to help us finalize a plan,” said Teresita DaSilva, a pre- paredness and planning of- ficer for HMCI. “Then, if something were to happen, we’ll have a na- tional plan that everyone would know what their roles and responsibilities are so they can respond in a more effective and effi- cient manner.” That plan was drafted a few years ago but never fully brought to fruition. Tara Rivers, the Minister for Home Affairs, said Monday morning that representa- tives of 20 public and pri- vate agencies were on hand for the workshop, and she hoped they’d be able to work together productively. “We could experience an earthquake at any time. We can not be sure when it’s going to happen; only that it will. It is inevitable,” Min- ister Rivers said. “It is there- fore imperative that we’re prepared, and that’s why this workshop and development plan you’re about to embark on is so very important.” David Champoux, a se- nior engineer for APEC Con- sulting Engineers LTD., explained some of the me- chanics behind the local en- vironment. Cayman sits in an active seismic zone between the North American Plate and the Caribbean Plate, which are moving apart at 0.59 inches per year. Cayman is also situated approximately 20 miles north of the Oriente Transform Fault, which Mr. Champoux said is an active line that is largely similar to California’s San Andreas Fault. “In terms of the tectonic plate motion, it’s basically sliding as opposed to a sub- duction zone, which are the ones you’re more worried about as far as tsunamis in Japan and Indonesia,” Mr. Champoux said. “These are still major earthquakes, but they’re less likely to cause a tsunami.” The last major earth- quake to hit near Cayman came in 2004, Mr. Champoux said, and that was 6.8 mag- nitude. That quake happened 20 miles south-southwest of Cayman and six miles un- derwater, and scientists es- timated one of that power happens here once every 440 years. Mr. Champoux noted that despite the close prox- imity to the epicenter, people in Cayman only felt the ef- fects of an earthquake of ap- proximately a 5.0 magnitude. Todd Livingston, the di- rector for Monday’s work- shop, is a captain for St. Pe- tersburg Fire and Rescue in Florida and an EMAP Assessment team leader who has responded to 15 major disasters. Mr. Livingston told the as- sembled representatives on Monday that the workshop process is designed to make sure that no agency is as- signed something that is be- yond its capabilities. “There isn’t a plan that’s going to work if you guys don’t exercise, practice and plan it,” he said. “The more face time you guys have with one another, the more com- fort level you have with one another and the abilities ev- erybody has. We’ll be able to create a pretty good plan.” After the workshop, EMAP will send recommendations of alterations to the earth- quake plan to Hazard Man- agement, which will then sit down with representatives to identify areas of concern. Simon Boxall, HMCI’s awareness and education of- ficer, said that the working goal is to have a final Na- tional Earthquake Plan in place at some point in the next six months. “It’s good for us to be prepared for any event be- cause you never know what can happen,” Ms. DaSilva said. “The world is changing, as we see. The climate is changing. This is causing ab- normal weather to happen in places we never thought it would be possible. As our job, we should be prepared for anything, even if it’s a .1 per- cent chance of it happening. It could be that day that it does happen.” CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CINICO holds seven meetings before firing boss Tara Rivers, minister of home affairs, addressed the assembled members of Monday’s conference for amending Cayman’s national earthquake plan. FATE OF MEXICAN DRUG LORD EL CHAPO NOW RESTS WITH U.S. JURY NEW YORK (AP) – After nearly three months of tes- timony about a vast drug- smuggling conspiracy steeped in violence, a jury began deliberations Monday at the U.S. trial of the infa- mous Mexican drug lord Joa- quin “El Chapo” Guzman. A federal judge in Brooklyn gave instructions to jurors before they were asked to begin deciding the verdict for Guzman, who faces life in prison if convicted. The jury has heard months of testimony about Guzman’s rise to power as the head of the Sinaloa cartel. Prosecutors say he is respon- sible for smuggling at least 200 tons of cocaine into the United States and for a wave of killings in turf wars with other cartels. Guzman, 61, is notorious for escaping from prison twice in Mexico. In closing arguments, prosecutor An- drea Goldbarg said he was plotting yet another breakout when was he was sent in 2017 to the U.S., where he has been in solitary confinement ever since. The defendant wanted to escape “because he is guilty and he never wanted to be in a position where he would have to an- swer for his crimes,” Gold- barg said. “He wanted to avoid sitting right there. In front of you.”The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 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 FEBRUARY 5, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS WEDNESDAY, FEB. 6 POWER OUTAGE: Watercourse Road in West Bay 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. CUC advises customers on Watercourse Road that they will experience interruptions to their electrical service. Areas affected include all customers on Watercourse Road, between the junction of Hell Road and the junction of Boatswain Bay Road, including Nettie Rivers Lane, Bowman Close, Hillandale Close, Cadbury Link, Windstar Drive, Bristol Close, Fruitland Way, Ruby Lane, Alexandra Close and Knolls Crescent. Motorists are asked to drive with caution in the area. SMOKING CESSATION: The Public Health Department advises smokers who wish to quit that there are some spaces left in an upcoming smoking cessation class. The sessions will run every Wednesday, 5:15-6:45 p.m., beginning today. Venue for classes is the new Public Health Administration office at the Smith Road Centre on the second floor. For more information or to sign up, contact the Public Health Department on 244-2889 or 244-2621. Email sarah.hetley@hsa.ky or nola.sanderson@hsa.ky for more details. FRIDAY, FEB. 8 CAREERS EXPO: The Chamber of Commerce Careers, Education and Training Expo takes place today between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. in the Sir Vassel Johnson Auditorium at the University College of the Cayman Islands. More than 30 organizations from all industry sectors will be exhibiting information about scholarships, internships, apprenticeships and careers. GRANTS FOR THE ARTS: Today is the deadline to apply for grants to the arts, given by the Cayman National Cultural Foundation to individuals, groups and/ or organizations to help further development, assist in bringing a worthy project to fruition, or in some cases to support an ongoing project or program. The Grants for the Arts Guidelines and Application Form can be downloaded at www.artscayman.org or collected from the CNCF office. SATURDAY, FEB. 9 COCO FEST: At Pedro Castle, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Celebrate the local Cayman coconut, from coconut-inspired food and drink, to artwork and health and beauty products, creative cottage industry goods which often cannot be purchased in the stores. Games, crafts, demonstrations and entertainment. Admission is $5 per person, children under 12 free. $1 of each entry fee benefits Meals on Wheels Cayman. SUNDAY, FEB. 10 HEART WARRIORS ANGELS BEACH WALK: 7 a.m. Seven Mile Public Beach. $25 to participate. Proceeds go to Hart For Hearts and Cayman Heart Fund. This event is sponsored by Team Cristiano and Team Nolan, who are walking in honor of the late Cristiano McKenzie and Nolan Evans. WEDNESDAY, FEB. 13 ROAD WORK: The National Roads Authority and subcontractors will be carrying out road paving works on Shamrock Road from Midsummer Drive to the Dr. Tomlinson Roundabout to upgrade drainage and the deteriorated road surface. Works are scheduled for today through Feb. 19 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. each day. Drivers are asked to keep watch for traffic diversions and to drive with caution to ensure their safety and that of the work crews. SATURDAY, FEB. 23 5/10K RUN OR WALK: SafeHaven Drive, by the Holiday Inn. 6 a.m. Registrations. 6:30 a.m. Walk starts. 6:45 a.m. Run starts. Fee is Adults $10, Children (under 10) $5. Includes refreshments, entry into raffle draw with lots of prizes. All proceeds benefit Girlguiding Cayman Islands. Pre-register at Cayman Active at www. caymanactive.com/guiding Please no dogs at the event. GENERAL INTEREST PUBLIC INPUT: The public now has until Feb. 28 to share feedback about the National Planning Framework, which sets out long-term goals for land use and physical development as part of the Development Plan for Grand Cayman. More information at www. plancayman.ky. Printed copies of the document can be viewed at the PlanCayman Information Counter, located in the lobby of the Government Administration Building. LOCAL HARVEST MARKET: Local farmers sell their produce and farmed goods at Camana Bay on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Heliconia Court (located next to Scotiabank). 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. ROTARY CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN SUNRISE: Service club meetings 7 a.m. every Wednesday at George Town Yacht Club, 612 North Sound Road. Visit www.rotarysunrise.ky or info@rotarysunrise.ky. KIWANIS CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN: Meets first and third Wednesdays of the month, 12:30 p.m., at The Wharf Restaurant. Projects include promoting well- being of children in the community and schools. Email president@kiwanis.ky or view www.kiwanis.ky. OPTIMIST CLUB: Meets first and third Tuesdays at the Hibiscus Conference Room, Cayman Islands Hospital at 6:30 p.m. Learn more at www.optimistcayman.com. PARENT AND TODDLER PLAY GROUP: For children from 2 weeks to 4 years. Meets Mondays 9:30- 11:30 a.m. in the South Sound Community Centre. Children must be accompanied by parent or helper. Toys, activities, light refreshments provided. $6 per session per family. Email sspg@foxwood.ky. HEARTS THROUGH HANDS: Meets Wednesdays 9:30 a.m. to noon at The Family Life Centre, Room 10, Academy Way. Women make crafts for charity and missions. Call 946–3067 or 947–1863. BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S CLUB: Meets third Wednesday of every month, Governors Square Boardroom at 5:30 p.m. Visit www.facebook.com/ BPWGrandCayman. BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT GROUP: MothertoMother meetings first Tuesday of every month, 3-4 p.m. outside Women’s Health Centre at the Cayman Islands Hospital. Children welcome. Contact Women’s Health Centre at 244-2649. LIFE UNDERWRITERS ASSOCIATION: Meeting luncheons held on last Thursday of each month. YBPW: Meets every third Monday of each month at the Woman’s Resource Centre. RELIGIOUS SERVICES EL MINISTERIO HISPANO: de la Iglesia Bautista Cayman Islands te hace una cordial invitación a nuestro culto en español cada Domingo, 6:30 p.m., Pedro Castle Road, Savannah. Para transporte, llamar al teléfono no. 946-2422, email: cibaptist@candw.ky. SPANISH WORSHIP SERVICE: First Baptist Church, Crewe Road, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Third Sunday of each month. HARBOUR LUTHERAN CHURCH: Meets for Divine Worship and Fellowship at South Sound Community Centre, South Sound, Sundays at 10 a.m. www.safeharborlc.com. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. This year’s Coco Fest, an annual festival celebrating all things coconut, will be held on Saturday, Feb. 9, at Pedro St. James. All are invited.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2019 Deadly car bomb blast in Somalia’s capital Somalia’s homegrown extremist rebel group, al-Shabab, has claimed responsibility for a car bomb explosion in Mogadishu Monday that killed at least seven people. The group’s website said the attack was aimed at a gathering of government officials, security and intelligence personnel. UAE gives pope pomp-filled welcome ceremony at visit’s start Taliban to take part in ‘intra-Afghan’ talks in Moscow ISLAMABAD (AP) – The Tal- iban said Monday they will participate in what they call “intra-Afghan” talks in Moscow designed to bring together prominent Afghan figures, including former President Hamid Karzai, op- position figures and tribal el- ders – but no Kabul govern- ment officials. The two-day meeting in the Russian capital, which starts Tuesday, is seen as another step in a process aimed at resolving Afghani- stan’s 17-year war, a process that has accelerated since the appointment last Sep- tember of U.S. peace envoy, Zalmay Khalilzad. Khalilzad has been holding separate negotiations with the Taliban even as he presses for a dialog that would bring together all key Afghan players. However, Afghan Pres- ident Ashraf Ghani’s of- fice criticized the meeting in Moscow, saying that Af- ghan politicians attending the gathering were doing so “in order to gain power.” Ghani’s chief adviser, Fazel Fazly, tweeted that it was “regrettable.” Suhail Shaheen, spokesman for the Taliban’s political office in the Gulf Arab state of Qatar, confirmed the insurgents’ participation. A 10-member Taliban dele- gation would be led by Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai. The Taliban have refused to talk to Ghani’s govern- ment, which they denounce as a U.S. puppet. A statement released on Monday by Afghans at- tending the Moscow meeting described it as “the first step toward intra-Afghan dia- logue.” Along with Karzai, the former president, many of the 38 delegates from Kabul have held prominent government positions. Two presidential hopefuls are among those going to Moscow, including Hanif Atmar, who resigned as Ghani’s security adviser last August, apparently over dif- ferences with the president. Also on the list are pow- erful warlords turned politi- cians and former Taliban in- surgents who reconciled with the Kabul administration. The only woman on the list, lawmaker and activist Fawzia Koofi, has been an outspoken advocate for wom- en’s rights and girls’ educa- tion, once posting pictures of her daughters on her Twitter feed asking the Taliban: “What about my daughters’ education?” The Taliban ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001 imposing harsh forms of Islamic law limiting wom- en’s education and rights. Karzai tweeted he was traveling to Moscow with “a message of peace, unity, sov- ereignty and progress for all of us; the men, women and children of our be- loved country.” However, Abdullah Abdullah, the country’s chief executive, said the Afghan government should be at the center of any peace talks, adding that Kabul “would prefer the Moscow meeting had a different shape.” The Taliban are the big- gest obstacle to peace, Abdullah said, but if the Moscow meeting creates “an opening for real peace talks, it would still be a step forward.” The Taliban have been staging near-daily attacks, targeting and inflicting heavy casualties on the embattled Afghan army and security forces. The Moscow gathering is likely to further isolate Ghani, who has been irked by Khalilzad’s direct talks with the Taliban as well as the U.S. envoy’s successive rounds of talks in regional countries. The Russian government has denied orchestrating the meeting. Monday’s statement from Kabul said the Moscow- based Council of Afghan So- ciety, an organization of the Afghan diaspora in Russia, was behind it. It said the participants would discuss a range of is- sues, from a cease-fire, sup- porting Khalilzad initiatives to further “intra-Afghan” talks and ways to ensure a “pow- erful and democratic central government” in Afghanistan. A statement from the Tal- iban said the Moscow confer- ence aims to “open channels to reaching an understanding with non-government Afghan political groups” and that the Taliban would use the op- portunity to clarify their po- sition, based on Islamic Sha- riah law, for the future and an intra-Afghan Islamic system of governance. ABU DHABI, United Arab Emir- ates (AP) – Pope Francis re- ceived a grandiose, pomp- filled welcome on Monday as he opened his historic visit to the Arabian Peninsula by meeting with Emirati rulers ahead of an address to faith leaders gathered in a Muslim region known for its restric- tions on religious freedom. Francis arrived at the Abu Dhabi presidential palace in a tiny Kia hatchback, but was greeted with an artillery sa- lute and military flyover by a country now at war. Even for a nation known for its excesses, the Emir- atis’ red-carpet welcome was remarkable for a pope who prides himself on simplicity. It featured horse-mounted guards escorting the pon- tiff’s motorcade through the palace gardens while the flyover trailed the yellow and white smoke of the Holy See flag. As cannons boomed and a military band played, Francis stood somberly be- tween Abu Dhabi’s powerful crown prince, Sheikh Mo- hammed bin Zayed Al Na- hyan, and the Emirati vice president and prime min- ister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, during the presentation of delega- tions in the courtyard of the domed palace. In a message to the prince, written in the palace book of honor, Francis thanked him for his hospitality and as- sured the people of the UAE of his prayers and “the di- vine blessings of peace and fraternal solidarity.” Francis gave the crown prince a medal depicting his peace- loving namesake, St. Francis of Assisi, meeting the Egyp- tian sultan Malek el-Kamel 800 years ago. Sheikh Mohammed, for his part, gave Francis a framed notarized decree from June 22, 1963, in which the then-ruler of Abu Dhabi do- nated the land for the con- struction of the first Catholic church in the Emirates. “We discussed enhancing cooperation, consolidating di- alogue, tolerance, human co- existence & important ini- tiatives to achieve peace, stability and development for peoples and societies,” Sheikh Mohammed tweeted. Francis’ speech to the gathering of faith leaders on Monday evening was to be the highlight of his brief, 40- hour visit to Abu Dhabi, the first to the Arabian Peninsula by a pope. His trip culminates on Tuesday with a huge papal Mass at the city’s sports sta- dium expected to draw some 135,000 faithful in a never- before-seen display of public Christian worship here. As Francis began his trip, human rights groups who are banned from the UAE urged him to use his visit to press for accountability by the Emi- rati leadership for atrocities in the war in Yemen and its repression of dissent at home. “Despite its assertions about tolerance, the UAE gov- ernment has demonstrated no real interest in improving its human rights record,” Human Rights Watch said in a letter to Francis. It was a reference to the UAE’s often-stated claims of religious tolerance – it has a minister for toler- ance, is hosting the interfaith meeting Francis is attending and has declared 2019 its “Year of Tolerance.” That re- spect for non-Muslim forms of worship, however, runs up against the political reality of media censorship, repression of political dissent and limits placed on religious freedom. Francis had actually made an urgent appeal for an end to the humanitarian crisis in Yemen just before he left the Vatican, calling Sunday for observation of a limited cease- fire so that food and medicine can get to its people, who are suffering the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. The UAE has been Saudi Arabia’s main ally in the war in Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition is fighting the coun- try’s Houthi rebels. Francis’ pre-trip appeal was a way for him to avoid embarrassing his hosts with a public denuncia- tion of the humanitarian costs of the war while in the region. In another sign that re- gional politics was playing a not-insignificant role in Francis’ visit, the papal plane flew north of Qatar and around the peninsular, energy-rich nation on his flight Sunday. Military aircraft fly over the Presidential Palace during an official welcome ceremony for Pope Francis, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Monday. Pope Francis stands at the palace entrance, flanked by Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, right, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum on the occasion of an official welcome ceremony at the Presidential Palace, in Abu Dhabi. - PHOTOS: AP Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, left, receives U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad at the Foreign Ministry in Islamabad, Pakistan. Khalilzad seems in a hurry to find a peace deal that would end Afghanistan’s 17-year war and allow America to bring home its troops, ending its longest war. - PHOTO: APNext >