FEBRUARY 2019 • WWW .CAYJOURNAL. COM 196 THIS ISSUE: ECONOMY Five myths abouth globalization >> PAGE 8 FINANCIAL SER VICES Cayman’s financial services showcased to New York audi ence >>PAGE 3 TAXES Global corporate tax reform receives unexpected push - from the US >>PAGE 4 CITIZ ENSHIP Confusion at the intersection of BOT citizenship and being Caymanian >>PAGE 5 Cruise pier development: a boon or a bane for George Town Central? ■■KEN SILVA I RG Rea l Estate Ltd. b roker Jer-emy Hurst moved to Cayman i n 1988, and around t hat time govern - ment wa s developing a transportation plan that includ ed the revitalizat ion of George Town Central. “Everyone tho ught, ‘Great ,’” Hurst said. But some 30 years later, Hurst and oth er George Town Central stakehold - ers are still waiting for th e revitalization to come to f ruition, despite se THE CAYMAN ISLANDS JOURNAL Cruise pier development: a boon or a bane for George Town Central? High of 84 Low of 73 Seas: Moderate to rough with wave heights of 4 to 6 feet. Small craft should exercise caution over open water. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 ‘WAIT A MINUTE’: WHAT’S GOING ON WITH BOARD RECORDS? ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 6, 2019 Heat-sensing cameras used to search for iguanas After successful trial, camera drones could aid cull JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Researchers are aiming to use high-tech, heat-seeking camera drones – similar to those used by police and the mili- tary – to seek out green iguanas on the Sister Islands. The Department of Environ- ment experimented with the technology when a team of vis- iting scientists came to Grand Cayman last year. Thermal im- aging cameras have been used for some time to spot birds and mammals, but it was not known if the technology could work on cold-blooded reptiles. The DoE’s terrestrial re- sources unit teamed up with re- searchers from the University of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, to put the technology to the test in a trial deployment at the Botanic Park in December. Fred Burton, head of the unit, said the trial had proved suc- cessful, enabling researchers to locate green iguanas in the fo- liage, using a drone and thermal imaging camera. He believes this could be useful in searching for the invasive lizards on the Sister Islands, where they are currently beginning to get a foothold. Eradicating the nascent popula- tion before it becomes established The Department of Environment is considering using thermal imaging to help prevent green iguanas from getting a stronger foothold in the Sister Islands. US aviation company acquires Island Air MICHAEL KLEIN mklein@pinnaclemedialtd.com Ross Aviation has acquired Island Air, the fixed-base operator at Owens Roberts International Airport and at the Charles Kirkconnell International Airport on Cayman Brac. Island Air, which started as a service provider to the Cayman Islands aviation community in 1987, will retain its brand name, and Marcus Cumber will continue to oversee daily operations as managing di- rector and partner. “We are excited to become part of the Ross Aviation network, and our customers can expect the same excellent, consistent customer service in the future as they have enjoyed in years past,” Mr. Cumber said. Island Air is located next to the general aviation customs and immigration arrivals building, and provides ground-handling, fu- eling, aircraft storage and other related ser- vices. It has a 12,000-sq-ft hangar and also offers aircraft maintenance. Mr. Cumber, who retains a minority share in the business, explained that Ross Aviation had approached him in the third quarter of last year about the possibility of acquiring or partnering with Island Air. In contrast to other interested parties, who wanted him to switch to a franchise Island Air, which has been operating in the Cayman Islands since 1987, will retain its brand name. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY AUDITOR FINDS VAST DIFFERENCES IN PAY TO BOARD MEMBERS JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com From the port boss who receives just $150 per meeting to the utilities director who is paid more than $50,000-a-year, an auditor general’s investigation found vast disparity in the pay handed out to the men and women ap- pointed to the boards of some of the Cayman Islands’ most important institutions. The auditor’s report examined pay and benefits to the boards of directors of Cay- man’s 24 government companies and statu- tory authorities. While many are paid small stipends of be- tween $150-$200 a meeting for volunteering their services, some receive a significant an- nual income. Linford Pierson, the chairman of the board of the directors of utilities regulator OfReg, for example, is paid $54,000 a year. Cayman Airways board chairman Philip Rankin, by contrast, is not paid for his ser- vices, though he and other board members receive free flights for themselves and their families on the national airline. During the 18-month budget period under review, ending Dec. 31, 2017, the seven board members were given a total of 416 airline tickets – an av- erage of around 60 tickets each – worth a total of $80,000. Port Authority board chairman Errol Bush is among several high-profile board chairmen who simply receive $150 per meeting. Aside from OfReg, the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority directors are the only board members to receive significant remu- neration. The CIMA board chairman, a posi- tion now filled by former government minister PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL®IONAL WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 6, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS • Matinees Daily (matinee price before 6pm) • Seniors $8.00, Mon-Fri Before 6pm • Additional charges apply per 3D/VIP tickets Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. - WEDNESDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) THE KID WHO WOULD BE KING (PG) 12:50 I 3:45 I 6:45 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 7:00 VIP I 9:50 DRAGON BALL SUPER: BROLY (PG) 2:00 I 4:30 VIP I 7:30 I 9:35 VIP I 10:05 GLASS (PG13) 12:40 I 9:45 Court monitors charges against employers CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com An employer whose com- pany has been before the courts since 2008 on pension charges had another com- pany mentioned this week for charges of a similar nature. Donald Thompson was charged personally and in the name of Precision Trucking and Equipment Services Ltd. with failing without reason- able cause to provide a pen- sion plan or make contribu- tions to a pension plan for 10 employees on various dates between 2005 and 2018. Both defendants are fur- ther charged with failure to provide information to the Superintendent of Pensions. This matter has been be- fore the court only since De- cember 2018. Mr. Thompson has an- other matter, in connec- tion with Precision Land- scaping, that first came to court in 2008. On Tuesday, defense at- torney John Furniss asked for the Precision Trucking case to be mentioned again on Feb. 12. He indicated that Mr. Thompson had not yet been served with papers in the matter. The landscaping com- pany case was previously adjourned until May 30. Mr. Furniss has previously told the court that his client had paid pension sums to workers who have since left the island, but he had not done so through the Depart- ment of Labour and Pensions. The court has asked for evi- dence of such payments. Mr. Furniss also spoke on behalf of Luigi Moxam and Cayman Cabana on Monday. Some of these charges, which have been before the court only since last year, allege failure to pay the national minimum basic wage. The attorney said these charges were related to a sep- arate charge of failing to pro- vide a gratuities statement. The defendant admitted getting the statement to au- thorities late. Mr. Furniss said the statement would show that, in fact, Mr. Moxam was paying “far more than the minimum” wage. Regarding charges of failing to make contribu- tions to a pension fund for employees, Mr. Moxam was making monthly pay- ments and was up-to-date, the attorney told Magistrate Valdis Foldats. The matter was adjourned until April 29. Two new employment matters were brought to court on Tuesday. C3 Infinity Broadband Ltd. has been charged with employing a person in contravention of conditions of a work permit. The allegation was that the company promoted or re- designated a named indi- vidual from senior network engineer to IT network man- ager without the relevant approval of the Chief Im- migration Officer or Immi- gration Boards. The offense was said to have occurred on or about June 2018. Defense attorney An- thony Akiwumi received the documents in the case from Crown counsel Scott Wainwright and the matter was set for mention again on Feb. 19. Company director Randy Merren attended, but the magistrate noted that Mr. Merren was not charged per- sonally and therefore Mr. Aki- wumi could appear for the company next time. Marion Isabella Web- ster appeared on charges of failing to pay the national minimum wage and failing to pay overtime in regard to one employee between June 2017 and May 2018. Amounts involved were $2,089.47 and $3,098.25. Defense attorney Lee Hal- liday-Davis asked for the matter to be mentioned again on Feb. 26. PAWS washes dogs for a good cause Don’t forget to wash be- hind the ears! The Protection of Animal Welfare Society, known as PAWS, held a free commu- nity dog wash in East End over the Heroes Day weekend. Susanna Gatta, one of the organization’s co-founders, said that more than 25 dogs were washed and registered with PAWS over the course of the event. “As always, we had a great response from the East End community,” said Mrs. Gatta of the Heroes Day weekend event. “Thanks to this event, we met several new dog owners willing to let us as- sist with providing free spay and neuter surgeries for their pets.” Twelve volunteers from St. Matthew’s University Shelter Club assisted in the event, and the Department of Agri- culture provided free pam- phlets on responsible pet ownership. It’s very important, Mrs. Gatta said, for pet owners to contribute in making sure there are no unwanted lit- ters on island. “Unfortunately, when dogs and cats are not fixed, they proliferate and that is how we end up with unwanted animals who become feral, like the wild dogs affecting residents of north George Town,” she said. “A major part of our dog washes is the edu- cational aspect.” Local filmmaker Aidan Hew documented the event and photographer Michelle O’Shea-Hayes took photos of the many volunteers who came out to support PAWS. This year’s dog wash was held in honor of Sassy, a dog rescued by PAWS who ulti- mately had to be euthanized due to a medical condition. “Sassy was a wonderful dog and she will be dearly missed by all who knew her,” Mrs. Gatta said. PAWS currently assists around 21 local families with monthly deliveries of pet food, and it also helps with heartworm and flea/tick med- ication as well as annual mo- bile vet visits. The organization saw an increased number of pedigree dogs brought to the commu- nity dog wash, and PAWS representatives believe that is evidence of unregulated breeding in Cayman. “We believe there are many backyard breeders looking to make a quick, easy profit by breeding their dogs and selling the puppies to people who really do not have the resources to take care of them properly,” Mrs. Gatta said. “These dogs are just as susceptible to heart- worm, fleas, ticks, and other medical problems as other dogs. Perhaps even more so because of overbreeding.” The next PAWS big event will be the annual fund- raising gala dinner at Grand Old House on March 2, and details of the next commu- nity dog wash will be posted to the group’s Facebook page. Volunteers help a pup get squeaky clean at PAWS’ most recent community dog wash in East End. - PHOTO: MICHELLE O’SHEA-HAYES CLOSURE ON PRINTER WAY The National Roads Authority is continuing roadwork on Printer Way, from Shedden Road to Thomas Rus- sell Avenue, as part of the larger Elgin Avenue and Crewe Road Exten- sion project. Printer Way was closed on Tuesday and will be closed again from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday. It will be open only to local access during this time. The NRA asks drivers to keep watch for traffic diversions and to drive with caution. HONDURAS TO CHARGE ANOTHER IN ACTIVIST’S MURDER TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) – Honduran prosecutors said Tuesday they plan to bring charges against a former ex- ecutive who they allege was a mastermind behind the murder of environmental ac- tivist Berta Caceres. The chief prosecutor’s of- fice said it would seek formal charges against Roberto David Castillo Mejia for his alleged role at a preliminary hearing Tuesday. That hearing, however, was postponed at the request of Caceres’ family. Castillo was president of Empresa Desarollos Energet- icos when Caceres was killed in 2016. Caceres led the fight against the company’s con- struction of a dam, and was honored with a Goldman En- vironmental Prize. Juan Carlos Sanchez, Cas- tillo’s lawyer, said that pros- ecutors had little evidence against his client. “We have refuted all of that evidence,” Sanchez said. “There’s growing doubt be- cause we have done our own investigation.” Castillo was arrested in 2018 and remains in custody. Carlos Morazan, spokesman for the prosecu- tors’ office, said investiga- tors had plentiful evidence against Castillo. He said the hearing would be resched- uled later this month. Prosecutors “are prepared to take this trial to the very end to find the truth and make the public aware.” Caceres’ sister, Agus- tina Caceres, expressed sat- isfaction with prosecutors’ pursuit of Castillo. “We have suffered a lot and we continue suffering seeing the slowness and weakness of Honduran jus- tice,” Caceres said. “Hope- fully [prosecutors] will be successful in their efforts to know what really happened.” In November, a court found seven people guilty of partici- pating in Caceres’ murder. An eighth suspect was acquitted. Prosecutors said in their statement that Castillo was in charge of providing logistics and other resources to one of the convicted killers. Company lawyers did not yet respond to a request for comment. Castillo was president of Empresa Desarollos Energeticos when Caceres was killed in 2016. A number of employers charged with failing to pay minimum wage or pension contributions appeared in court Tuesday. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAYThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 6, 2019 The Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce available to everyone, and it is for this reason that we introduced our Professional Development & Training Centre (PDTC) in 1995. The PDTC makes a wide range of training courses accessible for everyone throughout the Cayman Islands, at great and affordable prices.These prices are further reduced for our members, making them even better. Our expert facilitators teach a comprehensive range of half-day, full-day, and multi-day courses, including: Legal Masterclasses Ken Blanchard Courses Management & Supervisory Training Sales & Customer Service Workshops Basic Skills Training Micro-and-Small Business Workshops Accounting & Budgeting Training Business Planning The Chamber also keeps up to date with the latest trends in training and development, ensuring that the courses that we offer remain fresh and appealing. We also offer customisable training for businesses. We can design courses to meet your organisation’s specific training and development needs. To view the current courses and workshops available to you, please visit the Chamber of Commerce website. You can register for events online too or, alternatively, you can call us to secure your place. For further information on any of these courses please contact The Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce either on 949-8090, or go our website at www.caymanchamber.ky MASTERCLASSES 2019 Legal Masterclasses Immigration: Work Permits (BVP’s, TWP’s & RERC’s) Thursday, February 07 Thursday, September 26 Employment: Pensions Tuesday, February 26 Tuesday, October 08 Immigration: Permanent Residence Tuesday, March 12, 2019 Employment: The Hiring Process Tuesday, March 19 Strata ManagementThursday, March 28 Employment: BasicsTuesday, April 09 Immigration: Permanent Residence, Work Permits & Status Thursday, May 02 Employment: Health Insurance Thursday, May 16 Employment: Termination of Employment; Notice Unfair Dismissal Tuesday, May 28 Tuesday, October 29 Debt Collection: How to Avoid and Collect Bad Debt Thursday, September 19 Immigration: Cayman Status & Naturalisation Tuesday, October 15 Finance Masterclasses QuickBooks (Online)Thursday, February 28 Basic Accounting Made Easier Tuesday, March 26 QuickBooks (Desktop)Thursday, October 17 CLASSES 2019 The Ken Blanchard Companies Leadership Series Goal SettingWednesday, February 20 First-time ManagerFriday, March 22 Situational Leadership Concepts Tuesday, April 30 Self LeadershipTuesday, June 04 Challenging ConversationsThursday, June 20 Coaching EssentialsTuesday, September 24 Situational Leadership Experience Thursday, October 24 Friday, October 25 Giving FeedbackThursday, November 14 Workplace Essentials Time Management & Productivity Tuesday, February 05 Tuesday, September 17 Leveraging Individual and Workplace Potential Tuesday, March 5 Dealing with “Problem People” Tuesday, April 2 Thursday, August 08 Effective Problem Solving - Decision Making - 3 Distinct Approaches Friday, April 5 Essentials of Supervision: Developing your Leadership Styles Thursday, May 23 Thursday, October 10 Essentials of Supervision: Developing your Team Thursday, June 13 Thursday, October 31 Customer Service Essentials Exceeding Customer Expectations Tuesday, February 19 Thursday, October 03 Providing Exceptional Customer Service Thursday, March 21 Thursday, August 15 Tuesday, November 19 Dealing with Difficult Customers Tuesday, May 14 Thursday, August 22 Thursday, October 17 Workplace Wellness Building Team Effectiveness through Positive Mindset Tuesday, February 12 Reduce your Risk of Sexual Harassment Thursday, April 11 Optimizing Mental Health at Work Thursday, June 06 Sales Essentials Essentials of SellingFriday, February 22 Closing the DealFriday, March 8 Language Essentials Basic Grammar & Writing Skills Part 1 Tuesday, February 26 Basic Grammar & Writing Skills Part 2 Tuesday, March 19 Business Writing SkillsTuesday, April 02 Tuesday, June 04 Professional Development and Training Centre CAYMAN ISLANDS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE The Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce understands that training is not always readily or easily MASTERCLASSES 2019 Legal Masterclasses an Training Cent Whether it is personally or professionally motivated, training is crucial for development. Training enables a person to acquire new skills, improve their existing knowledge and abilities, and to show their employer that they are motivated.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” A review of minutes from CINICO Board of Directors’ meetings in 2018 reveals two “categories” of record- taking: The first verbosely recounting board discussions and reports from then-CEO Lonny Tibbetts; the second, offering terse (even cryptic) summaries of the board’s actions during a handful of extraordinary meetings last fall leading to Mr. Tibbetts’ termination. With the board unwilling to provide publicly much detail or justification for its decision to fire Mr. Tibbetts, the Compass requested the meeting minutes under the Freedom of Information Law. And while, as we indicated above, the suddenly reticent records did not shed much new light on the circumstances of the CINICO CEO’s depar- ture, they do provide an occasion to comment on the wide variation, in terms of detail and availability, of official records kept by the Cayman Islands’ web of appointed public boards and commissions – and the resulting oppor- tunities for obfuscation or abuse. These boards wield considerable authority over vital components of the public service, including immigration, health, development, business licensing and other areas of regulation or government enterprise, but there appears to be little in the manner of “quality control” over stan- dards of record-keeping, with some boards promptly publishing robust minutes, some (such as the Liquor Licensing Board, Central Planning Authority and National Conservation Council) making their meetings open to the public, and others leaving no public trace of their meetings, if they had any, or actions, if they took any. (For more information on this influential but rela- tively low-profile stratum of government, read today’s front page story on an Auditor General’s report on the $788,000 paid in remunerations over 18 months to the 99 board members who oversee 24 statutory authorities and government companies.) The reasons for these variations in board practices and record-keeping are difficult to perceive. For nearly 150 years, boards and committees around the world have con- ducted their business in alignment with parliamentary pro- cedures codified and published by Henry Martyn Robert – you may know them as “Robert’s Rules of Order.” Mr. Robert and successive editors of the handbook (now in its 11th edition) clearly outline expectations for meeting minutes – which are to include the essential details of the meeting (what type of meeting, when and where it was held, who was there, etc.) and offer a complete and accurate account of actions taken by the board. Cayman’s public boards, committees and commissions should adhere to a uniformly high standard for record- keeping: Minutes should be taken by a designated, trained individual, and, given the technology available today, the written records should be backed up by an audio (and ideally video) recording. Minutes should never be used as an opportunity for ex post facto revision, creative writing or image management. Nor should they be verbatim transcripts of all utterances and verbal exchanges. When possible, they should proac- tively be made public, with the fewest redactions possible, instead of our reporters being compelled to file series of open records requests on behalf of our readership and by extension the Cayman public. Obviously, some board deliberations involve sensitive information (related to personnel or legal situations, for example) and should remain “in the boardroom.” But many, if not most, discussions are focused on ordinary business matters that are clearly in the public interest. Regardless of whether minutes are immediately made available for public scrutiny, there are many other longer- term reasons for demanding complete and accurate records of actions taken by public boards. Over time, they serve as guiding documents that keep successive genera- tions of boards on a steady course – providing precedent, a decision-making structure and accountability. And it is of no small consequence that meeting minutes are legal documents, generally admissible in court. ‘Wait a minute’: What’s going on with board records? WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 6, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Saving the art market from itself RAFAEL SALAZAR The Illicit Art and An- tiquities Trafficking Preven- tion Act, proposed in 2018 by former Republican con- gressman Luke Messer of In- diana seems to be making a comeback after stalling in Congress. While regulating the art market might seem like a niche topic, increasing transparency and cracking down on the rampant money laundering the art world is increasingly associated with would actually be essential to halting the flow of funds to extremist groups like ISIS and other criminal organizations. One needs look no further than the highly publicized case of “Salvator Mundi,” sup- posedly Leonardo da Vinci’s last painting, to understand why the art world needs to be regulated – fast. The art- work’s extraordinary rarity explains the record-setting amount Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev sold Sal- vator Mundi for at auction in November 2017. But it also explains why the painting stood at the center of a legal scandal that shook the art world to its very roots. Indeed, the artwork has exposed a Swiss art dealer as an international fraudster, spawned a bidding war be- tween Arab princes, mysteri- ously disappeared, and been linked to a wacky conspiracy theory alleging that Israel, Russia, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates collab- orated to get Donald Trump elected. All of this may sound crazy, but in the fast and loose art world it’s simply business as usual. The painting first emerged from obscurity thanks to New York art dealer Robert Simon, who picked up what he thought was a heavily damaged copy for less than $10,000 in 2005. Once the painting was authenticated as a Leonardo, its value nat- urally soared – it sold in 2013 for $80 million to a par- agon of the art world’s cast of shady characters: Swiss art dealer and billionaire Yves Bouvier, who’s been in- vestigated by U.S. authori- ties for fraud. Bouvier is a slippery char- acter whose sobriquet is the “Freeport King” due to his ownership of a vast network of offshore companies and tax-exempt economic free trade zones known as free- ports in Switzerland, Lux- embourg and Singapore. The Swiss dealer met Rybolovlev in 2002, when the wealthy Russian came to the Ge- neva Freeport to pick up a Marc Chagall painting. Over the next 12 years, Bouvier sold Rybolovlev 38 paint- ings, most notably “Sal- vator Mundi.” The Leonardo sale sounded the end of their partnership – and the begin- ning of a continuing legal battle. When Rybolovlev read in a newspaper article that his dealer had bought “Sal- vator Mundi” for $80 mil- lion and then sold it to him for $127.5 million, he began looking into just how signif- icant a markup Bouvier had been making off their trans- actions. The scale of what he uncovered prompted him to initiate legal proceedingson two continents, trying to re- cover the $1 billion he alleg- edly overpaid Bouvier. Rybolovlev and Bouvier’s international legal wrangling has been a particularly the- atrical example of the dirty dealings that often occur in freeports. As a boom in the art market has prompted new freeports to spring up around the world, authorities have sounded the alarm over the shady activities for which the tax-free zones often pro- vide cover. Unscrupulous in- vestors are using freeports as “black holes for dodging taxes,” while – as former con- gressman Messer pointed out – looted antiquities from Syria or Iraq are ending up in Swiss freeports, their funds eventually channeled to ter- rorist groups. The exorbitant price tag of the painting has helped fuel the increasingly un- hinged conspiracy theories surrounding the painting. Russiagate blogger Zev Shalev has insistedthat such a high amount must be cov- ering up something fishy and that Rybolovlev put the painting up for sale knowing the Saudis and the Emiratis would bid for it, artificially inflating its value. Shalev also boldly stated that the sale of “Salvator Mundi” has been a subject of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investiga- tion, a claim that has never been backed by any evidence. Art insiders have also thrown cold water on the theory, suggesting that the “Salvator Mundi” sale was too high-profile to be part of some dastardly scheme. As Artnet critic Ben Davis em- phasized, “If you’re going to do something really, really shady, you might not want to do it in a way that’s designed to put a big arrow over your head that says, ‘Look at me! Investigate me!’ Though many of the twists and turns of “Salvator Mun- di’s” history can be chalked up to similarly banal expla- nations, they – along with the wild speculation it has en- gendered – nevertheless re- veal how the unregulated art market has become overrun with a motley crew of conmen and conspiracy theorists. Authorities often have little way of unraveling the tangled webs of trusts, off- shore accounts and freeports that individuals like Bou- vier dabble in. Many of these methods are currently com- pletely legal – art has been referred to as “the largest unregulated market in the world,” making it a natural refuge for criminal organiza- tions and tax evaders. For years, U.S. officials have been powerless to clamp down on this gray market; The Illicit Art and Antiq- uities Trafficking Preven- tion Act would provide them with a valuable tool to root out the miscreants, making their fortunes through un- taxed Picassos and looted Syrian treasures. Rafael Salazar is a research consultant with a focus on the Latin American region. He wrote this for www.InsideSources.com. The exorbitant price tag of the painting has helped fuel the increasingly unhinged conspiracy theories surrounding the painting.5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 6, 2019 SECURE YOUR PROPERTY WITH THE BEST DEALS IN SURVEILLANCE CAMERA SYSTEMS AVAILABLE ANYWHERE ON ISLAND . The Security Centre has three exceptional CCTV deals that just can’t be matched. 3 The Gold Standard: a complete digital, four camera IP system – precision viewing at just $1799 The Security Centre guarantees that we will beat any price on a comparable system. Call the Security Centre for your demo today at 949-0004 or visit us online at security.ky 2 The Eagle Eye Special: a high-definition system perfect for the home and small businesses - $1549 All systems offer mobile device access - so you can check on your property remotely. bring an existing security camera system into high-definition – using existing cabling - at just $999 1 The Phoenix HD Upgrade: Joint mosquito research project comes to a close Data analysis to be completed by second quarter SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Mosquito Research and Control Unit has for- mally ended its joint col- laboration with Oxitec on a 35-week program designed to pinpoint the best way to combat the Aedes ae- gypti mosquito. The program ended on Jan. 23, and now the two sides will construct a joint steering committee that will work on evaluating the data and reaching a final evalu- ation. Jim McNelly, the di- rector of MRCU, said the two sides are currently working on eliminating errors from the data in advance of di- agnosing it. “It’s a huge amount of data. We’re working with Ox- itec to get our hands around it,” said Dr. McNelly on Tuesday of summing up the nine-month project. “We def- initely intend to share the information with the scien- tific community and with our constituents who supported the project.” Oxitec’s genetically mod- ified OX513A self-lim- iting mosquito, dubbed the “friendly mosquito” by the company, has been billed as a potentially world-changing innovation. Oxitec and the MRCU had planned on an $8 million plan for an island- wide rollout of the geneti- cally modified mosquito pro- gram, but that was altered at the last minute in late 2017. The two sides settled in- stead for a pilot program costing $588,000 that would test the genetically modi- fied mosquitoes in combina- tion with other suppression techniques. The MRCU and Oxitec have been working together for 10 years, since a release of genetically modified mosqui- toes in East End in 2009, and Mr. McNelly said Tuesday morning that he does not be- lieve this project signals the end of an era in their busi- ness relationship. “I don’t consider it the end of a 10-year relationship,” he said, “but we are not plan- ning any more work with Oxitec in 2019. If we do, it wouldn’t be on the horizon until 2020 at the earliest.” The most recent research project took place in two small sections of West Bay, and the steering committee will evaluate its efficacy as compared to traditional methods of combatting mos- quito proliferation. MRCU said in a press re- lease Monday that it hopes to have the final data by the second quarter of 2019, but Mr. McNelly said both sides are working with great alac- rity to crunch the num- bers sooner. “I really hope it won’t be two months,” he said of the time it would take to finish evaluating the data. “I would think we’d have prelimi- nary numbers in a month at the latest.” A spokesperson for Oxitec was not immediately avail- able at press time, but Grey Frandsen, the chief executive officer of Oxitec, said in an of- ficial statement that his com- pany and MRCU will continue to discuss potential control programs in the future. CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Courtney Bryan, 25, ap- peared in Summary Court Monday charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm following a stabbing in George Town last week. The stabbing occurred at a residence on Watlers Drive shortly before midnight on Wednesday, Jan. 30. A po- lice press release indicated that the defendant and an- other man had an altercation that resulted in the victim re- ceiving a knife wound. On Monday, Crown counsel Aaliyah McCarthy told Magistrate Valdis Fol- dats that the injury was a punctured lung. The investi- gating officer attended court and confirmed to Ms. Mc- Carthy that the injured man had been released from the hospital on Sunday. The defendant and the complainant, an older man, were known to each other. Defense attorney Rupert Wheeler applied for bail on behalf of Mr. Bryan. The magistrate said he would have granted bail, but wounding with intent is a charge that can be dealt with only in the Grand Court and must be transmitted there. His concern was that Mr. Bryan should have a suit- able residence away from the area of the alleged of- fense, but officers would need time to check whether a proposed address would be suitable. If such a residence had been available at that time, the magistrate said, he would have granted bail with conditions. Since the law requires that the case be sent to the Grand Court, that is where the bail application will now have to be heard, the magistrate ex- plained. For his part, he was making “a technical refusal of bail,” but Mr. Wheeler could advise the judge in the higher court of his remarks, he said. The matter was set for mention in the higher court on Friday, Feb. 8. Stabbing case sent to Grand Court Oxitec used this van to release genetically modified mosquitoes in the district of West Bay during the project. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY6 LOCAL NEWS WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 6, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS National Gallery hopes to raise international profile with exhibit MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com Five years ago, when Natalie Urquhart went to an art confer- ence in Guyana, it was hard to find respect. “No one really knew there was an art scene in Cayman,” said the director of the Cayman Islands Na- tional Gallery. She feels that has significantly changed in the interim years, but she’s hoping a new exhibit, part of a continuing campaign, will elevate what the island has to offer in the eyes of the region. “Cross Currents” opens Saturday and runs through April 18, and fea- tures work by 40 local artists. It’s being billed as the inaugural bien- nial. Ms. Urquhart sees it as an im- portant step to gaining more inter- national exposure. “We want to grow it into a global biennial to bring in a lot of traffic,” she said, adding that it will eventu- ally feature both national and in- ternational artists. But, she added, it will remain “rooted in exploring what is happening within the local art scene.” She is expecting to see the spec- trum of offerings widen beyond just painting and sculpture. “We’re looking at the whole wide spectrum of what contemporary art is,” she said. “It’s about opening up ideas of what arts can be.” That includes film, video, per- formance and installation art. She foresees some elements of future biennial exhibits taking place beyond the walls of the Na- tional Gallery. The exhibit will also offer some substantial awards to the top artists. The Bendel Hydes Award, named for Caymanian artist Bendel Hydes in recognition of his 45-year career, will go to the artist judged by a jury to be the most accom- plished in terms of technical and conceptual strength and originality. The winner will receive $5,000 and the opportunity to develop a solo exhibition with the National Gal- lery. The winning entry will also be considered for acquisition for the National Art Collection. An Emerging Artist Award of $2,000 will serve as a develop- mental grant toward a residency program or related training op- portunity for an artist in the under-30 category. A series of workshops and lec- tures will be part of the exhibit’s run, the first of which will be on the opening day from 6-7 p.m. Exploring Biennial Models in the Caribbean will feature a dis- cussion between Ms. Urquhart, Veerle Poupeye, art historian and former director and chief curator of the Jamaica Biennial, and Erica Moiah James, assistant professor of art and art history at the Uni- versity of Miami and former di- rector of the National Art Gallery of the Bahamas. On Sunday, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., artists are invited to participate in a portfolio clinic hosted by Ms. Poupeye and Ms. James that will offer portfolio reviews and feed- back; tutorials in writing artist bios and statements; and best practices for developing submissions to ex- hibitions, residencies and grants opportunities. The clinic is free but space is limited and reservations are re- quired. Artists must submit an elec- tronic portfolio, artist bio and artist statement to education@national- gallery.org.ky by Feb. 7. For more information about workshops, lectures and events, visit www.nationalgallery.org.ky. “ We’re looking at the whole wide spectrum of what contemporary art is. It’s about opening up ideas of what arts can be.” NATALIE URQUHART , director, National Gallery ‘Verity of Opposites’ by Bendel Hydes, from the collection of Alan Turner, is part of the biennial exhibit opening Saturday at the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands. 3reschool gets first Cexcellent marN Irom insSectors MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com In reports on four Cayman preschools released Monday, the Office of Education Stan- dards found three of the schools to be satisfactory while one was deemed ex- cellent. All four inspections were conducted in January. Little Trotters Farm and Nursery School is the first school to receive an excel- lent assessment since the education agency began in- specting schools last year. Little Trotters was used as the parental engagement model for last year’s Carib- bean Early Childhood Devel- opment Good Practice Guide published by UNICEF. The report found the pre- school was good or excellent in nearly every assessment category. Only weaknesses in sharing learning assessments and in mathematics achieve- ment were noted. “We were delighted, thrilled,” Principal Josie Hoar said of the report. Ms. Hoar said the school’s success comes from a solid foundation. “We are emphatically child centered in every deci- sion we’ve made, and there’s mountains and mountains of love here,” she said. “I think if there’s one thing that’s cen- tral to my school, it’s just loving the children.” The inspection report recognized this, as well as the creativity of the curric- ulum. It cited one lesson in which students pretend they are a piece of food as they make their way through the digestive system, starting with climbing through a tunnel representing the mouth and ending by exiting down a slide. The school also incor- porates a working garden and various livestock into its learning. “We have a very nature- based curriculum,” Ms. Hoar said. “We have a tried-and- tested curriculum. By the oldest class, we are more likely to teach [about] Vincent Van Gogh, Mozart and the in- ternal organs.” The report echoed that, saying, “Teaching staff made the most of every moment of the day to pack in treasured memories for the children.” Creek and Spot Bay Pri- mary School, St. George’s Preschool and Just for Kids Pre-School and Day Care all received satisfactory ratings by inspectors. The Creek and Spot Bay inspection followed an as- sessment in May 2018, which also found the school performance was satisfac- tory. In this inspection, the Cayman Brac school was found to be either good or satisfactory in all assess- ment categories. Inspectors praised it for the positive attitudes and behaviors of the children as well as “the effective sup- port provided to students with a range of special edu- cational needs.” The report said the school needed to work on the consistency and quality of teaching, im- prove its curriculum and provide better evaluation of academic learning to im- prove outcomes. St. George’s in George Town was found to have weak performance in some categories of learning, in- cluding mathematics and student literacy, as well as student assessment. It was praised for its nur- turing and safe environ- ment and for “the children’s achievement in developing a sense of value and appre- ciation of themselves, others and the world around them.” At Just for Kids in Pros- pect, the curriculum for sci- ence and creative expression was rated as weak, along with self-evaluation by ad- ministrators. The school was praised for its religious and cultural lessons and for stu- dent motor development. In- spectors also said “the inclu- sive nature of the preschool offered all children, including those with special educa- tional needs, a caring and nurturing environment.” Full copies of the reports can be found at www.oes.gov.ky. Students at Little Trotters Farm and Nursery School get to interact with the school’s farm animals as part of the curriculum.7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 6, 2019 Environment officials spotlight violations Lobsters, conch found during airport searches MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Department of En- vironment wants to make sure that people understand changes in the lobster and conch season laws that are now in effect. Chief conservation of- ficer Mark Orr said several recent violations have led to a push to educate the public on the new regulations, par- ticularly those affecting the transport of harvested ani- mals between islands. In the past, it was common practice for people gathering lobster and/ or conch on the Sister Is- lands to put several days worth of their catch into a cooler when they returned to Grand Cayman. But be- cause the law changed in 2016, a person may only have the single-day limit – which is three lobsters or five conch – in their posses- sion at any time. For instance, while it may be legal for a person to capture nine lobsters over three days on a visit to Little Cayman, that person may only return to Grand Cayman carrying three lobsters. “The law has been out for two years,” Mr. Orr said, noting it went into ef- fect the year after it was approved by the legisla- ture. “We’re doing a media blitz right now just to get the word out.” Airport searches On Jan. 28, the depart- ment said in a news re- lease, customs officers who searched passen- gers from Little Cayman and Cayman Brac arriving at Owen Roberts Interna- tional Airport “found cer- tain individuals who had exceeded their daily posses- sion limits. Five people were warned for prosecution and several more were given verbal warnings.” Two other such incidents took place at the airport this week, Mr. Orr said. Illegal spearfishing Mr. Orr said the Depart- ment of Environment also is cracking down on illegal spearfishing. In a case on Jan. 19, of- ficials seized 54 fish of var- ious species, as well as one lobster. Officers said the fish were caught with a speargun. “In addition to exceeding his daily catch limit of three fish, the individual li- censed to use the speargun allowed two other men to use the weapon, in contra- vention of the owner’s li- cence conditions,” the de- partment release said. Scott Slaybaugh, the DoE’s deputy director for operations and enforcement, said spear gun license- holders who do not follow their license conditions “risk losing the privilege to possess these weapons” and may face prosecution. The fish and lobster seized in this operation were donated to the Pines Retirement Home, according to the DoE. The case has been re- ferred for prosecution. Penalties for illegal taking of lobster or conch can be as much as $500,000 and four years in prison, al- though actual penalties in recent cases have not ap- proached those levels. Mr. Orr said $1,500 was the highest fine he was aware of. At least one case, he said, resulted in a six-month sus- pended sentence. Violators have also re- ceived community service, and some boats and vehi- cles have been impounded or forfeited. “A lot of offenders are re- peat offenders,” he said. “We see the same people over and over and over again.” Lobster season runs through Feb. 28. Conch season ends April 30. To report suspected marine violations, call 911. On Grand Cayman, the public can also call Mr. Orr at 916-4271. Little Cayman violations can also be reported to Mike Guderian at 925-0185. Department of Environment officials released this photo of fish taken illegally using a speargun. “ A lot of offenders are repeat offenders. We see the same people over and over and over again.” MARK ORR, chief conservation officer, DoEThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 6, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS name and hire overseas management in key po- sitions, Mr. Cumber said, Ross Aviation will re- tain the local staff and “is committed to keeping Island Air as Cayman as possible.” Being part of a larger group will yield benefits from the ability to pool resources for better fuel rates, equipment, parts and insurance, he noted. Because there were no plans by Ross Avia- tion to make changes from the outset, Mr. Cumber said, the transition had been smooth. “Changes in reporting, internal policies, training will come to play and it will only make us stronger and able to deliver a better product with safety and customer service in mind,” he added. In a press statement, Jeff Ross, president and CEO of Ross Aviation said the Cayman Islands is well known for its “superior re- sorts, the famous Seven Mile Beach, superb res- taurants and international banking institutions. “We are pleased to partner with an FBO [fixed- base operator] with excel- lent customer service in a vibrant and growing lei- sure destination.” Fixed base operator (FBO) is the general term for a commercial enterprise that has been granted the right by an Airports Au- thority to operate and pro- vide aviation services on that airport. Mr. Ross, an avia- tion industry veteran, first founded Ross Aviation in 2004 and grew the busi- ness into the fourth-largest chain of fixed base oper- ators in the U.S., until he sold the 20 service pro- viders to Landmark Avia- tion in 2014. When Landmark Avi- ation was absorbed in a merger by Signature Flight Support, the newly formed company was directed by regulators to divest six of the fixed-base operators. The six locations were picked up in 2016 for $190 million by private eq- uity firm KSL Capital Part- ners, who selected Mr. Ross to lead the six service pro- viders under the reformed Ross Aviation name. At the time, Mr. Ross said the plan was to quickly expand the Ross Aviation network to addi- tional locations within the U.S. and internationally. The company is cur- rently awaiting government approval of its merger with Rectrix Commercial Avia- tion Services Inc, which services planes at five re- gional airports in Massa- chusetts and Florida. Ross Aviation is based in Denver, Colorado. It is solely focused on serving private aircraft and now provides aeronautical ser- vices at eight airports in the U.S. and Cayman. Wayne Panton, attracts a sti- pend of $4,000 a month, ac- cording to the report. Some board members, in- cluding those on the Children and Youth Services Founda- tion and the Tourism Attrac- tion Board, opted not to re- ceive any compensation. The roles and responsi- bilities of boards of directors vary, but typically require at- tending regular meetings, set- ting broad policy goals and hiring and firing the CEO, who is responsible for the day-to- day management of the com- pany or authority. Board po- sitions are not full-time roles, and most board members have other jobs or are retired. The report says that the 24 Statutory Authorities and Government Compa- nies reviewed had a total of 99 board members who were paid a total of $788,000 in the 18-month budget period. OfReg, which began op- erating in May 2017, was re- sponsible for $113,000 of that expenditure across those eight months. CIMA’s board members were paid a total of $233,000 over the 18-month budget period. Auditor General Sue Win- spear said the investigation was a “public interest re- port” and was for information purposes only. As such, she makes no comment or rec- ommendations in relation to board remuneration or on the reasons for the inconsistency across the various entities. Summarizing the reports findings, she said, “Compen- sation for board members varies across SAGCs with some providing their services for free while others are paid up to $4,500 a month. Where board members are compen- sated, the basis differs across SAGCs with some board members paid a monthly sum while others are paid for each meeting attended.” The report also looked at staff numbers and wage trends across the sector, ana- lyzing budget figures for the 18-month period through the end of December 2017. The report states at that time there were 2,743 em- ployees across all statutory authorities and government companies – comprising 40 percent of the entire public sector. They were paid $249 million in remuneration for the 18-month period. A total of 154 key man- agement personnel were paid around $23.5 million. The eight largest entities – Cayman Airways, the Cayman Airports Authority, Cayman Islands Monetary Association, the Health Services Authority, the National Roads Au- thority, the Port Authority, the Cayman Turtle Centre and the Water Authority – are respon- sible for the bulk of those em- ployees and associated costs. The Health Services Au- thority had both the largest number of staff, 851, and the largest wage bill. Of the larger entities, Port Authority staff had the highest average wages at $6,673 a month for rank-and- file staff. The Health Services Authority had the highest average salary for key per- sonnel at $13,434 a month. For the medium-sized companies and authori- ties, Civil Aviation Authority staff were the highest paid at $119,000 a year for regular staff and $185,500 for key personnel. The average salary for OfReg staff, the report states, is just under $100,000 a year, with key staff paid $114,000 per annum. The Cayman Islands Na- tional Insurance Company showed the biggest differ- ential in pay between key staff and rank-and-file em- ployees. Key personnel are paid $12,473 per month, com- pared with $5,384 for reg- ular workers. “The remuneration paid to key management personnel varies significantly across the SAGCs,” Ms. Winspear said in the report. “There is currently no standardised job evalua- tion system or salary and al- lowances scale for SAGCs. The Public Authorities Law intends to deliver a standardised pay system, but the implementa- tion date for this particular clause in the law has been pushed back to June 2019.” could prevent Cayman Brac and Little Cayman from ex- periencing similar issues to Grand Cayman where the exponential growth of the green iguana population has caused a host of environ- mental problems, resulting in a multi-million dollar culling program. Mr. Burton said searching for the fledgling green iguana population on the Brac was currently like looking for a “needle in a haystack.” He said using drones car- rying thermal imaging cam- eras in combination with high-resolution video cam- eras would allow researchers to precisely locate iguanas and determine the species. They could then direct cullers to the location. He believes the tech- nology could also become useful on Grand Cayman as the islandwide cull begins to take its toll. “If we are really suc- cessful over time and we get the numbers down even fur- ther and we need to find them in more remote loca- tions, like the Central Man- grove Wetlands, this could be very useful,” he added. Thermal cameras, which allow biologists to “see” an- imals previously hidden to the naked eye, have become a common tool for surveying various species. Scientists Albert Sarvis and Christine Proctor from Harrisburg, and Bernardo Mesa from Elizabethtown College, who pioneered the use of the technology to spot snakes in a study in the U.S., were involved in the test de- ployment at Grand Cayman’s Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park in December. Writing in the DoE’s in-house journal Flicker, Ms. Proctor said high-tech camera drones were be- coming more affordable, making them an option for researchers. “Although this heat- sensing technology is easily used with endothermic (‘warm-blooded’) species, we believed that it could also help find ectothermic (‘cold-blooded’) species, po- tentially revolutionizing the way we search for rep- tiles,” she wrote. An initial test, at sunrise, proved unsuccessful, because the iguanas were the same temperature as the foliage. As the sun rose, the iguanas began to stand out on the thermal images. “As it turns out, the iguanas warm up faster than the vegetation and maintain a slightly higher temperature throughout the day. We had confirmation that thermal cameras could indeed be used to spot a reptile,” Ms. Proctor wrote. After the success of the trial, Mr. Burton says the DoE is contemplating purchasing drone and camera equipment to aid its iguana surveys and to assist with culling on the Sister Islands. Heat-sensing cameras used to search for iguanas CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The thermal imaging camera detects an iguana in a tree in the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park during a test run in December. US aviation company acquires Island Air CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 REMUNERATION FOR THE BOARDS OF DIRECTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR 10 OF THE LARGEST STATUTORY AUTHORITIES AND GOVERNMENT COMPANIES Port Authority of the Cayman Islands Current Chair: Errol Bush Pay: $150 a meeting for chair and board directors Cayman Islands Monetary Authority Current chair: Wayne Panton Pay: $4,000 a month for chair, $2000 for deputy, $1,500 for board members Health Services Authority Current chair: Jonathan Tibbetts Pay: $150 a meeting for chair and board directors National Roads Authority Current Chair: Donovan Ebanks Pay: $150 a meeting for chair and board directors Cayman Islands Airports Authority Current Chair: Thomas Guyton Pay: $150 a meeting for chair and board directors Cayman Turtle Centre Current Chair: Brian Wight Pay: $200 a meeting for chair and board directors. Cayman Airways Current Chair: Philip Rankin Pay: Board members receive free airline tickets for themselves and their dependents in compensation for their time. In the 18-month budget period under review, seven board members were given a total of 416 tickets, with an estimated total value of around $80,000. Water Authority Current Chair: Kearney Gomez Pay: $200 a month for chair and board directors plus $25 per meeting OfReg Current Chair: Linford Pierson Pay: $4,500 a month for chair, $2,500 a month for deputy chair, $2,000 a month for board members Maritime Authority Current Chair: Phillip Barnes Pay: $562 a meeting for chair, $375 for other board members * Current chair positions sourced from each entity’s website. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Auditor finds vast differences in pay to board members A culler captures a green iguana in a tree late last year. The Department of Environment is hoping thermal imaging technology will help in efforts to eradicate the invasive iguana species from the Cayman Islands. - PHOTO: ALVARO SEREYThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 6, 2019 Greece to ratify Macedonia’s NATO membership Greece is set to ratify Macedonia’s accession agreement with NATO this week after the two countries reached a historic agreement to normalize relations. The alliance’s 29 members must individually ratify Macedonia’s accession protocol before it takes effect. LIQUOR LICENSING QUARTERLY SESSION Friday, 01 March 2019, at 1:00pm, Government Administration Building, Room 1038, Elgin Avenue, George Town, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands 1.Confirmation of minutes: - Minutes of the 6 th of December 2018 2.Grant applications: A pplicants shall attend before the Board at the time of the opening of the sessions and such other times as the Board may require and may, in addition, be represented by a person qualified to practise law in the Islands. A)LIMBERG R. CUEVAS-EBANKS T/A SPOTLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT Business: RETAIL (MOBILE) & MUSIC AND DANCING Location: Block 38C, Parcel 202 , 34B Carlton Rd, Bodden Town B) AET LTD. T/A SEVEN MILE BURGER Business: RESTAURANT Location: Block 11D, Parcel 92, Unit#3-104, Governors Square, 23 Lime Tree Bay Ave, West Bay C)TREATS LTD Business: RESTAURANT & MUSIC AND DANCING Business: RETAIL (MOBILE) Location: Block 12E, Parcel 83, West Shore Plaza, 508 West Bay Road, West Bay D) THE BREW HUT LTD. Business: RESTAURANT Location: Block 20C, Parcel 78, C2, ORIA, George Town E)EVON ROBINSON T/A GRILLO MACHINE - BEST OF THE BEST Business: RETAIL (MOBILE) Location: Block 14E, Parcel 520H43, Sterling Estates #43, 107 Coemer Drive, George Town F)FLOWERS RESTAURATEURS (1998) LTD. T/A FLOWERS DISTRIBUTORSHIP Business: RETAIL (TASTING) Location: Block 14C, Parcel 305, The Eucalyptus Building, 4 Printers Way, George Town G) MCRUSS GROUP LTD T/A MCRUSS GROCERIES Business: PACKAGE Location: Block 25, Parcel 305, #4 Party Lane, George Town H) BERGHEM LTD T/A LE VELE Business: RESTAURANT Location: Block 13EH, Parcel 20, #147 North Church Street, George Town I) JRC INVESTMENTS LTD. T/A EVENTPRO BARTENDERING Business: MUSIC AND DANCING Location: Block 5B, Parcel 284, Centennial Towers, 2454 West Bay Road, West Bay J)BLUE IGUANA COFFEE LTD T/A MOJO Business: PROVISIONAL - RESTAURANT Location: Block 14BH, Parcel 165, Bayshore Mall Building, George Town 3.Deferred Applications A) MICHAEL GARDENER T/A DESERT EAGLE SOUND Business: RETAIL (MOBILE) & MUSIC AND DANCING Location: Block 27D Parcel 324, 19 Kimera Way, Bodden Town B)RAYMOND BUSH - FIDEL MURPHYS Business: RESTAURANT Location: Block 13B, Parcel 64, Queens Court, West Bay Road, George Town C) DONNA MYRIE-STEPHEN Business: RETAIL (NIGHTCLUB) & MUSIC AND DANCING Location: Block OPY, Parcel 38, #27 Mary Street, George Town D)HOCK 168 LTD. T/A WOK N ROLL Business: RESTAURANT Location: Block 12E, Parcel 111 Regency Court #100 672 West Bay Road, George Town E)BRYAN WELCOME T/A PEOPLE'S CHOICE GROCERIES II Business: PACKAGE Location: Block OPY, Parcel 112, Unit #1 Bodmer Building, George Town F) KJR GROUP LTD T/A SHOPRIGHT SPIRITS Business: PACKAGE Location: Block 14E, Parcel 178, Green Roof Building, Walkers Road, George Town, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands G)KJR GROUP LTD T/A SHOPRIGHT Business: PACKAGE Location: Block 64A, Parcel 169, Heron Place Building, High Rock Landing, East End, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands 4.Ratification of Section 13 Decisions A) THE CAYMAN ISLANDS BREWERY LTD. Licence No.: R2285-380 Application: Vary location to Block 20C, Parcel 78 Decision: Approved B) CLIFTON CONNOLLY - THE CAYMAN ISLANDS BREWERY Licence No.: D10-14, R123-272 and P41-83 Application: Vary licensee to The Cayman Islands Brewery Ltd. Decision: Approved C) ORAL MASTERS - INACTIVE LIQUOR LICENSEE Licence No.: P41-83 Application: Vary to Package and location to Block 14E, Parcel 178 Decision: Approved D) PALM SUNRISE LTD T/A TILLIE'S Licence No.: P41-83 Application: Vary category to Hotel Decision: Approved 5.Variations A)GINOS LTD. T/A GINO'S PIZZERIA Business: VARIATION OF PREMISES TO INCLUDE VEHICLE Location: Block 12C, Parcel 427, Caribbean Plaza, A13, West Bay Road, George Town, B)VICTOR JENNINGS T/A VIC'S PLACE Business: VARIATION OF HOURS Location: Block 19E, Parcel 10, Seymour Drive, George Town 6.Any Other Business 7.Closed Deliberations 8.Announcement of Decisions 9.Adjournment ____________________________________ Shelise Jeffery - Business Licensing Officer I Liquor Licensing Board of Grand Cayman British economy ‘stalling’ amid intensified Brexit worries Afghan official: Taliban hits army base, kills 26 troops KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) – The Taliban launched a pre-dawn attack on an army base in northern Afghanistan on Tuesday, killing 26 members of the security forces, a pro- vincial official said, the latest brazen assault by insurgents amid stepped-up efforts to resolve the country’s pro- tracted war. The raid on the base in northern Kunduz province came as representatives of the Taliban were to hold meet- ings in Moscow with promi- nent Afghan figures, including former President Hamid Karzai, opposition leaders and tribal elders – but not Kabul government officials. The insurgents have re- fused to negotiate with Ghani’s government, calling it a U.S. puppet. The Taliban have been staging near-daily attacks, inflicting heavy ca- sualties on the embattled Afghan army and security forces. Both sides in the con- flict say they want to strike hard militarily to bolster their position at the negoti- ating table. In the Kunduz attack, the Taliban stormed the base, lo- cated on the outskirts of the provincial capital, Kunduz city, around 2 a.m., said Mo- hammad Yusouf Ayubi, head of the provincial council. There were at least 23 sol- diers and three members of the local police force among those slain. According to Ayubi, 12 troops were wounded in the Taliban onslaught, which lasted for over two hours until reinforcements arrived at the besieged base and the attackers were repelled. “Day by day, the security situation is getting worse in and around Kunduz city,” said Ayubi, adding there are fears the city could again fall into the hands of the Tal- iban as it did briefly on two occasions in recent years – in September 2015 and in October 2016. Taliban spokesman Zabi- hullah Mujahid issued a statement to the media saying the Taliban were be- hind the Kunduz attack, claiming the insurgents had overrun three police check- points as the attack unfolded. Earlier Tuesday, Afghan of- ficials reported two more Tal- iban attacks that left 21 people dead, including 11 policemen killed when the insurgents stormed a checkpoint in northern Baghlan province’s Baghlani Markazi district. The checkpoint attack in Baghlan took place on Monday night and triggered a firefight that lasted for al- most two hours, said Safder Mohsini, head of the provin- cial council. Five policemen were also wounded and the Taliban seized all weapons and ammunition from the checkpoint before reinforce- ments arrived, he said. LONDON (AP) – With Brexit less than eight weeks away, it’s becoming clear that the British economy is stalling as firms struggle with the uncer- tainty over what will happen. Hot on the heels of the news that carmaker Nissan is scrapping plans to build a new SUV in its plant in northeast England, a survey on Tuesday showed that the British economy as a whole is almost flat lining. Financial information firm IHS Markit said Tuesday its “all-sector” purchasing man- agers’ index, which incor- porates gauges of manu- facturing, construction and services activity, dipped to 50.3 points in January from 51.5 the previous month. Were it to fall below 50, it would be indicating a fall in output. “The survey results indi- cate that companies have be- come increasingly risk averse and eager to reduce over- heads in the face of weak- ened customer demand and rising political uncertainty,” said Chris Williamson, chief business economist at IHS Markit. Though the survey takes a snapshot of only one month, it provides a steer as to the economy’s momentum. The Bank of England, for example, watches the survey as it as- sesses it monetary policies. The Bank of England is due to keep its main interest rate on hold at 0.75 percent on Thursday. There will be particular interest in its up- dated economic forecasts in light of the Brexit impasse. Surveys from the likes of IHS Markit, but also from the So- ciety of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, are all pointing in the same downward direc- tion amid the Brexit impasse. Britain is due to leave the European Union on March 29 but it’s still completely un- clear how it will do so after Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit withdrawal deal with the bloc was overwhelm- ingly defeated by lawmakers last month. A scramble to come up with an alternative plan has yet to yield any results and there are mounting fears that Britain could end up crashing out of the bloc with no deal on future relations. That would likely mean new tariffs on British exports and serious disruption to trade between the two sides. Given that backdrop, firms do not know how to plan, whether to invest in new plants and machinery or not, or whether to recruit staff. According to the survey, firms in the services sector, the bedrock of the British economy, are particularly uneasy. New orders are at their lowest level since July 2016, the month after Britain voted to leave the EU in a referendum. “With no deal in sight, business and consumer caution will only inten- sify, risking a first quarter contraction,” said James Knightley, chief international economist at ING. Britain is due to leave the European Union on March 29 but it’s still completely unclear how it will do so after Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit withdrawal deal with the bloc was overwhelmingly defeated by lawmakers last month. Alba, a white German Shepherd dog, wears a European flag alongside supporters of Britain remaining in the European Union as they protest opposite the Houses of Parliament in London, Monday. - PHOTO: AP Afghan security forces gather at the site on Jan. 15, a day after an attack in Kabul, Afghanistan. U.S. envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad is eager to strike a peace deal with the Taliban that would end America’s longest war, but he faces several obstacles. - PHOTO: APNext >