CAREERS GUIDE 2019 CAREERS GUIDE 2019 Striving for success High of 84 Low of 74 Seas: Rough with wave heights of 4 to 6 feet. Small craft should continue to exercise caution over open water. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 IGUANA CULL GETS TOUGHER WITH FEWER ‘EASY PICKINGS’ ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – THURSDAY FEBRUARY 7, 2019 Regulated in the Cayman Islands as a licensed insurer by the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority. Incorporated in Guernsey under Company Registration No. 27151. Registered Head Office address: Generali Worldwide Insurance Company Limited, Generali House, Hirzel Street, St Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands GY1 4PA. Head Office: Regulated in Guernsey as a licensed Insurer by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission under the Insurance Business (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law, 2002 (as amended). Generali Worldwide Insurance Company Limited is part of the Generali Group, listed in the Italian Insurance Group Register under number 026. Call us to learn how we can support your business today at 747-2000. Local Touch, Global Reach. POLICE DISCRIMINATION LAWSUIT DISMISSED BY APPEALS COURT KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Court of Appeals has dismissed argu- ments from the Royal Cayman Islands Police Association that some of its members were discriminated against on the grounds of age and nationality when they were forced to re- tire or accept a demotion at age 55. Grand Court Justice Robert McMillan an- nounced the ruling on Wednesday morning. He did not read the reasons for the decision, and a copy of the ruling was not made public before this article’s press deadline. The officers originally sued the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service in 2016, ar- guing that then Police Commissioner David Baines discriminated against them by forcing them to retire or accept demotions at age 55 while allowing British police officers to work until they were 60. The retirement age of 55 no longer applies to officers following a legislative amendment made on Nov. 11, 2010. The retirement age for all police officers who joined the force after that date is 60. Last May, the Grand Court ruled against the officers, finding that Mr. Baines’s hiring decisions constituted an “entirely appropriate government action.” “The commissioner of police was well aware of the needs of the police force and he had an absolute duty to meet those needs,” states the Grand Court judgment. “He had an absolute discretion to determine the contrac- tual terms of each officer engaged on a special contract; and he could not be fettered in the terms that he used to attract and retain nec- essary officers.” MEDICAL EMERGENCY INTERRUPTS TRIAL The Spanish-language interpreter in a trial of five immigration officers and two civilians was taken to hos- pital by ambulance Wednesday after suffering chest pains in court. The trial was interrupted as a team of emer- gency medical technicians responded to a 911 call made by one of the attor- neys in the courtroom. For more on this story, see page 5. Cruise ship passenger bailed on gun charges CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A female cruise ship pas- senger was arrested on Sunday for possession of an unlicensed firearm and six rounds of am- munition after the items were discovered in a bag forwarded to the Cayman Islands by Delta Air Lines. Carol Ann McNeill Skorupan, 67, appeared in Summary Court on Monday and was kept in custody until attorney James Stenning successfully ap- plied for bail on her behalf on Tuesday afternoon. Crown counsel Aaliyah Mc- Carthy opposed bail, partly on the grounds that the Amer- ican defendant had no ties to Cayman. Magistrate Valdis Fol- dats indicated, however, that this was not the usual case of pos- session in which a person actu- ally has the item. He asked how the .25 cal- iber pistol and bullets had ar- rived on island. Mr. Stenning replied that 115 new hunters sign up to aid cull JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Some 115 new iguana cullers signed up to take part in the islandwide eradication effort after an appeal for new hunters to come forward. With the invasive lizards becoming harder to find as numbers dwindle, the De- partment of Environment put out an appeal to recruit new cullers, resulting in 115 addi- tional people becoming licensed. Fred Burton, head of the DoE’s terrestrial resources unit, said the weekly cull totals had dropped from around 30,000 a week in the early months of the cull to around 15,000 a week. He said this was an inevitable conse- quence of the early success. He hopes the influx of new cullers will help maintain or even improve the weekly cull totals. Ultimately, the DoE hopes to cull as many as 1.3 million iguanas over the course of the cull. As of Tuesday, a total of 383,809 green iguana carcasses had been dropped off at the cull headquarters at George Town landfill. Cullers are paid $4.50 per iguana, rising to $5 if they meet monthly and annual cull targets. Mr. Burton acknowledged that a new in- flux of cullers would not necessarily result in a large rise in the number of iguanas culled. East End matriarch celebrates 100th birthday Great-great-grandmother Ina Victoria Connor turned 100 on Friday and celebrated the occasion at a party at East End’s Sunrise Cottage residential home with her family and friends, as well as some local dignitaries. For more on this story, see page 5. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 »2 LOCAL NEWS THURSDAY FEBRUARY 7, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS • Matinees Daily (matinee price before 6pm) • Seniors $8.00, Mon-Fri Before 6pm • Additional charges apply per 3D/VIP tickets Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. - THURSDAY - 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 10-story hotel application adjourned Project sparks broad opposition from neighbors JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Plans for a $20 million, 10- story hotel on the northern end of Seven Mile Beach have attracted a slew of objections from neighboring residents who have labeled it “cheap and nasty.” The developer, identified in planning documents as the Libanon Corporation, made a point-by-point rebuttal to the multiple complaints, in- sisting the hotel was not planned to be “lower quality.” The Central Planning Au- thority was scheduled to de- bate on Wednesday the ap- plication for a 10-story, 129-room hotel on West Bay Road, provisionally named The Shores. But the hearing was adjourned and the de- veloper instructed to re-ad- vertise its plans, which were altered during the official notice period. The applica- tion is now likely to be heard next month. The project, slated for a plot of land on the roadside of West Bay Road, north of the Kaaboo festival site, has attracted strenuous opposi- tion from residents in condo complexes on the beach- side. The CPA received 10 let- ters of objection from neigh- boring residents and strata representatives, who claimed it would dwarf their prop- erties and bring congestion to the “quiet end” of Seven Mile Beach. They also highlighted con- cerns about the number of tourists crossing the street from the hotel, which does not have beach frontage, to use the beach. Representatives of Dis- covery Point, The Mandalay, Heritage Club and Villa Royale complexes all wrote to the authority to express concerns over the impact on their properties. “The development itself looks cheap and nasty,” one objector wrote. “It will attract the worst kind of tourist to the area. We will feel unsafe letting our children run around outside, knowing that the strangers looking for cheap accommo- dation are staying next door.” Another objector claimed the hotel would attract an unwanted element to the quiet stretch of beach. “It will be the residents who will be left to clean up after these unwanted visi- tors. Residents who are al- ready negatively impacted by the noise and the crowds of over 260 people a day trudging through their prop- erties to get to the beach. And how long will it take for those looking to profit from the tourists to move in? Selling liquor and renting beach chairs. Offering to braid hair and sell half-hour experiences on beach toys,” the objector said. The developer issued a point-by-point rebuttal to all the letters of objection, insisting the hotel would be of high quality and was an appropriate and allow- able project in a hotel/ tourism zone. “The proposed hotel is not planned to be a ‘lower quality hotel,’ and the number of stars of any hotel develop- ment should not be a factor when considered for plan- ning approval,” the de- veloper wrote. “We completely disagree with the characterization of our project, as well as of the guests that will visit it.” The developer added, in written submissions, that the hotel guests would be required to use existing ac- cess paths to reach the public beach. “Any insinuation that Cayman’s beaches are pri- vate, and for the exclusive use of residents of oceanfront properties should be rejected. Cayman’s beaches are public, and for the use of all.” The project plans also include two pools and a restaurant. The Central Planning Authority received 10 letters of objection from neighboring residents and strata representatives, who claimed it would dwarf their properties and bring congestion to the “quiet end” of Seven Mile Beach. DEH gets new assistant director The Department of Environmental Health has appointed Michael Haworth as its new assis- tant director in charge of solid waste. Mr. Haworth takes over from Mark Bothwell, who was seconded from the Recreation Parks and Cem- eteries Unit in July last year. According to the DEH, Mr. Bothwell will remain with the department “in an operational capacity until further notice.” In an announcement Wednesday, the DEH stated that Mr. Haworth, who took up his new role on Jan. 29, had recently served as Waste Management Project Manager with the Ascen- sion Islands government. Before that, he served as Head of Landfill Energy Projects Delivery for Viridor Waste Management Lim- ited in the United Kingdom. He has more than 15 years of experience in waste and project manage- ment and holds a master’s degree in environmental geology and a bachelor of science degree in applied geology, the DEH noted. “I feel very pleased and privileged to join the Department of Environ- mental Health leading the Solid Waste team. My goal is to ensure that the team and infrastruc- ture are ready to come to- gether with the Govern- ment’s proposed Integrated Solid Waste Management System,” Mr. Haworth said in a statement. The DEH’s acting di- rector, Richard Simms, said Mr. Haworth’s “knowl- edge and experience will complement our team of seasoned professionals tremendously.” Small fire erupts at George Town landfill A small fire started at the George Town landfill Wednesday morning. The Cayman Islands Fire Service arrived on the scene and contained the blaze that started be- tween 8 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. on the southeast side of the landfill, according to the Department of Environ- mental Health. Smoke from the fire wafted across the Es- terley Tibbetts Highway as morning commuters made their way to work. The department stated that the smoke should be eliminated by the end of Wednesday, as all the necessary measures are in place to deal with the situation. “Currently, DEH officials are using an excavator to dig up the debris, so fire officers can ensure the fire is prop- erly extinguished with no ac- tive hot spots,” stated a gov- ernment press release. “Fire crews are also using water pumps to thoroughly satu- rate the concerned area.” The Fire Service will pro- vide a report as soon as a full assessment is carried out by its team. The landfill remained open to the public. Woman arrested on suspicion of stabbing man Police arrested a 26-year- old West Bay woman on Wednesday morning after a man sustained a stab wound to his chest at a George Town bar. Police said they received a report just before 2 a.m. that a man had attended the Cayman Islands Hospital for treatment for a stab wound. Officers attended the hos- pital and spoke with doctors who said the man had sus- tained a serious injury but was stable. “Investigations led of- ficers to discover that the man was stabbed after being in an altercation with a woman known to him at the Cotton Club on Shedden Road, George Town,” the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service said in a statement. The West Bay woman was subsequently arrested on suspicion of assault causing grievous bodily harm. She remained in custody Wednesday afternoon. Mr. Haworth takes over from Mark Bothwell, who was seconded from the Recreation Parks and Cemeteries Unit in July last year. A small fire broke out at the landfill Wednesday morning. Mike Haworth is the new assistant director in charge of solid waste at the Department of Environmental Health.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY FEBRUARY 7, 2019 EDUCATION TRAINING EXPO CAREERS FRIDAY 8 FEBRUARY 10AM – 3PM UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF THE CAYMAN ISLANDS (U.C.C.I.) Major Sponsors of the Careers Expo 2019 (from left): Tiffany Bonilla, Recruitment Manager at Kimpton Seafire; Monique Spence, Communications Officer at Health Services Authority; Charles Bush, Education Coordinator & Chaplain at Health City; Wil Pineau, CEO at the Chamber of Commerce; Bethany Ebanks, Marketing Associate at Butterfield Bank; and Tamika Hue, Operations at Cayman Finance. Supporting Sponsors of the Careers Expo 2019 (from left): Barbara Anley, General Manager at Phoenix Group; Theresa Drummonds, Personal Assistant/Events Coordinator at Steppingstones; Emma Graham-Taylor, HR Manager at Ogier; Wil Pineau, CEO at the Chamber of Commerce; Julie Rudeen, HR Manager at The Ritz Carlton; Janiecia Connolly, People Consultant at EY, Ariana Seales, Marketing Communications Executive at Appleby and Hannah Jackson, Recruitment and Client Liaison Administrator at Nova. Supporting Sponsors of the Careers Expo 2019 (from left): Joydel Trail, Director of Student Support & Career Services at the International College of the Cayman Islands; Emily Aube, Human Resources Coordinator – Recruitment & Immigration at Marriott Grand Cayman Beach Resort; Rohan Webster, Assistant Employment Service Officer at NWDA; Lorrie Nixon, Senior Human Resources & Admin Officer at Cayman Maritime; Vanessa Hansen, Head of Operations & Communications at CIIPA; Wil Pineau, CEO at the Chamber of Commerce, Dianne Conolly, Acting Director of NWDA; Glenda McTaggart, Education Programmes Manager at Dart; Bianca Mora, Public Engagement Officer at Cayman Enterprise City and Sharona Williams, Liaison Officer at CIIPA. Major Sponsors Supporting Sponsors Appleby • Carey Olsen • Cayman Enterprise City • Cayman Registry • CIIPA • CUC DART • Deloitte • Department of Tourism • DSPC (911) • Ernst & Young • Hurley’s ICCI • IMAC • Marriott Resort • National Gallery • Nova • Ogier • Phoenix Group Ritz Carlton • SteppingStones • University of Tampa • UCCI • Water Authority • YMCA For further information please contact: The Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce either on 949-8090 , or go our website at www.caymanchamber.ky &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” Three months into Grand Cayman’s massive green iguana culling operation, the island’s invasive lizards are on the run. Cayman’s cullers have removed some 380,000 of the reptiles from yards, golf courses and treetops, and deposited them at the George Town landfill, according to the latest figures from the Department of Environment. If the cullers manage to maintain their average rate of iguana elimination, they would be well above the pace required to meet the country’s ambitious goal of culling 1.3 million green iguanas by the end of this year. The key word in the above sentence, of course, is “if.” As was expected, and as noted by Fred Burton, the DoE’s point man on the iguana operation, cullers are finding it harder to bag iguanas, as iguanas are becoming harder to find. There are still plenty of iguanas “out there” in Grand Cayman – but they are in areas that are increasingly remote and more dif- ficult for hunters to penetrate. The days of plucking unsuspecting iguanas from lawn chairs, pool sides and outdoor patios have been supplanted by arduous hours delving into deep bush, scouring the country- side and canvassing wooded areas, one tree at a time. Also predictably, as the “easy pickings” have dimin- ished, so too has the number of active cullers. In late January, Mr. Burton said that of the 348 cullers who originally signed up for the program, about 100 had since dropped out or never really been active. As we report in today’s front page story, the DoE put out an appeal to replenish its ranks, and has added some 115 new foot soldiers to Cayman’s army of cullers. This strategy is both wise and necessary, considering that in the fight for survival, the green iguana’s main weapon is its impressive rate of repro- duction: Green iguanas become sexually mature at the age of about 3 years; about two or three months after mating, a female lays a clutch of 20-70 eggs at a time, which hatch after three or four months. Now that the initial buzz of the culling program has subsided, Cayman’s cullers and Cayman’s iguanas are locked in a long-term war of attrition … or, to put it in arithmetical terms: a war of “subtraction” (cullers) versus “multiplication” (iguanas). Cayman’s cullers aren’t just targeting the iguanas of today, but the potential future generations of iguanas that could again invade the country’s residential and tourism areas if cull totals drop below a certain (but unknown) threshold, undoing months of hard work and millions of taxpayer dollars spent. In general, we are skeptical when it comes to con- flicts of “Man vs. Nature” and attempts to out-guess God with often ill-fated animal management practices. But now that officials have taken our country into war against the invasive green iguanas, laid out clearly defined goals, and committed significant resources to the effort, it is up to the government to persist in winning not just a temporal battle but, most likely, a war without end. Iguana cull gets tougher with fewer ‘easy pickings’ THURSDAY FEBRUARY 7, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Negotiating with Maduro would be a mistake ELI LAKE As the crisis in Vene- zuela enters its third week, many well-intentioned observers are seeking a middle way. To prevent civil war, they say, the op- position and the dictator should compromise. Mexico and Uruguay have offered to mediate the conflict between strongman Nicolas Maduro and Juan Guaido, whom most of the Western Hemisphere re- gards as Venezuela’s presi- dent. Greece has also said it supports negotiations. Two well-respected econ- omists identified as “ex- perts in Latin America” are recommending an interim government that includes the loyalists and the oppo- sition. Even Maduro him- self has said he would sit down with Guaido and ac- cept new elections for the National Assembly. A good example of this be-willing-to-com- promise argument can be found in a recent op-ed from Sen. Chris Murphy and Ben Rhodes, who was deputy national security adviser under President Barack Obama. They worry that Presi- dent Donald Trump’s “chest thumping” declaration that recognized Guaido as in- terim president will erode U.S. credibility if Maduro does not soon leave power. A better approach, they say, would be to continue to sanction Maduro and his inner circle, while “working with international part- ners” to support negotia- tions for an interim gov- ernment and new elections. Included in these negotia- tions, Murphy and Rhodes write, should be Cuba and China, which can influ- ence Maduro. Granted, this approach is distinct from the more pernicious pledges of sol- idarity to Maduro from Russia, Cuba and various other stooges in the West. Those calling for dialog in Venezuela today recognize, indirectly if not explicitly, Maduro’s illegitimacy. They are not making any excuses for his misrule. Nonetheless, this chorus of compromisers is under- mining Venezuelan democ- racy and risks prolonging the very conflict they seek to resolve. It’s worth ex- plaining how and why. Internationalizing Vene- zuela’s internal conflict ig- nores the strong constitu- tional reasons why Maduro is illegitimate. The coun- try’s Supreme Court in exile has guided Guaido since Jan. 9, when Maduro’s first term as president expired and left the presidency va- cant. Guaido invoked the clause in Venezuela’s con- stitution that spells out the role the legislature should play when the presidency is vacated. The key point is that Maduro’s sham elec- tion – which barred most of the opposition and was widely deplored as illegiti- mate by most of the hemi- sphere – did not make him president. On this point there can be no negotiation. Beyond that, any “na- tional dialogue” would only play into Maduro’s hands. This is not the first time he has pretended to be willing to compromise when faced with widespread protest. That’s what happened in the spring of 2017, after Maduro’s hand-picked Su- preme Court effectively dissolved the National As- sembly and assumed its powers. Maduro got the court to review its ruling, and it was revised, but he retained the power to over- rule the National Assembly. “Dialogue is a way for Maduro to quiet the streets,” says Vanessa Neu- mann, a Venezuelan-born writer and the founder of Asymmetrica, a risk con- sultancy firm. In the past, Maduro has promised to release political prisoners and to allow international observers to monitor elec- tions – only to later renege on his promise. Finally, an international peace process for Vene- zuela right now would un- dermine the momentum building against Maduro. On Monday, several Eu- ropean countries joined America, Canada and most of Latin America in recog- nizing Guaido as interim president. This was after Maduro failed to agree to new elections by Sunday, a deadline the European Union gave him last month. The cascade of Western democracies recognizing Guaido sends a strong mes- sage to the Venezuelan mil- itary, too. It’s telling that Maduro did not give the order this past weekend to disperse crowds of pro- testers with violence. It suggests that he knows that most of his army would not follow it. “The transition in Venezuela has begun,” says David Smolansky, a member of Guaido’s op- position party and former mayor of El Hatillo. He told me he expects more military defections in the coming days. Members of the armed forces, he notes, are facing the same prob- lems as other Venezuelans. This is why Trump’s ap- proach, to follow the lead of Guaido and the National Assembly, is for the best. At this point, the only issue to discuss with Maduro is how and when he will leave office. Eli Lake is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. He was the senior national security correspondent for the Daily Beast and covered national security and intelligence for The Washington Times, the New York Sun and UPI. © 2019, The Washington Post Writers Group. Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro, left, speaks with Congressman Hector Rodriguez in Caracas, Venezuela on Nov. 21, 2016. - PHOTO: AP5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY FEBRUARY 7, 2019 East End resident Ina Connor celebrates 100th birthday Cayman sends delegation to UK seminarMEDICAL EMERGENCY INTERRUPTS TRIAL The Department of Lands and Survey has sent a pair of representatives to the United Kingdom to participate in a five-day seminar centered around safe maritime trade in the Overseas Territories. Rupert Vasquez, director of the Department of Lands and Survey, and geomatician Darren Kelly attended the be- ginning of the conference on Monday and will return to Cayman over the weekend. The seminar, hosted by the U.K. Hydrographic Office, is part of the government’s Overseas Territories Seabed Mapping Programme and will focus on international regulations. Maritime safety information training, best practice governance and mar- itime law will all be studied in depth at the seminar. Representatives from An- guilla, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, Cayman, the Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Is- lands, St. Helena, and the Turks and Caicos Islands are participating. According to a press re- lease from the Hydro- graphic Office, the global ocean economy is expected to double from $1.5 trillion in 2010 to $3 trillion in 2030, and the Overseas Territories will need to support mari- time safety and to create op- portunities to increase trade and tourism. “This hydrographic sem- inar provides a unique oppor- tunity to assemble an array of delegates from across the world, with a shared vision for using marine geospatial data to unlock safety, pros- perity and sustainability,” said Kerrie Howard, hydro- graphic program manager for the UKHO, in the release. Feedback from the sem- inar will complement addi- tional work carried out by the UKHO in collecting geospatial data, including bathymetry, tidal and a range of seabed features in each territory’s marine environment. The data, collected through 11 surveys in six territories, will support navigation through the cre- ation of charts, and also give authorities information to support disaster planning. CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The trial of five immi- gration officers and two ci- vilians was interrupted on Wednesday when the man serving as Spanish-lan- guage interpreter had a medical emergency. Witnesses said court re- cessed at 10:56 a.m. after the man indicated a need to go to the hospital. Ear- lier he had asked for cold water, which one of the de- fendants provided to him. He indicated chest pain and said he did not feel well. One of the attorneys phoned 911 and a team of emergency medical tech- nicians responded within minutes. They left their stretcher in the courthouse downstairs lobby; there is no elevator to the second floor, where the courtroom was located. The EMTs tended to the man and called for “lift as- sistance” from the Fire De- partment. A wheelchair was used to move him from the courtroom down the stairs to the lobby, where he was then placed on the stretcher and wheeled to the ambulance waiting in front of the courthouse. Acting Deputy Fire Chief Ricardo Charlton said his officers who responded were in the area for an- other matter when the call came in for assistance. Such requests are not frequent, he noted, but “when called, we know how to deal with it.” All of- ficers have basic first aid training, he added. A member of the court staff later reported that the stricken man was being transported to the hospital at Health City in East End. The trial resumed at 11:29 a.m. with another in- terpreter. The defendants are charged with con- spiring to commit fraud on the government by ar- ranging for payment of re- wards as consideration for giving assistance to can- didates to pass the Eng- lish language test required of work permit applicants from countries in which the primary language is not English. Ina Victoria Connor cele- brated her 100th birthday at the East End Sunrise Cottage residential home with family and friends on Friday. More than 50 people at- tended the birthday party, at which the East End Kitchen Band provided the music. Among the many greet- ings and good wishes was a note from Governor Martyn Roper congratulating the great-great grandmother on her milestone birthday. Ms. Connor enjoyed a cel- ebratory cake with candles and lots of cheers in the company of family, friends and government officials, in- cluding her long-time friends Speaker of the House McK- eeva Bush and the district’s MLA Arden McLean. Representatives from the Department of Children and Family Services, which or- ganized the gathering along with Ms. Connor’s family, also attended. “On behalf of my ministry, I want to extend birthday wishes to Miss Ina on her 100th birthday. We have the highest respect for our el- ders and appreciate the foun- dation they have set for our country,” said Teresa Ech- enique, chief officer in the Ministry of Community Af- fairs. Ms. Echenique also brought good wishes from Premier Alden McLaughlin, Councilor Austin Harris and the entire ministry. In short speeches at the gathering, Mr. Bush and Mr. McLean described Ms. Connor as a strong Chris- tian woman with an un- shakable faith that had seen her through life’s trials and tribulations. Children and Family Ser- vices’ Paulina Mendoza-Wil- liams, Residential Care Su- pervisor Nurse Thelma Richards and Cayman Is- lands Seafarers’ Association President Denniston Tibbetts added their best wishes. Mr. Tibbetts congratulated her on behalf of members and ad- vised that Ms. Connor, widow of seaman Belsham Connor, was “still on their books [as an ex gratia payment recipient].” Pastor Alice Blaire also thanked Ms. Connor for her commitment to East End and Gun Bay United Church. Several Rankine family members, as well as Ms. Con- nor’s youngest son, Lowell, and granddaughter Ver- nice, spoke with gratitude and affection about Ms. Connor’s “exceptional care and support.” Celebrating the “Christian lady with a wicked sense of humor,” attendees were re- galed with anecdotes about the life of Cayman’s newest centenarian. Described as a thatch worker who had turned her hand to various jobs to support her relatives and someone who had been an active member of her dis- trict, well-wishers marveled that Ms. Connor could still read her daily Bible lesson without glasses. The seminar, hosted by the U.K. Hydrographic Office, is part of the government’s Overseas Territories Seabed Mapping Programme and will focus on international regulations. Family members celebrate with Ms. Connor. McKeeva Bush congratulates Ina Connor on her birthday. Members of the UK Hydrographic Office and delegates from 10 British Overseas Territories, including the Cayman Islands, gather in London to take part in the Overseas Territories Seabed Mapping Programme this week.The islands’ most-trusted news source 6 Community CALENDAR ■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR is published TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. THURSDAY FEBRUARY 7, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS The Family of the Late Gwen Whittaker regrets to announce her passing on Tuesday, 5 February, 2019. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page A funeral service will be held 11:00 a.m. Saturday, 9 February, 2019 at Savannah United Church. Interment will follow in Old Man Bay Cemetery. 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 Hall at the University College of the Cayman Islands. More than 30 organizations from all industry sectors will be presenting 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 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 ROAD CLOSURE: Shedden Road, from the intersection with Eastern Avenue to the Cricket Square offices. 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The National Roads Authority advises that the works will be carried out by Island Paving Ltd. to upgrade both the deteriorated road surface and drainage. Drivers are asked to watch for traffic diversions and to drive with caution to ensure their safety and that of the work crews. HEART WARRIORS ANGELS BEACH WALK: 7 a.m. at 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. VALENTINE’S MILE: Organized by YMCA. 4 p.m., Bayshore Mall. 2:30 p.m. check-in/ registration. 4:30 p.m., kiddies race (under 10s). 5 p.m., award presentation and raffle draw. Adults, $20. Under 18, $5. Under 10, free. Pre-register at www.caymanactive.com or visit Field of Dreams weekdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. 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. THURSDAY, FEB. 28 ROTARY OLYMPICS: Backyard games with prizes. 5:30 p.m. at Sea Alissa, the Thompsons’ home at 702 South Church Street. Register online at www.caymanactive.com. $120 for teams of four; $35 individuals. CONCERT AT LIBRARY: Cayman Arts Festival and the Cayman Islands Public Library Service presents a one-hour concert at the George Town Public Library (historical building). The concert, 6-7 p.m., includes classical music, in addition to poetry and readings from local poets and writers. Tickets available at the door, $20 for adults, $5 for children. The event is part of a monthly series. There will be only 75 tickets per 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. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. Students and other attendees of the Chamber of Commerce Careers Expo check out the Kimpton Seafire hotel booth at last year’s event. This year’s expo will be held on Friday at Sir Vassel Johnson Hall at UCCI.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY FEBRUARY 7, 2019 they were “sent by another party.” He said he under- stood that Delta Air Lines had in their possession the bag with the gun in it. “She will say that never did she give instructions for the air- line to send her luggage to Cayman,” he told the court. His instructions were that Ms. McNeill Skorupan had traveled from Wisconsin, her home state, to Florida with three pieces of luggage. Two pieces arrived and she took them on the ship with her and made inquiries about the bag that did not arrive. It appeared that air- line personnel took it upon themselves to ship that bag to Grand Cayman without instructions from the de- fendant, knowing Ms. Mc- Neill Skorupan’s ship – the Celebrity Silhouette – would be stopping here, Mr. Stenning said. She was asked to go to the airport, which she did on Sunday. Ms. McNeill Skorupan has a license to carry a con- cealed firearm in Wisconsin, her attorney pointed out. It allows her to go to other U.S. states with the firearm. A summary of her inter- view with authorities indi- cated that she intended to keep the bag with a friend in Florida. The magistrate com- mented, “If that’s true, trans- porting a gun in the U.S. has nothing to do with us.” Mr. Stenning said being in custody had been chal- lenging for his client. He asked the court for bail so that she could be “in the right environment” to review the documents she had re- ceived for the case, take ad- vice from counsel “and con- sider things pragmatically, as well as legally.” He cited a previous case in Summary Court and sug- gested that this one involved potentially exceptional cir- cumstances. He did not say so, but the presence of “excep- tional circumstances” would mean that a sentence would not require imprisonment. The magistrate observed that the Crown did not have an overwhelming case and he did not think jail was necessary while the matter awaited disposal. He granted bail with con- ditions that included a cash deposit of $10,000, surrender of travel documents and a curfew between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. He emphasized that Ms. McNeill Skorupan could not be released from custody until the deposit was paid and the court had confirma- tion of which hotel she would be staying at. Officers were asked to assist with phone calls and Ms. McNeill Skoru- pan’s use of credit cards to make her arrangements. The matter was set for mention again on Monday, Feb. 11. He said the prey had been largely cleared from the easy- to-reach areas, and more skill and effort was required to find them now than in the early days. “The people that are having the most success are the people that are going into the bush and hunting, not just gathering,” he said. “It is beginning to become a job that requires more skill, determination and a willing- ness to go off the road. “Quite clearly, there are diminishing returns and it is going to take a lot of work to keep up the pressure.” He said some of the new licensed cullers were people who had already been culling for other license holders, who were now stepping up their operations and going into business for themselves. For now, he believes, the cull totals are still relatively encouraging, but he believes the DoE may have to adapt its strategy as iguanas be- come even more scarce. “I think we need to work on skills rather than just number of cullers,” he said. “The best way to do that is something that we will have to consider with the steering committee.” At the appeals hearing in November last year, attorney Jeffrey Jupp argued that the Grand Court erred in its judg- ment on several accounts. For instance, the Grand Court found that the RCIPS’s retirement policy was not discriminatory because it al- lowed for exceptions, such as that of Sergeant Davis Scott, a Caymanian, who was re- tained by former Commis- sioner Baines beyond the age of 55 due to his special rela- tionship and knowledge of the East End community on Grand Cayman. However, Mr. Jupp said on Tuesday that Sergeant Scott was actually retained when he was only 52 or 53. Ser- geant Scott served past the age of 55, but was given his final contract before then, Mr. Jupp said. The attorney also argued against the RCIPS’s justifi- cation for the mandatory re- tirement age, which was that the RCIPS wanted officers physically capable of car- rying out their duties. Given that the retirement age was increased to 60 in November 2010, it makes no sense to force someone hired before then to retire while allowing someone hired afterward to remain working for five more years, he said. Mr. Jupp further ar- gued against the idea that the RCIPS was trying to in- centivize specialist talent to come here from overseas by allowing British officers to work until they are 60. Many of the Caymanian officers forced to retire at 55 were specialists, and many British officers originally brought here as specialists have since been promoted to other po- sitions on the RCIPS, Mr. Jupp said. The attorney com- pared the practice of age dis- crimination to gender-based discrimination. “What we now find ut- terly unfathomable was stan- dard 40 years ago,” he said of sexual discrimination. “We must be careful to accept the same standards for age.” Grand Court officials said the full judgment will be released after the attor- neys involved in the case read it and vet it for any po- tential errors. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 115 new hunters sign up to aid cull Lord Hastings promotes reading at Red Bay Primary MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com Lord Michael Hastings spent part of Wednesday morning telling a group of Year 1 students at Red Bay Primary School about the Gruffalo. Mr. Hastings was reading the children’s book of the same name as part of a visit to promote KPMG’s Family for Literacy program, which is being consolidated, along with the local Literacy is for Everyone program, under KPMG’s global program for literacy. Lord Hastings heads up KPMG International’s Cor- porate Citizenship, a charity outreach program that pro- motes education in more than 100 countries. Cayman is one of 14 nations where Family for Literacy is active. “Have you seen a Gruf- falo?” Mr. Hastings asked the youngsters, showing them a page in the children’s book with a picture of a monstrous beast with horns and tusks. “Have you seen anything that looks like that?” “My neighbor does,” one of the children said. After a laugh, Mr. Hast- ings said the story had an im- portant message of tolerance. “It’s easy for us to think that people who look a bit strange are not nice,” he said. “We need to accept them.” A former teacher, govern- ment adviser and television correspondent, Mr. Hast- ings has been with KPMG for 13 years, and started Family for Literacy in 2008. The program launched in Cayman six years ago. One year later, it partnered with LIFE. The coalition provides books and one-on-one tutors for Year 3 students who have trouble reading. Marilyn Conolly, execu- tive director of LIFE, said more than 100 students across the government pri- mary schools are currently being served by the program. More than 18,000 books have been donated through LIFE in the past two years, Ms. Conolly said. Worldwide, Family for Lit- eracy has provided 4.5 mil- lion books to children over the past eight years, Mr. Hastings said. It is impor- tant to reach children early, he emphasized. “If you haven’t got it by 7,” he said, “it’s a struggle.” Making sure students can read, he said, allows them to pursue other avenues of ed- ucation. Literacy is the key to adaptive thinking and to eventual success in the working world. “What we’re doing is making a 50-year invest- ment,” Mr. Hastings said. He said KPMG also has programs for older students, including the mathematics- oriented Junior Achievement and Enactus, a university- level program that teaches business practices. Of these, only Family for Literacy is ac- tive in Cayman. Benette Moolman, a senior manager at KPMG’s Cayman offices, is the coordinator for the company’s involvement with Red Bay School, which is currently the only school the company’s employees vol- unteer at. Each Wednesday, nearly 50 volunteers spend an hour with Year 3 students who need help. Children meet with the same volunteer with whom they are paired every week. “It’s doing something every week that’s making an impact,” said Ms. Moolman. Most of the students, she said, advance between five and 10 reading levels during the year. Yosha Alphonse, literacy specialist for the Ministry of Education, said LIFE and its partnership with Family for Literacy helps supple- ment other literacy efforts in the schools. “The gaps are always there,” Ms. Alphonse said. “LIFE steps in to fill that gap. We cherish LIFE as a partner.” Mr. Hastings will be at- tending the Cayman Alter- native Investment Summit during his visit to the Cayman Islands, where he will host a talk on Friday with Mark Foster from IBM Global Business Services. Lord Michael Hastings reads ‘Room on the Broom’ to Year 1 students at Red Bay Primary School on Wednesday as part of a literacy promotion event. - PHOTO: MARK MUCKENFUSS Cruise ship passenger bailed on gun charges CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Police discrimination lawsuit dismissed by appeals court CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 THURSDAY FEBRUARY 7, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Aid convoy headed to isolated Syrian camp The United Nations and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent are dispatching more than 100 trucks of humanitarian aid from Damascus to the more than 40,000 residents of the Rukban camp, stranded near the border with Jordan. They are carrying food, medicine and educational materials. EU chief ponders ‘special place in hell’ for some Brexiters Hopes high for concrete results from 2nd Kim-Trump summit HANOI, Vietnam (AP) – Gov- ernments across Asia on Wednesday expressed hope that a second summit be- tween U.S. President Donald Trump and North Ko- rean leader Kim Jong Un in Vietnam will produce con- crete results that will lead to the complete denucleariza- tion of the Korean Peninsula. Trump announced in his State of the Union address that the summit will take place Feb. 27-28. A spokesman for South Korean President Moon Jae- in said South Korea hopes the United States and North Korea will produce “more con- crete and practical” agree- ments during the meeting. The leaders’ first summit in Sin- gapore last June ended with a vague promise by Kim to work toward denuclearization, without a concrete plan for how it would be implemented. Presidential spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom said in Seoul that Vietnam will be a “very good” place for the United States and North Korea to “write new history” in their relations. Japan, too, said it hopes the summit will be “mean- ingful” and lead to the com- plete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga also raised the issue of Japanese citizens who were abducted by North Korea in the 1970s and ‘80s, saying it remains “our most important issue” related to North Korea. Australian Foreign Min- ister Marise Payne said enforcing international sanctions against North Korea is important in con- veying that “the world is equally committed” to its denuclearization. “It’s not an overnight pro- cess. It is a very significant process,” she told the Aus- tralian Broadcasting Corpo- ration from the Solomon Is- lands, where she was visiting. “It will require extensive ne- gotiations with the regime.” Vietnam welcomed the summit, with its foreign ministry tweeting that it “strongly supports dialogues to maintain peace, security, stability on #KoreanPenin- sula.” It said Vietnam “stands ready to actively contribute to & cooperate” to ensure the summit’s success. On the streets of Hanoi, residents held out hope that the two countries will make progress. “The meeting is a prog- ress made by both coun- tries for the ultimate goal of peace. All nations, de- spite being enemies in the past, can always reconnect to bring peace and happi- ness to their people,” said Le Hong Ha, a teacher. Tran Ngoc Duyen, a re- tired doctor, said Trump “is a very determined man. If he decides to sit down for a talk with the North Korean leader, it would be a good thing. Not only Vietnam but the whole world looks forward to the meeting and hopes for a good outcome.” He said the summit will also bring a positive image of Vietnam as “a country of peace and Vietnamese people welcome it.” BRUSSELS (AP) – Euro- pean Council President Donald Tusk took a swipe Wednesday at some Brexit- backers in Britain, won- dering aloud what “special place in hell” might be re- served for those who had no idea how to deliver the country’s exit from the Eu- ropean Union. With just 50 days to go until Britain is due to leave the EU and concern mounting about a potentially cha- otic Brexit, Tusk, who chairs meetings of EU leaders, also appeared to dash any British hopes that the bloc would reopen discussions over the Brexit deal that was over- whelmingly rejected by U.K. lawmakers last month. “I have been wondering what a special place in hell looks like for those who pro- moted Brexit without even a sketch of [a] plan how to carry it out safely,” Tusk told reporters after talks with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar. Tusk’s comments drew predictable outrage from British Brexiteers. House of Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom, a pro-Brexit Con- servative, said Tusk’s remark was “pretty unacceptable and pretty disgraceful …. it to- tally demeans him.” And former U.K. Inde- pendence Party leader Nigel Farage tweeted: “After Brexit we will be free of unelected, arrogant bullies like you and run our own country. Sounds more like heaven to me.” Britain is due to leave the EU on March 29 – the first time a country has ever done so. British Prime Min- ister Theresa May is due in Brussels on Thursday with what she says is a parlia- mentary mandate to re-open the withdrawal agreement, sealed after 18 months of in- tense and highly technical negotiations. “The EU 27 is not making any new offer,” Tusk said, adding that the legally binding withdrawal agree- ment, which May negoti- ated and backed vociferously, cannot be renegotiated. Tusk and Varadkar said EU nations were intensifying preparations for a ‘no-deal’ British exit – a possibly di- sastrous development that could inflict heavy economic and political damage in the U.K. and the EU alike. “A sense of responsibility also tells us to prepare for a possible fiasco,” Tusk said. Britain’s Parliament voted down the Brexit deal last month, largely because of concerns about a provi- sion for the border between the U.K.’s Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland. The mechanism, known as the backstop, is a safeguard that would keep the U.K. in a cus- toms union with the EU to remove the need for checks along the border until a per- manent new trading relation- ship is in place. The border area was a flash point during decades of conflict in Northern Ireland, and the free flow of people and goods across the frontier underpins the peace agree- ment of 1998. But many pro-Brexit British lawmakers fear the backstop will trap Britain in regulatory lockstep with the EU, while May’s political al- lies in Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party say it imposes barriers be- tween Northern Ireland and the rest of the U.K. In search of elusive unity, May was meeting Wednesday with the DUP, which in- sists the backstop must be scrapped, and with other Northern Ireland parties who insist it must stay. There was little sign that compromise was in sight. “The prime minister has come here empty-handed, with the same old rhetoric, with no plan, no credibility, frankly no honor,” said Mary Lou McDonald, president of the Irish nationalist party Sinn Fein. McDonald said the back- stop “is the bottom line” for keeping the border open. The EU, which has long regarded the border as the thorniest issue in Brexit talks, is also adamant that the backstop cannot be re- moved. Tusk’s appearance alongside Varadkar was the latest signal that the bloc will not abandon member state Ireland, which fears both the economic and polit- ical impact of a hard border. “We will not gamble with peace or put a sell-by date on reconciliation, and this is why we insist on the back- stop,” Tusk said. “Give us a believable guarantee for peace in Northern Ireland, and the U.K. will leave the EU as a trusted friend.” Varadkar said Britain’s political instability “demon- strates exactly why we need a legal guarantee” about the border. During a speech Tuesday in Belfast, May restated her “unshakeable” commitment to avoiding a hard border and said she didn’t plan to remove the “insurance policy” entirely. “What Parliament has said is that they believe there should be changes made to the backstop,” she said. May’s government has been searching for a way to overcome lawmakers’ op- position to the backstop, by adding a time limit or an exit clause – both of which have been rejected by the EU – or a finding a way to replace border infrastructure with unspecified and untested technology. Tusk said he hoped May would bring to Brussels “a realistic suggestion on how to end the impasse.” “ I have been wondering what a special place in hell looks like for those who promoted Brexit without even a sketch of [a] plan how to carry it out safely.” DONALD TUSK, European Council President North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, left, and U.S. President Donald Trump shake hands prior to their meeting on Sentosa Island in Singapore in June 2018. - PHOTO: AP Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, left, makes a joint statement with European Council President Donald Tusk following their meeting at the Europa building in Brussels, Wednesday. - PHOTO: AP9 WORLD®IONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY FEBRUARY 7, 2019 Trump calls for bipartisanship, a hard line on immigration WASHINGTON (AP) – Face-to- face with emboldened Dem- ocrats, President Donald Trump called on Washington to cast aside “revenge, resis- tance and retribution” and end “ridiculous partisan in- vestigations” in a State of the Union address delivered at a vulnerable moment for his presidency. Trump appealed Tuesday night for bipartisanship but refused to yield on the hard- line immigration policies that have infuriated Dem- ocrats and forced the re- cent government shutdown. He renewed his call for a border wall and cast illegal immigration as a threat to Americans’ safety and eco- nomic security. Trump accepted no blame for his role in cultivating the rancorous atmosphere in the nation’s capital, and he did not outline a clear path for collaborating with Demo- crats who are eager to block his agenda. Their opposition was on vivid display as Dem- ocratic congresswomen in the audience formed a sea of white in a nod to early 20th- century suffragettes. Trump is staring down a two-year stretch that will determine whether he is re- elected or leaves office in de- feat. His speech sought to shore up Republican sup- port that had eroded slightly during the recent govern- ment shutdown and pre- viewed a fresh defense against Democrats as they ready a round of investiga- tions into every aspect of his administration. “If there is going to be peace and legislation, there cannot be war and investiga- tion,” he declared. Lawmakers in the cavernous House chamber sat largely silent. Looming over the presi- dent’s address was a fast- approaching Feb. 15 dead- line to fund the government and avoid another shutdown. Democrats have refused to acquiesce to his demands for a border wall, and Re- publicans are increasingly unwilling to shut down the government to help him ful- fill his signature campaign pledge. Nor does the GOP support the president’s plan to declare a national emer- gency if Congress will not fund the wall. Wary of publicly high- lighting those intraparty di- visions, Trump made no mention of an emergency declaration in his remarks. He did offer a lengthy defense of his call for a border wall, declaring: “I will build it.” But he delivered no ultimatums about what it would take for him to sign legislation to keep the government open. “I am asking you to de- fend our very dangerous southern border out of love and devotion to our fellow citizens and to our country,” he said, painting a dark and foreboding picture of the risks posed to Americans by illegal immigration. The 72-year-old Trump harkened back to moments of American greatness, cele- brating the moon landing as astronaut Buzz Aldrin looked on from the audience and her- alding the liberation of Eu- rope from the Nazis. He led the House chamber in singing happy birthday to a Holocaust survivor sitting with first lady Melania Trump. “Together, we represent the most extraordinary na- tion in all of history. What will we do with this moment? How will we be remem- bered?” Trump said. The president ticked through a litany of issues with crossover appeal, in- cluding boosting infrastruc- ture, lowering prescription drug costs and combating childhood cancer. But he also appealed to his po- litical base, both with his harsh rhetoric on immigra- tion and a call for Congress to pass legislation to pro- hibit the “late-term abortion of children.” Trump devoted much of his speech to foreign policy, another area where Repub- licans have increasingly dis- tanced themselves from the White House. He announced details of a second meeting with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, outlining a Feb. 27-28 summit in Vietnam. Trump and Kim’s first summit garnered only a vaguely worded commitment by the North to denuclearize. But the president said his outreach to Pyongyang had made the U.S. safer. “If I had not been elected president of the United States, we would right now, in my opinion, be in a major war with North Korea,” he said. As he condemned political turmoil in Venezuela, Trump declared that “America will never be a socialist country” – a remark that may also have been targeted at high-profile Democrats who identify as socialists. The president was sur- rounded by symbols of his emboldened political oppo- sition. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who was praised by Democrats for her hard-line negotiating during the shut- down, sat behind Trump as he spoke. And several sena- tors running for president were also in the audience, in- cluding Sens. Kamala Harris of California and Cory Booker of New Jersey. Another Democratic star, Stacey Abrams, delivered the party’s response to Trump. Abrams narrowly lost her bid in November to become America’s first black female governor, and party leaders are aggressively recruiting her to run for U.S. Senate from Georgia. Speaking from Atlanta, Abrams calls the shutdown a political stunt that “de- fied every tenet of fairness and abandoned not just our people, but our values.” Trump’s address amounted to an opening ar- gument for his re-election campaign. Polls show he has work to do, with his approval rating falling to just 34 per- cent after the shutdown, ac- cording to a recent survey conducted by The Associ- ated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. One bright spot for the president has been the economy, which has added jobs for 100 straight months. “The only thing that can stop it,” he said, “are foolish wars, politics or ridiculous partisan investigations” – an apparent swipe at the spe- cial counsel investigation into ties between Russia and Trump’s 2016 campaign, as well as the upcoming con- gressional investigations. The diverse Democratic caucus, which includes a bevy of women, sat silently for much of Trump’s speech. But they leapt to their feet when he noted there are “more women in the work- force than ever before.” The increase is due to population growth – and not something Trump can credit to any of his policies. The president also de- fended his decisions to with- draw U.S. troops from Syria and Afghanistan over the op- position from national secu- rity officials and many Re- publican lawmakers. “Great nations do not fight endless wars,” he said, adding that the U.S. is working with allies to “destroy the rem- nants” of the Islamic State group and that he has “accel- erated” efforts to reach a set- tlement in Afghanistan. ISIS militants have lost territory since Trump’s sur- prise announcement in De- cember that he was pulling U.S. forces out, but military officials warn the fighters could regroup within six months to a year of the Amer- icans leaving. Several leading GOP lawmakers have sharply criticized his plans to with- draw from Syria, as well as from Afghanistan. Trump’s guests for the speech included Alice Marie Johnson, whose life sentence for drug offenses was com- muted by the president, and Joshua Trump, a sixth-grade student from Wilmington, Delaware, who has been bul- lied over his last name. They sat with Mrs. Trump during the address. “If there is going to be peace and legislation, there cannot be war and investigation,” he declared. Lawmakers in the cavernous House chamber sat largely silent. President Donald Trump delivers his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, as Vice President Mike Pence and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Democrat of California, watch on Tuesday. - PHOTOS: AP Democratic members of Congress, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Democrat of New York, center, pose for a photo dressed in white in a nod to early 20th-century suffragettes. President Trump shakes hands with Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, after delivering his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday. Watching are from left, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, Associate Justice Elena Kagan and Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch.Next >