ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – MONDAY FEBRUARY 11, 2019 High of 84 Low of 74 Moderate with wave heights of 3 to 5 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 CONFERENCE TOURISM: SAND, SEA AND SYMPOSIA ENTERTAINMENT | PAGE 13 AT SUNDANCE, DOCUMENTARIES WILL BE EVERYWHERE SEVEN MILE BEACH WATERFRONT WALKERS ROAD TOWN CENTRE PLAZA RED BAY ORIGINAL CHICKEN FRIES NEW CHICKEN FRIES Gov’t defends same-sex marriage ban JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Government’s lawyers claimed Friday that the Cayman Islands constitution explicitly prohibits same-sex marriage. Speaking for the first time in the land- mark case, Sir Jeffrey Jowell, QC, argued that the islands’ Bill of Rights was a “unique in- strument” founded on the distinct history and Christian tradition of the territory. He said it was “no mere mirror” of consti- tutions in other advanced democracies, and the freedoms it guarantees, including the right to freedom from discrimination, could not be used, as they have in other countries, to ad- vance the cause of same-sex marriage. He insisted the issue had been extensively debated during the drafting of the constitu- tion and that the document strictly reserves marriage for people of the opposite sex. Mr. Jowell was speaking Friday afternoon as he began government’s response to a joint judicial review and constitutional challenge brought by Caymanian Chantelle Day and her partner Vickie Bodden Bush. The two women are contesting government’s decision to refuse their application to marry in April of last year. The couple’s case Lawyers for the couple have highlighted the constitutional right to a private and family life, the right to freedom of conscience, and the right to freedom from discrimination as part of their case that same-sex couples should be allowed to marry. They cited precedents from across the developed world, referencing how similar clauses had been used in other juris- dictions to allow same-sex marriage. Crucially, the couple’s barrister Edward Fitzgerald, QC, said the European Court of Human Rights had established civil partner- ships, with similar legal rights to marriage, UK EXPERTS ADVISE ON NEW REFUGEE PROTECTION APPEALS TRIBUNAL Governor’s Office reviews extensive detention periods, legal training KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Governor’s Office provided insight into how collaboration between the Cayman Is- lands government and the United Kingdom could reshape the jurisdiction’s management of asylum and refugee cases. With the Immigration (Amendment) Bill, 2018 now in effect, refugee and asylum mat- ters are slated for an overhaul, alongside pro- visions covering work permits, border control and customs. “The Governor’s Office is currently working closely with the Deputy Governor’s Office to provide expert U.K. advice on two initiatives that will help to ensure high standards at the IDC [Immigration Detention Centre] and the timely disposal of immigration appeals,” Head of the Governor’s Office, Matthew Forbes, said in a statement. The first initiative recently brought mem- bers of the U.K. Independent Monitoring Board to George Town to provide training to new members of a Cayman Islands Indepen- dent Monitoring Board. “This new organisation will be conducting frequent monitoring visits to all of the Cayman Islands places of detention including the IDC. The Chair and Deputy Chair of the new board are currently in the U.K. receiving further in- depth training, and the work of the organisa- tion is due to commence once they return. The IDC will be a priority area for the initial moni- toring visits,” the statement read. Big expansion plans for Morritt “You ain’t seen nothing yet” KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com When David Morritt started building what’s now known as Morritt’s Tortuga Club in 1989, he envisioned a five-story building to serve as the center- piece of his development. “But we couldn’t do the five- story building because they were running out of money and I needed to get something built to get people coming there,” Mr. Morritt said of the initial development. More than 30 years later, Mr. Morritt said he’s setting out to realize his original dream for the East End time-share property. He said his company is plan- ning a $30 million project that will entail a new main building with at least 40 units. The devel- oper said he’s hoping to match the height of some of the 10- story hotels on Seven Mile Beach. The new project is still in its preliminary stages, with Mr. Cayman goes nutty for coconuts Eleina Ebanks and Mathew McLaughlin of The Wreck View Art Gallery display some of their coconut-inspired artwork and crafts at Saturday’s annual Coco Fest at Pedro St. James. For more on this story, see page 6. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY David Morritt PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY FEBRUARY 11, 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. - MONDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) COLD PURSUIT (R) 1:00 I 4:20 VIP I 7:00 I 10:00 VIP THE KID WHO WOULD BE KING (PG) 12:45 I 3:40 I 6:40 I 9:30 GLASS (PG13) 12:50 I 3:55 I 6:50 I 9:45 THE UPSIDE (PG13) 1:15 I 4:10 I 7:05 I 10:00 WHAT MEN WANT (R) 1:30 VIP I 4:10 I 7:10 VIP I 9:45 MISS BALA (PG13) 1:30 I 4:35 I 7:20 I 9:50 Prep school students take step back in time Students replace iPads with blackboard slates and chalk for a week JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com With a focus on the Cayman Coat of Arms and the school’s 70th anniver- sary, Cayman Prep and High school hosted a Culture Week celebration at the primary school last week. Children from Kinder- garten up to Year 6 got in- volved in a variety of pre- sentations and workshops conducted by teachers and various experts from the community. Students learned thatching and heavy-cake making, about blue iguanas and bats, local games, cat- boats, and Caymanian arts and crafts, and listened to storytelling. At assembly, attended by Governor Martyn Roper, stu- dents and teachers were en- couraged to dress in old-time Caymanian clothing. Throughout the week, the school grounds became an “old-style” learning institution, devoid of modern technology. Teacher Andrea Bothwell and her class dressed in typical old-fashioned Caymanian clothing and were equipped with slates and pencils, while the students learned about pounds, shillings and pence on the chalk board. “When I attended school, there was no electricity [or] air conditioning,” Ms. Both- well told the students. “You use computers but we only had blackboards and chalk.” She said there were no buses in those days and most chil- dren either walked to school or caught a ride on a truck. She said they also had to bring their own lunch, and their own water bottles. For science lessons, Ms. Bothwell took her class out- side to study nature. “We learnt the things that would equip us for that time; [just as] you are being equipped for your time,” she said. “Why the big bag?” one student asked. Ms. Bothwell said all students back then carried big bags because no books were left at school. ”We also carried a Bible and our lunch in the bag,” she added. Tay Oyog, a terrestrial re- search officer from the De- partment of Environment, shared information about the blue iguana and Cayman rock iguana with Year 6 stu- dents in the classroom. Kyla Machingambi, from the Year 5 class, said she learned about the differences between school from 60 years ago and today. “I like it better today,” she said. Cayman Prep team wins robotics contest A Cayman Prep and High School robotics team bested a field of 22 teams at the First Lego League robotics compe- tition in Clearwater, Florida, on Jan. 24. The competition was the first round of a worldwide competition and the Techno Turtles team now moves on to the Florida regional cham- pionships on Feb. 15. This year’s competition theme is “Into Orbit.” The team came up with a proposal for using stem cell technology to address the problem of muscle degeneration in space. The team is now seeking funds to cover the $8,800 cost of attending the champion- ships. To get more informa- tion, email Allison.Smith@ cayprep.edu.ky. Students celebrate writing Students at Cayman Prep get a taste of some old-time learning. JURY NOTICE All Grand Court jurors in the January-April 2019 session are advised that their report date has been changed. They are now required to report for jury duty on Monday, Feb. 18, at 9:45 a.m. Call the Jury Information line at 244-3899 for the most up-to-date information, or email jury@judicial.ky. Students at St. Igna- tius Catholic Primary School took part in a writing ex- hibition as part of a “Talk for Writing” program at the school last week. The program, aimed at children from Nursery (age 3) to Year 6 (age 11), was intro- duced in the new school year in September to help the stu- dents develop and improve their writing skills. To highlight the chil- dren’s work in the program, the school held a writing ex- hibition, organized by Kath- erine Johnson, the school’s primary English coordinator. Parents, children and staff came to view the exhibi- tion on Thursday and Friday, when more than 360 pieces of the children’s work were on display. Shortly before the pro- gram launched, staff received five days of training in Au- gust from a trainer who has used the program for more than 10 years. According to a statement from the school, the program involves “engaging children in all aspects of a text, re- sulting in a deeper under- standing of structure, con- ventions and vocabulary.” The process in- volves “talking” the text, through modelling of ex- isting texts, using actions with the children for key words, drawing story maps, reading as a reader/writer and experiencing the text through drama. Next, the class innovates from the original text, adding their own ideas while fol- lowing a structure. “There is an opportunity for shared writing where all ideas are valued and children create their own innovations with thoughtful feedback,” the school said in the release. At this point, the students are then ready to invent their own creative pieces. Every child, 360 of them from Nursery to Year 6, pro- duced a piece of writing for the Talk for Writing exhi- bition. The submitted writ- ings included discussion, suspense, time slip, tales of defeating monsters, in- structions, and work in- spired from favorite books such as “Dear Zoo,” “The Enormous Turnip” and the “Little Red Hen.” Parents and students at St. Ignatius Catholic Primary School check out the ‘Defeating a Monster’ storyboard. Students and coaches from Cayman Prep and High School traveled to Clearwater, Florida recently for a robotics competition. www.ndc.ky In these economic times, it’s important to make wise decisions.3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS MONDAY FEBRUARY 11, 2019 One Honeywell Lynx touch wireless residential/ commercial security alarm panel with 4.3” full colour touchscreen display Three wireless door/window contacts (white) One Honeywell pet immune motion sensor (up to 40Lbs.) One 4 button remote keychain Full installation and demonstration 12 months parts warranty WIFI module for the mobile Apps. Honeywell Lynx Intruder Alarm Package Includes: The Honeywell intruder system is linked to our 24/7 monitoring centre to keep your family and your property safe. Upon system activation our experienced monitoring station staff will handle the situation. The Total Connect app allows you complete control of your security system from your mobile device. To find out more about this special offer contact the Security Centre on 949-0004 or email info@security.ky *The free alarm system and installation is available to new clients when signing up for a 12 month monitoring contract ($660 residential - $860 commercial). 24/7 Alarm Monitoring Secure and protect your property with the Honeywell Lynx intruder protection system. Controllable from your mobile device. Immigration officers admit messaging about money CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com An immigration officer charged with conspiracy to commit fraud on the govern- ment told jurors Friday that he did send phone messages about money to another defen- dant, but the messages were about a commission on rental agreements. He explained that a friend of his had a place to rent by the day, week or month. If he referred a person who stayed a month, he would get a 10 per- cent commission. With the rent at $500, this amounted to $50, he said. All of his text conversa- tions with a civilian defendant were about rental arrange- ments, he told the court. He is one of five immigra- tion officers charged, along with two civilians, with con- spiring with each other and/or with others to commit fraud on the government by arranging for the payment of rewards to public officers as consider- ation for providing assistance to candidates to pass an Eng- lish language test. The candi- dates were people for whom applications had been made for a work permit. They were required to pass a language test because they came from a country where the primary language was not English. The alleged offenses were said to have been committed between August 2015 and January 2017. The five officers are further charged with failing to report the solicitation of an advan- tage or reward. Two officers gave evidence earlier last week, telling the court that their text messages were related to payment of money in a “partners” scheme, described by one of the defen- dants as a process in which all the participants would pay a sum of money every month and then one would get the payout. The officer giving evidence when court adjourned on Friday was being cross-examined by Acting Director of Public Pros- ecutions Patrick Moran. Mr. Moran asked if this defendant thought there was anything il- legal about what he was doing. The defendant said he thought so, because he was a govern- ment employee working with immigration: “Maybe they have an issue with it.” He was also asked why he would need a passenger’s name in advance of their arrival. He said it was so that his “rental friend” would do a contract. He was asked why the ci- vilian defendant would need to tell him that a person was ar- riving through Jamaica. The of- ficer said he could not recall, pointing out that the message was from 2015. Earlier, when questioned by other defense at- torneys, he noted that messages were in Spanish and some had been changed by “auto-correct.” He also explained that he used “street Spanish.” A Crown witness confirmed during the presentation of the case for the prosecution that this officer did not have suffi- cient rank to conduct the Eng- lish language test. In giving his evidence, the officer agreed that, if someone had approached him for assis- tance with the test, he could not assist because he did not have that authority. He said he found it strange that some people who had failed the test were allowed to re-sit it and some were not. The first defendant to give evidence was a male officer. He was asked why another defendant would have texted asking him to approach an of- ficer on her behalf. He replied that there was always “some bickering” between females in the office. He was asked what was meant when the same officer messaged him that she would have “a thing” for him. He said it was the “partner scheme” payment. The female officer was the banker and the one he paid the money to. When it was his turn to get “the draw,” he was off island and that was why she messaged him that when he came back she would have “the thing” for him. He said there was talk in the office about certain people giving help with the English language test and he seemed to have been the target. He said he sent messages falsely impli- cating another officer because “I was trying to clear my name.” The second defendant to give evidence was the female officer who agreed that she acted as banker for the part- ners scheme. She said she did not use the word “partner” when paying participants: “I say, ‘Come for the thing.’” For legal reasons, the Com- pass is not naming the defen- dants in this case. WEBSTER’S TOURS DONATE 5K TO MAPLE HOUSE JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Webster’s Tours donated $5,000 to Maple House, a res- idential care unit of the Chil- dren and Family Services. Kenrick Webster, owner and managing director of Webster’s Tours, presented Paulinda Mendoza-Williams, director at Children and Family Services, with the check on Friday, Feb. 1, at the residential home. “The donation will be used to support programs and activities that will ben- efit and enhance residents’ quality of life,” said Ms. Mendoza-Williams. Mr. Webster said he was empowered by the care that is given by the staff for the special needs at Maple House, and hoped other indi- viduals would follow suit. Maple House provides residential care to nine resi- dents, male and female, with disabilities and special needs. Kenrick Webster of Webster’s Tours presents Paulinda Mendoza-Williams, director of Children and Family Services, with a check.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” WASHINGTON – Soon, in a federal court that few Amer- icans know exists, there will come a ruling on a constitu- tional principle that today barely exists but that could, if the judicial branch will resuscitate it, begin to rec- tify the imbalance between the legislative and executive branches. It is the “nondel- egation doctrine,” which ex- presses John Locke’s justly famous but largely ignored admonition that institu- tions like the U.S. Congress, vested with the power “to make laws, and not to make legislators … have no power to transfer their authority of making laws, and place it in other hands.” The doctrine’s revival might result from the Peanut Butter Criterion. Acting under authority improvidently given by Con- gress to presidents in Sec- tion 232 of the Trade Expan- sion Act of 1962, the current president has, in the name of national security, imposed tariffs (taxes, collected at the border, paid by American consumers) on steel and alu- minum imports from, among other nations, Canada, a U.S. military ally. How Canada threatens U.S. national se- curity by selling inexpen- sive metals to U.S. defense industries, thereby effec- tively increasing the U.S. de- fense budget, is a puzzle for another day. The U.S. Court of Inter- national Trade, which sits in New York, is mulling the ar- gument, made on behalf of American steel importers and foreign steel producers, that the discretion that presidents enjoy under Section 232 is so vast that it amounts to unconstrained lawmaking. Hence it is an unconstitu- tional delegation of legisla- tive power. The Trump admin- istration not only makes the dubious assertion that im- ports have imperiled vital do- mestic metals manufacturers, it breezily says national se- curity depends on a vibrant economy that is imperiled by imports. How the administra- tion squares its fears about the dangerous fragility of the U.S. economy with the pres- ident’s boasting about the economy’s awesome strength is another puzzle. During oral argument in December, one judge on the three-member panel asked a lawyer defending the admin- istration’s position if there is any product that the presi- dent does not have the con- gressionally conferred power to restrict imports on na- tional security grounds: “Could he, say, put a tariff on peanut butter?” The judge got a foggily evasive answer. Gary Lawson of Boston University School of Law has argued that the Constitu- tion’s structure and a “back- ground” or “embedded” prin- ciple permit Congress to delegate to presidents discre- tion regarding matters “an- cillary” to a statute but not regarding “fundamental mat- ters.” He says that the Con- stitution’s Framers were not redundant when they said Congress could make laws “necessary and proper” for the exercise of an enumer- ated power (e.g., “to regulate commerce with foreign na- tions”). The two words have independent meaning: A “proper” law is not only nec- essary but consistent with, among other things, the sepa- ration of powers. Larry Alex- ander of the University of San Diego School of Law and Sai- krishna Prakash of the Uni- versity of Virginia School of Law have argued that a law cannot properly give to the president discretion to “make rules for the governance of society,” which is legislating. As when a president has an unreviewable power to impose taxes (tariffs) on an unlimited number of things (peanut butter?) in the name of an uncircumscribed goal (national security). Not since the Supreme Court’s accom- modation of – actually, ca- pitulation to – the New Deal, has the court held (in the 1935 Schechter case) that al- though Congress may permit an executive agency or other entity to make subordi- nate rules within prescribed limits, it must stipulate pol- icies and standards. In an- other 1935 case, the court voided a congressional grant of vast discretion to the pres- ident because, in the granting statute, Congress did not de- clare or even indicate any policy or standard to guide or limit the president. If the Court of Interna- tional Trade revives the non- delegation doctrine, this might reach the Supreme Court, which upheld Section 232 in a 1976 case that did not turn on the constitutional questions now presented. The court might flinch from the task of defining “excessive” delegation that makes a law not “proper.” However, that task – judging – is the court’s raison d’etre. The Constitution’s first words after the Preamble are: “All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress.” All. James Mad- ison was, as wise people usu- ally are, an accomplished worrier who rarely worried about the wrong things. It turns out, however, that he did when, in Federalist 48, he worried about Congress “drawing all power into its impetuous vortex.” For gen- erations, Congress has been a centrifugal machine, spin- ning off powers. Limited gov- ernment requires a limited president, which requires limits on what Congress can give away. George Will’s email address is georgewill@washpost.com. © 2019, Washington Post Writers Group. In the immediate aftermath of two successful events, it is clear that Cayman is on the cusp of an opportunity to take tourism to the next level by focusing efforts on MICE (and we do not mean vermin or computer input devices). Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions or Events (or MICE, as they are known in the tourism industry) are a lucrative, internationally competitive segment of the tourism market, with cities such as Las Vegas, Singapore, London, Berlin and Madrid vying to host major international gatherings of like-minded individuals and professional groups. It is a tourism segment that Cayman is uniquely positioned to host, thanks to our excellent hospitality and telecommunications infrastructure, ease of access to population centers in North America and the United Kingdom … not to mention our islands’ natural beauty. We suspect it would not take much arm twisting for associations, organizations and interest groups of all types to convince their members to make a two-day (or longer) stop here in the interest of professional advancement. Two such recent gatherings provide excellent examples: Last week, the Cayman Alternative Invest- ment Summit, hosted by Dart Enterprises, again attracted thought leaders from around the world to discuss cutting-edge topics of interest within that industry. Just the week before, global experts of another key industry congregated here for the two-day International Wealth Structuring Forum hosted by STEP Cayman Islands, the local chapter of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, which featured more than 40 international speakers and experts. The annual Cayman Captive Forum, Cayman Islands Classic basketball tournament and Cayman Cookout offer just a few more testaments to Cayman’s ability to draw niche crowds. There are significant benefits to boosting Cayman’s global reputation as a MICE-friendly destination. Most notably, conferences, exhibitions and events may attract hundreds, if not thousands, of organizers, pre- senters, vendors and attendees – business travelers who tend to spend, on average, more than leisure tourists do on lodging, meals, hospitality and entertainment. Conferences, exhibitions and events generally are planned a year or more in advance, and can be encour- aged during traditionally slow months, helping to boost off-season revenues. MICE tourism does more than fill hotel rooms and restaurants. It also supports local entrepreneurs and professionals, including transportation providers, venue services, excursion providers, and other specialized support services. Conference organizers may do the hard work of publicizing the event, rounding up the troops and finalizing the numbers, but they frequently rely on knowledgeable local hospitality experts and service providers to make sure events run smoothly and to address last-minute needs. Perhaps even more so than other types of tourism, MICE tourism builds global reputation and incites new interest, attracting visitors who may not otherwise have thought to visit our shores. But while Cayman has many of the raw ingredients to succeed in the MICE market, success in this highly competitive segment is far from guaranteed. Confer- ence and event organizers have a cornucopia of options when choosing locations and venues. News of substan- dard venues and events gone wrong travels fast. At present, there are few large multipurpose spaces that can comfortably accommodate large-scale events. When weighed against the potential upside, these concerns are worth addressing. Recent events show that Cayman is more than capable of bringing its “A-game” to MICE. Conference tourism: Sand, sea and symposia MONDAY FEBRUARY 11, 2019 CAYMAN COMPASS Limited government requires limited president GEORGE F. WILL EThe Constitution’s first words after the Preamble are: “All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress.” 5 LOCAL®IONAL CAYMAN COMPASS MONDAY FEBRUARY 11, 2019 VVV ntintintialealealealeale MMM mmmeeeee Love at First Bite Local plum tomato bisque with cheese croutons or Fresh Steamed PEI mussels white wine, garlic broth or Cocon ut lime marinate Yellow fin tuna ceviche Spring of Love Seafood vol au vent Lobster, shrimp, mahi, brandy sauce in, puff pastry shell or Center cut CAB NY strip loin Yukon gold mash potato, forest mushroom, garden vegetables, veal jus or Coconut chicken Coconut crusted fried breast of chicken, mango avocado salad honey mustard dressing Sweet Surrender Rose flavor macaroon Chocolate indulgence, raspberry jelly $39.95 or $49.95 with unlimited bubbles VVV veLoveare Local plu toato bisque ith cheese croutons or Fresh Steaed PEI ussels hite ine, garlic broth or Cocon liut lie arinate Yello fin tuna ceviche ringSpngoo vegetables, veal jus or Coconut chicken Coconut crusted fried breast of chicken, mango avocado salad honey ustard dressing weSwund Rose flavor acaroon Chocolate indulgence, raspberry jelly $39.95 or $49.95 with unliited bubbles Thursday February 14th. For reservations either call 946 9000 or on line at www.guyharveys.ky/reservations $39.95 or $49.95 with unlimited bubbles Bahamas announces plan for ‘mega’ port Cruise port expected to be completed in 2021 Carnival Cruise Line is planning to build a “mega” cruise port in East Grand Bahama, the Bahamian government announced on Wednesday. The port is expected to be completed in late 2021, and during the construc- tion phase will employ some 1,000 people, according to the country’s government. In addition the construc- tion jobs, Bahamas Prime Minister Hubert Minnis said the project will benefit resi- dents and small businesses in the area. “There is a lot of spinoff in terms of indirect job op- portunities. Traditionally, the hardest thing in getting an economy started is trying to find that first investor,” he said. “Historically, once you find that first investor, for some reason everything else just follows.” Finance Minister Peter Turnquest said residents will have the opportunity to get into business in areas they are familiar with, such as bone fishing, eco-tour opera- tions and deep-sea fishing. “East Grand Bahama is a very unique, pristine ecolog- ical gem that we have and be- cause of the distance, it has not been exploited,” he said. The finance minister added that the project is es- pecially needed in East Grand Bahama, an area that has “been neglected and ignored.” “It now gives them an opportunity to participate in this Grand Bahama ex- perience,” he said. “We’re going to have to re-import Grand Bahamians back to the island to keep up with the demand. We’re very ex- cited about where we are and what we foresee be- fore us. We’re excited to turn this economy around and bring families back together and create prosperity for these people.” Government did not pro- vide the cost of the port in its press release, but online reports have estimated it to be “several” hundred mil- lion dollars. Grand Court dates set Mentions include two firearm cases CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com In Grand court on Friday, Justice Robin McMillan set dates for a trial, a further mention and two sentencing hearings for defendants who pleaded guilty to possession of an unlicensed firearm. A man originally charged with attempted murder and cruelty to a child had his matter put over to another date after defense attorney Oliver Grimwood advised that a report requested on a previous occasion had not yet been received. Travis Jarrell Webb, 26, was charged after an inci- dent in Bodden Town last November. Police issued a press release at the time stating that a report had been received concerning a child allegedly being buried alive. The release said po- lice officers and an ambu- lance were dispatched to the scene and officers found the child distressed and struggling to breathe. They administered oxygen until the ambulance arrived and took the child to Cayman Islands Hospital for fur- ther treatment. Justice McMillan set the matter for mention again on March 27, by which date it was expected that the re- port would be ready. Jerry Machado Chris- tian had a trial date set for June 3 after entering a plea of not guilty. He is charged with making a threat to kill a named female on Nov. 15, 2018. Mr. Christian was rep- resented by attorney Lee Halliday-Davis. Ms. Halliday-Davis also represented two defendants charged with unlicensed firearms offenses. James Harris Winton Jr., 37, pleaded guilty to pos- session of a .38 revolver and six rounds of ammunition on Feb. 7, 2018, at the Hol- iday Inn, where Mr. Winton had been staying. When the matter first came to court, the magistrate was told that police had a search war- rant and recovered the fire- arms from a safe in a room at the hotel. No details were mentioned on Friday and the matter was set for sen- tencing on April 18. Tyrec Christopher Johnson pleaded guilty to three charges against him. This defendant pleaded guilty to attempting to rob a named person at Cap- tain’s Bakery on July 10, 2018, and possession of a 9-millimeter handgun. He was 17 when the of- fenses were committed. He pleaded not guilty to wounding with intent, but guilty to wounding, in connection with an in- cident at the Cayman Air- ways office on July 3. A po- lice press release indicated that the victim/complainant had been stabbed in the leg during an altercation. It was not clear whether the stabbing occurred in, out- side of, or in the vicinity of the CAL office. A social inquiry report was requested and sen- tencing set for April 18. Senior Crown counsel Nicole Petit appeared in all matters on behalf of the Of- fice of the Director of Public Prosecutions. A matter on Friday’s original list was not men- tioned, apparently being adjourned administratively. This was the case of Robert Todd Seward, who first ap- peared in court in May, 2018 facing charges that included thefts totaling US$22,856.21 and CI$116,398 from the Cayman Islands Tennis Club. Mr. Seward, formerly the club’s manager and tennis pro, has not yet entered any pleas. The matter was set to come before the court again on March 23. Cruise ships dock at Nassau on Grand Bahama. The Bahamas government announced last week that Carnival Cruise Line plans to build a ‘mega’ new port on the island. CHINA CALLS FOR PEACEFUL DIALOG ON VENEZUELA CRISIS BEIJING (AP) – China in- sists that peaceful dialog and political means are the “only way” toward en- during peace in Venezuela, the Foreign Ministry said, adding that it backs mul- tinational efforts to reach such an outcome. Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying’s state- ment came in response to a question about a meeting Thursday of an “Interna- tional Contact Group” led by Uruguayan President Tabare Vazquez and at- tended by leaders of 14 countries, including Spain, Italy, Portugal and Sweden. China is a close ally of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, to whom it has lent billions to help shore up his embat- tled regime. Hua said China “believes that Venezuela’s affairs should be resolved by the Venezuelan people under the framework of its consti- tution and laws and through peaceful dialogue and polit- ical means. This is the only way toward enduring peace in the country.” However, she added that “China supports the efforts by the interna- tional community to this end and hopes that all sides will continue to play a constructive role in the peaceful resolution of the Venezuela issue.” Late last month, the ministry issued a statement in Hua’s name saying China “opposes ex- ternal intervention in Ven- ezuela,” in a rebuke to calls in the U.S. for military ac- tion to remove Maduro. Over the last decade, China has given Venezuela $65 billion in loans, cash and investment. Venezuela owes more than $20 bil- lion. China’s only hope of being repaid appears to lie in Venezuela ramping up oil production, although low petroleum prices and the country’s crashing economy bode poorly for such a possibility. Two dozen nations, in- cluding the U.S. and some of Latin America’s big- gest countries, have rec- ognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezu- ela’s interim president, while China and Russia are backing Maduro.6 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY FEBRUARY 11, 2019 CAYMAN COMPASS Cayman goes nutty at Coco Fest JEWEL LEVY levy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Hundreds turned up at Pedro St. James Saturday to sample, taste and celebrate all things coconut at the fourth annual Coco Fest. To the backdrop of steel pan music by Pan ‘n’ Riddim, attendees got to taste co- conut treats, bounce into the air on a bungee ride, or sip on coconut-themed concoctions. From coconut-inspired food and drink, such as Chef Thomas Tennant’s Tom- foodery’s green iguana spe- cial patty doused in “Coco Fiyah” sauce, to artwork and health and beauty products, the coconut reigned supreme throughout the day. Alvin McLaughlin was making co- conut ice cream on the spot, while the delightful smell of fish and fritters fried in co- conut oil wafted from Mc- Field Kitchen. At Carol Braggs’s “Sweet as Can Be” stall, visitors could try out coconut pecan chew bread and star fruit and lime juice drinks. Also on offer on the Pedro St. James grounds were co- conut shrimp, Island Taste seafood rundown, coconut oils, jams, jelly, candy, rum, fresh coconut water and a huge array of other items. There was also the pop- ular coconut cake competi- tion, won this year by Mo- nique Burton’s “Cherry Coconut Delight” cake with cream cheese frosting in- fused with coconut. Ms. Burton captured the trophy, as well as a $125 gift certifi- cate from Foster’s Food Fair, and a prize pack from the Tourism Attraction Board. As well as Pan ‘n’ Riddim, music was also provided by Magic, Back Beat and DJ Flex. Major event sponsors Fi- delity Bank Cayman hosted a booth with special giveaways. Attendees also explored the Pedro Castle Great House and grounds and visited the theater to see the screening of “The Bright Spot,” a docu- mentary exploring why co- conut oil lost its place in Caymanian households over the years, and inspiring people to return to it for its health benefits. The beneficiary of this year’s Coco Fest was Meals on Wheels. A stroll around the grounds sipping fresh coconut water and tasting a variety of coconut goodies was the order of the day. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY A father-and-son team take part in a game of coconut toss. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY Monique Burton holds up her trophy after winning the 2019 best coconut cake competition. Moises Sevilla of Seven Fathoms Rum offers a taste of some coconut rum. Tristan Wesenhagen and his son Oliver Gabriel enjoy a day at Coco Fest. Coco Fest guests chill out under one of the tents at Pedro St. James. – PHOTOS: TANEOS RAMSAY Some attendees were head over heels for Coco Fest.7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS MONDAY FEBRUARY 11, 2019 Kimpton Seafire Resort Grand Cayman Thursday 28 Feb 2019 Braving the Turmoil Dynamic New World Register Now | rfceo.ky Media Group Canadian high commissioner visits from Jamaica The High Commissioner of Canada based in Jamaica visited the Cayman Islands last week to meet with Cana- dians living here, as well as local officials. Making her first official visit to Cayman, Laurie Pe- ters paid courtesy calls on government dignitaries, in- cluding Governor Martyn Roper and Premier Alden McLaughlin. She was accom- panied by Senior Trade Com- missioner Richard York on visits with government min- isters on Thursday. At a reception at the George Town Yacht Club on Wednesday evening, orga- nized by the High Commis- sion, Ms. Peters met local Ca- nadians and said she hoped her two-day visit would be the first of many. Canada has an honorary consul, Jeff Boucher, based in George Town. In her speech, Ms. Peters said having an honorary consul was impor- tant as more than 20,000 Ca- nadian tourists visit Cayman each year and Canadians make up the third largest group of expatriate workers in the Cayman Islands. “Canada has the plea- sure of hosting a large Ca- ribbean diaspora commu- nity and we continue to welcome Caymanians who choose to visit and study in Canada,” Ms. Peters said, adding that she was partic- ularly pleased to learn that Cayman’s Minister of Fi- nancial Services and Home Affairs, Tara Rivers, is an alumna of York University in Toronto. She said even more Ca- nadians would be coming to Cayman in April, for the Ca- nadian Open Water Swim- ming Trials – a qualifying race for the 2019 World Championships, the Pan American Games and World University Games – which will be held at Governors Beach. This is the first time these trials will be held out- side of Canada. “As we build on the strong historical relationship Canada has with the United Kingdom and the long- standing friendship with our Caribbean neighbors, Canada continues to make significant investments in high-growth sectors of the Cayman economy,” Ms. Peters said. “These include in the tourism, energy and financial sectors – to the tune of $43.1 billion in 2017 alone. That makes Cayman the fifth largest des- tination for Canadian direct investment abroad.” She added that Canada was working with Caribbean nations and jurisdictions on a variety of issues, including climate change, disaster risk and security. CABARET NIGHT MIXES INTERNATIONAL AND LOCAL PERFORMERS VICKI WHEATON vwheaton@pinnaclemedialtd.com On Saturday night, music lovers were treated to a night of songs and banter from singers and musicians KT Sullivan, Natalie Douglas, Jon Weber, Marissa Mulder and Danny Bacher. This was their second visit to Cayman in as many years, due to popular demand. The event was held in the Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort’s ballroom as part of the Cayman Arts Fes- tival’s Extra program. Titled “New York Cabaret,” the evening featured many familiar tunes from decades gone by, such as “Stormy Weather,” “Mr. Bojangles,” “La Vie en Rose,” and “A Kiss to Build a Dream On.” Mr. Bacher displayed some impressive skill on the so- prano sax, when he was not indulging in some scat, and acclaimed jazz pianist Jon Weber’s solos were greeted with enthusiastic applause. Two of the night’s high- lights were performances by local student trio Arianna Anglin, Louise De Jesus and Jhevere Harris, and soloist Jaedyn Hanna. Arianna, Louise and Jhe- vere sang the song “Match- maker, Matchmaker” from the musical “Fiddler on the Roof,” accompanied by Simon Donoghue on piano. Their combination of vocal tal- ents, harmonies and acting skills won them a standing ovation from the audience. Vocalist Ms. Hanna, ac- companied by Jon Weber on piano, sang “Don’t Rain on My Parade,” from the mu- sical “Funny Girl.” She too had the audience on its feet, applauding her performance. She is no stranger to cabaret; she performed “Someone Like You” from “Jekyll & Hyde” at the Mabel Mercer Cabaret Convention in New York on Oct. 9, 2018. Marius Gaina, executive di- rector of the Cayman Arts Fes- tival, expressed his delight at the success of the evening. “I can describe it with one single word: confirmation,” he said. “Confirmation of the talent of the New York performers; con- firmation that Cayman’s audi- ence loves this music genre; and confirmation of our young students’ talent. It was a won- derful night that encourages us to keep offering such per- formances to the Cayman public in the future.” Canadian High Commissioner Laurie Peters shakes hands with Cayman Islands Governor Martyn Roper at the governor’s office on Wednesday. DoA seizes roaming dogs Four dogs were seized from their owners last week after police officers and Department of Agri- culture staff visited local neighborhoods to spread advice about responsible dog ownership. Community officers from the Royal Cayman Is- lands Police Service and DoA staffers visited Boltins Avenue in West Bay on Monday and locations on John McLean Drive and Java Lane in East End on Wednesday. Police said those neigh- borhoods were chosen be- cause of numerous reports about ferocious dogs and dogs dangerously out of control. The police and DoA staffers visited homes and spoke to residents about their concerns and dis- tributed copies of the Re- sponsible Dog Owner- ship pamphlet. “As community po- lice officers, we have been working with the DoA to help address the concerns of those who have to deal with aggressive dogs in their neighborhoods, as well as the dog owners who allow those dogs to roam free,” said Sgt. Leslie Laing- Hall of the West Bay com- munity policing sector in a RCIPS press release. “We realized there are a lot of misconceptions about the responsibilities people have as dog owners and that public education was re- ally needed in this area, so we worked on this pam- phlet together.” Two dogs were seized Monday at a home on Boltins Avenue after the officers and DoA staffers found that the dogs were not being secured in a proper manner, according to the release. “We had actually given this particular dog owner a warning beforehand, and when we returned to the area this week, we found that the dogs were still being allowed to freely roam,” said Erik Bodden of the DoA in the statement. “Roaming dogs are dan- gerous because even the nicest dog at home can take on a different demeanor in a pack. Pet dogs must be licensed and on a leash in public. That’s the law. Edu- cation is important, but en- forcement is just as impor- tant in changing the habits of dog owners.” Police said the other two dogs were seized in East End Wednesday after they were seen running freely on the road and chasing chil- dren who were riding bi- cycles in the community. A warning note was left for the homeowners to notify them about the seizure and to provide instructions on how to retrieve the dogs. Mr. Bodden said owners in East End that the DoA and police officers spoke to were “very receptive of the information that we pro- vided,” adding that by the end of the evening, the DoA had licensed nine dogs in the community that had not been licensed. Department of Agriculture and police seize two dogs in Boltins Avenue in West Bay last week. The performers at Saturday night’s ‘New York Cabaret’ were, back row, from left, Jon Weber (on piano), Natalie Douglas, Danny Bacher and Marissa Mulder; front row, from left, Jaedyn Hanna, KT Sullivan, Arianna Anglin, Louise De Jesus and Jhevere Harris.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 MONDAY FEBRUARY 11, 2019 CAYMAN COMPASS as the minimum acceptable standard for same-sex cou- ples. The impact of the court’s rulings extend to Cayman be- cause of its constitutional ties to the U.K. The couple is seeking an order of the court amending Cayman Islands Marriage Law to allow for same-sex marriage. Failing that, they want, as a minimum remedy, a declaration from the court that the government must in- troduce civil partnerships. Government’s response Mr. Jowell, speaking on behalf of the government during the Grand Court hearing, before Chief Jus- tice Anthony Smellie, said the Cayman Islands Consti- tution was different to the others cited. He acknowledged that some sections, including those on the right to a pri- vate and family life, were al- most identical, but he said Cayman’s was unique in that it has a section on marriage. He insisted that meant that interpretations of the other clauses should be ignored in deference to the mar- riage clause. The clause in ques- tion, Section 14.1 of the Bill of Rights, states, “Govern- ment shall respect the right of every unmarried man and woman of marriage- able age (as determined by law) freely to marry a person of the opposite sex and found a family.” Mr. Jowell said that wording clearly barred same- sex couples from the right to marry in the Cayman Islands. Mr. Fitzgerald, who pre- sented the couple’s case for most of Thursday and Friday, preemptively rebutted that argument. “It says you can’t take away the right of people of the opposite sex to marry. It doesn’t say you can’t add the right of other people to enjoy those rights,” he said. Mr. Jowell suggested this was a “far fetched” and “cre- ative” interpretation. He said the issue had been “hotly de- bated” up and down the land in the run-up to the consti- tution and the words “oppo- site sex” had been inserted in the marriage clause with the express intention of de- nying same-sex couples the right to marry. “It clearly intends not to sanction same-sex marriage in any form,” he argued. He said there could be no doubt that the provision shuts out same-sex mar- riage in the same way as it shuts out “polygamy, bigamy and underage marriage” by stating that the protection of marriage applies to “unmar- ried” men and women of the “opposite sex” and of “mar- riageable age.” “It gives the right to mar- riage with one hand, but takes it away with the other hand for these three classes of people,” he said. ‘The rock of our case’ Describing this clause as the “rock” on which govern- ment’s case was founded, he said it was “so clear” that there was no need to go “scuttling off” to look at other clauses in the constitution, such as the right to family life or the right to freedom from discrimination. He said the extensive precedents cited from the U.K., U.S., Europe, South Af- rica and Bermuda, where courts have interpreted these clauses as permitting same- sex marriage, are irrelevant in this case because Cay- man’s constitution, unlike the others referenced, has a spe- cific marriage clause. He said any ordinary person wanting to find out how marriage was defined in the Cayman Islands would run their finger down the table of contents, find the section for marriage, and ex- clusively rely on this provi- sion for the answer. “How can you contradict this by saying, ‘Hah! There is this other provision; there is a right to family life?’” he questioned. Constitutional discussions Mr. Jowell relied on doc- uments detailing some of the discussions in the run- up to the constitution as ev- idence that the people of the Cayman Islands, including the drafters of the document, had never intended to allow same-sex marriage. “Of course, this issue gen- erates passion and strong views but this case rests on fidelity to constitutional lan- guage,” he said. Speaking earlier on Friday, Mr. Fitzgerald, representing the couple, said the presence of a specific right for oppo- site-sex couples to marry did not exclude the development of a similar right for same- sex couples. He dismissed suggestions that what was said in the discussions running up to the drafting of the constitu- tion had any relevance. “It is no good saying they thought they were in- troducing an exclusionary clause, if they didn’t in- troduce an exclusionary clause,” he said. The words of the docu- ment themselves were all that was relevant, he added. Cayman not a ‘theocracy’ Mr. Fitzgerald also dis- missed arguments that Cay- man’s Christian heritage was an applicable factor in the case of a state-sanctioned marriage contract in a sec- ular democracy. He said the right to freedom of religion must be protected, but gov- ernment could not seek to promote the precepts of one particular faith to the law of the land purely on the basis that they were founded in religion. If they did that, he said, the island would be on its way to becoming a theocracy. “We don’t live in a society where everyone shares the same religious beliefs.” He added that marriage was an institution that had continually adapted to ac- commodate formerly op- pressed classes, and tra- dition and religion could not be cited in defense of discrimination. “The antiquity of prej- udice is not a reason for its justification,” he said, citing a judgment from South Africa. He added, “Even some- thing as pernicious as [a ban on] inter-racial marriage was supported by some people based on religion.” The United Kingdom will also provide experts from its First-tier Tribunal’s Immigra- tion and Asylum Chamber. These experts will assist in training members of the forthcoming Refugee Protec- tion Appeals Tribunal, estab- lished under the Immigration (Amendment) Bill, 2018. This five-member tribunal will take over responsibilities currently delegated to the Im- migration Appeals Tribunal in reviewing asylum applications that have been turned down by the chief immigration officer. “This training is due to take place this month and will allow applications for asylum to be dealt with faster and ensure that legal standards and Cay- man’s international obligations are fully respected,” the Gover- nor’s Office statement read. “I can also confirm that the Governor’s Office remains in close contact with Customs and Border Control (CBC) and HM Prison Service concerning the situation at the IDC.” Delays in the asylum ap- peals process have long been a complaint by applicants and have been a source of corre- spondence between the Human Rights Commission and the Department of Immigration. Several asylum appli- cants, stuck in various stages of the appeals process, have been waiting on final deci- sions on their cases for three years or longer. In a letter written to Chief Immigration Officer Wesley Howell on Dec. 9, Human Rights Commission Chairman James Austin-Smith put pres- sure on government to provide a timeline for reforming and expediting the process. “Given that the situation in- volving the arrival of migrants is an ongoing one, and that the longest staying migrants [have] now been in Cayman for over one thousand days (the majority of those in deten- tion) without resolution of his case, the Commission would be grateful to receive definitive answers to these numbered questions, with proposed dates,” Mr. Austin-Smith wrote. Mr. Howell responded on Dec. 19 that recommendations for appointments to the new tribunal had been made, and were expected for approval by Cabinet by January. A re- quest for comment about these appointments has been sub- mitted to the Office of the Pre- mier, but a statement was not provided by press deadline. “[Cabinet’s approval] will fa- cilitate the Ministry organizing initial training for RPAT [Ref- ugee Protection Appeals Tri- bunal] members locally with the aim of more in-depth training with the Foreign and Common- wealth Office (FCO) within the first quarter of 2019.… “The Ministry continues to liaise with Cabinet Office in fi- nalizing their policy and proce- dure manual. Once completed, the manual will provide guid- ance on the process for filing immigration appeals, including asylum matters. It is antici- pated that the document will be completed by February 2019.” Mr. Howell’s team has been working on establishing this manual since at least August 2017. Mr. Howell went on to say the ministry hoped to have the new tribunal operational by March 2019. “However, in the interim the IAT [Immigration Appeals Tri- bunal] Secretariat will continue to ensure that asylum matters are given priority and dealt with thoroughly and expeditiously.” Previous correspondence from the Human Rights Com- mission highlighted concerns about delays by the Immigra- tion Appeals Tribunal. “There are a number of cases where detainees have been waiting for a hearing be- fore the Immigration Appeals Tribunal for extended periods, many over half a year,” Mr. Austin-Smith wrote the tribunal chairman, Buck Grizzel, in July. “These extensive delays and the associated ongoing incar- ceration of asylum seekers gives rise to serious concerns both under our Constitution and our international treaty obligations.” Detention at the Prison Ser- vice facility is intended to be temporary, yet migrants in re- cent years have seen detention periods surpass two years. A letter from Mr. Austin-Smith to Immigration in October states the initial detention period to be set at 90 days. This month, prisoners from Northward Prison have also been moved to the migrant fa- cility, where they are housed in a separate dorm, with fencing separating convicts from male and female migrants. In August 2018, Acting Chief Immigration Officer Bruce Smith wrote to Mr. Austin- Smith, “It is recognized that il- legal migrants are not prisoners or convicted persons therefore not housed within the same confines as convicted persons.” United Nations High Com- missioner on Refugees de- tention guidelines state, “The use of prisons, jails, and fa- cilities designed or operated as prisons or jails, should be avoided. If asylum-seekers are held in such facilities, they should be separated from the general prison population.” Morritt’s company looking for an architect to design the development, which he hopes to start building within two years. Once complete, he said, the project will allow the property to fulfill his orig- inal plan to the people of Cayman – to bring 30,000 families here per year. “After 30 years, I’m still keeping my promise,” said the owner of the club, which currently has 15,000 members. Meanwhile, Mr. Mor- ritt is also moving full steam ahead on his expan- sion into Canada, with a $25-million, 130-unit prop- erty in Mont-Tremblant in Quebec currently in the final planning stages. He said he started his project there in a similar way to what happened in Cayman more than 30 years ago: He fell in love with the area and pur- chased an existing resort. The current 15-room property in Mont-Trem- blant, about 80 miles northwest of Montreal, will be open for business in March, said Mr. Morritt, adding that he will build a complex there that will be known as Château Morritt. The first 21 units of that new complex should be available by next Jan- uary, he said. The longtime Cayman tourism figure said he’s been bored over the last few years – the last major expansion of Morritt’s was “The Londoner” property in 2012 – but now he’s rein- vigorated to start work on such a massive project. “I did that 30 years ago,” he said of Morritt’s Tortuga Club. “And I’m now saying, ‘We’re going to show you the next 30 years.’ “You ain’t seen nothing yet.” Gov’t defends same-sex marriage ban CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 UK experts advise on new Refugee Protection Appeals Tribunal CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Big expansion plans for Morritt CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 “ The Governor’s Office is currently working closely with the Deputy Governor’s Office to provide expert U.K. advice on two initiatives that will help to ensure high standards at the IDC [Immigration Detention Centre] and the timely disposal of immigration appeals.” MATTHEW FORBES, head of the Governor’s Office An architect’s rendering of the proposed ‘Chateau Morritt’ in Quebec.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS MONDAY FEBRUARY 11, 2019 Istanbul building collapse kills 21 Turkey’s interior minister says the death toll from a collapsed apartment building in Istanbul has risen to 21. Officials have said the top two floors of the building were built illegally using low quality construction materials. Likely deal would give Trump fraction of desired wall money Thailand puzzles over political surprises from royals BANGKOK (AP) – A Thai po- litical party swore loyalty to the king after its stunning decision to nominate the monarch’s sister as its candi- date for prime minister back- fired when the king called the move inappropriate and unconstitutional. The statement of fealty comes as the country pon- ders a whirlwind Friday in which Princess Ubolratana Mahidol broke with tradition proscribing the monarchy’s involvement with politics to become a candidate for the Thai Raksa Chart Party, only to have her brother, King Maha Vajiralongkorn, invali- date her action with a late night order. Thai Raksa Chart’s state- ment said the party loyally accepted the king’s order and expressed deep gratitude to Ubolratana for her kindness toward the party. Ubolratana, who is ac- tive on Instagram, did not directly mention the king’s order in a Saturday message, merely thanking people for their support and encour- agement and insisting on her sincere desire to see Thailand progress with rights and op- portunities for all its people. Thailand’s March 24 elec- tion will be the country’s first since a 2014 military coup put in place a junta deter- mined to reshape the polit- ical system to eradicate the influence of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, whose allies have won every national election since 2001. So it was not only a shock that Ubolratana was for- mally entering politics, but also that she was doing so in alliance with a Thaksin- backed party. Her candi- dacy would have pitted her against the junta leader and current Prime Minister Pra- yuth Chan-ocha, the pre- ferred choice for premier of the pro-royalist military. Thaksin has been in exile since 2008, two years after was ousted by the military in a 2006 coup. Thailand’s establishment has spent more than a decade trying to neuter his political ma- chine through court rulings, constitutional rewrites and other changes to the electoral system. In addition to deep- ening political divisions that have flared into protests and street violence, the campaign has had little success. “Chin up and keep moving forward! We learn from past experiences but live for today and the future. Cheer up! Life must go on!” Thaksin tweeted on Saturday. Just eight years after ousting him, the military stepped in again to remove his sister’s government. Thaksin remains wildly popular with the country’s rural majority, who were drawn to his populist poli- cies such as universal health- care and rice subsidies and were willing to overlook ac- cusations that he was en- riching himself while in of- fice. But Thaksin’s popularity made the country’s Bangkok- based establishment uneasy and some saw his popu- larity as a threat to the mon- archy itself. Thaksin, who escaped from Thailand to avoid serving prison time on a con- flict of interest conviction he insists was political, was generally believed to have been involved in setting up Ubolratana’s candidacy. That shook the Thai royalists, who have long seen their cam- paign against Thaksin as way to protect the monarchy. It was widely assumed that Ubolratana, thought to be close to her brother, had at least received his approval for her action. What actually had happened behind the scenes is unlikely to become public, because the royal family’s private affairs are al- most never leaked. Vajiralongkorn’s order stressed that Thailand’s Con- stitution insists that the king and those around him stay above politics, and the prin- ciples of democratic gov- ernment also put politics off-limits. It directly addressed the point that his sister was a member of the royal family even though her formal royal titles had been lifted de- cades ago when she married a foreigner. Her candidacy had caused great excitement, because it offered the possibility of a strong challenge to Prayuth winning his job back. Her as- sociation with the monarchy was seen as making it dif- ficult for royalists in parlia- ment, which picks the prime minister, to vote against her. Prayuth had been con- sidered the front-runner, be- cause changes in constitu- tional law and election rules were implemented by his government to make it dif- ficult for political parties without military backing to capture the premier’s post. WASHINGTON (AP) – Con- gressional bargainers are working toward a border se- curity deal amid indications that the White House is pre- paring to accept a bipar- tisan agreement that would give President Donald Trump a fraction of the money he’s demanded for his proposed southern border wall. Participants said they ex- pect money for physical bar- riers to end up well below the $5.7 billion that Trump has sought to begin con- struction of the wall, which has attained iconic signifi- cance for him and his con- servative supporters. Under- scoring the clout he’s lost during a battle that is dom- inated the opening weeks of divided government, the amount seems sure to fall much closer to $1.6 bil- lion, the participants said, a figure that was in a bipar- tisan Senate bill last year. “That’s what we’re working toward,” said Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, D- Calif., one bargainer. An agreement would also avert a new partial federal shutdown next weekend. Trump has warned he might trigger a new closure of agencies if he does not get his way, but that threat has become toothless because of solid opposition from GOP lawmakers burned by the re- cord 35-day closure that he initiated in December. One White House aide said Trump was expected to back whatever compromise emerges and acknowledged there is no will among con- gressional Republicans for another shutdown. The aide spoke on condition of ano- nymity to describe internal discussions. Coupled with a wide- spread expectation that the agreement would not use the term “wall,” the pact would represent a significant re- treat for Trump, for whom “Build the wall!” has been a battle cry since his presiden- tial campaign. Democrats seemed to draw a firm line on spending. “Throughout the talks, Democrats have insisted that a border security compromise not be overly reliant on phys- ical barriers,” said Evan Hol- lander, spokesman for Demo- crats who control the House Appropriations Committee. “We will not agree to $2 bil- lion in funding for barriers.” In another signal that Trump was reluctantly pre- paring to give ground, the White House has been con- sidering accepting the deal but also using executive ac- tion to secure additional bar- rier funding without law- makers’ approval. That plan was described by two people familiar with White House thinking who spoke on condition of ano- nymity because they were not authorized to speak pub- licly. Depending on what Trump does, such an ac- tion could spark lawsuits or congressional votes of disapproval. Trump supporters have said there are other executive powers Trump could use to divert money from the budget to wall construction, though it was unclear if they would face challenges in Congress or the courts. One provision of the law lets the Defense Department provide support for counter-drug activities. Besides the dollar figure, talks were focusing on the type and location of barriers, participants said. Also in play were the number of beds the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency could have for detained mi- grants and the amount of aid included for natural di- saster relief. Money for high-tech sur- veillance equipment and more personnel was also ex- pected to be included. No one ruled out last- minute problems, especially with Trump’s penchant for head-snapping turnabouts. But the momentum was clearly toward clinching an agreement that Congress could pass by next Friday. The next day, many govern- ment agencies would run out of money and have to close again without a deal. Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., who leads the hard- right House Freedom Caucus, said he spoke Thursday night to Trump, who he said was in “wait and see” mode. Meadows said he expects an agreement to provide an amount closer to $1.6 billion. “I’m not optimistic it’ll be something the president can support,” Meadows said. A conservative House GOP aide said Freedom Caucus members wanted at least $2 billion for barriers and no restrictions on new con- struction, land acquisition or new types of barriers that could be built. The aide also said the agreement need not contain the term “wall,” a word that Trump has lately alternated between embracing and abandoning. The aide spoke on condition of anonymity to describe private talks. If there is a bipartisan deal, there would likely be enough votes to pass it without the most conserva- tive Republicans or the most liberal Democrats. Sen. Richard Shelby, the top Republican on the bipartisan group of bargainers working to craft a border security compromise in hope of avoiding another government shutdown, is joined by Sen. John Hoeven, left, and Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, right, as they speak with reporters in Washington. – PHOTO: AP Thai Princess Ubolratana Mahidol waves to Thai people outside the Grand Palace in Bangkok , Thailand. – PHOTO: APNext >