High of 84 Low of 75 Moderate with wave heights of 3 to 5 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 SEEKING THE TRUTH ABOUT REGULATIONS ON ‘TRUTH IN ADVERTISING’ BUSINESS | PAGE 10 FOR SALT-N-PEPA, HIP HOP AND FINANCE GO HAND IN HAND ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 20, 2019 CUC REPORTS ANNUAL EARNINGS GROWTH MICHAEL KLEIN mklein@pinnaclemedialtd.com Caribbean Utilities Company reported an- nual operating income of US$28.4 million, a $1 million increase over 2017, as a result of higher electricity sales revenues. The Cayman utility provider grew kilo- watt per hour sales by 1 percent last year but also benefited from two base rate increases of 1.6 percent on June 1, 2017 and 1.8 percent on June 1, 2018. The company’s net earnings of $26.8 mil- lion were $3 million higher than in 2017, amid lower finance charges and higher operating in- come. The operating result was partially offset by higher depreciation, and transmission and distribution expenses in 2018. After the adjustment for dividends on the preference shares of the company, earnings on Class A ordinary shares were $25.8 million, or $0.78 per share compared to $22.8 million, or $0.70 per share in 2017. CUC President and CEO Richard Hew said the company was pleased with the earnings growth even though sales growth was lim- ited last year. “Commercial and residential construction activity in Grand Cayman remained very ac- tive in 2018; however, sales growth was tem- pered by ongoing customer focus on energy efficiency and cooler weather as compared to 2017,” he said. “The company also expe- rienced one of its most active years of con- struction as it continued to execute its Cap- ital Investment Plan to put in place the modern infrastructure required to serve Grand Cayman as a leading destination today and into the future.” Capital expenditures for the year totaled $58 million, with CUC making progress on the construction of two new distribution sub- stations, investments into a new Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system and an ‘DRIFTING FISHERMEN’ GUILTY OF GANJA IMPORTATION Three Jamaican nationals were found guilty of importing 556 pounds of ganja into the Cayman Islands on Jan. 25, 2018. The men had pleaded not guilty, saying they were fishermen who landed in Cayman Brac after drifting for three days because their engines failed during bad weather. For more on this story, see page 5. UK, OT attorneys general gather in Cayman KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com The two-day Overseas Ter- ritories Attorneys General Con- ference 2019 kicked off Tuesday morning, with AGs and other delegates from 13 jurisdictions gathering in Cayman to discuss issues of mutual interest. The issues scheduled to be discussed included Brexit, anti-corruption, natural di- sasters, criminal justice and human rights. “It’s an invaluable opportu- nity for us to exchange views and experiences, as well as to formulate and implement ac- tion plans that are of vital im- portance to the legal systems of our respective jurisdictions,” said Cayman Attorney General Samuel Bulgin. This year’s gathering is one of the most important in the con- ference’s history, as it’s the last one before the United Kingdom is scheduled to leave the Euro- pean Union, according to U.K. At- torney General Geoffrey Cox. Mr. Cox was originally sched- uled to attend the conference, but was unable to because the cru- cial stage of Brexit negotiations Taxi app proposed to stem complaints JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com An “electronic fare calculator” – a more basic version of an Uber-style smartphone app – is proposed as a solution to con- cerns over inconsistent taxi fares in the Cayman Islands. Consultants from Deloitte were hired to evaluate taxi rates and propose ways to modernize the service following ongoing complaints. Their report, dated April 2018, and re- leased to the Cayman Compass following a Freedom of Information Request, sug- gests concerns over the price and quality of taxi service in Cayman have resulted in negative destination reviews and an in- crease in official complaints to the Public Transport Board. The consultants interviewed taxi oper- ators as well as officials from the Public Transport Board and the Cayman Islands Tourism Association, among others, in an effort to get to grips with the issues im- pacting the industry. Concern over the cost of taxi rides, es- pecially at night, lack of transparency over how rates are calculated and a lack of “user friendliness” in the existing printed rate sheets were cited among key concerns. Poor customer service and difficulty in regu- lating drivers were also flagged as issues. Conversely, taxi drivers argued that the rates were too low and needed to be increased. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » Passengers prepare to board a waiting taxi at Owen Roberts International Airport on Tuesday. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 »2 LOCAL®IONAL WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 20, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS • Matinees Daily (matinee price before 6pm) • Seniors $8.00, Mon-Fri Before 6pm • Additional charges apply per 3D/VIP tickets Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. - WEDNESDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) FIGHTING WITH MY FAMILY (PG13) 1:20 I 4:20 I 7:20 I 10:10 ALITA BATTLE ANGEL (PG13) 12:30 I 1:00 VIP I 3:50 VIP I 4:30 3D 6:50 VIP I 9:45 VIP I 10:00 COLD PURSUIT (R) 3:20 I 6:45 I 9:30 THE LEGO MOVIE 2: THE SECOND PART (PG) 1:05 I 3:55 3D I 6:35 I 9:10 3D WHAT MEN WANT (R) 1:05 I 4:10 I 7:00 I 9:45 THE UPSIDE (PG13) 1:15 I 7:15 CCMI: Cayman reefs in fair health MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands’ coral reefs are in fair condition ac- cording to a recent survey by the Central Caribbean Ma- rine Institute. They actually earned a “fair-plus,” which is a middle-of-the-road rating on a scale that runs from very good to critical. And while Grand Cayman’s reefs are slightly less healthy than those of its Sister Is- lands, CCMI spokeswoman Kate Holden said, “It’s not all doom and gloom. We can cor- rectively protect the reef.” The institute will detail the most recent data on the status of local reefs during a lecture on Feb. 28 at 5:45 p.m. at the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands, kicking off a yearlong education pro- gram to bring more attention to sustaining and improving the condition of the offshore environment. The Healthy Reefs cam- paign will be targeted at stu- dents, teachers, water sports and dive operators, tourists and the community at large, encouraging people to learn more about Cayman’s reefs. It’s the first in what Ms. Holden expects will be a se- ries of annual campaigns. “At this stage, it’s just get- ting people to understand, ‘Why does this matter?’” Ms. Holden said. “We will work with professional conserva- tion managers and regional stakeholders.” Four lectures are planned over the course of the year. The next will be tied to Earth Day, April 22, and a June lecture will be given from an underwater site, via CC- MI’s Reefs Go Live program, which allows audiences to in- teract with scientists during a live dive. In addition, posters and informational material will be distributed at dive shops and hotels throughout the islands. The public will be encour- aged to help by doing such things as using reef-friendly sunscreen – some sunscreens contain compounds that are deadly to coral – avoid using plastics when possible and protect sea life in other ways. “Always follow local sus- tainable fishing guidelines,” Ms. Holden said, whether actively fishing or just con- suming seafood. “From a local perspective, we need to protect reef species. Given the current pressures, we need to be very careful.” The Feb. 28 lecture will focus on the results of a July 2018 survey. A team of six divers surveyed 25 reefs across the Cayman Islands, looking at eight sites on the Sister Islands and nine on Grand Cayman. CCMI sur- veyed the same sites in 1999, allowing scientists to com- pare two “snapshots” in time. The presenters will look at the changes that have oc- curred during that period. A question and an- swer session will follow the lecture. Ms. Holden said the cam- paign will give Cayman residents a clearer under- standing about the impor- tance of the islands’ reefs. “The coral reefs are crit- ical to livelihoods on the is- land states,” she said, “partic- ularly tourism.” She hopes people will not be satisfied with having fair or fair-plus reefs around the islands. “They could very easily move to poor,” she said. “We need to protect them to main- tain the [current condition] or even improve it.” The upcoming lecture is free, but registration is requested at http://donate.reefresearch.org/ reefsurvey. More information is available at www.reefresearch.org. A CCMI survey indicates the coral reefs in Grand Cayman are in fair condition. - PHOTO: MARK MUCKENFUSS Haitians seek water, food as businesses reopen after protest PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) – Businesses and govern- ment offices slowly reopened across Haiti on Monday after more than a week of violent demonstrations by hundreds of thousands of protesters demanding the resignation of President Jovenel Moise over skyrocketing prices that have more than doubled for basic goods amid allegations of government corruption. Public transportation re- sumed in the capital, Port-au- Prince, where people began lining up to buy food, water and gasoline as crews cleared streets of barricades thrown up during the protests. Moise has refused to step down, though his prime min- ister, Jean-Henry Ceant, said over the weekend that he has agreed to reduce certain gov- ernment budgets by 30 per- cent, limit travel of govern- ment officials and remove all non-essential privileges they enjoy, including phone cards. Ceant also vowed to inves- tigate alleged misspending tied to a Venezuelan program that provided Haiti with sub- sidized oil and said he has requested that a court audit all state-owned enterprises. He also said he would in- crease the minimum wage and lower the prices of basic goods, although he did not provide specifics. Many Haitians remained wary of those promises, and schools remained closed on Monday amid concerns of more violence. “The government is making statements that are not changing anything at this point,” said Hector Jean, a moto taxi driver who was waiting for customers. He re- cently had to buy a gallon of gas for 500 gourdes ($6), more than twice what he normally pays, and he has been unable to find customers who can afford to pay higher fares. “It’s very hard to bring something home,” he said. “I have three kids.” Other goods in the Western Hemisphere’s poorest nation have also doubled in price in recent weeks: A sack of rice now costs $18 and a can of dry beans around $7. In addition, a gallon of cooking oil has gone up to nearly $11 from $7. Inflation has been in the double digits since 2014, and the price hikes are angering many people in Haiti, where about 60 percent of its nearly 10.5 million people struggle to get by on about $2 a day. A recent report by the U.S. Agency for International De- velopment said about half the country is undernourished. Dozens of people on Monday stood outside a fi- nancial services company waiting to pick up money transfers from relatives abroad. Among them was 35-year-old Andre Simon, a taxi driver who had been standing in line for at least three hours and has been un- able to work for more than a week. “I don’t have anything at home,” said Simon, who drives a small, brightly col- ored truck known as a tap- tap. “I need that money badly.” The latest violent demon- strations prompted the U.S. government to warn people last week not to travel to Haiti as it urged Moise’s ad- ministration to implement economic reforms and re- double efforts to fight cor- ruption and hold account- able those implicated in the scandal over the Vene- zuelan subsidized oil pro- gram, known as Petrocaribe. A Haitian Senate investiga- tion has alleged embezzle- ment by at least 14 former officials in ex-President Mi- chel Martelly’s administra- tion, but no one has been charged. Meanwhile, Haitians have demanded a probe into the spending of the $3.8 bil- lion Haiti received as part of the Petrocaribe program. “Corruption goes unpun- ished, and people are just re- ally tired of it,” said Athena Kolbe, a human rights re- searcher who has worked in Haiti. “I can’t imagine that things are going to calm down.” She said she does not be- lieve claims that opposition leaders are behind the dem- onstrations or that people are being paid to protest as has happened in previous years given the incredible number of people that have taken to the streets in recent days. However, Kolbe warned that even if Moise were forced to step down, it would not re- solve one of Haiti’s under- lying issues: how to address corruption. “People are just kind of exhausted with the business elite running the country and retaining control and not knowing where public funds are going,” she said. Martelly hand-picked Moise in 2015 to be the can- didate for the ruling Tet Kale party even though the busi- nessman from northern Haiti had never run for office. Moise was sworn in as pres- ident in February 2017 for a five-year term and promised to fight corruption and bring investment and jobs to one of the least developed nations in the world. His swearing-in marked Haiti’s return to con- stitutional rule a year after Martelly left office without an elected successor amid waves of opposition protests and a political stalemate that led to suspended elections. Residents line up to buy propane gas in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday. – PHOTO: AP3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 20, 2019 SECURE YOUR PROPERTY WITH THE BEST DEALS IN SURVEILLANCE CAMERA SYSTEMS AVAILABLE ANYWHERE ON ISLAND . The Security Centre has three exceptional CCTV deals that just can’t be matched. 3 The Gold Standard: a complete digital, four camera IP system – precision viewing at just $1799 The Security Centre guarantees that we will beat any price on a comparable system. Call the Security Centre for your demo today at 949-0004 or visit us online at security.ky 2 The Eagle Eye Special: a high-definition system perfect for the home and small businesses - $1549 All systems offer mobile device access - so you can check on your property remotely. bring an existing security camera system into high-definition – using existing cabling - at just $999 1 The Phoenix HD Upgrade: KAABOO PERFORMER IN COURT FOR GANJA Magistrate agrees not to record conviction CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A woman who performed at KAABOO Cayman over the past weekend appeared in Summary Court on Tuesday, when she pleaded guilty to possession of a small quan- tity of ganja. Crown counsel Scott Wainwright said the ganja was discovered when offi- cers had cause to search her bag at Owen Roberts Interna- tional Airport on Sunday, Feb. 17. A rolled spliff was discov- ered in a plastic container. The spliff weighed 0.03 ounce or 1.06 gram. Defense attorney Clyde Allen said the defendant did not know the ganja was in the bag. He explained that she had received it in California, where it is legal. In fact, he said, she had warned mem- bers of her entourage against bringing anything illegal. “She didn’t intend to disrespect the laws of the Cayman Islands,” the at- torney urged. He said she had no previous convictions and was of good character. “She intends to come back next year to perform,” Mr. Allen said. He, therefore, was asking the court not to record a conviction, which could po- tentially bar her from en- tering these islands. Magistrate Valdis Foldats asked what kind of music her band performed. Mr. Allen said it was reggae and something else. “OK, good,” the magistrate commented. He said this was not the usual factual situation in which people knowingly bring drugs with them. In this case, he pointed out, she took steps to ensure that her en- tourage didn’t bring anything. “All individuals should ensure that their luggage doesn’t contain anything that could be illegal in another country,” he said. The magistrate indicated that Mr. Allen had made a very strong point in mitiga- tion and he agreed that no conviction would be recorded. He gave the defendant an un- conditional discharge. Instead of a fine, he imposed a cost order in the sum of $300 to be paid forthwith, with an alter- native of 30 days in custody. The defendant confirmed that she had been treated fairly by everyone who had dealt with her matter. The Cayman Compass does not typically name de- fendants when they have no conviction recorded. Brings flavors of Cayman to Hungary JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com As a medical student in Hungary, Amber Martinez learned to cook her favorite Caymanian foods as a re- minder of home. Now, the 25-year-old is bringing those Caribbean fla- vors to a whole new audience. Ms. Martinez is one of 50 international students, from 45 countries, whose recipes feature in the University of Pécs’s new multi-cultural cookbook, titled “50 Delica- cies on Earth.” While Hungary is typi- cally known for its goulash, a rich beef and vegetable stew, Ms. Martinez says the vast body of international stu- dents at the university, in the relatively small city of Pécs, are bringing new ideas to the local culinary scene. Students from as far afield as Jordan, Japan, Nigeria and Cameroon have contributed to the cookbook, which will go on sale across Hungary after a launch event at the univer- sity next month. She sub- mitted her recipe in October last year and was selected to be part of the project. Ms. Martinez said the stu- dents were invited to cooking sessions with renowned Hun- garian chef Lokodi Akos. “I was able to cook it up with Chef Lokodi, and they took some pictures for the book,” she said. “Whenever you work with someone who is an expert in their field, it can be intimi- dating, but he let me take the lead and he watched and assisted.” Ms. Martinez, a former Cayman Prep and High School student, completed her In- ternational Baccalaureate in Canada and her undergrad- uate degree in Miami. She is in Hungary pursuing her dream of becoming a doctor. She said she learned to cook Caymanian food to pre- vent homesickness. “When I first wanted to cook rice and beans, I had to call my mum for assis- tance,” she said. “Living so far away from home, I crave those foods to get those feelings from home.” Given the choice, she said she might have made ox- tail or salt beef, but not all the necessary ingredients are available in Pécs, so she opted for a favorite Carib- bean staple, curry chicken, with a Caymanian twist. Ms. Martinez said it was an interesting experi- ence studying in Pécs. She said the growing interna- tional student body, currently numbering more than 4,000, helped make the city a vi- brant place to be. “It is becoming more di- verse. We are starting to be able to get yams and plan- tains. It is a little taste of home,” she added. Ms. Martinez will have the chance to cook her dish at a launch event for the book in March that is expected to attract 3,000 people. She has three more years of study to complete her medical degree. She is also International Student Am- bassador at the University of Pécs Medical School. “I am extremely excited to represent both my country and the University in this ca- pacity. As a student ambas- sador, I share firsthand ex- periences with prospective students, and give advice to newly accepted students as they prepare for their move to a new country,” she said. Cayman student finds recipe for success Amber Martinez worked with renowned Hungarian chef Lokodi Akos on her contribution to a multi-cultural cookbook.The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion & Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited (a subsidiary of Pinnacle Media Ltd) Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@pinnaclemedialtd.com ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHERS DAVID R. LEGGE AND VICKI L. LEGGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAVID R. LEGGE EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will find their own way” It will surprise no one that, as a newspaper, the Cayman Compass strongly supports advertising. We also support “truth in advertising.” But at this moment, we are unsure about the Utility Regulation and Competition Office’s proposed regulations on truth in advertising. The telecoms, fuel, water and wastewater regulator, commonly known as OfReg, has recently released draft rules intended to police deceptive or unfair mar- keting practices by companies under its purview. According to OfReg, the rules have been modeled on similar protections in the United Kingdom and other western countries. They are intended to ensure that consumers are protected against “false adver- tising” and deceptive claims, and would cover pricing statements, guarantees, after-sales services, endorse- ment, testimonials and other marketing techniques. Regulated companies and the public have until March 13 to comment on the draft rules, after which OfReg intends to craft a final policy. Here are our pre- liminary comments: First, are these new regulations necessary? Specifi- cally, does OfReg have substantive examples of com- panies employing “deceptive or unfair” advertising, that consumers have complained about, and that in the absence of these new regulations have gone unad- dressed? The Compass news and editorial staff are constantly peppered with complaints and rumors from the community on all manner of subjects – absent among them is untruthful or misleading advertising by utility companies. Second, do channels already exist for consumers to have “truth in advertising” complaints addressed? If consumers feel they have been misled into pur- chasing (or overpaying for) a service or product, can they pursue a remedy through the civil court system? At this time it is unclear that an additional process and set of rules by OfReg would offer a more effective or efficient avenue for rectifying such grievances. On this last point, the language of the proposed regulations are themselves vague and potentially prob- lematic. For example, here is the text of just one of the 41 draft rules: “The Office will likely consider unqualified superla- tive Claims as comparative Claims against all com- peting Sectoral Utility Services, and any superiority Claims (i.e. any Claims that the Sectoral Provider’s Sectoral Utility Services is better than a competitor’s) must be supported by credible evidence unless such Claims are obvious puffery.” Our general editorial position is that government regulations should be as minimal, as common-sensical and as clear as possible. It is not clear that the 41 draft rules meet those criteria. Further, OfReg’s short but eventful track record does not inspire confidence in the regulator’s capacity to fairly and uniformly enforce regulations, even if hypothetically they were clear, concise and targeted wisely. From exorbitant expenditures on travel and consul- tants, to knee-jerk announcements of major initiatives to profound and sudden leadership changes, to say that OfReg has had a “smooth start” might well con- stitute a “deceptive or unfair” claim. Seeking the truth about regulations on ‘truth in advertising’ WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 20, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS LETTER TO THE EDITOR Legislative drafters are failing government The Standards in Public Life Law was enacted in 2014 and amended in 2016. The latest position is that it is to be further delayed to examine the disclosure re- quirements for those who serve on boards. For the purposes of this letter, I will assume that the reasons are genuine. Before proceeding, I should disclose that I was the drafter responsible for the technical drafting of that legislation. The policy, such as who should dis- close and what to disclose, were always for the govern- ment to decide. As a former government drafter, I am compelled to view this delay in a broader context. Not long ago the drafters sent to the Gov- ernor for assent a wrong version of the Non-Profit Or- ganisations Bill (now Law). The Legal Practitioners Bill had to be withdrawn before the elections due to certain controversial provisions. Then there is the perennial problem of poorly drafted legislation, from a tech- nical standpoint, such as the Limited Liability Com- panies Law and the Condi- tional Release Regulations, among many. By way of trying to as- sist government, I should point out that these prob- lems are symptoms of a deeper malaise. It lies in two principal issues that re- main unaddressed. First, as pointed out in a recent letter to this news- paper, there is no training for public servants on what it takes to produce quality legislation. In Bermuda (as in many other jurisdictions) senior public servants are trained on an ongoing basis how to write cabinet pa- pers, narrow down policy issues, craft clear policy in- structions and review draft legislation. Also, legisla- tion in Cayman is produced without sufficient time for critical analysis and stress testing. Second, there are insuf- ficient guidance materials to assist officials on how the drafting process is sup- posed to work, especially from the time a policy is conceived to the time it is approved by Cabinet for in- troduction in the Legisla- tive Assembly. In the U.K., if you are chosen to be part of a team to develop legis- lation, you are required to undergo training immedi- ately if you have never been trained. In nearly 12 years of working in the Cayman government, I never met a single instructing official who understood what their role was in the preparation of legislation and could play it effectively. I should add that I never had a chance to work with the few I trained after I left government. Whose fault is it then that legislation is often not well thought through? It is not that of the chief officers and their staff, for it is not part of their core training to study how to interface with drafters and generally participate in the drafting process. Neither is it the fault of the premier, his ministers or MLAs, who do not receive training on the drafting process – though some have received training regarding parliamentary af- fairs. However, it is part of the core training of a leg- islative counsel to know how to interface with in- structing officials and how the whole process is sup- posed to work. It is for that reason that legislative drafters in many jurisdic- tions have prepared cabinet handbooks and legislative process handbooks to guide officials. The government drafters in Cayman have never done so. If indeed this is the problem, you will ask, why has it not been done up to now? There are two rea- sons. First, successive heads of the legislative drafting department have generally lacked the knowl- edge, innovation or inclina- tion to address these issues. I say this as a U.K. and Ca- nadian trained legislative counsel who has worked not just in Cayman but in three other jurisdictions, and has published in peer-reviewed journals in this field, and law in general, including in the U.K. Currently I am an instructor on an on- line postgraduate legisla- tive drafting program with a Canadian university. Some of my published materials are recommended reading on that course. I have also researched extensively on the practices in leading ju- risdictions in the Common- wealth. Second, there has been resistance from within the legislative drafting department toward any such measures. A final niggling question you may have is as to why I am saying this only after leaving government. The answer: If I had not pushed too hard about these issues, even offering to develop the necessary handbooks, I may have lasted a little longer in my job. Bilika Simamba Attorney and former government legislative drafter In nearly 12 years of working in the Cayman government, I never met a single instructing official who understood what their role was in the preparation of legislation and could play it effectively.5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 20, 2019 Court rejects ‘drifting fishermen’ defense Three found guilty of importing 556 pounds of ganja CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Three Jamaican na- tionals were found guilty on Friday after trial for im- porting 555.95 pounds of ganja into the Cayman Is- lands on Jan. 25, 2018. The men had pleaded not guilty, saying they were fishermen who landed in Cayman Brac after drifting for three days because their engines failed during bad weather. The defendants, all from Westmoreland, were Os- hane Nickoy Ricketts, 30; Andre Washington Rob- inson, 34; and Nicholas Odell Maxam, 31. Magistrate Valdis Foldats said he rejected their evi- dence, but emphasized that he did not rely on their lies as evidence of their guilt. The three were set to be sentenced on Friday, March 1, along with Yo- andy Swaby-Ebanks, 37, and Terry Wright, 40, both of whom pleaded guilty last year to their involvement in the offense. The prosecution’s case, conducted by Crown counsel Darlene Oko, was that the three defendants and Mr. Wright had motored from Jamaica with the ganja, which they offloaded to an- other boat in the vicinity of Barkers, West Bay, around 4:30 a.m. At some point, Mr. Wright boarded the re- ceiving boat, which was followed to shore by a po- lice patrol boat and the air support unit. Mr. Wright and Mr. Swaby-Ebanks were arrested. The delivery boat moved away from the transfer scene out into the open sea. The three defendants arrived in Cayman Brac the next day, where they were arrested for illegal landing. They de- nied having ganja aboard or coming to Grand Cayman. They said they had been fishing off Pedro Bank, which is on the southern coast of Jamaica, when they got in trouble and drifted. But a marine officer, ac- cepted by the court as an ex- pert in search-and-rescue and drift patterns at sea, said it was not possible to have drifted from their purported location to the Brac. Officers who observed the drug transfer can- didly admitted that they were unable to identify the height, weight or gender of the people on the delivery boat, the magistrate said. But they did identify the characteristics of the boat, the number of people in it, the two operational en- gines and the round fuel drums aboard. Jamaican canoes were not unknown in this area, but it was unlikely that there should be two such vessels in Cayman waters at the same time with both having three persons aboard, two engines and multiple round fuel drums, the magis- trate indicated. Phone records showed that Mr. Ricketts and a man with a Cayman phone link had phoned each other dozens of times between Jan. 23-25, with two calls mo- ments before the ganja was transferred from one boat to the other. After that, there were no more calls. Further, the name of the man with the Cayman phone link was on a piece of paper that Mr. Wright had. “It was clearly a tally sheet of indi- viduals who were to receive some of the ganja,” the mag- istrate said. Further, phone records showed no calls by Mr. Rick- etts or Mr. Maxam, who also had a phone aboard, to any emergency services or any experienced seaman who might be able to give advice. Mr. Robinson, in spite of being the captain, did not properly oversee the fu- eling of the containers. He said the trip to Pedro Bank would have consumed 60 to 75 gallons of fuel. But if the fuel drums were full at the start of the journey, 185 gallons would have been consumed, the magistrate pointed out. He ordered the continued remand of the three defen- dants until their sentencing for importation of ganja and illegal landing. Defense attorney John Furniss, who represented the men along with Jonathon Hughes, indicated they would give verbal notice of appeal at that time. FAUX ELECTION TURNS INTO A CHICKEN FIGHT The winner of this elec- tion will come home to roost. Massive Media launched the Chicken Elections on Tuesday, a satirical cam- paign featuring a real poll of Caymanian attitudes toward six key issues. The cam- paign will run from Feb. 19 to March 5, and six chickens will be vying for the posi- tion of Premier of the Legis- lative Eggsembly. One hundred percent of funds raised during the cam- paign will be split between six local charities: Cayman Islands Cancer Society, Jas- mine, Cayman Islands Meals on Wheels, One Dog At A Time, Plastic Free Cayman and Special Needs Founda- tion of Cayman. Over $10,000 has been raised for the campaign, and one chicken candidate will be attached to each of the six charities. Each of the charities are guaran- teed a minimum of $500, and the additional funding will be distributed between the groups based on their share of the vote in the mock election. Behind the fun of the elec- tion and the thrill of philan- thropy, Massive Media will be conducting a poll into six key issues: gay marriage, iguana culling, marijuana le- galization, national health- care, plastic use and private development. The polling will register public opinion, and Massive Media will release a summary report of findings to government, media and to the general public. Massive Media also ran a Chicken Foundation cam- paign in 2014 that leveraged a satirical chicken adoption agency into a fundraising ve- hicle for the National Trust of the Cayman Islands. To participate in the vote, visit www.chickenelections.com. Any sponsorship inquiries or questions can be sent to hello@massivemedialtd.com. Phone records showed that Mr. Ricketts and a man with a Cayman phone link had phoned each other dozens of times between Jan. 23-25, with two calls moments before the ganja was transferred from one boat to the other.The islands’ most-trusted news source 6 WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 20, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Deloitte looked at three options: taxi meters, an Uber- style app or a more basic electronic fare calculator. Ultimately, the consul- tants concluded that meters were outdated technology and would be costly to im- plement. A smartphone app would require a team of tech staff to operate and could add “exorbitant costs” as well as data protection concerns for government, the consul- tants noted. Such apps also provide a layer of service, including payment method and GPS tracking, that were not strictly necessary and in some cases were unwanted by drivers. Seeking a cost-effective alternative, the consultants proposed using an electronic fare calculator. This is de- scribed as a phone app that works offline and is simply for rate calculation. It would enable passengers to check fares, could be hosted on the government website and would not require backup staff, the report indicates. Deloitte suggested it would still be open to a pri- vate sector business to estab- lish a full-service, Uber-like app, which could be used to hail cabs, make payments, monitor and rate drivers, as well as calculate fares. The Deloitte report was commissioned amid com- plaints from businesses that tourists were frequently left feeling ripped off after taking taxis in Grand Cayman. Sev- eral restaurant and tourist attraction managers raised concerns at a CITA meeting in December 2016 about fares, which they said vary wildly depending on who is driving the cab. Matthew Bishop, CEO of Island Companies and Cayman Distributors and one of the directors of the as- sociation, said at the time, “Whether it is the reality or not, people are certainly feeling ripped off. There have been comments on TripAd- visor and it affects the repu- tation of the destination. “It’s a simple concept. How much does the journey cost? Fares shouldn’t vary depending on which car you hop in, who’s driving or which concierge you go through.” The Deloitte report did not determine how much a fare should be in the Cayman Islands. The con- sultants did use local data, including the cost of pur- chasing, maintaining and in- suring a vehicle, to calculate the cost of running a cab in the islands. They put the cost per mile at $1.62-$1.64 for high-frequency opera- tors, $1.91-$1.95 for low- frequency operators and $1.68-$1.71 for medium-fre- quency operators. It would be for the government to decide what profit margin should be added when cal- culating reasonable fares, the report notes. “Deloitte has not taken a view on what the revised fare should be, since we had no sight of the current fare structure basis or factors considered in determining what would be a reasonable profit for a taxi operator.” Asked what action had been taken since the re- port, Rosa Harris, Director of Tourism and the Public Transport Board chair, said work on a strategic plan, which would include a “pro- vision of tools to support the sector,” had commenced. She added, “The continued growth of tourism in the Cayman Islands requires that public transport services ex- pand. The [Public Transport Board ] have done just that by increasing the capacity for both omnibus, taxi and tour categories. This has cre- ated more jobs and entrepre- neurship in the economy. The Public Transport Board will continue to build an infra- structure for success.” prevented him from trav- eling, said Governor Martyn Roper. Mr. Roper read a statement on Mr. Cox’s be- half, stating that the U.K. is “committed to securing a deal that works for the whole British family, including the overseas territories.” Mr. Bulgin said Brexit will be the main topic of focus for the overseas terri- tories and Crown dependen- cies, some of which receive funding from the EU. “Some territories do get funds from EU, and we’re trying to figure out how to preserve that,” he said. At the end of the two- day event, the jurisdictions will likely formulate a list of recommendations for how to move forward with the issues discussed. “The issues we discuss are common to most of the territories, so the recom- mendations apply to all the … OTs and CDs,” Mr. Bulgin said. Along with Cayman and the U.K., other participating jurisdictions include the U.S., Canada, the British Virgin Is- lands, Anguilla, the Falkland Islands, Jersey, Guernsey, and the Turks and Ca- icos Islands. upgrade to the central con- trol room at the North Sound Plant. Last year the company grew the share of renew- able energy on its grid by 47 percent. At the end of 2018, CUC’s Consumer Owned Renewable En- ergy (CORE) program con- nected 343 customers with 4,917.14 kilowatts of re- newable capacity, as well as BMR Energy’s (for- merly Entropy) 5 megawatt solar plant. The company aims to have 25 percent of renew- able energy on the grid by 2025 and to meet the objec- tives and targets of the Na- tional Energy Policy over the longer term. CUC has also submitted an addi- tional $77 million in pro- posed grid enhancement projects, including bat- tery storage, for regula- tory review. “With the growing im- portance on environmental sustainability, we pro- gressed in this area with a significant increase in the amount of renewable en- ergy feeding our grid and the acceptance of our In- tegrated Resource Plan by the Office of Utility Regu- lation and Competition as a roadmap for the tran- sition to clean energy,” Mr. Hew said. The 2017 Integrated Re- source Plan recommended a portfolio of 60 percent renewable energy and nat- ural gas replacing diesel by 2037. CUC said it fully embraces this transition to cleaner energy such as solar and wind, with costs projected to be lower and more stable than to- day’s conventional diesel technology. The electricity pro- vider also launched a joint project with the National Roads Authority in 2018 to replace all street lamps with LEDs over the next five years. The program, which has started in George Town, will see 7,000 new LED lights installed, which should re- duce street lighting costs by an estimated 26 percent or approximately 3.78 giga- watt hours per year. This would eliminate 195,000 imperial gallons of diesel that would oth- erwise be burned, and cut 5.2 million pounds of CO2 emissions. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 UK, OT attorneys general gather in Cayman Attorneys general and representatives from 13 jurisdictions have gathered in Cayman to discuss issues of mutual interest. - PHOTO: KEN SILVA CUC reports annual earnings growth CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 This year’s gathering is one of the most important in the conference’s history, as it’s the last one before the United Kingdom is scheduled to leave the European Union, according to U.K. Attorney General Geoffrey Cox. Taxi app proposed to stem complaints CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Taxis queue outside the Arrivals Hall at Owen Roberts International Airport on Tuesday. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY UN ENVOY SAYS YEMEN PORTS DEAL IS CHANCE FOR PEACE TALKS UNITED NATIONS (AP) – The expected pullout of forces from three key ports in Yemen provides an oppor- tunity to move to the major goal of ending the four- year conflict that has cre- ated the world’s worst hu- manitarian crisis, the U.N. envoy for the war-battered country said Tuesday. Martin Griffiths told the U.N. Security Council that Yemen’s government and Houthi Shiite rebels demonstrated that they are able to deliver on com- mitments they made in December in Stockholm by agreeing on the first phase of redeployment from the ports. He said forces will ini- tially be withdrawn from the smaller ports of Salif and Ras Issa, begin- ning “possibly” Tuesday or Wednesday. This will be followed by a pullout from the major port of Ho- deida and critical parts of the city that will allow ac- cess to the Red Sea Mills, a major U.N. storage facility holding enough grain to feed 3.7 million people for a month, he said. Griffiths called on the parties to fully implement the first phase and to agree on details of the second phase of the redeployment of forces, “which we hope will lead to the demilitar- ization” of Hodeida, whose port handles about 70 per- cent of Yemen’s commercial and humanitarian imports. The conflict in Yemen began with the 2014 take- over of the capital, Sanaa, by the Iranian-backed Houthis, who toppled the government of Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi. A Saudi-led coalition allied with Ha- di’s internationally rec- ognized government has been fighting the Houthis since 2015. The fighting in the Arab world’s poorest country has killed thousands of ci- vilians, left millions suf- fering from food and med- ical care shortages, and pushed the country to the brink of famine. U.N. humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock said about 80 percent of Yemen’s pop- ulation – 24 million people – need humanitarian as- sistance including nearly 10 million “just a step away from famine” and nearly 240,000 “facing cat- astrophic levels of hunger.”The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 20, 2019 Ginsburg returns to Supreme Court bench Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is back on the Supreme Court bench, eight weeks after surgery for lung cancer. The 85-year-old justice walked unassisted to her seat beside Chief Justice John Roberts when the court began its public session Tuesday. 2ND ANNUAL YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH SYMPOSIUM ADDRESSING OUR PAST, SUPPORTING OUR FUTURE. Saturday, February 23rd, 9:00am - 3:00pm Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort Register at alexpantonfoundation.ky Registration is free, spaces limited. Early registration is advised. CME certificates available. EU, UK to have more Brexit talks but key disagreement intact BRUSSELS (AP) – British Prime Minister Theresa May got ready for a trip to Euro- pean Union headquarters to seek an elusive breakthrough in Brexit negotiations but was told Tuesday on the eve of the talks that her most im- portant demand is not even up for discussion. EU Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said “the EU27 will not reopen the withdrawal agreement,” a condition that many British lawmakers are insisting on before they back a deal to have Britain leave the bloc on March 29. U.K. lawmakers’ objections center on a provision for the border between the U.K.’s Northern Ireland and Ireland. The mechanism, known as the backstop, is a safeguard that would keep the U.K. in a customs union with the EU to remove the need for checks along the Irish border until a permanent new trading rela- tionship is in place. May wants to change the deal’s phrasing to make sure that a provision to ensure an open Irish border after Brexit would only apply tempo- rarily. Her government says Brexit Secretary Stephen Bar- clay and chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier have held “productive” discussions on the backstop. But the EU refuses to budge and says the 585-page legally binding Brexit agree- ment is a take-it-or-leave- it document. It is willing to discuss other ways to find a compromise, but has chal- lenged London to come up with concrete proposals. Schinas said talks this week seek “to see whether a way through can be found that would gain the broadest possible support in the U.K. parliament and respect the guidelines agreed” by the EU nations. The Brexit deal negotiated between May and the EU last year – and rejected by Brit- ain’s Parliament last month – includes a long transition period after Britain leaves the bloc on March 29 to give time for new trade relations to be set up. If the U.K. Parliament does not agree on the deal before March 29, Britain risks a cha- otic departure that could be costly to businesses and or- dinary people on both sides of the Channel. The uncertainty has al- ready led many firms to shift some operations abroad, stockpile goods or defer in- vestment decisions. On Tuesday, Honda an- nounced it will close its only U.K. plant in 2021. The auto- maker said the decision was not directly related to Brexit, but U.K. Business Secretary Greg Clark said “decisions like Honda’s this morning demonstrates starkly how much is at stake.” Clark, a leading pro-EU voice in May’s Cabinet, said the Brexit-related uncertainty facing businesses was “un- acceptable” and “needs to be brought to a conclusion.” Clark said businesses could not wait until “the last minute on March 28” for certainty. With less than six weeks to go until March 29, chances are growing that Britain will seek to postpone its depar- ture from the EU. Business Minister Richard Harrington told a manufac- turers’ conference Tuesday that if May could not get her deal through Parliament on a second try before March 29, there would likely be “a small extension” to the Brexit deadline so Parliament could come up with a new plan. But delaying Brexit would require the EU’s approval – and if it is extended too far, it would force Britain to take part in the May 23-26 EU- wide election for the Euro- pean Parliament. EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker told the German daily Stuttgarter Zei- tung on Tuesday that such a scenario was “difficult to imagine.” Juncker said it’s up to Britain to decide whether it wants to request a delay to the Brexit date, but that Britain’s departure should happen before the newly elected European Parliament gathers in early July. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, right, prepares to shake hands with British Prime Minister Theresa May, left, before their meeting at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on Feb. 7. – PHOTO: AP SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – Cal- ifornia and 15 other states filed a lawsuit Monday against President Donald Trump’s emergency decla- ration to fund a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. California Attorney Gen- eral Xavier Becerra released a statement Monday saying the suit alleges the Trump administration’s action vio- lates the Constitution. “President Trump treats the rule of law with utter contempt,” Becerra said. “He knows there is no border crisis, he knows his emer- gency declaration is un- warranted, and he admits that he will likely lose this case in court.” Joining California in filing the lawsuit are the attorneys general of Colorado, Connect- icut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illi- nois, Maine, Maryland, Mich- igan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, and Vir- ginia. All the states involved in the lawsuit have Demo- cratic attorneys general. Trump declared a na- tional emergency to fulfill his promise of completing the wall. The move allows the pres- ident to bypass Congress to use money from the Pentagon and other budgets. The states say diver- sion of military funding to wall-building will hurt their economies and deprive their military bases of needed up- grades. They say taking away funds from counter-drug ef- forts for the wall will also cause damage. California and New Mexico, the two Mexican border states in the lawsuit, say the wall will harm wildlife. California has repeatedly challenged Trump in court. “President Trump is man- ufacturing a crisis and de- claring a made-up ‘national emergency’ in order to seize power and undermine the Constitution,” said California Gov. Gavin Newsom in a statement. “This ‘emergency’ is a national disgrace.” The states say diversion of military funding to wall-building will hurt their economies and deprive their military bases of needed upgrades. 16 states sue Trump over emergency wall declaration May wants to change the deal’s phrasing to make sure that a provision to ensure an open Irish border after Brexit would only apply temporarily.8 WORLD®IONAL WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 20, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Today would have been your 27th Birthday Happy Birthday Michael Missing you on your birthday Son To lose a ne and precious Son. Whether man or boy, Deprives the heart of all its warmth And life of so much joy. But each year on this special day We celebrate your birth, And treasure every moment That you were here on earth. We took those days for granted And never dreamt or thought, That all our lives would change so much And yours would be so short. But now we must remember That although the tears may fall, The son we’ll miss forever Brought sunshine to us all. Your loving parents Rollin and Olga Gourzong, Sister Patricia, Niece and Nephew, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins and friends. Sen. Bernie Sanders says he’s running for president in 2020 WASHINGTON (AP) – Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, whose insurgent 2016 presidential campaign reshaped Demo- cratic politics, announced Tuesday that he is running for president in 2020. “Our campaign is not only about defeating Donald Trump,” the 77-year-old self- described democratic socialist said in an email to supporters. “Our campaign is about trans- forming our country and cre- ating a government based on the principles of economic, social, racial and environ- mental justice.” An enthusiastic progres- sive who embraces proposals ranging from Medicare for All to free college tuition, Sanders stunned the Demo- cratic establishment in 2016 with his spirited challenge to Hillary Clinton. While she ultimately became the par- ty’s nominee, his campaign helped lay the groundwork for the leftward lurch that has dominated Democratic politics in the Trump era. The question now for Sanders is whether he can stand out in a crowded field of Democratic presidential candidates who also embrace many of his policy ideas and are newer to the national po- litical stage. That is far dif- ferent from 2016, when he was Clinton’s lone progres- sive adversary. Still, there is no question that Sanders will be a for- midable contender for the Democratic nomination. He won more than 13 million votes in 2016 and dozens of primaries and caucuses. He opens his campaign with a nationwide organization and a proven small-dollar fund- raising effort. “We’re gonna win,” Sanders told CBS. He said he was going to launch “what I think is un- precedented in modern Amer- ican history”: a grassroots movement “to lay the ground- work for transforming the economic and political life of this country.” Sanders described his new White House bid as a “continuation of what we did in 2016,” noting that policies he advocated for then are now embraced by the Demo- cratic Party. “You know what’s hap- pened in over three years?” he said. “All of these ideas and many more are now part of the political mainstream.” Sanders could be well positioned to compete in the nation’s first primary in neighboring New Hampshire, which he won by 22 points in 2016. But he will not have the state to himself. Sen. Kamala Harris of California, another Demo- cratic presidential contender, was in New Hampshire on Monday and said she’d compete for the state. She also appeared to take a dig at Sanders. “The people of New Hamp- shire will tell me what’s re- quired to compete in New Hampshire,” she told shop- pers at a bookstore in Con- cord. “But I will tell you I’m not a democratic socialist.” Sen. Elizabeth Warren of nearby Massachusetts will be in New Hampshire on Friday. One of the biggest ques- tions surrounding Sanders’ candidacy is how he will compete against someone like Warren, who shares many of his policy goals. Warren has already launched her cam- paign and has planned an ag- gressive swing through the early primary states. Shortly after announcing her exploratory committee, Warren hired Brendan Sum- mers, who managed Sanders’ 2016 Iowa campaign. Other staffers from Sanders’ first bid also have said they would consider working for other candidates in 2020. The crowded field in- cludes a number of other candidates who will likely make strong appeals to the Democratic base including Harris and Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey, Amy Klobu- char of Minnesota and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York. The field could also grow, with a number of high- profile Democrats still con- sidering presidential bids, in- cluding former Vice President Joe Biden and former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke. While Sanders had been working to lay the ground- work for a second campaign for months, it was unclear whether he will be able to ex- pand his appeal beyond his largely white base of sup- porters. In 2016, Sanders no- tably struggled to garner support from black voters, an issue that could become particularly pervasive during a primary race that could include several non-white candidates. Last month, he joined Booker at an event in Co- lumbia, South Carolina, marking the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. In 2016, Sanders lost the South Caro- lina primary, which features a heavily black electorate, by 47 points. Sanders also faces dif- ferent pressures in the #MeToo era. Some of his male staffers and supporters in 2016 were described as “Bernie bros” for their treatment of women. In the run-up to Sanders’ 2020 announcement, persis- tent allegations emerged of sexual harassment of women by male staffers during his 2016 campaign. Politico and The New York Times reported several allegations of un- wanted sexual advances and pay inequity. In an interview with CNN after the initial allegations surfaced, Sanders apolo- gized but also noted he was “a little busy running around the country trying to make the case.” As additional allegations emerged, he offered a more unequivocal apology. “What they experienced was absolutely unaccept- able and certainly not what a progressive campaign – or any campaign – should be about,” Sanders said Jan. 10 on Capitol Hill. “Every woman in this country who goes to work today or tomorrow has the right to make sure that she is working in an environment which is free of harassment, which is safe and is comfort- able, and I will do my best to make that happen.” China’s economy czar heading to Washington for trade talks BEIJING (AP) – China’s economy czar is heading to Washington for talks Thursday and Friday aimed at ending a fight over Bei- jing’s technology ambitions ahead of a deadline for a massive U.S. tariff hike. The announcement Tuesday via the official Xi- nhua News Agency follows talks last week in Beijing that U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said “made headway” on key issues. Xi- nhua said Vice Premier Liu He will hold talks with Ligh- thizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. Business groups and economists saw Friday’s sur- prise announcement of fur- ther talks this week as a sign they were making progress. Both governments have expressed optimism but they have given no details of their talks. Economists say the time available for negotia- tions is too brief to resolve an array of irritants in U.S.- Chinese relations. They say Beijing’s goal is to persuade President Donald Trump they are making enough prog- ress to push back threatened U.S. penalties. Beijing hopes for “a mutu- ally beneficial and win-win agreement that is accept- able to both sides,” said a foreign ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang. Without an agreement, a 10 percent tariff increase im- posed in July on $200 billion of Chinese goods is due to rise to 25 percent on March 2. Last Friday, Lighthizer told the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, the two sides “made headway on very, very important and diffi- cult issues.” Trump imposed the pen- alties over complaints Bei- jing steals or pressures for- eign companies to hand over technology. The talks also in- clude complaints about Bei- jing’s plans for government- led technology development, cyberspying and China’s trade surplus. Beijing retaliated with higher duties on U.S. goods and told its importers to find other suppliers. That led to a 40 percent drop in Chinese imports of American goods in January. Washington, Europe, Japan and other trading part- ners complain plans such as “Made in China 2025,” which calls for government -led cre- ation of global competitors in robotics and other technolo- gies, violate Beijing’s market- opening obligations. China’s leaders have of- fered to narrow its multi- billion-dollar trade surplus with the United States by pur- chasing more natural gas, soy- beans and other exports. But they are resisting pressure to scale back industry plans they see as a path to pros- perity and global influence. Other stumbling blocks include Chinese resistance to U.S. pressure to accept an en- forcement mechanism with penalties to ensure Beijing carries out whatever commit- ments it makes. Trump said last week he might be willing to push back the March 2 date if the talks go well but Wash- ington has yet to say whether the negotiations are making enough progress. Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks at a news conference on Capitol Hill in January. – PHOTO: AP Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, right, talks with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer in Beijing earlier this month. China’s economy czar is going to Washington for talks Thursday and Friday aimed at ending a tariff war over Beijing’s technology ambitions. – PHOTO: AP9 WORLD®IONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 20, 2019 French rally against anti-Semitism; Macron visits Jewish cemetery China, Iran meet amid efforts to preserve nuclear deal BEIJING (AP) – The Iranian foreign minister’s passionate defense of his country’s in- terests at the Munich Secu- rity Conference has made him “a famous person” in China, his Chinese counter- part told him Tuesday, as the sides met amid efforts to pre- serve the 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran. Foreign Minister Mo- hammad Javad Zarif is leading an Iranian delegation to Bei- jing that includes parliamen- tary speaker Ali Larijani and the ministers of finance and petroleum, as well as the CEO of the country’s central bank. Germany, Britain, France, China, Russia and the Euro- pean Union have been trying to preserve the 2015 deal meant to keep Iran from ob- taining nuclear weapons in exchange for sanctions re- lief after the unilateral with- drawal of the United States last year. “Yesterday evening I saw on TV how you defended the rights of Iran loud and clear at the Munich Security Con- ference,” Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Zarif. “I think an audience of hun- dreds of millions of Chi- nese also watched what you said and you are a famous person now.” A perception held by many Chinese that the U.S. seeks to contain their nation’s global rise generates sympathy among the public for Iran and other countries, such as Ven- ezuela, identified by Wash- ington as hostile powers. Zarif told the Munich con- ference on Sunday that a barter-type system known as INSTEX set up last month by France, Germany and Britain to allow businesses to skirt direct financial transactions with Iran, and thereby evade possible U.S. sanctions, fell short of commitments to save the nuclear deal. He addressed the con- ference a day after U.S. Vice President Mike Pence prodded Germany, France and Britain to follow Wash- ington in withdrawing from the deal and to “stop under- mining U.S. sanctions.” Wang made no direct com- ments on China’s position on the deal in opening remarks before reporters on Tuesday, but said he was “really de- lighted” to meet with Zarif “given the major changes in the Middle East and the in- ternational landscape.” “I would like to take this opportunity to have this in- depth strategic communication with my old friend to deepen the strategic trust between our two countries and to ensure fresh progress of the bilateral comprehensive and strategic partnership,” Wang said. Asked about China’s po- sition on the Iran deal and Washington’s re-imposition of sanctions, foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said China had made clear its disapproval. “We have always opposed unilateral sanctions and long- arm jurisdiction,” Geng said, referring to U.S. efforts to compel other countries to ad- here to measures it imposes outside the United Nations. China has long sought to balance its relations in the Middle East between ri- vals Iran and Saudi Arabia – one of its chief suppliers of crude oil – whose de facto leader, Crown Prince Mo- hammed bin Salman, is due to visit Beijing on Thursday and Friday for meetings with President Xi Jinping and other Chinese officials. Iran is also an impor- tant source of crude imports to China, which has also in- vested in manufacturing and other industries in Iran. At the same time, China has sought to remain a friend to Israel – which Iran regards with hostility. PARIS (AP) – French resi- dents and public officials from across the political spectrum geared up Tuesday for nationwide rallies against anti-Semitism following a se- ries of anti-Semitic acts, in- cluding the swastikas painted on about 80 gravestones at a Jewish cemetery overnight. Just hours ahead of the events in Paris and other cities, French President Em- manuel Macron headed to the cemetery in Quatzenheim, a small Alsace town, and said he felt shame at the sight of the defaced markers. “This looks like absurd stupidity,” the French leader said, looking visibly sad and concerned. Macron observed several moments of silence in front of the vandalized graves while local Jewish commu- nity representatives stood by. “We will take action,” he promised. Later Tuesday, former French Presidents Francois Hollande and Nicolas Sar- kozy are set to join thousands of protesters and government officials on the Paris streets. The upsurge in anti-Sem- itism in France, home to the world’s largest Jewish popu- lation outside Israel and the United States, surged last weekend when a torrent of hate speech was directed at prominent philosopher Alain Finkielkraut during a march of yellow vest anti-govern- ment protesters. The assault came days after the French government reported a big rise in anti- Semitism last year: 541 regis- tered incidents, up 74 percent from 311 in 2017. In addition to the marches, Macron will join National As- sembly President Richard Fer- rand and the head of Senate, Gerard Larcher, to hold a mo- ment of silence at the Shoah memorial in Paris. “Every time a French person, because he or she is Jewish, is insulted, threat- ened – or worse, injured or killed – the whole Republic” is attacked, Macron said at a press conference in Paris after meeting with Georgia’s Presi- dent Salome Zurabishvili. Macron is not expected to attend the gathering at the Republic Square, but will de- liver a speech at Wednesday’s annual dinner by leading Jewish group CRIF. Prime Minister Edouard Philippe was to lead govern- ment officials at the main rally at Paris’s famed Re- public Square. “Anti-Semitism is deeply rooted in French society. We would like to think other- wise, but it is a fact,” Philippe told L’Express magazine. “We must be totally determined, I would say almost enraged, in our will to fight, with a clear awareness that this fight is an old one and will last a long time.” In other recent incidents, swastika graffiti was found on street portraits of Simone Veil – a survivor of Nazi death camps and a European Par- liament president who died in 2017. The word “Juden” was painted on the window of a bagel restaurant in Paris, and two trees planted at a memorial honoring a young Jewish man tortured to death in 2006 were vandalized, one cut down. Two youths were ar- rested Friday after they al- legedly fired shots at a syn- agogue with an air rifle in the Paris suburb of Sarcelles, where a large Jewish com- munity lives. Sarcelles mayor Patrick Haddad told BFMTV on Tuesday that prosecu- tors believe the motive was anti-Semitism. Political parties from across the spectrum will unite in Paris but Marine Le Pen’s far-right party will hold a separate event. According to sociolo- gist Danny Trom, author of the book “France Without Jews,” thousands of Jewish people leave France every year because the rise of anti-Semitism. “This is a low-intensity war, perhaps, but let’s not forget the murder of children killed at close range by Mo- hamed Merah in a school,” Trom told French maga- zine Telerama, referring to the murder in 2012 of three children and a teacher from a Jewish school by an Is- lamic extremist in the south- western city of Toulouse. “It is without equivalent in the history of France,” he said. “Jews have been present in France since the dawn of time. Now, the pres- sure is such that they are led to consider their country inhospitable.” French President Emmanuel Macron, right, with France’s Chief Rabbi Haim Korsia, center, leave the Jewish cemetery where tombs were tagged with swastikas in Quatzenheim, eastern France, Tuesday. - PHOTO: APNext >