ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – THURSDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2019 High of 84 Low of 75 Moderate with wave heights of 3 to 5 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 MILLER ‘FLYING BLIND’ IN COMPLAINTS ABOUT CIAA RECRUITMENT ENTERTAINMENT | PAGE 16 DESIGNER KARL LAGERFELD DIES IN PARIS Regulated in the Cayman Islands as a licensed insurer by the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority. Incorporated in Guernsey under Company Registration No. 27151. Registered Head Office address: Generali Worldwide Insurance Company Limited, Generali House, Hirzel Street, St Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands GY1 4PA. Head Office: Regulated in Guernsey as a licensed Insurer by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission under the Insurance Business (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law, 2002 (as amended). Generali Worldwide Insurance Company Limited is part of the Generali Group, listed in the Italian Insurance Group Register under number 026. Call us to learn how we can support your business today. For more on our health insurance plans contact donovon.kellyman@ihs.ky HOSPITAL OVERTIME INVESTIGATION REMAINS UNDER WRAPS JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A government report into the possible abuse of overtime by security staff at the Health Services Authority cannot be released until a criminal investigation on the matter is complete, the Ombudsman has ruled. The Cayman Compass had asked for the Internal Audit Service’s report on the HSA’s se- curity department to be made public through a Freedom of Information Request. The authority refused access, citing the fact that the matter is under investigation by law enforcement. That decision was upheld on appeal to the Ombudsman, the independent body that has jurisdiction over open records disputes. In a letter to the Compass, the Ombudsman noted, “I have confirmed that there is in an on- going investigation concerning financial irreg- ularities in the remuneration of members of the Health Services Authority’s (HSA) Security Department and I agree that it would be pre- mature and unreasonable to release this re- cord to you at this time. “Therefore, I conclude that the exemptions applied to the record responsive to your re- quest are in fact engaged and the record has been appropriately withheld at this time.” The Ombudsman noted that the record would be eligible for release once the inves- tigation is complete, though it is not clear when that will happen. The Anti-Corruption Commission, which is believed to be the in- vestigating authority in this case, does not give details of its investigations. The Com- pass previously reported the arrest of two supervisors in the HSA’s security office by the ‘RECORD PROFITABILITY’ FOR BUTTERFIELD Butterfield Bank’s reported annual net income grew from $153.3 million in 2017 to $192.5 million in 2018, or $2.76 per diluted common share to $3.50 per share. A year marked by ex- pansions, acquisitions and improved returns led to “record profitability,” said Michael Collins, the banking group’s chairman and CEO. For more on this story, see page 3. Abraaj close to selling major assets KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Abraaj Group, once the largest private equity firm in the Middle East, is close to reaching a key milestone in the troubled company’s ongoing restructuring in the Cayman Islands. Abraaj’s provisional liquida- tors are finalizing the sale of as- sets that may allow Abraaj to avoid being wound up, according to statements made Wednesday in Grand Court. The Abraaj Group allegedly owes creditors some US$1 bil- lion and has been accused of misusing hundreds of millions of dollars, including funds from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foun- dation and the World Bank’s In- ternational Finance Corporation. Abraaj’s largest creditor, Ku- wait’s Public Institution for So- cial Security, has filed a petition in the Grand Court for the com- pany’s Cayman entities – Abraaj Holdings and Abraaj Investment Management Ltd. – to be wound up and liquidated. However, Abraaj’s provisional liquidators – Deloitte and Price- waterhouseCoopers – have suc- cessfully lobbied the court to delay that winding-up petition and allow them more time to re- structure Abraaj’s assets. At the latest court hearing on Wednesday, attorneys for the provisional liquidators said they were close to completing the sale of investment-management rights to funds in several re- gions throughout the world. Currently, Abraaj is in the post-sale process for its Latin CIAA responds to Miller’s criticisms of recruiting KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands Airports Authority has responded to “deep concern” expressed by Opposition Leader Ezzard Miller that the CIAA is recruiting too many air-traffic con- trollers from overseas, and may be blocking future management opportunities for Cay- manians as a result. On Monday, Mr. Miller released a state- ment criticizing the CIAA for seeking to in- crease its air-traffic control staff by more than 50 percent when air traffic has only in- creased by a fraction of that in recent years. Mr. Miller further criticized CIAA’s hiring advertisements that allegedly offer suc- cessful candidates a two-year contract with a development plan for eligible employees. Overseas recruits that are hired will likely “take root” here and block opportunities for Caymanians, he said. “The large disparity in ratio of aircraft movements and staffing numbers makes the recruitment of such a large number of new air traffic controllers highly suspect,” Mr. Miller said. “On the face of it, this just does not seem justifiable, especially as it is very likely to place these jobs ultimately out of reach of Caymanians.” However, the CIAA responded to Mr. Miller’s comments on Tuesday, disputing PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » After Opposition Leader Ezzard Miller expressed ‘deep concern’ over the Cayman Islands Airports Authority’s overseas recruitment of air-traffic controllers, the authority stated that there is only one work-permit holder among its 196 employees. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 »2 LOCAL®IONAL THURSDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS • Matinees Daily (matinee price before 6pm) • Seniors $8.00, Mon-Fri Before 6pm • Additional charges apply per 3D/VIP tickets Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. - THURSDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) 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 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 FEMALE SOCCER PLAYERS IN COLOMBIA DENOUNCE DISCRIMINATION BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) – Two female players have accused the Colom- bian soccer federation of threatening to fire them for denouncing sexual discrimination. Isabella Echeverri and Melissa Ortiz, who both play for Colom- bia’s national team, crit- icized the conditions of female players in Co- lombia in videos posted on social media. “We have decided to be honest about the reality of soccer in our country with a series of videos that we hope boost aware- ness,” they wrote in a text accompanying the videos. “We love our country and we want things to change for the better for fe- male players.” “We feel threatened. We are not paid,” they add in the videos. “They don’t provide international flights for us. Our uni- forms are old. The federa- tion has excluded players for speaking out.” The federation has not responded to the accusations. In 2017, the federation and professional league Di- mayor started a women’s soccer league. It will play its third season this year. The female players want to reduce the long periods between each season and be paid enough to live off their wages. Millonarios and Sergio Arboleda University are starting a women’s team next season. The players who join the new club will have stipends, but wages will still be low. “The women’s league is becoming shorter and shorter. The players are working in increasingly precarious conditions,” Ortiz told local radio broadcaster La W. Echeverri and Ortiz have posted different versions of the videos, including one in English. “We seek visibility and to boost awareness of the reality of women’s soccer,” Echeverri said. “They only show us when we play in the World Cup or the Olympic Games.” The message of the players comes weeks after the owner of Deportes To- lima, Gabriel Camargo, said that women’s soccer in Colombia is a “breeding ground for lesbianism” and accused female players of not behaving profes- sionally and drinking too much alcohol. Camargo later apologized. Deadly crackdown stokes fear among protesters in Venezuela CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) – Jhonny Godoy had taken to Twitter to proclaim his op- position to President Nicolas Maduro, posting a video that showed him running through the streets waving the na- tional flag as protests erupted across Venezuela’s capital. Two days later, his family said, rifle-wielding special police agents wearing black masks stormed into their home in the Caracas slum of La Vega, pulled him outside and shot him to death. The slaying of the 29-year- old was part of a crackdown that has spread fear among young protesters in poor neighborhoods of Venezuela, where a history of steadfast loyalty to Maduro has begun to crack amid hyperinflation and shortages of food and medicine. At least 43 people have been killed in the round of protests that began last month, when Juan Guaido, the head of the opposition- controlled congress, declared himself interim president of the crisis-wracked country. Human rights groups say some of those deaths appear to be targeted slayings by the National Police Action Force, or FAES, an elite commando unit created in 2017 for anti- gang operations. Rights groups say it is now acting against disaffected youths living in the slums. “Maduro seeks to sow fear,” said Ra- fael Uzcategui, coordinator of the respected rights group Venezuelan Education-Action Program on Human Rights, known as PROVEA. More than 700 opponents of Maduro have been arrested during the latest push by Venezuela’s op- position to oust the socialist leader, according to PROVEA and a crime monitoring group, Observatory of Social Conflict. Maduro is facing more pressure than ever to cede power in the oil-rich nation. The Trump administration recently sanctioned Venezu- ela’s state-owned oil com- pany, squeezing the coun- try’s damaged economy even harder, and Guaido has been recognized as the coun- try’s rightful leader by the U.S. and dozens of other na- tions that argue Maduro’s re- election to a second six-year term last year was fraudu- lent. A new round of sanc- tions Friday targeted four high-ranking intelligence of- ficials, including the heads of the FAES commando unit and the feared SEBIN intelli- gence police. The country has seen the largest protests since 2017, when 120 people died in clashes with national guardsmen and pro-govern- ment civilians who fired on the masked demonstrators in middle-class neighborhoods. Now, critics say, Maduro is hitting back by sending secu- rity forces into the slums to try to suppress dissent. PROVEA and Observatory say they recorded 35 deaths during a single week in Jan- uary – most at night in poor neighborhoods – in addition to eight cases of apparent targeted killings by members of the elite commando unit. Godoy’s cousin, Mar- velis Sinai, said that when agents burst into the fami- ly’s home on Jan. 25, Godoy’s mother Ana Buitrago saw her son beaten and dragged out as she begged for his life. Minutes later, she heard two gunshots. Godoy was shot in the ab- domen and foot, and a dis- posable diaper was shoved in his mouth, apparently to suf- focate him, Sinai said. She said the family be- lieves his killing was linked to the video he posted on Twitter two days earlier. “I’m going to continue demonstrating because I learned it from my cousin,” said Sinai, who works for an opposition politician who hands out free food in the slums. “He died so we can have a free Venezuela.” The case gained special prominence when a tearful Guaido met with Godoy’s mother at her home and as- sured her that her son’s death would not be in vain. Later, during a news confer- ence, Guaido blamed the elite police commando unit for the killing. Authorities have not com- mented on the case. But it’s not the first time the special agents have been linked to deadly operations. PROVEA released a report last month accusing the unit of involve- ment in more than 200 kill- ings in 2018. Human Rights Watch also detailed widespread abuses by members of Vene- zuela’s security forces in re- ports published in 2014 and 2017. It quoted Foro Penal, a Venezuelan group that pro- vides legal aid to detainees, as saying that more than 13,000 people have been ar- rested since 2014 in con- nection with anti-govern- ment protests. 412,000 iguanas culled in 16 weeks Last week cullers removed nearly 14,000 green iguanas from Grand Cayman. That brings the total number of iguanas culled to more than 412,000, over the 16-week lifespan of the project. With the program set to conclude at the end of the year, cullers still have about 900,000 green iguanas to go in order to reach the target number of 1.3 mil- lion iguanas. Cullers are being paid $4.50 a head, rising to $5 if they meet monthly and an- nual targets, in an effort to wipe out the invasive species in Grand Cayman. P a c e t o r e a c h 1 . 3 m i ll i o n t a r g e t Members of the National Police Action Force, or FAES, an elite commando unit created for anti-gang operations, patrol the Antimano neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, Tuesday. - PHOTO: AP The female players want to reduce the long periods between each season and be paid enough to live off their wages.3 LOCAL®IONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2019 Butterfield Bank reports ‘record profitability’ in 2018 STORE EMPLOYEE FOILS ATTEMPTED ROBBERY 50 YEARS AGO The 1969 Agriculture Show A worker at a store on God- frey Nixon Way thwarted an at- tempted robbery by a masked man Monday night. Police responded to a report made shortly after 8:30 p.m. that a lone masked man had entered the store and pointed an object, covered with a cloth, at a worker and de- manded cash. According to a Royal Cayman Is- lands Police Service news release, “A struggle ensued, during which the masked man was struck with a stick by the worker. The masked man then fled the scene on foot.” Police said nothing was taken during the incident and no inju- ries occurred. “The object brandished by the culprit during the incident does not appear to have been a firearm or other weapon,” according to the news release. Police are investigating the at- tempted robbery. The suspect was described as being 5 foot 6 inches tall, dressed in black shoes, dark jeans, a black hoodie, and with a black cloth over his face. In the Feb. 20, 1969 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a pre- cursor of the Cayman Com- pass, the front page carried a re- port on the annual Agriculture Show. It read: ”The 1969 Agriculture Show was a great occasion with many outstanding exhibits in many of the 262 classes open for competition. “These covered horses, cattle, poultry, dogs, rabbits, roots and tubers, vegetables, fruits, grains and nuts, home products, fur- niture, all types of handicraft, needlework, school exhibits and horticulture. “The Baby Show and Beauty Competitions in the afternoon at- tracted a large crowd. Entertain- ment was provided by the Torna- does, The Links, and The Humble and The Meek, Cayman’s three dance bands, and also by Stanley Panton (ventriloquist) and his friend Leroy.” The edition also carried a short report on the state opening of the Legislative Assembly: “The Legislative Assembly of the Cayman Islands opened with unusual pomp and ceremony. “Programmes for the State Opening having been widely dis- tributed, there was a very large gathering in the Town Hall for this historic occasion. “After the arrival of Mr. Jus- tice Horsfall and His Honour the Administrator and the in- spection of a Guard of Honour mounted by the Cayman Islands Police Force under the command of Inspector Roy Archer, the Commissioner of Police knocked three times on the main door of the Town Hall. The door was opened by the Clerk of the Leg- islature who led the procession, including His Honour the Ad- ministrator, Mr. Justice Horsfall and the Commissioner of Police down the Chamber to the dais. “Rev. Neil Banks led in prayer and this was followed by the Budget Speech, which will be published in full in our next issue. “Mr. T. W. Farrington, senior elected member of the House, thanked His Honour for his ad- dress and the House adjourned.” MICHAEL KLEIN mklein@pinnaclemedialtd.com Butterfield Bank ended 2018 on a high with fourth quarter net income of $50.9 million or $0.92 per share, compared to $50.4 mil- lion in the third quarter of 2018 and $40.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2017. The banking group’s an- nual net income grew from $153.3 million to $195.2 mil- lion last year, or $3.50 per diluted common share com- pared to $2.76 per share in 2017. Core net income, which includes revenue, gains, losses and expense items incurred in the normal course of business, jumped to $197 million from $158.9 mil- lion a year earlier. The strong income growth benefited from a $62 million increase in interest income from interest earned on loans as a result of larger volumes and higher rates. The March 2018 acquisition of Deutsche Bank’s Global Trust Solutions business contributed to the $10.9 million increase in non- interest income with higher trust fees and revenue. At the same time, the ex- panded trust business and new teams led to a $14.6 mil- lion increase in salaries and other employee benefits. Last year Butterfield also acquired Deutsche Bank’s banking and custody business in Cayman, Jersey and Guernsey. Michael Collins, Butter- field’s chairman and chief ex- ecutive officer, said 2018 was an important year for Butter- field, as the group completed two strategic and accretive acquisitions and continued to grow its residential loan port- folio in central London, while at the same time “producing industry leading returns.” The bank’s return on eq- uity and return on assets both improved last year. Core return on average tangible equity reached 25.6 percent up from 22.4 percent in 2017. The return on average assets for the year was 1.8 percent, up from 1.4 percent. The group reported an- other “solid set of financial results in the fourth quarter, which contributed to Butter- field’s record profitability,” Mr. Collins said. “Our strong risk-adjusted returns benefited from a profitable and highly rated investment portfolio, a con- servatively underwritten loan book, diversified fee income and diligent management of expenses.” Looking ahead, the But- terfield chief executive sees the bank well positioned for organic growth and said the group would continue to seek strategic acquisitions in pri- vate trust and banking in its current markets. Average customer de- posit balances in the fourth quarter of 2018 of $9.1 billion were down from $9.4 billion in the third quarter of 2018 and $9.7 billion in the fourth quarter of 2017. Year on year, total as- sets under administration for the trust business increased slightly to $96.1 billion from $95.4 billion but dropped for the custody business from $27.5 billion to $24.5 billion. Assets under management also declined from $5 billion to $4.8 billion. Butterfield increased its total capital ratio under Basel III calculations to 22.4 percent last year from 19.9 percent in 2017, put- ting the capitalization signifi- cantly above what is required by the regulations. Mr. Collins said, “We are strongly capitalized and re- main committed to an at- tractive investor return profile with an increased quarterly cash dividend, as well as a larger share repur- chase program.” The board increased the quarterly dividend from $0.38 to $0.44 per common share to be paid on March 15, 2019 to shareholders of re- cord on March 4, 2019. Butterfield maintains a board-approved share repur- chase authorization of up to 2.5 million common shares available for capital man- agement. During the fourth quarter of 2018, Butter- field repurchased 1.3 million common shares, completing the repurchases authorized under the bank’s previously announced share repur- chase program. Looking ahead, the Butterfield chief executive sees the bank well positioned for organic growth and said the group would continue to seek strategic acquisitions in private trust and banking in its current markets. “ A struggle ensued, during which the masked man was struck with a stick by the worker. The masked man then fled the scene on foot.” ROYAL CAYMAN ISLANDS POLICE SERVICE The Butterfield Bank building in downtown George Town. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY TWO MEN ARRESTED FOR DRUGS, GAMBLING Police officers ar- rested two Bodden Town men on Tuesday for of- fenses involving ganja and gambling. At about 5:40 p.m., of- ficers on patrol in the area of Cumber Avenue stopped and spoke to a 48-year-old man who was behaving suspiciously, according to a Royal Cayman Islands Po- lice Service news release. “The man was sub- sequently searched by the officers and packets of what is believed to be ganja [were] found on him. Prior to being search the man was seen discarding items into a garbage bin and when the bin was searched, lottery number papers were located,” ac- cording to police. The man was arrested on suspicion of drugs and gambling-related offenses. A second man, age 42, who was also in the area, was also searched and found to be in possession of an illegal lottery ticket, police said. The 48-year-old man remained in custody as of Wednesday afternoon, police said, while the 42-year-old man was re- leased on bail. MEXICO ACTIVIST KILLED DAYS BEFORE PIPELINE REFERENDUM MEXICO CITY (AP) – A com- munity activist fighting against a plan to build a gas pipeline through his central Mexico town was killed Wednesday, three days before a scheduled public referendum on the energy generation project. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador condemned the murder of Samir Flores Sober- anes as “vile, cowardly.” But Lopez Obrador said the public referendum on the Morelos Compre- hensive Project will go on as scheduled. Local communities have been fighting for years against the project, which would include two thermo- electric plants, a gas pipe- line to supply the plant with natural gas from Tlax- cala state and an aque- duct. The mostly indige- nous communities around the Popocatepetl volcano, including Flores’ town of Amilcingo, have concerns about health, safety and the water supply. The Peoples in De- fense of Land and Water Front, of which Flores was a member, said in a statement that two ve- hicles parked in front of Flores’ home around 5 a.m. Wednesday. People inside the vehicles called to him and then shot him when he came out. The Morelos state gov- ernment said in a state- ment that Flores was shot in the doorway to his home and died later at a nearby hospital. It said the murder was under investigation, but so far there “is no in- dication that the murder is related to” the upcoming referendum. It said the state security apparatus knows of a high number of criminal groups operating in the area.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” If Opposition Leader Ezzard Miller had to undergo emergency life-saving surgery, would he stop the doctors from scrubbing up, in order to check their immigration status? If he were being robbed, would he turn police away if he thought the responding officers were not from the Cayman Islands? We presume not, because – as most rational people would agree – it makes no difference where a skilled professional or highly qualified expert is from – nor what their gender, religion, marital status or favorite color, for that matter, happens to be. When the best person is needed for a job, only the best will do. Demo- graphic details do not apply. The role of air traffic controller certainly meets the criteria of a demanding and exacting profession that must, without fail, be conducted only by exceptionally qualified individuals. These are, after all, the people whose responsibility is to manage the complex and voluminous flow of air traffic in and out of the airport airspace, ensuring the safe departure and arrival of airplanes (which ferried more than 1.2 million passen- gers in and out of Owen Roberts International Airport, alone, last year). In a statement released early this week, Mr. Miller called the Cayman Islands Airports Authority’s regional recruitment drive for air traffic controllers “highly suspect,” writing, “On the face of it, this just doesn’t seem justifiable, especially as it is very likely to place these jobs ultimately out of reach of Caymanians.” Mr. Miller accused the CIAA of “dangling” generous benefits packages like “carrots” to recruit international workers. Mr. Miller’s purported fear is that skilled and qualified overseas recruits may take root and “become absorbed on a permanent basis” into the fabric of Cayman’s community. The representative from North Side’s complaint is based on the absurd protectionist fantasy that a small population such as Cayman’s can find “homegrown” experts in all the specialized fields necessary for prosperity in a complex global economy. That, of course, is fiction. What is true, however, and thankfully so, is that Cayman is in the position to draw talent from all over the world – not all territories, or even large nations, are so fortunate. Indeed, because of a variety of economic and social deficiencies, many municipalities and jurisdictions find themselves having to make do with poorly qualified candidates who yield predictably poor results. Mr. Miller’s “deep concern” about recent interna- tional recruitment efforts by the Airports Authority is, in brief, short-sighted and misplaced. Beyond the fundamentals, Mr. Miller’s assumptions about this particular scenario are mistaken, as the CIAA pointed out in a lengthy response on Wednesday (see today’s Front Page story). The CIAA outlined in great detail the authority’s exhaustive efforts to recruit and train local air traffic controller candidates in recent years. The CIAA pointed out the inherent advantage that local candidates have over international applicants, writing, “It is neither advantageous nor prudent to pay for contracted services, whenever local candidates are available. The CIAA has evidenced our commitment to recruiting and training our local population by its current employee head count of 196 employees, with exactly one Work-Permit holder.” One. Miller ‘flying blind’ in complaints about CIAA recruitment My memory lane trip to Cayman, in January, my first visit since I and my hus- band, Chris, lived there in the ’70s, could not have been more memorable! Hugh and Angela Kirkaldy met me on arrival and taxied me to my accommoda- tion near the airport. They took me on an island tour later that week. During a walkabout, I lo- cated one of the houses we had lived in and spent a few hours reminiscing with Robert Hennings, who still lives on Crewe Road. The next day I went into the Artifacts antique shop. The owner, Charles Adams, is brother-in-law to Anne Goulden, who I was going to see the next day. We worked together with Desmond Seales at the Nor’wester. Anne drove me to see where we had lived, in West Bay. After, we had lunch in Camana Bay. I cannot say I am enamoured by the number of concrete build- ings and traffic jams there are now on the island, but tourism and tax planning bring jobs and everyone seemed happy! Their main concern being hurricanes! I listened to many tales about Hurricane Ivan. Houses were rendered matchsticks and ocean surges flooded coast- line properties up to four feet. However, Northside and East End didn’t suffer as much, so many traditional Caymanian homes still stand and make a refreshing change from the hustle of Seven Mile Beach. One morning I visited Ms. Olive Miller, OBE, at The Pines and reminisced with Marie Rivers. I showed her our old photos, newspapers and magazines. I told her I had more at home in England and would love to bring them over to Cayman myself next year! But we will see …! Mary Mae Lewis THURSDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Escaping from New York Last week, there was the pitiful scene of Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York begging President Trump to restore a tax provision which un- fairly benefited New Yorkers. It seems that many high-in- come New Yorkers have been moving their tax homes to Florida, undermining the New York tax base. Those who live in New York City may be paying state and local income tax rates, in addition to the fed- eral tax, of over 12 percent, giving some an overall tax burden of approximately 50 percent. Florida imposes no state and local income taxes in addition to the fed- eral income tax – yet Florida is booming, with a budget surplus, while New York is mired in debt. New York was the great “Empire State” for well over a century. It was the richest state by far with the largest population. It had arguably the best natural seaport in the world. The Hudson River and Erie Canal system en- abled New Yorkers to access raw materials and export manufactured goods all the way to Minnesota inexpen- sively by water – and then to and from Europe and the rest of the world. Western New York State had rich agricultural lands with plenty of rainfall. The City of Buffalo and the sur- rounding area was a great center of heavy industry, with access to cheap elec- trical power from nearby Ni- agara Falls. Rochester was the “silicon valley” of a hun- dred years ago, with many of the high-tech firms of the time, like Kodak, Bausch and Lomb, and what became Xerox, and many others. New York is rich in natural gas, but the politicians will not allow fracking so it is depen- dent on other states. New York also had many outstanding educa- tional institutions, which were great assets to the sci- ences, culture and business within the state. New York has scenic areas like the Hudson River Valley, two mountain ranges, the Finger Lakes, the Long Island beaches, Niagara Falls, and much else. The state had everything going for it. But the political class managed to destroy much of what made New York the Empire State with excessive taxes and regulations, and plain old theft. New York lost the population title, first to California, and then Texas passed it by, and two years ago, Florida ousted New York as the third most-pop- ulous state. At the beginning of the American Republic in 1790, Virginia had the largest pop- ulation of the states, but within two decades New York had surpassed it. Much of the Virginia infrastructure was destroyed during the Civil War, and the Commonwealth of Virginia did not fully re- cover for more than 80 years. After coming to terms with the civil rights era, Virginia prospered, with (for the most part) non-corrupt and com- petent politicians. Political control swept back and forth between civil and moderate politicians of both parties. The economy diversified with a major high-tech center in Northern Virginia, and pop- ulation and real incomes grew at a solid pace. So both Virginians and the rest of America were shocked when the three top elected offi- cials, all Democrats, revealed themselves not to be Vir- ginia gentlemen but to have feet of clay. Meanwhile, the state of Florida, without a legacy of great universities or po- litical and cultural insti- tutions, created an envi- ronment where businesses could flourish without undue tax burdens and govern- ment interference. It went from being a poor state to a prosperous one. The citizens of New York should be asking: Why they pay such high state and local income tax rates while the citizens of Florida get by perfectly well without any state income tax; Why they have three times more per capita debt than Floridians, and infrastructure that is in far worse shape; Why Vir- ginia and Florida are run- ning budget surpluses while New York is running a huge deficit; Why it takes a third more of their citizens’ per- sonal income to run the gov- ernment than in Virginia or Florida; Why their state takes twice the percentage of per capita income in taxes than Virginia and Florida; And why the members of the legislature are paid sev- eral times those in Virginia and Florida for doing an inferior job. When it comes to taxes and government services, people’s feet tell more than their mouths. Richard W. Rahn is chairman of the Institute for Global Economic Growth and Improbable Success Productions. © 2019, The Washington Times, LLC. RICHARD W. RAHN LETTER TO THE EDITOR Former resident enjoys her recent visit5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2019 Man came for KAABOO, stayed for court Two bullets found in his backpack at airport CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A young man who came to Cayman to attend the KAABOO festival this past weekend ended up staying longer than he intended be- cause he was obliged to at- tend Summary Court. Late Tuesday, he ap- peared before Magistrate Valdis Foldats charged with possession of unlicensed firearms – two bullets – and pleaded guilty. Crown counsel Scott Wainwright said the bul- lets were found when the man was at Owen Roberts Airport on Sunday, Feb. 17, preparing to depart on a U.S.-bound flight. When his backpack was put through the X-ray machine, the items were seen and retrieved by authorities. The man, 21, said he had gone hiking with a friend a few weeks before his trip to Cayman. He had found the ammunition, decided to keep it, and put it in the backpack. Defense attorney Gregory Burke explained that the de- fendant had intended to dis- play the bullets in his room, but subsequently forgot about them. His parents have kept a holiday apartment in Cayman for the past 15 years and he has vis- ited frequently, almost con- sidering Cayman as his second home. He had arrived on is- land some days before the festival and the backpack had remained in the apart- ment the whole time, Mr. Burke said. It was never the defen- dant’s intention to disre- spect the laws of these is- lands, the attorney added. The situation now was that the young man in- tended to join the U.S. Army, so Mr. Burke asked that no conviction be recorded against him. He suggested that his client had learned a valuable lesson from his ex- perience over the weekend and his time in custody. The magistrate agreed that being detained, ques- tioned and held in custody would have been “a wake-up call” as to the seriousness of the offense. He accepted that the de- fendant did genuinely forget about the bullets, and this showed the difference in at- titudes and laws when com- paring Cayman with the U.S. and other countries. The magistrate took into account the young man’s as- pirations and granted an ab- solute discharge, meaning no conviction would be re- corded. There was still a “sting,” he said, because he was ordering the defendant to pay costs of prosecu- tion in the sum of $1,000 or serve 90 days. The Cayman Compass does not typically name de- fendants for whom no con- viction is recorded. The man, 21, said he had gone hiking with a friend a few weeks before his trip to Cayman. He had found the ammunition, decided to keep it, and put it in the backpack. Two fined for illegal gaming Magistrate suggests changes in Gambling Law CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Two people were or- dered this week to pay $300 each in fines and costs after pleading guilty to un- lawful gaming. Venceroy Evarton Bernard, 43, and Monique Gooden, 27, were charged after an inci- dent in West Bay on April 13, 2018. They admitted to the offense, but denied keeping or using a place as a common gaming house. On Tuesday, Crown counsel Scott Wainwright confirmed that no evidence was being offered on this second charge, so Magistrate Valdis Foldats proceeded to sentence. Mr. Wainwight said po- lice received information that illegal gambling was taking place in a certain area. Around 9 a.m., they at- tended the scene and saw someone run inside a house. On gaining entry, the officers saw receipt books and other items related to gambling. Mr. Bernard had approxi- mately $300, but said it was for legitimate use. There was other cash at the premises, but the Crown accepted the pleas to illegal gaming. Defense attorney John Furniss advised the court that neither defendant had any previous convictions and Ms. Gooden had entered her pleas relatively early. The magistrate noted that the maximum fine for un- lawful gaming is $400. Anec- dotally, it seemed the court was getting more and more of these cases, he remarked, so the court had to send a message. “But that is hard to do when the maximum is $400,” he observed. For that reason, he added a cost order. Taking into account the guilty pleas, he reduced each fine to $200 or 20 days in lieu of payment. He then imposed a cost order of $100 or 10 days. The magistrate com- mented that the Director of Public Prosecutions might wish to suggest to the At- torney General that the max- imum fine could be changed in the law and there could be amendments that would give the courts more options. Mr. Furniss pointed out that the fine used to be 10 pounds sterling until that sum got updated some years ago. The Gambling (Amend- ment) Bill was scheduled for consideration in the Legisla- tive Assembly in 2018. Pro- posals included increased fines for a number of of- fenses to $10,000 and terms of imprisonment to three years. In late November, how- ever, it was announced that government was postponing the matter. ‘Reefs Go Live’ ready to go live soon Year 5 and 6 students will get direct insight into what’s under the water off the shores of the Cayman Islands as a second year of “Reefs Go Live” is presented by the Central Caribbean Marine Institute. The program allows school children to interact with a live feed from scien- tists diving in Little Cayman who point out various forms of sea life and discuss im- portant aspects of reef bi- ology and ecology. This year’s series, which begins March 20, will introduce six new lessons. Topics include inverte- brate animals, fish adapta- tions, diving off the wall, mangroves and food chains. The lessons are aligned with the Cayman Islands Science National Curriculum stan- dards, which assists teachers in knowing how the program can help achieve teaching standards as set forth by the Ministry of Education. “‘Reefs Go Live’ is de- signed so that all students are able to have direct ac- cess to learning about coral reefs through participating in the live dive sessions,” Katie Correia, science and education manager for CCMI, said in a statement. “Having the chance to see coral reefs live and ask questions di- rectly to the scientist who is underwater is a special experience.” A recent workshop in Grand Cayman was de- signed to show teachers how to use the program to en- hance teaching in the class- room. Attendees received a printed book of the 12 lesson plans for Reefs Go Live (six lessons from 2018 and the new 2019 lessons) as well as a resource kit full of items to aid teachers in discus- sions about environmental changes and coral bleaching, ocean acidification and even in dissecting a lionfish. A similar session is planned for teachers in the Sister Islands. While aimed primarily at covering science objectives for Years 5 and 6, information shared during each broadcast may be applicable to other ages and can be included in cross-curricular activities. Interested teachers should contact CCMI at info@reefresearch.org. This screen grab from a ‘Reefs Go Live’ session shows a diver working with a piece of bleached coral. - PHOTO: COURTESY OF CCMI A young man on island for KAABOO had to extend his time in Cayman after two bullets were found in his bag at the airport. ANNUAL REPORT SHOWS LOWER TEMPS IN CAYMAN The average tempera- ture in the Cayman Islands took a slight dip in 2018 on an ever increasing trajec- tory that has seen a nearly four-degree increase in the past 47 years, according to the annual report from the Cayman Islands National Weather Service. Rainfall totals were down, continuing a trend that has seen a reduction of 10 inches per year since 1957. Temperatures were slightly higher in Cayman Brac than in Grand Cayman and rainfall was lower, the report said. The average annual tem- perature for Grand Cayman was 82.6 degrees. The highest temperature recorded during the year was 92.3 degrees on Aug. 9. July, however, was the warmest month of the year with an average temper- ature of 85.9 degrees. January was the coldest month, with an average tem- perature of 77.8. It also had the lowest single temperature recorded for the year, a low of 68 degrees on Jan. 6. The report said rain- fall totaled 43.47 inches for the year, 12.73 inches less than the normal of 56.20 inches. The wettest month was September, with 13.5 inches recorded. The driest month was February with just 0.29 inch recorded. The heaviest day of rain was May 12, when 3.8 inches fell in 24 hours. Cayman Brac saw an annual average tempera- ture of 83.2 degrees. July was the hottest month, with an average temperature of 86.8 and it also had the highest recorded temperature of 92.1 degrees on July 23. January, the coolest month, had an average tem- perature of 78.2 degrees. The lowest temperature of the year was near the end of the year on Dec. 11, when the thermometer recorded a rela- tively chilly 67.6 degrees. The islands’ most-trusted news source 6 Community CALENDAR ■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR is published TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. THURSDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS THURSDAY, FEB. 21 SISTER ISLANDS SPORTS DAYS: Cayman Brac and Little Cayman primary schools meet for sports days at Cayman Brac Sports Complex 4 p.m. today and 9 a.m. tomorrow. BRAC SUMMARY COURT: 10 a.m. at the Aston Rutty Civic Centre. HUMANE SOCIETY QUIZ: Pub trivia at Fidel Murphy’s to raise funds for the Humane Society. 7 p.m. Anna Haydon will be hosting. $10 entrance fee per person, maximum 6 people on a team. FRIDAY, FEB. 22 FLAG DAY: Today and tomorrow, Feb. 23, supporters of Jasmine, previously known as Cayman HospiceCare, will be collecting funds for the charity. Jasmine is seeking individuals to volunteer for two hours on either day, at a location of their choice. Monies raised go directly to facilitating the care and support provided by Jasmine. Contact kerrie@jasmine.ky to volunteer. SATURDAY, FEB. 23 5/10K RUN OR WALK: SafeHaven Drive, by the Holiday Inn. 6 a.m. Registrations. 6:30 a.m. Walk starts. 6:45 a.m. Run starts. Fee is Adults $10, Children (under 10) $5. Includes refreshments, entry into raffle draw with lots of prizes. All proceeds benefit Girlguiding Cayman Islands. Pre- register at Cayman Active at www.caymanactive.com/ guiding. Please, no dogs at the event. FELLOWSHIP BREAKFAST: The Grand Cayman chapter of the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International will hold its monthly breakfast this morning at 7:30 a.m., at Aroma (formerly Lola’s) restaurant in Camana Bay. The speaker will be Camille Marshall-Morris of the Health Services Authority. WEDNESDAY, FEB. 27 CONSERVATION COUNCIL: The National Conservation Council general meeting will begin at 2 p.m. at the George Town Public Library (old library section). The agenda is posted at www.doe.ky/ natl-conservation-council/ general-meetings. This meeting is open to observers from the public. Email comments or questions to the NCC in advance of the meeting to conservationcouncil@gov.ky. THURSDAY, FEB. 28 LIONFISH CULLING: Today is the deadline to register for the next lionfish culling tournament organized by Cayman United Lionfish League. It will be held on March 2 and 3. Registration is at The Lodge in the Strand. More information on Facebook page, www.facebook.com/ CullCaymanUnited LionfishLeague. BABY SHOW: This is the deadline for registration to take part in the annual Baby Show at the Agriculture Show, Ash Wednesday. March 6. Enter the little ones, boys and girls; ages 0–48 months. For more information, call 929-9932. CONCERT AT LIBRARY: Cayman Arts Festival and the Cayman Islands Public Library Service present a one-hour concert at the George Town Public Library (historical building). The concert, 6-7 p.m., includes classical music, in addition to poetry and readings from local poets and writers. Tickets available at the door, $20 for adults, $5 for children. The event is part of a monthly series. There will be only 75 tickets per event. ROTARY OLYMPICS: The Rotary Club of Grand Cayman will host backyard games, including Giant Jenga, Connect 4, Twister and Cornhole, among others, today to raise funds to help send the Cayman Islands Special Olympics team to compete in the World Summer Games in the United Arab Emirates next month. 5:30 p.m. at Sea Alissa, the Thompsons’ home at 702 South Church Street. Register online at www.caymanactive.com. $120 for teams of four; $35 for individuals. PUBLIC INPUT: Today is the last day for the public to share feedback about the National Planning Framework, which sets out long-term goals for land use and physical development as part of the Development Plan for Grand Cayman. More information at www.plancayman.ky. Printed copies of the document can be viewed at the PlanCayman Information Counter, located in the lobby of the Government Administration Building. SATURDAY, MARCH 2 LIGHT UP THE NIGHT: The ninth annual Breast Cancer Foundation beach walk takes place tonight at 7 p.m. Walk along the beach from Royal Palms to The Ritz-Carlton and back. Bring the whole family. Dogs are welcome. Entry is $25, which includes entry into a raffle draw. Register before the walk at www. breastcancerfoundation.ky or on the night at 6 p.m. at Royal Palms. For more information, call 923-1135. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6 AGRICULTURE SHOW: The 52nd annual Cayman Islands Agriculture Show will be held today at The Grounds, Lower Valley. Gates open at 7 a.m. ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE: St. Ignatius Catholic Church (Walkers Road), 8 a.m. noon, 6 p.m. Christ the Redeemer (West Bay) 10 a.m. Stella Maris (Cayman Brac) 11 a.m. FRIDAY, MARCH 8 WALK IN HER SHOES: 5 p.m. Camana Bay. Men don high heels to raise funds for Cayman Islands Crisis Centre. Participants can register at www.cicc.ky/ awalkinhershoes2019. DRAMA SOCIETY AGM: The Annual General Meeting of the Cayman Drama Society takes place at Prospect Playhouse, 7 p.m. Happy Hour at 6:30 p.m. GENERAL INTEREST SUMMER INTERNSHIP: With the development of Cayman Enterprise City in the Special Economic Zone, training opportunities exist for young people through the Summer in the City Internship Program. Registration is currently open, and the application deadline is March 17. For more information on this program, visit www. caymanenterprisecity.com/ enterprise-cayman/intern- in-the-city or contact Bianca Mora, Public Engagement Officer at CEC, at b.mora@ caymanenterprisecity.com. LOCAL HARVEST MARKET: Local farmers sell their produce and farmed goods at Camana Bay on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Heliconia Court (located next to Scotiabank). SPECIAL OLYMPICS: Be a volunteer for athlete training at Truman Bodden Sports Complex. Tuesdays, 5:30 p.m. for track, bocce and football, and Thursdays, 5:30 p.m. for basketball. Swimming on Wednesdays at the Lions Pool 10-11 a.m. or on Saturdays at the Cayman International School pool, 9:30 a.m. Email soci@candw.ky or call 916-2600. COMMUNITY CHESS: Tuesdays 5-8 p.m., West Indies Wine Company. Join the Cayman Chess Club for a complimentary chess class and open challenges weekly. Anyone can learn to play and enjoy chess, even beginners. ART OPEN CANVAS: At KARoo Restaurant in Camana Bay, Wednesdays 7-11 p.m. Artists of all levels are welcome to come and enjoy painting and socializing with other artists. Includes use of easels, lights, space, beverage ticket. No fee. For more information, contact info@visualartcayman.com or jar.was@gmail.com. VISUAL ARTS SOCIETY: Adult Open Studio available to those who want to work independently in an inspiring atmosphere. Wednesdays for adults, 9 a.m. till noon. Thursdays Adults and Youth, 10 a.m. till noon. Watler House Art Studio, Pedro St. James. Fee is $5/$15 or Ceramics. $15 pp/$25 pp non-members. Includes use of studio, glazes and ceramic tools. Clay available $30 per bag/fee for kiln usage. To register, call 546-9422 or email info@visualartcayman.com. SEAFARERS HALL: The Cayman Islands Seafarers Association wishes to inform the community that the hall is now available for rent every day of the week, including Saturdays. THRIFT SHOP: One Dog at a Time’s New To U shop is now located at JJT Warehouses, Row 2, Unit 2 on Industrial Way. Open every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Variety of items available, including men’s, women’s, children’s and baby clothes, shoes, household, electrical items, CDs, DVDs, books, home furnishings, toys, games, furniture, baby cribs, car seats, dog beds and more. BETHESDA COUNSELLING CENTRE: Caters to all who seek help. Open Monday to Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at 68 Mary Street. Appointments available Saturdays and late evenings. Owned and operated by the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. Call 946-6575. HUMANE SOCIETY BOOK LOFT: North Sound Road. Open Monday 12:30-4 p.m.; Tuesday-Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Volunteers needed for front desk a few hours per week. For more information, email humanesocietybookloft@ candw.ky or call 946-8053. Donations of books, games, CDs, stationery, DVDs, cards etc. in good condition needed. CLUBS, ORGANIZATIONS ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS: Meets daily to help with drinking problems. Call 926-9044 or visit www.caymanaa.org. NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS: Is available for substance abuse help. Call the info line at 929–NANA (6262). AL-ANON GROUP MEETING: Are you troubled by someone’s drinking? Al-Anon Family Groups can help. Call 928-8843 or email caymanalanon@gmail.com for meeting times. OVERCOMERS OUTREACH: A Christ-centered 12-step recovery group addresses addictions and those affected by them. Meetings at Cayman Islands Baptist Church, Pedro Castle Road, Tuesdays, 7:15 p.m. For details, contact Vanessa Gilman at 946-2422, or visit www.overcomersoutreach.org. DEMENTIA/ALZHEIMER’S SUPPORT GROUP: This group meets on the last Wednesday of each month at ADACI’s office, 4th floor, Cardinall Plaza, 30 Cardinall Ave., George Town. Call 924-4170 or email info@adacayman.com. GRAND CAYMAN TOASTMASTERS: Club meets each Thursday 6-7:15 p.m. on 3rd Floor, George Town Public Library. Visitors and guests welcome. Contact George R. Ebanks at 322-9369 or Grand Cayman Toastmasters club on Facebook. Email info@ toastmastersclub2686.org. THE LIONS CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN: Meets every first and third Thursday 7:30 p.m. at the Lions Community Centre. Email lionsclubgcm@hotmail.com. THE LIONS CLUB OF TROPICAL GARDENS: Meet every first and third Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Elizabethan Square (corner unit). Members of the public are invited to attend. ROTARY CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN SUNRISE: Service club meetings 7 a.m. every Wednesday at George Town Yacht Club, 612 North Sound Road. Visit www.rotarysunrise.ky or info@rotarysunrise.ky. KIWANIS CLUB OF GRAND CAYMAN: Meets first and third Wednesdays of the month, 12:30 p.m., at The Wharf Restaurant. Projects include promoting well- being of children in the community and schools. Email president@kiwanis.ky or view www.kiwanis.ky. OPTIMIST CLUB: Meets first and third Tuesdays at the Hibiscus Conference Room, Cayman Islands Hospital at 6:30 p.m. Learn more at www.optimistcayman.com. PARENT AND TODDLER PLAY GROUP: For children from 2 weeks to 4 years. Meets Mondays 9:30-11:30 a.m. in the South Sound Community Centre. Children must be accompanied by parent or helper. Toys, activities, light refreshments provided. $6 per session per family. Email sspg@foxwood.ky. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. February 28 is the deadline to register for the next lionfish culling tournament organized by Cayman United Lionfish League.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2019 American assets. The Los Angeles-based investment management firm Colony Capital announced last month that it is buying these assets, which would give Colony the manage- ment rights to more than US$500 million across 22 in- vestments in Latin America. The sale of rights to manage other funds in Af- rica and Southeast Asia are also proceeding, rep- resentatives for Deloitte said at Wednesday’s Grand Court hearing. Other funds, primarily focused in Turkey, will likely be wound up, as Abraaj Investments has not been successful in finding buyers so far, representa- tives for Deloitte said. The sale of Abraaj’s in- vestment-management rights are expected net the company around $8 mil- lion and help it unload loss-making funds from its books. The sale will also allow Abraaj to improve its liquidity and keep its eq- uity-stake in other funds – Abraaj has not been making the necessary capital con- tributions to these funds, but may be able to do so after the sale, according to statements made in court. In addition to its invest- ment-management rights, Abraaj is also proceeding with its sale of its largest asset, the Karachi-based power company K-Elec- tric, to a Chinese buyer. Not much about this transaction was discussed in court due to its commercial sensitivity, but a sale has been agreed to and can hopefully be fi- nalized within six months, according to Deloitte. Abraaj’s provisional liq- uidators asked Grand Court Justice Robin McMillan to adjourn Kuwait’s Public Institution for Social Se- curity’s winding-up peti- tion against Abraaj for six more months, in order to give them more time to fi- nalize the sales and re- structure Abraaj. An order to wind up Abraaj would likely col- lapse the value of its as- sets and jeopardize the sale of its fund-management rights, the provisional liq- uidators argued. The same would hold for the sale of K-Electric, they said. Justice McMillan granted the six-month ex- tension of the restructuring of Abraaj, but noted that he has already granted three previous extensions. He asked the provisional liq- uidators whether they an- ticipate that this will be the final extension, and both parties said yes. the MLA’s characterization of its hiring practices. The authority stated that there is only one work-permit holder among its 196 em- ployees. Moreover, the CIAA has been trying to hire more Caymanian air-traffic con- trollers for years. Two Caymanians were re- cruited, successfully trained, and joined as air-traffic controllers in 2014. Two more recruits were hired in 2016, one of which was sent to Trinidad last year for training that is still on- going. Another candidate was hired in 2017, but was not successful in completing the training. Another recruitment drive in late 2017 and early 2018 yielded 33 applicants, 20 of which were Caymanian. Of those, only three passed the air-traffic control aptitude test, and the non-Cayma- nians were not considered, according to the CIAA. “Out of a desire to max- imise the opportunity af- forded to Caymanians, a second evaluation, fo- cusing on personality traits was administered. This ef- fort resulted in five candi- dates being eligible,” the CIAA added. “Four persons were interviewed and subse- quently offered positions as ATC Trainees. The fifth can- didate withdrew their ap- plication prior to the in- terview process in favour of another open position within the CIAA. “These four candidates commenced their local AB initio training on 1 February 2019 in preparation for over- seas training.” The CIAA also stated that it needs to hire additional air- traffic controllers to comply with aviation regulations. CIAA CEO Albert Anderson explained this to the Com- pass in December, when he said his authority is seeking to have four people on duty during a given shift. “There are International Civil Aviation Organization regulations that must be met that relate to Air Traffic Controller resourcing, and Cayman is bound by these regulations through the U.K. under the Overseas Territo- ries Aviation Requirements,” he said at the time. “The CIAA must ensure that going for- ward we have a pipeline of trained controllers to ensure we meet these regulations, especially to deal with in- creasing air traffic.” The new hires will allow there to be one relief person to serve as a backup when the air traffic controllers take their required breaks. A su- pervisor also has to be on duty for all shifts, Mr. An- derson said. Hiring the remaining 13 controllers will be a phased process over the next couple of years, he said in December. Once the authority hires a new person, getting him or her fully certified will be a two-year process, including off-island training and on- the-job training, with the final step being certification and licensing by the Civil Aviation Authority. The Airports Authority initially contemplated cheaper options than hiring new controllers, such as having approaching flights being directed remotely by controllers from another jurisdiction. However, the authority opted against this because it would be favorable only in the short term, with Cayman losing the skill set in the long run, stated the authority’s May 23 board meeting minutes. Anti-Corruption Commis- sion in June. Basic details of the audit review were re- vealed in February of last year amid the suspension of a number of HSA secu- rity officers. The Compass reported at the time that around a dozen security staff were placed on required leave while the internal audit in- vestigation into overtime ir- regularities took place. According to a notice sent to those security offi- cers: “In order to facilitate an investigation into irreg- ularities in the security sec- tion, it has been decided that it would be in the best interest of the Health Ser- vices Authority to place you on required leave effec- tive immediately. You will remain in that status for 30 days or until the investi- gation is completed.” Abraaj close to selling major assets CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Hospital overtime investigation remains under wraps CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The sale of Abraaj’s investment- management rights are expected net the company around $8 million and help it unload loss-making funds from its books. The sale will also allow Abraaj to improve its liquidity and keep its equity- stake in other funds, according to statements made in court. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CIAA responds to Miller’s criticisms of recruiting Tiny new moon discovered around Neptune A diminutive nugget of a moon has been discovered lurking in the inner orbit of Neptune. The moon, dubbed Hippo- camp for the half-horse, half- fish sea monster from Greek legend, is about the size of Chicago and so faint only the powerful Hubble Space Telescope can spot it. But by examining data stretching more than a decade, re- searchers were able to dis- cern its dim form from 3 bil- lion miles away. “Being able to contribute to the real estate of the solar system is a real privilege,” said planetary scientist Mark Showalter, the lead author of a study on the discovery published Wednesday in the journal Nature. “But it shows how much we still don’t know about the ice giants, Neptune and Uranus.” Showalter and his col- leagues suggest Hippocamp is a fragment of a larger neighboring moon called Pro- teus, broken off during a cat- aclysmic collision some 4 bil- lion years ago. Neptune has been explored just once in human history, with a brief flyby of the Voyager 2 space- craft in 1989. “But there are all these interesting pro- cesses going on there, that we only got a glimpse of,” Showalter said. “Atmospheric phenomena, rings with pecu- liar properties … and these collisions and breakups that formed the inner moons.” “It’s not just a dinky little moon we’ve found,” he con- tinued. Moons such as Hip- pocamp “are witnesses to the formation and evolution of the planets they orbit. In my mind, they have very inter- esting stories to tell.” Showalter, a senior re- search scientist at the Search for Extraterrestrial Intel- ligence (SETI) Institute in Mountain View, California, is something of a distant moon detective. By accumu- lating scores of long-expo- sure Hubble images, then ad- justing them to account for an orbiting body’s predicted movement, he has already un- covered two new moons each around Pluto and Uranus. The resulting images “are not pretty,” Showalter said. The planets are so overex- posed they become big white blotches, and the moons at their centers are little more than pale dots. The proce- dure generally does not cap- ture enough data from the moons to allow scientists to take spectra – splitting light into its component parts to reveal clues about the moons’ composition. Hippocamp is the first new inner satellite found around the solar system’s outermost planet since the Voyager 2 flyby. Researchers were ini- tially surprised to find the tiny rock so close inside the orbit of Proteus, which is more than 100 times its size. Observations suggest tidal forces have been slowly pushing Proteus away from Neptune; a few billion years ago, it would have sat right where Hippocamp is today. “Our initial thought was that’s a very strange place to find a moon,” Showalter said. Proteus also has a mas- sive crater on its surface, called Pharos, likely left be- hind after an impact from a comet or another passing ob- ject that nearly destroyed the moon at some point in its history. Perhaps, Showalter and his colleagues suggest, Hippocamp is some of the shrapnel from that ancient collision. Only by sending a spacecraft back to the Nep- tune system to compare the worlds’ compositions can sci- entists know for sure. Though the outer solar system is sometimes seen as dark, cold and dreary, the story of Hippocamp demon- strates how much activity has gone unnoticed in this distant region, said Kathleen Mandt, a planetary scientist at the Johns Hopkins Univer- sity Applied Physics Labora- tory who was not involved in the new research. Scientists say Neptune’s icy largest moon, Triton, is an object acquired from the Kuiper belt sometime after the planet’s formation. Its arrival probably jostled the inner moons, causing collisions that flung some bodies outward and fragmented others. “It’s just fascinating for dynamicists” studying how solar system bodies interact and evolve, Mandt said. In addition, many of the exoplanets, or planets out- side our solar system that have been discovered or- biting other suns, are roughly the same size and mass as the ice giants. Further study of Neptune and Uranus could offer insight into those even more alien worlds. “There is a lot each of these systems can tell us that we don’t know because we haven’t had the opportunity to visit and stay long enough to see it,” she said. During the planetary science community’s last 10-year survey of goals for space exploration, scientists named a large-scale mission to one or both of the ice gi- ants among their top three priorities. Mandt served on a NASA committee to outline what such a mission might look like, but nothing has been funded. The project will likely be bumped to the next decanal survey. © 2019, The Washington Post Neptune as seen by Voyager 2 during its flyby in 1989. - PHOTO: NASA The Ombudsman has decided that a government report into possible irregularities at the Health Services Authority will remain private until investigation has concluded.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 THURSDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Payless files for bankruptcy Payless ShoeSource has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and is shuttering its remaining stores in North America. The Topeka, Kansas- based company announced Monday it will be closing 2,500 stores. California vs. Trump acrimony escalates Trump says he has ‘absolute right’ to declare emergency WASHINGTON (AP) – Presi- dent Donald Trump declared Tuesday that he would pre- vail over a multistate lawsuit challenging his emergency declaration to pay for a U.S.- Mexico border wall. Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said he expected to do “very well” against the suit, adding that he had an “absolute right” to make the declaration. “I think in the end we’re going to be very successful with the lawsuit,” Trump said. “I actually think we might do very well, even in the 9th Circuit, because it’s an open and closed case.” A group of 16 states, in- cluding California, New York and Colorado, filed a law- suit Monday against Trump’s emergency declaration. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. Dis- trict Court for the Northern District of California, alleges Trump’s declaration is un- constitutional. All the states involved in the lawsuit have Democratic attorneys general. Using a broad interpreta- tion of his executive powers, Trump declared an emer- gency last week to obtain wall funding beyond the $1.4 billion Congress approved for border security. The move al- lows the president to by- pass Congress to use money from the Pentagon and other budgets. Trump’s use of the emer- gency declaration has drawn bipartisan criticism and is al- ready facing a number of legal challenges. Another suit was filed Tuesday in the Northern District of California by the American Civil Liberties Union. Filed on behalf of the Sierra Club and the Southern Border Communities Coali- tion, it says there is no emer- gency to justify the president’s action and accuses Trump and other members of his admin- istration of violating Constitu- tional limits on their authority. Democrats are also plan- ning to introduce a resolution disapproving of the declara- tion once Congress returns to session and it is likely to pass both chambers. Several Republican senators are al- ready indicating they would vote against Trump – though there do not yet appear to be enough votes to override a veto by the president. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a Republican from Alaska, would not explicitly say Tuesday whether she would support a resolution of dis- approval if one came before the Senate. But she made clear she was worried about the precedent that could be set by Trump going around Congress to fund the wall. “I’ll be very direct. I don’t like this. I don’t like this. I think it takes us down a road, and with a precedent, that if it’s allowed, that we may come to regret,” said Murkowski, who said she supports efforts to bolster security at the border but is concerned about an erosion of checks and balances. A top White House adviser said Sunday that Trump was prepared to issue his first veto if Congress votes to dis- approve his declaration of a national emergency. Ste- phen Miller told “Fox News Sunday” that “the president is going to protect his national emergency declaration.” Trump argued Tuesday that the wall was needed to “stop drugs and crime and criminals and human traf- ficking.” He has repeatedly sought to paint a dire picture of conditions at the border, though illegal border cross- ings are down from a high of 1.6 million in 2000. After weeks spent battling with Congress over border funding and what constituted a wall versus a fence, Trump said, “I can call it a barrier, but I think I don’t have to do that so much anymore, we’ll call it whatever we want.” Democrats quickly seized on the move as an example of executive overreach. The of- fice of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., issued a press release Tuesday that stated: “No one is above the law. Re- publicans must join Demo- crats to uphold the Consti- tution and stand with the American people – against the President’s brazen assault.” Earlier Tuesday, Trump singled out California for its lead role in the suit, seeking to link the state’s high- speed rail project to his plan for the wall. California Gov. Gavin Newsom charged it was a reaction to the law- suit and pledged a fight to keep the money. “It’s no coincidence that the Administration’s threat comes 24 hours after Cali- fornia led 16 states in chal- lenging the President’s far- cical ‘national emergency,’” Newsom said in a statement. “This is clear political retri- bution by President Trump, and we won’t sit idly by.” The spat over the rail project comes after Newsom said last week the project “as currently planned, would cost too much and take too long.” He said the state would focus on completing a shorter segment in the state’s Central Valley while seeking new funding sources for the longer route. SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – Dis- putes over President Donald Trump’s border wall and Cal- ifornia’s bullet train are in- tensifying the feud between the White House and the na- tion’s most populous state. The Trump administra- tion on Tuesday said it plans to cancel or claw back $3.5 billion in federal dollars al- located to California’s high- speed rail project, a move Gov. Gavin Newsom called “political retribution” for the state’s lawsuit against Trump’s declaration of a na- tional emergency. California led a 16-state coalition in filing the suit Monday, chal- lenging Trump’s power to de- clare an emergency to earn more money to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. “It’s no coincidence that the Administration’s threat comes 24 hours after Cali- fornia led 16 states in chal- lenging the President’s far- cical ‘national emergency,’” Newsom said in a statement. “This is clear political retri- bution by President Trump, and we won’t sit idly by.” It’s the latest spat be- tween Trump and California, which has styled itself as the Democratic-led “resistance” to the administration. Newsom, less than two months into his tenure, has appeared more eager to hit back at Trump than former California Gov. Jerry Brown. The lawsuit is California’s 46th against the Trump administration. Using a broad interpreta- tion of his executive powers, Trump declared an emer- gency last week to obtain wall funding beyond the $1.4 billion Congress ap- proved for border security. The move allows the presi- dent to bypass Congress to use money from the Pentagon and other budgets. Trump’s use of the emer- gency declaration has drawn bipartisan criticism and faces a number of legal challenges. Still the president has told reporters he expects to prevail. “I think in the end we’re going to be very successful with the lawsuit,” Trump told reporters, calling it an “open and closed” case. Trump had earlier singled out California for its lead role in the suit, seeking to link the state’s high-speed rail project to his plan for the wall. On Twitter, Trump claimed the “failed Fast Train project” was beset by “world record setting” cost overruns and had become “hundreds of times more expensive than the desperately needed Wall!” The estimated cost for a San Francisco-to-Los Angeles train has more than doubled to $77 billion. That is about 13 times the $5.7 billion Trump sought unsuccess- fully from Congress to build the wall. Hours later, the U.S. De- partment of Transportation told California it planned to cancel nearly $1 billion in federal money allocated to the rail project and wanted the state to return $2.5 bil- lion it had already spent. Trump’s comments about a “failed” project followed Newsom’s comments last week that the current plan for an LA-San Francisco train would cost too much and take too long. Instead, he said he’d focus immediately on a line through the Cen- tral Valley while still doing environmental work on the full line. That work is a re- quirement for keeping the federal money. Still, the U.S. Department of Transportation said New- som’s remarks reinforced concerns about the project’s ability to deliver. The depart- ment wrote Newsom’s com- ments mark a “significant re- treat from the State’s initial vision and commitment and frustrated the purpose for which the Federal funding was awarded.” California Republicans who have long called the project a waste of money ap- plauded the Trump adminis- tration’s move to take back the money. “It is time to move on from the broken high-speed rail project and redirect our efforts to infrastructure projects that work for Cal- ifornians,” said U.S. House Minority Leader Kevin Mc- Carthy of Bakersfield, a city on the train’s route. But Newsom said the state intends to keep the money. Losing it would be a major blow to the chronically underfunded project. “This is California’s money, and we are going to fight for it,” he said. The agreement with the federal government allows the administration to with- hold or take back the money if the state fails to make “ad- equate progress” or “com- plete the project or one of its tasks.” If the federal government decides to take the money back, it does not have to wait for California to write a check. Instead it could with- hold money from other trans- portation projects. Tuesday’s comments will not be the last; the admin- istration has given Cali- fornia until March 5 to for- mally respond. A group of 16 states, including California, New York and Colorado, filed a lawsuit Monday against Trump’s emergency declaration. A full-scale mock-up of a high-speed train is displayed at the Capitol in Sacramento, California. – PHOTO: AP The Trump administration on Tuesday said it plans to cancel or claw back $3.5 billion in federal dollars allocated to California’s high-speed rail project.9 WORLD®IONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2019 The Family of the Late Ann Lewis regrets to announce her passing on Saturday, 16 February, 2019. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page A funeral service will be held privately. UK politics fractures further as 3 Conservatives defect LONDON (AP) – Brexit-driven cracks in Britain’s political party system yawned wider Wednesday, as three pro-Eu- ropean lawmakers quit the ruling Conservatives to join a new centrist group of inde- pendents. All the lawmakers are opposed to the Conser- vative government’s determi- nation to take Britain out of the European Union with or without a divorce deal. Anna Soubry, Heidi Allen and Sarah Wollaston re- signed to join eight ex-op- position Labour Party law- makers in an alliance dubbed the Independent Group. The defections involve only a small fraction of the 650 law- makers in the House of Com- mons, but mark the biggest shake-up in decades for Brit- ain’s political parties. The breakaway lawmakers hope to gain members from disgruntled pro-Europeans in both the Labour and Conser- vative parties and forge a new force at the center of British politics. They are inspired in part by the “En Marche” move- ment of French President Em- manuel Macron, which dom- inated France’s most recent presidential and legislative elections at the expense of the country’s mainstream parties. “Both our parties are broken. We are going to #ChangePolitics for the better,” the group tweeted Wednesday. In a letter to Prime Min- ister Theresa May, the three ex-Conservatives accused party leaders of abandoning the political center, and said “the final straw for us has been this government’s disas- trous handling of Brexit.” Britain’s departure from the EU is scheduled for March 29 but no deal on divorce terms has been agreed on yet by British lawmakers. The three departing lawmakers accused May’s government of allowing the Conservative’s hard-core pro-Brexit wing to push the country to the edge of an economically damaging “no-deal” exit from the bloc. Allen said May had been “bullied into submission” by Brexiteers and was “dragging the country and Parliament kicking and screaming to the edge of a no-deal abyss.” Soubry said attempts to modernize the right-of-center party by encouraging a more diverse membership and tack- ling social problems had been wiped out by the all-con- suming obsession with Brexit. “I’m not leaving the Con- servative Party – it has left us,” she said. May said she was sad- dened by the decision, but said the government was “doing the right thing for our country” by implementing voters’ decision to leave the EU. The three join eight Labour rebels who quit the main op- position party this week over its direction under left-wing leader Jeremy Corbyn. The La- bour defectors accuse him of mounting a weak opposition to May’s plans for leaving the EU and of failing to stamp out anti-Semitism in the party. Joan Ryan, one of the ex- Labour legislators, said the party had become “infected with the scourge of anti- Jewish racism” under Corbyn, a longtime supporter of the Palestinians. There have long been signs that voters’ 2016 de- cision to leave the EU could spark a major overhaul of British politics, because Brexit has split both the Con- servatives and Labour down the middle into feuding pro- Brexit and pro-EU wings. It’s unclear whether the fraying of the two parties that have long dominated politics will help break Brit- ain’s political impasse over Brexit. Last month British lawmakers rejected the di- vorce agreement agreed upon by May’s government and the EU, and May’s attempts to win changes to the deal from Brussels have not borne fruit. Members of the Indepen- dent Group want to hold a new referendum on Brexit that could keep Britain in the 28-nation bloc. May’s Con- servative government op- poses that idea, and Labour under Corbyn has been luke- warm about it. More lawmakers are likely to join the Independent Group in the coming weeks, but its chances of success are hard to predict. Rob Ford, professor of politics at the University of Manchester, said the realign- ment – “a cross-party split of the center against the ex- tremes” – was unprecedented in postwar British politics. And while Britain’s polit- ical system has long been re- sistant to change, Ford said the dominance of the two big parties, Conservatives and Labour, was weakening. BRITAIN PRESSES EU FOR BREXIT COMPROMISE AS CLOCK TICKS BERLIN (AP) – Britain’s for- eign secretary said that se- curing an orderly Brexit is “of paramount importance” as he visited Germany on Wednesday, and insisted the UK can leave the Eu- ropean Union on March 29 as planned if a compromise deal is found. Jeremy Hunt was meeting officials in Berlin ahead of Prime Minister Theresa May’s trip to Brus- sels later Wednesday for talks with EU Commis- sion President Jean-Claude Juncker. May is seeking changes to Britain’s with- drawal agreement after British lawmakers resound- ingly rejected it last month, but the EU insists negotia- tions will not be reopened. The stalemate has raised fears of Britain leaving without a divorce deal in place at the end of March, an outcome that could cause severe eco- nomic disruption. It has also raised the possibility of London seeking to delay its departure to wrap up negotiations. “An orderly departure from the EU is of para- mount importance,” Hunt said in a speech to the Konrad Adenauer Foun- dation, a thinktank linked to Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party. “In the vital weeks ahead, standing back and hoping that Brexit solves itself will not be enough,” he said. After highlighting Ger- many’s close post-war ties with Britain, Hunt said “if these negotiations go wrong, then there is a risk that we poison relations between both sides in a way that would be pro- foundly damaging.” U.K. lawmakers’ objec- tions center on a provision for the border between the U.K.’s Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland. The mechanism, known as the backstop, is a safeguard that would keep the U.K. in a customs union with the EU to remove the need for checks along the Irish border until a permanent new trading relationship is in place. May wants to change the deal’s phrasing to make sure that a provision to en- sure an open Irish border after Brexit would only apply temporarily. The EU refuses to budge, at least as far as changing the 585- page legally binding Brexit agreement is concerned. Hunt insisted that a “simple and important change” is needed to the Irish backstop and that “this is really the only way through the current situa- tion.” He said that, if a com- promise is reached, “I think we can reach that March 29 deadline.” Juncker said on Tuesday that “if the British ask for a delay, to leave not on March 29 but later, no one in Eu- rope will want to stand in the way,” but if Britain is still a member when Eu- ropean Parliament elec- tions are held in late May it will have to participate in the vote. Commodities giant Glencore to cap coal output over climate BERLIN (AP) – Commod- ities giant Glencore said Wednesday it will cap how much coal it mines amid shareholder pressure for it to help reduce global emissions of greenhouse gases. The move is a sharp re- versal for a company that has long championed the ex- traction and burning of fossil fuels, and which recently an- nounced the purchase of further stakes in two Aus- tralian coal mines even as rivals pulled out amid cli- mate concerns. Glencore said the decision was taken after consulting with investors, known as the Climate Action 100+ initiative, who have clubbed together to lobby for corporate action against climate change. “As one of the world’s largest diversified mining companies, we have a key role in enabling transition to a low carbon economy,” the Switzer- land-based company said. Burning coal for heat and electricity is a major source of carbon dioxide emissions, which contribute to man- made global warming. Glencore said it will pri- oritize future investments to increase production of com- modities “essential to the en- ergy and mobility transition and to limit our coal produc- tion capacity broadly to cur- rent levels.” The company projects its global coal output this year will be 145 million metric tons. Noting “the increasing risks posed by climate change,” Glencore explic- itly referenced the 2015 Paris climate accord, which set a target of keeping global warming well below 3.6 de- grees Fahrenheit by the end of the century compared with pre-industrial levels. But it also cited a U.N. goal of en- suring millions in the de- veloping world get access to affordable fuel, which coal mining companies have frequently said justifies their operation. British politicians Heidi Allen, left, Anna Soubry, center, and Sarah Wollaston, right, arrive for a press conference in Westminster in London, Wednesday. – PHOTO: AP British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt delivers a speech about Britain and Europe at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday. - PHOTO: AP “ I’m not leaving the Conservative Party – it has left us.” ANNA SOUBRY, British politicianNext >