FRIDAY FEB RUARY 2 2, 2019 • CAYMA N COMP ASS Music Movies ■ SPECIAL EVENTS Triggerfish party band launch The island’ s latest group is revealed at Royal Palms B3 OFF THE BEATEN TRACK Ultra-marathon challenges the hardiest of competitors. B5 Culture at the Cinema Politica l drama ‘I’m Not Running’ is this month’s offer ing B2 CAYMAN WEEKENDER Off the Beaten Track EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 WHAT BERMUDA CAN LEARN FROM CAYMAN … AND VICE VERSA High of 84 Low of 75 Moderate with wave heights of 3 to 5 feet. ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 75 CENTS – FRIDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2019 SEVEN MILE BEACH WATERFRONT WALKERS ROAD TOWN CENTRE PLAZA RED BAY T E N D E R J U I CY C R I S P Y M A D E W I T H W H IT E M E A T C H I C K E N ‘LEGALIZE SAME-SEX MARRIAGE, EXPAND VOTING RIGHTS’ Committee calls on U.K. government to force changes in the Overseas Territories MICHAEL KLEIN mklein@pinnaclemedialtd.com A committee of U.K. lawmakers is urging its government to intervene if the British Overseas Territories do not legalize same-sex marriage or abolish rules tied to belongership, the equivalent to Caymanian status, or a sim- ilar status. A report by the Foreign Affairs Com- mittee of the House of Commons has recom- mended that the U.K. government should set a date by which it expects all overseas territo- ries to have legalized same-sex marriage and, if necessary, legislate itself for the territories through an Order in Council, if such a date is not met. The committee also put forward that be- longership and equivalent concepts should be phased out to enable British citizens in the territories to vote or hold elected office. “While we recognize that the OTs are small communities with unique cultural identities, we do not accept that there is any justification to deny legally resident British Overseas Terri- tory and U.K. citizens the right to vote and to hold elected office,” the Foreign Affairs Com- mittee report said. “This elevates one group of British people Hilton signs on as brand for George Town hotel JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Upscale hotel brand Curio Collection by Hilton has agreed a deal with Caymanian devel- oper NCB group to operate its new George Town hotel. The 80-room hotel, under construction at the site of the old Treehouse Restaurant oppo- site Kirk Market, is scheduled to open in 2021. Curio Collection is part of the Hilton Hotel and Resorts company. Its hotels are oper- ated by Hilton but retain their own identity. The Cayman property is being marketed as a wellness hotel featuring a mix of one to three-bedroom suites and a focus on healthy living. It will include two “farm to table” res- taurants, a gym, spa and confer- ence facilities as well as execu- tive and penthouse suites with their own private pools. Juan Corvinos, vice presi- dent of development for Hilton in the region, said in a state- ment, “As tourist arrivals in the Caribbean continue to increase, we have prioritized the region in our larger expansion efforts with Hilton’s first property in Grand Cayman. In partnership with NCB Group, we are working toward embodying a retreat that caters to the needs of today’s discerning travelers that pri- oritize wellness while at home and abroad.” Matthew Wight, managing di- rector of the NCB group, said the developer was elated to secure an “industry leader” like Hilton Disney to help finance cruise pier project KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com Disney Cruise Line has committed to help finance the building of the planned cruise berthing facilities and cargo dock in George Town, Premier Alden McLaughlin said on Thursday at the Chamber of Com- merce’s legislative luncheon. Disney now joins Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and Carnival Corporation as fi- nanciers of the project. Mr. McLaughlin an- nounced the commitments of the latter two cruise lines in December at the unveiling of a new Cayman Airways jet. Mr. McLaughlin said on Thursday that the financial commitments mean that no public money will be used to build the facilities. Mr. McLaughlin did not provide details about the financial commitments, but gov- ernment has intended to undertake the cruise pier development as a public-pri- vate partnership, where the selected bid- ders and cruise lines will finance and build the facilities and then collect passenger fees over 20 years. Government said in December that the cruise lines’ financial commitments will be An architect’s rendering of the new hotel. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Premier Alden McLaughlin speaks at the Chamber of Commerce’s legislative luncheon, where he announced that Disney will join a group of companies to finance the cruise pier project. - PHOTO: ALVARO SEREY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 REGIONAL NEWS FRIDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Award-Winning Caribbean Chicken! Fresh, Healthy & Delicious! West Shore Center, SMB chicken@chicken2.com ® Dine-in!Take-out! 945.2290 Armed group caught in Haiti returned to US PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) – The U.S. State Department said several men arrested in Haiti with a cache of weaponry at a time of vio- lent demonstrations have been returned to the United States before a scheduled court hearing in the Carib- bean nation. The department said in an emailed statement that the return was coordinated with Haitian authorities, but a spokesman for Haiti’s Prime Minister Jean-Henry Ceant told Radio Vision 2000 on Thursday that he was not aware of the men’s departure and demanded an immediate explanation from the justice minister. Five U.S. citizens were among eight men arrested on Sunday while carrying automatic weapons and other arms and driving in cars without license plates. Police spokesman Michel- Ange Louis-Jeune has said the men told police they were on a “mission,” but they refused to say any- thing else except that they would call their unidenti- fied bosses. Prosecutors had said the men would appear in court on Wednesday. In- stead, they were taken to the airport. One of the men is a Haitian citizen and ap- parently was not returned. Jean Clarens Renois, a former presidential candi- date, said in a phone inter- view that the situation has eroded confidence in Haiti’s government. “The seven guys easily left the country,” he said. “It’s kind of incomprehen- sible for a nation. There is no authority at all.” The arrests came after more than a week of vi- olent demonstrations in which Haitians demanded the resignation of President Jovenel Moise amid rising inflation and allegations of corruption. Ceant has promised to reduce certain government budgets by 30 percent, lower the cost of goods and investigate alle- gations of misspending tied to a Venezuelan program that provided Haiti with subsidized oil. Haitians, however, re- mained wary of those promises, and Renois said people have lost trust in the government es- pecially given the out- come of the case involving the eight men. “I used to read that Haiti is a failed country,” he said. “Now we can say that.” Venezuela braces for humanitarian aid conflict SAN CRISTOBAL, Venezuela – At Tachira Central Hospital, ceilings are caving in, most ambulances do not work, and the supply of antibiotics is scarce. Now harried doctors are stockpiling blood and drafting weekend medics as Venezuela braces for what the opposition is calling the “D-Day” of humanitarian aid. “This could turn into a dangerous conflict: The armed forces versus the people,” said Laidy Gómez, the opposition governor of Tachira, a Venezuelan state abutting Colombia. She has ordered state hospitals to prepare for casualties on Sat- urday, when, in defiance of President Nicolás Maduro, an army of volunteers will seek to break the socialist govern- ment’s blockade of interna- tional relief. “It would be a crime against humanity to act against thousands of people who are clamoring for food and medicine,” Gómez con- tinued. “But I’m worried that Nicolás Maduro is looking for a fight.” Maduro on Thursday or- dered the closure of the border with Brazil and weighed sealing the border with Colombia, not far from this western metropolis, as his government scrambled to respond to the planned Sat- urday operation. His orders came as the U.S.-backed ef- fort to topple Maduro’s gov- ernment is entering a critical and potentially more dan- gerous phase. A month after opposi- tion leader Juan Guaidó de- clared Maduro a usurper and claimed Venezuela’s rightful mantle of leader- ship, the government’s en- emies were in the midst of a risky gambit. By bus, car, boat, plane, motorbike, and on foot, thousands of Ven- ezuelans, including Guaidó, were already mobilizing as they headed toward the bor- ders. Their plan: to force open Venezuela’s doors through sheer numbers. With Monday also marking the deadline for the Trump administration and the Maduro government – which last month officially broke diplomatic ties – to reach agreement on keeping a handful of diplomats in their respective capitals, Venezuela was confronting a crisis on multiple fronts. Failure to reach even a temporary deal could escalate tensions at a time when Washington has threatened military interven- tion and is working with the opposition to coordinate Sat- urday’s operation. “This message is for the Venezuelan military: You will ultimately be responsible for your actions,” Adm. Craig Faller, chief of U.S. Southern Command, said this week after a meeting with the head of Colombia’s armed forces. “Do the right thing. Save your people and your country.” The opposition effort, which involves planned flo- tillas in the Caribbean and caravans through the Andes and the Amazon, is being hailed as a way to ease spreading hunger and dis- ease in a nation on the verge of becoming a failed state. Yet the government’s enemies also have another, more polit- ical purpose: Use the human- itarian operation to trigger Maduro’s downfall. They are calculating that the rank-and-file military and security forces will not fire on unarmed civilians at- tempting to cart boxes of aid over the border. Should the military disobey direct orders to stop volunteers, they be- lieve, it could rob Maduro of his key source of power: The threat of brute force to keep a nation in line. Yet should the military, security forces and pro-gov- ernment militias resort to deadly force, it could turn volunteers into martyrs and spark a more direct con- frontation with the Trump administration. “There will be an interna- tional response if the armed forces fire on the people,” said Eduardo Delgado, 37, an opposition leader in this western state who is hoping to marshal as many as 40,000 volunteers to the border. “And the U.S. is leaving no option off the table.” Guaidó and his team were headed toward San Cris- tobal in a caravan of 10 vans en route to the border on Friday. Four buses traveling ahead of him with opposi- tion lawmakers, journalists and volunteers were stopped Thursday by national guards throwing tear gas in the state of Carabobo, said Ro- berto Campos, an opposition lawmaker who was on one of the buses. Some of the opposition lawmakers struggled with the guards, who, Campos said, sought to take their IDs. A Guaidó spokesman con- firmed that his vehicle was still making its way west. “A national guard convoy stopped us, and they’re not letting us off the bus right now,” Campos said. “They’re giving us no information, and we don’t know what’s going to happen. © 2019, The Washington Post Germany: Weapons firm ex-workers convicted over Mexico sales BERLIN (AP) – A German court on Thursday convicted two former employees of gun maker Heckler & Koch over their role in the delivery of weapons that ended up in troubled areas of Mexico, and ordered the confiscation of proceeds from the sales to- taling some $4.2 million. The Stuttgart state court convicted a former sales manager of exporting goods on the basis of fraudulently obtained permits, and an ex- clerk of being an accessory. They were given suspended sentences of 22 months and 17 months, respectively. Three other defendants – two ex-managers responsible for exports and a deputy sales manager – were acquitted. The court said the com- pany delivered 4,219 assault rifles, 2 submachine guns and 1,759 ammunition magazines to Mexico, and they were sold on by the central purchasing body there to Jalisco, Chi- apas, Chihuahua and Guer- rero states. The exports took place in 2006-2009. It found that the ex- ports to Mexico in and of themselves were covered by German government permits, but that they were fraud- ulently obtained through knowingly incorrect infor- mation based upon unreli- able declarations from Mex- ican authorities on where the weapons would end up. Human rights groups say firearms delivered to Mexico often end up in the hands of drug cartels. The Stuttgart court did not give the defendants’ names in a statement de- tailing Thursday’s ruling. It found that the main players in the illegal exports were the now-deceased head of the sales team for busi- ness in Mexico and a sales representative for the com- pany in Mexico who did not show up for the trial. His lawyer said he was too sick to travel. The verdict can be ap- pealed. Heckler & Koch said in a statement that it will ex- amine it carefully, but it could not understand the court’s decision “that we should not only forfeit the profit gener- ated on the Mexico business but instead forfeit the entire sales price, despite the fact that none of the directors committed an offense.” The court also could have taken into account Heckler & Koch’s support for the pro- ceedings, cooperation with prosecutors and initiation of a special investigation, the company added. The company said that, as a result of the Mexico case, it has changed its internal com- pliance system and also sub- jects “each potential distri- bution partner to a rigorous compliance audit.” Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro speaks during an interview at Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela. – PHOTO: AP Five U.S. citizens were among eight men arrested on Sunday while carrying automatic weapons and other arms and driving in cars without license plates. 916.0923 info@feedourfuturecayman.org www.feedourfuturecayman.orgThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2019 The finest in finishes, design and amenities combine for an unrivalled penthouse living experience. Disclaimer : FIN Grand Cayman features and amenities are based on current development plans and concepts and are subject to change without notice. Some services and amenities are subject to service-based fees or homeowner fees. fin@fingrandcayman.com + 1 345 326 1400 FIN.cayman fingrandcayman Reserve your private tour and discover the last word in luxury A NEW STANDARD IN PENTHOUSE LIVING THE SKY LOFT A two-level penthouse occupying the fourth and rooftop levels. Each penthouse has a large, private, glass-enclosed rooftop pavilion, bookmarked by two outdoor terraces. The east terrace enjoys a garden oasis with outdoor shower, and facing west, the oceanfront rooftop terrace is enhanced by an infinity plunge pool. Spanning the width of the building the Penthouses enjoy views of both South Sound and the Caribbean Sea, allowing residents to bask in the beauty of both sunrise and sunset. Only two multi-level Penthouses remain, starting at USD 2,999,000 THE SKY DECK A three-level penthouse occupying the third, fourth and rooftop levels. 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” When Bermuda’s voters gave a landslide electoral victory to the notoriously protectionist Progressive Labour Party in July 2017, we wrote that the election could well prove “the final mis-steerage that drives the country’s economy off the proverbial cliff.” We are not motivated by schadenfreude – on the contrary, it is with great displeasure that we note the sufferings of our colonial cousin. The reason that we are taking the time, and the editorial space, to discuss this topic is to present the lessons the Cayman Islands can learn from the road not taken. On Wednesday, The Royal Gazette, Bermuda’s newspaper of record, published a column penned by Michael Fahy, a former Minister of Home Affairs, Minister of Tourism, Transport and Municipalities, and Junior Minister of Finance under the One Bermuda Alliance government. In it, he paints a bleak picture of that island’s current condition, describing a stalling economy, business uncertainty and a PLP government distracted by trivial issues while leaving critical shortcomings (namely, immigration policy) unaddressed. He concludes, “only a blind person would not be able to see that Bermuda is on a continuing downward spiral.” It is not surprising to see that the PLP’s “Bermu- dians first” policies and mindset are apparently leading the country in the wrong direction, nor that when Premier David Burt scans the horizons, he reports seeing more scapegoats than solutions. In the course of a 13-minute rant in the House of Assembly, Bermuda’s premier targeted the Royal Gazette, which he blamed for spooking a small U.K. company that had intended to set up shop on the territory. (Take heart, Royal Gazette – the Compass, too, has been similarly singled out for disappro- bation on the floor of Parliament.) But as Mr. Fahy and others in Bermuda clearly argue, Bermuda’s problems cannot be assigned to journal- ists. Rather, it is the elected PLP government that bears responsibility – both for failures and successes. “If the PLP government needs an example of how to be welcoming, it needs to look at our cousins to the south in the Cayman Islands,” Mr. Fahy wrote. “Cayman’s economic outlook shows a continued GDP annual growth rate of just under 3 percent and an unem- ployment rate of about 5 percent. In Bermuda, we are on track for a decline in GDP and a rise in unemployment, with the only thing keeping us from a severe decline being active construction projects started under the One Bermuda Alliance – St. Regis, the airport and Caroline Bay.” He added, “Liberal and caring Cayman immigration policies encourage direct foreign investment, which create opportunities for Caymanians and raise their standard of living. In Bermuda, our policies are comparatively anti-for- eigner and generally anti-‘real Bermudian.’ It is becoming desperately sad.” The lesson here for Cayman is not that our islands are perfect – nor that we should allow ourselves to become complacent. We have our own leaders and community members who employ harmful rhetoric to stoke discon- tent, while peddling regressive protectionist policies. (For proof, just tune to the talk radio shows in the morning.) This sort of verbal divisiveness goes beyond mere pandering; it potentially endangers the future of our country. As we know from Cayman, Bermuda and else- where, when local public figures speak, it is not only local ears that are listening. What Bermuda can learn from Cayman … and vice versa FRIDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS The fight with China is about technology The Trump administra- tion is pursuing a trade deal with China that will not re- solve bilateral commercial tensions and could risk na- tional security. China’s culture in public service and private busi- ness holds in contempt the rules for competition gener- ally adhered by among ad- vanced Western nations. It more severely limits imports of products it can make do- mestically, refuses to honor intellectual property rights, and promotes exports through a wide range of ag- gressive subsidies. Beijing surreptitiously or- chestrates consumer boycotts against foreign companies – like Samsung– to gain advan- tages in foreign policy. And it insidiously organizes pri- vate espionage – for example, Lenovo imbedding spying software on computers shipped to foreign markets – to win commercial and mili- tary advantages. China’s 2001 accession agreement to the World Trade Organization was sup- posed to deal with many of those practices but President Xi Jinping and his prede- cessor have repeatedly dem- onstrated China’s word is as worthless as those of fascist leaders during the 1930s. Moreover, compliance would have required Commu- nist Party leaders to cultivate among young party leaders and business professionals respect for Western norms of honesty and decency in dealing with foreigners. Instead, its markets are now more closed and exports more subsidized. Thanks to the internet and the in- creasing importance of ar- tificial intelligence in the design, production and de- livery of modern goods and services, the Chinese klep- tocracy poses an existential threat to Western capitalism and democracy. Owing to their size, China, the United States and a few other Western nations create most of the world’s cutting- edge technology. If every- thing China invents is re- spected by Western law and business norms but what the West invents can be stolen by Chinese enterprises and military with impunity, the West will fall under Beijing’s yoke much as did the ancient world to Rome. The U.S. strategy of im- posing rather weak tariffs – most of the retaliatory tariffs are 10 percent and have been neutralized by yuan depreci- ation– to essentially compel China to honor its 2001 com- mitments will not work. Contempt for foreign property rights is religion in China and the real nego- tiating partners are not at the table and Xi cannot de- liver them. In 2015, China signed an agreement to end state-sponsored industrial espionage that it has simply failed to honor. For example, the Justice Department has recently in- dicted officials of Chinese cy- bersecurity firm Boyusec for hacking Moody’s Analytics, Siemens AG and U.S. global positioning system developer Trimble Inc. Huawei has an organized program that pays bonuses to employees based outside of China to steal tech- nology from foreign rivals. Too much of what is in WTO rules pertains to what are becoming quickly ancient playing fields of competition – manufacturing major ap- pliances and motor vehicles, merchant banking, and mo- tion pictures. Any government with a checkbook can foster an industry in one of those. The real competition is in super computing, space ex- ploration and artificial in- telligence. Those offer op- portunities for commercial dominance and explosive growth akin to the spread of mass production and au- tomation in the 20th cen- tury and absolute military superiority. The same kinds of artifi- cial intelligence that permits smartphones and facial rec- ognition to track web surfing and personal movements to generate targeted advertise- ments and for police to an- ticipate criminal acts will en- able the Chinese and Russian militaries to anticipate the tactics and neutralize the ef- fectiveness of the U.S. Navy and Air Force and ultimately destroy American civic insti- tutions and markets – if we let either vault into the lead. China supplements trade policies and commercial es- pionage with well-financed national strategies to accom- plish dominance in super computing, space explora- tion and artificial intelligence by 2030. It’s ludicrous to be- lieve American negotiators can smother those ambitions with treaties that Beijing will violate at first opportunity. It’s time to join the com- mercial war with China– for real. Impose tariffs high enough to compel balanced bilateral trade – allocate im- port quotas by auction that limit purchases from China to the value of exports into its market. Apply aggressive financial and trade sanctions against Chinese companies that pirate technology and initiate national strategies in advanced computing, space exploration and artificial in- telligence that can ensure na- tional survival. All those require higher prices for toasters and tea- pots at Target and less enti- tlement spending and higher taxes, but that is the price for national survival. Peter Morici is an economist and business professor at the University of Maryland, and a national columnist. © 2019, The Washington Times, LLC. PETER MORICI Owing to their size, China, the United States and a few other Western nations create most of the world’s cutting-edge technology.The islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS FRIDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2019 6 LOCAL NEWS FRIDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS KAABOO 2020 ticket sales create headache for fans MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com KAABOO was the talk of Cayman again on Thursday, but this time it was in stark contrast to the praises that have widely been lavished on the recent two-day festival. Problems with attempts to purchase pre-sale tickets to the 2020 edition of the fes- tival, offered to those who bought passes for the event last weekend, left many happy KAABOOers frustrated and confused. The situation reached the point where KAABOO was forced to temporarily cut off ticket sales. “As you can imagine, we have had an overwhelming amount of traffic to the site, and thus issues with the con- nectivity to our payment pro- cessor transpired,” Jason Felts, chief marketing and brand officer for KAABOO, said in an email. “Rest as- sured our team are working to resolve these issues imme- diately. As a result, we have paused the sale of KAABOO 2020 passes temporarily.” Mr. Felts said he expected the site would be back online and working properly within a short amount of time. People reported trouble getting onto the KAABOO ticket site. Others said their credit card purchases were repeatedly denied, but they found out later each transaction had gone through, leaving them with more tickets than they in- tended to buy. One woman posted on KAABOO’s Facebook page that she had tried to pur- chase four tickets but was being charged for 48. Julie Blais said she wanted to buy two Silver Thatch passes at $750. She had made five attempts at purchasing two passes. She called Butterfield Bank to find out why the charge would not go through and was told there were five pur- chases on her card for nearly $2,000 each. “I was advised by But- terfield, ‘Don’t try again,’” she said. “The bank has ap- proved the transactions. But up until the time that [KAABOO] says yeah or nay, I can’t spend anything else on my card.” She’s also not sure whether she has any tickets at all. She never received con- firmation on any of her pur- chase attempts, she said. “What’s disappointing is the lack of response,” she said, adding that she’d not gotten any response to emails she sent to festival organizers. “During the fes- tival, they were so quick to respond. They should have expected, with the success of the festival, all this would have happened because people wanted [tickets]. It’s a bit disappointing.” Numerous people ex- pressed frustration that the initial tier of $200 passes ap- peared to be gone within sec- onds and that only the second tier, at $260 were available. “Nobody could get online,” said Sandy Hermiston, who, like other ticket buyers for this year’s festival received an email offering the specially- priced early tickets. “My friends are so frustrated.” Later in the morning, the basic ticket price appeared to drop back down to $200. Ms. Hermiston, who is Cayman’s Ombudsman but was speaking as a private citizen, was among those who bought the higher priced pass. “I’m hoping I can get this refunded,” she said. Local banks were re- portedly inundated by calls from customers such as Ms. Hermiston. Mr. Felts had not yet re- sponded at press time to questions regarding those who ended up with too many tickets, or those who won- dered about refunds when prices temporarily jumped. The enthusiasm of some KAABOO attendees turned to frustration on Thursday, as online ticket sales ran into trouble. - PHOTO: STEPHEN CLARKE ISLAND VET: PARVO VIRUS SPREADING THROUGH CAYMAN Island Veterinary Ser- vices warned on Wednesday that an outbreak of canine parvovirus is spreading on Grand Cayman. Parvo virus can be fatal for dogs, and is especially dangerous for puppies aged six weeks to six months. The virus incubates from four to 14 days be- fore dogs show symptoms, which include fever, an- orexia, lethargy, dehydra- tion, vomiting and diarrhea. “Many dogs that are di- agnosed with parvo will die,” Island Vet warned. “The virus attacks cells in a dog’s intestines and inhibits the absorption of vital nutrients. This means that a dog or puppy will become very weak and can die.” Island Vet urged owners to have their dogs vacci- nated if they are not al- ready, stating that puppies and unvaccinated dogs are at the highest risk of con- tracting the virus. Puppies should have their first vac- cine at six weeks old, and then get their second, third and fourth shots three weeks apart. “After this, a yearly an- nual booster vaccination is recommended,” Island Vet stated. “This is all that is needed to prevent your dog catching this, almost al- ways, fatal disease.” Unvaccinated dogs should be kept out of public areas, as they can pick up the virus from in- fected dog feces, Island Vet stated. The virus can also be spread by humans with their hands and feet. If your dog has parvo, call a veterinarian im- mediately for advice, Is- land Vet added. “Most deaths from parvo happen within 48 to 72 hours after the symp- toms begin. The quicker you seek help, the greater your pet’s chances of survival,” Island Vet stated. “Keep your dog away from other dogs, as it spreads easily. Tell your vet if you also have other dogs in your house- hold, as they can give advice on how to stop it spreading around all your pets.” Stranded dogs saved from well JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com In the vintage television show Lassie, it was always the dog that saved the child from the well. On Tuesday, in West Bay, it was the dogs that needed to be rescued. Police were dispatched to the Shores area around 6 p.m. after two dogs were discov- ered at the bottom of an un- covered well. One of the officers used a ladder to climb down into the well and tie a rope around the stranded animals, while an- other officer enlisted the help of members of the public to haul them out. The dogs re- portedly ran away as soon as they were set down on the ground, but found their way home to be reunited with their concerned owner, who had been handing out flyers in West Bay in an effort to find her missing pets. Constable Mario Dadal, one of the officers involved in the rescue, said it had been a tricky operation. “When we were finally able to get the dogs out, you could tell that they were in distress. They were shaking because they were soaked in neck-deep water and cov- ered in mud. I’m just glad that we were able to get to them in time.” Police had earlier received a report from a woman, who had posted flyers of two lost dogs that had not returned home since Saturday night. Shortly after the officers returned to the station, the woman called to advise that they had returned home. District Commander of West Bay Inspector Lloyd Marriott said police had moved to ensure the well was covered and issued a re- newed appeal for dog owners to keep their pets secured. “We have identified that, though the dogs did stray onto someone’s private property, having a cistern uncovered poses a danger to not just animals but to people. We have organized with the owners of the property to have the cistern covered, and we implore dog owners to keep their dogs secured.” Two dogs were discovered at the bottom of an uncovered well in the Shores area of West Bay.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2019 The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 FRIDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS as a partner for the project – the first major tourism devel- opment in George Town for decades. He said Curio hotels retained their individuality while benefiting from the as- sociation with Hilton. He added, “Through this alliance we will be deliv- ering an innovative wellness tourism product that also ca- ters to the discerning busi- ness traveler.” The project is focusing on sustainability and tar- geting health and environ- mentally conscious travelers. It is marketing energy effi- cient technology, in-room yoga mats, fitness equipment and “lighting that regulates circa- dian rhythms” among its at- tributes. There will also be bi- cycles and electric vehicles for guests to rent. Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell welcomed the deal Thursday, saying the new hotel would help the Cayman Islands meet the growing demand for luxury accommodation. He added, “This property will brighten the tourism ac- tivity in the heart of George Town, and we welcome this new hotel brand to our is- land.” Rosa Harris, director of the Cayman Islands De- partment of Tourism, said the project would bring a “one-of-a-kind boutique prop- erty” to Cayman. The NCB Group says sus- tainable practices will be inte- grated into the design and op- eration of the hotel, including the use of renewable energy, LED lighting and energy-effi- cient building practices. The hotel will be a part of Hilton Honors, the guest- loyalty program for Hil- ton’s 16 brands. over another and risks under- mining the ties that bind the UK and the OTs together in one global British family.” The cross-party parlia- mentary committee members further reiterated demands for a clear and detailed time- table for the establishment of public beneficial owner- ship registers in all territo- ries, calling it “a matter of na- tional security” for the U.K. and stating that a recently agreed delay until 2023 was “simply unacceptable.” The report presents the results of a parliamentary in- quiry into the future and re- silience of the overseas ter- ritories and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s man- agement of its responsibili- ties toward them. After hearing evidence last year from a range of U.K. gov- ernment and overseas territo- ries representatives, including Eric Bush as head of Cay- man’s London Office and chair of the UK Overseas Territories Association, the committee concluded that the relation- ship between the U.K. govern- ment and the British territo- ries is “stuck in the past.” “The U.K. and the OTs are family, but that relation- ship must be underpinned by shared duties to each other and values,” said the Chair of Committee, Tom Tugendhat. “That is why we call for the U.K. government to recon- sider the relationship and [why we] are critical of Be- longership and its equiva- lents. We also call on the OTs which have not yet done so to legalize same-sex marriage.” The committee chair said it was time to “tackle tensions and reset the relationship.” The report recommended an independent review of cross-government engage- ment with the overseas terri- tories, which should include how the FCO manages its re- sponsibilities and consider the costs, benefits and risks of moving the primary re- sponsibility for the OTs away from the Foreign Office. In giving evidence, some territories argued that the FCO should not lead the re- lationship between the U.K. and its territories because it reinforced the notion that the overseas territories are for- eign, which was not fit for purpose given the modern nature of the relationship. “We are calling for govern- ment to step back and take a considered view of how we engage with each other. Pro- viding certainty for the OTs will strengthen our ties,” Mr. Tugendhat, a Conservative MP, said. “Just as we must stick to the date Parliament set as part of the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018, we must reopen the discussion on the best way to manage the relationships between us [that] will give voice to the Overseas Terri- tories in Whitehall so that future changes required by our shared security include wider input from the Over- seas Territories.” The Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act threatens an Order in Council, an extreme and rarely used measure by which the U.K. legislates for the devolved territories, if overseas territories have not established public registers of beneficial ownership by the end of 2020. This deadline was later extended until 2023 in discussion between FCO and territory representatives. In the territories, the threat of an Order in Council raised essential questions about the constitutional re- lationship with Britain. The overseas territories have de- volved responsibilities and their own parliaments, but they are not represented in the House of Commons or the House of Lords, and they struggle to have their voice heard in the U.K. government. The Cayman Islands gov- ernment said it would chal- lenge such an order in court, if it were ever made. Govern- ment subsequently held talks with the U.K. seeking assur- ances that the British gov- ernment would not legislate in devolved matters without consultation. Written evidence to the committee submitted by the Cayman Islands government also highlighted the strains in the relationship caused by frequent statements made by British lawmakers, stating, “We would particularly like this to include a conversa- tion on sanctions against in- dividual members, parliamen- tary committees, and [All Party Parliamentary Groups], who are found to have either failed to engage with the Govern- ment of the Cayman Islands in relation to reports or inquiries which directly affect our rep- utation, or who have misused parliamentary privilege to ma- lign our Islands without a suf- ficient factual basis.” Other “points of friction” in the relations identified by the committee are the lack of a legalization of same-sex marriages and “belongership and its equivalents,” which the report called “wrong.” The FCO acknowledged that Caribbean OTs are “no- tably slower” on the issue and that “rights to same-sex mar- riage are being contested.” In the Cayman Islands, Chief Justice Anthony Smellie will decide within the next few months whether the Cayman Islands ban on same- sex marriage should be over- turned. He is adjudicating a judicial review and consti- tutional challenge brought by Caymanian Chantelle Day and her partner Vickie Bodden Bush, who were re- fused a marriage license. The Foreign Affairs Com- mittee members demand that the U.K. must do more than simply support the legaliza- tion of same-sex marriages in principle. The U.K. government “must be prepared to step in, as it did in 2001 when an Order in Council decriminal- ized homosexuality in OTs that had refused to do so,” the report said. Meanwhile, belonger- ship and its variants are en- shrined in the constitutions of Anguilla, Bermuda, BVI, the Cayman Islands, the Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat and Turks and Caicos. Typi- cally, those who do not have belonger status, or the equiv- alent, cannot vote or hold elected office, even if they are permanently resident British Overseas Territories or U.K. citizens. The committee asked the various territories for the reasoning behind the spe- cial status. Bermuda argued it was a devolved matter, the BVI government said that its constitution “recognizes the distinctive character and cul- ture of the BVI and seeks to ensure its protection” and “Cayman did not respond,” according to the report. The committee called on the U.K. government to initiate a consultation process and to work with OT governments “to agree a plan to ensure that there is a pathway for all resi- dent U.K. and British Overseas Territory citizens to be able to vote and hold elected office in [the] territor[ies].” The FCO should, in re- sponse to the report, set “a deadline for phasing out dis- criminatory elements of be- longership, or its territory- specific equivalents,” the committee said. Government departments are expected to respond to a select committee report within 60 days. The com- mittee may then publish a further report addressing the government response. The Foreign Affairs Select Com- mittee can also recommend its report for debate in the House of Commons. Youth Mental Health Symposium returns for second year Cayman’s mental health advocates will converge at the Grand Cayman Marriott Saturday to explore the path forward in promoting youth health and wellness. The 2nd Annual Youth Mental Health Sympo- sium, organized by the Alex Panton Foundation, will bring together health professionals, community leaders and young people around the theme “Ad- dressing Our Past, Sup- porting Our Future.” The day-long event, run- ning from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., will explore Cayman’s mental health history and steps being taken to im- prove services and attitudes. The results of a 2018 National Drug Council survey on student drug use will be presented, with a focus on mental health is- sues and risk factors. Presenters include mental health professionals Dr. Marc Lockhart, Dr. Erica Lam and Dr. Colleen Brown, among others, as well as community leaders Kevin Ashworth of the RCIPS Family Support Unit, Natalie Baldwin of the TAYA Lounge and young mental health advocate Jada Ramoon. Governor Martyn Roper will make a welcome speech in the morning. Various gov- ernment officials will also speak throughout the event. The day will be punctu- ated by remarks from mem- bers of the Alex Panton Foundation, a youth advo- cacy organization founded in the memory of Alex Panton, who took his own life in 2010 at age 16. The foundation, headed by his parents, Jane and Wayne, aims to raise aware- ness about mental illness and to serve as a clearing- house for support services in the Cayman Islands. For more information or to RSVP to event, email abby@tower.com.ky. Trial set for tourist’s firearm charges Cruise ship passenger pleads not guilty CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Trial has been set for Monday, April 15, in the case of an American woman who pleaded not guilty to posses- sion of a handgun and am- munition without a license in the Cayman Islands. Carol Ann McNeill Skorupan, 67, was a pas- senger aboard the Celebrity Silhouette on Sunday, Feb. 3, 2019, when the ship arrived in Grand Cayman as the first port of call on its route. She had boarded the vessel after flying from Wisconsin, where she has a firearm permit, to Florida, where only two of her three pieces of luggage arrived with her. She was arrested at Owen Roberts Airport on Feb. 3 when the third bag, for- warded to Grand Cayman by Delta Air Lines, was found to have inside a .25-cal- iber pistol and six rounds of .25 ammunition. Defense attorney James Stenning told Justice Philip St. John-Stevens that his client denied instructing the airline to forward the bag with the gun to Cayman. Since being granted bail in the Summary Court, Ms. McNeill Skorupan has been residing at a local hotel. Crown counsel Alliyah McCarthy represented the Of- fice of the Director of Public Prosecutions. Hilton signs on as brand for George Town hotel The hotel is being marketed as an upscale wellness destination. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The day-long event, running from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., will explore Cayman’s mental health history and steps being taken to improve services and attitudes. ‘Legalize same-sex marriage, expand voting rights’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • FRIDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2019 The Family of the Late Prematee Jaggernath Moser regrets to announce her passing on Friday, 15 February, 2019. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page A celebration of her life will be held 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, 26 February, 2019 at Bodden Funeral Service, 117 Walkers Rd. In lieu of flowers please make donations to Jasmine. 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. The Family of the Late Dora Irwin regrets to announce her passing on Monday, 14 January, 2019. Condolences can be registered at www.boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page A funeral service will be held 2:00 p.m. Sunday, 24 February, 2019 at Kings Seventh Day Adventist Church. Interment will follow in Prospect Cemetery. The Family Of The Late Condolences can be registered at boddenfuneralservices.com & Bodden Funeral Service Facebook page. Domingo Hermogino regret to announce his passing on Tuesday, 29 January, 2019. Mr. Herogino will be repatriated to the Philippines. included in the invitation to submit final tenders to the project’s final three bidders. Those bids should, in turn, be made by the end of the first quarter of 2019, according to government. Mr. McLaughlin said on Thursday that his govern- ment should have a preferred bidder chosen by summer, at which time details about the project’s costs and de- sign will be finalized and made public. Mr. McLaughlin also addressed some criti- cisms levied toward the cruise pier plan. One of the main objec- tions is that Cayman has ex- perienced record tourism numbers in recent years, and so people wonder why the pier is needed. The premier said berthing facilities are required because the cruise lines are building bigger and bigger ships. Mr. McLaughlin compared Cayman’s current situation to Kodak, the photography com- pany that failed to innovate as the industry shifted to- ward digital photography. Be- cause Kodak failed to adapt to a changing landscape, it eventually went bankrupt in 2012 and is now a shadow of the former industry giant it once was, he said. “I fear that will be the outcome for our cruise in- dustry if we fail to react to where the cruise market is developing,” he said. “This government will not allow that to happen.” Another criticism the pre- mier addressed is the en- vironmental damage the project is expected to inflict on the surrounding area. Mr. McLaughlin said project de- velopers will do their best to keep the environmental impact to a minimum, but that any “responsible gov- ernment” would need to take into account the massive economic gains the project will bring. The development is ex- pected to create 500 con- struction jobs immediately, and then decades of in- creased employment and business opportunities to- taling some $245 million in economic benefits, according to Mr. McLaughlin. “This comes down to ques- tion of judgment,” he said. “Do the benefits outweigh the costs? In my view, yes.” Dart to buy Brac luxury hotel KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com Dart is in the process of finalizing the purchase of the Cayman Brac luxury hotel Le Soleil D’Or, Dart Real Estate Business De- velopment President Jackie Doak said at Thursday’s Chamber of Commerce leg- islative luncheon. Le Soleil D’Or was launched in 2014, and fea- tured nine luxury villas, a spa, fitness center and restaurants. However, Ms. Doak said the hotel has been mostly closed to guests since 2017, with only one of its nine villas open. Dart’s intention is to re- store the resort to full op- erations and retain current staff, she said. Le Soleil D’Or’s near closure came after the Alexander Hotel closed in 2014. The Divi Tiara Beach Resort has also been vacant for more than a decade. Visitors to the Brac still increased by about 12 per- cent between 2015 and 2017, something Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell attributed to the prolifera- tion of companies such as Airbnb, which allow home- and condo-owners to rent out their places. Ms. Doak said Dart’s purchase of Le Soleil D’Or will offer guests options to stay in luxury hotels in multiple destinations in the territory. “Le Soleil D’Or will pro- vide an intriguing opportu- nity to offer multiple desti- nations within the Cayman Islands,” she said. Disney to help finance cruise pier project Mr. McLaughlin said on Thursday that his government should have a preferred bidder chosen by summer, at which time details about the project’s costs and design will be finalized and made public. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 People observe a Disney cruise ship in the George Town Harbour in 2017. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY NESTLE, AT&T PULL YOUTUBE ADS OVER PEDOPHILE CONCERNS SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Several companies, in- cluding AT&T and Nestle, are pulling advertise- ments from YouTube over concerns about inappro- priate comments on videos of children. A video from a pop- ular YouTuber and a re- port from Wired showed that pedophiles have made unseemly comments on in- nocuous videos of kids. The comments reportedly included timestamps that showed where kids inno- cently bared body parts. YouTube says it dis- abled comments on tens of millions of videos and de- leted offending accounts and channels. Nestle and Fortnite maker Epic Games say they paused ads on YouTube while the company works on the issue. AT&T says it has removed ads until You- Tube can assure that its ads aren’t associated with offensive material. Premier: March 28 will be public holiday KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com Premier Alden McLaughlin has announced that March 28 will be a public holiday to mark the visit of Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall. “The Royal Visit of Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall in March will cer- tainly be a highlight in a year that I expect will have many such, but none more impor- tant,” the premier said at Thursday’s Chamber of Com- merce legislative luncheon. “And so Government intends to make March 28, 2019, Thursday, a public holiday in honour of this royal visit.” While much of the public service and private sector may be able to enjoy the newly announced holiday, British and Cayman dig- nitaries will have a busy schedule during Prince Charles’ two-day visit. Immediately upon his ar- rival from Cuba on March 27, the Prince of Wales will par- ticipate in the opening cer- emony for the new Owen Roberts International Air- port ceremony. After that, he will go to Government House for a meeting with Gov- ernor Martyn Roper and Mr. McLaughlin. The next day, Prince Charles will travel to the Sister Islands, where he will open the new swimming pool on Cayman Brac and partic- ipate in a “marine-focused event” on Little Cayman, ac- cording to Mr. Roper. When he returns to Grand Cayman later that day, he will visit the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Gardens – which was opened by his mother in 1994 – and participate in the opening of the children’s center there. The Duchess of Cornwall will also have a busy trip, visiting George Town Pri- mary School for a “cultural event,” as well as attending the opening of the new Jas- mine hospice center. There will be a recep- tion hosted by Premier McLaughlin at Pedro St. James that evening, and the royal couple will depart thereafter. Government stated that details about the events will be announced soon.Next >