ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – TUESDAY FEBRUARY 26, 2019 Attorney James Bergstrom buys Pinnacle Media Having served for six years as owners, directors and co- CEOs of Pinnacle Media Ltd., David and Vicki Legge have been planning for their own succes- sion and the ongoing longevity of the company. Pinnacle Media Ltd. is the parent company of the Cayman Compass news- paper, a large stable of mag- azines and Precision Print (a commercial printing company). The Legges have been searching for a purchaser, who is Caymanian and com- mitted to keeping the public informed of important issues, holding policymakers to ac- count, and providing a sense of community. They have known James Bergstrom for many years, both as a friend but also as a partner at the law firm Ogier. Ogier provided legal services to the Legges when they ac- quired Cayman Free Press (later becoming Pinnacle Media) in 2013. In addition to his career in law, Mr. Bergstrom is also an investor in a number of local businesses. He is married to Dr. Laura Aull, a Professor of Eng- lish and Linguistics at Wake Forest in North Carolina. Both are believers that a strong and responsible press is not only a prerequisite to a well-run de- mocracy but also crucial as a community builder. The purchase has now been completed and the Legges will retire from their current roles on March 31, 2019. The Legges will continue to serve as consultants to assist with the transition. CAYMAN BRACING FOR NEGATIVE FATF REVIEW KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com A report on the Financial Action Task Force’s recent review of Cayman’s defenses against ter- rorist financing and money laundering will likely be released next month, and the results will not be positive, according to Premier Alden McLaughlin. “It’s not going to be a good report,” Mr. McLaughlin told the Compass. “It is going to find that we have some areas we need to improve on our anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing systems.” The premier explained that Cayman has im- plemented most of the legislation required by the FATF – an organization that sets standards for combating money laundering, terrorist financing and related threats to the international finan- cial system. However, the task force has spotted deficien- cies in how Cayman’s rules and regulations are being followed in practice, he said. Mr. McLaughlin did not go into specifics, but statements have been made in recent public hear- ings that demonstrate Cayman’s struggles to meet FATF standards. For instance, Financial Reporting Authority Di- rector Robert Berry told the Public Accounts Com- mittee on Jan. 31 that his department needs ad- ditional staff to handle a skyrocketing load of suspicious activity reports of potential money laundering and other financial crimes con- nected to Cayman. When the Financial Reporting Authority – the organization that provides information to law en- forcement agencies from other jurisdictions that have investigations involving Cayman – receives a suspicious activity report, it must look into the report to see if it should be forwarded to law en- forcement authorities for further investigation. The Financial Reporting Authority is dealing with a growing backlog of uncompleted reports, and only completed 398 of the 980 reports it had to analyze in 2016/17, according to its annual re- port from that period. The good news is that Cayman will have time Kiteboarders battle ferocious seas in ocean crossing JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com “My body is broken,” Andre Slabbert acknowledged after completing a grueling ocean crossing, kitesurfing through 18- foot swells to win the race from Little to Grand Cayman. Mr. Slabbert, 33, led the field in the Estera Little Grand Race 2019, set- ting a new record for the distance at five-and-a-half-hours. He was among a group of 16 kiters and support crews that took part in the “Kite 4 Cancer” event, which aims to raise more than $200,000 for the Cayman Islands Cancer Society. So far, the kiters have raised just over $160,000 and hope to hit their fundraising target through a charity auction at Abacus on March 13. Mr. Slabbert said the conditions had been tough. “I can hardly walk today,” he said. “It was rough out there. There were certain patches where there were very large swells.” Mr. Slabbert, who works for title sponsor Estera, said the race, which de- parted from Little Cayman at 7 a.m. Sat- urday, was a mental as well as phys- ical challenge. “For five hours you don’t see shore. It is just open ocean,” he said. “You have no point of reference because it is just a desert of water.” The South African-born kitesurfer com- pleted the course in 2016, the only other time the race was held. This time, he knocked more than three hours off his time. He said the main aim was to complete the course and raise money for charity. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PINK LADIES DONATE $10K TO THE PINES The Pink Ladies have been distrib- uting the funds raised through its annual Christmas Bazaar, presenting The Pines Re- tirement Home with one of the largest dona- tions – $10,000. Other community organizations that also received donations were NCVO, the Blue Iguana Recovery Program, the Special Olym- pics, Lighthouse School and the YMCA after- school program. For more on this story, see page 2. Kiteboarder Jake Serpell rides a wave amid high seas during Saturday’s crossing. - PHOTO: JOHAN BJUROE PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 »2 LOCAL®IONAL TUESDAY FEBRUARY 26, 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. - TUESDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: THE HIDDEN WORLD (PG) 1:30 I 4:05 3D I 6:40 I 9:15 3D HAPPY DEATH DAY 2U (PG13) 1:40 I 4:30 VIP I 7:00 I 10:10 VIP FIGHTING WITH MY FAMILY (PG13) 1:45 I 10:00 ALITA BATTLE ANGEL (PG13) 1:40 VIP I 4:10 3D I 6:50 I 9:30 TOTAL DHAMAAL (PG) 12:30 I 3:30 I 6:30 I 9:30 THE LEGO MOVIE 2: THE SECOND PART (PG) 4:25 I 7:00 WHAT MEN WANT (R) 1:15 I 4:00 I 9:40 CLASSICS @ THE CINEMA: BEVERLY HILLS COP (R) 7:00 VIP Pink Ladies donate $10K to the Pines The holiday spirit of giving got a second wind this week, with the Pink La- dies distributing funds raised through its annual Christmas Bazaar. The Pines Retirement Home, where Pink Ladies founding member Olive Miller is a resident, received one of the largest donations, of $10,000. “Originally the Pink La- dies was set up as a bene- factor or helper of the Pines when the Pines was opened. The two ladies that set up the Pink Ladies, Mrs. Olive Miller and Mrs. Evelyn An- dresen, had a connection with the Pines. The Pines was part of their remit, if you like. So this is why we’ve always been con- nected with the Pines,” said committee member Nancy Whitefield. Several other commu- nity organizations also re- ceived donations, including NCVO, the Blue Iguana Re- covery Program, the Spe- cial Olympics, Lighthouse School and the YMCA after- school program. “We pledged to help Spe- cial Olympics because their world games are coming up in Abu Dhabi. And the Lighthouse School. These are places we’ve had a long connection with,” Ms. Whitefield said. For those who missed the Christmas Bazaar, the Pink Ladies will be hosting an- other community event soon that will continue the char- itable spirit, said director Faye Lippitt. “We have a very important event coming up and that is our fashion show, which will be held on March 9. It is at a beautiful home of one of our members in West Bay,” Ms. Lippitt said. “We are partnering with the Humane Society. They are providing the clothes and some of the models. We are providing the place and also some of the models. All of the proceeds that we receive will be going again to all of our charities.” The organization is re- cruiting new members, Ms. Lippitt said, adding that the group accepts members from age 13 and up. For more information, contact pinkladiescayman@gmail.com. Pines Retirement Home manager Lynda C. Mitchell, center, receives a donation from Pink Ladies members Faye Lippitt, left, and Nancy Whitefield. - PHOTO: ALVARO SEREY CLARIFICATION More dog attacks reported In a story that ran on Feb. 25, titled “Man found guilty of rape,” an error was made in the editing process of this story which erroneously indicated that the victim and de- fendant in the case were friends prior to the offense. Police said they responded to several “ferocious dog” reports over the weekend around Cayman. The incidents mostly in- volved attacks on other dogs, although one person was bitten on the arm. In all in- stances, police confirmed, the dogs involved were not strays. Officers responded to three reports on Friday, two of which were in George Town and one in Bodden Town. On Sunday, another dog attack report was re- ceived in West Bay. In two of these cases, dogs roamed from their owners’ property and attacked dogs on other property; and in one case, in George Town, a dog report- edly bit a passerby on the upper arm through the open window of the car she was in, causing a minor injury that was treated at the hospital. Dog owners in two of the incidents have been located and warned, police said. In the third case, parties in- volved were in discussion re- garding compensation. Refer- rals were also made to the Department of Agriculture for all reports. “Often owners are shocked to learn that their dogs have attacked other dogs or bitten someone,” said Brian Crichlow, deputy di- rector of the Department of Agriculture. “But what must be remembered is that your dog may behave quite differ- ently around others than how it behaves with you. Don’t put other people or dogs at risk by allowing your dog to roam freely about the neigh- borhood; you are responsible under the law.” According to an RCIPS press release, police and DoA animal welfare officers are continuing their joint neighborhood walkthroughs this week to distribute ed- ucational material and en- force the law. Former employee admits to Humane Society burglaries Man admits stealing approximately $2,100 CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A former employee at the Cayman Islands Humane So- ciety pleaded guilty in Grand Court on Monday to two counts of burglary at the or- ganization’s compound on North Sound Road. Ricky Johnny Alvarado, 26, pleaded not guilty in October, but changed his pleas on Monday, which was to have been the first day of his trial. The jury had already been selected, but not put in charge of the case. After the pleas, jurors were released until Monday, March 4. Mr. Alvarado admitted entering the Humane So- ciety premises as a tres- passer on July 20, 2018, and stealing approximately $2,100 from a cash drawer. On a second count, he ad- mitted entering as a tres- passer on another date, also with intent to steal. Justice Marlene Carter set sentencing for April 1 and remanded the defen- dant in custody until then. NEW CUBAN CONSTITUTION GETS 87 PERCENT APPROVAL HAVANA (AP) – Cuban au- thorities say a new constitu- tion has been approved by nearly 87 percent of voters, a relatively low figure for a country where official pro- posals routinely receive higher than 90 percent approval. The heads of Cuba’s Na- tional Electoral Commission said 7,848,343 people voted Sunday on a new constitution that preserves the single-party socialist system and centrally planned economy while up- dating some financial, elec- toral and criminal laws. Some 300,000 votes were counted as invalid because they were blank or defaced. And 706,400 people voted against the new constitution. The commission said 6,816,169 people voted in favor of the new charter. The current constitution was approved by 97.7 per- cent of voters in a referendum in 1976, the peak of a system dedicated to displays of na- tional unity. In the run-up to the vote, President Miguel Diaz-Canel’s government waged a nonstop campaign promoting a “yes” vote, claiming those voting “no” were counterrevolution- aries and enemies of the state. The state-run Cuban media were filled with messages urging people to approve the new constitution for the sake of continuity on the island. In recent days, those messages were mixed with words of support for Venezuelan Pres- ident Nicolas Maduro as ten- sions rise between Cuba’s main ally and the Trump ad- ministration, along with Latin American allies who support the Venezuelan opposition and its attempt to force aid into the country. Cuban dissidents reached out to the growing number of people who have internet access on the island, urging them to vote “no” or boycott the vote altogether. Both Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and Vice President Mike Pence attacked the vote as illegitimate in Twitter statements Sunday. FAA TELLS PILOTS TO USE CAUTION WHEN FLYING OVER VENEZUELA (AP) – The U.S. is warning pilots to use caution when flying to or over Ven- ezuela because of civil unrest there. The Federal Aviation Ad- ministration said there is no evidence to suggest that Venezuela’s military would target civilian planes, but it said mistakes are possible. And warned that some of the military’s shoulder- launched anti-aircraft mis- siles could fall into the hands of groups “who may have different intent and a lower level of training.” The FAA issued a no- tice Friday warning pilots to use caution when flying lower than 26,000 feet over the country. Several airlines halted flights to Vene- zuela as chaos and polit- ical strife grew, but a few still fly there. Cuba’s President Miguel Diaz-Canel poses for photos with residents after voting in a referendum to approve or reject the new constitution in Havana, Cuba, Sunday. - PHOTO: AP3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY FEBRUARY 26, 2019 Man arrested after serious assault A man suffered “serious and life-threatening” head injuries following an assault on Kennedy Drive in George Town in the early hours of Sunday morning, police said. A 24-year-old man, of George Town, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. He remained in po- lice custody Monday, pending further investigation. Emergency services were dispatched by the 911 Com- munications Centre just after 4 a.m. on Sunday morning, according to police. “It was reported that two men known to each other were engaged in a verbal disagreement that esca- lated into one of the men striking the other in the head, causing serious and life threatening injury,” a Royal Cayman Islands Police Service spokesperson said in a statement. The injured man was transported to the hospital where he remained in critical condition Monday afternoon. Report: ‘Weak’ rating for Savannah Primary MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com Inspection reports on Prospect and Savannah pri- mary schools have been re- leased in recent days. Pros- pect Primary was found to be making satisfactory progress, but Savannah Primary was assessed as weak in almost every metric. In a November 2017 in- spection, Savannah was given a satisfactory rating. Peter Carpenter, director of the Of- fice of Education Standards, which conducts the surveys, said the lower rating for Sa- vannah may not necessarily mean the quality of education at the school has dropped in the past year and a half. In 2017, he said, inspec- tors looked only at how the school had addressed rec- ommendations from the pre- vious round of inspections during the 2014-2015 school year. Savannah, he said, had only a short list of recom- mendations from the re- sulting report. “We had quite a narrow focus,” Mr. Carpenter said of his team’s earlier visit to the school. “On this full in- spection, we’re looking at a greater depth and breadth. The closer we looked, and in more detail, we found a greater number of areas needing improvement.” A phone message left with a school receptionist re- questing comment from the Savannah Primary School’s principal, Carol Nyack, was not returned. The report found poor performance in teaching, as- sessment and leadership. “Teaching was weak,” in- spectors reported. “There was too much inconsistency in the quality of teaching across the school. More than a quarter of the lessons ob- served during the inspection were judged to be weak. The pace of lessons was often slow, with students spending too much time waiting and tasks taking much longer than students needed to com- plete them.” Students are underper- forming in all subject areas, the report said. It criticized school leader- ship, saying, “inspectors ob- served notable gaps in the overall management of the school which impacted on standards of achievement. These gaps were in the areas of instructional leadership and curriculum planning.” Interestingly, when fac- ulty and support staff were surveyed, they rated the quality of leadership at the school better than they did in the last report. In 2017, 33 percent disagreed that the school was well led. In this report, that figure dropped to 12 percent. “I think teachers and sup- port staff appreciate the work of the leadership,” Mr. Car- penter said. “Trying to eval- uate the effectiveness of that is a different thing. We are saying that teaching is weak and children aren’t making enough progress. There has to be an accountability.” Teachers and support staff rated the overall per- formance of the school lower in this report than in the previous one. Just 78 per- cent said they agreed the school was providing a good quality education, compared to 94 percent in the last re- port. Conversely, 13 percent said it was not doing a good job, compared to 6 percent in the earlier survey. The re- maining 9 percent in the cur- rent survey were unsure. Satisfaction changed in the survey done with parents of students at the school. The new report found 68 percent felt the school was doing a good job, compared with 77 percent in the pre- vious report. Inspectors found the school was doing a good job in promoting a safe and healthy environment and promoting civic and environ- mental awareness. At Prospect Primary, in- spectors found students were well behaved, educated in Cayman culture and ben- efiting from a broad cur- riculum. Principal Matthew Read was singled out for being “passionate about im- proving students’ education,” raising the morale of staff and winning the confidence of students and parents. More work is needed, the report said, in bringing stu- dent academic performance up to international stan- dards. The school was as- sessed as either satisfactory or good in all areas inspec- tors looked at. Complete copies of the reports can be found at www.oes.gov.ky. TWO MEN STABBED DURING FIGHT Two men stabbed each other during a fight on Sat- urday night in George Town, police reported. According to an RCIPS press release, just after 10:30 p.m., police and other emer- gency services were dis- patched by the 911 Commu- nications Centre to a report of a serious assault. “It was reported that a man was attacked by another man, while he was driving on North Sound Road searching for parking near a bar in the area,” police said. The men, who were known to each other, had an argu- ment during which one of the men attacked the other while he was in his vehicle driving to find parking outside the local bar. When the driver stopped and exited the ve- hicle, a fight ensued and both men received what appear to be stab wounds, police said. The driver received three stab wounds and was con- sidered to be in stable but serious condition. The other man was treated and later released.The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 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” 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. The Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Commons last week ignited a firestorm of disagree- ment and debate among different factions resident in U.K. Overseas Territories, including the Cayman Islands. The committee issued its bombshells in the form of recommendations – the very suggestion of which is being interpreted as a threat to the rights of British overseas territories to govern their own internal affairs. The explosive topics include same-sex marriage, voting and electoral rights for “non-Caymanians” (or relevant immigration statuses in other jurisdictions), and public beneficial ownership registers. We will not in this column reiterate or establish our positions on the issues themselves. On the subject of the enfranchisement of U.K citizens wishing to seek elected office, however, Premier Alden McLaughlin had no such reservations. During the Chamber of Commerce’s Legislative Luncheon, he declared, “The day the U.K. government seriously considers that persons who are not Cayma- nians can stand for office here, is the day I will lead the charge for independence. Because that is akin to an attempt to take over the territory and to decide and impose their will on the direction the country should take.” On one level, we understand Mr. McLaughlin’s passionate reaction to the recommendation, which would radically change one of the fundamental tenets of history and democracy in Cayman. Nevertheless, the recommendation of expanding the right of franchise or access to elected office is neither a novel nor radical proposal. (In another form during another time – the mid- 1700s – it was the British themselves who engendered the phrase, “No taxation without representation,” coined as a rallying cry by American colonialists in their lead-up to the Revolutionary War.) The tone and the title of the current report, “One family: rethinking Britain’s relationship with the Overseas Territories,” make clear that committee members see “Mother England” as a strict parent whose commands are certainly more than mere suggestions. However, the “I-word” (“independence”) should never be bandied about casually, even in moments of high emotion. The impact of those words, especially when uttered by the premier of these islands, can be far greater than he – or anyone – originally intended. Contrast Mr. McLaughlin’s remarks with the more diplomatic response by Governor Martyn Roper, a veteran diplomat. In a statement that was far more sober and restrained, the governor’s office assured the public a reply would be forthcoming “in due course.” “I will ensure that the strong feelings this has aroused across our islands are fully explained to the FCO,” Mr. Roper said, noting that the committee is a committee of the Parliament, whose views are not necessarily those of the government. “They don’t have power to impose on territory; they make recommendations,” he reminded. In other words: Don’t break out the torches (or depending on your side on the issues, celebratory fireworks) just yet. – EDITORIAL – The explosive social issues in UK report TUESDAY FEBRUARY 26, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS LETTER TO THE EDITOR Miller expands on his CIAA concerns I take this opportunity to thank you for your past fair and balanced reporting. I have enjoyed a long and mutually rewarding relation- ship with many of the staff of the Cayman Compass and it is my sincere hope that that association will continue without any undue discord. However, I must comment on the disappointing nature of your editorial of Thursday, Feb. 21 [“Miller ‘flying blind’ in complaints about CIAA recruitment]. First, I respect your right to your opinion and I am the first to support engage- ment in healthy debate. De- mocracy is messy, and truth- finding in a complex issue is further constrained by the piecemeal delivery of infor- mation and the need to get messages out quickly – and in this case, indeed, timeli- ness was essential. However, as much as I would wish to set the re- cord straight, your opening argument is so unsophisti- cated and irrelevant that I am sorry to say that I cannot bring myself to dignify it with a comment. I am equally incredulous that my concern about jobs for Caymanians should be in- terpreted as to be “based on the absurd protectionist fan- tasy that a small population such as Cayman’s can find ‘homegrown’ experts in all the specialized fields neces- sary for prosperity in a com- plex global economy.” That again is too naïve a charge to merit a response. Again, I am sincerely trying very hard to be kind. However, I must draw at- tention to – and I will com- ment on – your supporting argument that “many munic- ipalities and jurisdictions [in other countries] find them- selves having to make do with poorly qualified candi- dates who yield predictably poor results.” I certainly hope you are not meaning to imply that the CIAA’s (Cayman Islands Airports Authority) or any other local entity’s recruit- ment of Caymanians would necessarily result in their recruiting “poorly qualified candidates” who “predictably” cannot do the job. Those are the sort of oblique but trans- parent statements that are just not helpful in an envi- ronment in which every ef- fort should be made to secure jobs for Caymanians and to ensure new recruits are well trained and prepared to take their place confidently in po- sitions in their own country. They deserve at least that. Perhaps you are not aware that it is a common occur- rence today that many Cay- manians are shunted aside at the workplace and not al- lowed to advance – or even not allowed into the door – based on the same type of at- titudes and at times excuses in your editorial implying “predictable” inequalities be- tween “homegrown” and im- ported workers. Representa- tions along these lines are made to me on a constant basis and I will not be de- terred from speaking out on their behalf regardless of hy- perbolic and irrelevant com- parison to other countries. However, while much of your editorial was not the finest example of logical ar- gumentation, it has given me a welcome opportunity to provide some background for the public. Many people may be unaware, for example, that among my decades of service to this country I have ben- efited from a past 15-month stint as a chairman of the Immigration Board. To my tenure as chairman, I brought my solid com- mitment to fair and bal- anced decision making: Fair to businesses when they could validate their case, while insisting on justice for Caymanians. I am not now, and never have been, anti-business. And let me hasten to fill you in on my other prior and current roles which have so- lidified my personal insights into the complexity of re- cruiting qualified staff. Be- fore entering politics, I suc- cessfully owned and operated several medical businesses. I also spent six years as the HR manager for one of the Big Four accounting compa- nies in the financial industry. For the last fifteen years, I have served as a highly sought-after consultant in the healthcare and human re- sources industries. With this experience as a businessman and from in- sights gained on the Immi- gration Board and my many years in politics, I have an in- grained appreciation that as a developing country we will continue to have a need to re- cruit from overseas. However, while you may not have been aware of all of my background, you are well aware of my predisposi- tion for fairness, practicality and good old common sense. I was therefore rather taken aback that you leaped from my concern about training and preparing Caymanians for jobs to imply that there is some wholesale underlying or overt rejection on my part of the need to recruit over- seas workers when necessary. For the record, for you as editor and the public, my press release never at any time stated or implied that the CIAA should not recruit from overseas, but it did ask for a review of the recruit- ment plan, and that the CIAA consider replacing the terms being offered with more tem- porary arrangements that would prioritize training and professional development of Caymanians. Rationale for the large recruitment initiative I will now turn to the stated rationale for the re- cruitment, whether local or overseas, of so many addi- tional ATCs. First, according to your report, the CIAA plans to un- dertake phased recruitment of 13 new air traffic control- lers, “specially to deal with increasing air traffic.” In- cluding supervisors, this would be a projected increase in ATC staff of 218 percent. Meanwhile, the increase in air traffic movements over the last four years, from 2015 to 2018, is around 8 percent. The increase in air traffic movements in … 2018 over the previous year was a con- sistent 3 percent. Those statistics speak for themselves. The claim of a regulatory requirement You further reported that the CIAA has stated that this large increase in ATC staffing was prompted by “regula- tory” requirements. I am re- liably informed that no di- rective for increased ATC Ezzard Miller PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 5 »5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY FEBRUARY 26, 2019 NOTICE Cayman Compass will be closing to the public at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, March 1st. Due to a private function staff has been issued by the local regulatory authority, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands (CAACI). I have placed an FOI request to confirm this, and you are also at liberty to conduct a similar probe. The main claim behind the new thrust to fulfill these supposed new regulatory re- quirements is that the CIAA (Airports Authority) is now faced with splitting its staff into two, affording the simul- taneous operation of separate “desks” for aerodrome and approach duties, respectively. Please note, however, that the split desk system was intro- duced in May 2015 and was formally adopted in Sep- tember 2015. So, this policy has been in place for four years come September 2019. CIAA Recruitment Drive With regard to the plan to recruit the said 13 new ATCs, whether justified or not, I would have expected that the CIAA would have simultane- ously announced an aggres- sive recruitment drive on a national scale to secure the brightest Caymanians with the necessary aptitudes. This aggressive national drive has not come to my notice, but I do not doubt that some effort has been made. So far, according to your report, the CIAA’s recent ef- forts have yielded one ATC in training and four ATC trainees in the process of preparing for overseas training. That is good news, and I am sure there will be no decline in standards of performance once they are suitably trained and al- lowed to grow professionally on the job and with the re- quired further training. On the matter of con- tinuing recruitment, it is my firm belief that a committed aggressive, properly con- ceived and regular recruit- ment program over the next several years, will enable the CIAA to continue to suitably Caymanise its ATC staffing. I hope the CIAA will commit to such suitable re- cruitment and staff de- velopment initiatives tar- geting Caymanians, and are not being discouraged by past results. My suggestion would be that the CIAA re-examine the effectiveness of their re- cruitment and staff develop- ment programs and re-en- gineer them with a view to improving the outcome for Caymanians. Friends, when we capitu- late and weaken our resolve to recruit Caymanians, we feed into the much-too-often prevailing notion that Cay- manians are not capable, and weaken the self-confidence of our youth seeking to begin their adult lives and of our Caymanian employees. We cannot afford that. We need a strong, empowered local workforce, and must never take the easy way out. However, let no one mis- construe my commitment to robust Caymanian recruit- ment and staff development initiatives to mean that over- seas recruitment is objection- able in and of itself. The public and private sectors will continue to re- cruit overseas as necessary, but we must also, at the same time, give our people a fighting chance and not demean them even before they are offered an oppor- tunity. Caymanians must be afforded preferential em- ployment in their country on a level employment and professional development playing field. Finally, to be absolutely clear, I am neither anti- business nor anti-expa- triate workers. We must all work together in unity and harmony for the well-being of the Cayman Is- lands and its future. Thank you for your atten- tion, and I look forward to continued amicable discourse with your media practitioners to the benefit of the people of the Cayman Islands. Kind regards, Ezzard Miller CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 Miller expands on his CIAA concerns Reaccreditation for forensics lab National Gallery acquires four new pieces The Cayman Islands Fo- rensic Science Laboratory has renewed its international accreditation for another four years, following a suc- cessful audit by the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation. “The [ISO 17025] reaccred- itation recognises the con- tinued quality work that we at the Cayman Islands Fo- rensic Science Laboratory perform according to inter- national standards, so the people in our islands can have confidence in their test results,” said Forensic Quality Manager Angela Tanzillo- Swarts in a press release. The Forensic Science Labo- ratory has maintained its ac- creditation since 2009 and un- dergoes annual internal audits and biennial external audits. According to the press re- lease, the international ac- creditation process focused on areas such as mainte- nance of equipment, qualifi- cation and competency of the scientists, and verification of methodologies. A laborato- ry’s fulfillment of the require- ments means the laboratory possesses the technical com- petence and management systems that are necessary for it to consistently deliver technically sound and valid test results. “The road to accreditation and reaccreditation involves hard work, consistency and a dedicated team. Our labora- tory continues to succeed in the process of continuous as- sessment and improvement, maintaining its credibility and ability to compete and suc- ceed on the world stage,” said Deputy Medical Director of the Health Services Authority, Dr. Courtney Cummings. The Cayman Islands Fo- rensic Science Laboratory is operated by the Cayman Is- lands Health Services Au- thority in Grand Cayman. It offers expertise in forensic bi- ology and DNA testing, DNA databasing services, DNA pa- ternity testing, forensic toxi- cology testing, forensic drug analysis, pathology, and fo- rensic criminalistics testing in selected areas, the re- lease stated. The National Gallery of the Cayman Islands has four new works to add to its col- lection. Each piece of artwork is by a significant Caymanian artist working in a contem- porary context. Works for possible acqui- sition are identified annually by the gallery’s collections and exhibitions committee, but the purchase of the pieces is dependent upon sponsor- ship. Work is selected based upon four criteria: the signif- icance of the artist, the stan- dard of work, the significance of the work in an exhibition capacity and popular appeal. The four works selected for this donation are by Na- tive Sons Chris Christian, Gordon Solomon and Al Ebanks, along with Shane “Dready” Aquart. Two pieces, “Migrate” by Al Ebanks and “Reflecting” by Chris Chris- tian, are part of the Na- tional Gallery Collection dis- play. The other two, “Moko Jumbies” by Shane Aquart and “Universe Via Schooner” by Gordon Solomon cur- rent “Cross Currents” bi- ennial exhibit on display through April 18. “Each of these artists is working in a wide range of media,” gallery director Nat- alie Urquhart said in a state- ment. “Their work is a vehicle through which to bring atten- tion to our cultural heritage in new ways. They are all ex- cellent examples of the highly skilled, critically engaged work that is being practiced by our contemporary artists.” Funding to acquire the artwork was provided by the Ministry of Culture. This is the second year the ministry has provided such funding. NGCI Chairperson Susan A. Olde said of the minis- try’s assistance, “Budget con- straints have limited acqui- sitions historically, and this support has ensured that these four works of national significance remain on island and publicly accessible now, and for future generations.” The National Art Collection is on display in the NGCI’s Upper Gallery, which is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday. Admission is free. From left, Al Ebanks, National Gallery Director Natalie Urquhart, Gordon Solomon, Culture Minister Dwayne Seymour, Chris Christian and Shane ‘Dready’ Aquart gather at the presentation of four new works for the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands. Forensic Chemistry Analyst Beverley Nunez, left, and Quality Manager Angela Tanzillo-Swarts display the accreditation certificate presented to the forensic laboratory by A2LA.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. TUESDAY FEBRUARY 26, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS 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 their 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. DOA PLANT NURSERY CLOSURE: The Department of Agriculture’s Plant Nursery will be closed from today through Wednesday, March 6. TUESDAY, MARCH 5 DOA SALES AND OFFICE CLOSURE: The Department of Agriculture’s administration and sales sections in Lower Valley will be closed today in preparation for tomorrow’s Agriculture Show. Normal opening hours will resume on Thursday, March 7. 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. HEARTS THROUGH HANDS: Meets Wednesdays 9:30 a.m. to noon at The Family Life Centre, Room 10, Academy Way. Women make crafts for charity and missions. Call 946–3067 or 947–1863. BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S CLUB: Meets third Wednesday of every month, Governors Square Boardroom at 5:30 p.m. Visit www.facebook.com/ BPWGrandCayman. BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT GROUP: MothertoMother meetings first Tuesday of every month, 3-4 p.m. outside Women’s Health Centre at the Cayman Islands Hospital. Children welcome. Contact Women’s Health Centre at 244-2649. LIFE UNDERWRITERS ASSOCIATION: Meeting luncheons held on last Thursday of each month. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. Calling all lionfish cullers: Cayman United Lionfish League’s latest tournament takes place on March 2 and 3. The deadline for registration is Thursday, Feb. 28. - PHOTO: OCEAN FRONTIERS LTD.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY FEBRUARY 26, 2019 Please be advised that the Cayman Compass will not be published on Wednesday, March 6th, 2019 For more information call 949-5111 or email sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com EDITION DEADLINE Wednesday, March 6 th No Publication Thursday, March 7 th Friday, March 1 st Friday, March 8 th Monday, March 4 th But, he added, “As soon as they said it was a race. I said I am going to train hard and try to win it.” It was not plain sailing for everyone, however. Amy Strzalko, one of the organizers of the event, said the sea conditions had been “ferocious.” There were times during the crossing when she couldn’t see the safety boat, the swells were so high. She was forced to abandon the effort around three-quarters of the way through, suffering from severe back pain after several bad wipeouts. Among those to com- plete the course was Cora Schwendtke, who made it to the Rum Point finish line in 10 hours, 14 minutes. Her Garmin GPS watch showed she had tacked through a winding course of nearly 112 miles. As the crow flies, the distance between the two is- lands is 83 miles. A relay team of three ju- nior kiteboarders, all under 15, also completed the course. “It was incredible for three kids to get through something like that. They did an amazing job,” Ms. Strzalko said. She said the event had gone smoothly with no major incidents, and the safety and contingency plans put in place by race safety director Simon Barwick working seamlessly. “Not everybody finished,” she said, “but everybody got back on their safety boat. It is not easy to retrieve a person, a kite and a board from the open ocean in those kind of seas, but we did it thanks to our training and our excel- lent safety crews. “It wasn’t easy for the guys on the boats either. Ev- erybody is going to be in a little bit of pain today.” Ms. Strzalko said she was delighted with the amount of money raised and hopes to get over the $200,000 threshold at the live auction, which includes thousands of dollars worth of items, in- cluding kiteboards painted by artists Guy Harvey, Hannah Cook and Dave Bridgeman. ESTERA LITTLE GRAND RACE 2019, PARTICIPANTS Team EsteraAndre Slabbert Team DrizzlesKevin Drysdale Team EliteTrina Gilis Team Groms Jake Serpell, Oskar Bjuroe, Louis Vagniez Team TortugaAmy Strzalko Team Mainstay/DeloitteJon Dobbin, Tristan Relly Team Midnight ExpressCora Schwendtke Team Waterman Christian Poulsson, Derek Serpell Team CascabelRichard Kerr, Laura-Jane Airey, Mike Smith Safety and boat logistics Simon Barwick Kitesurfer Jake Serpell hugs his mother Milly after he completed the crossing from Little Cayman to Grand Cayman on Saturday. - PHOTO: JULIE CORSETTI The kiteboarders depart Little Cayman. - PHOTO: JAN BARWICK Kiteboarders battle ferocious seas in ocean crossing Cayman bracing for negative FATF review to remedy this and other de- ficiencies the FATF may have identified during its review. Unlike with other organiza- tions such as the European Union, Cayman will not au- tomatically be slapped on a blacklist or a gray list after a negative review. Cayman will have a year before the FATF reviews it again to see what improvements have been made. Mr. McLaughlin said he has already formed a com- mittee that is making action plans to address the FATF’s perceived deficiencies. For starters, he said the Finan- cial Reporting Authority, the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority, the Ministry of Fi- nancial Services, and other fi- nancial services-related gov- ernment departments will receive more manpower and resources. Other deficiencies have al- ready been addressed. In November, legislators amended the Proceeds of Crime Law to give more in- dependence and autonomy to the Financial Reporting Au- thority, removing the require- ment for it to get consent from the attorney general be- fore fulfilling international information requests. At- torney General Samuel Bulgin explained at the time that the amendment was re- quired by the Financial Ac- tion Task Force. “We’re going through a period of review and have a third draft report of our system, and this was one of the things that was flagged in that report,” he said. Financial Services Min- ister Tara Rivers was at a FATF meeting on the review in Paris last week, the pre- mier added, and she will have more information on what needs to be done here. Mr. McLaughlin re- marked that the most re- cent FATF review has in- troduced a new concept, which holds Cayman to a higher standard, that of “risk and context.” The premier explained that the FATF might give Cayman a lower grade than other jurisdictions with less- robust anti-money laun- dering systems. This is be- cause Cayman is one of the world’s leading offshore ju- risdictions, and therefore, is held to a higher stan- dard, he said. “They don’t even try to pretend anymore. Cayman is expected to operate at higher standards and have a greater scrutiny of the business that comes here than some other jurisdictions,” he said. “It’s a result of our success and the volume of financial services business that comes through the jurisdiction.” CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Team Groms makes it to the finish line. - PHOTO: JULIE CORSETTI Cora Schwendtke’s GPS watch shows she tacked through a winding course of 179.5 kilometers (nearly 112 miles).The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 TUESDAY FEBRUARY 26, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS UN court urges UK to end control of islands The United Nations’ highest court says the United Kingdom carved up Mauritius illegally when it ended its colonization of the Indian Ocean islands and must ‘bring to an end its administration of the Chagos Archipelago as rapidly as possible.’ After Venezuela aid is torched, Guaido plots bolder moves There was blood, smoke, smashed glass and tear gas. But a day of violence Sat- urday left Venezuela where it was before: Nothing changed on the ground. No one seems to be winning. And the nation is still hungry, scared and wondering what comes next. “Honestly, I’m disap- pointed,” said Luis Antonio Cequera, 52, a water vendor in the border town of Cu- cuta, where the clashes be- tween supporters of Presi- dent Nicolas Maduro and his rival Juan Guaido were fierce. “What we need is support and we didn’t have support from anyone.” It was billed as a day of change on Saturday in Ven- ezuela. Instead, it left the country in a dangerous stalemate. “On the one hand, the Maduro government reit- erated that it will not ac- cept humanitarian aid to the point that it ordered repres- sion against protesters, a move that left its government very badly off,” said Carlos Romero, an analyst at Cen- tral University of Venezuela. “On the other hand, the oppo- sition represented by Guaido did not manage to introduce humanitarian aid, nor did it achieve a weighty military pronouncement repudiating the Maduro government.” On Monday, though, Guaido will represent Venezuela in Bo- gota in a meeting with the Lima Group of Latin American nations. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence will attend the talks and meet with Guaido to discuss what steps might come next. European Union spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic rejected any talk of military intervention on Monday and called for a solution that is “peaceful and democratic.” Guaido and his sup- porters – which includes the U.S. and some 50 out- side nations – had amassed food and medicine at border points into Venezuela from Colombia and Brazil. The aid was meant both to salve a once rich nation brought to poverty under the autocratic Maduro and to show Guaido, 35, proclaimed rival presi- dent, as legitimate heir and, in some sense, savior. But Maduro used his still- loyal military, the nation’s most powerful institution, to crush the effort. As many as four people were reported killed and 200 wounded. Meantime, about 100 sol- diers defected. Little to no aid crossed the border. On Sunday, it was largely quiet along restive border towns, with streets covered in glass and stones and shops shuttered. For a second day, though, there were clashes at the crossing point to Brazil, at Pacaraima, and witnesses said pro-Maduro thugs shot at people in a town nearby. Maduro reinforced the towns with more soldiers, armored vehicles and fearsome para- military outfits, called “col- ectivos,” while Guaido and his allies pondered their next move. To some degree, that move depends on the outside world – which would prove a tricky balance for Guaido and pose much risk for Maduro and his allies. Sen. Marco Rubio, Repub- lican of Florida, who’s helped spearhead the U.S.’s position on Venezuela, posted a tweet showing Panamanian dic- tator Manuel Noriega under arrest in U.S. He later tweeted photos of Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi, killed after U.S. bombing in 2011. But Latin America has had its fill of American meddling, and Secretary of State Mi- chael Pompeo, while saying sanctions against Maduro could grow still more bur- densome, took a longer view. He recalled his experience as a young soldier on the border of East Germany. “No one predicted on that day in 1989 that the wall would come crumbling down,” he told CNN. “I am confident that the Venezuelan people will ensure that Mad- uro’s days are numbered.” Guaido, who is head of the National Assembly, which named him president after Maduro stole national elec- tions last year, faces prob- lems of his own. He holds virtually no power inside Venezuela, and is now in Colombia and faces a chal- lenge to return after Maduro banned him from travel. “We are in countdown mode right now,” Romero, the analyst from Central Univer- sity of Venezuela, said. In Urena, Ivan Valencia, 28, stared at the barricaded border crossing as convoys of police on motorcycles and personnel carriers zoomed out of the town that held so much promise the day before. “I’m waiting here for someone to light the fuse,” he said. © 2019, Bloomberg SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt (AP) – Britain’s main opposition party took a big step Monday toward backing a second Brexit referendum amid rising concerns the country could crash out of the Eu- ropean Union next month without a deal. The EU also warned that Britain faced the pros- pect of either a chaotic exit from the bloc or delaying its planned departure date. Eu- ropean Council President Donald Tusk, who chairs the summit meetings of EU na- tion leaders, said it would be “rational” for the March 29 Brexit date to be extended. In a move that could change the Brexit debate in Britain, the Labour Party said it would back a second public vote if the House of Com- mons rejects its alternative withdrawal plan later this week – as is widely expected. Leader Jeremy Corbyn told Labour lawmakers the party “will do everything in our power” to prevent Britain leaving the EU without a deal on the withdrawal terms and future relations with the re- maining 27 members. But Corbyn also said La- bour would oppose any agreement based on the “overwhelmingly rejected” one negotiated by Prime Min- ister Theresa May’s govern- ment. Parliament has refused to approve the agreement since the government and the EU reached it late last year. As a result, Labour plans to put forward or support an amendment to the deal on holding another public vote “to prevent a damaging Tory Brexit being forced on the country,” he said. Voters narrowly approved the June 2016 referendum to pull Britain out of the EU. La- bour previously said it would support a referendum as a last resort if it could not se- cure a new general election or make changes to May’s divorce deal. Without support from the Labour Party, there is little chance of a second refer- endum taking place. The move is likely to cheer many Labour Party members, who have backed calls for a so-called “people’s vote.” The party leadership t has been reluctant to change tack, not least because majori- ties in many of the districts Labour lawmakers repre- sent, particularly in northern England, backed Brexit in the referendum. Though Labour’s move is potentially a game-changer, the path to another refer- endum is far from clear. An- other Brexit vote would require the support of nu- merous lawmakers from the governing Conservative Party, for example. After lawmakers rejected May’s deal last month, the prime minister has sought to get changes from the EU over a provision for the border be- tween the U.K.’s Northern Ire- land 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 in order 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 to reassure British law- makers that the backstop would only apply temporarily. But EU leaders insist that the legally binding Brexit withdrawal agreement, which took a year and a half to ne- gotiate, cannot be reopened. The impasse has raised concerns that Britain will leave the EU without a deal, a scenario that would likely mean new tariffs on British exports and serious disrup- tion to trade between the two sides. The Bank of England has warned that the British economy could shrink by 8 percent in the months after a disorderly Brexit. May has said a new vote on any revised Brexit deal will not be held this week and could come as late as March 12. A number of British law- makers are seeking to wrest control of the process away from government and are looking to get support for an amendment that would re- quire May to seek an exten- sion to the Brexit date if Par- liament fails to back her deal. Labour lawmaker Yvette Cooper, one of those behind the move, said it was irre- sponsible of the government that just a few weeks before Brexit “we still don’t know what kind of Brexit we are going to have and we’re not even going to have a vote on it until two weeks before that final deadline.” “I don’t see how busi- nesses can plan, I don’t see how public services can plan and I think it’s just deeply damaging,” Cooper told the BBC. The EU’s Tusk warned that the chances of a with- drawal agreement being con- cluded in time are receding, and that sticking by the planned Brexit date would be too risky. “I believe that in the sit- uation we are in, an exten- sion would be a rational so- lution,” Tusk told reporters at an EU-Arab League summit in Egypt after talks with May that he said included dis- cussions over extending the Brexit process. He said all 27 member states “will show maximum understanding and goodwill” to make possible such a post- ponement – a decision that would require a unanimous vote from them. However, May insisted she could deliver on the set date. “It is within our grasp to leave with a deal on 29th of March and I think that that is where all of our energies should be focused,” May said. She said “any delay is a delay. It doesn’t address the issue. It doesn’t resolve the issue.” Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte warned her against “sleepwalking” into a chaotic Brexit next month and that it was time for Britain to step up and clinch a deal. “It’s absolutely unaccept- able. And I think your best friends have to warn you for that,” Rutte told the BBC. “Wake up. This is real.” In a move that could change the Brexit debate in Britain, the Labour Party said it would back a second public vote if the House of Commons rejects its alternative withdrawal plan later this week – as is widely expected. Main UK opposition party moves to back new Brexit vote British Prime Minister Theresa May, left, shakes hands with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker at the Sharm El Sheikh convention center in Egypt, Monday. - PHOTO: AP9 WORLD®IONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY FEBRUARY 26, 2019 Losing a son as special as you has left our heart aching. It’s broken in two, but a part of us went with you. The day God called you home No words can describe all the grief and pain that your leaving has caused. I would give all I have to see you again, but all I have are special memories of you. If only I could have you back for just a little while. So, we could sit and talk again, just like we used to do. You always meant so much to me. The fact that you’re no longer here will always cause me pain. But you are forever in our hearts until we meet again. With love from your loving Mother and Father, Loving you always Starleth and Washington Ebanks, Brothers, Sister and Friends. Rest in peace, God bless you. Albert Allen Ebanks November 27, 2001 – Feb 26, 2018 Trump extends China tariff deadline, cites progress in talks WASHINGTON (AP) – Pres- ident Donald Trump said Sunday he will extend a deadline to escalate tariffs on Chinese imports, citing “substantial progress” in weekend talks between the two countries. Trump tweeted that there had been “productive talks” on some of the difficult is- sues dividing the U.S. and China, adding that “I will be delaying the U.S. increase in tariffs now scheduled for March 1.” Trump said that if negoti- ations progress, he will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping at his Florida resort to finalize an agreement. U.S. and Chinese ne- gotiators met through the weekend as they seek to re- solve a trade war that is rat- tled financial markets. Trump had warned he would escalate the tariffs he has imposed on $200 billion in Chinese imports, from 10 to 25 percent, if the two sides failed to reach a deal. The increase was scheduled to take effect at 12:01 a.m. EST on March 2. Speaking to governors gathered at the White House for an annual black-tie ball Sunday, Trump said he was doing “very well” with China. “If all works well we’re going to have some very big news over the next week or two,” he said, though he took care to add that “we still have a little ways to go.” Asian stock markets rose following Trump’s announce- ment, but gains were modest. Share prices already had risen in recent weeks in ex- pectation Trump would post- pone the tariff hike. The Shanghai Composite Index rose 2.4 percent while Tokyo’s benchmark Nikkei 225 index gained 0.7 percent. The world’s two biggest economies have been locked in a conflict over U.S. alle- gations that China steals technology and forces for- eign companies to hand over trade secrets in an aggressive push to chal- lenge American technolog- ical dominance. The two countries have slapped import taxes on hun- dreds of billions of dollars of each other’s goods. The con- flict has unnerved investors and clouded the outlook for the global economy, putting pressure on Trump and Xi to reach a deal. Chinese negotiators said the talks made progress on technology transfer, protec- tion of intellectual property rights and non-tariff barriers, according to the official Xi- nhua News Agency. It cau- tioned there are “still some differences that need more time to be ironed out.” “Trump clearly wants a deal and so do the Chinese, which certainly raises the probability that the two sides will come to some sort of ne- gotiated agreement, even if it is a partial one, in the coming weeks,” said Cornell Univer- sity economist Eswar Prasad, former head of the Inter- national Monetary Fund’s China division. On Twitter, Trump said the two sides had made headway on issues including protection of trade secrets, forced technology transfer and U.S. agricultural sales to China. But the administra- tion did not immediately pro- vide details. Business groups and law- makers in Congress want to see a comprehensive deal that forces the Chinese to change their behavior and that can be enforced. The U.S. has accused China of failing to meet past com- mitments to reform its eco- nomic policies. “Encouraging news from @POTUS that prog- ress is being made in a trade deal with China. Hope- fully this leads to an agree- ment that stops China’s theft of US intellectual prop- erty and avoids a full blown trade war,” tweeted Repub- lican Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania But critics worry the pres- ident has given up leverage. “They now have lost the advantage of a deadline,” said Philip Levy, a senior fellow at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and a White House economist under Pres- ident George W. Bush. “I see the odds tilting” in China’s favor, Levy said. Bangladesh police identify suspect in failed plane hijacking DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) – A man who was killed while trying to hijack a com- mercial flight in Bangla- desh was a 24-year-old pas- senger from a village near the capital who had been previously arrested in a kidnapping case, officials said Monday. Mufti Mahmud Khan, di- rector of the law and media wing of Bangladesh’s Rapid Action Battalion security agency, said the suspect was listed in its database as Md. Polash Ahmed, and had been arrested in 2012. Khan declined to provide details about the kidnapping case. Confusion remained over whether Ahmed was armed. The plane operated by Biman Bangladesh Air- lines made an emergency landing in Chittagong on Sunday after the attempted hijacking, which oc- curred shortly after takeoff from Dhaka. The plane was headed to Dubai via Chittagong. Officials said Sunday that Ahmed was injured in an exchange of gunfire with special forces, that he had shot at them first and was armed with a pistol. Civil aviation authori- ties cast doubt on that ac- count Monday. When asked about re- ports that Ahmed had a toy gun, ministry secretary Mohibul Haque said they did not know whether the pistol was a toy. “We don’t know if there was any exchange of gun- fire,” Haque said. Bangladesh civil aviation minister Mahbub Ali told reporters that Ahmed had booked a seat on the flight from Dhaka to Chittagong, and that airport surveil- lance video showed him going through security with other passengers. “There was no signal that he had something” when he boarded Sunday’s flight, Ali said. Khan said when the agency’s bomb-disposal unit reached the scene, they found that Ahmed had fake “bomb-like material.” Officials said Ahmed asked to speak to Bangla- desh Prime Minister Sheik Hasina before dying on his way to a hospital. A police chief in Naray- anganj outside Dhaka, Mo- hammed Moniruzzaman, first identified the suspect as 24-year-old Mohammed Polash Ahmed. Moniruzzaman said Ahmed’s parents confirmed his identity, and that resi- dents of the village where he lived said he had a “bad reputation.” A police official in Chittagong, Mohammed Alauddin, said by phone that no one had yet claimed Ahmed’s body from the Chittagong Medical College and Hospital mortuary. Bangladesh, a majority Muslim nation of 162 mil- lion people, has had peri- odic terrorist attacks in re- cent years, including an assault on an upscale cafe in Dhaka’s diplomatic en- clave in 2016 that resulted in the deaths of 22 people, including 17 foreigners. The attack prompted a swift crackdown by Hasina, with hundreds of suspected militants arrested or killed in raids across the country. The Rapid Action Bat- talion has been credited with reducing militant at- tacks, but international human rights groups blame the elite anti-crime force for the disappearances and ex- trajudicial killings of dozens of people allegedly involved with radical groups. IRAQ’S PRESIDENT IN PARIS; WILL DISCUSS FRENCH ISIS DETAINEES PARIS (AP) – Iraq’s presi- dent is on a two-day visit to France with a focus on the country’s security and the fight against the Islamic State group in the region. Barham Saleh has a working lunch Monday with French President Emmanuel Macron, followed by a joint news conference. They are ex- pected to discuss the issue of French citizens who traveled to fight with ISIS in Iraq and Syria and are now being de- tained by the U.S.-led coali- tion’s forces. An intelligence official said the Iraqi government has 13 French IS militants in custody after they were transferred from Syria to Iraq a month ago. An Iraqi security official confirmed the report Monday and said the militants will be put on trial for crimes committed inside Iraq. There were no details on their identities. Both officials spoke on condition of ano- nymity in line with regulations. The U.S. has called for countries to take back and try their own nationals. France’s official position states that French “terrorist” fighters “must be tried wherever they committed their crimes,” ac- cording to the French foreign affairs ministry. France con- siders the Iraqi legal authori- ties are in charge of handling the cases of ISIS members on their territory. The issue of captured for- eign fighters in Syria poses a major conundrum for coun- tries whose nationals have been imprisoned in the country. The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces is holding more than 900 foreign fighters in prisons it runs in the country’s north, many of them Iraqis and Europeans. According to an Iraqi gov- ernment statement issued Monday, about 280 Iraqi ISIS militants have been handed over by the SDF to Iraq in two successive batches last week, out of an estimated more than 500. Also last week, a French diplomatic official and a SDF official said they were trying to verify reports that Fabien Clain, a Frenchman who is one of Europe’s most-wanted members of IS, was killed in an airstrike in Syria. The French presidency said France intends to reaf- firm its full support to Iraq to face challenges regarding security, stability, inclusive governance and the country’s reconstruction. Both countries also are seeking to strengthen their economic cooperation. France remains militarily involved in Iraq through training and logistical sup- port of Iraqi forces and intel- ligence missions. President Donald Trump A state-run Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight is seen after it made an emergency landing at the airport in Chittagong, Bangladesh, Sunday. - PHOTO: APNext >