ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – THURSDAY MARCH 7, 2019 Regulated in the Cayman Islands as a licensed insurer by the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority. Generali Worldwide is a trading name of Utmost Worldwide Limited. Registered Head Office address: Utmost Worldwide Limited, Utmost House, Hirzel Street, St Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands GY1 4PA. Regulated in Guernsey as a licensed insurer by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission under the Insurance Business (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law, 2002 (as amended). Incorporated in Guernsey under Company Registration No. 27151. There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish. - Michelle Obama generali-healthcare.com Celebrating Women Everyday. CAYMAN NATIONAL EX-PRESIDENT SUES OVER TERMINATION Regulators approve Republic Bank’s acquisition of local institution KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com Ormond Williams is suing Cayman National Bank for wrongful termination after being ousted as the bank’s president last November. Mr. Williams served as Cayman Nation- al’s president for 15 years before he was fired last November, around the same time the Re- public Bank Trinidad and Tobago (Barbados) Ltd. was working to finalize its acquisition of the local bank’s parent company, Cayman National Corporation Ltd. Janet Hislop was named as Cayman National Bank’s new presi- dent last month. The former president’s writ seeks damages and fees for his alleged wrongful termina- tion. The lawsuit also seeks a declaration from the Grand Court that he is still a director of Cayman National Bank Ltd., Cayman National Property Holdings Ltd., and Cayman National Mortgage Fund Ltd. The writ contains no details about why Mr. Williams feels he was wrongfully terminated, and he has not answered questions about whether his departure from the bank had any- thing to do with Cayman National’s acquisi- tion by the Republic Bank. Meanwhile, that acquisition is close to being finalized, as all the necessary regulators have signed off on the transaction. Shareholders who decided to sell their stock to Republic Bank will collect their payments next week. Republic Bank announced on Monday that its offer to purchase 74.99 percent of Cayman National’s stock at US$6.25 per share expires on Friday. Republic Bank has received acceptances to Fossils reveal existence of 3 new species unique to Cayman JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com For decades, bats were believed to be the only mammals found natively in Cayman. Now fossils are starting to tell a different story. Analysis of bones found in caves, sinkholes and peat deposits in the Cayman Islands has revealed the ex- istence of three new species that once roamed the islands. The fossils, some of which ap- peared to have been consumed by Cuban crocodiles, were collected on all three of Cayman’s islands over the last 80 years. Now, a team of researchers has identified the bones as belonging to two new large rodent species and a small shrew-like mammal that were unique to the Cayman Islands, existing nowhere else in the world. The discovery of the species had been reported previously but they were scientifically described for the first time in a paper published in the Bul- letin of the American Museum of Nat- ural History this week. Researchers believe they were driven to extinction following the ar- rival of European settlers in the Cayman Islands and the introduction of invasive species like rats and mice from ships in the early 18th century. They speculate that one of the spe- cies – a small mammal similar to an agouti – may have been the animals described as “little beasts, like cats” by explorer Sir Francis Drake in his re- cord of his visit to the islands in 1586. Aside from that vague reference, there is no recorded evidence of the animals’ existence. Professor Ross MacPhee, one of the authors of the study, says this is why the discovery of the fossils is so important. “With only one possible sighting early in the course of European Above on the left shows some of the fossils, alongside an image of one of the newly discovered species’ closest living relatives, Desmarest’s hutia, endemic to Cuba. - PHOTO: GARY MORGAN/DOE PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » Agriculture Show embraces tradition MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com By 11 a.m., eastbound traffic was backed up beyond Savannah as thousands of people jammed into the fairgrounds in Lower Valley to celebrate the 52nd annual Agriculture Show on Wednesday. The early morning crowd was light, but officials were expecting a peak around noon. “We’re looking for another record turnout,” Deputy Governor Franz Man- derson said, shortly after arriving. He said the show, which features fresh produce, food booths, works by local arti- sans and displays of prize crops and live- stock, is more than just a celebration of the island’s farm industry. “It also is a look back at Cayman,” he said. “Some of the things we have here, the heavy cake, some of the food, reminds you of what it was like in the ‘80s. We’ve come a long way.” One of the more popular sites in the morning hours was the Agriculture De- partment’s plant sale area. A line of people waited to be allowed in to buy such plants as seasoning peppers – one of the first things to sell out – fruit trees, sweet potatoes and ground covers, such as peppermint. Joseph Haylock, 30, of West Bay, said people get excited about the depart- ment’s sale because the prices are rela- tively cheap. “We paid like $80 and we got 13 trees,” Mr. Haylock said, holding two mango trees in 5-gallon tubs. “We definitely came here to spend money. We’re doing some land- scaping and there are things we wanted.” One of the items on display Wednesday at the 52nd annual Agriculture Show was this fun bicycle built from local produce. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 »2 LOCAL NEWS THURSDAY MARCH 7, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS • Matinees Daily (matinee price before 6pm) • Seniors $8.00, Mon-Fri Before 6pm • Additional charges apply per 3D/VIP tickets Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. - THURSDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) A MADEA FAMILY FUNERAL (PG13) 12:40 VIP I 1:10 I 3:45 I 6:30 7:00 VIP I 9:20 HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: THE HIDDEN WORLD (PG) 1:30 I 4:05 3D I 6:40 I 9:15 3D FIGHTING WITH MY FAMILY (PG13) 1:15 I 7:20 I 9:55 ALITA BATTLE ANGEL (PG13) 1:10 I 3:35 VIP I 4:10 I 7:00 9:40 VIP I 10:00 THE LEGO MOVIE 2: THE SECOND PART (PG) 1:10 I 4:10 I 7:10 WHAT MEN WANT (R) 4:00 I 9:45 Magistrate: Travelers should research their destinations Tourist admits bringing ganja to Cayman for personal use CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Magistrate Valdis Foldats had words of advice for trav- elers in general and people who visit Cayman in partic- ular – check the local laws. He shared them on Tuesday when sentencing a tourist who pleaded guilty to possession of 2.25 grams of ganja – two grams in the form of vegetable matter and one-quarter gram in liquid form. Defense attorney Jona- thon Hughes said the man, 47, made no attempt to dis- guise or hide the items, but acknowledged that he had not checked “what I can and can’t do” in the Cayman Is- lands before his arrival. The attorney and the mag- istrate discussed the dif- ference between ignorance and negligence, and why cases like this were difficult to deal with. Crown counsel Kerri-Ann Gillies provided details of the offenses. She said the defen- dant arrived in Cayman on Sunday, March 3, for a vaca- tion with his wife and chil- dren. At the airport, a search of his luggage revealed the vegetable matter as well as the liquid, which was in a container like a vaping pen. Mr. Hughes described the pen as a device that allows one to smoke ganja in oil form. The defendant had re- ceived it from a friend in Col- orado where ganja is legal. The defendant himself lived in a “college town” munici- pality where ganja is legal and he used the drug as a sleep aid. The man, who taught at a state school, had never been to court before in his life, Mr. Hughes said. He asked that this defendant be treated as a first offender with a small quantity for personal use. The magistrate said this type of case was difficult for several reasons, including the fact that bringing the ganja was a deliberate act and not a case of forgetting it was in the suitcase. He suggested that, before people travel, they should check what the laws are in countries they intend to visit. “It took me five minutes to print this off the internet,” he said, showing papers that contained information from the U.S. State Depart- ment about what is illegal in the Cayman Islands, as well as the baggage policy from American Airlines, the air- line on which the defendant had traveled. He pointed to the very strict punishments in some countries for illegal substances. The magistrate also noted that he and other magistrates wanted to be consistent, but they did not have guidelines from a higher court. Mr. Hughes suggested that perhaps 95 percent of first offenders did not have a conviction recorded against them for ganja because the court had other ways to deal with them. The magistrate agreed that defendants resident on- island were given the oppor- tunity to “go through the pro- cess” of being interviewed by a probation officer, being monitored through drug tests and returning to court on multiple occasions. “With vis- itors, we don’t have that op- tion,” he accepted. In this case, the Crown withdrew a charge of im- porting ganja and that was dismissed. The magistrate then said no conviction would be recorded, the de- fendant was discharged ab- solutely and ordered to pay costs of $500 instead of a fine. The Compass does not typically name an individual in court cases where no con- viction is recorded. No complainant, no interpreter result in adjourned trial Brac public speaking contest winners announced PLANNED POWER INTERRUPTION FOR RANDYKE GARDENS FRIDAY Trial for ‘reckless acts’ started in August CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The trial of a woman charged with reckless and negligent acts did not go ahead as planned on Tuesday because neither a complainant nor an inter- preter was present after the matter was adjourned from last December. Zunilda Baldovino pre- viously pleaded not guilty to supplying or adminis- tering “medicine or poison or dangerous matter” in a manner so rash or negli- gent as to endanger human life or safety. The acts al- leged, said to be injec- tions, occurred while the defendant was working in a beauty salon in No- vember and December 2016. She was charged in 2017 and her trial began in August 2018. It continued on dif- ferent dates until No- vember, when the second of two complainants began her evidence. The matter was then adjourned until Dec. 6, but neither defense attorney Jonathon Hughes nor Crown counsel Darlene Oko was available on that date. Magistrate Philippa Mc- Farlane then adjourned the matter to the next avail- able dates, which were March 5 and 7. On Tuesday, March 5, Ms. Oko told the magistrate that the woman who had been giving evidence had been obliged to travel to Colombia, but was willing to continue her testimony via video link. That ar- rangement would require testing by technicians on Tuesday afternoon, she told the court, with the case proceeding on Thursday, March 7 because of the Ash Wednesday public holiday. The magistrate indi- cated that she was satis- fied Ms. Baldovino would not be prejudiced by this arrangement if there were no difficulties in seeing or hearing the witness. Another prosecu- tion witness, an immigra- tion officer, was available but there was no inter- preter. Ms. Baldovino’s na- tive language is Spanish and she has been assisted throughout proceedings by an interpreter. The magistrate ex- pressed her unhappiness with the situation. Someone had “dropped that par- ticular ball” and no inter- preter could be found, she said. Because of that “ad- ministrative error,” not much progress could be made, she indicated. The availability of an- other Crown witness was discussed before court ad- journed until March 7. Siri Batta of Spot Bay Primary School and Prenav Anu of Layman E. Scott High School are winners of this year’s Claudette Upton Keeley Public Speaking contest. The Lions Club of Cayman Brac held the annual public speaking contest on Feb. 27 and 28. Kai Roberts and Yzara Ebanks of West End Pri- mary School won second and third place, and Ral- dayne Thomas and Michael Stephens placed second and third, respectively, in the high school division. The contest aims to build the speaking, writing and re- search skills of students in primary schools Years 5 and 6 and high school Years 7 to 9. Students selected a topic at random, spent three to four weeks preparing, and then delivered a five- to six- minute speech on the topic. Siri and Prenav received trophies and touch screen HP Laptops. Second place winners received Apple iPads, and third place a Google Home hub. Lions Club member Kathy Kirkconnell was awarded the Lions Medal of Merit for her sterling support of the con- test for the past 10 years. Cayman First Insur- ance has been sponsoring the contest since its incep- tion in 2009. Sister Islands News Agency contributed to this article. The Caribbean Utilities Company has planned a scheduled power interrup- tion for the Randyke Gardens area, off the Linford Pierson Highway, in George Town that will take place Friday. Customers will be impacted between 9 a.m. and noon. The areas affected will include Rankin Drive, Dykewood Drive, Candlenut Close, Randyke Way and Concord Avenue. Mo- torists are asked to proceed with caution along the Linford Pierson Highway Friday due to the presence of CUC trucks and personnel in the area. CUC, in a statement, apologized for the interruption, which will facilitate overhead infrastructure upgrades. For more information on the outage and streets affected, contact CUC’s Customer Service Team at 949-5200 or email service@cuc.ky. Arriving visitors are being warned to ensure they are aware of local laws when entering the Cayman Islands. - PHOTO: ALVARO SEREY The contest aims to build the speaking, writing and research skills of students in primary schools Years 5 and 6 and high school Years 7 to 9. First place winner Siri Batta, center, with Kai Roberts and Yzara Ebanks, second and third place winners, respectively. - PHOTO: KEVIN ROBERTS3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MARCH 7, 2019 Imagine an employer that helps you reach your true potential. We award legal scholarships to ambitious Caymanian students to enable them to pursue legal studies in Cayman or overseas. Harneys’ sponsored students are given the opportunity to intern with the firm, gaining valuable insight into the practice in a leading global offshore firm. Closing date: 31 March 2019 Learn more at harneys.com/careers Harneys is now accepting applications for our legal scholarships. Cayman’s Special Olympians feted at Government House Team will leave for Abu Dhabi Thursday morning SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com A coalition of Cayman’s most beloved athletes are traveling across the world to compete on a global stage. Cayman’s Special Olym- pics team met Monday at Government House for a re- ception ahead of their trip to the Special Olympics World Games, which will take place March 14-21 in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. The team is leaving Thursday morning, and Gov- ernor Martyn Roper wanted to see them off. “I hope you enjoy being in Government House and looking at this wonderful view,” he said. “Like all of you, I like to keep fit and do lots of exercise. I jog up and down the beach every day in the morning before it’s even light. When I jog next week, I’ll be thinking of you doing all your sport in Abu Dhabi.” Cayman’s Special Olym- pics delegation consists of 19 local athletes, seven uni- fied partners, seven coaches, two assistant staff coaches, a head of delegation and an as- sistant head of delegation. Four of Cayman’s Spe- cial Olympics athletes will be competing in the pool, and three will swim in open water. Seven will compete in athletics, and four will take part in unified basketball. One local athlete, Khalid Arana, will participate in unified bocce with partner Nadesha Kelly. Adrian Lynch, the chairman of the Special Olympics board of direc- tors, will make the trip, as will Rod McDowall, husband of the late Special Olympics swim coach Penny McDowall. “I’m extremely excited to go to Abu Dhabi with all my team members,” said Chelsea Frederick, who will compete in both the shot put and the javelin events at the Spe- cial Olympics. “I’m really happy and can’t wait to go. I’m over- joyed, excited and everything. I can’t wait to go,” she said. Kenneth Figueira, track and field coach, said his ath- letes are primed to give their best effort. “This particular group was identified about two years ago,” he said. “This group has been training in- tensively since August. The benefits will happen at the games, but they have grown over the period of time. I’m pretty excited, but that ex- citement I have to contain, so it doesn’t spread to them.” Special Olympics Cayman Islands was formed in 1988, and local athletes first com- peted on the world stage in 1991. Four years ago, Cay- man’s Special Olympians competed in the World Games in Los Angeles. “We’ve been training since we got back from LA. We came back with a bronze in our division,” said basket- ball coach Fareed Hosein. “It’s been a long journey. There have been a lot of trials and tribulations. Last year, we ac- tually lost one of our athletes. He died suddenly. “Last year was a dif- ficult year for us, but they’re looking forward to the journey.” Mr. Hosein said their fallen teammate, Albert Bodden, will never be far from their minds in Abu Dhabi. Many of these same ath- letes were also active four years ago in Los Angeles, but the trip to Abu Dhabi will represent an exotic location that most of the delegation has never seen before. While they are there, said Governor Roper, they will be representing the best that Cayman has to offer. “The best communities and the best societies in the world are those that value the diversity and uniqueness of each and every one of us,” he said. “I think this is a fan- tastic thing you’re doing in going to the Special Olym- pics, and huge thanks to the committee for everything they do to make this happen.” Cayman’s Special Olympics delegation is greeted by Governor Martyn Roper at Government House on Monday afternoon. - PHOTO: ALVARO SEREYThe 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 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 EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will find their own way” This week brought a welcome respite from some British lawmakers’ unrelenting attack on Cayman and other offshore financial centers. But make no mistake, this is only a lull in the storm. There is no comfort to be taken in the United Kingdom government’s delay of parliamentary debate on legislation which would reinstate a 2020 deadline for the imposition of public beneficial ownership regis- tries in Cayman and other British Overseas Territories, and would extend the same requirement to the Crown dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. If anything, this week’s events have only deepened the resolve of Conservative MP Andrew Mitchell and Labour MP Margaret Hodge and their supporters, who appear to have been personally offended by the delay. As the Compass reported, Ms. Hodge – without any apparent trace of irony – called it “a blatant, deliberate and arrogant snub of this Parliament.” Clearly, months of efforts to illuminate the prac- tical and philosophical flaws in her proposal have had no effect. She and her allies continue to be convinced they are on the side of the angels. Nothing could be further from the truth. As they have repeatedly been advised by knowl- edgeable colleagues, such as U.K. Attorney General Geoffrey Cox, who has significant experience in this area, there is no benefit to be gained by forcing such radical and unprecedented transparency upon Britain’s offshore financial centers. There is no global standard that requires wholesale public disclosure of corporate vehicles’ beneficial owners – nor is there compelling evidence of a compelling public need for such unprec- edented access to such information. Cayman’s financial services regulations are among the world’s most scrutinized; they consistently meet or exceed international standards. Our safeguards and information-sharing agreements are robust. Forcing Cayman and our British counterparts in the financial services industry so far out of accepted global practice could well destroy our competitive advantage, which hinges on our territory’s ability to provide an effective and cost-efficient tax-neutral platform for international capital flows. Mr. Mitchell, Ms. Hodge and their allies consistently attempt to paint our jurisdictions as global “bad guys.” In fact, our carefully calibrated regulatory environment and financial services ecosystem help keep the global economy humming. With apparent ignorance of our central role in global commerce and a callous disregard for the stability of our economies, they are attempting to throw a spanner in the works. Not only that, they are doing so in a way that cat- egorically violates Cayman’s rights to govern our own domestic affairs. It is an unprecedented and offen- sive imposition one might rightly characterize, to use Ms. Hodge’s own words, as “a blatant, deliberate and arrogant snub.” Simply put, achieving a proper and profitable regulatory balance is our business, in every sense of the word. Unfortunately, it is unclear what, if anything, can be done to persuade Mr. Mitchell, Ms. Hodge and their supporters of these essential facts, or persuade them to see the error of their ways. But until they do, Cayman and our sister jurisdic- tions will be forced to continue playing defense in a rigged game, as convenient scapegoats or cartoonish villains for foreign politicians who either do not – or defiantly will not – consider the facts. Public registers: A brief respite in an ongoing war THURSDAY MARCH 7, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Puerto Rico should back away from Venezuela JULIO RICARDO VARELA On Feb. 23, while most of the world was watching the attempt by opposition leader Juan Guiadó to get humani- tarian aid into Venezuela to trigger a massive surrender of the armed forces and the end of President Nicolás Maduro’s reign (it did not), the island colony of Puerto Rico was playing a dan- gerous diplomatic game. A so-called #BarcoPuer- toRico (the Puerto Rican Ship) was sent by the gov- ernment of Gov. Ricardo Rosselló to deliver aid to Venezuela. As with the events unfolding on the Venezuela-Colombia border, there was a lot of hype from Rosselló and his sec- retary of state, Luis Rivera Marín (a prominent Latino Republican). The U.S. territory took the calculated risk of trying to shock the world by doing something that not even the country that colonized it could accomplish: bring ac- tual aid into Venezuela that would get attention and tip the scales in Guiadó’s quest to become the country’s next president. Problem is, the ship never even got close. Through a statement from Rosselló himself, the government of Puerto Rico claimed that the ship was directly threatened by the Venezuelan navy. If #Bar- coPuertoRico got closer to the Venezuela, it would be shot at, risking the lives of the U.S. citizens on board. The threat was so real for Rosselló that the governor even reported it to the United States. Rosselló’s state- ment caught the atten- tion of Florida Republican Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott. It also caught Guaidó’s eye. On the morning of Feb. 24, however, there were serious questions about whether the threats to #BarcoPuertoRico were as real as Rosselló was claiming. The Puerto Rican government insisted that video of the alleged threat was available and that any journalist interested should contact Telemundo Puerto Rico, which had a reporter on the ship. By late Monday night of last week, the govern- ment of Puerto Rico stood by its claims, via a tweet from CBS News’ David Be- gnaud. Anyone who was asking questions was es- sentially working for Ven- ezuela, was in effect the message coming from a gov- ernment spokesperson. Soon enough, the news fizzled out and Rosselló never pro- vided conclusive evidence of an armed threat. The boat, which had some journal- ists on board, sailed back to Curacao. The admission was not the first time that the Ros- selló administration de- cided to play a hand in the Venezuela crisis. Be- fore #BarcoPuertoRico, there was a plane filled with aid that allegedly landed in Venezuela early in February. That is if you believe Secretary of State Rivera Marín, who went on CNN en Español to proclaim that the Puerto Rican plane had indeed landed inside Ven- ezuela. A day after Marín said that, he took back his claim and said the plane never did land. It is clear that human- itarian aid to Venezuela is being used as impetus for Guiadó to gain polit- ical momentum, so it’s not a stretch to state that what Puerto Rico tried to do twice was a foreign policy move. The question is: Why is Puerto Rico, as a territory of the United States, con- ducting foreign policy when it cannot? Unless the U.S. State Department is aware of what Puerto Rico is doing and has given it explicit permission, the sudden pushes by Rosselló and Ri- vera Marín to focus on Ven- ezuela are bizarre. What if #BarcoPuer- toRico had been shot and sunk? What if Rivera Marín’s plane had been taken down? Were these two attempts to bring aid into Venezuela a disguise to provoke an armed conflict and give the United States the justification it needed for military intervention? These moves by the Ros- selló administration are very dangerous. Even the most ardent anti-Maduro nations, particularly those in Latin America, think mil- itary intervention and war would be disastrous not only for Venezuela but also for the region. Was Puerto Rico’s humanitarian aid trying to poke a bear that does not need any poking? Rosselló no longer has a good political relationship with the Trump adminis- tration, ever since the fed- eral government’s failed re- sponse to Hurricane María. But was this Venezuela push a way to gain some political favor with Trump? Recently Rosselló posted a photo on Twitter with Vice President Pence at the White House during the National Governors Associ- ation gala. And this week, during his reelection an- nouncement, Rosselló told his supporters that he will not stay silent about the Maduro regime. It’s hard to tell. Ros- selló’s administration and supporters dismiss these and other questions as Maduro-funded propa- ganda. It is easier to paint critiques of #BarcoPuer- toRico as a global leftist plot than to actually an- swer what is Puerto Rico’s role in Venezuela policy and why did it think such moves were wise. So we will likely never know what the real motives were, but we can say this: Puerto Rico needs to step away from being a foreign player in the most impor- tant political story of the Western Hemisphere. Ros- selló’s reckless involvement could trigger an armed con- flict that could have an im- mense impact for genera- tions to come. Julio Ricardo Varela is the founder of Latino Rebels and co-host of the ‘In The Thick’ political podcast with Maria Hinojosa. The question is: Why is Puerto Rico, as a territory of the United States, conducting foreign policy when it cannot?5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MARCH 7, 2019 Friday, March 22, 2019 | 12pm – 3:30pm | Ritz Carlton, Grand Cayman Amanda Lindhout – Sought after inspirational speaker and author of the New York Times bestselling memoir, A House in the Sky, a publishing phenomenon and a top ten bestselling book since its release in 2013. Amanda’s unique experience and inspirational journey has inspired audiences in 26 countries around the world and has been featured in Vogue, Elle Magazine, and the New York Times. Amanda has appeared on Anderson Cooper, Dateline, The Today Show and Morning Joe. Amanda Lindhout promises to deliver a life changing, transformational keynote experience. Her New York Times bestselling memoir, A House in the Sky, has been named a Notable Book by the New York Times, Best Memoir on Amazon, Best Books of the Year by Vogue Magazine and appeared on O Magazine’s Winter Reading List. Raised by a single mom in a small city, Amanda escaped the violence and poverty of her childhood by imagining herself in the pages of National Geographic magazine. As a young woman, Amanda’s curiosity led her to some of the world’s most beautiful and remote places, its most imperiled and perilous countries and then into 15 months of harrowing captivity. Working as a freelance journalist in Somalia, she was abducted by a group of masked men along a dusty road. Amanda spent 460 days as a hostage, surviving on strategy, fortitude and hope in the face of unimaginable adversity. Amanda’s keynote presentations create intimacy with the women and men in the room through her emotional, powerful storytelling. Her tale of survival builds suspense and momentum to reveal life changing insights into mind conditioning, including actionable takeaways about reframing stories of pain into power. THE 5TH ANNUAL Silent Auction for designer handbags Tickets: CI$200 per person (Enjoy complimentary glass of wine, canapés, lunch, dessert buffet and cocktail reception!) CI$1800 per table of 10 Contact Jennifer O’Leary at mangrovegroup@outlook.com or call 925 9240 Brought to you by AMANDA LINDHOUT C risis CENTRE CAYMAN ISLANDS Survey: One in three Cayman youth contemplates suicide The Alex Panton Founda- tion has released data suggesting that a third of Cayman’s youth are thinking about self-harm and suicide. According to the mental health component of 2018 Cayman Islands Student Drug Use survey, 34 per- cent of Cayman students reported that they had seriously considered attempting suicide. This is a 15-per- cent increase from the 2007 survey. The survey also stated that 28 percent of students reported they have engaged in self-harming be- haviors, including cutting, hitting, scratching and burning. Students who reported self-harming were 17 times more likely to have attempted suicide, according to the report. Some 54 percent of the students reported being bullied, and more than 67 percent of them reported carrying a weapon in the commu- nity or at school. “This was reported higher than average in Cayman Brac and Bodden Town,” the Alex Panton Foundation stated. “Students who were bullied were 5.9 times more likely to have attempted suicide.” Physical abuse was experienced by 17 percent of the surveyed stu- dents, with girls more likely to re- port this than boys, according to the foundation. Sexual abuse was reported by 10 percent of the stu- dents, the foundation added. “Both physical and sexual abuse serve as a risk factor to attempted suicide, 4 and 6 times respectively,” stated the foundation, whose mis- sion is to improve the mental health of children and young adults in the Cayman Islands. Binge drinking was reported to have taken place among 20 per- cent of the students, and students who participated in this behavior were 1.5 times more likely to have attempted suicide, the Alex Panton Foundation stated. On the brighter side, the foun- dation said 92 percent of the stu- dents surveyed understood what mental health is, with just over half the students acknowledging they were taught about mental health in school. Dr. Erica Lam, the clinical and education committee member of the Alex Panton Foundation, said the recent survey results are crucial for knowing what’s going on in the Cayman community. “Until now we have been relying on international data to keep us in- formed on mental health issues. While the international data is still valuable, we now have new local- ized data which for the first time allows us a more insightful anal- ysis of issues affecting our youth,” she stated. “This new data will also assist in planning better youth mental health services in the fu- ture, that [are] tailored to the needs of our young people.” Jane Panton, chair of the Alex Panton Foundation, in a press re- lease detailing the survey findings, said the foundation had worked with the National Drug Council to help young people in the com- munity dealing with mental health issues. Speaking at a symposium last month to highlight mental health issues, Health Minister Dwayne Seymour said of the survey, “This is the first nationally representa- tive data available in the Cayman Islands and it is vitally important to draw comparisons between the international data that we have previously relied upon and the re- cent findings – both in terms of the prevalence of youth mental health issues and the risk factors that lead to them.” He said his ministry was in the process of conducting a needs as- sessment to identify current ser- vices available within the public and private sector and to highlight gaps which “need to be filled in fu- ture if we are to properly support our youth.” PUBLIC INVITED TO BULLYING PRESENTATIONS The Ministry of Community Af- fairs and the Alex Panton Founda- tion announced this week that they will hold a series of community presentations in coming months to address bullying and issues facing young men at risk. The presentations will be held at the following dates and locations: Bullying ■■ March 21: Bodden Town, 6:30-8 p.m., Webster Memorial Church Hall. ■■ April 9: West Bay, 6:30-8 p.m., John Gray Memorial Church. ■■ April 30: East End, 6:30-8 p.m., East End Civic Centre. ■■ May 8: North Side, 6:30-8 p.m., North Side Civic Centre. ■■ May 21: George Town, 6:30-8 p.m., South Sound Civic Centre. Young men at risk ■■ June 5: Bodden Town, 6:30-8 p.m., Bodden Town Civic Centre. ■■ June 19: West Bay, 6:30-8 p.m., John Gray Memorial Church. ■■ July 3: East End, 6:30-8 p.m., East End Civic Centre. ■■ Aug. 7: George Town, 6:30-8 p.m., South Sound Civic Centre. ■■ Aug. 28: North Side, 6:30-8 p.m., North Side Civic Centre. The results of the survey were released at a well-attended mental health symposium hosted by the Alex Panton Foundation at the Marriott resort last month. - PHOTO: SPENCER FORDINThe islands’ most-trusted news source 6 THURSDAY MARCH 7, 2019 CAYMAN COMPASS Agriculture Show embraces tradition He was surprised at some of the plants he had seen not only in the department’s area, but at stands operated by is- land nurseries. “It’s the first time in two years,” that he’s been to the show, he said. “There’s a lot more. I saw blueberries. I didn’t even know you could grow them in Cayman.” Beyond the plants, he said, the show is a fun event to attend. “It seems like a nice is- landwide event,” he said, “like it should be.” Agriculture Minister Ju- liana O’Connor-Connolly used the occasion to announce a new memorandum of under- standing between the govern- ment and the Cayman Agri- cultural Society. She said the government would be pro- viding $270,000 to support a program to import and breed cattle from the United States. Ms. O’Connor-Connolly made the announcement as part of her welcoming re- marks during the show’s opening ceremony. Sporting a baseball cap and a flowing blouse, the minister told the crowd that the show has long been an important part of local culture. “It’s a day we all set aside and put on our calendars,” she said, “a day where we can say, ‘That’s Cayman.’” Listening to the minister was Madre May Bodden, 88, who sat in a lawn chair with her feet up on a picnic table bench. Ms. Bodden said she has been coming to the show since its inception in 1963. She likes being able to get cassava cake and fresh pro- duce. But mostly, she said, it’s a chance to catch up with friends. “Every year I come to this festival,” she said, “I tell people, ‘You know where to find me.’ I come prepared. I bring my chair so I can ele- vate my feet. I come here be- cause I can relax and I see all kinds of people.” Agricultural Society Pres- ident George Smith said the show is “an opportunity for friends and family to con- gregate and reminisce about the old days.” Addressing the crowd during the opening ceremo- nies, Mr. Smith said anyone who eats local produce be- comes involved in agricul- ture. And local agriculture needs to be bolstered, he said. In the last 20 years, farm- land in Grand Cayman has been stagnant, at just over 22,000 acres. Global climate change will likely change that, he said. Estimates are that farming in the Carib- bean will lose $22 billion due to climate change by 2050. “We must incorporate cli- mate change in every as- pect of agricultural plan- ning,” he said. There were plenty of op- portunities for people to learn more about agricul- ture. The Department of Agri- culture had displays on such things as preventing inva- sive species, and the Carib- bean Agricultural Research and Development Insti- tute’s Cayman Islands office showed off examples of the local tuber crops, and shared their efforts in seed purifica- tion, insecticide analysis and maintaining germplasm. Annika Minott, a scien- tist with the Caribbean Ag- ricultural Research and De- velopment Institute, said the organization provides free growing material for sweet potatoes and cassava. It also tries to figure out which varieties make the most popular chips. Last year, the institute treated show attendees to free samples of sweet po- tato chips and surveyed people on which varieties they liked most. This year, they passed out samples of cassava chips. Fair and food just go to- gether and this year’s event was no exception. From whole coconuts to pizza to fresh juices to conch dishes, there was no shortage of choices. Nicola Gothar, 41, of George Town, said she began coming to the show when it was held on what now are the cricket grounds. This year, she was with her hus- band, Andros, and their two children. “It’s a tradition,” she said. “The kids enjoy it, espe- cially the livestock and the horse show.” She appreciates the var- ious traditional foods, she said, listing off some of her favorites. “And the little donuts,” Mr. Gothar reminded her. “Let’s not forget the little do- nuts. I think I need to go get some more.” A vendor shows off some colorful wares. Eziethamae Bodden wears a traditional Cayman outfit at the Agriculture Show in Lower Valley. - PHOTOS: TANEOS RAMSAY The Zippy stall had plenty of peppers, mangoes, sugarcane and coconut water on sale. Officials, including Agriculture Minister Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, seated, third from left, Premier Alden McLaughlin, seated third from right, and Governor Martyn Roper, seated, right, gather on the stage for the opening ceremony of the 52nd annual Agriculture Show on Wednesday. Marianna Szekely of Loka Ventures at her artwork stall. Anita Moore stands among an array of fruit and vegetables at her stall. Riders from the Equestrian Center enter the arena.A young rider tries out the mechanical bull. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 expansion into the New World, these small mammals from the Cayman Islands were complete unknowns until their fossils were discovered,” he said. Some of the most significant fossil finds were made during the development of the Queen Eliz- abeth II Botanic Gardens in the early 1990s. Fred Burton, who now works at the Department of Environment’s terrestrial resources department, was involved in that project and re- calls the discovery. “We were excavating a very small wetland and when we dug up the peat, it was full of bones,” he said. Professor Gary Morgan, a pale- ontologist who regularly worked in the Cayman Islands and is one of the co-authors of the study, was on island at the time and immediately identified the bones as belonging to Cuban crocodiles, which were once abundant in the Cayman Islands. Further analysis revealed the ex- istence of fossilized bones belonging to the mystery mammals. Mr. Burton said there had been multiple similar finds on all three islands dating back to the 1930s. He said advances in technology had now enabled researchers to put the pieces of the puzzle together to pro- vide a scientific description of all three species. Mr. Burton believes the fossil re- cord, well preserved in Cayman’s peat beds, provides a fascinating in- sight into the world that existed be- fore the islands were settled. and is ripe for further exploration. “Part of the sad history of hu- mankind is that we have been re- sponsible, in some cases acciden- tally and in some cases on purpose, for the extinction of a huge amount of biodiversity,” he added. Professor Samuel Turvey, one of the paper’s authors, said in a state- ment that humans were almost cer- tainly to blame for the extinction of the three species. He said, “It’s vitally important to understand the factors respon- sible for past extinctions of island species, as many threatened spe- cies today are found on islands. The handful of Caribbean mammals that still exist today are the last survi- vors of a unique vanished world and represent some of the world’s top conservation priorities.” The paper names the two large rodents as Capromys pilorides and Geocapromys caymanensis and the shrew-like creature as Nesophontes hemicingulus. Their closest living relatives are found today in Cuba and the re- searchers speculate that a common ancestor first arrived in the Cayman Islands on rafts of floating vegetation. Dr. Morgan, the paleontologist who co-authored the study, has been visiting the Cayman Islands to study fossils since the 1970s. In an article for the Department of Environment’s Flicker maga- zine in 2017, he described finding evidence of a variety of species no longer found in the islands, in- cluding crocodiles and several spe- cies of bird, including a large eagle- sized raptor. buy more than 87 per- cent of Cayman Nation- al’s shares, but the Trin- idad-headquartered bank will still only initially ac- quire 74.99 percent of Cayman National. Therefore, Republic Bank will determine how much stock it buys from each shareholder based on a formula contained in its offer circular. Based on that formula, Republic Bank will buy about 85 percent of the stock from each individual share- holder who accepted the offer – so if a Cayman Na- tional stockholder agreed to sell 1,000 shares, the Republic Bank will ac- tually buy about 850 at this point. Republic Bank said on Monday that shareholders who sold their stock may pick up their payments from 12 p.m. on March 13 at Cayman National Secu- rities Ltd., which is located at suite 6201 of 62 Forum Lane in Camana Bay. “Thereafter, cheques will be available for col- lection at the same ad- dress during regular busi- ness hours. Currently valid government-issued photo identification will be required for collec- tion,” Republic Bank said in a statement. “Share- holders resident outside of the Cayman Islands and entitled to consid- eration under the Partial Offer will receive funds by wire transfer initiated on March 13, 2019.” Cayman National’s shares were trading at US$6.20 as of Friday. CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MARCH 7, 2019 Skulls of the rodent-like species found in the Cayman Islands. Analysis of the fossils found in Cayman has enabled scientists to identify three new species of mammals that once roamed the islands. - PHOTOS: COURTESY OF DOE Professor Gary Morgan pictured in Cayman in the 1980s with some of the fossil finds. Fossils reveal existence of 3 new species unique to Cayman Meanwhile, the acquisition is close to being finalized, as all the necessary regulators have signed off on the transaction. Shareholders who decided to sell their stock to Republic Bank will collect their payments next week. Ormond Williams Cayman National ex-president sues over termination CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Fear mounting for British in EU as ‘no-deal’ Brexit looms BERLIN (AP) – In less than a month the United Kingdom could leave the European Union, but more than a mil- lion British nationals will remain there – unwilling to let Brexit force them from the lives they have built on the continent. The U.K. Parliament’s re- fusal so far to sign off on the withdrawal agreement nego- tiated with the bloc is raising the prospect of a disorderly divorce that could hit Britons abroad particularly hard, abruptly nixing the benefits they have enjoyed as EU cit- izens over the past 46 years. “Many people could be left in limbo,” said Jane Golding, chair of the group British in Europe that’s been campaigning for U.K. citizens’ rights in the EU after Brexit. Just how stranded they are depends upon their per- sonal circumstances and which of the 27 remaining EU countries they live in, Golding said. Several governments, in- cluding France, Spain, Poland and Germany, are preparing legal safety nets for British migrants in the event of a ‘no deal’ Brexit. But British retirees still have no certainty that their pensions will be safe; profes- sional qualifications for doc- tors, teachers and architects may not be recognized; mu- tual health insurance agree- ments could be frozen; and Britons applying for jobs in the EU are being told their applications stand little chance until post-Brexit ar- rangements are sorted out. For some of the estimated 1.3 million British citizens on the continent, the realization is slowly dawning that it’s time to act. “You have people who are already really, really anx- ious and depressed over all of this,” Golding told The Associ- ated Press. “But you also have a group of people who have been hoping it would all be all right in the end. As ‘no deal’ becomes more of a possibility there’ll be fewer people with their heads in the sand.” On a wet and windy Monday night this week, hundreds of Britons – some clutching their burgundy-col- ored EU passports – streamed into Berlin’s city hall hoping for certainty from German and British officials about the bureaucratic requirements for staying after Brexit. Joshua Spriggs, an actor and voiceover artist who at- tended with two friends, said many people have been left confused by what they have been told on social media sites such as Reddit and Facebook – or by their own embassy. “It’s really hard to get clear information,” Spriggs said after the event. “I’ve got more questions answered here than I have from the U.K.” Authorities in the German capital have been urging Brits to register by March 29, the day Britain is due to leave the EU. “That’s the only way they can be sure not to suffer any legal disadvantages when Brexit happens, whether it’s a deal or a no-deal scenario,” said Engelhard Mazanke, who heads the office that processes residency permits for foreigners in Berlin. So far, only about 7,000 of the 18,000 U.K. nationals in Berlin have signed up, he said. Those who do not reg- ister could end up having to leave the country after a three-month grace period in July. Even those who apply may have to wait until No- vember for a residency permit, leaving them poten- tially unable to travel outside Germany for several months. A cyclist waves while riding past the British embassy in Berlin. – PHOTO: APTHURSDAY, MARCH 7 POST OFFICE CLOSURES: All post offices on Grand Cayman will close at noon today to facilitate a staff function. Normal business will resume on Friday, March 8. FRIDAY, MARCH 8 ELECTRICAL SERVICE: The Randyke Gardens area, off the Linford Pierson Highway in George Town, will experience interruptions to their electrical service between 9 a.m. and noon. Areas affected include Rankin Drive, Dykewood Drive, Candlenut Close, Randyke Way and Concord Avenue. For more information, contact CUC’s Customer Service Team at 949-5200 or email service@cuc.ky. FILM PREMIERE: As part of Honouring Women Month and to mark International Women’s Day, the Family Resource Centre is hosting a private screening at 7:30 p.m. of the local premiere of “Captain Marvel.” Tickets are $10, which includes movie ticket, popcorn and water. Tickets are available at the Family Resource Centre, 3rd Floor, 77 Mary Street. SELF-PROTECTION SEMINAR: The Business and Professional Women Club and RenataK Self- Protection Int. are inviting participants to attend a two- hour situational awareness and self-protection seminar today, International Women’s Day, to “highlight the importance of protecting the human rights and safety of women” in Cayman. At CrossFit Cayman, Market Street, Camana Bay. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. FISH FRY NIGHTS: St. Ignatius Youth Ministry presents Fish Fry Nights every Friday through April 12. 5-8 p.m. in the school canteen. Fried or baked fish with sides. Prices range from $7 to $12. Free desserts while supplies last. All are invited to dine in or take out. Proceeds in aid of parish religious education and youth ministry. 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. SUNDAY, MARCH 10 ROADWORK: Temporary roadwork at Shedden Road by Cricket Square. As a part of the continuing road maintenance for NRA, a sub-contractor will carry out well drilling due to the potential for flooding. The public is urged to follow all relevant signs and road markings when driving past the area, or to avoid the location if at all possible. COMMONWEALTH DAY: The annual church service in observance of Commonwealth Day. 4 p.m. at St. George’s Anglican Church, 64 Courts Road (off Eastern Avenue, behind former Cox Lumber). All are welcome. Attendees are asked to be seated by 3:45 p.m. The theme this year is “A connected Commonwealth.” RSVP at 949-5583 (the church office). PADDLEBOARD FUN DAY: The second annual Coconut Cup Paddleboard Family Fun Day begins at 8:30 a.m. at Seven Mile Public Beach. For more information, email info@caymanheartfund.com. FRIDAY, MARCH 15 CHILD EVANGELISM FELLOWSHIP: The Church of God Holiness in Red Bay holds training sessions for volunteers, Sunday School teachers and youth workers. CEF training takes place Friday 5:30-9 p.m. Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Contribution of $10 per person requested. Register by email at cefcayman@gmail.com or phone 926-1541 by March 9. HONOURING WOMEN MONTH LUNCHEON: A luncheon featuring speakers, networking and celebration, with a focus on leadership, empowerment and progress. Noon to 2 p.m. Aurea East, Kimpton Seafire resort. $25 tickets include 3-course lunch, door prizes and raffle. Group bookings available, tables seat 10. RSVP via email by March 6 to hwm@gov.ky or pick up tickets at the Family Resource Centre, 3rd Floor, 33 Mary Street. SUNDAY, MARCH 17 COLOR ME PURPLE RUN: The Family Resource Centre is hosting its annual 5K walk/ run as part of Honouring Women Month, 6:30 a.m., Seven Mile Public Beach. All funds support empowerment programs for women and youth in the community. $25 registration includes shirt (for the first 200 paid registrants), raffle prizes and light refreshments. There will be color bombing, breakfast and medals for runners, as well as raffle prizes. Register at www.caymanactive.com/ purple. 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, visit www.caymanenterprisecity.com/ enterprise-cayman/intern- in-the-city or contact Bianca Mora, public engagement officer at CEC, at b.mora@ caymanenterprisecity.com. THURSDAY, MARCH 21 BULLYING: The Ministry of Community Affairs and the Alex Panton Foundation host a presentation on bullying at Webster United Church Hall in Bodden Town. 6:30-8 p.m. All are invited. SATURDAY, MARCH 23 RED SKY AT NIGHT: 4 p.m. to midnight. Rescheduled from March 2. More than 100 artists and artisans, delicious food, live entertainment. All tickets will be valid for the new date. Members of the public who are unable to attend today and would like a refund, contact cncf@artscayman.org. KIWANIBIKE: Pre- registration 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at The Strand. Fee of $25 includes T-shirt, refreshments and raffle entry. Visit www.kiwanis.ky for registration forms and more information. SUNDAY, MARCH 24 KIWANIBIKE: Participants may drop off their bike at Smith Cove between 5:30 and 6 a.m. and the bikes will be transported to the Blow Holes. Participants may then take a special bus to the Blow Holes in East End where the ride back to Smith Cove begins at 7 a.m. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27 BPW AGM: The Annual General Meeting and Annual Candle Lighting Ceremony for the Business and Professional Women’s Club takes place upstairs at the George Town Yacht Club restaurant. Dinner is $50. Email info@bpwgcm.org for details. SATURDAY, APRIL 6 ORCHID SHOW: Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park today and tomorrow (Sunday), 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. TUESDAY, APRIL 9 BULLYING: The Ministry of Community Affairs and the Alex Panton Foundation hosts a presentation on bullying at John Gray Memorial Church in West Bay. 6:30-8 p.m. All are invited. GENERAL INTEREST LOCAL SCHOLARSHIPS: Applications are now being accepted for the Ministry of Education’s local scholarships. Eligible Caymanian students and adults are invited to apply until April 30. Funding is available for Year 12 students to pursue studies in A-level and BTEC Level 3 Extended for two years, and Year 13 students to pursue studies in Advanced Placement, CAPE and International Baccalaureate courses. Government will also award scholarships for certificate, associate, bachelor, master and law degree programs at ICCI, UCCI, UWI Open Campus, St. Matthew’s University and the Cayman Islands Law School. The online application for local scholarships may be accessed at www.education.gov.ky/scholarships For more information, contact the Scholarship Secretariat at 244-2482 or email scholarships@gov.ky. 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 pp for ceramics. $15/$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. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 Community CALENDAR ■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR is published TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS. It is available to charitable or nonprofit organizations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be faxed to 949-2662, brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Rd. or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. THURSDAY MARCH 7, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS On Friday, March 8, to mark International Women’s Day, the Family Resource Centre will host a private screening of ‘Captain Marvel,’ starring Brie Larson, at 7:30 p.m. - PHOTO: MARVEL STUDIOSThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 Flight from Barbados quarantined in UK Virgin Atlantic says all passengers and crew on a charter flight Wednesday from Barbados to London have been put into quarantine because of widespread illness on board. The sickness appeared to involve a bad cough and possible chest infection. Business CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY MARCH 7, 2019 EU countries reject commission’s blacklist MICHAEL KLEIN mklein@pinnaclemedialtd.com European Union govern- ments are set to block the European Commission’s draft dirty money black- list after all 28 EU member states objected to the way countries were selected for their alleged anti-money laundering deficiencies. EU members govern- ment representatives further claimed that jurisdictions included on the list were not given enough time to contest the findings. EU justice commissioner Vera Jourova last month re- leased a blacklist of 23 non- EU countries that included new countries like Saudi Arabia, Panama and Nigeria, which, the commission said, have strategic deficiencies in their anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism fi- nancing frameworks. The list is based on new EU rules to prevent money laun- dering as part of a process agreed with EU member states last summer. Diplomats briefed jour- nalists last weekend that all EU member countries had voiced their concerns over the list, which was due to be formally rejected on Thursday. The money laundering blacklist would have se- vere consequences as it re- quires banks in the EU to apply enhanced due dili- gence measures to all trans- actions involving indi- viduals and entities from listed countries. The initial release of the list prompted heavy rounds of lobbying by Saudi Arabia and the United States, which saw its territories of American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Guam described as having lax anti-money laun- dering standards. The U.K. government lobbied on behalf of Saudi Arabia before the list was published. Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud sent a letter to one EU government, according to the POLITICO news site, stating the blacklist “will damage its reputation on the one hand, and will create difficulties in trade and investment flows be- tween the kingdom” and the EU. The king “urged” the country’s “representatives in the Council to support the position of the Kingdom and reconsider this decision.” The U.S. Department of the Treasury rejected the inclusion of its territories, calling the process of estab- lishing the list “flawed” and considerably different from the methodology used by the Financial Action Task Force, the global standard-setter in the industry. In addition, the Treasury Department lamented an insufficient review mecha- nism without enough time for jurisdictions to challenge their inclusion. EU parliamentarians, in turn, have in the past called for a much larger number of jurisdictions to be included on the list. Last week, 29 MEPs sent a letter to the European Commission stating that they “strongly oppose any kind of political interference in the process of identification of high-risk countries.” Diplomats briefed journalists last weekend that all EU member countries had voiced their concerns over the list, which was due to be formally rejected on Thursday. Cayman Enterprise City offering summer internship program Cayman Enterprise City is now accepting applications for its 2019 “Summer in the City” internship program. Now in its seventh year, the hands-on internship pro- gram connects students and recent graduates to work ex- perience opportunities with global businesses across a variety of sectors within the Cayman Enterprise City spe- cial economic zones. “CEC’s vibrant commu- nity of 250 global businesses offers the perfect opportu- nity for young Caymanians to connect with leading in- dustry professionals and gain the skills and experience to pursue creative careers within our growing digital economy,” said Charlie Kirk- connell, chief executive officer of CEC, in a press release. “It’s important that we actively highlight the di- verse career opportunities that are now available in the Cayman Islands and en- courage Cayman’s next gen- eration to become future tech leaders,” he added. The Enterprise Cayman workforce development ini- tiative was established in 2012 by CEC and the Cayman Islands government. It is de- signed to connect Cayma- nians with opportunities within the special economic zones, which include Cayman Tech City, Cayman Mari- time and Aviation City, and Cayman Commodities and Derivatives City. CEC officials said the ini- tiative now offers nine pro- grams, including mentor- ships, internships, coding clubs, networking events, ca- reer readiness presentations, recruitment services for CEC community members, and school outreach programs. The “Summer in the City” internship program is open to Caymanians and residents of the Cayman Islands between the ages of 18-25 and features internships of one to two months during the summer months. The program aims to place more than 20 young people in internships across a number of sectors, including internet technology, software development, science and technology, commodities and derivatives trading, maritime and aviation services, client experience and business op- erations, marketing and com- munications, and urban plan- ning and development. CEC is inviting students who wish to apply to partic- ipate in a networking event attended by “innovative en- trepreneurs and global busi- ness leaders,” as well as to take part in specialized training courses facilitated by Workforce Opportuni- ties and Residency Cayman which cover topics such as resume writing, customer service, interview readiness, active listening, and building positive relationships. The deadline to apply to the ‘Summer in the City’ program is March 17. Information and applications can be found online at www.enterprisecayman.ky. Queries can be directed to innovate@caymanenterprisecity.com. Cayman led offshore deal-making in 2018 MICHAEL KLEIN mklein@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands re- mained the top jurisdic- tion for offshore deals last year. Cayman accounted for 31 percent of all off- shore merger and acquisi- tion transactions and 26 per- cent of total deal value in 2018, according to a report released by offshore law firm Appleby. In all offshore centers monitored by the latest Off- shore-i report, overall deal value increased by more than US$100 billion to $344 bil- lion compared to 2017, in 2,781 deals targeting off- shore companies. “Cayman continued to lead the way in overall M&A activity in 2018, driven in part by a particularly ac- tive technology sector,” said Simon Raftopoulos, partner and group head of Apple- by’s Private Equity practice in the Cayman Islands. “De- spite a slight dip in the total number of deals, Cayman saw a rise in both overall deal value and average deal size.” The cumulative deal value involving Cayman reached $89.7 billion last year as the jurisdiction saw three of the year’s 10 largest off- shore deals. With 867 deals, Cayman was the busiest off- shore center for deal making, followed by Hong Kong (709 deals), the British Virgin Islands (504 deals) and Ber- muda (307 deals). Acquisitions have become increasingly popular over the last two years, compared to taking a minority stake in a company or releasing more shares to investors, the re- port finds. It now makes up nearly half of all offshore M&A activity. “Investing companies are no longer content to just take a seat on the board, but want full control of an asset in order to gain a competitive advantage over rivals,” said Cameron Adderley, partner and global head of Corpo- rate at Appleby. “This drive to do strategic deals is likely to continue, providing finance remains readily available, in- terest rate rises predictable and markets stable. Gaining access to transformational technologies also remains a big incentive across almost every sector.” IPOs Cayman-incorporated companies made up the vast majority of offshore busi- nesses that completed an ini- tial public offering last year. Of 349 offshore companies in 60 industries, a record 196 completed their listing in 2018. Cayman companies were behind 174 of these completed IPOs. “Investor confidence, large pools of liquidity, strong val- uations and low interest rates have offset recent stock market turbulence, creating a very strong year for IPOs in the offshore region,” Mr. Ad- derley said. “We have seen a lot of activity from whole- sale traders looking to raise extra working capital, and construction companies launching IPOs in order to in- vest in ongoing projects.” Typically, offshore IPOs take place on exchanges in the U.S., London or Hong Kong, with Hong Kong an especially popular choice among Cayman companies. Joanne Watters, general manager of Cayman Enterprise City company Intelligent Devices SEZC Inc., with a ‘Summer in the City’ intern Taneil Lee, right. The United Kingdom flag flies alongside EU flags at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels. - PHOTO: APNext >