ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – TUESDAY MARCH 26, 2019 High of 86 Low of 73 Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 WORKING TOGETHER TO BANISH HUNGER FROM OUR SHORES LOCAL | PAGE 5 1,000-MILE RIDE TO BENEFIT LIGHTHOUSE FOREIGN WORKERS SENT HOME RECORD AMOUNT OF CASH IN 2018 KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com Foreign workers are sending more money back to their home countries than they have in at least the last 10 years. According to the latest Cayman Islands Monetary Authority data, workers sent nearly $235 million home last year, compared to $217.7 million in 2017. The previous high for remittances had been nearly $229 mil- lion in 2008. Most of the money, about $133 million, was sent home to Jamaica. Filipinos sent home nearly $40 million, Hondurans sent some $17 million, and Americans sent about $12 million back to the U.S. Robert Hamaty, a former board member of Jamaica National Money Services, said the re- cord outflow of remittances in 2018 is likely due to a growing expatriate population, par- ticularly a growing Jamaican population that has come here to work in the booming con- struction industry. “I can tell you as an ex-board member that it’s due to the construction on the island,” said Hamaty, who left the JN Money Services board two years ago and was replaced by his daughter, Monique Hamaty. “Because when- ever that occurs, there are a lot of Jamaicans who work for the construction industry.” Remittances are indeed correlated to the number of foreign workers in Cayman. After the 2008 financial crisis, for instance, remittances fell from $228.97 million in 2008 to $184.76 million in 2010. During that same period, the number of Jamaican workers in the Cayman Islands declined by nearly 3,500 to 7,998 (-30.2 percent) at the end of 2010. Brac Agriculture Show returns Cayman Brac residents and visitors gathered at the Brac Ag- riculture Grounds on the Bluff on Saturday for the 16th annual Brac Agriculture Show. Although the show was a little smaller this year, “Overall, it was a nice show,” said Lane Christian, a Spot Bay craft vendor. At the show, she showed off the many prize ribbons she had collected for her displays of hand-crafted items, such jewel- lery boxes, knitted boxes, pot holders, thatch-work picture frames, and bottle cap-deco- rated mirrors. Ken Hydes, vice president of special projects and partnerships at Dart, said he had enjoyed the show, which attracted other vis- itors from Grand Cayman who flew over for the day to take part in the festivities. Some of the produce on offer came from the Bluff farm of Le Soleil d’Or hotel, which Dart recently purchased. Prizes were given for a wide variety of displays and compe- titions, including in the catego- ries of cattle, horse or goat dis- plays, needlework, preserves, hot sauces, produce and plants. Grand Cayman held its Agri- culture Show on March 13. Next up will be Little Cayman, which is scheduled to hold its own Ag- riculture Show on April 27. For more photos, see page 8. $1M to fight erosion at Kaibo Public Beach Government project to stabilise and replenish beach JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Fringed with shady casuarina trees and dotted with pastel-coloured cabanas, Kaibo Public Beach Park is the perfect spot for a lazy Sunday. There’s a children’s play- ground, toilet facilities and plenty of grassy camping spots along the shoreline. The only thing missing is the beach. Years of erosion have wiped out the beach to the point that at high tide the wooden legs of those cabanas are wading in the shallow water. Now government plans to spend $1 million to stabilise and replenish the beach. The National Conservation Council con- firmed at its meeting last month that it would not object to government using the Environmental Protection Fund to com- plete the works. Infrastructure Minister Joey Hew told the Compass that the council’s blessing meant the project could proceed. “Every Easter we try to patch it up so people can camp. It is a very popular beach and we have to try to find a long-term fix,” he said. “We have had an engineering report on Anne Lee Ebanks shows off bags made from silver thatch palm. – PHOTO: SISTER ISLANDS NEWS SERVICE The beaches at Kaibo have virtually disappeared over 25 years. - PHOTO: JAMES WHITTAKER PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL®IONAL TUESDAY MARCH 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) US (R) 12:40 I 4:00 I 7:00 I 9:50 THE KID (R) 1:15 I 5:05 I 10:05 CAPTAIN MARVEL (PG13) 12:30 VIP I 1:10 3D I 3:25 VIP I 4:05 9:30 VIP I 9:50 YARDIE (R) 12:30 I 2:35 I 7:35 I 9:45 A MADEA FAMILY FUNERAL (PG13) 3:45 I 6:45 I 9:20 WONDER PARK (PG) 12:20 I 3:00 3D I 5:15 I 7:30 3D CLASSICS @ THE CINEMA: THE USUAL SUSPECTS (R) 7:00 VIP CLARIFICATION A story that appeared in Friday’s Cayman Com- pass on Lou Ferrigno and stem cell treatment he was receiving at the Da Vinci Centre, included in- formation on David Lyons, a patient and supporter of the centre who has mul- tiple sclerosis. Lyons’s website MS Fit- ness Challenge – the com- pany is listed as a partner on the Da Vinci Centre web- site – has a single blog that refers to Lyons’s treatment at the stem cell clinic. In- formation from that blog is what appeared in Friday’s story. The Google link to the blog indicates it was posted March 28, 2018. A date at the bottom of the blog indicates it was written July 14, 2016. Subsequent to the story’s publication, the Compass was made aware that Lyons had undergone a second treatment and, according to video posts on his Facebook page, feels it has been more successful. In one video he calls the improvements he experienced “miraculous”, although some symptoms of his disease remain. AIRSPACE RESTRICTED FOR SAFETY DURING ROYAL VISIT The Civil Aviation Au- thority of the Cayman Is- lands has issued an advisory prohibiting drones from sev- eral restricted areas later this week when the Princes of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall visit Cayman. The director general of the CAACI has identified several areas where no air- craft may be flown during the royal visit on March 27 and 28, and that in- cludes drones operated by both commercial operators and recreational ones. Only drones that are specifically approved for the event by the CAACI will be permitted to fly in restricted areas. The restricted airspace areas affected are: ■■ 1.5NM from sea level to 2,000ft MSL centred on the Governor’s residence (Latitude 19°20.439’ Lon- gitude 81°22.887’) from 11 a.m. on March 27 until 8 p.m. on March 28. ■■ 1NM from sea level to 2,000ft MSL cen- tred on The Ritz- Carlton, (Latitude 19°20.149’ Longitude 81°22.615’) from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on March 28. ■■ 1NM from sea level to 2,000ft MSL centred on Pedro St. James (Latitude 19°16.002’ Longitude 81°17.498’) from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. on March 28. ■■ 2NM from sea level to 2,000ft MSL cen- tred on Clifton Hunter High School (Latitude 19°18.646’ Longitude 81°11.040’) from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on March 28. The restrictions will be policed by CAACI and the Royal Cayman Islands Po- lice, which warned that any infringement on the air- space restriction could lead to prosecution in accord- ance with Article 185 of the Air Navigation (Overseas Territories) Order of 2013. Maritime routes near Cayman teeming with massive ships KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com In recent weeks, Cayman’s territorial waters have been as busy as they have ever been for shipping megastruc- tures, according to Cayman Brac volunteer search-and- rescue coordinator Raymond Scott, who has monitored the Cayman seas for the last four decades. Scott said that, at about 3 p.m. on Sunday, the heavy load shipper Hawk was about 25 miles south of the Brac, carrying a massive floating dry dock en route to Mississippi. The floating dock is 492 feet long, 242 feet wide and 75 feet high, and hangs off ei- ther side of the Hawk by 30 feet. The dock was built in China, and will be used by the Ingalls Shipbuilding com- pany to construct multiple destroyers for the U.S. Navy, Scott said. The Hawk was 12 miles north of Grand Cayman as of 11 p.m. on Sunday. The Hawk’s sister ship, the Osprey, is also sched- uled to pass by Cayman on Tuesday, according to Scott. The Osprey is carrying a giant oil rig, he said. Another heavy load car- rier passing though the terri- torial waters is the GPO Am- ethyst. According to www. marinetraffic.com, that ship was southwest of Cayman heading toward Aruba as of around 2 p.m. on Monday. “These are three of the biggest heavy load carriers in the world,” said Scott, adding that another mega-ship came by the Brac two weeks ago on its way to Mexico. Brazilian judge orders release of former President Temer RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) – A Bra- zilian federal judge on Monday ordered the release of former President Michel Temer from jail, allowing him to face cor- ruption charges while free. Judge Antonio Ivan Athie said there’s no need to jail the 78-year-old politician because he does not pose a risk to the investigation into the charges. Temer and seven other people were jailed on Thursday on corruption charges in the sprawling Car Wash probe. At the time, Judge Mar- celo Bretas argued that they should be held so they could not destroy evidence. Brazil’s federal police did not say when Temer would be released. Temer became president in August 2016 after Presi- dent Dilma Roussef was im- peached and removed from office, and his term ended on Jan. 1, when President Jair Bolsonaro was sworn in. His administration was clouded by corruption alle- gations, though on two oc- casions, lawmakers refused to authorise prosecution of Temer. In Brazil, the prosecu- tion of a sitting president re- quires a vote of Congress. Athie’s ruling could still be reversed by his colleagues on the same court, which had been expected to de- cide on Temer’s future only on Wednesday. “As I examined the case I verified that there is no justi- fication to wait for two more days for the decision,” the judge said. The ruling also said Bretas’ decision to arrest Temer was based on “as- sumptions on old facts”. Cullers nearing 500,000 iguana mark Last week, cullers re- moved 7,710 green iguanas from Grand Cayman, ac- cording to initial results from the Department of Environment. Through the first 21 weeks of the programme, a total of 481,611 iguanas have been culled, as of March 23. Cullers are still above the pace needed to reach the target number of culling 1.3 million green iguanas by the end of 2019. The programme began in late October 2018. Cullers are being paid $4.50 a head, rising to $5 if they meet monthly and an- nual targets, in an effort to control the invasive species in Grand Cayman. The heavy load carrier Hawk, pictured above in 2012, passed through Cayman waters on Sunday carrying a massive floating dock. The territorial waters have been busier than ever with heavy load carriers, according to Raymond Scott, a volunteer search-and-rescue coordinator on Cayman Brac. - PHOTO: JAN INGE HILLESOY, MARINETRAFFIC.COM P a c e t o r e a c h 1 . 3 m i ll i o n t a r g e tThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS TUESDAY MARCH 26, 2019 The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 – EDITORIAL – Opinion & Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@pinnaclemedialtd.com, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Caymanian Compass Limited 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 PUBLISHER KATHLEEN CAPETTA EXECUTIVE EDITOR PATRICK BRENDEL A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will find their own way” For those of us who are fortunate enough not to worry about where our next meal will come from, it can be easy to forget that some of our neighbours are going hungry. It is a quiet crisis, suffered individ- ually, behind closed doors. But even a prosperous community like ours is not immune from the scourge of hunger. Last weekend, an army of orange-clad volunteers brought visibility to the problem while offering us all a chance to help. About 250 people signed up to shake a tin at one of 30 locations as part of Meals on Wheels’ annual ‘¢hange for Change Coin Drive’ – raising much needed funds for this worthy non-profit group. As we write this, organisers still are tallying the total amount raised over the weekend, but early indications are that the event was a rousing success. We cannot think of a group more deserving of community support. In two decades, Meals on Wheels has grown from a small group of committed individuals to an islandwide presence feeding more than 230 seniors and other vulnerable adults who might otherwise go hungry. Organisers say that if they had the resources, there are dozens more people who they could serve. Three-quarters of Meals on Wheels’ modest budget comes from donations, sponsorships and fundraisers such as the one held last weekend. Every $5 the non-profit collects provides a senior in need with a hot meal and soup delivered, rain or shine, five days a week, by volunteers whose efforts feed both body and soul. More than food, Meals on Wheels offers connect- edness and caring. For some elderly or homebound seniors, who may not have family around to support them, their daily meal delivery is a chance to chat and interact with another person. It offers a life- affirming respite from the isolation that is sadly too common in our older years. Like many social issues, food insecurity and hunger is at once complex and very simple. In an ideal world, no one in our population would find themselves without regular access to healthy, nutritious food. It is troubling that the number of vulnerable elderly needing food assistance on our island has apparently been increasing over the past two decades. At the same time, we can and must step in to address the need. Consider that Cayman’s Meals on Wheels program began with the committed kindness of a single elderly widow. If Martha McField could find the effort and resources to feed and care for her neighbours, surely we can do the same. Pooled together, even pocket change has the power to help eradicate hunger. If you missed last weekend’s fund drive, or want to become more involved, it is not too late to do so. Donors and potential volunteers can sign up online at www.mealsonwheels.ky, email info@mealsonwheels.ky or call 769-1974 to find out how to help. Working together to banish hunger from our shores WASHIINGTON POST EDITORIAL BOARD Facebook’s self-pro- claimed pivot to privacy is off to a poor start. The com- pany disclosed last week that it had exposed hundreds of millions of users’ passwords to its employees in plain text. The mishap, a question of carelessness rather than third-party sharing, is a re- minder that the data debate is as much about protection as it is about privacy. The KrebsOnSecurity blog first reported the flaw in Fa- cebook’s system on Thursday. Facebook says no one outside the company could access the passwords, and there is no evidence its employees abused the vulnerability, which it detected in January during a security review. Still, the error is glaring: Storing passwords in an unread- able format is Security 101. It is standard practice for Facebook. And yet the com- pany missed the problem for years. Facebook says the issue occurred not through its normal login system but through other mechanisms that unintentionally cap- tured passwords, such as error logs. Facebook’s lapse may not have violated any rules in the United States because the passwords were available only internally and no known harm has resulted from the mistake. But that is precisely the reason a privacy law must pay attention to data protection. Privacy regulations must give companies an incentive to design and monitor sys- tems to prevent these sorts of exposures. Explicit require- ments would be next to im- possible to impose; too many risky behaviours would be left out. Instead, a more gen- eral duty of care could man- date that companies adhere to reasonable security prin- ciples and undertake thor- ough audits. Companies would have to be ready to prove compliance, which would encourage them to think rigorously about what data they have and how they store it. That is a healthy exercise for any firm in the digital information business. There is no reason com- panies should leave data unguarded from unauthor- ised access. Congress should make that clear. © 2019, The Washington Post TUESDAY MARCH 26, 2019 CAYMAN COMPASS LETTER TO THE EDITOR Would a bridge over North Sound ease traffic woes? The Bible says “for lack of vision my people perish” and I find this often to be the case in Cayman, where we are afraid to think outside the box and just follow someone else or do the same thing over and over and expect dif- ferent results. Bo Miller of blessed memory was a vi- sionary and he was criticised endlessly, but at least he ex- pressed his views openly and was never afraid to do so. Folks, we have a major problem with traffic to and from the east, for residents and tourists alike – please spare a thought for fami- lies and our precious kids who have to rise up at un- godly hours to get to work and school in George Town. For a myriad of reasons, not least, funding and environ- mental concerns, it appears we will not be getting the ex- tension from Hirst Road to Frank Sound anytime soon. A first-class bus service and holding depots (hub and spokes model) also seems a long way away, and there are still hundreds of vehicles being imported monthly. We have developed some of our best lands for road use, and this tiny two-by-four island has mega highways and Man- hattan-style traffic. There is still no control of the number of cars per household, or who can own or import vehicles. There is hardly any decentral- isation of essential services, no structured flex time, etc. It is not a pretty picture, and it appears no relief is in sight. Well, at the risk of being laughed at, scoffed at, rid- iculed by many and con- demned by the environmen- talists among us, has anyone thought to bridge the North Sound? Before you start laughing, have you been to the Florida Keys, Bermuda, or other places that utilise bridges to good effect? You will see that these can be tolled to pay for themselves, provide great outlets for ex- ercising – fishing, walking, running, skating, cycling, etc. – thereby creating a healthier community. I am not here to say where the access points should be in North Side or West Bay (experts can decide that), but I know it’s doable. With political will and pri- vate sector buy-in, this could be a winner for all. The en- vironmental impact, to my mind, would be minimal. In the end, it may actually im- prove marine life around the structural bases. A nicely de- signed bridge would also be aesthetically pleasing from land and air. Consider the ride to and from work, the increased productivity of happier employees, and the list goes on. This would provide not just an outlet for workers and school kids, but open up the east for more com- merce and development of lands, something everyone says is needed. All in all, it would make Cayman a more user-friendly island for our motorists. Note, I have no stake in this, and could possibly lose revenue at my business in Bodden Town because of it, but if it benefits Cayman and its people, it also benefits me in the end. Make no mistake, the time to plan and design this won’t be any quicker than the other major alternatives or solu- tions, but this should be con- sidered seriously as a part of the solution for the fu- ture, in my humble opinion. It will also require signifi- cant funding to construct and a public-private partnership would likely be the best route. I have mooted this qui- etly for some time in and out of government with mixed reactions, so now let’s see what John Public thinks. I believe Bo, a born and bred North Sider, may have liked this idea. Osbourne Bodden, JP Facebook flubbed pivot to privacy5 LOCAL®IONAL CAYMAN COMPASS TUESDAY MARCH 26, 2019 1,000-mile ride to benefit Lighthouse JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com A local cyclist is set to ride 1,000 miles in 10 days around the Cayman Islands to raise funds for Cayman’s Lighthouse School in Red Bay. Alan Harcombe, 47, in- tends to cycle 100 miles each day between the hours of 4 a.m. and 11 a.m. from April 4 to April 13, as part of his Lighthouse School ‘1,000in10’ charity event. Harcombe’s hope, in con- junction with the school’s Parent Teacher Association, is to raise thousands of dol- lars to assist the school with much-needed projects, such as a school playground, en- hancements, safety repairs, wheelchair accessibility, 20 iPads, relevant apps for instructional and educational purposes, maintenance of the Sensory Garden, and funding for music therapy. The ‘1,000in10’ event also kicks off the school’s ‘Will You Be Our Partner’ cam- paign – a school initiative fo- cussing on encouraging Cay- man’s corporate community to partner with the school in developing and assisting the special needs chil- dren through volunteerism, community involvement and donations. Mechon Ebanks, vice president of the Lighthouse School’s Parent Teacher As- sociation, said this is the first time the school is hosting the ‘1,000in10’ fundraiser, and the vision is to make it an an- nual event. “The objective is to raise awareness for the Lighthouse School and to raise at least $50,000 for the school’s much needed projects,” she said. The Lighthouse School houses about 110 primary and secondary students with varied special needs and challenges. Harcombe, a cycling en- thusiast, came up with the idea after attending a parent- teacher meeting at the school. His daughter Jamie, who was born with Down syndrome and a severe congenital heart defect, attends the Light- house School. His passion for cycling began at an early age and he took part in his first cycling race in 1987. He went on to win several races and state championships. He topped off his cycling career with a silver medal in the Cayman Islands Road Cycling cham- pionship in 2014. Harcombe said he had been mulling the idea of the cycling fundraiser for some time and had been in dis- cussions with Lighthouse’s headmaster about doing something to raise money for the school. “It’s a very happy place and I think they do a lot for the kids there,” Harcombe said. He acknowledged that cy- cling 100 miles a day is going to be challenging, but said he plans to ride at a steady pace to get through each day. “I will be leaving from my home in South Sound every day and just selecting dif- ferent routes around the is- land,” he said. He expects to go around the island a few times. There is no pre-determined route. “I will just ride the miles on a day-to-day basis,” he said. He has been in training for the past three months and cycles nearly every day to keep in shape. “Certainly, riding 100 miles a day on a bike will mean that you have to eat while you are cycling to keep the body from running out of energy. I will eat lots of bananas and drink a long of energy drinks to keep me full,” he said. Harcombe said the most he has ridden in a single day is 150 miles. “I certainly haven’t done 100 miles a day for 10 day in a row, that’s for sure,” he added. “It’s going to be a chal- lenge, but with the purpose in mind it will inspire me to continue.” For more information, visit the #1000in10 Facebook page, email lhschool.pta@gmail.com or call 925-5940. Lighthouse students inspect the bike that cyclist Alan Harcombe will use to ride 1,000 miles in 10 days to assist the school with much-needed projects. MEXICO RESTARTS SEARCH FOR MISSING FROM 1970S MEXICO CITY (AP) – The Mexican government is re- launching its search for the country’s 40,000 missing people by resuming a decade- old effort to dig for remains of an activist who disap- peared in 1974. There have already been a half-dozen rounds of exca- vations at old army bases in southern Guerrero state to find the remains of Rosendo Radilla, with no luck so far. But the government said the administration of Presi- dent Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador started more digs for Radilla on Monday. Radilla disappeared at a military checkpoint during the army’s ‘dirty war’ against leftist guerrillas and social movements. At least 26,000 unidentified bodies have passed through morgues in Mexico in recent years. On Sunday, Lopez Obrador pledged to spare no expense in finding the missing.The islands’ most-trusted news source 6 Community CALENDAR ■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR is published TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS. It is available to charitable or non-profit organisations. 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 Road or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. TUESDAY MARCH 26, 2019 CAYMAN COMPASS TUESDAY, MARCH 26 BASIC ACCOUNTING MADE EASIER: Chamber of Commerce course. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Chamber office, Governors Square. $150 for members, $225 for future members. Register online at www.caymanchamber.ky or call 949-8090. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27 ROYAL ARRIVAL, OPENING OF AIRPORT TERMINAL: An opening ceremony for the new Airport Terminal Building takes place immediately following the arrival of Charles, Prince of Wales, and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. Standing areas for the public will be clearly marked immediately outside the terminal building. The public is urged to arrive early and be in place by 3 p.m. Dress code is business attire. Public parking will be available in the empty lot on Cico Avenue near the airport terminal, and motorists can enter from North Sound Road in the direction of George Town Yacht Club on Barcadere Drive/David Foster Drive. Shuttle service will be available from the parking area to the terminal. The airport short-term parking lot will be closed from Monday evening to facilitate the event. PEDRO AND BOTANIC PARK CLOSED: The Pedro St. James National Historic Site and the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park will be closed to the public on Wednesday and Thursday, March 27 and 28, to facilitate the Royal Visit. Both attractions will reopen for business as usual on Friday, March 29. 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. THURSDAY, MARCH 28 PRINCE CHARLES ON BRAC: The public is invited to attend venues to be visited by Prince Charles. Opening of new recreational swimming pool, Cayman Brac. The public should arrive at the Cayman Brac Sports Complex on Coastal Way in Stake Bay before 11 a.m. There will be no parking in the immediate vicinity. PRINCE CHARLES ON LITTLE CAYMAN: Residents of Little Cayman will be able to greet Prince Charles on arrival and departure from the Central Caribbean Marine Institute. Please be in place outside CCMI, located on North Coast Road, at 12:30 p.m. There will be no parking in the immediate vicinity of CCMI. PRINCE CHARLES AT SCHOOL: Clifton Hunter High School. Children and parents should contact the school to confirm arrangements. There will be no parking in the immediate vicinity of the school. SAVANNAH SCHOOL RESTRICTION: The Department of Education Services advises that due to the Royal Visit, and the associated event at Pedro Castle, the walking track and car park at Savannah Primary School will be closed to the public all day, as the school will be used for public parking for the event. DUCHESS OF CORNWALL, OPENING OF JASMINE: The public is invited to attend the opening of Jasmine Villa, which is located behind Coconut Joe’s off West Bay Road. Attendees should be in place by 10 a.m. There will be no parking available at the villa or in the immediate vicinity. DUCHESS OF CORNWALL AT SCHOOL: George Town Primary. Children and parents should contact the school to confirm arrangements. There will be no parking at the school or in the immediate vicinity. PEDRO CASTLE RECEPTION: Members of the public are asked to be in place at the event before 5:30 p.m. Between 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., there will be no public access. No parking in the immediate vicinity. The public is invited to park in one of the remote parking lots, and then take the complimentary shuttle buses to Pedro St. James. Remote parking locations are Savannah Primary School, Savannah Seventh-day Adventist Church, Savannah United Church, Savannah Church of God, Savannah Post Office. Public access to the reception is available by shuttle bus service only. The shuttle bus service will run continuously from 3:30 p.m. until 5:20 p.m. Following the reception, shuttle bus service will resume to the five pick-up locations. FRIDAY, MARCH 29 LOOKY YA! AT MUSEUM: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. featuring the District of North Side. Venue is the National Museum Courtyard on the Waterfront. There will be local food by Marcia’s Kitchen, desserts and smoothies by Ms. Zelmalee and traditional artisans displaying crafts. SATURDAY, MARCH 30 BOOK LAUNCH: J. A. Roy Bodden invites all to the launch of his latest book, ‘From Guard House to the Glass House, One Man’s Journey through the Maze of Caymanian Politics.’ 6 p.m. Sir Vassel Johnson Hall at UCCI campus. TUESDAY, APRIL 2 MUSEUM SPEAKER SERIES: Hear about Pioneers of Our National Airline. 6 p.m. at National Museum, Harbour Drive. $10 general admission, $6 members. Complimentary refreshments and admission to all exhibits. 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 host a presentation on bullying at John Gray Memorial Church in West Bay. 6:30-8 p.m. All are invited. GENERAL INTEREST FRIDAY FISH FRY: Fridays during Lent until April 12. St. Ignatius School Canteen. Dine in or carry out, 5-8 p.m. Fried or baked fish and trimmings, $7 to $12. Proceeds in aid of parish religious education and youth ministry. LOCAL SCHOLARSHIPS: Applications are 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’s, master’s and law degree programmes 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 socialising 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. OVERCOMERS OUTREACH: A Christ-centred 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. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. Backdropped by an image of Che Guevara, Britain’s Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, centre, and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, centre right, attend a wreath-laying ceremony at the Jose Marti Monument during their official visit in Havana, Cuba, Sunday. The royal couple will be in Cayman Wednesday and Thursday. - PHOTO: AP7 LOCAL®IONAL CAYMAN COMPASS TUESDAY MARCH 26, 2019 ROYAL VISIT PRINCE CHARLES & THE DUCHESS OF CORNWALL CELEBRATING THE ARRIVAL OF PRINCE CHARLES & THE DUCHESS OF CORNWALL CELEBRATING THE ARRIVAL OF PRINCE CHARLES & THE DUCHESS OF CORNWALL Friday, March 29 Monday, March 25 For more information call 949-5111 or email sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Please be advised that the Cayman Compass will not be published on Thursday, March 28 EDITION: DEADLINE: PUBLIC HOLIDAY Trial begins in pimping case Defendant allegedly offered services of 32 females CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Trial began in Grand Court on Monday for Wayne Carlos Myles, who pleaded not guilty to living off the earnings of prostitution or attempting to do so, between July 1, 2014, and June 17, 2016. Crown counsel Eleanor Fargin said that, in slang, his actions would lead to him being called “a pimp”. “He exercised control, di- rection or influence over the movements of prostitutes in such a manner as to show that he was aiding, abetting or compelling their prosti- tution with another person,” she explained. Justice Marlene Carter, who is hearing the matter without a jury as Myles elected, was advised that the prosecution’s evidence would not come from customers or the prostitutes themselves. Instead, the evidence would come from documented con- versations and arrangements made by phone through the use of WhatsApp or SMS text messaging. Fargin said the defendant was offering prostitution services by sending “promo- tional messages and photos” of his “current stable” and agreeing prices of the “female services” and locations for prostitutes to work. “The Crown says the evi- dence leads to the common sense conclusion that he took a monetary cut of their earn- ings,” she said. Prices ranged from $150 to $400 or $500, which in- cluded a sleep-over, Fargin said. The various phone mes- sages indicated a potential of 15 customers and 32 indi- vidual females being offered during the period referred to in the charges. The first two Crown wit- nesses were police officers, one of whom was being questioned by defence at- torney Alex Davies when pro- ceedings adjourned for lunch. Charges brought for wounding outside nightclub Bail granted with strict conditions CAROL WINKER cwinke@pinnaclemedialtd.com An incident outside a nightclub led to charges of wounding with intent to cause serious bodily harm, with defendant Cory Shamar Pusey appearing in Summary Court on Monday afternoon. Pusey, 29, was accused of wounding a man and a woman outside a Mary Street bar shortly after 4 a.m. on Saturday, March 16. Crown counsel Emma Hutchinson told Magistrate Valdis Foldats that two other men were being charged in connection with the same incident. Both complainants sus- tained knife wounds. Hutchinson objected to bail. After hearing an appli- cation by defence attorney Prathna Bodden, the magis- trate granted bail with strict conditions. They included the wearing of an electronic monitor, a curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., prohibition from entering a liquor-li- censed premises except for purposes of his work. Pusey was also told not to con- tact any witnesses or the co-accused. Since wounding with in- tent is a Category A offense, the charges were trans- mitted to Grand Court, where they are to be mentioned on Friday, April 5. National Choir celebrates move with Choral Cabaret The Cayman National Choir’s new rehearsal rooms on West Bay Road were packed on Saturday night as more than 100 people at- tended to hear the choir per- form a Choral Cabaret, con- sisting of arrangements of popular songs spanning the last six decades. The growing number of members of the Cayman Na- tional Choir and Orchestra necessitated a move to a new and bigger home at the Bay Harbour Centre on West Bay Road, where the rehearsal rooms were adapted for Sat- urday evening’s cabaret. Organisers said this was the first concert to be held in the new rehearsal rooms, but now that the National Choir and Orchestra has a perma- nent home, they are hoping it will become a popular venue for small concerts, although large venues will still be needed for the combined full orchestra and choir. Members of the Cayman National Choir perform at Saturday’s Choral Cabaret. - PHOTO: YARON RADO The trial is being held at the Grand Court at the Courthouse Building in downtown George Town. PUERTO RICO TO TAKE OVER STORM FUND REIMBURSEMENT FROM FEMA SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) – Federal officials say they are giving Puerto Rico’s government greater au- thority to issue hurricane recovery funds, a measure that should help speed re- imbursement for cities and agencies trying to rebuild after the damage wrought by Hurricane Maria. Officials said that starting April 1, the U.S. ter- ritory will no longer have to wait for approval from the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency before issuing reimbursements. There’s currently an average two-month wait for reimbursement after people submit all required documents. Under the up- coming change, 75 per- cent of funds will be issued within three weeks after a request is submitted, with the remaining amount is- sued once the project is fin- ished, said Omar Marrero, executive director of Puerto Rico’s Office of Recovery and Reconstruction. Puerto Rico’s govern- ment has 130 requests for reimbursements pending, representing a total of roughly $600 million, ac- cording to Marrero’s office. Michael Byrne, FEMA’s federal disaster recovery coordinator in Puerto Rico, said he is confident the is- land has implemented suf- ficient policies and reg- ulations to ensure that federal funds will be cor- rectly spent. He also re- jected criticism that FEMA has been slow in dis- tributing funds since the Category 4 storm hit on Sept. 20, 2017, causing more than an estimated $100 billion in damage. “The perception that we’re dragging our feet or withholding money is wrong,” he said. “That said, we need some documenta- tion.” While FEMA will no longer review or approving reimbursement requests, it will conduct quar- terly audits. “This is probably going to be the most audited disaster in U.S. history,” Marrero said. Puerto Rico has so far received nearly $3 billion from FEMA through the public assistance grant programme. FEMA has is- sued another $2 billion for individual assistance.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 TUESDAY MARCH 26, 2019 CAYMAN COMPASS the erosion at the beach and what we can do to fix it.” A coastal engineering assessment prepared for government by Olsen As- sociates indicates that the shoreline at Kaibo Beach Park has eroded by more than 40 feet since 1994. Environment officials noted in their remarks on the report that the beach is man-made on re- claimed land and the nat- ural coastal processes are working to restore it to its normal state. The consultants con- cluded that the erosion was only likely to get worse in the future. “In the absence of inter- vention, the shoreline will continue to erode. It will not stop, and it will not recover. There is limited to no sand supply here, and the land- form was artificially created. “The wooden cabanas along the east shore will need to be relocated, along with some power [utility] poles. The existing trees at the shore’s edge will be un- dercut and fall. The beach will become increasingly less functional for public use.” They recommended the construction of eight T-shaped stone groynes (breakwaters) around the cir- cular headland that encom- passes the park. “This alternative would construct rock headlands and create small pocket beaches along the shoreline,” the consultants note. This would mimic the so- called pocket beaches that nestle between the trees on the fringes of the shoreline already, but on a larger and more permanent scale, the consultants note. Sand to replenish the beaches would be sourced from a shoal on the Rum Point side of the headland, the report indicates. While offering its blessing for government to use some of the $10 million it has already pulled from the Environmental Protec- tion Fund for beach acqui- sition and management for this project, the National Conservation Council rec- ommended a separate fund be set up for managing beach impacts associated with coastal erosion. “The Kaibo beach is not a natural beach. The ma- jority of the Rum Point/ Kaibo area is unnatural and man made, and natural processes operating in this location act to drive it to- wards reverting to its nat- ural state,” John Bothwell, secretary of the council, wrote in a letter to the Min- istry of Commerce, Plan- ning and Infrastructure. “Against the backdrop of the realities of climate change, the need for these works highlights the im- portance of environmen- tally sensitive, long-term planning regarding the de- velopment and modifica- tion of Cayman’s coastlines. “It also further rein- forces the need for ade- quate parks and recreation budgeting, and a separate properly managed infra- structure fund as a more appropriate funding ve- hicle to address these types of issues – whether they be shoreline modification or waste management im- provements – rather than an environmental trust fund such as the EPF.” The number of Honduran work permit holders also fell during that period by -29.5 percent to 792, as did workers from the Dominican Republic (-13.7 percent) and the Philippines (-7.6 percent). Remittances have also been on the rise since reaching a 10-year low of $169,545,865 in 2015. That year, many Cayman cash- transfer companies had dif- ficulties with local banks, who were limiting their ser- vices, citing the risks of money laundering in the cash-transfer business and the rising costs of com- plying with international rules to ensure drug dealers and terrorists were not using money transfers to fund their activities. In July 2015, Western Union abruptly closed, with customers finding out about the closure when they went to send money and found a notice on the window. At the time, Western Union was operated by Fidelity Bank, which also pulled the money transfer service from Turks and Caicos and the Bahamas. Fidelity Bank (Cayman) CEO Brett Hill said at the time the bank had been con- sidering dropping Western Union because the risks have increased while fees have declined. “It’s been an increas- ingly marginal business for us,” he said. A month later, Cayman National Bank, which pro- vided banking services to JN Money Services, Money- Gram and others, closed their accounts. Cayman Na- tional had previously given bank accounts, needed to ac- cess international currency markets, to JN and other re- mittance companies. Instead of closing when the company lost its bank account, JN decided to ac- cept only U.S. currency and fly the cash directly to a bank overseas for deposit. For three months, from late August until late November 2015, the only option for cash transfers was through JN or one of its related com- panies like MoneyGram, using U.S. cash. The unusual situation led to a shortage of U.S. cur- rency in the Cayman Islands, causing banks to restrict giving U.S. cash to only their customers, or charging fees of up to $50 to exchange limited amounts of cash. The police and the Ministry of Finan- cial Services sent out warn- ings against using under- ground currency exchanges and counterfeit U.S. notes. On Nov. 25, 2015, former Financial Services Minister Wayne Panton, joined by representatives from Scoti- abank, Western Union and GraceKennedy Remittance Services, gathered to an- nounce an end to the crisis. A deal between the three com- panies reopened Western Union in the Cayman Is- lands, based on the model of GraceKennedy’s Western Union operations in Jamaica and several other countries. Jamaica National was able to once again start ac- cepting Cayman currency along with U.S. dollars before Christmas of that year, ac- cording to Compass archives. REMITTANCE OUTFLOWS 2018 .............$234,832,685 2017 .............$217,723,710 2016 .............$199,340,814 2015 .............$169,545,865 2014 .............$179,911,195 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Foreign workers sent home record amount of cash in 2018 $1M to fight erosion at Kaibo Public Beach The popular beach park has a full range of facilities - just no beach. – PHOTO: JAMES WHITTAKER CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Environment officials noted in their remarks on the report that the beach is man-made on reclaimed land and the natural coastal processes are working to restore it to its normal state. Lane Christian shows off her collection of ribbons. Diana Scott-Driscoll with a display of antiques. Local Caymanite artisan Kelvin Scott stands behind his works. Attendees pause to view a Brac goat. – PHOTOS: SISTER ISLANDS NEWS SERVICE Javin Parchment’s hog won first place. Brac Agriculture Show returnsThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS TUESDAY MARCH 26, 2019 Norwegians find buried Viking ship Norwegian officials say they have found a ship buried west of Oslo, adding that it likely dates to the Viking era. The ship was found by use of geo-radar, and archaeologists say they have no immediate plan to unearth it, but they will be using non-invasive methods to find out more about it. UK leader meets Cabinet as she fights to stay in power LONDON (AP) – British Prime Minister Theresa May was under intense pressure Monday to resign as the price of breaking the country’s Brexit impasse and winning support for her unloved EU divorce deal. May was holding an emer- gency Cabinet meeting after the European Union granted Britain a delay to its exit in hope its deadlocked politi- cians can find a solution to the crisis. The bloc is not counting on that, though. The Eu- ropean Commission said Monday it has completed planning for a “no-deal” Brexit – an outcome it called “increasingly likely”. Britain’s best-selling newspaper, The Sun, piled pressure on May Monday with a front-page call for the prime minister to resign, under the headline ‘Time’s up, Theresa’. Almost three years after Britons voted to walk away from the EU, the bloc’s leaders seized control of the Brexit timetable last week to avert a chaotic depar- ture at the end of this month that would be disruptive for the world’s biggest trading bloc and deeply damaging for Britain. For two years, Britain’s departure date was set for March 29, 2019. Now, if the U.K. Parliament approves the divorce deal May struck with the bloc, it will leave the EU on May 22. If not, the U.K. has until April 12 to tell EU leaders what it plans to do – leave without a deal, cancel Brexit or chart a new path. May hopes to bring her twice-rejected divorce deal back to Parliament for a third vote this week. But she stands little chance of get- ting it approved unless she can win over Brexit-backing lawmakers in her Conserv- ative Party. At a meeting Sunday at the prime minister’s country retreat, Chequers, promi- nent Brexiteers told May they might back the deal – if she agreed to step down so that a new leader could take charge of the next phase of negotiations, which will settle Britain’s future re- lations with the EU. “Clearly, a number of people do not want the prime minister anywhere near the next phase of negotiations, which is the future trading relationship between our- selves and the EU,” pro- Brexit lawmaker Nigel Evans said Monday. One of the attendees, former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, accused the government of lacking “gumption” and chickening out on delivering Brexit. Writing in Monday’s Daily Telegraph, Johnson said that to win support for her deal, May must show that the next phase of negotiations “will be different from the first”. That sounded like a hint he could support the deal if May agreed to quit. Johnson is likely to be a contender in any future Conservative lead- ership race. May is hanging on, hoping she can persuade Brexit- backing lawmakers that re- jecting her deal means Britain may never leave the EU. Hundreds of thou- sands of people marched through London on Sat- urday calling for a new ref- erendum on whether to leave the EU or remain, and oppo- nents of Brexit feel the po- litical tide may be turning in their favour. Meanwhile, pro-EU law- makers plan to try to take control of the process out of the government’s hands by holding a series of votes on alternatives to May’s deal. They hope these “indic- ative votes” on options in- cluding a new EU mem- bership referendum or a “soft Brexit” that maintains close economic ties to the bloc, can find a majority for a new path. But any such votes would not be legally binding, and May’s government has so far refused to alter its Brexit “red lines”. The European Commis- sion said Monday that it had finished planning for a no-deal Brexit, which could occur on April 12. The com- mission warned that despite the preparations, a cliff-edge Brexit would cause “signifi- cant disruption for citizens and businesses” in the bloc. It said new tariffs and border checks would cause delays for both people and goods. International Trade Sec- retary Liam Fox rallied to May’s support, saying she had support from the public, if not from lawmakers. “What I was finding from real voters was people spon- taneously saying ‘I don’t un- derstand how Theresa May puts up with the pressure, she is a great public servant, her resilience is amazing,’” Fox told the BBC. “There seems to me to be a bigger disconnect now between Westminster and what is happening out in the country than ever before.” British Prime Minister Theresa May leaves after addressing a media conference at an EU summit in Brussels, Friday. - PHOTO: AP New Zealand to probe role of spies, guns in mosque attacks WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) – New Zealand will hold a top-level inquiry into the massacre of 50 people at two Christchurch mosques that will examine what roles guns, social media and spy agencies played preceding the attacks. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced Monday that it would hold a Royal Commission of Inquiry, the country’s highest form of investigation. “While New Zealanders and Muslim communities around the world are both grieving and showing com- passion for one another, they are also quite rightly asking questions on how this terror attack was able to happen here,” Ardern said. Her Cabinet had previ- ously agreed on holding an inquiry, but had not decided what level of investigation. She said royal commissions are usually reserved for mat- ters of the gravest public im- portance and that was clearly appropriate in this case. She said the exact terms of the inquiry, including its dura- tion, would be finalised over the next two weeks. “In short, the inquiry will look at what could have or should have been done to prevent the attack,” Ardern said. “It will inquire into the individual and his activities before the terrorist attack, including, of course, a look at agencies.” She said those agencies will include the country’s do- mestic spy agency, the Secu- rity Intelligence Service, and its international counterpart, the Government Communica- tions Security Bureau. Other agencies to be looked at in- clude police, customs and immigration. A royal commission is run independently from the gov- ernment and is chaired by a high-court judge. It has the power to compel witnesses to testify and organisations to hand over documents. But it remains up to the courts or government to follow through on any recommenda- tions or findings. Australian white suprem- acist Brenton Tarrant, 28, has been charged with murder for the March 15 attacks. He is next due in court on April 5. Some people have already criticised New Zealand’s in- telligence agencies for fo- cusing too much on perceived threats from Muslim ex- tremists and left-wing radi- cals while not looking deeply enough into possible threats from nationalist groups and white supremacists. “There will be a focus on whether our intelligence com- munity was concentrating its resources appropriately and whether there were any re- ports that could, or should, have alerted them to this at- tack,” Ardern said. “It is im- portant that no stone is left unturned to get to the bottom of how this act of terrorism occurred and what, if any, op- portunities we had to stop it.” On Thursday, less than a week after the attack, the government announced it was rushing through new laws to ban “military-style” semi-automatic firearms and high-capacity magazines like those used by the gunman. Ardern said Monday that it was unacceptable that a disturbing video of the at- tack taken by the gunman and livestreamed on Face- book continued to be avail- able on some social media platforms. She said she wanted assurances from so- cial media leaders that some- thing similar would never happen again. New Zealand has previ- ously held royal commissions into the 2010 Pike River coal mine disaster and building failures during the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. It is currently holding an in- quiry into historical abuse in state care. UN WARNS OF CHOLERA, DISPLACEMENT IN YEMEN CAIRO (AP) – A United Na- tions humanitarian agency said on Monday that Yemen has witnessed a sharp spike in the number of suspected cholera cases this year, as well as in- creased displacement in a northern province. The report from the U.N. Office for the Coor- dination of Humanitarian Affairs says 100,000 sus- pected cholera cases were found across Yemen from the beginning of the year until March, and over 190 people have died. In the capital, Sanaa, the physician Saddam al- Azizi said last week’s num- bers exceeded 50 cases per day at al-Sabeen hos- pital, one of the largest in Yemen. He told The Asso- ciated Press that most of the cases were acute wa- tery diarrhoea, and 20 percent were confirmed cholera cases. Yemen has witnessed two outbreaks of cholera and acute watery diar- rhoea since 2016, with over one million suspected cholera cases and some 3,000 deaths recorded na- tionwide. The U.N. agen- cies have deployed cholera vaccines to limited areas starting Mary 2018. Cholera is caused by eating contaminated food or drinking water, and U.N. agencies have been working to support water, sanita- tion, hygiene and health fa- cilities in Yemen. The aid agencies said that the ep- idemics are rooted in the country’s collapsing health system after four years of conflict. Spikes in cholera cases usually take place during rainy seasons in Yemen. “It’s mainly because of the rain, which sweeps the garbage and sewage, and it ends up in water wells,” said al-Azizi. Wells are the main source of drinking water in many parts of Yemen.Next >