ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – WEDNESDAY MARCH 27, 2019 High of 84 Low of 72 Moderate with wave heights of 3 to 5 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 WELCOME TO OUR ROYAL VISITORS LOCAL | PAGE 10 A LOOK BACK AT 60 YEARS OF ROYAL VISITS Cayman ready to welcome royal couple JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands is rolling out the red carpet to welcome the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall to these shores. Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne, and his wife Camilla, fly into the territory Wednesday for the final stop on a Caribbean tour. The couple made history by becoming the first royals to visit communist Cuba this week. And they can expect a warm welcome when they arrive back on ‘British soil’ Wednesday for a whirlwind one-night stay in the Cayman Islands. A large crowd of well-wishers, including schoolchildren from across the island, is expected to gather to greet the couple at the Owen Roberts International Air- port at 3 p.m. Charles and Camilla will arrive by Royal Air Force jet and will im- mediately take part in the official opening ceremony for the newly renovated airport terminal. Air- ports CEO Albert Anderson said it was an honour to have the royal dignitaries come through the air- port and the “icing on the cake” that they would be able to partici- pate in the opening ceremony. He said, “I’m pretty sure they will be impressed. It is probably very small compared to some of the airports they have visited, but it is our own little gem. We are proud of it and I think they will be to.” After the airport opening, the royal couple will attend a pri- vate meet and greet at Gov- ernment House. Next day, Prince Charles will open the new swimming pool on Cayman Brac Sports Complex at 11 a.m. in a brief ribbon cutting ceremony before children dive into the new pool. He will also visit the Central Caribbean Marine Institute on Little Cayman at 12:30 p.m. and talk to schoolchildren, as well as a diver broadcasting from beneath the waves. The prince will then fly by helicopter from Little Cayman, touching down at Clifton Hunter High School before heading to the Queen Elizabeth Botanic Garden where he will open the new chil- dren’s garden and meet Peter the Blue Iguana. He will then be whisked to The Ritz-Carlton hotel for a private meeting with members of the po- lice air operation unit who helped provide hurricane relief after the devastating storm in Turks and Caicos in 2017. The Duchess of Cornwall, meanwhile, will officially open the new Jasmine Villa hospice building in Grand Cayman at 10 a.m. on Thursday. She will then tour the Crisis Centre’s Estella’s Place, and will be treated to a short rap by children at the centre and presented with a cake. The duchess will also visit George Town Primary School where schoolchildren will per- form skits at the school’s new per- forming arts centre. The royal couple’s visit con- cludes Thursday evening at Pedro St. James Castle where they will be treated to a celebration of all- things Cayman. There will be local exhibits and several musicians will perform. During the event, Government to outline long-term budget plans Strategic Policy Statement, Opposition motions planned for next LA session JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Government will present the broad strokes of its budget plan for 2020 and 2021 during the next ses- sion of the Legislative Assembly. Premier Alden McLaughlin is ex- pected to lay out the policy goals for the final years of his Progressives- led administration in the Strategic Policy Statement and Finance Min- ister Roy McTaggart will update members on the economic picture. The Strategic Policy Statement is essentially a pre-budget budget that sets the template from which gov- ernment’s detailed spending plan will be formulated. The next Legislative Assembly session starts on Wednesday, April 3. A precise order of business has yet to be drawn up, and it is likely the Strategic Policy Statement will be given in the second week of the session. McTaggart said, “I will speak to the SPS and the broad principles of what the government intends to ac- complish over the next two years and set the broad limits in terms of our spending estimates, revenues and proposed capital expenditures. “The premier will talk about the policy plans and I will deliver the broad economic outlook and up- dates as well as the broad numbers we are going to be working with.” The house will then vote to af- firm the strategic policy state- ment as the basis on which the full budget will be formulated. McTaggart added, “I expect it will be a positive outlook. From all we can see right now the economic outlook is very good. On the revenue side, things are looking strong. Real estate activity is high, tourism is growing. All the major segments of the economy are functioning well.” The finance minister will also table a supplementary budget for 2019 to cover additional spending not included in the original plan, drawn up in late 2017. That could include additional spending for the iguana cull, as well as money to help deal with some of the issues highlighted in the recent money laundering report. Government bills Some of the bills up for debate in the next session, include amend- ments to the Builders Bill and a Health Care Decisions Bill. The healthcare bills expressly out- laws euthanasia or assisted suicide and creates a framework for people to create ‘advance healthcare directives’ – setting out their wishes for medical treatment should they become termi- nally ill or mentally impaired. The Builder’s Bill amendments seek to change the composition of the Builder’s Board, which assess applications from contractors to qualify in various categories. The Design Rights Bill, which seeks to allow the registration of designs locally, the Bills of Ex- change (Amendment) Bill and the Trusts (Amendment) Bill will also be debated. Prince Charles drives a vintage car with his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, during a cultural event in Havana, Cuba, Tuesday. The royal couple are scheduled to arrive in Cayman on Wednesday afternoon. - PHOTO: AP PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 »2 LOCAL®IONAL WEDNESDAY MARCH 27, 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. - WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY - 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 6:30 VIP I 7:00 3D I 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 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. Welcoming the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall. www.generali-healthcare.com Royal hairdo Bus driver and hairstyle experimentalist Ann Marie Tomlinson has created a ‘royal do’ in honour of this week’s royal visit – an upswept sleek knot divided in two at the top of her head and surrounded by a band of pearly beads and a fake diamond encrusted crown, with a gold bow highlighting the upsweep. The hairstyle took approximately three hours to construct. Tomlinson’s hairdos are regularly inspired by the events of the day or special holidays. Teams repeat wins at SeaPearch competition It’s robotic deja vu. The Cayman teams heading to the 2019 Interna- tional SeaPerch Challenge in College Park, Maryland, June 1-2, are the same teams that went last year: the John Gray Aqua Lasers and Layman E. Scott’s Brac Bots. Last Saturday, 24 teams from eight schools across the Cayman Islands gathered at the pool at the Camana Bay Sports Complex, show- casing the remotely operated vehicles they designed, con- structed and tested over the last several months. John Gray High School kept up a four-year streak of producing a championship team. And it was the third year in a row that its middle schoolers Alvan Boxwell, Caleb Feare, Diamond White and Matthew Feare won their division. The Layman E. Scott Brac Bots, Kenny Ryan and Joseph Wagner, repeated their win from last year in the High School division. The middle school run- ners-up were the Layman E. Scott Giant Slayers – Ral- dayne Thomas and Romarco Morrison – with third place going to the St. Ignatius Vindicators – Charles Hen- derson and Michael Mar- zouca. Two all-girl teams completed the top three in the high school division. The Layman E. Scott Robo- Unicorns were second, with Tianna Grey and Mikayla Bryan. John Gray’s Team MAJur – Melissa Bachet, Asaiah Thomas and Jada White – was third. Participation in the Cayman Islands SeaPerch Challenge has quadrupled since its first year, starting with only six teams and now boasting 24. The programme is a hands-on integration of science, technology, en- gineering and mathematics with applications both in- side and outside of the classroom. Students are required to prepare and submit an en- gineering journal where they log their activities during their robots’ de- sign and construction. In addition to quick manoeu- vring required by the ob- stacle course, this year teams designed their robots to carry out an underwater rescue mission. MEXICO PRESIDENT CALLS FOR TRUTH COMMISSION ON CONQUEST MEXICO CITY (AP) – Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador asked Spain on Tuesday to set up a kind of fact-finding commission on the 1519-1521 conquest of Mexico to determine what kind of apology is warranted. Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell rejected the idea down, saying, “Obviously Spain will not issue these apologies that have been requested.” “It seems a little strange that apologies are being de- manded now for things that happened 500 years ago,” Borrell said during a trip to Argentina. “In the same sense that we are not going to de- mand that France apologise for the actions of Napole- on’s soldiers when they in- vaded Spain.” Lopez Obrador’s pro- posal to stir up old ghosts has drawn some puzzled re- actions in Mexico as well. Some wondered if Mexico would demand apologies from France or the United States – both of which also invaded Mexico. Lopez Obrador said he wants the commission to de- termine what abuses were committed. Most of Mexi- co’s indigenous population died within decades after the Spanish arrived, largely by diseases carried from Europe. “What we want to see is if we can put together a joint group to do some fact-finding about what happened, and humbly, based on that, accept our mistakes,” Lopez Obrador said Tuesday. “That way, we will know what happened 500 years ago, how things happened, if there were abuses or not.” Few would seriously doubt there were abuses by Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes from the time he fought his first battle against Chontal Indians in Tabasco around March 25, 1519. From left, Maples Group Partner Sherice Arman stands with Aqua Lasers members, captain Diamond White, Caleb Feare, Alvan Boxwell, Matthew Feare and Dart Education Programmes Manager Glenda McTaggart. From left, Dart Education Programmes Manager Glenda McTaggart stands with high school division winners, Layman E. Scott Brac Bots’ Kenny Ryan and Joseph David Wagner, and Maples Group Partner Sherice Arman. House passes bills to pressure Maduro WASHINGTON (AP) – The U.S. House of Representa- tives has approved three bills aimed at stepping up pressure against the government of Venezue- la’s embattled president, Nicolas Maduro. One would add new re- strictions on the export of tear gas, riot gear and other items that could be used for crime control. The second measure urges the Trump admin- istration to provide up to $150 million in human- itarian aid. The third would re- quire the State Department and intelligence agencies to provide an assessment about the threat from Rus- sian influence in the South American country. The three bills were adopted unanimously Monday evening. The U.S. and more than 50 other nations have recognised opposi- tion leader Juan Guaido as interim president of the country. They say Maduro was not legitimately re- elected last year.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS WEDNESDAY MARCH 27, 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” Never let it be said the Cayman Islands is home to lacklustre hosts. When Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, arrive on Grand Cayman today, they will be greeted with all the pomp and ceremony befit- ting their station, and an official itinerary bursting with the best our islands have to offer. Unofficially, private groups and business estab- lishments have planned their own parties and cele- brations to mark the occasion (and make full use of the public holiday). And why not? After all, for the next two days, Cayman will have the attention not only of our visiting royal delegation, but of the world. For our part, with British Overseas Territories such as ours facing increasing threats of interven- tion and offshore financial centres increasingly under attack, we are glad that Prince Charles will witness first-hand what our islands have to offer and meet the real people influenced by political decisions. As he concludes his Caribbean ‘goodwill tour’, we hope he will bring significant goodwill, and sound information, back to England’s shores. Officials have meticulously planned a mean - ingful and illuminating itinerary for the royal couple’s two-day visit; the result is a scheduling masterpiece – incorporating all ages, areas and attractions, not to mention a healthy helping of ribbon cuttings and unveilings. Islanders will have several opportuni- ties to glimpse the royal couple at scheduled public appearances, from their airport arrival through to a farewell reception at Pedro St. James Thursday afternoon. (For a complete public schedule, along with information about arrival times and transporta- tion, please refer to page 8.) Ever since the Royal Yacht Britannia brought the first member of the House of Windsor to visit our islands nearly 60 years ago, our islands have always pulled out all the stops for royal visits. (See “60 years of royal welcomes,” pages 10-11). It is more than our duty as a British Overseas Territory, it is our honour and pleasure as loyal subjects of the Queen. It has been 46 years since Prince Charles last visited our islands; today marks the first royal visit since 2016, when Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex, last visited Little Cayman and the CCMI Little Cayman Research Centre, of which he is a patron. Little did we know when Meghan Markle spoke at the Cayman Alternative Investment Summit in that same year that she would go on to marry Prince Harry and become Duchess of Sussex. Perhaps we can look forward to a visit from that branch of the Royal Family sometime soon. People still smile when remembering the day Queen Elizabeth II first visited Cayman – it was Feb. 16, 1983 – and her return visit with Prince Philip in 1994. Many a family photo book and memory box still contain mementos of those remarkable occa- sions. We expect many more warm memories will be made over the next two days. Welcome to our royal visitors As Cayman prepares to welcome Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Corn- wall, on their official two- day visit to our shores, local historian and author Sam Oakley shares an interesting link between Prince Charles and one of our nation’s most revered stories from the past. SAM OAKLEY Prince Charles’s most re- spected monarch is King George III, who according to debunked legend, bestowed the Cayman Islands its tax- free status. Back in 2012, Prince Charles was asked by a group of students which monarch he respected the most, to which he replied, King George III (although I must add that his mother, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, got a mention too). Anyone here with a shred of local knowledge will prob- ably tell you that King George holds a special place in Cayman history. Legend has long claimed that a mari- time disaster on the shores of Grand Cayman more than 200 years ago resulted in the islands’ tax-free status as a reward from a grateful mon- arch to the brave inhabit- ants for their part in rescuing the survivors. The coral reefs sur- rounding our rugged coast- lines, in times past, brought grief to ships voyaging in the Western Caribbean. To- ward the end of the 18th century, hostilities between Britain and France during the French Revolutionary wars extended to the West Indian seas, with each country en- deavouring to capture the other’s naval ships and mer- chantmen as prizes. In February 1794, HMS Convert, a 36-gun frigate seized from the French the previous year, was charged with escorting and pro- tecting a produce-laden convoy of merchant vessels to Britain from Jamaica. Ironically, the greatest danger was to come not from the French but from the perilous reefs of East End where, on Feb. 8, a dis- astrous chain of events re- sulted in the loss of the Con- vert and nine ships of her merchant convoy. The inhabitants of Grand Cayman displayed consid- erable heroism in assisting in the rescue of more than 400 survivors and, thanks to their bravery, few lives were lost. In 1994, on the 200th an- niversary of the Wreck of the Ten Sail, Prince Charles’s mother Queen Elizabeth II visited the Cayman Islands and travelled to East End, where she dedicated a me- morial to those who lost their lives. On a cliff looking out to sea where ships were wrecked, a stone monument and plaque to commemo- rate the event were unveiled. Perched along the cliff ad- jacent to the monument are small concrete blocks repre- senting the unfortunate few souls the Caymanians were unable to rescue. Prince Charles has stated his views on George III on several occasions – he once told a television documen- tary that he believed George III was one of Britain’s most dutiful, cultured and mis- understood rulers, who studied the arts and sci- ences, was involved in agri- culture, astronomy and clock making. Yet history remem- bers him above all as the ‘Mad King’ or the ‘King who lost America’. Since I began researching the papers, private dia- ries and records of King George III, I’ve come to re- alise that Prince Charles may have a point. George III is understand- ably still seen as a despot in America: The Boston Tea Party that lit the fuse for the Revolution and so on. He can only be the villain of the piece as far as America is concerned, fair enough, but that is not the whole story … He was one of the most cultured monarchs, a deep thinker, with an enquiring mind. He wrote thousands of documents and kept de- tailed notes and research about his wide interests. He sent out orders and letters to be delivered several times a day, writing not only the date but also the exact time at the bottom of each one – a pre- cursor to email perhaps? His madness is now re- garded by many historians as a series of mental break- downs due to stress and a highly intelligent mind. Originally believed to be suffering from a condi- tion known as porphyria, George III would today prob- ably be diagnosed with bi- polar disorder. According to royal re- cords, he was the first king to study science as part of his education (he had his own astronomical observatory). He also took a keen interest in agriculture, particularly on the crown estates at Rich- mond and Windsor, being known as ‘Farmer George’. A complex monarch with a strong sense of duty to his country and his family, he de- voted much care to bringing up his children, and even kept height charts of all of them. His mission was to recreate a modern royal family. It could be said that he provided the template for his grand- daughter Queen Victoria, and even for today’s monarchy. I think Prince Charles may be on to something …. Sam Oakley is a local historian and author of the book ‘The Wreck of the Ten Sail, a True Story of Cayman’s Past’. WEDNESDAY MARCH 27, 2019 CAYMAN COMPASS Prince Charles and the ‘mad king’ Prince Charles has stated his views on George III on several occasions – he once told a television documentary that he believed George III was one of Britain’s most dutiful, cultured and misunderstood rulers …The islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS WEDNESDAY MARCH 27, 2019 The islands’ most-trusted news source 6 WEDNESDAY MARCH 27, 2019 CAYMAN COMPASS Opposition motions The agenda also fea- tures a number of Op- position private mem- bers’ motions. Bodden Town West MLA Chris Saunders has a mo- tion calling for free basic healthcare for children, which is carried over from the last session. Saunders also plans to table a mo- tion seeking to raise the re- tirement age for civil serv- ants to 70. He said older citizens who were willing and able to work should not be forced into retire- ment. He hopes the private sector will also consider following suit. Saunders told the Com- pass he is also seconding a motion from East End leg- islator Arden McLean en- couraging government to look at the number of cars coming into the country from Japan and to con- sider restrictions on ve- hicle imports. Newlands legislator Alva Suckoo is bringing a motion calling on govern- ment to implement anti- bullying legislation by the end of the year. He said he was person- ally aware of children in his district who had at- tempted suicide. He said draft legislation that would give schools guidance on how to deal with bullying had been in progress for some time, but had yet to be implemented. “The anti-bullying group that I work with is getting quite frustrated,” he said. “I’m asking that we get it done by the end of the year.” Opposition leader Ezzard Miller is also bringing two private mem- bers’ motions. He wants government to agree to amend the Bail Law. Citing a case in his constituency, where he said an individual was arrested three times within a short period for drugs charges and bailed on all three oc- casions, he said changes were needed. Miller is also bringing a motion related to conces- sions for hotel developers. He said the Hotel Aid Law sets out strict legal guide- lines for what concessions can be offered in what cir- cumstances. He said gov- ernment should either stick to that law or amend it, rather than offering tai- lored concessions packages to developers. Government to outline long-term budget plans CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Divi demolition under way on Brac KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com If you have not travelled to the Brac in a while and are going there for Prince Charles’s visit on Thursday, you may notice a marked change to the Divi Tiara Beach resort site. After standing vacant for more than a decade, work began last week to demolish the resort. By Thursday, about 80 percent of the struc- ture should be torn down, according to Scott Develop- ment operations manager Mervyn Scott. Scott said the only major demolition work left to do is tearing down the time- share units. “They’re the tallest build- ings, and they’re the most dif- ficult to come down,” he said. If Scott Development is not able to easily demolish the time-share units with ex- cavators, the company may have to use explosives on the structures – “but that’s an al- ternate plan”, he said. After the demolition, Scott Development will spread what Scott called “beautiful sand” throughout the site. “The sand is there, we just have to smooth it out,” said Scott. When the 71-room Divi Tiara closed in 2006, 37 workers, including 22 Cay- manians, lost their jobs. Its owners, the North Carolina- based Divi Resorts, cited eco- nomic problems led by insuf- ficient airlift from the U.S. Six of its 12 time-share units continued to operate. However, after 2008’s Hur- ricane Paloma badly dam- aged the resort, the corpo- ration ended all operations, although the group loaned the facility to government to house reconstruction workers in the wake of the storm. Since then, the site has deteriorated even more, and government has issued mul- tiple orders over the years to the owners requiring them to clean up or face po- tential fines. Scott said it is his under- standing that there is still in- terest in constructing a new hotel there. An excavator knocks down a structure at the Divi Tiara Beach resort. - PHOTO: CAROL BUSBY Trump border emergency survives as House veto override fails WASHINGTON (AP) – The Democratic-led House failed Tuesday to override President Donald Trump’s first veto, salvaging his effort to steer billions of extra dollars to erecting border barriers and delivering a victory to the White House in a constitu- tional and political clash that is raged for months. Lawmakers voted 248-181 to overturn Trump’s veto, but that fell 38 votes shy of the required two-thirds margin. Just days after Attorney Gen- eral William Barr announced that special counsel Robert Mueller had found Trump did not scheme with Russia to help his 2016 election, Tues- day’s vote bolstered Trump’s drive to build a wall along the boundary with Mexico, a hallmark of his 2016 presi- dential campaign and a pri- ority of his presidency. While clearly a defeat for Democrats, the vote af- forded them a chance to re- emphasise policy differences with Trump and change the subject from collusion al- legations that have lost po- litical clout. Underscoring that, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi placed her name atop a House Democratic fund- raising email referencing the failed veto override entitled, “My heart just sank.” Just 14 Republicans joined all voting Democrats in Tuesday’s futile effort to void Trump’s declaration of a national emergency at the Southwest border. By invoking that power, Trump has said he will shift $3.6 billion from military construction to erecting bar- riers along that boundary. Congress has voted to pro- vide less than $1.4 billion for border barriers, leaving Democrats and some Repub- licans fuming that Trump is abusing his powers by ig- noring Congress’ constitu- tional control over spending. Despite his veto remaining intact, Trump may not be able to spend the money for barriers quickly because of lawsuits by Democratic state attorneys general and others that could take years to resolve. Even so, Democrats hope to use the border emergency battle in their 2020 election campaigns, both to sym- bolise Trump’s harsh immi- gration stance and claim he was hurting congressional districts around the country. The Pentagon sent law- makers a list last week of hundreds of military con- struction projects that might be cut to pay for bar- rier work. Though the list was tentative, Democrats say that by backing Trump, GOP lawmakers were en- dangering local bases to pay for the wall. Unhappiness over Trump’s plan to siphon the money from the military has become a bipartisan concern. On top of the $3.6 billion from con- struction, the Pentagon has formally informed Congress that it wants to steer another $1 billion from personnel ac- counts to barriers instead. At a House Armed Services Committee hearing Tuesday, panel chairman Adam Smith (Democrat, Washington) said it was wrong to use the Pen- tagon as “sort of a piggybank- slash-slush fund”. The com- mittee’s top Republican, Mac Thornberry of Texas, also said he opposes redirecting defence funds. Congress had sent Trump a resolution annulling the na- tional emergency that Trump declared at the US-Mexico border. That included passage by the Republican-led Senate, in which 12 GOP senators – nearly 1 of every 4 – joined Democrats in blocking him. Trump vetoed that measure almost immediately. “We take an oath that we must honour” to protect the Constitution,” Pelosi, (Dem- ocrat, California, speaking on her 79th birthday, said Tuesday. “The choice is simple, between partisan- ship and patriotism. Between honouring our sacred oath or hypocritically, inconsistently breaking this oath.” Rep. Joaquin Castro (Dem- ocrat, Texas), called Trump’s declaration “constitutional vandalism”. Republicans said Trump was merely following a 1976 law that gives presi- dents emergency powers, and was trying to head off Dem- ocrats with little concern about border security. Rep. Tom McClintock (Re- publican, California) said Trump was acting against the “radical left in this House that would dissolve our bor- ders entirely if given the chance” – a stance that no Democrat has taken. President Trump leaves after attending the weekly Republican policy luncheon Tuesday on Capitol Hill in Washington. – PHOTO: APThe islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS WEDNESDAY MARCH 27, 2019 The Cayman Islands will proudly host the Caribbean for the 48th Annual CARIFTA Games! Over 500 athletes & delegates 28 Countries 66 events 3 days April 20th – 22nd MARK YOUR CALENDARS GET YOUR TICKETS EARLY visit www.caymancarifta2019.ky @caymancarifta2019 SPONSORS CAYMAN ISLANDS GOVERNMENT WELCOME TO MEDIA LTD. HURLEY’SThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 WEDNESDAY MARCH 27, 2019 CAYMAN COMPASS Professional Certificate in Human Resource Practice (CHRP) commencing 28 May 2019 on-island The University of Portsmouth is once again bringing this highly successful HR programme of workshops to the Cayman Islands The Professional Certificate in HR Practice will develop your HR knowledge and skills if: You are working in HR or personnel administration, or You want to work in HR, or You are an administrator, a team leader, a supervisor or a manager looking to develop your HR management skills HR classes are delivered on-island in 6 daytime workshops – 20 days of teaching: 1. 28-31 May: The role of HR and the strategic business context: 4 days Tuesday-Friday 2. 25-28 June: Managing performance and rewarding employees: 4 days Tuesday-Friday 3. 23 & 24 July: Managing HR information: 2 days Tuesday & Wednesday 4. 3 & 4 September: Professional Development in HR skills: 2 days Tuesday & Wednesday 5. 8-11 October: Labour law, discipline, dismissal, gender equality: 4 days Tuesday-Friday 6. 12-15 November: Talent planning, recruitment, selection interviewing: 4 days Tuesday-Friday What our students say: “Enrolling on this CHRP programme was the one of the best decisions I have made in my career and I am now in an HR Manager’s position.” “Thank you so much Miss Marjorie and Mr Stephen for investing your time and knowledge, your style of teaching makes learning unforgettable.” “This HR course has been a totally engaging experience and it has exposed me to real HR experiences – the classroom experience was phenomenal!” Develop HR skills, become CIPD qualified and boost your career - too good an opportunity to miss! Contact Miss Marjorie, University of Portsmouth, to reserve your place: marjorie.corbridge@port.ac.uk Check out the website: www.port.ac.uk/caymanchrp University Faculty with extensive international HR experienceinclude: Marjorie Corbridge, Gary Rees and Stephen Pilbeam Prince Charles will present Deputy Governor Franz Man- derson with his MBE. The reception is expected to be the best chance for the public to get a close look at the royal couple. A park and ride shuttle service will run from various locations in Savannah and anyone who wishes to attend is asked to be in place at Pedro St. James by 5:30 p.m. Governor Martyn Roper said the visit was a proud moment for the Cayman Is- lands and an opportunity to show the best of what the is- lands have to offer. The trip is the most sig- nificant royal visit to the Cayman Islands since Queen Elizabeth touched down in 1994. Roper said in an emailed statement to the Cayman Compass, “The Cayman Is- lands are known for their pris- tine beaches and amazing cli- mate. But it is the people that make a place special, and I have learned the real meaning of Cayman Kind since I ar- rived with my wife Lissie at the end of October. I am sure the people of the Cayman Is- lands will give our Royal visi- tors a very warm welcome.” He said everyone in Cayman could take great pride in the progress that Prince Charles would see across the islands since his last visit in 1973. Despite recent tensions between Cayman and the U.K., Roper said the visit was a chance to reaffirm the strength of the relationship. “I firmly believe we are stronger together. We can work through our differences in the interests of the security and prosperity of everyone on the Islands,” he added. “I hope that everyone en- joys Their Royal Highnesses visit to our Islands and that as many people as possible get an opportunity to see them during the visit.” Tight security measures will be in place for the dura- tion of the trip. The Civil Aviation Au- thority has imposed airspace restrictions around Govern- ment House, the governor’s residence, for the duration of the visit, and at various other locations, including Clifton Hunter school and Pedro St. James, at various times throughout the visit. Police are imposing traffic restrictions around all the venues the royal couple will be attending. There will be diver- sions around Owen Roberts International Airport from 2:30-7 p.m. on Wednesday. There will be no parking in the immediate vicinity of any of the public events, and shuttle buses will be used from parking areas in Sa- vannah for the reception at Pedro St. James. Those that cannot make the official events but want to be part of the royal visit can head to a community event at Smith Cove to cele- brate the occasion. Sustain- able Cayman is hosting the event from 10 a.m. to noon to acknowledge Prince Charles’s commitment as a champion for environmental causes around the world. Where and when to see Charles and Camilla The following is a schedule of public events and parking and transport arrangements for the royal visit of Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. WEDNESDAY Arrival/airport opening An opening ceremony for the new Owen Roberts In- ternational Airport terminal building will take place im- mediately following the ar- rival of Their Royal High- nesses. Standing areas for the public will be clearly marked immediately out- side the building. The public should be in place by 3 p.m. Public parking will be available in the empty lot on Cico Avenue near the ORIA terminal. Drivers should enter from North Sound Road in the direction of George Town Yacht Club on Barcadere Drive/David Foster Drive. Complimentary shuttle service will be available from the public parking area to the ORIA terminal. The ORIA short-term parking lot will be closed from the evening of March 25 to facili- tate the event. THURSDAY Prince of Wales visits Cayman Brac, Little Cayman Opening of Recreational Swimming Pool, Cayman Brac: The public should ar- rive at the Cayman Brac Sport Complex on Coastal Way in Stake Bay by 11 a.m. There will be no parking in the immediate vicinity Central Caribbean Marine Institute, Little Cayman: To greet the Prince of Wales at CCMI, members of the public must be in place outside the institute, located on North Coast Road, by 12:30 p.m. Duchess of Cornwall schedule, Grand Cayman Opening ceremony of Jas- mine Villa: A public area will be available outside the villa, behind Coconut Joe’s on West Bay Road. Members of the public should be in place by 10 a.m. No parking will be available in the imme- diate vicinity. George Town Primary School: Parents should con- tact the school to confirm ar- rangements. No parking will be available in the imme- diate vicinity. Pedro St. James reception Access to the reception at Pedro St. James is avail- able by dedicated shuttle transport only. There will be no parking in the imme- diate vicinity of the event. Shuttle buses will run continuously from Sa- vannah from 3:30-5:20 p.m. Remote parking is available at those locations. Members of the public are asked to be in place at Pedro St. James by 5:30 p.m., with no public access allowed after that time until 7:30 p.m. when the event will be over. Park and ride shuttles will operate from and to Sa- vannah Primary School, Sa- vannah Seventh-day Ad- ventist Church, Savannah United Church, Savannah Church of God and Savannah Post Office. Motorists are advised that traffic diversions will be in place around the airport and other landmarks during the royal visit on Wednesday and Thursday. There will be diversions for traffic travelling in and around the Owen Roberts Interna- tional Airport, between 2:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Wednesday. All traffic travelling to the airport for pick-up or drop- off of passengers or to attend these events should approach from North Sound Road (vi- cinity of George Town Yacht Club) or Red Gate Road. Ac- cess to the airport will not be permitted from Owen Roberts Drive. There will be a traffic di- version on Owen Roberts Drive at the intersection with Breezy Way, and traffic trav- elling toward the airport will be directed onto Breezy Way and can then proceed via Red Gate Road. There will be a traffic di- version on Red Gate Road at the intersection with Breezy Way and only traffic destined for the airport will be per- mitted to continue past. There will be a traffic diversion at the intersec- tion (mini-roundabout) of Owen Roberts Drive and Red Gate Road. Anyone picking up or drop- ping off passengers at the air- port will be directed north at this checkpoint and then will turn right onto the road be- hind Andy’s Rent-A-Car and the long-term parking lots, travel around that road and then turn west onto the road between the short and long- term parking lots. This road will serve as the drop off and pick up point for passengers during these times. This road will be a westbound lane only, and vehicles will continue along it to exit the airport. Traffic exiting the airport via this road will turn left onto Owen Roberts Drive at the intersection of Red Gate Road, then exit via Owen Roberts Drive. There will be no parking available in the long- term, short-term or em- ployee parking lots during this period. There will be public parking for the airport opening ceremony event in the lot across from Andy’s Rent- A-Car (off Cico Avenue), north of the long-term parking lot. Traffic exiting from this lot during these diver- sions will be directed north along David Foster Drive, to- ward the George Town Yacht Club, and can exit via North Sound Road. Traffic travelling along North Sound Road, Dorcy Drive, Red Gate Road, and Seymour Drive, may also ex- perience delays on Wednesday afternoon between 4:30 and 5 p.m. when the royal contingent travels through those areas. Diversions on Thursday The public should also ex- pect traffic restrictions in the areas surrounding the events taking place on Thursday as part of the royal visit. There will be no parking in the immediate vicinity of these events. There will also be poten- tial delays for traffic travel- ling in these areas or areas in which the royal contingent is travelling. Traffic diversions for royal visit Cayman ready to welcome royal couple A public reception for the royal couple will be held at Pedro St. James on Thursday evening. - PHOTO: STEPHEN CLARKE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 EVENT TIMES The times quoted do not necessarily reflect the start times for the events, but the times organisers say the public must be in place in order to be permitted to at- tend. The events at Estella’s Place, the Botanic Park and the Ritz-Carlton are not open to the general public.9 WORLD®IONAL CAYMAN COMPASS WEDNESDAY MARCH 27, 2019 UK government defiant as Parliament takes control LONDON (AP) – British law- makers were preparing to blow open the Brexit process and put a host of rejected op- tions back on the table – in- cluding keeping the U.K. close to the European Union or even remaining a member – as Prime Minister The- resa May defiantly insisted Tuesday that Parliament should approve her twice-de- feated divorce deal instead. Lawmakers are sched- uled to vote Wednesday on multiple flavours of Brexit, after the House of Commons voted to wrest the parlia- mentary timetable away from May’s weakened government and hold votes on alterna- tives to her rejected with- drawal agreement. The largely pro-EU leg- islators behind the unprec- edented move hope to find a form of Brexit that can com- mand a majority in Parlia- ment. Votes are due to be held Wednesday on options that could include remaining in the EU’s single market and customs union, calling a new membership referendum and cancelling Brexit – all ideas that May has repeat- edly rejected. They plan to see which ideas have the most support, and then hold another day of votes next week to try to find agreement on a proposal. The government, which usually controls the sched- uling of votes in Parliament, said the lawmakers’ move “upends the balance between our democratic institutions and sets a dangerous, un- predictable precedent for the future”. The votes will not be le- gally binding, and Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the BBC that the government would not “pre-commit” to accepting the option backed by lawmakers because they may come up with a plan that is impractical. It’s also possible lawmakers could support contradictory op- tions, or none at all. “If the Commons voted for the sun to rise in the west, the government would not be able to implement that,” he said. “The best way through this impasse is the one deal that has been negotiated with the EU that can be de- livered quickly now,” Hancock said, referring to the prime minister’s agreement. But government officials acknowledged they were no longer in control of Brexit. May’s authority was hanging by a thread after 30 mem- bers of her Conservative Party defied her instructions and voted late Monday for Parliament to take control of the process. Three gov- ernment ministers resigned rather than vote with the government. Almost three years after Britons voted to leave the EU, the date and terms of its departure are up in the air. Last week, the EU granted Britain a delay to the sched- uled March 29 exit date, saying that if Parliament ap- proved the proposed divorce deal, the U.K. would leave the EU on May 22. If not, the gov- ernment has until April 12 to tell the 27 remaining EU countries what it plans to do – leave without a deal, cancel Brexit or propose a radically new path. EU officials, exasperated by months of British political gridlock, welcomed Parlia- ment’s move to take control. The EU legislature’s top Brexit official, Guy Verhof- stadt, said the U.K. law- makers’ votes could dramat- ically alter the course of the U.K.’s departure. “It is possible now to work in Britain toward a cross-party alliance,” he said. May continued to push for approval of her deal with the EU even though the House of Commons overwhelmingly rejected it during votes in January and March. The government said it might be possible to hold a third vote on the agree- ment Thursday, but only if it looked like there was a rea- sonable chance it might pass. That appeared unlikely after the small but influential Democratic Unionist Party from Northern Ireland, which props up May’s minority gov- ernment, refused to water down its opposition to the withdrawal agreement. The DUP controls 10 crucial votes in the House of Commons, and many hard-line Brexit supporters may follow the party’s lead when deciding how to vote. DUP Brexit spokesman Sammy Wilson wrote in the Daily Telegraph that his party could not support May’s “toxic” deal. He said de- laying Brexit by up to a year would be preferable to “vol- unteering to be locked into the prison of the withdrawal deal with the cell door key in the pocket of Michel Barnier”, the EU’s chief negotiator. May has warned pro- Brexit legislators that contin- uing to reject the deal could lead to a “slow Brexit” that postpones the country’s de- parture indefinitely. Jacob Rees-Mogg, a leading pro-Brexit Conserv- ative, acknowledged that “the choice seems to be Mrs. May’s deal or no Brexit”. “I have always thought that ‘no deal’ is better than Mrs. May’s deal, but Mrs. May’s deal is better than not leaving at all,” he said on the Conservative Home podcast. Some members of the public, meanwhile, are losing patience with the parliamen- tary process and the fading promises made by pro-Brexit politicians. “It’s a little bit similar to the way that when you’re in quite a good nightclub and then a friend of yours says … ‘I know somewhere else to go’ and then you all leave and then you realize you can’t get into the other club,” said tech executive Russell Robinson. “It was a very badly thought out plan and now we’re stuck in the street eating kebabs,” he said, refer- ring to a common late-night fast-food staple. Protesters both for and against Brexit face off outside Westminster in London. - PHOTO: PA WIRENext >