■■KEN SILVA O n Jan. 15, the Cari bbean Utili-ties Co mpany announced that government accepted its inte - grated resource pl an, a road map for ho w the territory will produce its energy ov er the next 30 years. The p lan calls for Caym an to shift from mostly dies el power to renewa ble ener gy and natural g as over the nexthree dec 198 THIS I SSUE: ENVIRONMENT Managing waste becoming more than reduce, reuse, recycle >> PAGE 4 TAX Where next with the EU blacklist? >> PAGE 2 MARKETS Economic forecasting: Is its predictive power fading? >> PAGE 3 ENV IRONMENT Plastic-free push gains momentum > > PAGE 7 What CUC needs to do to go ‘green’ THE CAYMAN ISLANDS JOURNAL Cayman’s property market: ‘Don’t call it a boom’ High of 86 Low of 72 Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 PROTECTING RESOURCES ON PAPER, AND IN PRACTICE ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – WEDNESDAY APRIL 3, 2019 Miller vows to continue as Opposition leader MLA outlines policy ideas, including monorail JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com North Side legislator Ezzard Miller claims he still commands majority support on the Opposition benches and will remain as leader. Miller said he would be prepared to step down if he were presented with a letter signed by the other members of the Opposition group calling for his resignation. But, despite claims by his former deputy Alva Suckoo that he has lost the support of the group, Miller said no such letter had been presented. Without that, he said, he had no inten- tion of relinquishing the position. He will also push ahead with plans to form a fully fledged political organisation known as the Cayman Islands People’s Alliance, which will fight all 19 seats at the next election. Miller aims to lead this group into the 2021 ballot, regardless of his position in the Opposition. He appeared alone at a press conference at his George Town office Tuesday to outline a series of policy plans he believes should be addressed by government in the forthcoming Strategic Policy Statement. His proposals include massive investment in public transport, including construction of a monorail to deal with the traffic situation; provisions to deal with persistent garbage collection issues; new primary schools in Sa- vannah; and the introduction of a single pro- vider for health insurance. He also spoke out against government of- fering concessions to developers for hotel projects and counselled caution on other de- velopment issues, such as Dart’s plan for a so-called ‘iconic tower’ that would greatly ex- ceed the current 10-storey building height re- striction. He acknowledged that government had effectively managed the country’s finances but said ordinary Caymanians were worse off than they were in the early 2000s and GOV’T, TECHCAYMAN MAKE BIG PROMISES IN AGREEMENT Sponsored companies expected to launch in coming weeks KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com The new venture Tech City Cayman Islands Ltd. has promised to create hundreds of Cay- manian tech-related jobs in exchange for in- frastructure investments, fast-tracked per- mitting and licensing processes, and other concessions from government, according to a contract signed by the two parties last August, but kept from the public until a partially re- dacted version was obtained by the Cayman Compass on Monday. Tech City Cayman Islands, known as TechCayman, is an organisation similar to Cayman Enterprise City, in that they both aim to create a budding tech industry by of- fering clients government-provided conces- sions and other services. But while the legal benefits of Cayman Enterprise City are spelled out in legislation establishing that entity, the concessions offered to TechCayman are in a partially redacted contract made available in response to a Freedom of Information Law re- cords request. According to the contract, TechCayman has committed to create hundreds of jobs for Caymanians, establish a data centre and a training centre on the Brac, and relocate world-class engineers to the territory. The company – whose directors include Health City’s Gene Thompson and Harry Chandi and Silicon Valley entrepreneur Samir Mitra – will also work with schools providing internship Pilot lives childhood dream JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com When 32-year-old Reagan McLean was a little boy, his dream was to become a pilot and on his first flight to drop his mother off at a Walmart in Miami to go shopping and pick her up later in the day. It may not have been Walmart nor Miami, but the child who grew up to be- come a Cayman Airways pilot did get to take his mother, Stephanie McLean, on a flight from Little Cayman to Grand Cayman on one of his first flights last week. After her son got the job as first officer on the Cayman Express plane that flies be- tween Grand Cayman and the Sister Is- lands, she said she wanted to surprise him on his first trip but his flight was full. So she decided to do the next best thing, catch an earlier flight to Little Cayman and await his arrival. “Oh no, you did not,” her son exclaimed with surprise when Stephanie rushed onto the airstrip to greet him after he touched down in Little Cayman, she said. After greeting his mother, sister Shannon Broadbelt and niece Skylar, he told them he would be right back to get them after he made the next leg of the flight to Cayman Brac and back. “It might not have been Miami, but he PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Pilot Reagan McLean in the cockpit of the Cayman Airways Express plane that services the Little Cayman and Cayman Brac route. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 »2 LOCAL®IONAL WEDNESDAY APRIL 3, 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 - 640-FILM (640-3456) DUMBO (PG) 12:30 I 3:10 3D I 4:15 VIP I 6:30 HOTEL MUMBAI (R) 1:10 I 4:20 I 6:55 I 9:10 CAPTAIN MARVEL (PG13) 1:00 VIP I 4:05 I 7:00 VIP I 9:50 VIP I 10:00 CAPTIVE STATE (PG13) 2:00 I 4:40 I 7:20 I 10:00 US (R) 12:40 I 4:00 I 7:00 I 9:50 A MADEA FAMILY FUNERAL (PG13) 1:30 I 7:30 I 10:10 VENEZUELAN JUDGE MOVES TO STRIP OPPOSITION LEADER’S IMMUNITY CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) – Venezuela’s chief justice on Monday asked lawmakers to strip opposition leader Juan Guaido of immunity, taking a step toward pros- ecuting him for alleged crimes as he seeks to oust President Nicolas Maduro. Supreme Court Justice Maikel Moreno said Guaido should be prosecuted for violating a ban on leaving the country when he went on a tour of Latin American nations that back a change in Venezuela’s government. The opposition leader is also accused of inciting vi- olence linked to street pro- tests and receiving illicit funds from abroad. It’s unclear when the pro- Maduro National Constit- uent Assembly will consider whether to remove Guai- do’s immunity from pros- ecution as head of the Na- tional Assembly. Guaido dismissed the Maduro-stacked high court and Constituent Assembly as illegitimate and con- tinued his calls for Maduro to step down. “We must unite now more than ever,” said Guaido at a Caracas university earlier Monday. “We must mount the biggest demonstration so far to reject what’s happening.” Venezuelan security forces have detained Guai- do’s chief of staff, but had yet to move directly against the opposition leader, whose claim to be interim president is backed by dozens of coun- tries that say Maduro’s re- election last year was rigged. Since a massive power failure struck March 7, the nation has experienced near-daily blackouts and a breakdown in critical ser- vices such as running water and public transportation. Classes have been suspended for nearly a week. At the same time, frus- trated residents are increas- ingly unable to find water, make phone calls or access the internet. Millions of Ven- ezuelans struggle to under- stand an announcement by Maduro a day earlier that the nation’s electricity is being rationed to combat daily blackouts. Maduro said late Sunday that he was instituting a 30- day plan that would balance generation and transmis- sion with consumption. He also called on Venezuelans to stay calm, but provided few details. Maduro appeared on state TV Monday to an- nounce that an engineer with 25 years of experience, Igor Gaviria, will serve as the next electricity minister, heading the state-run Corpoelec. He’s replacing a military general, Luis Motta Dominguez. “I’ve lost him to a period of rest,” Maduro said, adding that students will return to class Wednesday. Expressing her confusion, office worker Raquel May- orca said she did not know if her lights were off because of another power failure – or whether it was part of the government’s plan. Another month, another record for tourism numbers The Cayman Islands re- corded another record month for stayover tourism in Feb- ruary, with nearly 45,000 vis- itors arriving on the islands. The figure is an increase of more than 12 percent on the same period last year, which was itself a record. Cruise arrivals in Feb- ruary were down slightly on the same month last year but are up overall for the year. According to the Depart- ment of Tourism, “Febru- ary’s contribution brings total visitation inclusive of stayover and cruise for the first two months of 2019 to 554,586, an increase of 7.01 percent over the same period in 2018, and the highest visitation in re- corded history.” According to a press re- lease from the department, the increased visitation boosted the economy with an estimated $145 million spent by visitors in the first two months of the year. Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell said in a state- ment, “Our thriving tourism sector continues to be a major contributor to the growth of our local economy. We are pleased that the in- vestment in our tourism product from both the public and private sector posi- tively impacts Caymanians and those who have made this dynamic sector their profession.” A host of planned new hotel developments is ex- pected to boost arrivals fur- ther over the next few years, the press release indicated. Rosa Harris, director of tourism for the Cayman Islands, added, “In the Cayman Islands, we know our greatest asset is our people. The Ministry and Department of Tourism are committed to con- tinued development of our local tourism workforce through nationwide cus- tomer service training, tertiary education schol- arships and continued in- creases in the vocational certification programme through our school of hos- pitality studies.” Young players take a stab at darts The Cayman Islands Darts Association held its inau- gural youth darts tournament at the weekend. The association, which has launched a youth pro- gramme, hosted the compe- tition at the Dalmain Ebanks Boxing Gym. Six young darts players took part – four boys and two girls. Organisers said the par- ticipants played a game called cricket, which is to score three of each number from 20 to 15. Winner of the girls tour- nament, and overall winner, was Arianna Anglin. Runner- up in the girls competition was Kayjunette Campbell. The winner in the boys section was Areon Anglin, with Joseph Slater, Troy Owen Jr. and Daric Ebanks in second, third and fourth place, respectively. President of the Cayman Darts Association, Cassius Anglin, said the youth pro- gramme at the gym, which has been equipped with two dart boards, will run every Monday at 4-6 p.m. “Our plan is to have a tournament on the last Sat- urday of each month, so the next tournament should take place on Saturday, April 27,” he said. Newcomers are welcome to join, he added. The association president said young people who com- pete locally will have the op- portunity to be selected to Cayman’s youth team to com- pete in the Youth Caribbean Championships held every two years in the Caribbean and Florida. To find out more about taking part in the youth darts programme, call Cassius Anglin on 925-7212. Cruise arrival figures were down slightly for February, but stayover numbers broke another record. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY At the youth darts tournament on Saturday, March 30, are, from left, Cassius Anglin, president of the Cayman Darts Association, players Areon Anglin, Troy Owen Jr., Kayjunette Campbell, Arianna Anglin, Joseph Slater, Daric Ebanks, and Kruse Smith, Cayman Darts Association youth coordinator.3 WORLD®IONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY APRIL 3, 2019 One Honeywell Lynx touch wireless residential/ commercial security alarm panel with 4.3” full colour touchscreen display Three wireless door/window contacts (white) One Honeywell pet immune motion sensor (up to 40Lbs.) One 4 button remote keychain Full installation and demonstration 12 months parts warranty WIFI module for the mobile Apps. Honeywell Lynx Intruder Alarm Package Includes: The Honeywell intruder system is linked to our 24/7 monitoring centre to keep your family and your property safe. Upon system activation our experienced monitoring station staff will handle the situation. The Total Connect app allows you complete control of your security system from your mobile device. To find out more about this special offer contact the Security Centre on 949-0004 or email info@security.ky *The free alarm system and installation is available to new clients when signing up for a 12 month monitoring contract ($660 residential - $860 commercial). 24/7 Alarm Monitoring Secure and protect your property with the Honeywell Lynx intruder protection system. Controllable from your mobile device. Former tennis pro remanded into custody Expected to plead guilty on Monday SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com Former tennis pro Robert Todd Seward was remanded into custody Tuesday and defence attorney Prathna Bodden indicated that he will plead guilty in Grand Court on Monday. Seward, the former man- ager and head professional at the Cayman Islands Tennis Club, was originally accused of 72 counts of for- gery, theft and obtaining property by deception re- lating to monetary amounts of US$22,856.21 and CI$116,398 taken from his former place of employment. Seward had his case nar- rowed into a 12-count Grand Court indictment last July. The thefts are alleged to have taken place between March 15, 2017, and Jan. 15, 2018. The matter had been scheduled for trial on Tuesday, but Bodden asked to adjourn the case until Monday. Bodden also requested that Justice Michael Wood revoke Seward’s bail to show commitment that the matter will come to a resolution Monday. The judge, after asking the defendant if he agreed to the request, then remanded Seward, telling him any time spent in cus- tody would count towards his eventual sentence. Both sides have engaged in discussions about dis- posing the case and Bodden said that the defence attor- neys and Crown counsel will come to some sort of written agreement by Monday. “We’re coming closer to- gether,” Bodden said. Both sides have engaged in discussions about disposing the case and [defence attorney Prathna Bodden] said that the defence attorneys and Crown counsel will come to some sort of written agreement by Monday. Robert Seward, former tennis pro at the Cayman Islands Tennis Club, is expected to plead guilty to theft when he appears in court on Monday. Economic survey to launch Monday The Economics and Sta- tistics Office will commence its annual business survey for measuring economic per- formance on Monday, April 8. The survey will be hand- delivered, mailed, or emailed to all entities that pro- duce goods or services in the Cayman Islands, ac- cording to a press release from the ESO. According to the ESO, the survey seeks to gather data for the System of National Accounts, which estimates the total value of goods and services produced by the dif- ferent industries in the terri- tory. This helps the ESO draft its annual and quarterly re- ports that estimate the terri- tory’s GDP growth and other economic indicators. The survey will also gather data for the balance of payments, which measures total payment of residents to and receipts from the rest of the world. Confidential The Economics and Sta- tistics Office said the infor- mation in all the surveys re- turned are confidential, as mandated by the Statistics Law, and that all such infor- mation is exempt from the Freedom of Information Law. The survey returns will be used exclusively for the of- fice’s statistical purposes. “[Economics and Statistics Office] officials emphasise that the survey results will be published in aggregate form only, with all individual information remaining confi- dential,” the office stated. All survey respondents will be required to return a completed form by June 7. Economics and Statis- tics Office staff will be avail- able to assist entities in com- pleting the forms. Survey forms and other information can be found on the website at www. eso.ky, or may be requested by contacting 244-4679 or 244-4600. NO EVIDENCE OFFERED IN BRAC AMMUNITION CASE SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Crown offered no evidence Tuesday against Cayman Brac resident Erbin Darrell Tibbetts Jr., who had been charged with being reckless or negligent while in possession of ammunition. Tibbetts, who had been charged in September 2017, had been scheduled for trial in Grand Court on Tuesday. Justice Michael Wood said the court was accepting Tib- betts’s not guilty plea, before he dismissed the jury that had earlier been selected. The survey seeks to gather data for the System of National Accounts, which estimates the total value of goods and services produced by the different industries in the territory.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” Cabinet took an important step this week in giving the green light to a dramatic expansion of our islands’ marine parks. In so doing, they signalled their intent to protect and preserve our unique natural resources for future generations. Now, it is time to follow through. With Cabinet’s blessing in hand, legislative drafters will craft regulations that, if adopted, followed and enforced, could significantly increase the protection of our wildlife populations and irreplaceable coral reefs. The new regulations will prohibit fishing from approximately 48 percent of our coastal waters, up from about 14 percent today. It will expand no-dive zones off Grand Cayman and establish them off the Sister Islands for the first time. These changes are the culmination of the Department of Environment’s extensive research and consultation with community members and research partners. It has taken years to reach this point. But the work is far from over. The success of these enhanced protections is dependent upon swift enact- ment, extensive education and robust enforcement. We urge government to waste no time in completing this important endeavour and urge the public to learn and comply with the new restrictions as soon as they are adopted. We understand there will be adjustments. In the short term, divers and anglers may be disappointed to find they can no longer frequent some previously favourite spots. But the long-term benefits to our islands’ ecosystem and our economy far outweigh these near-term inconveniences. These small sacrifices will add up to an infinitely greater good. It is no secret that there are those on our islands who make a habit of flouting fishing, wildlife and diving restrictions. Perhaps they feel above the law. Perhaps it is only to be expected, given the sheer volume of commercial and recreational traffic our seas support. The DoE has made a good start at efforts to educate the public about marine protections and the reasoning behind them. A mobile application to help boaters find their location in territorial waters, and access the rules and regulations that apply there, will be an invaluable tool. The department also says they are stepping up enforcement against violators — a task that will, in some ways, be made easier once the new regulations are in place. But in the end, it will be up to all of us to know and respect the rules. As Prince Charles, who praised the marine park expansion during his recent visit, noted in his farewell speech at Pedro St. James, “the Cayman Islands could become a shining example of best practice in inte- grated and genuinely sustainable management of its land-based and ocean resources”. With foresight and a willingness to innovate our islands could, as His Royal Highness said, “become a beacon for the Commonwealth to help lead the world and indeed the whole of nature out of this appalling crisis of our own making”. That is a worthy goal, and one that would require a strong commitment to finding a sustainable balance between our present and future enjoyment of the sea’s once-abundant resources — a stronger commitment than we have previously been able to achieve. That balance cannot be struck on paper, but must be forged in practice. Protecting resources on paper, and in practice WEDNESDAY APRIL 3, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Party problems in South Africa’s election campaign STEVEN FRIEDMAN Democracy is meant to be a system in which political parties compete to convince the people that they have an- swers to their most pressing problems. South Africa’s election campaign shows that it does not always op- erate that way. The national and provin- cial elections on May 8, in which the governing African National Congress (ANC) is hoping to end a decline in its support, is loud and hard- fought. But there is little con- nection between the prob- lems facing South Africans and the issues over which the campaign is being fought. South Africa’s core problem is a weak economy which is unable to grow at a rate which preserves people’s living standards. This is a consequence of deeply rooted problems, hold-overs of the country’s minority-ruled past which persist despite 25 years of democracy. One such hold-over is the exclusion of millions of people from the economy’s benefits. Many South Afri- cans do not earn a wage or salary because the formal job market is closed to them. Nei- ther government policy nor business practice have found ways to ensure that they can earn a living and con- tribute to the economy even if they have no formal job. This reduces both the talents available in the mainstream economy and the markets into which businesses can sell their products. Another is the survival of the racial patterns of the past, albeit in new forms. This ensures a lack of trust between (largely black) gov- ernment and (largely white) business which makes coop- eration to address economic problems difficult. Symptoms, not causes If life worked in the ways in which textbooks say it does, these issues would be at the centre of the election campaign. We would expect parties to be competing to show that they have the best solutions to slow growth, the exclusion of millions from the economy, and ra- cial tension. They are doing no such thing. To the extent that the campaign is about anything other than name-calling, it is about symptoms, not causes. If there is a key campaign issue, it is corruption. The ANC is trying to convince voters that its new leader- ship is committed to rooting out misuses of public funds and trust while the opposi- tion insists that it has not mended its ways. Corruption is obviously a huge problem. But there are two problems with the way it is being treated in the campaign. First, the par- ties are not trying to sell voters concrete plans to root out corruption. Rather, the campaign assumes that cor- ruption will disappear mi- raculously if some politicians are replaced by others. The governing party says its leadership will do the trick; the opposition, that only their leaders will. But the problem is deep- rooted whoever governs and will continue until concrete plans to tackle it are imple- mented. None of the parties have any plans. Second, corruption is a symptom of the economic problem. If ambitious people cannot get into the middle- class because the doors to the formal economy’s bene- fits are closed to them, they will use politics to move up- ward, and will not neces- sarily play fair because the stakes are so high. Immigration and platitudes A more sinister feature of the campaign is that par- ties are competing to show that they are tough on immigration. This makes economic problems harder to solve – the country has a skills shortage and keeping out people with abilities and qualifications has to harm the economy: the Minister of Finance, Tito Mboweni, said as much in his February budget speech. Again this is a response to symptoms, not causes: while hostility to foreigners is a worldwide trend, it takes on its most virulent form when economies cannot meet peo- ple’s needs. The racial issue is, in ef- fect, ignored – except where politicians or parties see mileage in keeping alive the racial stereotypes which caused the problem in the first place. How to encourage South Africans to talk se- riously, let alone bargain, across the divide is a no- nissue for all the parties. For the rest, the cam- paign is about platitudes. All the parties are in fa- vour of creating millions of jobs but no one knows how. And no one addresses the reality that the jobs which they claim they will create were extinguished years ago and the crisis will per- sist until they start talking about how to include in the economy the hundreds of thousands who will not have formal jobs. They all support better government services and they all believe their leaders are better than an- yone else’s. None of them seem able to move out of their rut to recognise what is ailing the country, let alone to suggest ways of solving problems. Limitations of party politics The textbook view would suggest that this means the country is incapable of ad- dressing its problems. It does not. It simply means that party politics cannot do this. Progress will depend on whether the key interests in the economy and the so- ciety are capable of making deals which will address the problems. Whether or not this happens does not de- pend on what parties say on the hustings. Steven Friedman is a professor of Political Studies at the University of Johannesburg. This originally appeared online at www.theconversation.com.5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY APRIL 3, 2019 dartscholar.ky Beyond prestige and financial support for both high school and university students, the Dart Scholarship provides young Caymanians with life-changing experience in the real world of industry. If you’re a high achieving Caymanian student with aspirations to be a future leader and innovator, we invite you to apply for the 2019 programme. A whole new world of possibilities. It begins with a simple application. The Dart High School Scholarship Submit your application by 10 April 2019 Disaster relief focus of BVI workshop A Cayman Islands delega- tion of representatives from the Red Cross, Hazard Man- agement and the government recently attended the ‘Collabo- rative Cash Programming’ dis- aster response workshop in the British Virgin Islands. The workshop demon- strated the role of emergency cash intervention in response to disasters, provided a frame- work for a multi-agency mech- anism and outlined an action plan for preparedness and re- sponse activities. The British Red Cross So- ciety and the BVI Ministry of Health and Social Develop- ment hosted the workshop on March 15. Danielle Coleman, the di- rector of Hazard Management Cayman Islands, said emer- gency relief items, such as sanitation kits, cleaning kits and tarpaulins, are always in critical need after a large- scale emergency. “However, these ‘in-kind’ donations can and should be complemented by a cash-based relief programme which em- powers recipients to make deci- sions based on their individual needs and assists rebuilding the local economy,” she said. She added, “Hazard Man- agement has been working closely over the last six months with stakeholders such as Needs Assessment Unit, Au- ditor General’s Office, Cayman Islands Red Cross, Adventist Development and Relief Agency, Department of Children and Family Services and others to develop the relief/recovery process and we are hoping to incorporate the cash pro- gramme as part of a collabora- tive response to all large-scale emergencies.” Hurricanes Irma and Maria devastated the BVI and sev- eral other Caribbean islands in September 2017, demolishing 85% of the islands’ infrastruc- ture, homes and schools. The BVI government, in collabora- tion with the British Red Cross and other international relief agencies, formed the Joint Cash Platform, which was used to benefit 1,076 households for a three-month period. Through collaborative assessments be- tween the government and the BVI Red Cross, the Joint Cash Platform was able to identify beneficiaries using vulnerability indicators such as low to no-in- come households, people with disabilities or severe health is- sues, single-parent households and elderly persons. The funds assisted the local economy during the earliest stages of re- covery from the storms. The cash programming workshop, which was held pri- marily for the overseas terri- tories of Anguilla, the Cayman Islands, Montserrat, Turks and Caicos and Bermuda, also at- tracted organisations like the United Nations World Food Programme, UNICEF and Car- itas Catholic Relief Services. Cash distribution, which follows immediate disaster re- lief, benefits vulnerable individ- uals, families and households by empowering each family to assess their individual needs. Tamara Hurlston, director of Cayman’s Needs Assessment Unit, said clients of the NAU are the most vulnerable citi- zens in the Cayman Islands. “During a disaster, a combi- nation of cash and in-kind sup- port would empower them to focus on rebuilding their lives,” she said. “Networking and ex- changing knowledge with the other Caribbean Overseas Ter- ritories was the first major step in developing a disaster man- agement cash programme in the Cayman Islands tailored to our specific needs.” Over the past decade, cash programming has been used in several countries, such as Dom- inica, the Philippines, Haiti and the BVI. Introducing cash flow following a disaster aims not only to provide individual as- sistance to vulnerable people, but also to boost the local economy and assist in nation- wide rebuilding efforts, ac- cording to a press release from the Cayman Islands Red Cross. Red Cross director Jondo Obi said cash-based disaster relief programmes provide an additional holistic approach to classic disaster relief. “2019 marks the 15th an- niversary of Hurricane Ivan’s catastrophic impact upon Cayman and our people. Irma and Maria gave the BVI very little room for planning and re- sponse, and they had to react very quickly to these emergen- cies,” she said. “We have had 15 years from which to learn not only from Ivan, but also from every other storm that has im- pacted our region.” She added, “It was nice to have colleagues from the Cayman Islands Government attend the workshop, which provided a forum to think about ideas on how we can work to- gether to develop durable mechanisms for cash-based re- sponse during emergencies.” Deputy Chief Officer for the Ministry of Community Af- fairs Andre Ebanks said, “As a nation, we must continue to ensure that our plans re- main reflective of those les- sons and that growth because the biggest lesson that Irma and Maria have taught us is that anything can happen. We must be proactive in all of our efforts, and that includes thinking through the best way to help the most individ- uals within our communities bounce back after disaster strikes. This programme is a new chapter in multi- agency collaboration and re- sponse, and we’re excited to turn the page.” The Cayman delegation at the regional disaster workshop: From left, Cayman Islands Red Cross Disaster Manager Edward Tinling-Miller, Red Cross Director Jondo Obi, Director of the Needs Assessment Unit Tamara Hurlston, Director of Hazard Management Cayman Islands Danielle Coleman, and Deputy Chief Officer for the Ministry of Community Affairs Andre Ebanks. “ As a nation, we must continue to ensure that our plans remain reflective of those lessons and that growth because the biggest lesson that Irma and Maria have taught us is that anything can happen.” ANDRE EBANKS, deputy chief officer, Ministry of Community Affairs6 LOCAL NEWS WEDNESDAY APRIL 3, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS WELCOME TO 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 visit www.caymancarifta2019.ky @caymancarifta2019 CAYMAN ISLANDS GOVERNMENT SPONSORS MEDIA LTD. HURLEY’S MARK YOUR CALENDARS GET YOUR TICKETS EARLY Brackers participate in Rotary Bike-A-Thon JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Rotary Club of Cayman Brac hosted its 37th annual Bike-A-Thon Saturday. The ride was a fundraiser to assist the club with com- munity projects involving young people and families, said Brac Rotary secretary Annie Rose Scott. More than 25 riders took part in the event. All the cy- clists finished the race, in- cluding one young man who had an accident and ended up walking his bike across the finish line. The first overall finisher was Norman Joseph, who clocked a time of 18 minutes, 30 seconds, shattering his 2017 winning time by 9 min- utes. Joseph was followed by Mitchell Smith, who finished in 18:31, followed by Devon Binly with 28:28. Tessa Valentine was the first-place female finisher, with a time of 45:34. The first-place male high school finisher was Sean Valentine in 28:34, and the first-place fe- male high school finisher was Dejuaney Valentine in 55:05. The Valentines won first place for most family participation. The race covered around 12 miles, starting from Spot Bay and finishing at the com- munity park in West End. Visiting cyclist con- sultant and bike fitter Scott Seaman from Arizona ad- vised Saturday’s riders on how to get the best out of their bikes and Joseph gave tips to the young people about riding. At the prize-giving cere- mony, Brac Rotary Club past president Lauriese Ashman encouraged more people to participate next year and President Troy Grant con- gratulated everyone for their participation. Members of Rotary Club with winners. Rotary president Troy Grant, left, presents Norman Joseph with the first-place prize. - PHOTOS: SISTER ISLAND NEWS AGENCY Visiting cyclist consultant Scott Seaman, right, hugs winner Norman Joseph.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS WEDNESDAY APRIL 3, 2019 RUBiS T O P STU DE N T 10 WINNERS, WITH $15,000 IN PRIZES UP FOR GRABS. SHOW US YOUR PASSION AND WIN! GRAND PRIZE OF $5,000 APPLICATIONS CLOSE - 12 APRIL 2019 Applicants must be age 7-12. For more information on how to enter visit: www.rubiscaymanislands.com SHO US YOURW did come back for me. He didn’t leave me,” his mother told the Cayman Compass. “It was one of the crowning moments for me when I was able to fly her back home,” Reagan McLean said. “The emotions I can hardly put into words be- cause it was such a special moment. Knowing what I went through to get where I am and being able to ... actu- ally have her on a plane that I am the pilot of, makes it a dream come true.” From a young age, at school when he was asked what he wanted to be when he grew up, he would say a pilot. He said he was maybe 4 or 5 years old when he de- cided to become a pilot. At the time, his family was on the plane to Miami and he got to visit the cockpit and get a set of plastic pilot’s wings. When he came back to his seat, he said, “Mommy, one day, I am going to fly you to Miami, drop you off so you can go to Walmart, and then in the evening when I finish with the people, I will come back and take you home.” He told his bemused mum, “Just watch me and see.” “I recall the plane taking off and it was like the whole world opening up,” he said of that first visit to a cockpit. “There were many buttons and many levers I didn’t know what to do with, but it was intriguing to watch the pi- lots push buttons and pull le- vers … I felt I needed to know what they knew.” For the next years, he fo- cussed on his schooling but continued to remind his mother of his childhood am- bition whenever he wore his favourite shirt with ‘Pilot’ written on the front. After attending Bodden Town Primary, George Hicks and John Gray High schools, and graduating from Forest Lake Academy High school in the U.S. at age 17, he returned to Cayman to find work. His career trajectory did not take him immediately into the aviation field, though he did work with Cayman Air- ways early on. His first job was with his brother Johnny in his auto shop. Months later, he moved to Cayman Airways Express operations and cargo, and from there he went to Walkers. After leaving Walkers, he trav- elled a bit and on his return, he took up a post with Sco- tiabank. Later on, he would move to Conyers. He left Conyers to attend CTI Professional Flight School in Fort Lauderdale and started training in 2016. In 2018, he received his commercial pilot licence and started flying with Cayman Airways this year. The first time he ever flew a plane was on his 20th birthday – an island tour with a local flight school. “It was exceptional,” he said. Although he describes being able to fly his mother on a plane he was piloting as a dream come true, he says the most fulfilling moment of his flying career so far was when he went flying with his 2-year- old son Caleb Chadwick. Just hearing his son so excited and looking out the window at the clouds and saying “Up, up and away,” that was the icing on the cake, he said. “I took him in the cockpit, and he was asking all these questions … ‘What’s that?’ and ‘What’s this for?’ …. That was the one that really got me,” said McLean. He said he loves flying but each day is slightly dif- ferent. “You challenge yourself every day, whether it’s dealing with the passengers, bags, the weather, or just flying the plane,” he said. Flying is somewhat of a family tradition – McLean has three cousins who are Cayman Airways pilots with CAL, Rex, Jeffrey and Jeremy Miller,. When he is not flying, McLean fills his day with studying flight manuals, get- ting more familiar with op- erations and the aircraft, and spending time with his family, as well as some auto racing and diving. Pilot lives childhood dream CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Stephanie McLean races to welcome her son Reagan after his first landing on Little Cayman last week. Reagan McLean’s family welcomes him to Little Cayman.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 WEDNESDAY APRIL 3, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS called for more investment in social programmes. The extent to which Miller’s pro- posals are backed by the rest of the Opposition group is unclear. He said his understanding was that he now led a group of four, including him- self, Bodden Town legislators Chris Saunders and Anthony Eden, and East End legislator Arden McLean. None of those three men re- sponded to calls and emails from the Cayman Compass by press time Tuesday. Suckoo has claimed that Miller was nominated as official leader of the Opposition after the last elec- tion, only after making a commit- ment to step down from the role after 18 months. He said he had asked Miller to step down and claimed he was backed in this by the majority of the Opposition members. There is no formal process in the Constitution for a change in Opposition leader- ship other than through voluntary resignation, but Miller said he had made it clear to Suckoo on numerous occasions that he would step aside if he received a letter signed by the four men asking him to do so. “I told the Member [Suckoo] that upon receipt of such a signed letter, I would present it to the governor, accompanied by my letter of resig- nation from the position as Leader of the Opposition,” Miller said. “The formal letter from the team was critical, as I had no other reason to resign.” He said the background to the dispute was a “leadership struggle that began from day one”, which he claimed was largely instigated by Suckoo. He refuted suggestions that the group had agreed that his tenure as leader would expire after 18 months. Kenneth Bryan, independent member for George Town Central, said he recalled an agreement that Miller would step down after 18 months. Though he is not part of the political group, Bryan sits on the Opposition benches. He said he had signed a letter supporting Mill- er’s leadership on the basis of what he believed was a commitment that the appointment was temporary for the reasons of political succes- sion planning of the next generation of leaders. Bryan said he had not been ap- proached about the leadership issue but would be willing to discuss and consider supporting alterna- tives to Miller. Miller also disputed Suckoo’s contention that his plans for the new Cayman Islands People’s Al- liance had been a point of conflict within the group. He said the organ- isation had developed out of a gen- eral acknowledgement among the independent members in the opposi- tion group that there was a need for a more formal organisation ahead of the next election. opportunities for students inter- ested in the tech industry. Progress has already been made towards those commit- ments. According to Thompson, an established cloud-computing company will set up shop by the end of April, with more companies to follow in the coming months. Thompson said the names of the companies will be released once they are up and running here. Within a few years, those com- panies will have more than 150 employees here just by themselves, said Thompson, who added that TechCayman is also already vis- iting schools to make students aware of the opportunities they will have with the organisation. All told, TechCayman esti- mates in its contract that 38 Cay- manian jobs will be created this year, and 600 Caymanians will be employed in the IT, administra- tive, and support staff areas of the tech industry by 2023. However, TechCayman’s com- mitments and projections are con- tingent on a number of govern- ment promises and concessions – some of which are not public, as certain provisions of the agree- ment were redacted in the con- tract provided to the Compass. For instance, TechCayman promises to establish a data centre in Cayman Brac “within 18 months of a commercial grade data pipe becoming operational” there. There is currently one sub- sea cable that connects to the Brac from Jamaica and Grand Cayman, but Thompson said the Tech- Cayman data centre would need an extra cable for redundancy. Additionally, there are pre- conditions for TechCayman to se- cure the relocations of the engi- neers of a “major IT company” – the name of the company is ap- parently redacted, and Thompson declined to provide the name be- cause the engineers have not yet been relocated. Those pre-conditions include the installation of a third sub-sea internet cable, which TechCayman says is necessary to provide reli- able high-bandwidth internet ac- cess for the tech industry. Other pre-conditions include government establishing a one- stop shop within the Ministry of Commerce that will fast-track licensing and permitting pro- cesses for TechCayman-sponsored businesses. Government has also com- mitted to making sure the ter- ritory has a “robust and modern framework for intellectual prop- erty rights.” Legislators have up- dated the territory’s IP laws in recent years, but many of the amendments are not yet in force, according to the agreement. Thompson noted that the gov- ernment has been “working fever- ishly” to make sure the updated IP framework is brought into force within the next several months. Some of the delays have come from the United Kingdom, which en- forces British IP laws via treaties with other countries, he explained. Along with the actions govern- ment has committed to perform, there are also concessions granted to TechCayman. The concessions include removing any require- ment for work permits for visitors coming here for less than 15 days to do business with TechCayman, as well as the removal of visa re- quirements for Indian nationals with U.S. or U.K. visas who travel through either of those countries on their way to Cayman. Other commitments from government are redacted and blacked-out in the document that was provided to the Compass. The timeline for when government in- tends to fulfil its obligations is also redacted, as a list of govern- ment’s incentives that will be pro- vided to TechCayman businesses. Obtaining the partially re- dacted agreement between Tech- Cayman and government has been a process that began when offi- cials declined to make the con- tract public when asked at an Au- gust press conference announcing the initiative. Thompson said at the press conference that he was against making the agreement public. “The reality is that the agree- ment is governed by a confiden- tiality agreement,” he said at the time. “We’ll talk with government and see what their position is on it. Our position is that it’s best not to do it, to be blunt.” After the Compass made a formal records request, a heavily redacted agreement was released in October, but that version did not include any of government’s concessions or commitments to TechCayman, nor did it include TechCayman’s commitments to the territory. The Ministry of Commerce, Planning and Infrastructure de- clined to make the unredacted agreement public, and the Com- pass appealed the ministry’s de- cision to the Office of the Om- budsman. In response to the appeal, on Monday the ministry released the latest agreement, which contains fewer redactions but still has material information that is not public. “I’ve given them all I plan to give them right now,” Thompson said of the latest, partially re- dacted version of the agreement. The TechCayman director said some of the provisions that were redacted could be misconstrued by the public. Editor’s Note: Ogier partner James Bergstrom, an attorney advising Tech- Cayman, is owner of the Cayman Compass. Lawyer: Marriage ruling could have domino effect in territories JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A historic ruling to legalise same-sex marriage in the Cayman Islands could have a domino effect across the British Overseas Territories, according to a leading human rights lawyer. Jonathan Cooper, QC, who served as an adviser to the legal team that brought the successful court chal- lenge, said the decision should be welcomed. He believes it will force the U.K. to take more direct ac- tion to intervene in other ter- ritories, including the British Virgin Islands, Anguilla and Montserrat, which still outlaw same-sex marriage. “The writing is on the wall,” he wrote in an emailed re- sponse to questions from the Cayman Compass. “The For- eign and Commonwealth Of- fice will now have to pro- vide for the legal recognition of same-sex relationships across all the UK Overseas Territories.” The governor, who was named as a defendant in the legal challenge along with the government, endorsed Chief Justice Anthony Smellie’s deci- sion on Monday, saying it pro- vided “equality for all”. Premier Alden McLaughlin is expected to make a state- ment on the issue in the Legis- lative Assembly on Wednesday. Opposition leader Ezzard Miller, speaking at a press conference Tuesday, said he supported civil unions for same-sex couples rather than marriage. He said he was con- cerned that the chief justice was able to amend the islands’ laws and said he did not be- lieve the constitution entitled him to do this. He said this element of the ruling had serious impli- cations for democracy in the Cayman Islands and should be appealed all the way up to the Privy Council. Chief Justice Smellie said in his ruling that Section 5 of the Constitution allowed him to modify laws that were not compatible with freedoms guaranteed under the Bill of Rights. He changed the Mar- riage Law to allow same- sex couples equal access to marriage. Cooper, also editor of the European Human Rights Law Review, said he believes Cayman has nothing to fear from affording equal rights to same-sex couples. “The guarantee of equal marriage makes society safer, more stable and more se- cure. Denying human rights to some and preventing them from having full access to cit- izenship has a knock-on ef- fect which impacts eve- ryone,” he said. “With the deprivation of human rights comes costs. Di- verse, inclusive societies are more prosperous and happier.” The Cayman Islands Human Rights Commission also expressed support for the decision, congratulating Chan- telle Day and Vickie Bodden Bush on their successful legal challenge to the “dis- criminatory provision of the Marriage Law”. Describing the judgement as a “tremendously signifi- cant constitutional law ruling”, the commission’s statement highlighted the chief justice’s finding that “no justification” had been established to sup- port the “severe form of dis- crimination” of a same-sex marriage ban. It said, “This judgment should be welcomed by all in our community. In modi- fying the Marriage Law, the chief justice has affirmed the constitutionally protected rights of Vickie and Chan- telle and many others in com- mitted same-sex relation- ships. Equally, the rights and freedoms of all other individ- uals in the Cayman Islands, including rights of religious freedom, are similarly affirmed and protected.” The Human Rights Com- mission also addressed the issue of the chief justice’s powers to amend legislation. It stated that once he had ruled the Marriage Law was un- constitutional and unlawful, he was “required by the man- datory terms of the Cayman Islands Constitution” to modify the offending sections of that law. The ruling was effec- tive immediately, meaning same-sex marriage has been legal since Friday in the Cayman Islands. A spokesperson for the gov- ernment’s General Registry said Tuesday that it had re- ceived no requests since then from same-sex couples seeking a licence to marry. “The usual process is for an application to marry to be made to a Marriage Officer. Once the marriage has taken place, it is then submitted to the Registry for registra- tion,” she said in an emailed response to questions from the Compass. Gov’t, TechCayman make big promises CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Miller vows to continue as Opposition leader Opposition Leader Ezzard Miller said he plans to stay on as leader and outlined new policy proposals, including a monorail idea during a press conference Tuesday. - PHOTO: JAMES WHITTAKER CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY APRIL 3, 2019 Ebola cases rise in Congo after violence The World Health Organisation says Ebola is on the rise in eastern Congo following a series of attacks on local health facilities. A WHO spokesman says the past two weeks have seen a record number of new cases in this outbreak. In Loving Memory of Rose Elizabeth Parsons February 15, 1939 – April 3, 2017 We little knew the day that God was going to call your name. In life we loved you dearly, in death we do the same. It broke our hearts to lose you. You did not go alone, For part of us went with you The day God called you home. You left us peaceful memories. Your love is still our guide, And though we cannot see you You are always at our side. Our family chain is broken and nothing seems the same, but as God calls us one by one the chain will link again. Your broken-hearted and loving husband, Dudley Daughters: Kerry, Donna and Gloria Sons-in-law: Randy, George (Teddy) and Cline (CG) Grandchildren: Danielle, Ashley, Amanda, Cline, Michael and George ~ Forever in Our Hearts ~ It broke our hearts to lose you. dchine May: UK to seek further Brexit delay, try to break logjam LONDON (AP) – With Britain racing towards a chaotic exit from the European Union within days, Prime Minister Theresa May veered away from the cliff-edge Tuesday, saying Britain would seek a further delay to Brexit as its politicians sought a compro- mise solution to the crisis. May made the announce- ment after the EU’s chief ne- gotiator warned that a dis- ruptive and costly Brexit was likely unless Britain broke the impasse that has para- lysed the government and Parliament. After almost three years of refusal to bend in her in- sistence that Britain embrace her vision of Brexit, May said the country needed “na- tional unity to deliver the na- tional interest”. Following the defeat of the government’s plan and a range of lawmaker-written alterna- tives, May said Britain would need a further delay to its EU departure, currently scheduled for April 12. And she offered to hold talks with opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn in an attempt to find a compromise solution. “This debate, this division, cannot drag on much longer,” May said in a televised state- ment from 10 Downing St. that acknowledged her at- tempts to win backing for the government’s version of Brexit had failed. European Council Pres- ident Donald Tusk gave a cautious welcome to May’s change of course. “Even if, after today, we don’t know what the end re- sult will be, let us be patient,” he tweeted – a suggestion the EU would wait for Britain to present a clear plan. Earlier, EU negotiator Michel Barnier offered a downbeat assessment of the situation. “As things stand now, the no-deal option looks likely. I have to tell you the truth,” Barnier said in Brussels. Barnier said “we can still hope to avoid it” if the in- tensive work in London pro- duces a breakthrough before an April 10 EU summit. The leaders of the EU’s 27 remaining countries have given the U.K. until April 12 to leave the bloc or to come up with a new plan, after lawmakers thrice re- jected an agreement struck between the bloc and May late last year. The House of Commons has also failed to find a ma- jority for any alternative plan in two days of voting on mul- tiple options. May’s statement came after a seven-hour meeting of her Cabinet, which is split between supporters of a “soft Brexit” that keeps close eco- nomic ties with the EU, and Brexiteers who believe a no-deal exit is better than compromising. Her words seemed to in- dicate that she was veering away from the possibility of a no-deal Brexit – but also that she has not given up on her own withdrawal agreement, which has been rejected by Parliament three times. Her plan is to seek ap- proval for the legally binding agreement – which sets out the terms of Britain’s de- parture and triggers a long transition period for the two sides to work out future rela- tions – after securing cross- party political support for a vision of those future ties be- tween the U.K. and the EU. If she and Corbyn fail to reach agreement, May said Parliament would get to vote on a range of options – and the government would be bound by the result. It is the first time she has committed to following the instruction of lawmakers. May said she hoped Britain could pass the agree- ment by May 22, in time to avoid participating in elec- tions for the European Parliament. A no-deal Brexit would jeopardise trade and travel, with new checks on bor- ders and new regulations on dealings between the EU and Britain. Barnier said the EU was prepared, but “being pre- pared for no deal does not mean that there will be no disruption”. Businesses have warned that the economic impact in Britain could be devastating. Ford of Europe Chairman Steven Armstrong said, “A no- deal Brexit would be a dis- aster for the automotive in- dustry in the U.K.” Armstrong said that if the U.K. cannot work out a deal on leaving the EU that guar- antees “frictionless trade”, the vehicle maker “will have to consider seriously the long-term future of our in- vestments in the country”. Edwin Morgan, interim director general of business group the Institute of Direc- tors, said May’s statement was “a welcome step towards compromise”, though there remained obstacles ahead. “We urge the leader of the opposition to work with the prime minister to find a so- lution,” he said. “Both sides must play ball.” Britain’s political paral- ysis – and May’s failure to get Parliament’s approval for the withdrawal agreement she negotiated – have exasper- ated EU leaders. French President Emma- nuel Macron said that if Brit- ain’s politicians could not agree on a way forward, “they will de facto have chosen for themselves to leave without a deal”. “We cannot avoid failure for them,” Macron said before a meeting in Paris with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar. But Varadkar stressed “there’s still time” for May to come to the April 10 summit with “credible” proposals. British lawmakers in- tent on avoiding a no-deal Brexit have drawn up plans to prevent Britain crashing out of the bloc, by acci- dent or design. “We are now in a really dangerous situation with a serious and growing risk of no deal,” Labour Party legis- lator Yvette Cooper said. Cooper introduced legisla- tion, which Parliament is set to consider, this week, that would compel May to seek to extend the Brexit process be- yond April 12 in order to pre- vent a no-deal departure. British Prime Minister Theresa May arrives at a press conference outside Downing Street on Tuesday. - PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES Pope: Women have ‘legitimate claims’ for equality VATICAN CITY (AP) – Pope Francis said in a document released Tuesday that women have “legitimate claims” to seek more equality in the Catholic Church, but he stopped short of endorsing recent calls from his own bishops to give women lead- ership roles. In the text, Francis also told young adults they should try to help priests at risk for sexually abusing minors in what a Vatican official said was a great act of trust the pope has for today’s youth to help “priests in difficulty”. Francis issued the doc- ument, known as an apos- tolic exhortation, in response to an October 2018 meeting of the world’s bishops on better ministering to today’s young Catholics. The synod took place against a backdrop of the Church’s clergy sex abuse crisis and included demands for greater women’s rights. The bishops’ final recommen- dations called the need for women to hold positions of responsibility and decision- making in the church “a duty of justice”. In the new document re- flecting at length on the Oc- tober meeting, Francis did not echo that sweeping con- clusion. Instead, he wrote that a church that listens to young people must be atten- tive to women’s “legitimate claims” for equality and jus- tice, as well as better train both men and women with leadership potential. “A living church can look back on history and acknowl- edge a fair share of male au- thoritarianism, domination, various forms of enslave- ment, abuse and sexist vio- lence,” Francis said. He continued, “With this outlook, she can support the call to respect women’s rights, and offer convinced support for greater reci- procity between males and females, while not agreeing with everything some femi- nist groups propose.” An organiser of last year’s synod, Cardinal Lorenzo Bald- isseri, was asked at a news conference Tuesday about Francis’s lack of reference to women in leadership posi- tions and the need to welcome gay Catholics. He replied that Francis could not rewrite eve- rything from the final synod recommendations. Francis’s 299-paragraph ‘Christ is Alive’ booklet covers a wide range of issues con- fronting young people. In it, he notes that many feel alienated from the church because of sexual and financial scandals, and are suffering themselves from untold forms of exploita- tion, conflict and despair. Much of the document fo- cusses on the promises and perils of the digital world and dedicates ample space to the plight of migrants. It uses millennial lingo, calling the Virgin Mary an “influ- encer” and describing rela- tions with God in computing terms: “hard disk”, “archive” and “deleting”.Next >