ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – MONDAY APRIL 15, 2019 High of 85 Low of 73 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 A WEEK TO SLOW DOWN AND ENJOY LIFE LOCAL | PAGE 8 CAYMAN CLEANS UP FOR EARTH DAY 9 STRATEGIC POLICY STATEMENT Highway expansion among gov’t promises Premier outlines plans for his final years in office JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Major investment in Grand Cayman’s road network and reforms of the education system to put more power in the hands of principals, teachers and parents are among the key policy initiatives proposed by government for the coming years. Delivering the Strategic Policy Statement, which sets out the broad strokes of government’s agenda and spending plans for 2020 and 2021, Premier Alden McLaughlin outlined a range of in- itiatives across every area of government. Reflecting on the fact that he is entering the final two-years of his tenure as premier, McLaughlin promised it would be “no quiet winding down”. Instead, he said he would be “ramping up” to achieve as much as possible in the short time he has left. In a near three-hour address to the Legisla- tive Assembly Friday afternoon, the premier high- lighted new plans including: ■■ $18 million in new funding to complete the extension to the East-West Arterial Highway; ■■ New teacher- and parent-led governing bodies to take greater control of public schools; ■■ New legislation to reform Cay- man’s welfare system; ■■ A new urgent care clinic in Bodden Town; ■■ A review of the minimum wage. Government will also commit funds to com- pleting several projects that have been in the works for some time, including the new John Gray High School, the landfill project and the long-term mental health facility. Further work is planned to progress the cruise and cargo port and the airport redevelopment, as well as im- provements to the court building and infrastruc- ture and preliminary planning for a new prison. Additional legislation and reform will also be required to protect Cayman’s financial services industry, the premier said. For a closer look at the policy initiatives, see page 7. Churches hold anti-gay marriage rally JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com An estimated 2,000 people, many dressed in white, attended a rally in down- town George Town on Saturday afternoon to protest against a recent court decision to change the Marriage Law to legalise same- sex marriage in the Cayman Islands. The demonstration, organised by local churches, came just over two weeks after Chantelle Day and Vickie Bodden Bush won their court petition to challenge a refusal by the Cayman Islands to allow them to get married. On the Legislative Assembly steps Sat- urday, Christian leaders spoke out against legalising same-sex marriage, with one speaker calling the LGBT community a “sterile lifestyle that encourages same-sex couples that cannot reproduce”. “The recent decision of same-sex mar- riage in this country is a grave and foun- dational assault on marriage, children, law and good order,” said Helene Coley- Nicholson, a former university lecturer in FINANCE MINISTER: BUDGET SURPLUSES, NO NEW TAXES MICHAEL KLEIN mklein@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman’s economy will fare well, unem- ployment will be below 4%, there will be sig- nificant budget surpluses and no new fees or taxes for consumers and businesses from 2020 to 2022. At least, that is the view of gov- ernment’s Strategic Policy Statement. The policy statement informs the devel- opment of the next government budget, con- sisting of the financial years 2020 and 2021. The budget will be presented later this year. During the three-year period discussed by the government forecast, Finance Minister Roy McTaggart expects to bring down government debt to the lowest level in 20 years. Presenting his fiscal strategy in the Leg- islative Assembly on Friday, McTaggart said, “Managing the government’s operating ex- penditure in a way that maintains healthy op- erating surpluses remains a critical compo- nent of our financial management strategy.” In doing so, the government would steadily reduce debt, fund its capital investment pro- gram and maintain cash reserves well above the minimum required by the Principles of Responsible Financial Management and the Framework for Fiscal Responsibility set out in the Public Management and Finance Law. To keep the tax burden, the cost of living and the cost of doing business as low as pos- sible, government had made the decision not to introduce any new coercive revenue meas- ures in the medium term, he said. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » Demonstrators hold up signs condemning same-sex marriage rights at Saturday’s rally. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY2 LOCAL®IONAL MONDAY APRIL 15, 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. - MONDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) LITTLE (PG13) 1:50 I 4:30 I 7:10 I 9:45 AFTERMATH (R) 1:20 I 7:15 I 9:40 PET SEMATARY (R) 4:20 I 9:50 CAPTAIN MARVEL (PG13) 1:35 I 3:20 I 10:00 HELLBOY (R) 1:00 VIP I 3:50 I 7:00 VIP I 10:00 SHAZAM! (PG13) 12:50 I 3:50 VIP I 7:00 I 9:50 VIP A MADEA FAMILY FUNERAL (PG13) 7:25 DUMBO (PG) 12:30 I 4:35 I 6:50 Seven years for knife offences SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com Clayburn Willie Ebanks was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment on Friday for two knife of- fences. Ebanks was sen- tenced to five years for wounding with intent and to a consecutive two-year sen- tence for simple wounding for two incidents that date back to 2017. He was convicted by a jury of wounding with intent in September for an incident that occurred in March 2017 and convicted of simple wounding in October after a judge alone trial. Ebanks was found not guilty on a second charge of wounding with intent attached to the second incident. Justice Frank Williams, who had presided over the first matter, sentenced Ebanks for both incidents. Justice Williams said in court on Friday that the first event was on the borderline between a Category 2 and a Category 3 offence, and he sentenced Ebanks to five years for that crime. The second incident, which was captured on CCTV, involved a dispute between Ebanks and his older brother. Ebanks acknowledged inflicting the injuries upon his brother but claimed they occurred in self-de- fence. Ebanks was convicted by Justice Roger Chapple for that offence following a judge-alone trial. During his delivery of the verdict, Justice Chappel said he was unable to dis- miss the possibility that the complainant was the ini- tial aggressor. Justice Williams noted Friday that both incidents involved knife offences, and he said that the defendant’s response seemed out of pro- portion to the event that oc- casioned it. Justice Williams also said that Ebanks com- mitted the second offense while he was on bail for the first event. Justice Williams said Ebanks will be given credit for 204 days of time served in custody. Public health officials raise measles awareness Cayman’s Public Health Department issued an alert Friday about an outbreak of measles in Florida and other states in the US. There have been no re- ports of measles in the Cayman Islands, officials at the department said. How- ever, the Pan American Health Organisation recently alerted Caribbean health depart- ments to be on the lookout for measles and rubella “as a precaution”. PAHO officials advise that the following symptoms are highly likely to be present in cases of measles – rash that follows onset of fever; cough, acute respiratory infection or conjunctivitis (pink eye); and sore throat. “As some Caribbean coun- tries are still experiencing cases of dengue fever, in which patients may also pre- sent with fever and rash, PAHO has advised that all cases presenting with fever and rash should be tested for measles and rubella,” a state- ment from the Public Health Department noted. Individuals who sus- pect that they or anyone in their care may have measles should contact the Public Health Department. “Officials will provide guidance on the management and investigation of the case. Among other aspects, they emphasised it is essential to ensure adequate and timely sample collection,” the de- partment stated. While the Cayman Islands is measles-free, the health alert follows two confirmed cases of measles imported to the region from France. Offi- cials also noted outbreaks of measles in 19 of the United States, namely Arizona, Cali- fornia, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, In- diana, Kentucky, Massachu- setts, Michigan, Missouri, Ne- vada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Texas and Washington. Acting Medical Officer of Health Dr. Samuel Williams- Rodriguez said the Public Health Department has acted quickly to strengthen its monitoring for poten- tial cases of measles and rubella. This is critical, Dr. Williams says, as while we are almost at the end of the winter tourist season, trav- ellers from many different countries are consistently passing through the coun- try’s borders. Expanded Programme on Immunization Coordinator Nurse Angela Graham urged persons to protect themselves and to ensure that their loved ones are up to date with measles vaccinations and all other vaccinations. “The Cayman Islands is currently measles-free. As such the measles vaccina- tion is an important means by which we may con- tinue to protect ourselves and our families from a dis- ease that is extremely con- tagious and which can lead to dangerous complications,” Nurse Graham noted in the press release. The Public Health Department can be contacted at 244-2621. Seven arrested for DUI over weekend Police are warning people to organise a des- ignated driver or take a taxi home after they made seven arrests for drunk driving over the weekend of April 5-7. Five of the arrests were made after drivers were stopped and breath- alysed after leaving what police described as “large events” on the Sat- urday night. Two of the drivers ar- rested had a blood alcohol content of over twice the legal limit. Chief Inspector Everton Spence, who oversees the Traffic and Roads Policing Unit, said in a statement, “It is essential to make arrangements when at- tending events where you expect to be drinking. If you are unable to coordi- nate with others attending the event in order to ar- range a designated driver, taxis are also available. “Our anti-drunk driving enforcement efforts are ongoing and consistent. So every time you choose to drink without taking the simple step of making a plan for your transporta- tion, you not only run the risk of causing a collision, but of losing your license for a year.” During his delivery of the verdict, Justice Chappel said he was unable to dismiss the possibility that the complainant was the initial aggressor. Pinnacle Flava Fun Spot winner chosen Congratulations to Margaret Morash, pictured on right, with Pinnacle Media Marketing and Sales Supervisor Taylor Vaughn, for winning the grand prize from The Flava Fun Spot at Taste of Cayman. Morash won a Kitchenaid artisan mini tilted head stand mixer with attachments after being randomly drawn from more than 1,000 entries. For more contests and giveaways, frequently visit caymancompass.com/contests. Death toll from collapse of buildings in Brazil rises to 8 RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) – Res- cuers were still hoping to find survivors in the rubble of a pair of collapsed build- ings in Rio de Janeiro, offi- cials said Saturday, as the death toll from the disaster rose to eight with 16 people listed as missing. The condemned four- storey buildings collapsed Friday in the hillside neigh- bourhood of Itanhanga, an area that was hard hit by recent heavy rains and flash floods. Civil defence workers, firefighters, trained dogs and drones were searching around-the-clock for survi- vors in the rubble. Luciano Sarmento of Rio’s fire department said Saturday he hoped survi- vors would be found be- cause “air pockets may have been formed allowing people to breathe”. Buildings next to those that fell were evacuated for fear of new collapses. Res- idents were allowed into their homes for a few min- utes to retrieve personal belongings. According to Rio Mayor Marcelo Crivella, the area was run by militias that control large swaths of Rio, including the area where the buildings stood. Militias, which are made up of former fire- fighters, police and sol- diers, charge residents for basic services in areas they control. When they began forming decades ago, many saw them as a force for good because they pro- vided security that the state could not. Today, how- ever, such groups are full- fledged criminal organi- zations which are often considered the most severe security threat in Rio. A father embraces his son as he waits for news about his missing wife, who was in one of two buildings that collapsed in Muzema neighbourhood in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday. - PHOTO: AP3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS MONDAY APRIL 15, 2019 SPECIALIZED CARE WITHIN REACH. WITH CLEVELAND CLINIC JUST A SHORT FLIGHT AWAY, YOU’RE CLOSE TO WHAT’S BEST FOR YOUR HEALTH. Why? Because you’re close to the best healthcare providers and state-of-the-art medical technology. You’re close to the best facilities and quality of services. And you’re close to the healthcare you deserve. After all, what’s more important than your health? Every life deserves world-class care. Cyclist raises almost $20K for Lighthouse JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com A cyclist who raised nearly $20,000 for Cayman’s Lighthouse School by em- barking on a challenge to ride 1,000 miles in 10 days was greeted with cheers at the school on Friday afternoon. Alan Harcombe, 47, who started the challenge on April 4, stopped by the school on day nine of his ride, as he prepared to tackle the final day and the last 100 miles. The whole school gathered to greet him, and students and teachers cheered him on and waved flags as he turned into the school grounds Friday. Harcombe’s hope, in con- junction with the school’s Parent Teacher Association, was to raise thousands of dollars to assist the school with much-needed pro- jects, such as a school play- ground, enhancements, safety repairs, wheelchair accessibility, 20 iPads, rel- evant apps for instructional and educational purposes, maintenance of the Sensory Garden, and funding for music therapy. Harcombe, a cycling en- thusiast, came up with the idea after attending a parent- teacher meeting at the school. His daughter Jamie, who was born with Down syndrome and a severe congenital heart defect, attends the Lighthouse School. Jamie was among the students present to welcome her dad on Friday. Mechon Ebanks, vice president of the Lighthouse School’s Parent Teacher As- sociation, said the cyclist raised close to $20,000 for the school. Lighthouse Head Girl Tianna Hurlston said she was looking forward to the improvements at the play- ground so the students can enjoy playing puzzles, going on the swings, and playing football and basketball again. Harcombe’s daily 100-mile cycle took place between the hours of 4 a.m. and 11 a.m., and he admitted trying to get enough sleep during the chal- lenge had been tough. “Fittingly enough, we [he and his wife] rode exactly 100 miles today [Friday]. We got one more day to go and then it’s all done. It’s been going great and good fun riding. I got some good solid exercise over the nine days; now I’m just looking forward to get- ting some rest and normal sleep,” he said. The most challenging day of his ride was on Sunday, April 7, he said, when he rode 125.5 miles and battled strong winds. “The people’s response was great,” he said, adding “I will be glad when it’s done so I can kick back and relax.” Ebanks thanked the local community and corporate sponsors for their support, and said the fundraising ef- fort would be a continuing one, as she invited organisa- tions or companies that want to help support the school to get in touch. The ‘1,000 in 10’ event kicked off the school’s ‘Will You Be Our Partner’ cam- paign – a school initiative focussing on encouraging Cayman’s corporate com- munity to partner with the school in developing and as- sisting the special needs chil- dren through volunteerism, community involvement and donations. The Lighthouse School houses about 110 primary and secondary students with varied special needs and challenges. Cyclist Alan Harcombe rides into the grounds of Lighthouse School on Friday as he finishes the second-last day of his charity 1,000 miles in 10 days bike ride, cheered on by students and teachers. Students of Lighthouse School give three cheers for Alan Harcombe Friday, as he celebrates with his daughter Jamie. - PHOTOS: JEWEL LEVYThe 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” With Palm Sunday behind us, many of Cayman’s most dedicated Easter campers already have staked out their spots – cleaning beaches, stacking firewood, clearing brush and getting ready for a bit of rest and relaxation. This beloved island tradition offers time to recon- nect with family and with nature, to slow down away from the busy day-to-day, and relax in the comfort of companionship. It is a time for fishing and seawater baths, for endless rounds of dominoes, fry fish and taking the day as it comes. Years ago, beachside campsites were often far from town, with shelters as rustic as a few tarpaulins draped over branches and hammocks strung from tree to tree. But while the accommodations may have been simple, each site held a bounty of good food and good company, where kids played, adults visited with old friends and relations, and sweet potato or breadfruit roasted slowly in the fire. Like most things, Easter camping has changed over the years. Unlike in times past, getting out of town is no longer a big excursion – it’s as easy as hopping in the car. As our population has grown, it has left fewer spots “in the country” where one can truly get away from it all. Even some owners of undeveloped land per- fectly suited for camping have soured on the idea of letting campers in, having dealt with irresponsible or disrespectful campers in the past. Some Caymanian families have set aside the tradi- tion of Easter camping. Some are too busy to take the lead from older relatives. Others may just not see the appeal. There’s no arguing the fact that from set-up to clean-up, it can be a huge amount of work. At the same time, many newcomers to our island have taken up the tradition and its welcome break from everyday life, bringing their own foods and ‘flavours’ to the annual retreat. Today’s campsites are often elaborate set-ups with all the comforts of home. Years ago on our islands, Easter was a momentous occasion – rivalling even Christmas – when everyone dressed in their Sunday best and flocked to church services and celebrations of the resurrection. Today, we are home to a colourful and diverse population with different traditions and expectations. There are many more options for ways to spend the long weekend, whether it be lingering over a sump- tuous brunch or taking part in one of many seasonal activities. Many take advantage of the opportunity to travel – taking trips to Jamaica, Central America, to the United States or other destinations overseas. Times change – that can’t be helped. So whether Easter, or camping, is a part of your family’s tradi- tion, we encourage all our readers to enjoy the week in good company, taking full advantage of these final days of the cool dry season before things heat up, the winds shift and rains return. A week to slow down and enjoy life MONDAY APRIL 15, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS CARIFORUM-UK EPA offers new opportunities DAVID JESSOP A few days ago, the British government published the text of the CARIFORUM-UK Economic Partnership Agree- ment (UK EPA) that will govern trade in goods and services with the Caribbean, assuming Britain leaves the European Union sometime later this year. The agreement has the ef- fect of replicating the intent and provisions of the 2008 EU-CARIFORUM EPA on a UK-only basis, but with some modifications. It provisionally comes into force when either the UK finally leaves the EU – fol- lowing a special summit in Brussels this is now meant to be by Oct. 31 this year – or at an earlier date deter- mined by the British govern- ment and parliament, if both can ever agree on the with- drawal terms. So far, 10 Caribbean na- tions have signed the UK EPA which offers the region the same level of duty-free and quota free access to the UK post-Brexit for almost all CARIFORUM goods and rep- licates the UK’s services com- mitments. The Dominican Republic is expected to sign the agreement shortly having been able to address specific concerns relating to tariff rate quotas on milk powder, while Antigua, the Bahamas, Suriname and Haiti have in- dicated that they intend to do so once various national pro- cedures have been completed The new agreement also confirms that Caribbean tar- iffs on imported UK goods and services will continue to be cut in line with the re- ductions and provisions con- tained in the EU-CARIFORUM EPA, which continues indefi- nitely with the EU27. The 342-page UK-EPA text and annexes are accompa- nied by 40-pages of explana- tory notes which in part indi- cate where and in what way it differs from the partner- ship agreement the region al- ready has with the EU. Taken together, these UK- related documents provide a unique legal framework guaranteeing Britain’s future bilateral political, trade and development relationship with the Caribbean. More im- portantly, it potentially offers the region the opportunity to advance and deepen the partnership. By replicating all the ex- isting institutions of the EU EPA in a bilateral EPA, the Caribbean in future should be able to regularly formally review and advance its ties in ways not provided through the existing biennial and less formal UK Caribbean Forum. The new agreement means that there will be a Minis- terial Joint Council, a Trade and Development Committee plus other working groups with the UK on agriculture, fisheries and technical issues. The new UK EPA will also see established a CARIFORUM- UK Parliamentary Committee and a CARIFORUM-UK Con- sultative Committee. These latter two bodies, which seek to embrace and deepen the political relation- ship and links with civil so- ciety, including the private sector, offer the opportunity, if used wisely and involving the diaspora, a much-im- proved dialogue, as, to date, such multilateral discussions within the context of the EU EPA have largely been too diffuse to be effective. The explanatory notes make clear that the same political, development and other commitments made by Britain as a member of the EU continue, but in a UK con- text after Brexit. They observe that the ge- ographic coverage includes the UK’s Overseas Territories, while noting that the special rules relating to non-orig- inating materials (cumula- tion) that presently apply to them continue. More generally, the same document demonstrates how the overall nature of trade between the UK and CARI- FORUM, while small, has changed. It indicates that in 2017 while the UK im- ported in goods and services £1.7bn (US$2.2bn) and ex- ported £0.8bn (US$1.05bn), services are now of much greater overall significance in trade flows than tradi- tional exports. As one might expect, the size of CARIFORUM services exports vary greatly from country to country, but total services exports to the UK the same year stood at £1.2bn (US$1.6bn) while goods ex- ports – largely agricultural commodities, oil and rum – stood at £0.4bn (US$0.5bn). Britain is still far from de- termining how and when it will leave the EU, despite its electorate having voted in June 2016 to depart. Although the UK parlia- ment has taken a measure of control and a genuinely se- rious if belated exchange is taking place between gov- ernment ministers and the opposition Labour Party, multiple and increasingly confrontational divisions over Brexit are fragmenting Britain’s political and so- cial discourse. The new UK-EPA is wel- come, stabilising and poten- tially beneficial, but no one in the Caribbean should be under any illusion that Brex- it’s divisions will likely last far into the future, with pro- found long-term political and economic consequences. David Jessop is a consultant to the Caribbean Council and can be contacted at david.jessop@Caribbean- council.org. © 2019, David Jessop. So far, ten Caribbean nations have signed the UK EPA which offers the region the same level of duty-free and quota free access to the UK post-Brexit for almost all CARIFORUM goods and replicates the UK’s services commitments.5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY APRIL 15, 2019 SECURE YOUR PROPERTY WITH THE BEST DEALS IN SURVEILLANCE CAMERA SYSTEMS AVAILABLE ANYWHERE ON ISLAND . 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Call the Security Centre for your demo today at 949-0004 or visit us online at security.ky 2 The Eagle Eye Special: a high-definition system perfect for the home and small businesses - $1549 All systems offer mobile device access - so you can check on your property remotely. bring an existing security camera system into high-definition – using existing cabling - at just $999 1 The Phoenix HD Upgrade: Harris: Cayman has more cars than people Legislators call for urgent action to ease road congestion KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com Residents of Grand Cayman can expect much longer traffic delays and even greater road conges- tion if government does not act quickly, warned Pros- pect legislator Austin Harris, speaking Thursday before the Legislative Assembly. “If our population demo- graphics continue to grow, we will see the level of traffic congestion increase by up- wards of 200 percent over the next five years, unless we are prepared to take a long, hard look at what we can live with and what we [can] live without,” Harris said. A joint private members motion – combining sim- ilar proposals submitted by the Prospect MLA and East End legislator Arden McLean – sought to restrict vehicle imports to the islands and compel government to explore solutions to the roads issues. Much of the congestion woes are down to Cayman’s growing number of vehi- cles, Harris said, estimating there are more vehicles than people in Cayman, saying there is now 1.2 vehicles for every resident. Citing statistics he said were gathered from various government departments and shared in Finance Committee, Harris said there were cur- rently 42,459 registered, road- worthy vehicles and 37,406 unlicensed vehicles in the Cayman Islands, meaning there are nearly 80,000 vehi- cles for Cayman’s estimated population of around 63,000 people. An increasing flow of vehicle imports has not only overwhelmed the roads but overwhelmed local services, such as the Department of Ve- hicle and Drivers’ Licensing, Harris said. From January 2017 to Au- gust 2018, he said, the DVDL processed 109,773 vehicle-re- lated transactions. Harris en- couraged greater reliance on electronic resources to expe- diate DVDL processes. Another facility that has struggled to keep up is the George Town landfill. “Whilst today we are im- porting vehicles at an av- erage rate of 398 vehicles per month, we are only disposing of an average of 30 vehicles per month into the George Town landfill,” he said. “The remainder, I believe … can be found on the road- sides of our once beautiful communities gathering like dust in the form of derelict ve- hicles, which are not only un- sightly but represent a signifi- cant health risk both in terms of vermin as well as potential breeding grounds for mosqui- toes during the rainy season.” Vehicles imports increased more than 60 percent in four years, Harris said. In 2018, he said, 4,783 ve- hicles were imported to the is- lands compared to 2,946 vehi- cles in 2014. He suggested a number of non-infrastructure ideas that could be explored in the short- term, including incentives for carpooling, staggered work hours, optimised traffic light management, and stricter en- forcement of existing road laws. Harris also proposed im- port restrictions, such as by age and fuel type, be explored by a government committee and implemented by 2020. He called the suggestion of prohibiting work permit holders from owning cars “draconian”. “In order to make this ar- gument work, you must first have a dependable public transport system, and de- spite our best efforts to date, we cannot see that we have achieved this, certainly not in mass transit anyway,” he said, adding that improvements to the system are in the works. Minister encourages ‘Complete Streets’ Infrastructure Minister Joey Hew expanded on ideas that are currently being dis- cussed between his ministry, the Ministry of Transport and the Public Transport Unit. He first highlighted a ‘Complete Streets’ initiative to make roadways safer and more accessible to different types of traffic. “The NRA [National Roads Authority] has adopted the ‘Complete Street’ as its standard for future roads … Complete Streets are streets for everyone. They are de- signed and operated to en- able safe access for all users including pedestrians, bicy- clists, motorists and transit riders of all ages and abili- ties,” Hew said. He called for a holistic ap- proach to manage the roads dilemma, including invest- ments in mass transit and in transportation infrastructure. “We must look at things such as hop-on and hop-off buses along the Seven Mile corridor and also into George Town. We must start con- sidering things like airport park-and-rides and down- town park-and-rides, water taxis, an airport express from the hotels running on a reg- ular basis,” he said, adding that such measures were al- ready being discussed with Transport Minister Moses Kirkconnell for consideration in the George Town revitali- sation plan. As for the issue of growing vehicle imports, Hew said conversations had begun with the Department of Com- merce, and Customs to crack down on unlicensed dealers importing vehicles. He pointed to “a growing trend of persons importing cars as a side business and selling them on the curbs of the streets”. Hew also indicated gov- ernment was working on incentives to increase the number of compact, electric and hybrid vehicles. He said charging stations were being installed around government departments to accommodate the National Energy Policy goal to convert 7% to 10% of government vehicles to elec- tric or hybrid. Rush-hour traffic jams have become common sights in Grand Cayman in recent years as the number of cars on island grows. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAYThe islands’ most-trusted news source 6 MONDAY APRIL 15, 2019 CAYMAN COMPASS Key to this will be that government funds its opera- tions and capital investments from cash flow and cash re- serves alone. The strategic policy state- ment forecasts government rev- enues of $829.1 million, $851 million and $836.9 million from 2020 to 2022, well above oper- ating expenditures of $734.2 million, $741.7 million and $746.8 during that period. The expected budget sur- pluses of between $90 mil- lion and $109 million in each of the three years will be used to finance a range of ini- tiatives from enhanced com- munity policing, reformed so- cial assistance programmes and the new Workforce Op- portunities and Residency Cayman department to the new ministry to promote for- eign investment in Cayman. Planned infrastructure projects include the com- pletion of John Gray High School and other school up- grades, and the extension of the East-West arterial to the Eastern Districts. The implementation of the Integrated Solid Waste Management System, which includes a public-private partnership with a con- sortium led by Dart for a waste-to-energy facility, and the construction and op- eration of a new long-term residential mental health facility will also require extra funding. In addition, excess funds will be used to en- hance policy functions of the Cayman Islands Mon- etary Authority to respond to international regulatory changes and to improve cy- bersecurity and e-Govern- ment initiatives, the finance minister said. In education, government aims to dedicate funds to in- creasing the use of online and computerised testing and to strengthening the core curriculum across pri- mary and secondary schools. Money will also be needed to conduct the pop- ulation and housing census in 2020 and for the general election in 2021. At the same time, the fi- nance minister aims to con- tinue to pay down govern- ment debt. “In fact, the government is planning to reduce public sector debt by a further $104 million during the forecast period, bringing it to the lowest level in over 20 years,” he said. Under the Public Finance Management Law the cost of financing the entire public sector debt each year should not be higher than 10% of government’s core revenue. This debt servicing ratio is expected to be below 7% during the period. The low debt ratio, “means that more of government’s revenues will be available to fund the demands for ser- vices or capital projects”, McTaggart said. The optimistic forecast is based on the expectation that Cayman’s economy continues to grow “in a stable and sus- tainable way” with gross do- mestic product growth rates of between 2% and 2.2% during the period. “These forecasts are un- derpinned by the assumption that the three key sectors of the Cayman Islands economy: financial services, tourism and business services will all continue to evolve and main- tain their global competitive- ness,” McTaggart said. He added that, during the forecast period, the construc- tion sector will be boosted by new hotel building and the development of the cruise and cargo port in George Town. The import duty reduc- tions for fuel, building ma- terials and consumer retail goods that were introduced by the last administration re- main in place. “By keeping in place these import duty reductions, the government is doing its part to keep retail prices as low as possible thereby keeping the cost of living for house- holds and the cost of doing business as low as possible,” McTaggart said. human rights, justice of the peace, and president of the Lawyers’ Christian Fellow- ship in Jamaica. The rally’s slogan, ‘We Love All People, But We Say No to Same Sex’, could be seen on T-shirts, posters and programmes, as demonstra- tors held up placards quoting scripture verses. Coley-Nicholson urged Cayman leaders, politicians and judges “to protect the Caymanian family” and re- sist any attempt to institute same-sex marriage. “By gathering here today, we send a powerful message across Cayman, the region and the world, that the Cay- manian church is strong and united and that the church is determined to preserve the islands’ godly heritage values and standards,” she told the crowd, many of whom had gathered under a large tent erected in the street outside the Legislative Assembly, and on the pavements nearby. Among those in attend- ance were several local pol- iticians, including Speaker of the House McKeeva Bush, Education Minister Juliana O’Connor-Connolly and East End MLA Anthony Eden, all of whom who spoke out during a debate in the Leg- islative Assembly last week against Chief Justice An- thony Smellie’s March 29 ruling to amend the Marriage Law to allow same-sex cou- ples to marry. Keynote speaker Pastor Andrew Ebanks, refer- ring to the 2009 referendum which passed the Constitu- tion, said as a nation, Cay- man’s electorate already had its say on the issue of same- sex marriage. “It was the UK who al- lowed Section 14 of our con- stitution to stay as marriage is defined between one man and one woman,” he said. The wording of Section 14(1) of the Constitution states: “Government shall re- spect the right of every un- married man and woman of marriageable age (as deter- mined by law) freely to marry a person of the opposite sex and found a family.” Section 2 of the Marriage Law states, “Marriage means the union between a man and a woman as husband and wife”. Chief Justice Smellie, in his ruling, changed the wording of that section to “‘Marriage’ means the union between two people as one another’s spouses.” The gov- ernment has indicated it will appeal the chief jus- tice’s ruling. Pastor Ebanks told the gathering on Saturday, “I do not believe that same-sex marriage will be in the best interest of our people,” but he insisted that Christians were not being hateful “when we say we do not agree with same sex-marriage”. “We are a Christian country, not because eve- ryone in this country is a Christian but because we are a country that has been founded on biblical princi- ples,” he said. “So, regard- less of who comes here, with what beliefs they come here with, they are free to come with that belief, but they should come with the under- standing we are determined to be a nation who writes our laws in way that are re- flective of Christian values and ethics.” Last week, the Court of Appeal granted a stay of the implementation of the amendment to the Marriage Law, pending the outcome of the government’s appeal. Finance minister: Budget surpluses, no new taxes CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Churches hold anti-gay marriage rally Some 2,000 people converged outside the Legislative Assembly on Saturday to attend a church-organised rally to oppose the recent same-sex marriage legalisation ruling. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Local politicians and some of their family members were in the front row at Saturday’s rally. Seated, from left, are Dwyane Seymour, Chris Saunders, Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, Kerry and McKeeva Bush, Ellen and Anthony Eden, and Alva Suckoo. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY7Strategic Policy Statement CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY APRIL 15, 2019 Premier outlines long-term plans A detailed look at the Strategic Policy Statement JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com In a lengthy speech Friday, Premier Alden McLaughlin outlined the broad strokes of government’s policy agenda through to the end of 2021. McLaughlin highlighted new spending plans and ini- tiatives across every aspect of government. Here, we break down some of the key policy prom- ises and spending commit- ments in each sector. Transport Government is under pressure to push forward with plans to expand the road network. McLaughlin said, “For commuters and parents suffering the grind of daily travel from the east into and out of George Town, we will deliver a comprehensive package of highway improve- ments that tackle congestion. “We will also look for pro- gressive solutions to address future public transporta- tion needs.” The main plank of that package will be the extension of the East-West Arterial, first from through to North- ward, and then on to Bodden Town, at a projected cost of $18 million. Improvements to the road network around Grand Harbour and in and around George Town are also planned. Road improvements will take place alongside a “specialist mass transporta- tion study”. The premier said a “radical new approach to public trans- port” was needed and the study will inform longer-term poli- cies to take cars off the roads. Conservation Law changes The premier, who has previously expressed con- cern about the impact of a requirement to carry out en- vironmental impact assess- ments for major road pro- jects, suggested government would look to change this element of the National Con- servation Law. He said a re- view of the law would take place with amendments planned early next year. Again expressing frus- tration about the capacity of the law to hold up devel- opment, he quipped, “If the Conservation Law had been around at the time the Cre- ator was turning his hand to founding our three is- lands, we would still be waiting on an environ- mental impact assessment.” Education reform A new curriculum for primary school students and major organisational reforms for public schools are part of a package of ed- ucation reforms announced by the premier. McLaughlin said his gov- ernment plans to create new governing bodies for the islands’ public schools – a move that he said would put key decisions in the hands of principals, parents and teachers rather than department administrators. “Here is a radical idea,” he said, “maybe, just maybe, it is not the good people in the Department of Educa- tion, many of whom rarely set foot inside a classroom, who are best placed to make decisions about what hap- pens in those classrooms.” He said the new boards would help delegate respon- sibility from the depart- ment to schools, principals and teachers. “While the minister will continue to set the overall direction for the educa- tion system and will hold schools to account, it will increasingly be the schools themselves that decide what happens in Cayman’s class- rooms,” he added. New classrooms are planed at Red Bay Primary School and improved sports facilities at other schools. Employment McLaughlin cited em- ployment stats, which he said showed there were 3,300 more Caymanians in the workforce now than when his administration first took office. He added that these figures were no “red herring” and that labour force surveys also showed that Caymanians earn sig- nificantly more, on average, than expatriates. “Caymanians in work are generally paid better than non-Caymanians and at the higher pay brackets, Cay- manians and non-Cayman- ians are equally well repre- sented,” he said. Despite this, he said, his government had committed to reviewing Cayman’s $6-an-hour minimum wage and would proceed with the development of the new Workforce Opportunities and Residency Cayman unit, as well as a Fair Employ- ment Commission to support Caymanians who are disen- franchised in the workplace. Other new initiatives McLaughlin outlined plans for a new health centre in Bodden Town. He said government would supply the land and the Health Services Authority would fund construction of the new clinic, which will offer primary medical care, along with X-ray facilities and dialysis. Describing Cayman’s welfare system and leg- islation as hopelessly out of date, the premier said there would be reforms to “reshape the social assis- tance framework”. He said this would ensure help got to the “right people at the right time”. The premier also high- lighted the importance of the ongoing ‘Plan Cayman’ process and again suggested that taller buildings should be considered as an option for Cayman’s future. He said Dart’s plans for a so-called ‘iconic tower’ at Camana Bay should be taken seriously and also suggested taller buildings could be part of the puzzle for the revitalisa- tion of George Town. Progress on long- term projects The premier also con- firmed government would press ahead with plans for a new cruise and cargo port in George Town harbour. He said there would be fur- ther upgrades at the air- port, including lengthening the runway. He targeted the 2021/2022 academic year for the opening of the new John Gray High School and said progress could be expected on the national solid waste management strategy. McLaughlin said he ex- pected the near two-year ne- gotiation process with the Dart-led consortium to be completed within the next few months. Once that hap- pens, he said, “We will be able to put in place the en- hanced recycling facili- ties we need; begin the pre- paratory works for the new waste-to-energy plant; and make substantial progress on the required remediation works at the landfill itself.” Despite difficulties in finding contractors inter- ested in bidding on the pro- ject, he also expressed op- timism that the delayed long-term mental health fa- cility would be built in the coming years. The refurbishment of the old Scotia building to create extra court space will con- tinue while a business case is developed for an overall redesign of court facilities. Preliminary work will also take place on plans for a new prison. Financial services The premier said Cayman had worked hard to maintain its position as one of the world’s leading financial services jurisdic- tions amid “seemingly end- less compliance initiatives”. Though he lamented double standards and “moving goal posts”, he said Cayman would continue to engage with the European Union and others to ensure it avoided various black- lists and its reputation re- mained intact. He said further mar- keting and legislation would be needed to protect Cay- man’s core industry. High- lighting the recent critical Financial Action Task Force report, he said Cayman would respond to its recommendations. “Cayman does not need or want illegitimate busi- ness and we stand ready to do all that we can to re- sist any attempts at using our financial services in- dustry for money laun- dering, terrorist financing or other illegal purposes,” McLaughlin said. New ministry Government will also press ahead with plans for a new Ministry of Interna- tional Trade, Investment, Aviation and Maritime Af- fairs and open an office in Hong Kong. He said the function would be to help drum up new international busi- ness for Cayman, protect its core industries of finan- cial services and tourism and help reduce reliance on the UK amid the distrac- tion of Brexit. “Over time, the ministry will develop a network of international offices in stra- tegic locations where the interests of Cayman will be best served,” Premier McLaughlin said. Despite continued con- cerns over a looming order in council that could man- date public beneficial own- ership registries and talks over redefining the con- stitutional relationship with the UK, McLaughlin said the Cayman Islands had no ambition to sever the relationship with the mother country. Citing the recent visit of Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, he said the occa- sion had shown “how much these islands are British, and want to remain British”. Successes The premier also took time to trumpet the successes of his administration, saying the country was transformed from when he first took the position in 2013. He said unemployment among Caymanians had been slashed from more than 10% to less than 5%, public debt had been reduced and gov- ernment was running large budget surpluses. He said this economic success was the foundation on which eve- rything else was built. He added, “There is much more this government still needs to do. My pledge to the country today is to give eve- rything I have to get it done.” Premier Alden McLaughlin The government intends to press ahead with plans for a new cruise and cargo port in George Town Harbour, according to the premier’s Strategic Policy Statement. - PHOTOS: TANEOS RAMSAY Premier Alden McLaughlin said the government would deliver a comprehensive package of highway improvements that tackle traffic congestion, including the expansion of existing roads.8 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY APRIL 15, 2019 CAYMAN COMPASS Cayman cleans up for Earth Day JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Nearly 2,000 volunteers in 125 teams spent Saturday morning removing tons of garbage from the road- sides and beaches of the Cayman Islands. The Chamber of Commerce Earth Day Clean-up brought out volunteers from all walks of life, including com- pany CEOs, business owners, school children and families. “We had 125 clean-up teams at the very end and again it was another out- standing success,” said Chamber CEO, Wil Pineau, of the annual event. By mid-morning, much of the work had been done and neatly piled garbage bags could be seen on the sides of roads from North Side to West Bay, awaiting pick-up. Pineau said the Department of Envi- ronmental Health would be collecting the bags this week from all the sites. For over 21 years, the Chamber has motivated busi- nesses from the private sector and members of the public to put on a pair of gloves, pick up a trash bag, and head out to local parks, beaches, litter hot spots in the districts and side roads to pick up any un- sightly and unhygienic trash. Not only did volunteers pick up garbage, they also separated recyclable mate- rials into blue bags. Pineau said teams covered the en- tire island, but many people decided to select their own neighbourhoods or areas were their businesses were based. “When we look around the island at how clean it is, the volunteers did a really out- standing job,” Pineau said. However, he said some of the feedback he was get- ting from volunteers was disturbing; for example, the number of large items that have been discarded in vacant lots. He said they found old televisions, barbecue equip- ment, discarded chairs, car tyres and batteries. “It’s just disturbing be- cause these are things that should end up in the land- fill,” Pineau said. He said he hoped government would step up enforcement of the anti- littering laws, that people would report the illegal dump sites, and that offenders would be fined. “We are delighted the com- munity responded the way it did, but we are still disap- pointed that people continue to throw litter by the road- side and near their commu- nities. People should know better … maybe the only way it will stop is if they are fined or caught in the act,” Pineau said. Volunteers received free T- shirts, which were designed by Guy Harvey, and were treated to a free breakfast after the clean-up efforts. Chamber of Commerce Earth Day volunteers collect trash in Bodden Town on Saturday. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY The Turtle Centre crew show off all the bags of garbage they collected at Barkers in West Bay. - PHOTOS: TANEOS RAMSAY Kirk Freeport staff take on Keturah and Walkers Roads. Joe Thorne, general manager of Cost-U-Less, left, and his team brought along their own trolleys to help shift the bags of rubbish from brushland on West Bay Road, near Public Beach. Andrew Skinner tackles some seaside garbage at Governors Beach. Saxon CEO Brian Williams and staff members clean the beach on North Church Street, near Mr. Arthur’s store. The Pierre family cleans up a George Town street together on Earth Day. Patrick and Valentine Ball were part of the MUFG clean-up team.The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY APRIL 15, 2019 More fatal falls at Grand Canyon Two recent deaths in which men plummeted in the Grand Canyon follow dozens of apparently accidental fatal falls since the national park was established 100 years ago. US ELECTION Workers’ rights are a campaign focus Trump sanctuary city idea could help migrants stay in US PHOENIX (AP) – An idea floated by President Donald Trump to send immigrants from the border to ‘sanc- tuary cities’ to exact revenge on Democratic foes could end up doing the migrants a fa- vour by placing them in lo- cations that make it easier to put down roots and stay in the country. The plan would put thou- sands of immigrants in cities that are not only welcoming to them, but also more likely to rebuff federal officials car- rying out deportation orders. Many of these locations have more resources to help immi- grants make their legal cases to stay in the United States than smaller cities, with some of the nation’s biggest immigration advocacy groups based in places like San Fran- cisco, New York City and Chi- cago. The downside for the immigrants would be a high cost of living in the cities. The Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syr- acuse University announced this week that an analysis found that immigrants in sanctuary cities such as New York and Los Angeles are 20% less likely to be arrested out in the community than in cities without such policies. “With immigrants being less likely to commit crimes than the US-born population, and with sanctuary jurisdic- tions being safer and more productive than non-sanc- tuary jurisdictions, the data damns this proposal as a po- litically motivated stunt that seeks to play politics with peoples’ lives,” said George Gascon, district attorney for San Francisco. Trump has grown increas- ingly frustrated over the sit- uation at the border, where tens of thousands of immi- grant families are crossing each month, many to claim asylum. His administration has attempted several efforts to stop the flow, and he re- cently shook up the top ranks of the Department of Home- land Security. The idea to ship immi- grants to Democratic strong- holds was considered twice in recent months, but the White House and Department of Homeland Security said the plan had been rejected. But Trump said Friday he was still considering the idea. “Due to the fact that Democrats are unwilling to change our very dangerous immigration laws, we are indeed, as reported, giving strong considerations to placing Illegal Immigrants in Sanctuary Cities only,” Trump tweeted. He added that, “The Radical Left always seems to have an Open Borders, Open Arms policy – so this should make them very happy!” Wilson Romero is an im- migrant from Honduras who chose to settle in the San Francisco Bay Area. Romero, 27, was separated from his daughter, now 7, by federal authorities at the US border at El Paso, Texas, last year and jailed for three months before being released and making his way to live with his mother in San Jose, California. There he was reu- nited with his daughter, who attends public kindergarten. Romero says he goes about daily errands in public without worry of discrimina- tion. His daughter has made friends and has playdates with the children of Mexican American families. It’s a far cry from his hometown in the violence-plagued outskirts of San Pedro Sula, Honduras, that he fled after his brother- in-law was killed. To him, the biggest problem with being in the Bay Area is the high cost of living. The former textile factory worker relies on his mother’s income from wait- ressing for food and clothing, and he’s started thinking about asking legal permis- sion to move to North Car- olina, where an uncle re- sides and says it’s cheaper to live and work. “To tell the truth, it’s a little tight now, financially speaking,” said Romero, a former textile factory worker, who said he doesn’t know of any charities that may be willing to help. The plan discussed by Trump would also have fi- nancial, logistical and legal issues. The transportation of im- migrants who are arrested at the border to large and far- away cities would be bur- densome and costly at a time when Immigration and Customs Enforcement is al- ready stretched thin, having released over 125,000 im- migrants into the country pending their immigration court since Dec. 21. They are currently being released mainly in border states. Flights chartered by ICE cost about $7,785 per flight hour, according to the agency, and require multiple staffers, including an in-flight med- ical professional. The agency also uses commercial flights. Doing longer transports would increase liability for the agency, especially consid- ering that many of the immi- grants in its care are families with young children. DENMARK, S.C. (AP) – The issue of workers’ rights is a focus this weekend for some of the Democrats running for president. At a rally in Warren, Mich- igan, where General Motors is closing a plant, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders called on President Donald Trump to “go back to the drawing board” on the United States- Mexico-Canada Agreement, the tentative pact that would replace NAFTA. Sanders said the newly negotiated deal, which has yet to clear Con- gress, would still let compa- nies such as GM continue to send US jobs to Mexico. “I challenge Donald Trump: For once in your life, keep your campaign prom- ises,” he told a rally of 1,300 gathered in a community college parking lot in sub- urban Detroit. “Go back to the drawing board on NAFTA. Do not send this treaty to Congress unless it includes strong and swift enforce- ment mechanisms to raise the wages of workers and to prevent corporations from outsourcing American jobs to Mexico.” Sanders, who spoke ear- lier in the day at a West Michigan plumbers and pipe fitters union local, narrowly won Michigan’s 2016 Demo- cratic primary over Hillary Clinton. She subsequently lost the state to Trump. Sanders said when Trump ran the first time, his “big- gest lie” was that he would “stay with the working class of our country, that he was on their side”. Sanders crit- icised Trump’s tax cuts and his attempt to repeal the Obama healthcare law, adding that the trade def- icit has gone up by $180 bil- lion and 185,000 jobs have been moved overseas during Trump’s presidency. Other highlights from the campaigns: Beto O’Rourke Beto O’Rourke is cam- paigning in rural South Caro- lina, saying he wants to show up for communities that are often overlooked by politi- cians or “left for last”. O’Rourke spoke to about 50 people at Voorhees Col- lege, a historically black col- lege in Denmark, a city of 3,000 people. Addressing the infrastructure needs of rural areas, he said politicians need to demonstrate that every community, no matter how big or small, “is worthy of investment”. O’Rourke spoke specifi- cally about using federal in- frastructure spending to ad- dress issues like the water crisis in Denmark, where residents have been dealing with brown-tinted drinking water that smells foul and is filled with sediment. The city for years used a pool dis- infectant not approved by the EPA in a drinking water well, which was taken offline last summer. Elizabeth Warren Sen. Elizabeth Warren said the United States is a world leader on the cli- mate issue. It’s just that the nation is leading in the wrong direction. At a house party in New Hampshire on Saturday, the Massachusetts Dem- ocrat said the reason the country is headed in the wrong direction is because of corruption. “This is not ignorance,” Warren said. “This is not that people just don’t get it. The people in Washington, oh, they get it. But they are on the take. They are influenced by the money.” But it’s so much more than campaign contribu- tions, she said. It’s also the lobbyists, lawyers, the think tanks and “bought and paid for experts” that has created a sense of deniability around climate change, she said. “The key that we’ve got to play into, unlock, fixing the problems we need to fix, starts with, we have got to push back on the influence of money in Washington,” Warren said. Cory Booker New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker returned his Newark home on Saturday to kick off a two-week, nationwide ‘Jus- tice For All’ tour that will focus on issues that include gun control and criminal jus- tice reform. Booker, who served as the mayor of Newark be- fore joining the Senate, has sought to showcase the city’s economic progress as an ex- ample of the kind of priorities he would set as president. In his remarks on Saturday, he emphasised issues including ending mass incarceration and gun control. Booker formally an- nounced his presidential campaign more than two months ago but has been mired in the middle of a crowded field of candidates. His campaign is hoping the new tour – which will include stops in Iowa, Georgia and Nevada – gives him a burst of momentum this spring. “ I challenge Donald Trump: For once in your life, keep your campaign promises.” BERNIE SANDERS, Vermont Senator Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks during a rally in Warren, Michigan, Saturday. - PHOTO: AP President Donald Trump exits Air Force One on arrival at Naval Air Facility El Centro, in El Centro, California, Friday. - PHOTO: APNext >