ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – MONDAY MAY 6, 2019 $ 3 99 M EAL D EALS MONDAY - SATURDAY 9pcs MIXED , 2 Sides & 5 BISCUITS NEW FAMILY SUNDAY Ombudsman: 143 cases of police complaints filed in 2018 Batabano delivers carnival flair ECO-RESORT PLANNED FOR EAST END’S BAREFOOT BEACH KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com Police complaints made up a vast majority of cases filed in 2018 with the Cayman Islands’ Ombudsman, the body tasked with investigating complaints against government entities. Of the 230 cases opened by Ombudsman Sandy Hermiston in 2018, nearly two-thirds, or 143, represented complaints against law enforcement, ranging from safe handling of police Tasers to unreasonable use of force. Seventy-six of these cases were resolved within the year and 67 were carried over to 2019, according to an annual report re- leased Friday by the Ombudsman. The next largest complaints category was maladministration by government, representing a quarter of cases opened. Nine of the 59 maladministration cases from 2018 were carried into the new year. Freedom of Information appeals represented an additional 23 cases, nearly two- thirds of which went unresolved and were carried into 2019. SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com The vibrant colours and pulsating per- cussion of Batabano rocked Seven Mile Beach on Saturday, featuring thousands of costumed dancers and revellers, as well as spectators lined up along the side of the road to cheer them on. The street parade, which began at 1pm by Seven Mile Public Beach, wound its way along West Bay Road and did not stop shim- mying until hours later. Float after float, each more colourful than the last, was accompa- nied by legions of scantily clad dancers. Governor Martyn Roper took in his first Batabano from a convenient spot right in front of his Government House home on West Bay Road. He said it was a thrill to be able to see the Cayman spectacle in all its grandeur. “It’s lovely, wonderful. Lots of colour and fantastic costumes. I’m really en- joying it,” the governor said. “I’ve seen some similar carnivals in other parts of the world, but this one looks fantastic.” Many of the dancers and bands began their day in preparation at Calico Jack’s bar on Seven Mile Beach, right near the begin- ning of the parade route. One trio of ‘jumpers’ Dart leases beachfront property for cottage colony JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Dart group is supporting plans for an eco-resort featuring 89 cottages at Barefoot Beach in East End. The developer bought the 20-acre beachfront property, once slated for a Mandarin Oriental hotel, through its subsidiary company, SparrowHawk Ltd. for $10 million in 2015. Now it has agreed to lease a 10-acre slice of the site for a new resort. Plans submitted to the Central Plan- ning Authority show an expansive cot- tage colony clustered around a restau- rant, spa, bar, pool and reception area. Developer NCB has been hired to build the resort and is involved in the project. The identity of the company behind Thousands of revellers donned sequins, paste jewels, feathers, head-dresses and a wild array of colourful costumes for the 2019 Batabano Carnival parade on Saturday afternoon. - PHOTO: STEPHEN CLARKE PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » Rival carnivals to merge in 2020: See page 3 PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 and 7 »2 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY MAY 6, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS BREAKTHROUGH (PG) 1:25 I 4:10 I 7:15 I 10:00 SUN: 4:10 I 7:15 I 10:00 KALANK (PG) 3:10 I 9:00 (SAT ONLY) I 9:30 (NO SAT) SUN: 3:10 I 9:20 LITTLE (PG13) 12:30 I 3:25 (SAT ONLY) I 3:50 (NO SAT) 6:50 I 9:45 SUN: 3:50 I 6:50 I 9:35 DUMBO 10:30 (SAT ONLY) I 4:35 I 7:15 (NO SAT) SUN: 4:35 I 7:15 CAPTAIN MARVEL 1:40 I 10:00 (NO SAT) SUN: 6:30 I 10:00 THE CURSE OF LA LLORONA (R) 1:10 VIP I 4:35 I 7:00 VIP I 10:15 HELLBOY (R) 12:35 (SAT ONLY) I 1:00 I 6:10 (SAT ONLY) I 6:45 SHAZAM! (PG13) 1:30 I 3:40 VIP I 7:15 I 9:30 VIP SUN: 8:00 I KIDS CLUB: OVER THE HEDGE 10:00 (SAT ONLY) CULTURE AT THE CINEMA: THE TRAGEDY OF KIND RICHARD THE SECOND SAT ONLY: 8:00 • 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) THE INTRUDER (PG13) 1:00 I 3:30 I 7:00 I 9:35 BREAKTHROUGH (PG) 12:40 I 3:45 I 6:50 I 9:45 LONG SHOT (R) 1:35 I 4:20 I 7:05 I 9:50 AVENGERS: END GAME (PG13) 12:30 VIP I 1:10 I 4:20 VIP I 5:05 3D 8:10 VIP I 9:00 LITTLE (PG13) 1:35 I 4:20 I 7:15 I 10:00 YMCA launches annual support campaign The YMCA of the Cayman Islands is running its an- nual fundraising campaign to provide access to its youth programmes. The 10-week ‘Caring Campaign’, which launched early last month, raises money to give financial as- sistance for participants to attend Y Day Camp, the Ex- tended After-School Pro- gramme, Teen Leadership, and the YMCA Ropes Chal- lenge Course. “Every year, the Y relies on the generosity of individ- uals and businesses to sup- port our work and provide programmes and services, especially for those who re- quire financial assistance,” said Greg Smith, CEO of the YMCA, in a press release. “Each donation, however big or small, has an impact [on] the life of a child. The community has been very supportive of the Y, which provides affirmation that we are addressing challenges that resonate with many people,” he added. The YMCA’s new board chairman David Watler said any amount can make a dif- ference, and the entire volun- teer board of directors and staff of the Y contribute to the campaign. “We have many part- time staff who don’t make a large salary, but still sup- port the campaign because they see firsthand the re- sults the programmes have on our youth,” he said. “Set- ting aside the cost of a cup of coffee once a month can help send a child to camp or teach them to swim, having a pow- erful impact.” The Extended After- School Programme is a partnership with the Min- istry of Education, serving up to 1,600 students from public schools across Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac, while the Teen Leaders training reaches more than 75 young people between the ages of 13 to 17. The Day Camps provide a safe and well-supervised environ- ment for more than 750 kids during summer and school breaks, and the Ropes Chal- lenge Course helps individ- uals improve critical com- munication, team-building, trust, planning and problem-solving skills, the YMCA stated. For more information about the YMCA Cayman Islands’ Caring Campaign, log on to www.ymcacayman.ky, email info@ymcacayman.ky or call 926-9622. The Teen Councilors in Training is the YMCA’s teen leadership programme. More vocational training for prison inmates also piloting a new course in barbering, which will provide inmates with the opportu- nity to gain a certification in that field. The prison farm provides another training environ- ment, where 15 inmates are currently receiving formal in- struction in agricultural sci- ence. In 2018, crops from the farm earned $16,000 from sales to supermarkets and other local vendors. Focus is also placed on the cultiva- tion of creative talents, and over the course of the last year, male and female in- mates submitted 150 pieces of art and craft work to three different shows, according to the press release. Deputy Director of Re- habilitation Aduke Joseph- Caesar said that the overall goal of vocational training is to reduce inmates’ risk of re- cidivating by teaching them marketable skills they can use to find and retain em- ployment following release from prison. “This type of hands-on training can make a huge im- pact as it enables inmates to participate in apprentice- ship programmes and con- nect with prospective em- ployers, giving them access to jobs that provide reasonable salaries that help to stabilise their lives after release,” she said. “In addition, some voca- tional training programmes include opportunities to put in man-hours which count towards industry-recognised credentials and certificates.” The vocational training augments more traditional academic courses. Last year, more than 100 inmates com- pleted online courses, five passed the Caribbean Ex- aminations Certificate Exam, three completed tertiary ed- ucation degrees in areas ranging from theology to continuing education, while three enrolled in higher learning. An additional 25 in- mates completed university and college level certificates. To facilitate the planned growth in training oppor- tunities for inmates, the Prison Service is looking to expand on the number of community partnerships in which it engages, Home Af- fairs Minister Tara Rivers said in the release. “The more public and pri- vate sector partnerships can be developed, the greater the ability to assist inmates with the transition from prison back into the com- munity as fully contributing citizens. The Government is extremely grateful to those who have partnered with the Prison Service, and we look forward to expanding this network so that together we can reduce reoffending and the strain that it places on the criminal justice system, families and the commu- nity,” she said. Public and private organisations interested in partnering with the prison service to support expanded training and work experience opportunities for inmates can contact Prison Director Barrett at steven.barrett@gov.ky. “ This type of hands-on training can make a huge impact as it enables inmates to participate in apprenticeship programmes and connect with prospective employers, giving them access to jobs that provide reasonable salaries that help to stabilise their lives after release.” ADUKE JOSEPH-CAESAR, deputy director of rehabilitation Prisoners at Northward will have access to more vocational programmes from next month. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Cayman’s prison ser- vice is expanding vocational training for inmates to help rehabilitate the prisoners. According to the Her Maj- esty’s Cayman Islands Prison Service Director Steven Bar- rett, Northward Prison’s re- habilitation unit will increase its catalogue of courses to include new workshops, in- cluding plumbing, electrical training, auto repairs and ap- pliance repairs. “We are keen to ensure that these work opportunities are integrated with our edu- cation portfolio,” he said. “It is less about the nature of the work, although that is impor- tant, but it is more about the competencies that will be de- veloped for those who partic- ipate in these programmes; competencies that will be in- dustry transferrable.” Training will be provided by prison officers who are trained and certified to de- liver the vocational courses, in conjunction with the Uni- versity College of the Cayman Islands using City & Guilds and the Institute of the Motor Industry curriculum and cer- tification, according to the prison service. The full suite of pro- grammes is scheduled to begin next month and run on a six-month cyclical basis. In- mates will complete all of the core competencies, such as basic math and English for the workplace, employability skills training, life skills, in- terpersonal skills, emotional intelligence, as well as the programmes which they are assessed to need as per psy- chological assessments, the Prison Service stated. The prison already runs a woodwork shop, an ag- ricultural project and the ‘Fresh Start’ construction in- dustry training programme. The Fresh Start programme, in which 14 inmates are cur- rently enrolled, is run in col- laboration with private sector partners Phoenix, Clan Con- struction and Encompass. In 2018, 16 inmates en- rolled in the Fresh Start reha- bilitation programme, four of whom participated in the Re- lease on Temporary License programme, which allowed them to be released into the community with certain re- strictions once they secured employment with one of the Fresh Start companies. The woodwork shop pro- ject trains inmates in health and safety, hand and power tool operations and the con- struction of items such as picnic tables, garbage can holders, park benches and swings. The prison service is 3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY MAY 6, 2019 5% low mortgage rate* Get pre-qualified on the spot. Valid photo ID † All you need is a Come in and chat with us or learn more on ky.scotiabank.com ® I put Scotiabank to work and got † Conditions Apply. Acceptable forms of ID include driver’s permit, national ID or passport. ®Registered trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia, used under license. OR up to US$5,000 Money Back What does this mean for you? Mortgage Amount ($) KY$300,000 Money Back (%) 3% Money Back ($) KY$$9,000 Rival carnivals to merge in 2020 Seniors’ music session strikes right note Next year, instead of two separate carnivals staged a couple of weeks apart, the Batabano and CayMAS pa- rades will be held on the same day, the government an- nounced on Friday. The twin parades, sched- uled for the second weekend of May, will follow the same path. Batabano, as the longer established street party, will lead off, and then CayMAS will follow the same parade route, according to a govern- ment statement. Once they reach the final destination, the parades will branch off into separate parties. Before 2016, there had been just one street carnival, but Batabano and Swanky (CayMAS) split, leading to separate parades being held. The Batabano parade was held on Saturday, May 4, this year, and the CayMAS parade will be on Saturday, May 18. The planned merging of the two parades is the product of a working group led by the Ministry of Cul- ture and including repre- sentatives from the Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Tourism, according to the government statement. Government and stake- holders began discussions in 2018 and planned a reso- lution designed to address public concerns following the 2016 split between the two carnival groups. Government said it had fielded complaints regarding the separation of carni- vals, and Seven Mile Beach vendors and hotels pro- tested disruptions to busi- ness caused by road clo- sures to accommodate the two parades. Minister of Commerce Joey Hew tasked a team that included George Town Man- ager Colin Lumdsen and a National Roads Authority staffer to help finalise the new route, which they expect to cause the least disrup- tion to traffic flow and min- imise inconvenience to local businesses. Deputy Premier and Min- ister for Tourism Moses Kirk- connell said he believes that the new approach will help optimise the experience for locals and visitors on Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac. The Cayman National Cul- ture Foundation, which is run under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture, will be responsible for administering all public sector contribu- tions and grants for the car- nivals in 2020. Government will contribute to both festi- vals through annual grants and purchase agreements. Music is on the menu at Cayman’s elderly residen- tial homes after the Depart- ment of Children and Family Services joined forces re- cently with local musicians to launch a music therapy initiative. Residents at the Golden Age Home in West Bay en- joyed a live music session Thursday last week as part of the new DCFS and Cayman Music and Entertainment As- sociation project. The per- formance was the first in a planned series of regular events and singalongs at sev- eral of DCFS’s residential homes, according to the de- partment’s Director Paulinda Mendoza-Williams. Musician and producer Stuart Wilson on acoustic guitar and Ellon Ebanks Jr. on electric guitar sang a medley of self-penned bal- lads and well-known hymns, accompanied by Robert Ebanks on the bongo drums. Encouraged to join in, sev- eral of the home’s residents and staff sang and clapped in time to the songs. “The Association has agreed to provide music therapy to the residents of our facilities. We instinc- tively know that music soothes the soul and brings joy. Now increasing clin- ical evidence shows that music therapy can also re- duce stress and anxiety and enhance emotional, physical and cognitive health. The de- partment expects this to be a long and mutually ben- eficial relationship with CMEA members,” Mendoza- Williams said. The music association’s president, Jeán-Eric Smith, attended Thursday’s event with the Ministry of Com- munity Affairs Chief Officer Teresa Echenique, and the DCFS director. Smith said his associa- tion was keen to see the vol- unteer music therapy pro- gramme rolled out across the Cayman Islands. “CMEA is a non-profit or- ganisation and part of our remit is to provide social out- reach of this kind. All mem- bers are required to perform at least one charitable event a year, so we are pleased that we can fulfil that obligation of giving back to our commu- nity by working closely with the DCFS,” he said. Before 2016, there had been just one street carnival, but Batabano and Swanky (CayMAS) split, leading to separate parades being held. Musician and producer Stuart Wilson on acoustic guitar and Ellon Ebanks Jr. on electric guitar sang a medley of self-penned ballads and well-known hymns. Musicians Stuart Wilson, left, and Ellon Ebanks Jr., second from left, entertain the residents of Golden Age Home in West Bay last week.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” JARED BERNSTEIN There’s an interesting ten- sion in the current economic debate over the underlying growth rate. Most economists believe that, absent the tempo- rary stimulus from hundreds of billions in deficit-financed tax cuts and spending, often derided as a “sugar high”, the gross domestic product would be closer to 2 percent rather than the 3.2 percent by which it rose in the first quarter. Sometime later this year, as the fiscal stimulus fades, we’d expect growth to decelerate. But President Donald Trump and his economics team claim that their “supply side” tax cut is working as planned. Their view is that by cutting taxes on corpora- tions and the wealthy who make up the investor class, they’ve freed up more cap- ital for business investment, boosting productivity growth. That’s not a sugar high, they argue. It’s a far more nutri- tious diet leading to lasting economic improvement. A recent Wall Street Journal story reported that Trump may have more of a case than many econo- mists believe: “ … signs are emerging that the supply side of the economy – the workers and the tools and machines they use to produce goods and services – is becoming energized, improving the chances that faster growth can be sustained.” A close examination of the data, though, shows why most experts remain scep- tical. There’s still no reliably faster growth in productivity, nor is there significantly greater capital investment. It’s true – and good news! – that Thursday morning’s data release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the productivity growth rate over the past year at a robust 2.4%, the strongest growth rate since 2010, when GDP was finally growing out of the Great Recession but hours worked were still weak. But productivity growth is so jumpy that it takes much more than a few good quarters to establish a new trend. Most economists insist on at least a five-year moving average to tease out the underlying trend, but to give the recent values more weight, I’ve used a three- year average. Even so, there’s just not much to see yet. The lack of a surge capital investment is an even bigger problem for supply siders. And it’s a surprise, given the corporate tax cuts (which include immediate, full ex- pensing of new equipment), low interest rates and high corporate profitability. I and others have made the point that business investment is trundling along as usual, with no evidence of any supply side acceleration. But net investment is actually historically quite low at this stage of the expansion. That measure nets out deprecia- tion, so it’s a more accurate take on the equipment avail- able to produce new output. So, if there’s little reason to believe the productivity growth is accelerating, at least for now, that leaves us with a sugar high, meaning slower growth ahead. That is probably right; it’s certainly my forecast. But there’s an interesting alter- native that’s worth looking out for in future data: There’s a way in which the sugar high itself can lift the econ- omy’s labour force and pro- ductivity growth. If the tem- porary stimulus pulls more people into the workforce who would otherwise have stayed on the sidelines, and they stay there even after the stimulus fades, the faster labor force growth will raise output growth. Similarly, if persistently low unemployment leads to higher labour costs, em- ployers seeking to maintain their profit margins might try to squeeze out production in- efficiencies that did not hurt them when slack labor mar- kets depressed labor costs. They may try to find ways to better use existing capital or give their workforce more training. As economist Josh Bivens argues, with evidence, they may increase capital in- vestment. That is not yet in the investment data, but any of these channels have the potential to boost trend pro- ductivity growth. If this fortuitous sce- nario does occur, it raises a challenging question: Was it caused by the tax cuts or the longer-term effects of tempo- rary stimulus? Luckily, that is not hard to answer. If the dominant force behind im- provements in labour supply and productivity is tighter labor markets pulling people in and incenting employers to discover efficiency gains, it’s a demand-side phenomenon, not a supply side one. Trump still gets credit for stimulating an economy that most economists wrongly thought was already at full employment, though the structure of his tax cuts was wasteful. Rather than tax cuts and loopholes for the wealthy, productive infra- structure and resources for income-constrained house- holds would have been a lot better for both the economy and the people in it. But no matter what hap- pens to future growth rates, deficit-financed stimulus has taught economists an impor- tant lesson: The unemploy- ment rate can fall a lot fur- ther than most economists thought without triggering faster inflation. That is al- ready providing important benefits to those who depend on tighter labour markets for a bit of the bargaining clout they have long lacked. Jared Bernstein, a former chief economist to Vice President Joe Biden, is a senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. © 2019, Special to The Washington Post. MONDAY MAY 6, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS There was good news and bad news in the annual crime statistics released last week by the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service. Most notable, perhaps, being the sizable drop in burglaries reported in 2018 – down to 324 from 510 the previous year – repre- senting an 18-year low. As the Compass reported last week, Bodden Towners saw the biggest year-over-year improvement. There were only 67 break-ins in that district in 2018, compared with 157 the previous year. Road safety statistics were also somewhat rosier, if still abysmal. Certainly, it helped that the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service traffic unit was back on patrol last year, enforcing traffic laws. RCIPS officers issued 2,128 speeding tickets in 2018 – more than triple the number of tickets issued in 2017. They booked 328 people for driving under the influence, up from 253 the previous year. There were 14% fewer collisions on our roadways in 2018 than in 2017. Even so, the 2,353 traffic accidents – more than six per day – are far too many for our tiny islands. Eight people lost their lives and 35 others were seriously injured in roadway accidents last year, each tragic instance inflicting incalculable loss and grief. Concerningly, the year-over-year comparisons show a slight increase in the number of crimes against people. There were four murders last year, compared to two in 2017, and nine attempted murders in 2018, compared to four the previous year. Assaults and robberies both increased (from 379 to 448 and 30 to 40, respectively). But it is important not to read too much into these annual statistics. For all the interesting insights that can be gleaned through year-over-year comparisons, not everything of value can be measured in numbers. Comparisons themselves can mislead. Take Cayman’s murder rate, which, strictly speaking, doubled over the period in question, from two to four. That does not mean Cayman is half as safe. The sharp increase in reports of domestic violence (up to 2,210 from fewer than 1,000) and child safety issues (747 from 491) could be at least partially due to a lower tolerance for domestic violence in our com - munity and an increased awareness and willingness to report abuse. Indeed, in all these ‘ups and downs’, it is important to remember that our islands remain overwhelmingly safe by every measure. Police logged a total of 3,453 crimes in 2018 – a decrease of 3% on the previous year. Only about one-third of those were ‘serious crimes’. As Police Commissioner Derek Byrne said, “We would obviously prefer if we had no crime, but the figures are manageable in terms of the jurisdiction we are in.” Our minds are drawn to annual statistics because we want to know how things are going. But our com- munity’s safety comes down to very human factors. Neighbours keeping a watchful eye for suspicious activity, tipsters sharing valuable information, police apprehending and courts convicting a few dozen ‘frequent flyers’ – these are the ways we can work together to keep our islands safe. Public safety: Making sense of crime statistics What to make of US economic growth The unemployment rate can fall a lot further than most economists thought without triggering faster inflation. 5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY MAY 6, 2019 Join us for our Mother’s Day Brunch Sunday May 12th for reservations either email: info@guyharveys.ky or phone: 946 9000 www.guyharveys.ky Business owner charged with unlawful gaming Seven men, three women in court for lottery offences CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The owner of a retail store in George Town ap- peared in Summary Court last Tuesday charged with unlawful gaming. Dwight Troy Chambers, being the owner or oc- cupier of the store, is ac- cused of using the busi- ness as a common gaming house. The store sells wom- en’s apparel, electronics and appliances. The al- leged offence occurred be- tween March 14, 2017 and May 5, 2018. The matter first came to court in November. At a separate prem- ises but during the same time frame, Chambers and three other people are charged with posses- sion of criminal property – $8,357.65. The other defend- ants are Reuben Audwyn Smith, Nicole Falon Bailey and Trisha Espinal Guer- rero. These three are fur- ther charged with assisting in the carrying on of a public lottery. Smith is also charged with possession of lottery tickets on May 10, 2018. He has pleaded not guilty and was directed to return to court on May 15. A number of other il- legal gambling cases were before the court the same day. Patrick Anthony Comrie was charged with using a George Town premises as a common gaming house on Oct. 13, 2018, selling lot- tery tickets and posses- sion of criminal property – CI$2,977 and US$353. Devon Everton Cham- bers, who was not present, faced the same charges at the same premises on the same date. The amount of criminal property al- leged in his case was CI$5,249.70. Tieshia Davis was charged with using a George Town premises as a common gaming house, selling lottery tickets and possession of criminal property – $354. The of- fences allegedly occurred on Oct. 13, 2018. Three men, described by Magistrate Adam Rob- erts as “minor players”, pleaded guilty to taking part in a public lottery. Ken- neth Lloyd Murdock, Gaunt- lett Everton Sawyers and Errol Clive Simms admitted buying one or more lot- tery tickets. One of them called the matter a simple mistake. He said he already had the tickets on him when he en- tered the building where he was arrested. He was told to return to court on May 23. The other two men were fined $200 each and given one month to pay. Crown counsel Ken- neth Ferguson provided background to some of the charges. The return date for most of the defendants was either May 15 or May 23. Chambers and three other people are charged with possession of criminal property – $8,357.65. Workers install 75-foot glass-bottom pool ALVARO SEREY aserey@pinnaclemedialtd.com A 75-foot-long glass- bottom swimming pool was swinging in the air high above South Church Street in George Town Saturday morning. Construction workers at the FIN development used two cranes to move the pool from a trailer on the ground into position on the third floor of the site, where it will extend out from the building on the sea side. Nadege Parent, FIN’s sales and marketing manager, was on hand to watch the 12,000-pound, cantilever pool being manoeuvred into place. “It’s a very special pool, one of the first in the Cayman Islands …. It has a glass bottom. When people are in the gym on the second floor, they can see people swim- ming above,” she said. The pool, which will jut out 7 to 8 feet from the building, “will overlook the water, George Town and Seven Mile Beach”, Parent said. “What is special about the space is the walls and ceiling will be covered in blue glass that will be backlit so at night we will be able to see from the road and the sea the pool glowing,” she said. She said that 90% of the development, which has 36 oceanside residences, had already been sold. FIN is scheduled to be completed early next year. Construction workers at the FIN development used two cranes to move the pool from a trailer on the ground into position on the third floor of the site, where it will extend out from the building. 6 new security staff at airport The Cayman Islands Air- ports Authority has hired six new airport security staff at the Owen Roberts Interna- tional Airport. The CIAA recruited Cay- manians Barrington Ol- iver, Randy Ebanks, Jar- hett Watler, Richard Seymour, Andy Rives and Chevar Taylor on April 15, the authority stated in a press release. “After passing a final exam, the new recruits completed two weeks of on-the-job training where they carried out their duties in safeguarding civil aviation operations within the Cayman Islands against unlawful inter- ference,” the CIAA said in the release. Back row, from left, Aviation Security Training Supervisor Delia Roper, with airport security recruits Barrington Oliver, Randy Ebanks, Jarhett Watler, Richard Seymour and instructor Owen Bailey. Front row from left, recruits Andy Rives and Chevar Taylor. Workers on the ground watch as the glass-bottom pool is lifted into the air by cranes at the FIN construction site on South Church Street on Saturday morning. - PHOTO: ALVARO SEREYThe islands’ most-trusted news source 6 MONDAY MAY 6, 2019 CAYMAN COMPASS Even the green iguanas got in on the action. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Masqueraders’ costumes ranged from the spiky and spectacular to the gem-laden and glamorous. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Paraders walked, danced and posed from Seven Mile Public Beach to the harbourfront in downtown George Town. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY A parader looks all set to take flight. - PHOTO: HAMISH HAMILTON There was no shortage of wings at Saturday’s Batabano parade. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY West Bay Road was awash in feathered and glittering outfits for the annual Batabano Carnival parade. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Governor Martyn Roper greeted Batabano paraders outside Government House. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAYThe islands’ most-trusted news source 7 spoke about their preparations for the event. Teri Bilewitch, Katie Schwandt and Sarah Caswell, radiant in white feathers, said that they had participated in Batabano multiple times but actually made their costumes for the first time this year. That process took around five hours, and they were prepared for the long day in stifling heat. “We’re looking forward to it,” said Bilewitch of the arduous walk up West Bay Road. “You know, we’ve all got insoles and comfortable shoes, so we’re fine. This isn’t our first rodeo.” “We had a couple rookies come by and ask if they should wear high heels,” said Schwandt. “We were like, ‘No!’ When you actually know what you’re doing, you know how to get through the day.” Caswell, in fact, took the prepa- ration to a whole new level. “I even sewed a pocket in my boot,” she said. “My phone, my keys, my money are all sewn into my boot. We’re good.” The Batabano celebration began on Thursday night with the Le Masque dinner ball at Pedro St. James. And while that event did not fea- ture any of the earth-shattering bass notes that mark the parade bands, it was nevertheless lively, with a combination of DJ-produced and live music during an evening where masked revellers in evening dress drank and danced. Paris-based vio- linist Mapy was the highlight of the evening, taking the stage just after 10pm to play a set of soca and Afro- beat infused music. Also featured on the bill was Gi- netta M. of the New York band Ginet- ta’s Vendetta, who moved the dancers with upbeat jazz work, playing the pocket trumpet and singing. Harbour Drive featured the Outta De Blue dance party Friday night, with headliners Iwer George, also known as The Water Lord, from Trin- idad and Tobago, and Barbados’ Marzville (The Wining Sensation.) After Saturday’s parade, there was the Last Lap party and food fes- tival on Cardinall Avenue, which al- lowed revellers to keep the party going deep into the night. It was a long day, and people began to set up shop alongside the side of West Bay Road around 12:30pm on Saturday, a half-hour be- fore the proceedings began. A healthy crowd lined up in front of Governors Beach in front of the Bella Luna bev- erage truck, which sold smoothies to the thirsty spectators. One couple, Jason and Helen Jones, were excited to witness their first Batabano. “Colours,” said Jones when asked what he was most looking forward to. “We missed it last year because I had to do First Aid training. We went to CayMas, but I’ve heard that this one is even bigger.” Additional reporting for this story was provided by Compass re- porter Mark Muckenfuss. CAYMAN COMPASS MONDAY MAY 6, 2019 EDITION BOOKING DEADLINE Monday May 20th NO PUBLICATION Tuesday May 21st Thursday May 16th Wednesday May 22nd Thursday May 16th Thursday May 23rd Friday May 17th Friday May 24th Tuesday May 21st DISCOVERY DAYDISCOVERY DAYDISCOVERY DAY Celebrate the long weekend OVER May 20th (345) 949-5111 • sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Please be advised there will be no newspaper on Monday, May 20th, Discovery Day. OUR OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED ON MONDAY PUBLICATION DEADLINES: Pirate couple celebrates Batabano SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com How do you top getting married at Pirates Week? By cheering on the passing parade at Batabano. Ben and Sharon Jones, who became local celebrities for celebrating their nuptials during Pirates Week, opted to be quiet spec- tators at Saturday’s spectacle of Batabano. The happy couple watched the floats progress down West Bay Road from a comfortable perch in front of Governors Beach. Sharon Jones was ‘abducted’ from her wed- ding party by Cayman’s pirates and marched through the streets. Ben Jones said at the time that his wife hadn’t been in on the plan, and he said Saturday that it was a pretty unique wedding to remember. “Oh man, it was unreal. It was so cool,” said Jones. “For every person we might have seen from the ship, there were five that saw us. It was definitely memorable. We got like 30 copies of the newspaper, far more than we needed. They’re stacked at home in Vancouver. It was a once-in-a-lifetime thing.” For the first few months after the wed- ding, the married couple lived apart and kept in touch through Facebook and video calls. Sharon came back to Cayman for a week around Valentine’s Day, and Ben went back to Vancouver around Easter to help her pack up and move to Cayman for good. Now, Sharon is settled into her new life and searching for a job here in property man- agement. The couple were not sure how to cel- ebrate Batabano but were thrilled to be out of the spotlight Saturday. “I stumbled upon Batabano last year, but I wasn’t prepared for it,” he said. “This year, Sharon wanted to get all dolled up for it, but I thought we’d just watch from the side for this one. We thought about getting involved and walking behind a float, but it might have been too far to walk in the blazing heat.” Ben and Sharon Jones with ‘Jack Sparrow’ at last year’s Pirates Week parade. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Ben and Sharon Jones opted to cheer on the passing parade at their first Batabano as a married couple. – PHOTO: SPENCER FORDIN Batabano delivers carnival flair TWO STABBED AFTER CARNIVAL PARADE Two men were stabbed near the George Town li- brary Saturday night as rev- ellers were leaving the Bata- bano parade. Two other men were arrested in relation to the incident and remained in police custody Sunday. Police said the stabbings were believed to have taken place on Edward Street just after 7:40pm. One of the in- jured men was taken to a hospital by the Emergency Medical Services and the other turned up at George Town Police Station, where a second ambulance dis- patched him to a hospital. Both men sustained non- life-threatening injuries and were reported to be in stable condition Sunday. One of the arrested men is a 52-year-old resi- dent of Bodden Town who turned himself into police at George Town Police Station. A 22-year-old George Town man was also arrested. Police are appealing for witnesses to come forward. Anyone with information can call George Town Police Station at 949-4222 or call the RCIPS Confidential Tip Line at 949-7777 or online at www.rcips.ky. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Flying the Cayman colours. - PHOTO: HAMISH HAMILTON Bejewelled headpieces were the order of the day. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAYThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 the plan has not yet been revealed. A Dart spokeswoman confirmed, “Dart is leasing a portion of its property at Barefoot Beach to [a] third party tenant, con- sisting in part of the NCB Group, for a planned max- imum of 10 years. The tenant will be respon- sible for the construction and management of the planned development.” Dart said in a state- ment that it had been ap- proached by the third party tenant to lease the site for the construc- tion of 89 low-rise en- vironmentally friendly cottages. It said, “The boutique resort will enable low- impact activation of the beach site without signif- icant impact on the nat- ural environment. The pro- posed development aligns with the National Tourism Plan’s strategy to at- tract more visitors to the eastern districts, will ben- efit the cleanliness and safety of the area, and provide new employment opportunities.” A spokesman for NCB said the developer and its partner would comment on the project once it had been through the planning approval process. The Barefoot Beach property was the site of a previous plan for a 114-room luxury resort and spa. Mandarin Ori- ental announced in 2005 that it would manage the exclusive resort, also fea- turing 37 condominiums, but the plans were aban- doned in the wake of the global financial crisis. MONDAY MAY 6, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Judge sets Grand Court trial dates CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Justice Marlene Carter presided in Grand Court on Friday, when she set trial dates for several de - fendants who have pleaded not guilty to the various charges against them. A man charged with at- tempted murder and cru- elty to a child had his trial confirmed for Aug. 5. He is not being named at this time in order to pro- tect the identity of victim. The charges did not specify the child’s age, gender or relationship, if any, to the defendant. He was arrested after an incident in Bodden Town on Nov. 21, 2018 in which a child was allegedly being buried in sand. Emer- gency services personnel responded to a report and the child was taken to hos- pital for treatment. The defendant was rep- resented by attorney Ol- iver Grimwood. A charge of attempted robbery was scheduled for trial on Wednesday, July 3. The defendant, J’Dante Mark Ramoon, is accused of attempting to rob a George Town mini-mart on Feb. 18. When he first appeared in court he faced a second charge of possessing an imi- tation firearm with intent to commit an offence. Defence attorney Rupert Wheeler successfully argued against that charge and it was dis- missed last month. Ra- moon’s trial is therefore for attempted robbery alone. A matter involving three defendants was set for trial on Sept. 23 for charges of wounding with intent to cause se- rious bodily harm. They are Corey Shamar Pusey, repre- sented by attorney Prathna Bodden; Kurt Stevenson Carter, not yet represented; and Ivon Somoza Bush, whose attorney was Jona- thon Hughes. The three are jointly charged with wounding a man and a woman on Mary Street on March 16 this year. Pusey and Bush entered their not guilty plea on Friday. Carter was not present. Elvert Mark McFarlane was charged with threat- ening to kill a woman on Nov. 8, 2018 in East End. In connection with the same incident he was also charged with common as- sault. His trial was set for July 15. Defence attorney was Rupert Wheeler. A man charged with four counts of rape and three counts of indecent assault pleaded not guilty on Friday and had his trial set for Aug. 5. He is not being named at this time in order to protect the iden- tity of the complainant/ victim. The charges arose from incidents alleged to have occurred over a two- month period in 2018. The defendant was rep- resented by attorney Amelia Fosuhene. Four men charged with conspiracy to import ganja pleaded not guilty on Friday and their trial was set for later this year, date to be confirmed. They are Deno Kalifa Ennis, Barton Elsworth Rivers, Jonathan Ashley Moore and Nickar- thur Romane Sanderson. Details are that they con- spired together and with others to import ganja on or before June 23, 2018. The charge did not specify the amount of ganja alleged, but when two of the men first ap- peared in court the weight was estimated at around 250 pounds. The June date is when the ganja was said to have been brought ashore in East End. A road death charge was to have been mentioned on Friday, but it was adjourned until Friday, May 17. Wil- fred Ellington Myles is ac- cused of being the driver of the vehicle that struck cyclist Ignacio ‘Nacho’ Kir- zner on Monday, April 15, on North Church Street. The majority of other matters mentioned per- tained to robbery or burglary. 10% 2% 62% 26% Maladministration (59) Police complaints (143) Whistleblower (5) Freedom of Information (23) 230 cases received in 2018 13% 3% 49% 35% Maladministration (55) Police complaints (76) Whistleblower (4) Freedom of Information (20) 155 cases closed in 2018 Cases brought to Ombudsman in 2018 71% 29% Maladministration (5) Freedom of Information (12) 17 cases carried to 2018 from previous years Maladministration (9) Whistleblower (1) Police complaints (67) Freedom of Information (15) 16% 1% 73% 10% 92 cases carried over to 2019 Ombudsman cases carried over to following years The Ombudsman also opened five whistleblower cases, and answered 229 inquiries about freedom of information (87), data protection (65) and malad- ministration (58), among other topics. Review of RCIPS Taser policy The Ombudsman recom- mended the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service assess its Taser policies and training programmes, following an incident in February 2018, when a police officer acci- dently discharged the device during a school demonstra- tion and struck a student. Tasers are weapons that stun by emitting two barbed probes, delivering an electric charge and typically incapac- itating the recipient. In this case, the child re- ceived minor injuries that did not require hospital treat- ment. A doctor attending the career day presentation was able to offer assistance. The officer involved, ac- cording to the Ombudsman’s report, “was unable to account for how a cartridge came to be attached to the Taser and ultimately deployed from the weapon, injuring the child”. An Ombudsman investi- gation found that one of the Tasers provided by the po- lice armoury was capable of discharging, despite a prior check by the armourer. The investigation also found that the ‘unintentional discharge policy’ was not displayed at every armoury, and no policy document was present per- taining to the care and han- dling of weapons. The police Taser policy does not include standards for the use of such weapons during civilian demonstrations. Further, the RCIPS Of- ficer Safety Training Com- mittee was not informed of the incident. “The lack of confidence and the absence of policy or protocols for the use of Tasers in a situation such as this career day was of sig- nificant concern to the Om- budsman,” the report noted. The Ombudsman recom- mended future unintentional discharges be reported to the safety committee and that a post-incident assessment be carried out. RCIPS was given six months to implements these changes. Unreasonable use of force A roadside check in a suspected impaired driving case led to two altercations between officers and the driver of the vehicle, who was repeatedly struck with a baton while in police cus- tody, according to the Om- budsman report. During the traffic stop, the Ombudsman noted, “The ex- change between the officer and the driver became heated after the driver refused to be breathalysed. A struggle ensued. The driver was ar- rested and taken to the po- lice station. “A further altercation took place at the police station be- tween the driver and one of the arresting officers. The in- cident happened in the cus- tody area of the station where the driver was struck repeat- edly with a police baton.” The Ombudsman did not accept the officer’s explana- tion that the use of force was in self-defence. Hermiston concluded that other op- tions had been available, and she recommended discipli- nary action be considered by the police commissioner. The commissioner accepted the recommendations, according to the Ombudsman report. Police pursuit resulting in injury The Ombudsman de- cided of her own volition to review a case from 2016, in which a police pursuit of an armed robbery suspect con- cluded in a collision between one of the police vehicles and the rear wheel of the suspect’s motorcycle. “The rider was knocked from the bike and incurred serious but non-life-threat- ening injuries,” the Ombuds- man’s report noted. Before the collision, the motorcyclist had ignored police directions to stop and officers began to pursue the masked rider by car and helicopter. “The motorcyclist drove at high speed, overtaking ve- hicles and often travelling on the wrong side of the road into oncoming traffic,” the Ombudsman wrote, noting that the dangerous driving continued for miles. Following her inves- tigation, Hermiston con- cluded that police had not breached the law. “She did, however, identify deficiencies in RCIPS poli- cies, procedures, training and equipment relating to police pursuits and made recom- mendations regarding cor- rective action,” the Ombuds- man’s report said. Hermiston wrote that the police commissioner had ac- cepted the recommendations and she was awaiting confir- mation that the deficiencies had been addressed. Investigation of dog fatality A pre-planned police op- eration to recover unlicensed firearms in May 2018 resulted in the death of a pet dog. While a trained customs dog handler was on site during the operation, officers found themselves confronted by an aggressive dog that they were unable to avoid, the Ombudsman’s report said. One officer attempted to retreat from the animal, “however, the dog continued to charge the officer. A single shot was discharged at the dog”, the report stated. An animal welfare officer took the dog to a veterinary hospital, where it was deter- mined the injuries were too extensive and the dog was euthanised. The dog suffered a single shot to the neck area. The Ombudsman’s inves- tigation into the incident concluded, “Officers were acting lawfully in the ex- ecution of the search war- rant and that the discharge of a single shot was a meas- ured response to the level of threat posed to the police.” To find the full Ombudsman Year in Review 2018, visit www.ombudsman.ky. Ombudsman: 143 cases of police complaints filed in 2018 SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE OMBUDSMAN Eco-resort planned for East End’s Barefoot Beach Developers have applied for planning permission to create an eco-resort consisting of 89 cottages at Barefoot Beach in East End, which was bought by the Dart group in 2015. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY MAY 6, 2019 Panel: WikiLeaks founder’s sentence excessive A panel of legal experts affiliated with the United Nations has criticised the 50-week sentence a British judge imposed on WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange for jumping bail. The British government rejected the panel’s conclusions. No casualties as plane carrying US military crashes into river Let’s make a Brexit deal, UK, PM May tells Labour opposition LONDON (AP) – Britain’s Conservative government and opposition Labour Party have a duty to strike a com- promise Brexit agreement to end months of political deadlock over Britain’s exit from the European Union, Prime Minister Theresa May said Sunday. Writing in the Mail on Sunday newspaper, May told Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn: “Let’s do a deal.” The prospect of a cross- party compromise has alarmed many Conservatives, however, and even May said it was “not what I wanted, either”. “But we have to find a way to break the deadlock – and I believe the results of the local elections give fresh ur- gency to this,” she wrote. The Conservatives are desperate to move forward after losing hundreds of posi- tions in last week’s local au- thority elections. Labour also suffered losses as voters pun- ished both main parties for the Brexit impasse. Almost three years after Britain voted to leave the EU, the date and terms of Brexit remain uncertain. The UK’s departure date has been postponed from March 29 until Oct. 31 because May has been unable to get British lawmakers to approve her divorce deal with the EU. But suggestions that May’s government might make a deal that accepts Labour’s demand for close economic ties with the EU have infuriated pro-Brexit Conservatives, who are de- manding May’s resignation. “We have to make a change,” former Conserva- tive leader Iain Duncan Smith told LBC radio. “The message was loud and clear that, since March 29, people have de- cided they are absolutely fu- rious with the political class.” Labour Party politicians are wary about making a deal that could be seen as helping the archrival Con- servatives deliver Brexit. Many party members and lawmakers want Labour to support a new, second refer- endum on Britain’s EU mem- bership that could reverse voters’ 2016 decision to leave. They point to big gains in the local elections for the anti-Brexit Liberal Democrats and Greens parties as evi- dence the public would wel- come a second referendum. Labour economy spokesman John McDonnell said Sunday that the party would try to “come to an agreement if we can” with the Conservatives. But he said Labour would only agree to a Brexit deal that included a permanent customs union with the EU to avoid barriers to trade. The government wants a looser relationship with the bloc that would let Britain strike new trade deals around the world. McDonnell also said the Conservative Party’s leader- ship machinations have made negotiations difficult. “We’re dealing with a very unstable government,” Mc- Donnell told the BBC. “It’s [like] trying to enter into a contract with a company that’s going into administra- tion and the people who are going to take over are not willing to fulfill that contract. We can’t negotiate like that.” JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) – A military-chartered jet car- rying 143 people landed hard, then bounced and swerved as the pilot struggled to con- trol it amid thunder and lightning, ultimately skid- ding off the runway and coming to a crashing halt in a river at Naval Air Station Jacksonville. It meant chaos and terror for passengers in the Boeing 737 as the plane jolted back and forth and oxygen masks deployed, then overhead bins opened, sending contents spilling out. But authorities said all the people on board emerged without critical injuries Friday night, lining up on the wings as they waited to be rescued. Only a 3-month-old baby was hospitalised, and that was done out of an abundance of caution, officials said. “I think it is a miracle,” said Capt. Michael Connor, the base’s commanding officer, hours after the plane landed. “We could be talking about a different story this evening.” The National Transporta- tion Safety Board sent a team of investigators Saturday to the crash site in the St. Johns River in north Florida, where the aircraft was still partially submerged in shallow water and its nose cone was sliced off, apparently from the im- pact. Two pet cats and a dog were still on the plane as well, and their status was not immediately clear. Rescuers looked in the cargo area after the plane ended up in the river but saw no crates and heard no an- imal noises. When they re- turned later, they did not see any pet carriers above water, Connor said. Members of the 16-person NTSB team recovered the plane’s flight data re- corder Saturday. Investigators will examine the aircraft, the environment and human factors in trying to discover why the plane rolled into the river. The pavement on the runway was not grooved, and Landsberg said grooves can help the water flow off the pavement more quickly. He said inves- tigators will examine what role that may have, with re- ported heavy rain during the landing. The flight took off Friday from Naval Station Guanta- namo Bay, Cuba, with 136 passengers and seven crew- members. It was a regular charter run by Miami Air In- ternational, which has many military contracts, including weekly flights between Guan- tanamo Bay and the Jack- sonville air station as well as Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. The company did not immediately respond to messages from The Asso- ciated Press. The aircraft had no prior history of accidents, said NTSB vice chairman Bruce Landsberg. Among those on board was Cheryl Bormann, a de- fence attorney, who described the chaotic landing. The plane “literally hit the ground and then it bounced. It was clear that the pilot did not have complete control of the plane because it bounced some more, it swerved and tilted left and right,” she told CNN. “The pilot was trying to control it but couldn’t, and then all of a sudden it smashed into something.” Bormann said people were not screaming because the flight staff worked quickly to give direction. Everyone on board helped one another to put on their life vests and then evacuated to safety. A veteran death penalty attorney from Chicago, Bor- mann has been defending Walid bin Attash, who is charged with helping to train some of the 9/11 hijackers. The US holds 40 men at the detention centre at Guanta- namo Bay. It has been pros- ecuting some of them by mil- itary commissions, including five charged with planning and aiding the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Their cases have been in the pretrial stage since May 2012 and no trial has been scheduled. Authorities say everyone on board the flight was alive and accounted for, but nearly two dozen people sought medical attention. The passengers were a mix of military personnel and families, and a few civilians. While some were staying in the area, others planned to fly on to other parts of the country, Connor said. It was not immediately clear what went wrong. Boeing said in a tweet Friday night that it was in- vestigating: “We are aware of an incident in Jackson- ville, Fla., and are gathering information.” Connor said he did not know what impact the weather had on the flight. “I was at home when this happened and there were thunderstorms and light- ning,” he said. Investigators will examine the aircraft, the environment and human factors in trying to discover why the plane rolled into the river. A charter plane carrying 143 people and travelling from Cuba to north Florida sits in a river at the end of a runway Saturday in Jacksonville. – PHOTO: AP Prime Minister Theresa May addresses delegates Friday during the Scottish Conservatives’ annual party conference in Aberdeen. – PHOTO: AP The Conservatives are desperate to move forward after losing hundreds of positions in last week’s local authority elections.Next >