ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – TUESDAY MAY 7, 2019 High of 86 Low of 74 Moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 A WELCOME REUNION OF BATABANO AND CAYMAS CELEBRATIONS WORLD | PAGE 9 HARRY, MEGHAN ‘OVER THE MOON’ ABOUT THEIR HEALTHY BABY BOY Can HIV-positive people obtain work permits? Government tight-lipped on matter Cayman may need another new airport terminal soon UK SEEKS TO OVERHAUL COMPANIES HOUSE RECORD VERIFICATION KEN SILVA ksilva@pinnaclemedialtd.com There has been a long-standing policy in Cayman of denying work permits to people with HIV, but that policy may have changed be- hind closed doors at some point within the last several years. The issue was initially raised in a Public Accounts Committee hearing in January, when PAC Chairman Ezzard Miller asked Health Min- istry Chief Officer Jennifer Ahearn whether government had changed its policy towards granting work permits to the HIV afflicted. Ahearn responded that she believed the policy has indeed changed, but that she would need to check and pro- vide an answer at a later time. Since then, the Cayman Compass has made numerous inquiries about the issue, and has yet to receive a de- finitive answer as to whether govern- ment has a policy on the issuance of work permits to HIV-positive people. The Ministry of Health stated on Monday that it does not recommend for people with HIV be denied work permits, but that the decision is ul- timately made by the Workforce Op- portunities and Residency Cayman (WORC) Department, which does not have a written policy on the matter. Immigration officials did not respond to Compass inquiries. With no explicit policy and multiple questions unanswered, those with HIV remain in limbo as to whether they can come here and work. Cayman AIDS Foundation CEO Noel Cayasso-Smith said he’s JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands may need to build another new airport terminal within the next five to 10 years. The redeveloped Owen Roberts Inter- national Airport was officially opened by Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla in March, but airport bosses are already con- templating further expansion. A 20-year master plan for Cayman Is- lands airports, compiled in 2013, recom- mended immediately upgrading the ex- isting terminal to swiftly address serious overcrowding problems. But it stated that a fully equipped new terminal would be needed by 2032. Since that document was produced, in- creases in arrivals have far outstripped pro- jections, meaning the timeline for the new building may have to be brought forward. Cayman Islands Airports Authority CEO Albert Anderson said the number of passengers passing through the airport each year was now up to 1.4 million, com- pared with fewer than one million when the master plan was produced. “That time frame is crunching quite quickly,” he said. “Our throughput now is certainly much greater than the master plan predicted. That was based on trends at the time. We are at the optimistic level for growth so the trigger for building the new terminal could be much sooner than it would have been.” If the current rate of growth continues, he said, serious discussions on a new MICHAEL KLEIN mklein@pinnaclemedialtd.com The UK is planning to give Companies House more power to check information and the identi- ties of people who set up businesses, following a number of high-profile money laundering and fraud scandals involving UK companies and partnerships. A consultation launched by UK government also aims to give directors more control over their personal information to fight widespread iden- tity theft. Almost 10,000 people have complained that their legitimate details on Companies House, which is the UK’s registrar of companies, had been stolen by fraudsters. Despite the shortcomings, the UK government has in the past described its register as the “gold standard” and pushed the UK Overseas Territories to establish public registers of the owners of compa- nies and other entities similar to Companies House. Last year, UK parliamentarians added a clause to the UK Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act, instructing the government establish these types of public registers in the territories directly through an order in council, if they have not done it themselves by the end of 2021. In the debate over this controversial move and whether the true owners of companies and other vehicles should be public, Cayman Finance, the organisation representing Cayman’s finan- cial services industry, has long claimed that the local system of having financial services providers verify beneficial ownership information was supe- rior to the unverified but publicly available data on company owners in the UK. Business Minister Kelly Tolhurst unveiled a package of reforms to Companies House on May 5 that would make it easier to trace company ownership and management, while offering business owners and businesses greater protection from fraud. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » Grand Cayman’s newly redeveloped Owen Roberts International Airport officially opened in March this year. - PHOTO: STEPHEN CLARKE2 LOCAL NEWS TUESDAY MAY 7, 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: 3:40 VIP I 4:40 I 6:40 VIP 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. - TUESDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) THE INTRUDER (PG13) 1:00 I 3:30 I 7:00 I 9:35 AVENGERS: END GAME (PG13) 1:10 I 2:40 VIP I 5:05 3D I 8:00 I 9:00 BREAKTHROUGH (PG) 12:40 I 3:45 I 9:45 LONG SHOT (R) 1:35 I 4:20 I 7:00 I 9:55 VIP LITTLE (PG13) 1:35 I 4:20 I 7:15 I 10:00 CLASSICS @ THE CINEMA: MOONRAKER (PG) 7:00 VIP Police pilots in Jamaica training exercise Byrne, Scotland in talks with Jamaica Defence Force JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Cayman’s police heli- copter pilots travelled to Ja- maica with the new chopper recently for a training exer- cise flying in the mountains. The terrain training was required as the new heli- copter will be used for dis- aster relief in other jurisdic- tions around the region. “It was a training exer- cise for the two pilots under the flight training captain,” said Police Commissioner Derek Byrne. “This gives them the flight certification to fly terrain and use the naviga- tion equipment in the new helicopter.” The pilots of Cayman’s air support unit are now fully qualified on the new helicopter. Byrne joined the pilots along with Robert Scotland, the commander of the new coastguard, on the trip to Ja- maica, for discussions with the Jamaica Defence Force on greater partnership over drug interdictions. He said there was fre- quent drug traffic between the two countries and there had been several recent ma- rine raids, including one where nearly $1 million of ganja was confiscated after a shoot-out at sea, that had required collaboration with the JDF. He said he was working to formalise that and look for further part- nership opportunities as the Cayman Islands Coastguard is established. “The idea is that we need some kind of bilateral agree- ment for pursuit,” he added. Byrne had faced criticism after an online news report suggested he had used the helicopter for personal travel to a funeral in Jamaica and on a second occasion to pick up an award. He acknowledged that he had visited the funeral of a close family member of one of his RCIPS officers during the trip to Jamaica, but said this was not the purpose of the trip. He said the heli- copter was travelling to Ja- maica for the training ex- ercise, and he and Scotland had gone along for talks with their JDF counterparts. “I wasn’t using it as a taxi,” he said. “It was official business and dealing with a national security issue with the JDF. Yes, we piggybacked onto the flight training ex- ercise that was going on to do that.” He said the second alle- gation that he had used the helicopter to take him to Ja- maica to pick up an award was simply untrue. Byrne said he had trav- elled by Cayman Airways to pick up the 2018 Immigra- tion and Customs Enforce- ment Director’s International Achievement Award from the US Department of Homeland Security at the US Embassy in Kingston, Jamaica on April 28. He produced copies of his tickets to corroborate this. Training captain Tony Stevens, left, walks Cayman Islands police pilot Nigel Pitt through the helicopter’s controls on a recent trip to Jamaica. - PHOTO: RCIPS Former owner of Seaview Hotel dies at 85 JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com Wilson Connell ‘Connie’ Edwards Sr., the former owner of Cayman’s old Seaview Hotel on South Church Street, George Town, has died. The 85-year-old former pilot, Texas oil baron and Cayman resort owner passed away on May 3 in his home- town, according to Edwards’ wife Brenda. Edwards was born April 25, 1934 in Big Spring, Texas. Upon conclusion of schooling in Big Spring and San Angelo, he began his mil- itary service in the Army Na- tional Guard, where he served from 1951-1960. He earned a private pilot’s license in 1951, and commercial and airline ratings soon after, and flew throughout Central America, the Caribbean and the United States during his service. He formed Edwards Petro- leum Company with his late brother, W.P. ‘Budo’ Edwards Jr. in 1954. In 1959, the Ed- wards brothers assumed own- ership and operation of the family farming, ranching and oil and gas leasing operations. He worked as a stunt pilot for the 1969 movie ‘Battle of Britain’, during which he flew Me109s, Spitfires, Hurricanes, Heinkel HE IIIs, Junkers Ju 52s and B-25 planes. During the production in Bedford, England, a Spitfire he was pi- loting had to be belly landed as it had become engulfed in flames and suffered total loss of power. He was able to land the plane with no injuries, an act that earned him a Royal Commendation and hon- orary Royal Air Force wings. He also flew his own TBM Avenger in the films ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’ and ‘Bermuda Triangle’, among others. He accumulated nu- merous awards and commen- dations through his flying career, including honorary wings from the Royal Air Force, Spanish Air Force, Ca- nadian Air Force, Portuguese Air Force and United States Coast Guard. Cayman days Edwards was a regular visitor to Grand Cayman be- fore buying the Seaview Hotel. Brenda Edwards said her husband first arrived in the Cayman Islands in 1953. He purchased the Seaview, lo- cated between Sunset House and Eden Rock, sometime in the 1960s. “Connie was a true char- acter and the likes of him will not pass this way again,” said Cayman friend Chris Johnson. A great raconteur of sto- ries of his plane collection in Austin, Texas, and a very gen- erous man, Edwards would frequently buy his patrons a drink in the hotel bar, re- calls Johnson. Bonnie Briggs recalls him being lots of fun in the 1980s, especially when they were taking trips to the North Sound in his seaplane, which he would anchor off Seaview. “He was always in a good mood, always enjoyed life and helped people like me to enjoy,” she said. Johnson said perhaps the most memorable story he recalls was when Edward wished to bring his seaplane to Cayman. He sought permis- sion from the airport to land, but was referred to the Port Authority, which then referred him back to the airport. Fast becoming tired of this, Edwards flew past the attorney general’s house at English Point before landing outside Seaview. Shortly after he alighted, the phone rang at the hotel enquiring of his wherea- bouts. It was none other than the attorney general who seemed somewhat dis- pleased at being woken up from his nap by the noise, Johnson said. Johnson said Edwards also visited once or twice the air show on West Bay Beach and took young children up in the air as a treat. For decades, the Seaview attracted tourists – divers, in particular – as well as lo- cals who loved to congre- gate at the bar or buffet for good drink, good food, and good times. Built in 1947, the hotel holds dear and blurry mem- ories for many people on this island. However, the Seaview, which was already in need of some upgrading and re- pair, suffered severely during the ravages of Hurricane Ivan in 2004. The hotel was deemed to be damaged be- yond restoration, and the fu- ture of the site was in doubt and remained shuttered for some time. It was later purchased by James Lagan of Carib- bean Property Corporation. The site was transformed into a three-story, 23-unit luxury condominium com- plex now called The Seaview Residences. Edwards is survived by his wife, Brenda; children, Patricia Zane and Nicholas Deak; two daughters by mar- riage, Stephanie Park and Tonya Crenwelge; along with eight grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Happy Days Hu- mane Society of Big Spring, 5710 W. Interstate 20, Big Spring, Texas, 79720, or the American Cancer Society. Funeral services were held Monday. Interment services will be held Tuesday, May 7, at Edwards Ranch Cemetery. Online condolences can be made at www.npwelch.com. Wilson Connell ‘Connie’ Edwards Sr., April 25, 1934-May 3, 2019 MAN CHARGED FOR FIREARM, BURGLARY CONSPIRACY Matter set for mention in Grand Court CAROL WINKER cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Carlos Jameel Bustillo, 21, appeared in Summary Court on Monday, when three charges against him were transmitted to the Grand Court for mention on Friday, May 27. The first charge was con- spiracy to commit burglary. Details are that Bustillo, on April 26, 2019, conspired with another person to unlawfully enter a premises in Grand Cayman as a trespasser with intent to steal. Magistrate Kirsty-Ann Gunn noted that this charge was linked to a shooting on April 26 in George Town, during which a male was shot and seriously injured. Bustillo was not charged with the shooting, but he was charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm on April 26. No make or model of firearm was specified. The defendant was further charged with discharging a firearm within 40 yards of a public road without lawful excuse on April 26. The magistrate noted that the conspiracy charge was tri- able only in Grand Court and the other charges were linked, so all three were transmitted to the higher court. Defence attorney Alice Carver applied for bail and Crown counsel Greg Wal- colm objected. After hearing arguments from both sides in closed court, the magis- trate refused bail. She noted that investigations were still ongoing. Bustillo, a West Bay resi- dent, was arrested on April 30 as a result of information re- ceived. He was charged on May 4 and Monday was his first court appearance. The magistrate told him he could make a fresh bail application in Grand Court. Meanwhile, he was remanded in custody. A charge of driving without being qualified, also on April 26, was set for men- tion in the Traffic Court.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY MAY 7, 2019 Join the Movement: www.redcross.org.ky Boosts mental and physical health keeps you physically and mentally active counteracts the effects of stress and depression Helps build strong relationships helps you meet likeminded people boosts your social skills Empowers people of all ages boosts self confidence gives you a sense of purpose Provides opportunities to learn new skills new training and development opportunities plenty of practice Builds resilient communities disseminates knowledge, skills and information enhances capacity and employability VE OLUNTARY SERVIC Good for you. Great for our community. May 8th: International Red Cross Day Celebrating the 17 million volunteers making a difference around the world. sponsored by: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” Last Saturday, West Bay Road was once again transformed into a riot of colour and sound as mas teams hit ‘de road’ for Batabano. All together, thousands braved the midday heat and sun to participate in the beloved annual street parade. The four-mile stretch from Public Beach to downtown George Town was animated by the irresist- ible beats of Soca and the sight of revellers decked out in vibrant costumes, dazzling jewels and beaming smiles. Spectators, including Governor Martyn Roper, lined the street to cheer them on, our own hearts leaping at the celebration of life, energy, music and joy. It was an afternoon to remember – an unforgettable spectacle. Thanks are due to all who made it possible: the organisers of the main parade and its associated events and fetes, teams and jumpers, the costume designers who spent untold hours on their creations, the food vendors, entertainers and guests. On Discovery Day weekend, mas players will again will don resplendent regalia and dance down West Bay Road as part of CayMAS Carnival. We look forward, too, to that celebration. But by far the most exciting announcement this season has been that next year Batabano and CayMAS will be held on the same day, in one combined event. Batabano and CayMAS will both be held on the second weekend of May next year. One after the other, they will follow the same parade route before branching off into separate parties, government has announced. The reunion is a compromise forged by government and stakeholders. It is a welcome step towards unity that will greatly enhance the experience for locals, visitors and participants. We hope organisers of both carnivalesque celebra- tions can put aside their differences, learn from each other and work together to make next year’s celebra- tion the most exuberant Grand Cayman has ever seen. The 2016 split between Batabano and CayMas has dampened the inclusive, welcoming spirit of the annual festivities. Two celebrations, separated by only a few days, is a lot to ask of our little island. Two similar events held in such close proximity to each other serves neither well, nor the sponsors, vendors or the general public. In Batabano’s earlier years, back when it was launched by Rotary Club 1984 and even after Donna Myrie-Stephen and her committee took it over a few years later, critics sometimes complained that Car- nival-type celebrations were not truly part of Cayman’s culture. They argued that Cayman’s take on the cel- ebration was a loose adaptation of a regional tradition that had little meaning here. However much that ‘newness’ or ‘foreignness’ may have mattered at the outset, there is no denying that Batabano and CayMAS have made indelible impres- sions on our island, as has Braccanal on Cayman Brac. Today, these relatively recent additions to our annual calendar are a valued part of our ever-changing cultural landscape. We are glad to see that next year they again will be parading down the same path. A welcome reunion of Batabano and CayMAS celebrations TUESDAY MAY 7, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Europe’s forward-looking Caribbean partnerships DAVID JESSOP In a more normal world, a Communication produced by the European Commis- sion (EC) setting out the main elements of Europe’s future policy towards Latin America and the Carib- bean (LAC) might only be of passing interest. However, at a time when international relations are in flux, and Washington has claimed the right to impose the Monroe Doctrine in the Americas and is critical of China and others presence in the hemisphere, the Eu- ropean Union (EU) is about to offer a relationship that is very different in tone and substance. In its recently published paper, ‘the European Union, Latin America and the Car- ibbean: Joining Forces for a Common Future’ the Euro- pean Commission sets out why and how Europe wishes to develop a partnership that is forward looking, in- novative, and which it be- lieves offers a long term ap- proach that coincides with the values and aspirations of the LAC region. Tucked away within its 15 pages are two wordy sen- tences that summarise Eu- rope’s strategic thinking. ‘“Aware that in today’s world there are different international players com- peting for influence, eco- nomic presence or even po- litical and societal models, the EU should differentiate itself through its values- based policy and promote a logic of complementarity and mutual benefit. An ex- clusionary vision of inter- national relations where someone’s gain is someone else’s loss is detrimental to the two regions; the EU proposition to LAC is based on open regionalism and win-win solutions,” the document says. To achieve this, the Com- munication sets out in de- tail the EU’s intention to de- velop relationships based on bi-regional and sub-regional partnerships that empha- sise shared cultural and so- cial values and the centrality of helping build prosperity and development through partnerships. The document stresses European willingness to work with all LAC partners to support joint actions on the environment and cli- mate change, to build re- silience on issues from crime to disaster manage- ment, to encourage democ- racy, improve social and human rights, and to make more effective through common actions to make global rules-based sys- tems and multilateralism more effective. As such, both in general and in its detail, the com- munication draws a clear line between Europe’s ap- proach to the LAC region to that of the Trump adminis- tration, and to a lesser ex- tent China; so much so that it quite possible to imagine at some future date European and Chinese thinking on LAC development, the environ- ment and multilateralism converging. The document is also for- ward looking, suggesting co- operation in areas in which the EU and the LAC region have not previously had any joint programmes. Al- though the communication contains little that is Carib- bean specific, there are ref- erences to the importance Europe places on having es- tablished a framework for dialogue with Cuba, ex- pressions of support for closer regional integration through the Community of Latin American and Carib- bean States (CELAC), CARI- FORUM and CARICOM, lan- guage about the role the EU envisages playing in Ven- ezuela in restoring democ- racy and ending the present crisis, and about the impor- tance of avoiding a one size fits all approach to complex inter-regional political and economic dynamics. To understand in prac- tical terms what the com- munication offers the Car- ibbean it should be read in conjunction with the EC’s negotiating mandate for a post Cotonou arrangement with the ACP. This is because the latter document, unlike the ACP’s counterpart doc- ument, contains a separate and detailed section on the probable content of a future EU-Caribbean Partnership relationship. In what could be read as the first draft for a chapter in a post-2020 ACP-EU Treaty, the mandate pro- poses areas in which Car- ibbean-specific programmes might be developed. These range from support for ini- tiatives to address climate change, the encouragement of private sector led devel- opment in key economic sectors, including for ex- ample digital financial ser- vices and tourism, as well as help in relation to coun- tering crime, illegal migra- tion and delivering more gender equal societies. Together the EC’s com- munication and the Carib- bean partnership chapter of its post Cotonou negotiating mandate propose a frame- work of new initiatives that offer the region an inclu- sive vision. Astute Caribbean gov- ernments clear about their national interest and sov- ereignty ought to be doing more to explore the flexi- bility and innovation the new European Communication offers them. At the same time, the EU and particularly its Am- bassadors and senior of- ficials should be more strenuously indicating in the region in person and through the media the signif- icance of what a post-Brexit EU27 can offer. As the European High Representative, Federica Mogherini, told the Euro- pean Parliament person- ally in Italian, her own lan- guage, when introducing the new Communication, the transatlantic relationship is not only what Europe has with Washington, but “also what we have with Central America, with South America, with Canada and with the Caribbean”. David Jessop is a consultant to the Caribbean Council and can be contacted at david.jessop@Caribbean-council.org. © 2019, David Jessop. Astute Caribbean governments clear about their national interest and sovereignty ought to be doing more to explore the flexibility and innovation the new European Communication offers them.5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY MAY 7, 2019 Join us for our Mother’s Day Brunch Sunday May 12th 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 Premier: Independents not fit to lead JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Premier Alden McLaughlin has highlighted division among the Op- position ranks as evidence that groups of Independent candidates are not equipped to run the country. McLaughlin said the resigna- tion last week of Ezzard Miller as opposition leader and the apparent rifts within his loose coalition of independent legislators showed the importance of political parties with a shared platform of ideas. There has been a growing fa- vouritism among the electorate for independent candidates in recent years as the two-party system, dom- inated for more than a decade by McKeeva Bush’s United Democratic Party and McLaughlin’s People’s Progressive Movement has crum- bled. That culminated in the 2017 election result when independents won 10 of the 19 seats but were un- able to form a government. Instead, the PPM joined forces with the UDP and several independents to form what they labelled the government of national unity. Miller was initially backed to lead the independent members who did not join the government. But he resigned Thursday as support for his leadership disintegrated. McLaughlin said the turmoil on the opposition benches showed the value of the party system. “In effect, the country is wit- nessing firsthand why it is not practical for a group of inde- pendent candidates to get elected and then seek to come together in the country’s interest,” the pre- mier said in a statement. “They are too busy pursuing their own indi- vidual agendas to even try to de- velop a shared view.” He said the opposition mem- bers had indicated, in a letter to Miller, extracts of which were pub- lished by the Cayman Compass, that he should not speak for them because they wanted to “maintain our independence and the political platform we are all elected on”. He added, “Previously, these members have tried to paint them- selves as a government in waiting. But if they cannot maintain any co- herence in opposition, what chance is there that could form an effec- tive government? Disunity, disor- ganisation and dark deeds fuelled by personal, political ambition are not what this country needs to take us forward.” He said it did not help the country to have a divided or weak opposition and highlighted Mill- er’s own words, in his resignation statement, as evidence that po- litical parties, rather than inde- pendent legislators, were needed to govern effectively. “I do hope that the country as well as the members of the oppo- sition learn from the lessons that the opposition members them- selves are providing – it takes a committed team to govern – one that, to borrow somewhat from Miller, has the level of cohesion, in- dustry and commitment necessary to serve in the best interest of all the people of these islands.” Premier Alden McLaughlin HSA receives first clean audit report The Cayman Islands Health Services Authority has received its first clean audit opinion from the auditor gen- eral for its 2018 financial statements. The clean audit designa- tion means financial state- ments are free from material misstatements with no mate- rial adverse findings regarding financial operations or non- compliance with legislation. The public health agency has never previously received an “unqualified” audit opinion since government changed its accounting system in 2004. Auditor General Sue Win- spear confirmed that the audit was unmodified/un- qualified. She noted that did not mean the audit did not include recommendations for improvements. What those might be is not known, as the audit re- port has not been released to the public. Brooke Moore, a spokes- woman for the HSA, said in an email that the audit report and financial statements “are not available for public re- lease until they are approved by Cabinet and presented to the Legislative Assembly”. No timeline for that pro- cess was made available. Officials said the improved performance on the audit was due in part to “strength- ening of, and ongoing training around, our policies and pro- cedures; improved processes around collections; and on- going monitoring of accounts receivable balances”. First STEM teachers award winners announced MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com Teachers from Island Montessori and St. Ignatius High School were honoured Thursday night as the first recipients of the Minds In- spired STEM Teacher Award. Sponsored by Dart, the award is meant to promote and recognise excellence in teaching in the areas of sci- ence, technology, engineering and maths in Cayman schools. Lune Vermeire, a kin- dergarten teacher at Island Montessori, and Von Ryan Abrantes, a physics and sci- ence teacher at St. Ignatius, were the inaugural recipients of what is expected to be an annual award. “STEM skills underpin jobs in almost every field,” said Pilar Bush, executive vice president for marketing at Dart Enterprises. “It mat- ters to us, as the country’s largest investor and one of the largest employers, that our students are prepared.” Glenda McTaggart, who oversees the Minds Inspired programme, said judges evaluated 12 nominees for the award, equally split be- tween government and pri- vate schools. “For the first year, we thought that was good,” McTaggart said, adding that she expects to see more candidates next year as the programme becomes better known. She said teachers were evaluated on “using innova- tive teaching practices. Cre- ating a learning environment that is highly engaging. Trying to instil that love of sci- ence and math in students.” Vermeire was lauded for get- ting the school’s students, ages 2-6, excited about the world around them from a science standpoint. She regularly sends materials home, so students can con- tinue working on school-in- troduced concepts at home. On weekends, she sometimes leads kayaking tours through sections of mangrove on Grand Cayman. She said she tries to get her young students inter- ested in science by making it tangible. “I do a lot of hands-on,” she said, “working with baking soda and vinegar and making explosions, talking about the island itself and iguanas.” The school also has a garden where students help grow things. Vermeire said she expected to use the $3,000 the school will get as part of her award to ex- pand the garden. In addition to the school award, each in- dividual received $1,000 and additional support to attend a STEM-oriented conference or class of their choosing. Abrantes said he ex- pects to use his school award money to improve the school’s robotics programme and establish a STEM centre. Abrantes is leading St. Ignatius’ teams and ad- vising those from other high schools who are competing in the FIRST Global Chal- lenge robotics competition, an international event that Cayman participated in last year for the first time. Nine teams will compete for the chance to represent Cayman in Dubai this fall. McTaggart said Abrantes is known for getting students excited about physics, a sub- ject many would rather avoid. In his four years at St. Igna- tius, she said, the number of students achieving A-Level scores in physics on their an- nual exams has gone from three to 13. “It’s very mind-blowing,” Abrantes said, of receiving the award. “I’m very grateful for the opportunity to be rec- ognised, not only for my- self, but for STEM and sci- ence in general. This might encourage more young kids in the Cayman Islands to pursue teaching and become STEM experts.” McTaggart said the judges also decided to give two merit awards. Those went to Krista Finch and Jeff Szeryk, both of Cayman International School. Education minister Ju- liana O’Connor-Connolly, who attended the event, said the Minds Inspired programme complements the efforts of the ministry in promoting STEM subjects. She said the new primary curriculum, which will be unveiled in Au- gust, will increase the em- phasis on STEM. “It’s important that these subjects get the time that’s needed,” she said. Award winner Vermeire believes the awards will help get the word out. “I think it’s important so people know about STEM,” she said. “I think a lot of people don’t know about it. They don’t really focus too much on that.” Once they do, she said, she expects her enthusiasm and that of her colleagues will rub off. “Passion makes everything possible,” she said.TUESDAY, MAY 7 ROUNDABOUT FUNDRAISER: The Island Heritage Insurance CharityDrive begins today and continues on May 8 and 9. The company will donate $1 each time a motorist drives through the Island Heritage roundabout on the Esterley Tibbetts Highway, and will also donate $1 for participants’ social media support. This year, the beneficiaries are Cayman National Cultural Foundation (May 7), the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation (May 8) and the Alex Panton Foundation (May 9). For more details, visit www.charitydrive.ky. CHILD MONTH: Snuggle & Read, Sir John A. Cumber Primary School, 6:30-9pm WEDNESDAY, MAY 8 CHILD MONTH: Poetry Slam finals, Radio Cayman, 4-5pm. BULLYING: Presentation by the Alex Panton Foundation. 6:30-8pm, North Side Civic Centre. THURSDAY, MAY 9 PARK RE-NAMING: South Sound Community Beach will be re-named to honour environmental activist Consuelo Ebanks. Located next to the South Sound Community Centre. 4:30-7pm. All are invited. CAYMAN DRAMA SOCIETY: Stage production of ‘Proof’ by playwright David Auburn, at Prospect Playhouse on Shamrock Road. Doors open 6:30pm, show starts 7:30pm. Adults $25, students, $15. Order tickets at www.cds.ky. FRIDAY, MAY 10 GOLF TOURNAMENT: Triple C School hosts the 7th annual Captain Theo Bodden Memorial Golf Tournament today at the North Sound Golf Club. The tournament is one of the school’s largest fundraisers. Golfers will be in the running for a slew of prizes, including a chance to win a Toyota Rush. Players can also buy a ticket that gives them the chance to win additional prizes, including a three-day, two-night vacation getaway. Entry is $200 per player, or $750 for a team of four. Noon registration for a 12:30pm start. For more info, email rhowell@triplecschool.org or call 949-6022. BUILDING SAFETY MONTH: Public training session on how to use the Online Planning System. Government Administration Building, 10am to 2pm. Reserve space by emailing info@planning.gov.ky. CHILD MONTH: Trivia Game Night, East End/North Side, 6-9:30pm. SATURDAY, MAY 11 JUNIOR BATABANO: Old Glass House Lawn, 1–6pm. BRAC FUN DAY: Child Month activity. Government Public Pool, from 10am to 2pm. BUILDING SAFETY MONTH: Public Information Session on electrical requirements for dwelling units, Family Life Centre on Walkers Road, George Town, 1pm. SEA SWIM: The 32nd annual FLOW 800m Sea Swim takes place today at 4pm from Governors Beach. RAISE THE ROOF TEA PARTY: The Cayman Islands Crisis Centre and Mothers Union host a tea party at 3-6pm at the Westin resort on Seven Mile Beach. Includes high tea, fashion show, music and auctions. $50 per person, $500 per table of 10. Purchase tickets at www.cicc.ky/events. CHILD MONTH: Circle of Love Breakfast, Mary Miller Hall on Shamrock Road, 8:30-11am. SUNDAY, MAY 12 CHILD MONTH: Church Service and Fun Day, Little Cayman Baptist Church on Little Cayman, from 11am until 3pm. MONDAY, MAY 13 CAYMAN CUP TENNIS: The Cayman Islands Tennis Club will host the Cayman Cup from today until May 18. There will be a Junior U-18 ITF Tournament and a COTECC U-14 Tournament, as well as an Adult Championship. For more details on the event, visit www.caymancup.ca. TUESDAY, MAY 14 CHILD MONTH: Foster Care Information Session, George Town Town Hall, 5.30-7pm. THURSDAY, MAY 16 CHILD MONTH: A Teen Panel will be held at the George Town Town Hall, 4-6pm. BRACCANAL: Cayman Brac Carnival. Through May 20. Contact cybbraccanalcommittee@ gmail.com or visit www.braccanal.com for more information. FRIDAY, MAY 17 BUILDING SAFETY MONTH: Information Booth, Foster’s Strand, 11am to 2pm. SATURDAY, MAY 18 CHILD MONTH: Family Fun Day, Turtle Centre, North West Point Road, West Bay, 11am to 3pm. CHILD MONTH: Talent Expo, Harquail Theatre, 6.30-8.30pm. SUNDAY, MAY 19 CHILD MONTH: Intergenerational Cook-Off, Cayman Academy, 2-5pm. TUESDAY, MAY 21 BULLYING: Presentation by the Alex Panton Foundation. 6:30-8pm, South Sound Community Centre. WEDNESDAY, MAY 22 COMMUNITY CHESS: Tuesdays 5-8pm, West Indies Wine Company. Join the Cayman Chess Club for a complimentary chess class and open challenges weekly. Anyone can learn to play and enjoy chess, even beginners. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. TUESDAY MAY 7, 2019 CAYMAN COMPASS The islands’ most-trusted news source 6 Community CALENDAR ■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR is published TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS. It is available to charitable or non-profit organisations. Items should be submitted at least three working days before publication. Information must include name of sender, signature and contact number. ■ Items may be brought to the Cayman Compass office on Shedden Road or emailed to cwinker@pinnaclemedialtd.com at least three days in advance of publication. SATURDAY, 11 MAY FAMILY FUN DAY STARTS AT 1PM ON THE GROUNDS OF THE OLD GLASS HOUSE BUILDING PARADE STARTS AT 3PM FROM THE GLASS HOUSE THE PARADE LOOPS AROUND GEORGE TOWN AND BACK TO THE GLASS HOUSE FOR THE “JUNIOR BAND OF THE YEAR” COMPETITION AND CONTINUATION OF THE FAMILY FUN DAY ACTIVITIES UNTIL 6PMThe islands’ most-trusted news source 7 terminal could begin within five years. That could change if growth slows down as hurri- cane-hit islands in the eastern Caribbean get back to busi- ness following 2017’s devas- tating storms, or if there is a change in Cayman’s national tourism policy. Anderson said discussions over a new air- port terminal would take place alongside broader gov- ernment strategising over the future growth of the industry. “I think we have to get used to the fact that if some- thing isn’t happening at the airport and with our roads, hotel rooms, either we have made a conscious decision to slow things down or some- thing is wrong,” he said. Space on the current air- port site has been allocated for a new terminal. Anderson said the details of that project had yet to be discussed in detail, but acknowledged it would likely be a $100 million development. He said financial constraints had made a wholly new ter- minal impossible when the pro- ject was first drawn up in 2013, at a time when government was facing a funding crisis and mandatory borrowing limits. “That was made quite ap- parent when we started,” An- derson said. “The redevelop- ment was going to relieve the current pressure until we get to where we could build a much more substantial facility.” Though detailed plans have yet to be drawn up, he said the master plan envisaged the new terminal becoming the main aviation terminal, with all the features of a modern airport, and the existing build- ings playing a secondary role. The main work on the renovated terminal is now complete, with retail shops and stores and back office space likely to be finished by the end of June. But the work does not stop there. A request for proposals went out last month for a se- ries of airside developments, including strengthening the runway to ensure it is durable enough to cope with British Air- ways’ new 777 jets in the long term. The runway will also be lengthened by at least 400 feet. Anderson said this was just a small part of the work and was not designed to fa- cilitate any new flights. In fact, the work will simply re- store the runway to its pre- vious length of 7,000 feet after 400 feet was removed for operational purposes in 2014 to meet end-zone safety requirements. Depending on cost, the runway could be ex- tended a further 500 feet, up to the perimeter fence, but there are no current plans for the kind of extension that would facilitate long-haul flights or necessitate moving the roads near the airport. The planned airside work also includes filling in ponds, which have become a haven for bird life that poses a threat to planes, adding a perimeter road and creating more plane parking slots. Anderson said this would help manage planes, particu- larly at peak times. “It will help us get planes on the ground, get them parked and meet the demands of Sat- urdays in particular,” he said. He warned that, even with the expanded terminal, there would still be lengthy waits at times on the busiest days of the year. “The challenge we have is that in a four-hour period on a Saturday there is a huge volume of traffic, and that is not easy to change. “Everybody wishes you could come off your plane and get to your car in 10 min- utes, and you can on some days, but not on a Saturday.” He said the new tech- nology and the merger of cus- toms and immigration into one border force could help make that process smoother in the longer term. The airside work is likely to begin in July, and will take around a year to complete. After that, a request for proposals be issued to invite companies to apply to build and operate a new general aviation terminal. Under the proposed measures, Companies House will have the power and additional staff to verify people with a key role in companies and the ability to query and corroborate information before it is entered on the register. To fight identity theft, directors will be given additional rights over their information, such as personal home addresses, “while ensuring this information is still available in a transparent manner to public au- thorities where appropriate”. “The proposed reforms, unveiled today, will help increase the accu- racy and usefulness of the informa- tion available on the companies reg- ister,” the UK government said in a press release. Minister Tolhurst said the re- forms would support the fight against the use of dirty money in the UK, and enhance the protec- tions for entrepreneurs and direc- tors from criminal activity. International NGO Global Wit- ness issued a report on the weekend calling the UK register “a paradox”. On the one hand it “leads the world” in making its beneficial ownership data public, while on the other hand “UK companies have increasingly become a conduit for scandal” with a host of recent money laundering cases involving UK companies and partnerships, the organisation said. Global Witness “noted serious problems with the quality of infor- mation” held by Companies House and found that serious loopholes and weaknesses remain in the way the current regime is enforced. About 8.1% of companies last year declared they had no person of significant control, the UK version of beneficial owner. Nearly 500 compa- nies were part of a circular owner- ship structure and more than 6,700 companies were controlled by a ben- eficial owner who controls more than 100 companies. In addition, more than 8,800 companies named a foreign company as its beneficial owner and more than 2,000 company owners are disqualified directors, the advocacy group said in its analysis. “The fact that critical infor- mation on company ownership is accepted at face value, without even the requirement for basic ID checks, hugely undermines the fight against corruption and money laundering. While the UK is a world leader in the way it makes information available to the public on its companies, the register will only prove its worth if people can trust the information and criminals are actually deterred from using UK companies in the first place,” said Nienke Palstra, anti-corrup- tion campaigner at Global Witness. “If the UK is serious about changing its reputation as a safe haven for dirty money, the Govern- ment must fix the company reg- ister by giving Companies House a clear mandate and resources to do its job. Today’s consultation on reforming Companies House is a welcome step and unique opportu- nity for Government to address the problem at its root, but the devil will be in the detail.” CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY MAY 7, 2019 UK seeks to overhaul Companies House record verification Cayman may need another new airport terminal soon CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 been trying to find out government’s HIV work permit policy for about four years, with no luck. When Cayasso-Smith receives questions from HIV-positive people living abroad about coming here, he does not know what to tell them. “We’ve been getting a lot of emails from people over- seas asking if they can apply for work permits. I just don’t have any clear information to give anyone,” Cayasso-Smith said. “It’s really frustrating because it would be good to know ‘yes’ or ‘no’, and what the criteria is to get in if the law has been changed.” At a Jan. 17 PAC hearing, Miller sought an answer to the question Cayasso-Smith has been asking for years. “There was a policy in place for many, many years that people who were HIV positive were not given a work permit,” said Miller. “Has that policy changed?” Ahearn responded that the policy may have changed, but that she did not know for sure. “My understanding through some of the discus- sions that we have had over the years with Immigration is that that was changing – [the] policy was changing,” she said at the hearing. “But I’d need to check with Immigra- tion and report back.” Four days after the PAC hearing, the Compass wrote to Ahearn and Immigration Chief Officer Wesley Howell, seeking an answer to Miller’s initial question. Neither chief officer responded. In March, the Compass again wrote to Howell and Ahearn about government’s HIV work permit policy. This time, a response was received from a Government Informa- tion Services officer, who said the Ministry of Immigration was collecting information to answer questions about the matter. After several more email exchanges, government still did not issue any information about its HIV work permit policy. One information of- ficer said that since the ques- tion was initially asked in a PAC hearing, government will have to provide the informa- tion to PAC members before the public can be notified. However, multiple PAC hear- ings have taken place since Miller asked his original question, and no information has been made public. The Compass informed of- ficials last week that it would report on government’s si- lence on the matter, and re- ceived the following response from the Ministry of Health on Monday afternoon: “The Workforce Opportunities and Residency Cayman (WORC) Department is the agency with responsibility to review work and residency applica- tions, which are accompanied by a medical questionnaire. If an applicant is found to have tested positive for a commu- nicable disease, the Medical Officer of Health (MOH) is contacted. The MOH further advises that although HIV is a communicable disease, refusal of an application based on public health risk of transmission is not advis- able. WORC has no written policy in this regard. “Persons who are tested HIV positive must prove that their private medical insur- ance, not CINICO, will cover all HIV-related costs. WORC’s policy is to review each ap- plication on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the MOH in order to make a decision.” Premier Alden McLaughlin – whose portfolio includes Immigration – did not re- spond to media inquiries about the matter. Miller told the Compass Monday that “some informa- tion” had been made avail- able to the PAC, and that the information will be made public after the next PAC hearing, which is scheduled for Tuesday. When government failed to publish details on its per- manent residency policies, Ombudsman Sandy Her- miston ruled in February that the failure was a contraven- tion of the Freedom of In- formation Law. In that case, the appli- cant asked the Department of Immigration whether there were any policies that are in use relating to appli- cations for permanent resi- dency, but did not receive a response. Hermiston found that the department failed to respond to requests within the time limit established by the FOI Law. “Members of the public have a reasonable expec- tation that policies, proce- dures and guidelines that steer decisions of public au- thorities be made publicly available,” Hermiston stated in her ruling. “This is par- ticularly true when their de- cisions have the potential to greatly affect the lives and livelihoods of individuals, such as the Department’s decisions under the Immi- gration Law.” Can HIV-positive people obtain work permits? Government tight-lipped on matter CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Almost 10,000 people have complained that their legitimate details on Companies House, the UK’s registrar of companies, had been stolen by fraudsters. “ Our throughput now is certainly much greater than the master plan predicted. That was based on trends at the time. We are at the optimistic level for growth so the trigger for building the new terminal could be much sooner than it would have been.” ALBERT ANDERSON, Cayman Islands Airports Authority CEOThe islands’ most-trusted news source 8 TUESDAY MAY 7, 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS 2 FREE ENTRIES ENTER TO WIN Flowers One Mile Sea Swim ENTER online at caymancompass.com/contests Terms and conditions apply. Must be 18 or older to enter. Final day to enter: May 31, 2019.9 SATURDAY JUNE 15 2019MOSCOW (AP) – The plane that burst into flames while making an emergency landing at a Moscow airport, killing 41 of the 78 people on board, was without radio communications because of a lightning strike, Rus- sian news media on Monday quoted the pilot as saying. A flight attendant said there was a sharp flash soon after takeoff Sunday evening from Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport as the plane headed to Murmansk. Some of the 37 survi- vors were seen on video car- rying hand luggage as they plunged down an inflatable slide from the plane’s for- ward section, raising ques- tions about whether grab- bing their baggage might have impeded an evacuation in which every second could separate life from death. The plane, a Sukhoi SSJ100 operated by the Rus- sian flagship carrier Aer- oflot, had taken off from Sheremetyevo but turned back within minutes, asking for an emergency landing. The plane came down hard on the runway and flames and black smoke burst from its underside. The plane reportedly did not jettison any fuel before the landing, as is common procedure. It was not clear why it did not take the time to do that. Pilot Denis Evdokimov was quoted as saying by Zvezda TV and the Kom- somolskaya Pravda news- paper that “because of light- ning, we had a loss of radio communication”. Flight attendant Tatiana Kasatnika said in a video posted on Yutube that “We took off, got into a cloud, there was strong hail, and at that moment there was a pop and some kind of flash, like electricity.” Russia’s main investiga- tive body said both of the plane’s flight recorders – data and voice – have been recovered from the charred wreckage. Committee spokes- woman Svetlana Petrenko was also quoted by Russian news agencies on Monday as saying that investigators were looking into three main possibilities behind the cause of the disaster: inexperienced pilots, equipment failure and bad weather. Storms were passing through the Moscow area as when the plane made its emergency landing. One survivor praised the plane’s attendants for helping save him and others. “It was dark and there was gas, very high tempera- ture. They helped people out of there, helped them to de- scend,” Dmity Khlebnikov said, according to Komsomol- skaya Pravda. Another passenger, Mikhail Savchenko, wrote on Facebook that some passen- gers grabbed luggage as they fled the plane. “I do not know what to say about people who ran out with bags. God is their judge,” he wrote. The SSJ100, also known as the Superjet, was heralded when it went into service in 2011 as a new phase for Rus- sia’s civil aviation industry. It was introduced as a replace- ment for outdated Soviet-de- signed aircraft. But the plane has been troubled by concerns about defects in the horizontal sta- bilisers. Russia’s aviation au- thority in 2017 ordered in- spection of all Superjets in the country because of the problems. A Mexican airline, Interjet, grounded Superjets in December 2016 and later said it was phasing them out of the fleet. Transportation Min- ister Yevegny Dietrich said Monday that it was too early to decide whether to ground the planes in Russia, and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the decision was not within President Vladimir Putin’s power. One of the dead was flight attendant Maxim Moi- seev, Dietrich said. Russian news reports, citing unnamed sources, said the Moiseev was in the back part of the plane, which was engulfed in flames and tried unsuc- cessfully to deploy an evacu- ation slide. The islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY MAY 7, 2019 Niger tanker explosion kills at least 55 Authorities in the West African nation of Niger say at least 55 people are dead after a tanker truck filled with fuel exploded near the country’s main airport. The death toll was expected to rise as doctors said some were in critical condition. Joseph H. Ebanks, West Bay 7th May Wishing our Dad a Happy 95th Birthday Children: Astor, Brenda, Garnal, Eziethamae, Duke, Mitzie, Durney. Grandchildren: Shena, Ezekie, Rene, Rueben, Marzeta, Teresita, Martina, Leandru, Jerome, Antanika Great Granddaughters: Sherol, Sherena, Sherese, Rhea, Ruth, Alara, Grace. Great Grandson Aiden In-Laws: Crystal, Joseph, Blanka, Ishmael, Eve Children: Astor, Brenda, Garnal, Children: Astor, Brenda, Garnal, God Bless You Always, Lots Of Love Harry, Meghan ‘over the moon’ about their healthy baby boy Experts hunt for reason why 41 died in Moscow plane fire WINDSOR, England (AP) – Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, gave birth to a healthy baby boy early Monday morning, a beaming Prince Harry announced to the world, declaring he’s “incredibly proud” of his wife. The baby weighed 7 pounds, 3 ounces at birth and was born at 5:26am. Harry said the child was a little bit overdue and that had given the royal couple more time to con- template names. Harry said he was ecstatic about the birth of their first child and promised that more details – such as the baby’s name – will be shared in the coming days. The couple said earlier they were not going to find out the baby’s sex in advance. “This little baby is abso- lutely to die for,” he said. “I’m just over the moon.” The infant is seventh in line to the British throne and Queen Eliz- abeth II’s eighth great-grandchild. Harry is the younger son of Prince Charles, heir to the throne, and the late Princess Diana, who died in a Paris car crash in 1997. The 34-year-old Harry, speaking before TV cameras on Monday af- ternoon in Windsor, said he was present for the birth. “It’s been the most amazing ex- perience I could ever have pos- sibly imagined,” he said. “How any woman does what they do is be- yond comprehension. “We’re both absolutely thrilled and so grateful for all the love and support from everybody out there. It’s been amazing, so we just wanted to share this with every- body,” he gushed. Meghan’s mother Doria Rag- land was reportedly also with her daughter and said she is overjoyed, according to British media. Senior royals were informed of the birth, as was the family of Diana, Harry’s late mother, before he went before the cameras. The couple’s Instagram account said: “It’s a boy! Their Royal High- nesses the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are overjoyed to announce the birth of their child.” Harry said he planned to make another announcement, probably in two days’ time, “so everyone can see the baby”. It’s expected they will pose for a family picture at that point. The former Meghan Markle, 37, was an American TV star before re- tiring from acting to marry Harry at St. George’s Chapel on the grounds of Windsor Castle a year ago. The child will be eligible for dual British-US citizenship if Meghan and Harry want to go through the application process. The birth of Britain’s latest royal baby marks the completion of Harry’s transformation from a boy whose mother died when he was just 12 to a sometimes-trou- bled teen, a committed military man, a popular senior royal, a hus- band and now to a proud father. He has long spoken of his desire to start a family. He and his older brother, Prince William, along with their wives, are seen by many in Britain as the new, fresh faces of a royal family that had become stodgy and aged. They are raising the next generation of royals amid a genuine ground- swell of British public support for the monarchy. Meghan in particular represents a change for the royals. At 37, she is older than Harry, had a previous marriage that ended in divorce and has strong feminist views. As the daughter of a black mother and a white father, she says she identifies as biracial. Meghan also achieved consid- erable success in her own right before agreeing to a blind date with Harry that changed both of their lives. Meghan had an impor- tant role in the popular TV series ‘Suits’, pressed for increased wom- en’s rights around the world and had a wide following even before she joined the world’s most famous royal family. Harry and Meghan recently moved from central London to a secluded house known as Frog- more Cottage near Windsor Castle, 25 miles west of London. The move is seen in part as reflecting a de- sire for privacy as they raise their first child. It also separates Harry and Meghan from William and his wife Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, who had been living in the same compound at Kensington Palace in central London with their three chil- dren, the new baby’s cousins. The child will be eligible for dual British-US citizenship if Meghan and Harry want to go through the application process. Britain’s Prince Harry speaks at Windsor Castle, Windsor, England, on Monday, after his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex gave birth to a baby boy. It is the first child for Harry and Meghan, who married a year ago. - PHOTO: AP A crane lifts the damaged Sukhoi SSJ100 aircraft of Aeroflot Airlines in Sheremetyevo airport, outside Moscow, Russia, Monday. – PHOTO: APNext >