ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – TUESDAY, 4 JUNE 2019 High of 89 Low of 77 Smooth with wave heights less than 2 feet. EDITORIAL | PAGE 4 GETTING UP TO SPEED ON PORT DECISION WORLD | PAGE 9 TRUMP MEETS QUEEN, ESCALATES KHAN FEUD 192420_PRINT-Ad-Butterfield-CompPage 1 5/2/19 4:32:58 PM Caribbean Commonwealth nations seek unity against corruption Gender equality remains a work in progress NO SIMPLE SOLUTIONS TO CAYMAN’S HEALTH FUNDING CRISIS KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com To address the “corrosive cancer” that is corruption, governments will need to recommit to the fight against graft and put their words into action, according to Commonwealth Secretary-General Pa- tricia Scotland. Speaking to delegates from across the Caribbean on Monday, Scotland en- couraged unity in tackling what she described as a global “tidal wave of corruption” that erodes tax bases, un- dermines economic stability and de- stroys public confidence. In a gesture of goodwill and mutual support, regional anti-corruption stake- holders gathered at the Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort for the fifth meeting of the Commonwealth Carib- bean Association of Integrity Commis- sions & Anti-Corruption Bodies. The five-day meeting, 3-7 June, will allow anti-corruption bodies to discuss common goals for eradicating graft and fraud across the Commonwealth. “We who are gathered here know only too well the vicious economic, social and political impact that is wrought by en- trenched corruption in the lives of the people of our communities and in the lives of our nations,” Scotland said. “International organisations, development practitioners, and leaders MICHAEL KLEIN mklein@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands still has significant work to do to ensure gender equality in the workplace. A survey by non-profit organisa- tion Gender Equality Cayman of more than 1,000 people who live and work on island in- dicates that Cayman lags behind other devel- oped countries and that gender equality is not an issue frequently discussed by businesses. Less than half of the survey respondents (49%) believe their current company has at- tained the status of equal opportunity em- ployer. One third feel it is a work in progress, while 9% said their employer is nowhere near providing equal opportunity. One of the main survey findings is that men and women perceive the issue very dif- ferently. This is a marked change from an earlier survey done by Gender Equality Cayman in 2017. “Previously, it seemed that men and women were thinking that there are barriers for women in the workplace. Whereas now, we are seeing that has diverged,” said Roxanne Lorimer, chair of the organisation. “Men seem to think there is less of an issue.” While 88% of men stated that, generally, all genders are treated equally, that figure is much lower for women, at only 55%. Increased media coverage of gender equality issues and of initiatives to tackle it may be one of the reasons for this. In addition, women are much more likely to directly expe- rience inequality in the workplace and there- fore may be more aware of the issue. The different perception extends to inclu- sion policies in the workplace. Men are more likely than women – 52% compared to 35% – to note that their organisation has a diversity and inclusion policy. Again, the divergent responses could be the result of a different awareness of how these policies take effect in practice. Gender Equality Cayman secretary Emma Graham-Taylor said gender equality Brown: National insurance will not bring down costs JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Cayman Islands is facing a healthcare funding crisis with no simple solution in sight, according to the new head of a major health in- surance industry advocacy group. Annikki Brown refuted suggestions that the profits of health insurance companies were to blame for spiralling healthcare costs. She said a national insurance system would not fix the core problem, describing such re- forms as “moving the furniture in a house that is flooding”. Brown, the country manager for Generali, has taken over as chair of the Health Insurance Standing Committee. She said the group wants to work with government and others to help bring down healthcare costs in the Cayman Islands. But she believes it is the cost of healthcare it- self, not insurance premiums, that is the source of the problem. “One of the important things to remember is that the rising costs of healthcare don’t start with insurance. We are just as alarmed as eve- ryone else at the constantly rising tide of health- care costs,” she said. The Cayman Islands Monetary Association monitors profits from the nine private sector insurance companies operating in Cayman. Figures published last year show a significant rise in earnings for the sector going from about $4 million in 2011, to $10.8 million in 2012, to about Delegates from across the Caribbean gather at the Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort this week to encourage cross-border collaboration in the fight against corruption. - PHOTO: KAYLA YOUNG PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL NEWS TUESDAY, 4 JUNE 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 9:40 VIP KIDS CLUB: OVER THE HEDGE(PG) 10:00 (SAT ONLY) CULTURE AT THE CINEMA: THE TRAGEDY OF KIND RICHARD THE SECOND(R18) 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) GODZILLA: KING OF MONSTERS (PG13) 12:35 3D I 3:50 VIP I 7:00 I 9:35 3D 10:00 VIP ALADDIN (PG) 1:10 I 4:05 3D I 7:00 JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3 - PARABELLUM (R) 1:10 I 3:35 I 6:35 I 9:25 ROCKETMAN (R) 1:00 VIP I 4:10 I 6:30 I10:00 AVENGERS: END GAME (PG13) 12:30 I 4:25 I 8:15 INDIA’S MOST WANTED (PG) 12:40 I 3:35 I 10:00 CLASSICS @ THE CINEMA: WALL STREET (R) 7:00 VIP Visiting Specialist will be available for consultation at Novo Clinic, Britcay House 236 Eastern Avenue from 4 June - 24 June, 2019 For appointments please call +1 (345) 746-6082 clinic@novocayman.com Gynecology, Urogynecology, Cosmeti c Gynecology Young bakers battle it out for Cupcake Wars Child Month came to a sweet end on Saturday when young bakers donned aprons, grabbed their mixing bowls and created some tasty con- fectioneries for the 2019 Cup- cake Wars at The Ritz-Carlton. Six teams competed on the day to become cupcake champions in the 7th annual bake-off, titled ‘Cayman – Jewels of the Sea’, which was staged by the National Youth Culinary Programme and the Department of Children and Family Services. Triple C bakers were the ultimate winners, claiming the cupcake trophy. Second place went to Team AKA and third place to 2 Girls & Kaz. Also taking part, and coming up with some impressive cupcakes were Savannah Pri- mary, Confection Connection and Seagrape. Each team had to bake and decorate 48 cupcakes over a two-hour period. Youth Services Coordi- nator James Myles, who was on hand to taste the results, said this year’s competition went to a “whole new level”. He thanked Clint Hunter, a judge in the semi-finals, for working with the bakers and turning the semi-finals into a “mini workshop” which “added to the techniques” of the competitors. “Everyone was wowed,” Myles added. Teresa Echenique of the Ministry of Community Affairs, left, presents the trophy for the Cupcake Wars to Triple C, as organisers and judges look on.Triple C’s winning presentation - PHOTOS: KATIE O’NEILL AND GIS Confection Connection from Cayman Brac used this innovative mobile display for their creations. The Confection Connection team members prepare the ingredients. The Savannah Primary team get the icing ready for their cupcakes. A Seagrape team member hard at work. Team 2 Girls & Kaz won third place.Team AKA came in second place.3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY, 4 JUNE 2019 RDR design Branding ApplicationsPublication Design Magazines Book Covers Annual Reports Brochures Manuals Realism Paintings Canvas Originals Framed Prints Digital Paintings Commissioned Pieces Crafts & Calligraphy Handwritten Quotes Handmade Cards Simple Illustrations Embossed Glasses Customized Gifts GRAPHIC DESIGN SERVICES & FINE ART AVAILABLE fb.me/RDRdesignky instagram.com/RDRdesign TO SEE PORTFOLIO OR REQUEST A QUOTE EMAIL 4RDRDESIGN@GMAIL.COM Logo Designs Business Cards Brand Guidelines Stationery / Collateral Invitations / Cards Flyers / Posters Print Advertising Forms / Menus Signage / Retail Apparel Design Package Design Social Media Graphics Email Marketing Google Adverts Website Assets Digital Design Cayman’s sorry shark tale continues Two more carcasses found JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Despite a ban on shark fishing and 10 years of fo- cussed conservation ef- fort, the apex predator remains vulnerable in Cay- man’s waters. The Department of Envi- ronment recovered two more dead sharks in May, both of which had been hooked and slaughtered. A Caribbean reef shark was found by researchers on 28 May. It had been stabbed through the top of the head and had its lower jaw cut away. A second shark, also a reef shark, was found near Babylon Reef, North Side, on 16 May. The shark had been disembowelled and appeared to have had a hook removed from its mouth. Researchers have previ- ously indicated that many shark fatalities are likely linked to accidental catch by fishermen. The Department of Environment has found evidence of six shark deaths this year, though officials be- lieve the number killed in Cayman’s waters is likely higher. In some cases the car- casses are thrown overboard and never found. Despite those concerns, it is believed the number of shark deaths in Cayman’s waters is coming down. Just last week, the Depart- ment of Environment and the UK-based Marine Conserva- tion International marked a decade of joint research and conservation efforts in Cay- man’s waters. “To some extent, the atti- tude in Cayman toward sharks has changed over the past decade. Shark Conservation Cayman has spent a lot of time in local classrooms and talking to local fishermen about these crucial marine species,” Gina Ebanks-Petrie, director of the DoE, said. “Ten years ago, the prevalent view of sharks was ‘if you see one, kill it.’ I believe that people today have a better understanding of why sharks are important to us.” Researchers say predators like sharks are essential to maintaining a balanced ma- rine ecosystem and are a val- uable tourism asset for Cay- man’s diving industry. Fishing for sharks, selling their fins or meat, or deliber- ately harming a shark is pun- ishable under the National Conservation Law by a sub- stantial fine and forfeiture of the vessel and equipment used in the offence. The Department of Environment recovered two more dead sharks in May, both of which had been hooked and slaughtered. DoE shark project officer Johanna Kohler hauls the dead Caribbean reef shark closer to shore to examine it. – PHOTO: DOE Man charged with assault after fight at police station SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com A Bodden Town man appeared in court Monday following an incident at the Bodden Town Po- lice Station on 29 May in which he was engaged in a physical altercation with another member of the public. Jerry Machado Chris- tian, 49, was charged with assault causing grievous bodily harm and two counts of intentional har- assment, alarm and dis- tress, according to the Royal Cayman Islands Po- lice Service. The court heard Monday that Christian and the complainant knew each other and had a long history between them. Christian was driving in front of the complainant last Wednesday and al- legedly made a threat- ening gesture, and both parties called the police before driving to the po- lice station. The RCIPS stated in a press release that the defendant attacked the complainant in view of the officers, causing in- jury to the complainant and an RCIPS civilian staff member. Both par- ties were separated and the defendant was taken into custody. The court heard Monday that Christian was interviewed by po- lice last Thursday and accepted responsibility for his actions. The court also heard that the com- plainant fell down and suffered significant in- juries including a facial fracture, in addition to a haematoma and oedema. No conviction for assault on police officer SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com A magistrate ordered that no conviction be recorded against a 31-year-old work permit holder who pleaded guilty to assaulting a po- lice officer. The man, who had no prior criminal history in Cayman, allegedly pushed and kicked a police officer in the police station after being arrested for being drunk and disorderly on Britannia Drive in March. “We accept his conduct left an awful lot to be de- sired,” said defence counsel John Furniss at the sen- tencing on Monday. Furniss said that his client did not recall the inci- dent when questioned during police interview, but that he accepted wrongdoing and had never been in this kind of trouble before. “It’s clear the officer cer- tainly suffered injury as a direct result of the state my client was in,” he said. Magistrate Valdis Foldats noted that the defendant had positive character refer- ences and that his employer had shown up multiple times to court to keep abreast of the case. The magistrate also said that the defendant ap- peared to be at the “very bottom of the scale for risk of re-offending”. The magistrate said as- saulting police is a serious crime that carries serious repercussions, but he also noted that the defendant is a “responsible” and “produc- tive” individual with no prior convictions. Before sentencing, Magis- trate Foldats read the words of his fellow magistrates from other police assault ver- dicts, many of which stated that an attack on police is an attack on the rule of law. This case, said Magistrate Foldats, did not reach the custodial threshold. He also said it was a dif- ficult decision whether or not to record a conviction, but he decided that he did not want to jeopardise the defendant’s employment status. “I can impose significant punishment even if I don’t convict,” he said. “And that’s what I’m going to do.” The man was sentenced to probation for a year and pro- hibited from entering estab- lishments that hold a liquor licence for the corresponding period of time. He was also sentenced to 80 hours of community service that must be completed within six months and ordered to pay $300 in costs. The Cayman Compass typically does not name indi- viduals against whom no con- victions have been recorded. Shark deaths RECORDED BY DOE THROUGH 31 MAY 2019 7 shark deaths 2018 6 shark deaths 2017 12 shark deaths Christian was driving in front of the complainant last Wednesday and allegedly made a threatening gesture, and both parties called the police before driving to the police station.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” When issues unfold slowly, over time, there is always a danger that their importance will be muted in people’s minds. After all, the human brain can only pay attention to so many things at once. After years without reso- lution, even important matters can be reduced to background noise. We imagine the question of building a George Town cruise berthing facility would be one such issue for a lot of people on our islands. The idea has been dis- cussed, on and off, for many years. Readers may be well familiar with the core argu- ments for and against building the facility. Perhaps they have already made up their minds. Perhaps they’ve thrown up their hands, despairing of their ability to influence the outcome or of being able to determine the ‘right’ choice of action. But now that the organisers of Cruise Port Refer- endum Cayman say they have collected and verified signatures necessary to trigger a people-led refer- endum on the port issue, it is time for all Cayman voters to refocus their attention. If the elections office is able to confirm the required number of signatures from eligible persons, the ball will start rolling to give voters a say in the port. As the Compass reported this week, once the peti- tions are submitted and the signatures are verified, the elections office will submit the petition to Cabinet, which will determine if the issue is significant enough to warrant a people-led referendum – the first since the constitutional mechanism has been in place. From there, the Legislative Assembly would finalise the wording of the question to put to voters, and the date of the referendum. After that, it is the people’s decision. With an issue of this magnitude, they must ensure it is an informed one. As we have written, the cruise dock would be the single largest and most influential public works project in our islands’ history. It would shape our tourism product, our larger economy, our infrastructure, and day-to-day realities for decades to come. It is a serious long-term commitment. At the same time, opting not to build a cruise berthing facility in George Town could have similarly dramatic impacts. This editorial board has not taken ‘sides’ on this issue; rather, it has offered conditional support for exploring the idea, provided a berthing facility could be built quickly to specifications that appear to be and are of the highest quality, and if the project falls within a rational financing scheme. More to the point, the Compass newsroom has committed to thoroughly covering the discussion, concerns and arguments for the project so as to help our readers develop their own enlightened views. These news articles and persuasive columns for and against the proposed project all are available on our website: www.caymancompass.com. Our reporters will continue to report on developments as they occur. With the very real possibility of the question coming to referendum, the time has officially come for readers to redirect their attention to these discussions and to educate themselves about the issues at hand. Getting up to speed on port decision TUESDAY, 4 JUNE 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Sargassum presents a continuing challenge DAVID JESSOP It was not to be. A ‘Sar- gassum Summit’ to de- velop a multinational re- sponse to the worsening problem of the sargassum seaweed washing up on some of the best beaches in the Caribbean, has had to be postponed. The conference in Cancun, which has been delayed for domestic political reasons, is now expected to take place at a later date. Then Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs will bring together represent- atives from government, the private sector, and experts from the Caribbean, Central America and the US to dis- cuss how best to respond to the effect that the environ- mental phenomena is having on tourism and fisheries, and its damaging economic consequences. So serious has the problem become that a re- cent MIT Technology Re- view suggested that the cu- mulative effect is beginning to disrupt the equilibrium of coastal ecosystems and by killing off the seagrasses that help keep sand in place, is causing beaches to erode more rapidly. There are indications that the Caribbean may again see this year unusu- ally large amounts of sar- gassum seaweed washed up on its shores. According to a report pro- duced by the University of South Florida Optical Ocean- ography Lab, its satellite ocean mapping showed in April large amounts of sar- gassum across much of the Caribbean Sea except in the nearshore waters of Vene- zuela and Columbia, and in quantities higher than the historical record set in 2018 for the same month. Its analysis suggested that this could mean that while ‘the exact sargassum amount, timing, and loca- tion of the beaching will de- pend on local ocean circula- tions and winds’ the volume in the Caribbean Sea in May- June 2019 may be ‘compa- rable to or even higher than in May-June 2018, a histor- ical record’. Although sargassum has been arriving in the Carib- bean for many years, its mass has now become so great that voluntary efforts to clean beaches are proving ineffec- tive, with potentially longer term negative economic con- sequences for tourism in par- ticular. Tourism Ministers and industry representatives indicate they have become in- creasingly concerned about the seaweed’s unsightly ap- pearance, visitor complaints, the cost of mechanical re- moval, and the possibility of reputational damage. There is also some anecdotal evidence of investors questioning the long-term cost implications in relation to projects they are engaged in. To try to address the issue, the University of the West Indies and a number of other regional and inter- national bodies have been exploring possible solutions including industrial or nutri- tional uses for the seaweed if processed, issues related to the ecological damage to beaches caused by the use of heavy machinery to clear the sargassum, and what if any technical solutions there may be to keep the sea- weed offshore. One suggestion is that the seaweed should be har- vested. A United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) white paper pub- lished in October 2018 in- dicated a variety of uses in- cluding as fertiliser, as an input for nutraceuticals, or for biomass, biogas or other purposes. Although some enter- prises have begun to take ad- vantage of sargassum in this way, for example in St. Lucia for fertiliser, sustainability paradoxically is an issue, as there is no guarantee that the seaweed will always be avail- able onshore in the required quantities. An alternative but costly defensive solution being con- sidered by several countries in the region is the installa- tion of barriers. These, it is suggested, might keep the seaweed from reaching the shore in a manner that will result in the ocean currents then carrying the sargassum back out to sea. In addition, the Carib- bean Regional Fisheries Mechanism announced ear- lier this year that that it had begun a fact-finding study and why in some years such as 2018 it had reached un- precedented levels with an estimated clean-up cost of US$120m. The survey, funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, is ex- pected to suggest actions for the regions fisheries and tourism industry and the scope of support that Japan may provide to help address the problem. UNEP suggests that the science that causes the an- nual fluctuation in Sar- gassum blooms is not well understood and that what is now required is multilat- eral and multiagency collab- oration. It has also proposed a regional early warning system; a remote sensing and ship-based monitoring pro- tocol to report sargassum; greater awareness of the link to climate change; the need for a regional response plan and research agenda; and a greater focus on possible uses: all of which will neces- sitate new resources. If the problem of sar- gassum does occur again this year in the same way as it did in 2018 it will also re- quire clear and sustained visitor messaging by the in- dustry and governments, in- dicating that such inunda- tions are sporadic, do not affect all beaches and there is much more for a visitor to do. As the oceans warm, the Sargassum problem may well become more se- vere, suggesting that a re- gional technical response will be required and an un- derstanding of who will meet the likely cost of clean-up op- erations and the development of longer-term responses. Above all, and as the delayed Cancun conference agenda suggests, what is now essen- tial is joined-up approach to yet another environmental issue that has long term eco- nomic and ecological impli- cations for the whole region. David Jessop is a consultant to the Caribbean Council and can be contacted at david.jessop@Caribbean-council.org. © 2019, David Jessop. There are indications that the Caribbean may again see this year unusually large amounts of sargassum seaweed washed up on its shores. 5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY, 4 JUNE 2019 EDITION BOOKING DEADLINE Monday June 10 NO PUBLICATION Tuesday June 11 Wednesday June 5 Wednesday June 12 Thursday June 6 Thursday June 13 Friday June 7 Friday June 14 Tuesday June 11 PUBLICATION DEADLINES: Celebrate the Monday June 10th Public Holiday Queen’s Birthday (345) 949-5111 • sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com Please be advised there will be no newspaper on Monday, June 10th, Queen’s Birthday (Public Holiday) OUR OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED ON MONDAY, JUNE 10 TH Seniors share stories of Cayman’s past with students JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com For the second time around, Cayman Interna- tional School students have embarked on an interview- based project to document ex- periences and life stories with Cayman’s older generations. Some 45 Grade 8 students paired up with individual sen- iors for the free-flowing dis- cussion in the school’s multi- purpose room last Thursday. Facilitated by social studies teacher Kevin Hamlin, the oral history project en- couraged the students to in- terview the seniors about sig- nificant memories. “From their perspec- tive, it was interesting, and I learned a lot about what they did when they were younger and what they think about Cayman now and how it af- fected them and their families. It was very interesting,” stu- dent Riley Doyle said during a break from the discussions. “Most seniors said that the tourists first came here for the beaches, but now Cayman is more of a city with big build- ings and lots of traffic and they are not really a fan of it,” Doyle said, adding that they liked it better when they were her age. Felicity Hughes, another Grade 8 student, said she learned how people kept the mosquitoes away in earlier days. “One senior who lived on Cayman Brac told me he would bring food from the Bluff in thatch baskets and water from the well in con- tainers. He also said they played cricket, soccer and hop- scotch. To get rid of the mos- quitoes, they would get a big pot, fill it with coconut husks, burn it to get a ton of smoke coming out to drive them away,” Hughes said. Victor Chavez-Ferreira wanted to know what educa- tion was like for the seniors. He heard it was very limited and most had to stop being educated at a very young age. He heard from seniors there were not many opportu- nities for jobs either, and they worked for very little money at a very young age. “They talked about how life for them when they were young was very challenging because there was no elec- tricity … they barely had any clothes, yet they still enjoyed it because when they were young. Everybody looked out for each other and everything was shared. Now it’s like eve- rybody is for themselves and not as generous,” Chavez- Ferreira said. He added, “I heard how they biked or walked from one end of the island for basic things. Basically, they said everything has changed … the houses, the way we act, the way we travel, no exercise, the use of fast foods and so forth.” Teacher Hamlin said that some of the students were learning some fascinating things that they might not find in a textbook or online. “I would like the students to transcribe one of their in- terviews,” he said, “and, ulti- mately, the goal would be for them to submit that to the Cayman National Archives as an oral history record.” Mary Lawrence, a his- torian and former Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, showed students a book which she claimed was the first book written about the Cayman Islands in 1908, and an early ABC book used in local schools. She also showed stu- dents the late Ed Oliver’s ar- tistic renditions of scenes of Cayman and Will Jackson’s historical and cultural book ‘Up from The Deep.’ Lawrence talked about the changes in local legis- lation, the country and the population. “In 1970, we were 10,000 people; we are now 67,000 with 130 nationalities,” she told the students. Tourism pioneer Darvin Ebanks, who has become syn- onymous with the Cayman Is- lands’ Pirates Week festival, said students asked some very good questions. “They wanted to find out how was life when I was growing up and how Cayman has changed over the years. I explained the simplicity of growing up in Cayman with just basic things,” Ebanks said. “People today want the old Cayman back, but they don’t want to give up new things,” he said. Even as times change though, he still partakes in some of the activities and tra- ditions he grew up with. “I still climb mango trees, hunt for crabs, and fish. I try to pass along as much as I can to the younger generation,” he said. Ebanks said he feels the children are getting an idea of what Cayman was like and some of these children will pass on the tradition to others. “I enjoy fishing, playing around in the bushes and walking … I think I am carrying on the tradi- tions,” said Grade 8 student Lenny Ebanks. Salt Creek strata backs off bias charge MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com Contrary to previous re- ports, it appears there is no evidence that Environment Minister Dwayne Seymour had a conflict of interest in a Cabinet decision ap- proving a dock project in Salt Creek. An application for judi- cial review of the contested dock has been amended and strikes out the por- tion of the complaint that said Seymour was “a busi- ness associate” of Marcus Cumber, the property owner who wants to build the dock, and thus had a bias in his decision-making as a member of Cabinet. Cumber, owner of Is- land Air, said he’s never had business dealings with Seymour. “Not at all,” Cumber said. “I’ve never owned any- thing with him.” The minister did not re- spond to a Cayman Com- pass request for comment by press time. The Salt Creek Strata is- sued a statement Monday saying, “If appropriate, the strata will seek to add ad- ditional grounds of chal- lenge at a later stage.” The court action is in response to Cumber’s plans to build a 128-foot dock off of his Salt Creek property to accommodate his 38-foot Fountain yacht. He said two similar docks already exist on neighbouring proper- ties. Those docks both ap- pear to be less than 100 feet in length. “I wasn’t trying to be unreasonable,” he said, “I just wanted access to my land.” He said he was told when he bought the prop- erty that building such a dock would be possible. The court application cites concerns by the De- partment of Environment, the agency Seymour over- sees, and the Planning De- partment regarding con- struction of the dock. It says the DoE noted im- pacts on protected sea grass, while planning of- ficials had concerns about how the dock might im- pact navigation and future development. Despite those issues, the Cabinet approved the pro- ject 27 Dec. The appeal was first filed 27 March and amended 13 May. No court date has yet been set for ar- guments in the case. “ Basically, they said everything has changed … the houses, the way we act, the way we travel, no exercise, the use of fast foods.” VICTOR CHAVEZ- FERREIRA, student Students Tyra Able and Ainsley McMahan interview Olsie Hunter. Seniors discuss Cayman history with Cayman International School students. - PHOTOS: ALVARO SEREYWEDNESDAY, 5 JUNE NATIONAL CONSERVATION LAW: The National Trust invites its members and the general public to attend a free educational session, ‘Understanding the National Conservation Law’, today. The event will include a presentation by Department of Environment Director Gina Ebanks-Petrie, followed by a Q&A panel with National Trust Executive Director Nadia Hardie, and individuals sitting on the current National Conservation Council, who will discuss the overall purpose of the National Conservation Law and its goals. Registration begins at 5:30pm and the education session begins at 6pm. Confirm attendance by calling 749-1121 or emailing events@nationaltrust.org.ky. YOUNG MEN AT RISK: The Community Affairs Ministry and the Alex Panton Foundation is inviting the public to a presentation on ‘Young Men at Risk at 6:30-8pm today at the Bodden Town Civic Centre. THURSDAY, 6 JUNE HIGH SCHOOL ANNIVERSARY: All former students of St. Ignatius High School are invited to the school’s 25th anniversary social 5:30-7pm in Loyola Hall. Admission is free. RSVP to sicaymanalumni@gmail.com. GOVERNOR’S CONSERVATION AWARDS: The National Trust invites the public to submit nominations for its fourth Governor’s Conservation Awards. The awards recognise outstanding achievement among individuals and corporations in the fields of historic preservation and environmental conservation. Today is the nomination deadline. Nomination forms can be found online at www.nationaltrust.org. ky or collected from the National Trust office at Dart Family Park. FASHION SHOW: The Just Breathe Fashion Show for lung cancer awareness will be held today at 6pm on the Paseo at Camana Bay. All proceeds benefit the Cayman Islands Cancer Society. Call 949-7618 for more information. BIENNIAL ARTIST TALKS: For the final instalment in the National Gallery’s series of Biennial Artist Talks, join three artists featured in the exhibition ‘Cross Currents’ as they discuss their work, followed by a Q&A session with the audience. Admission is free and all are welcome. 6-7pm. Dart Auditorium. The talk will be followed by the closing party and catalogue launch for ‘Cross Currents: 1st Cayman Islands Biennial’. SATURDAY, 8 JUNE QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY: The annual Queen’s Birthday Parade will be held in front of the Legislative Assembly to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s 93rd birthday. The ceremony starts at 9am. In the event of inclement weather, the event will be moved to the George Town Town Hall. Following the celebrations in town, at 10:15am, Governor Martyn Roper will host his first official Queen’s Birthday Garden Party on the lawns of Government House. OCEAN DAY, ENVIRONMENT DAY: World Ocean Day Clean-Up and Girl Guides Environment Day. All are invited to join the Girl Guides, Plastic Free Cayman and Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation at South Sound Community Centre for a beach cleanup and Environment Fair. Beach cleanup, 8-9:30am. Bring a reusable water bottle, gloves and a hat. Bring a mug/plate or bowl for refreshments at the fair, 9:30-11am. In the spirit of being waste free, no plates or cups provided. GLOBAL WELLNESS DAY: To celebrate Global Wellness Day, the Cayman Islands Squash Club hosts a pilates session at 3-3:30pm and a yoga session at 3:30-4pm (bring your own mat to both). A 30-minute Mental Wellness Session with Ram Chatterjee will be held at 4pm. To RSVP, email info@squash.ky. SUNDAY, 9 JUNE WIND OF HOPE 5K: The NCVO’s Wind of Hope 5K Run/Walk. Starts at Smith Cove. 6:30am for walkers; 6:45am for runners. Races will be timed. Register at www.caymanative.com. $10 for children under 10; $25 for adults. Dogs welcome. Proceeds will benefit the Nadine Andreas Residential Foster Home. PAWS ON WHEELS: The Paws on Wheels cycling event will be held today, starting at 7am at the Holiday Inn. Log on to www.caymanactive.com for registration information. FAMILY FUN DAY: The Cayman Islands Conference of Seventh-day Adventists annual family fun and sports day returns today at 3pm at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex. Admission is free and refreshments will be on sale. SATURDAY, 15 JUNE FLOWERS SEA SWIM: The Flowers 1 Mile Sea Swim will begin at 2:30pm today at Seven Mile Public Beach. Proceeds go to the Special Olympics Cayman Islands. Visit www.flowersseaswim.com or www.caymanactive.com for more information. GENERAL INTEREST CELEBRATE CAYMAN: Celebrate Cayman Coat of Arms memorabilia will be on sale in the lobby of the Cayman Islands Government Administration Building 11am to 2pm every Tuesday and Thursday through the month of June. Items on sale are Celebrate Cayman umbrellas $25, neckties $25, bandanas/scarfs $15, puzzles 35pcs/200pcs $10, plates $35, bistro mugs $10, car flags $10. ‘I CAN QUIT’ SMOKING CESSATION CLASSES: The Public Health Department reminds smokers who wish to quit the habit that there are still some spaces left for upcoming smoking cessation classes. Classes start on 5 June, from 5:15-6:45pm every Wednesday for seven weeks in the Public Health Department. Location will be Smith Road Centre, second floor. For more information or to sign up, contact the Public Health Department on 244-2889/244-2621, or email sarah.hetley@hsa.ky or nola.sanderson@hsa.ky. COUNSELLING SERVICES: The Family Resource Centre and the Counselling Centre have moved. They are now with the Department of Counselling Services at their new home on Mary Street, at 87 West Apollo House. Hours are Mondays and Fridays from 9am to 1pm, Tuesdays and Thursdays 9am to 7pm, and Wednesdays 9am to 4pm. SQUASH CLUB: The Cayman Islands Squash Club hosts a social evening for women on the last Tuesday of every month at 6:30pm, and holds squash beginner lessons for adults every Monday at 7pm. For more information, email info@squash.ky. PIRATES WEEK VENDORS: Food and craft vendors interested in participating in the upcoming Pirates Week Festival can reserve stalls starting Monday, 3 June. Food Festival dates are 8, 9 and 11 Nov. A valid DEH Food Handling Certificate must accompany completed application forms. All food vendors must use biodegradable containers and utensils (available from Pirates Week Festival office – limited supply). Space is limited, please register early. Download the application form at www.piratesweekfestival.com/ participate. To learn more call 949-5078 or info@piratesweekfestival.com. LOCAL HARVEST MARKET: Local farmers sell their produce and farmed goods at Camana Bay on Wednesdays from 10am to 3pm in Heliconia Court (located next to Scotiabank). 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. ART OPEN CANVAS: At KARoo Restaurant in Camana Bay, Wednesdays 7-11pm. Artists of all levels are welcome to come and enjoy painting and socialising with other artists. Includes use of easels, lights, space and a beverage ticket. No fee. For more information, contact info@visualartcayman.com or jar.was@gmail.com. VISUAL ARTS SOCIETY: Adult Open Studio available to those who want to work independently in an inspiring atmosphere. Wednesdays for adults, 9am till noon. Thursdays Adults and Youth, 10am till noon. Watler House Art Studio, Pedro St. James. Fee is $5/$15 pp for ceramics. $15/$25 pp non-members. Includes use of studio, glazes and ceramic tools. Clay available $30 per bag/fee for kiln usage. To register, call 546-9422 or email info@visualartcayman.com. SEAFARERS HALL: The Cayman Islands Seafarers Association wishes to inform the community that the hall is now available for rent every day of the week, including Saturdays. THRIFT SHOP: Cayman Islands Humane Society Thrift Shop. Located in Venetia Plaza, next to China Village. The Thrift shop is open Tuesday – Saturday 9am to 2pm. Closed on Sunday and Monday. The phone number is 945-5596 THRIFT SHOP: One Dog at a Time’s New To U shop is now located at JJT Warehouses, Row 2, Unit 2 on Industrial Way. Open Saturdays 8am to 5pm and Wednesdays 10am to 2pm. Variety of items available, including men’s, women’s, children’s and baby clothes, shoes, household, electrical items, CDs, DVDs, books, home furnishings, toys, baby cribs, car seats, dog beds and more. BETHESDA COUNSELLING CENTRE: Caters to all who seek help. Open Monday to Friday, 9:30am to 5:30pm at 68 Mary Street. Appointments available Saturdays and late evenings. Owned and operated by the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. Call 946-6575. HUMANE SOCIETY BOOK LOFT: North Sound Road. Open Monday 12:30-4pm; Tuesday-Friday, 9:30am to 4pm; Saturday 9:30am to 4:30pm. Volunteers needed for front desk a few hours per week. For more information, email humanesocietybookloft@ candw.ky or call 946-8053. Donations of books, games, CDs, stationery, DVDs, cards, etc., in good condition needed. CLUBS, ORGANISATIONS ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS: Meets daily to help with drinking problems. Call 926-9044 or visit www.caymanaa.org. NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS: Is available for substance abuse help. Call the info line at 929–NANA (6262). AL-ANON GROUP MEETING: Are you troubled by someone’s drinking? Al-Anon Family Groups can help. Call 928-8843 or email caymanalanon@gmail.com for meeting times. OVERCOMERS OUTREACH: A Christ-centred 12-step recovery group addresses addictions and those affected by them. Meetings at Cayman Islands Baptist Church, Pedro Castle Road, Tuesdays, 7:15pm. For details, contact Vanessa Gilman at 946-2422, or visit www.overcomersoutreach.org. DEMENTIA/ALZHEIMER’S SUPPORT GROUP: This group meets on the last Wednesday of each month at ADACI’s office, 4th floor, Cardinall Plaza, 30 Cardinall Ave., George Town. Call 924-4170 or email info@adacayman.com. GRAND CAYMAN TOAST- MASTERS: Club meets each Thursday 6-7:15pm on 3rd Floor, George Town Public Library. Visitors and guests welcome. Contact George R. Ebanks at 322-9369 or Grand Cayman Toastmas- ters club on Facebook. Email info@toastmastersclub2686.org. EMINENT ORATORS TOAST- MASTERS: Want to be a better speaker or leader? Join a Toastmasters Club. The Eminent Orators Toast- masters Club meets every second and fourth Monday at Cayman Academy Canteen, Walkers Road, 6-7:30pm. Contact Sashoy Duncan at 939-8847 or email eminentoratorstoast- masters@gmail.com. Visitors and guests welcome. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events TUESDAY, 4 JUNE 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. Volunteers remove garbage from a beach during an earlier beach clean-up. To mark World Ocean Day and Girl Guides Environment Day, a clean-up will be held at Consuelo’s Beach by the South Sound Community Centre on Saturday, 8 June.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 must become part of an organisation’s DNA and start with actions at the time when employees are hired. “It cannot just be a policy that sits in a handbook.” A common misconcep- tion reflected by some of the respondents is that gender equality is not about more or less equal numbers of men and women in the work- place, but about employing equal numbers of men and women at every level and for every role. In the legal services in- dustry, for instance, an equal number of men and women graduate law school and start their career at an asso- ciate level at law firms. How- ever, at the senior level, the industry numbers are skewed with only a fifth of the part- ners being women. About half of male and female survey respondents, 47% and 53% respectively, ac- knowledged there are fewer women in senior roles in their workplace. In-depth interviews that supplemented the survey data showed that there is some evidence of improvement, with an increasing number of women in senior positions in some organisations. But progress is slow, and a more concerted effort is needed to create gender parity in the workplace, Gender Equality Cayman said in a presenta- tion at the Cayman Islands Society of Human Resources Professionals annual confer- ence on Friday. The organisation’s survey shows that men are generally more satisfied than women with their current standing and career opportunities in the workplace, as well as their salaries. Two thirds of men said they and their colleagues are paid fairly, whereas less than half of women (49%) agreed with this statement. Two thirds of men also stated they are satisfied with their level of seniority but again only 53% of women are. Men and women are also in disagreement about the existence of career opportu- nities regardless of gender. While 79% of men think their female colleagues have ac- cess to the same opportu- nities, only 52% of women do. The survey also noted a slightly higher share of male respondents had been pro- moted in the past five years. The solution is complex and Gender Equality Cayman stresses that the organisation would like to take the emo- tion out of the discussion that is needed. “The last thing we want to do is disenfranchise the men,” said Graham-Taylor. “We want to have men at the table. Some of the policies and procedures negatively impact men. Paternity leave, for example.” Lorimer added, “We don’t see this as only a women’s issue, it is for all genders.” Workplace flexibility around working hours or ma- ternity and paternity leave are one part of the solution. “There is a strong theme that women get access to more flexible working and a lot of men want that, too,” the GEC chair said. Another area of focus is how organisations re- cruit. Are job advertisements worded to appeal more to a specific gender? Are inter- view panels sufficiently di- verse? Is the office hierarchy male- or female-dominated? Who gets access to training and what are general promo- tion practices? And, importantly, are men and women in compa- rable roles compensated in the same way? The survey results hint that female respondents believe this may not be the case and international data suggests that salaries for men world- wide tend to be higher than for women in the same roles. In the UK, new regula- tions mandate large organi- sations of more than 250 em- ployees to make their salaries transparent. Because of Cay- man’s immigration regime, such salary figures for spe- cific positions broken down by gender are available to the government. Gender Equality Cayman says it is in talks with gov- ernment to find a way for these figures to be regu- larly published. $14 million in 2014 and a sudden jump to $51.5 million by December 2015. “We have a lot of ques- tions around those numbers,” Brown said. “The profits in those CIMA reports were a surprise to all of us. The individual per- formances of our compa- nies simply don’t reflect that increase.” She said she could not speak about the numbers for other companies but Generali does not make a profit every year, its margins rising and falling depending on the an- nual needs of those in its in- surance group. She said the government Health Insurance Commis- sion was working with CIMA to clarify the numbers in its reports. Bodden Town legislator Chris Saunders has been among those to call for a national health insurance system. More recently, Pre- mier Alden McLaughlin sug- gested government’s insur- ance company CINICO could be opened up to everybody. Those discussions came out of concerns over the amount government is paying out to fund healthcare costs for indigents. Around $30 million was spent in 2018 on covering emergency healthcare costs at tertiary institutions, either overseas or at CTMH Doctors Hos- pital and Health City, for people without full insur- ance coverage. Brown said the insur- ance industry was very much at the table in discus- sions over healthcare reform, but she questioned whether national insurance was a real solution. “I believe the basis of this conversation is based on the belief that there is sig- nificant profit in the health insurance industry, and we have serious questions about whether that is true,” she added. She said there were no guarantees that a national in- surance system would bring down costs. She said there were challenges around ex- pertise, integrity and the po- liticisation of healthcare, as well as continuity of funding in a national insur- ance system. “When we talk about na- tional insurance,” she said, “we are avoiding the true issue, which is the rising cost of healthcare. The tide will continue to rise – this is just looking at another place to get money from.” Though there have been no significant changes to the Standard Health In- surance fee schedule – a menu of fees that hospi- tals, doctors and other pro- viders are allowed to bill insurance companies for procedures – she said this had little bearing on what healthcare providers were actually charging. She said there is currently no good data on what was actu- ally being charged for ser- vices at a growing number of healthcare institutions across Cayman. “They have a lot of freedom in the market to charge whatever they want to charge,” she added. Brown said her com- mittee is more than a lobby group for the industry and has, over the past decade, been integral to improving healthcare coverage. She cited improvements to the Standard Health Insurance Contract, the expansion of individual health insur- ance offerings and the in- clusion of dependents up to the age of 30 on parents healthcare plans as signifi- cant advances. The group is currently in talks with government over its SHIC 65-plus plan in an effort to find a public-pri- vate solution to problems around healthcare costs for the elderly. She acknowledged it was becoming increasingly diffi- cult for a growing number of elderly people in Cayman to afford health insurance. “The older you get, the less likely you are to be hale and hearty and the more likely you are to be spending money on healthcare at a time when your earning potential is at its lowest,” Brown said. “It is not a crisis that is confined to the aged. There is the unemployed, the underemployed and their dependents. It is going to roll up into a big crisis very soon.” She said the cause of rising healthcare costs in Cayman was linked to the large annual inflation rate of healthcare in the US, where many patients still go to ac- cess tertiary care. On-is- land costs have also gone up, while services have improved amid increased expectations from a growing cosmopolitan population. The continuous devel- opment of technology and growing costs of training doctors is also believed to be a factor. She believes politi- cians, healthcare pro- viders and the insurance in- dustry can work together to find solutions. “It is time to put our heads together and rather than be antagonistic, try to identify and plug those gaps,” she said. Brown has taken over from Seeta Paltoo, who served for around 10 years as chair of the Health In- surance Standing Com- mittee, which is one of two standing committees of the Cayman Islands Insurance Association. CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY, 4 JUNE 2019 Are all genders treated equally in your workplace? Are you and your equally capable colleagues paid fairly for the work you do in your respective roles, regardless of gender? Do you think women encounter barriers to career progression? of men say yes 88% of women say yes 49% of women say yes 73% of women say yes 55% of men say yes 66% of men say yes 45% Has your organisation attained the status of equal opportunity employer? not sure work in progress not at all yes 49% 33% 9% 9% “ We are just as alarmed as everyone else at the constantly rising tide of healthcare costs.” ANNIKKI BROWN, chair, Health Insurance Standing Committee No simple solutions to Cayman’s health funding crisis Gender equality remains a work in progress Seeta Paltoo, of Cayman First, has stepped down as chair of the Health Insurance Standing Committee. Annikki Brown says health insurers are as alarmed as anyone else by rising healthcare costs. – PHOTO: WIL BIGNAL CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 “ Previously, it seemed that men and women were thinking that there are barriers for women in the workplace. Whereas now, we are seeing that has diverged. Men seem to think there is less of an issue.” ROXANNE LORIMER, chair, Gender Equality Cayman Gender Equality Cayman surveyed more than 1,000 people, asking them a variety of questions regarding gender in the workplace.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 who are sensitive to the plight of their people and the well-being of their countries, all recognise that corruption undermines and undoes development.” Objectives enshrined in the United Nations Sustain- able Development Goals, such as reducing hunger and inequality, fall to the way- side, Scotland said, when public dollars are siphoned off by tax avoidance and misappropriation of funds. “By impairing the ability of governments to collect tax fairly and efficiently, cor- ruption diverts resources away from the vitally im- portant investments that need to be made in areas such as health, education, and renewable energy,” Scotland said. “It tends to attract fi- nancing towards wasteful projects with only short- term payoffs or nega- tive impact.” In the Caribbean, as elsewhere, effectively tack- ling corruption will mean aligning words with action. It is not enough to pass laws that cannot be enforced, said Rosie Whittaker-Myles, chairperson for Cayman’s Commission for Standards in Public Life. “Many of us have passed and enforced laws but lack the resources to carry out our mandates. A few of us have no laws and no com- missions. Some of us have commissions but inade- quate laws or laws that have not been brought into force while others have in- adequately staffed commis- sions, which impedes their effectiveness,” Whittaker- Myles said. “Although some strides have been made towards our common goals of eradicating corruption in our societies, there is more to be done.” One example of an anti- corruption law that has not been brought into force is Cayman’s own Stand- ards in Public Life Law, passed in 2014. The public disclosures mandated by the legisla- tion provoked complaints by some board and com- mission members, who ar- gued that the law’s scope was too broad. A commence- ment date for the law has yet to be set. Governor Martyn Roper acknowledged the efforts made by the commission, despite years of delays in implementing the accom- panying law. “Whilst the Commis- sion for Standards in Public Life awaits the implementa- tion date for the Standards in Public Life Law, it does not sit idle, as evidenced by its involvement in hosting this week’s conference,” Roper said. He recognised the work of the Anti-Corruption Com- mission, which he said has received 166 reports since its inception, resulting in several arrests, convictions and investigations. He also pointed to the enactment of the Whistleblower Protec- tion Law in 2018 as a step forwards in stamping out public sector fraud. To strengthen efforts against corruption, Scot- land recommended a three- pronged approach that focusses on research, ca- pacity-building and net- working. A part of this strategy is the creation of re- gional anti-corruption agen- cies and training centres. Such networks and col- laboration will be espe- cially important moving for- ward for small jurisdictions such as the Cayman Islands. As such, Scotland hopes knowledge sharing and es- tablishing common bench- marks will position the Commonwealth as a global example of excellence. “We assist our small states with access to sus- tainable financing,” she said, “and help them to build their resilience, and to make their voices heard on the global stage. “Indeed, at this time when multilateralism is under threat, and we see nationalism and narrow self-interest on the rise, the Commonwealth shines as a beacon of hope and promise. Collaboration, based on the needs and perspectives of all members of our di- verse family of nations, is central to our Common- wealth approach.” TUESDAY, 4 JUNE 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Sports tourism helps boost numbers JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The CARIFTA track and field event has been credited with boosting tourism ar- rivals in April as the Cayman Islands notched up another record month. The pattern of booming ar- rivals continued with 46,079 stayover visitors arriving in April – an 18% increase on the same period last year. That included more than 2,000 visitors from the Car- ibbean region for the CAR- IFTA Games, which took place in Cayman over the Easter weekend. Those numbers helped propel Cayman to its best ever April and the fourth consecutive record-breaking month of 2019. In total, 191,883 visitors touched down at Owen Rob- erts International Airport for the first four months of this year, compared with 173,227 for the same period last year – an increase of more than 10% on what was previ- ously Cayman’s best year for visitation. April also saw an in- crease of 2.17% in cruise ar- rivals, with 154,983 passen- gers arriving on these shores. There have been just under 800,000 cruise passengers visit Cayman in the first four months of 2019, a marginal decrease overall on the same period last year. Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell, in a statement announcing the figures, paid tribute to the impact of CAR- IFTA and of sports tourism in general. “Diversification in visita- tion is essential to increasing our stayover performance and levelling seasonality,” he said. “Sports tourism cre- ates opportunities to posi- tively impact both visitation and total visitor spend. I am proud that the Cayman Is- lands will host the third-an- nual Cayman Islands Classic [basketball tournament] this fall, and look forward to welcoming the teams and their fans from across the United States.” There was more positive news for Cayman’s tourism industry as Cayman Air- ways won the ‘best airline’ category in the traveller’s choice awards from regional tourism magazine, the Carib- bean Journal. “These international and regional awards are testa- ment to the steadfast foun- dation that has been built, and to the ongoing hard work and commitment of approx- imately 400 employees with us today,” said Cayman Air- ways President and CEO Fa- bian Whorms. The pattern of booming arrivals continued with 46,079 stayover visitors arriving in April – an 18% increase on the same period last year. Visitors from across the region descended on Cayman for the CARIFTA Games over the Easter weekend. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Caribbean Commonwealth nations seek unity against corruption Baroness Patricia Scotland, second left, speaks with CCAICACB Chairman Dirk Harrison Monday at the Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort. To the right are Governor Martyn Roper, Rosie Whittaker-Myles and Roger Koranteng. - PHOTO: KAYLA YOUNG CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Police make gambling, drug arrests Officers from the Royal Cayman Islands Police Ser- vice and Customs and Border Control arrested four people Friday after receiving a tip about illegal gambling and drug activities. After getting the tip, of- ficers went to a bar on Shedden Road just after 1:25pm on Friday. A number of people immediately left on foot, and several others were spoken to by the officers about activities at the bar. Two George Town women – aged 58 and 39 – were ar- rested on suspicion of illegal gambling. Two men – aged 21 and 18 – were arrested on suspicion of possession and consumption of ganja. Police investigations are still ongoing. Head of rights commission criticises Mexico’s president MEXICO CITY (AP) – The head of Mexico’s governmental Na- tional Human Rights Com- mission has launched a broad criticism of President An- drés Manuel Lopez Obradór, saying human rights do not appear to be a priority for his administration. Lopez Obradór has an- gered rights groups by cutting funding for non-governmental organisations and criticising watchdog agencies, some newspapers and journalists, accusing them of being allied with conservatives. Commission President Luis Gonzalez said Lopez Obradór’s austerity drive could hurt healthcare and criticism of regulatory agen- cies and independent voices threatened human rights. While veiled, Gonzalez’s speech Monday suggested broad and growing disagree- ments with the president. Gonzalez said “criticism of civic groups and groups of journalists, and the need to avoid comments that divide or polarise people, are things that should be examined to ensure better protection for human rights”. Honduras street protests go on despite laws’ cancellation TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) – Thousands of teachers and doctors in Honduras joined in street protests again Monday despite the president’s can- cellation of decrees that they feared would lead to exten- sive layoffs. Public sector employees have been marching for weeks, accusing President Juan Orlando Hernández of trying to privatise the health and education systems. Hernández said early Monday that the laws were withdrawn “for the peace of Honduras”. He urged those striking to return to work. Strike leader Suyapa Figueroa, who is president of the medical college, said pro- testers do not trust the gov- ernment. She said her group, the Platform for the Defense of Health and Education, was not invited to meetings with Hernández. In the capital, many schools remained closed and hundreds of people seeking care at the Hospital Escuela Universitario, the country’s main public hos- pital, were turned away. Presidential minister Ebal Díaz said, “The doctors and teachers want to burn the country, but this is not the way to do it.” Police were investigating the burning of a miles-long caravan of semi-trailers hauling bananas for the US fruit company Dole. NEWS IN BRIEFThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 Explosion at Russian TNT plant injures 79 Russia’s health ministry says 79 people have been injured in an explosion in a plant manufacturing TNT. The blast took place Saturday in Dzerzhinsk, 250 miles east of Moscow. The ministry said 38 employees at the plant and 41 local residents sought treatment after the blast. CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY, 4 JUNE 2019 Trump meets queen, escalates Khan feud US, Mexico officials to begin talks over tariffs, border LONDON (AP) – Mixing pag- eantry and political pugilism, President Donald Trump opened a state visit to Britain on Monday by drawing a smile from Queen Elizabeth II and stepping up a long- running feud with London’s anti-Trump mayor before his plane had touched down on English soil. Trump and his wife, Mel- ania, flew by helicopter to Buckingham Palace, landing on a lawn where Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, greeted them. They received a deafening royal gun sa- lute as they walked to the palace where a waiting queen smiled at the president. Those were the images sought by a White House eager to showcase Trump as a statesman while, back home, the race to replace him – and talk of impeaching him – heated up. Yet Trump, forever a counter-puncher, immediately roiled diplo- matic docility by tearing into London Mayor Sadiq Khan. With the trip already at risk of being overshadowed by Brexit turmoil, Trump unleashed a Twitter tirade after a newspaper column in which Khan said Trump did not deserve red-carpet treatment and was “one of the most egregious examples of a growing global threat” from the far-right to lib- eral democracy. “@SadiqKhan, who by all accounts has done a ter- rible job as Mayor of London, has been foolishly ‘nasty’ to the visiting President of the United States, by far the most important ally of the United Kingdom”, Trump wrote just before landing. “He is a stone cold loser who should focus on crime in London, not me.” The president added that Khan reminded him of the “terrible” leader of his home- town, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio though “only half his height”. De Blasio, a Democrat, is a longshot can- didate in the 2020 presiden- tial race. Khan supporters have previously accused Trump of being racist against London’s first Muslim mayor. The president then added warm words for his hosts, tweeting that he looked for- ward “to being a great friend to the United Kingdom, and am looking very much for- ward to my visit”. The agenda for Trump’s week-long journey is mostly ceremonial: a state visit and audience with the queen, D-Day commemoration cere- monies on both sides of the English Channel and his first presidential visit to Ireland, which will include a stay at his coastal golf club. During the palace wel- come ceremony, Trump and Prince Charles inspected the Guard of Honour formed by the Grenadier Guards wearing the traditional bear- skin hats. Royal gun salutes were fired from nearby Green Park and from the Tower of London as part of the pag- eantry accompanying an of- ficial state visit, one of the highest honours Britain can bestow on a foreign leader. But the US president ar- rived at a precarious mo- ment. He faces a fresh round of impeachment fervour back home and uncertainty on the other side of the At- lantic. British Prime Min- ister Theresa May has faced months of political turmoil over Brexit and French Pres- ident Emmanuel Macron is expected to use the 75th an- niversary of the World War II battle that turned the tide on the Western Front to call for strengthening multina- tional ties the US president has frayed. A sense of deja vu quickly spread around London as Trump barrelled into the visit. A year ago, Trump also took aim at his hosts be- fore landing on English soil, blasting May in an inter- view hours before she hosted him for dinner. Though he has spared May so far this time, he has praised her rival, prime ministerial hopeful Boris Johnson, just days be- fore May steps down as Con- servative leader on Friday for failing to secure a Brexit deal. “I think Boris would do a very good job. I think he would be excellent,” Trump told The Sun. “I like him. I have always liked him. I don’t know that he is going to be chosen, but I think he is a very good guy, a very tal- ented person.” It was not clear if the Trump endorsement would hurt or help Johnson’s chances of becoming prime minister. Trump said he may meet with Johnson this week. Never shy about weighing in on other countries’ affairs, Trump also told the Sunday Times that Britain should “walk away” from Brexit talks and refuse to pay a 39 bil- lion pound (US$49 billion) divorce bill if it doesn’t get better terms from the Euro- pean Union. He said he might meet with another pro-Brexit politician, Nigel Farage, and claimed Farage should be given a role in the Brexit negotiations. After lunch with the queen, Trump was shown parts of the collection at Buckingham Palace, in- cluding an 18th-century map of New York, historic photos of golf at St. Andrews and books about birds and George Washington. West- minster Abbey was next, with a tour and moment of si- lence at the tomb of the Un- known Warrior. He will be honoured later Monday at an extravagant state dinner at the Palace. Demonstrators are expected, including the possible return of a balloon depicting the president as a baby. Even some of the pag- eantry could produce awk- ward moments. A formal tea hosted by Prince Charles brought together a future king who has warned repeat- edly about the perils of cli- mate change and a president who is actively dismantling US policies designed to slow global warming. WASHINGTON (AP) – Mexico launched a counteroffensive Monday against the threat of US tariffs, warning not only that it hurt the economies of both countries but also would allow a quarter mil- lion more Central Americans to migrate North. A high-level delegation from the Mexican govern- ment held a press confer- ence at the embassy in Wash- ington, making the case against the threat by Presi- dent Donald Trump of im- posing a 5% tariff by 10 June. Trump is in London for a long-planned overseas trip, leaving others to stem a po- tential trade crisis. It’s unclear what more Mexico can do – and what will be enough – to satisfy the president. Trump’s Republican allies warn that tariffs on Mexican imports will hit US consumers and harm the economy. The president all but taunted negotiators for a quick resolution. “Mexico is sending a big delegation to talk about the Border,” the president tweeted Sunday. “Problem is, they’ve been ‘talking’ for 25 years. We want action, not talk.” But Mexican Foreign Min- ister Marcelo Ebrard replied Monday that both countries working together is “the best way to do it”. Mexico said it will only go so far to avert the duties, and absolutely ruled out a ‘third safe country’ agree- ment that would require asylum seekers to apply for refuge in Mexico first. “There is a clear limit to what we can negotiate, and the limit is Mexican dignity,” said Mexico’s Ambassador to the United States, Martha Barcena. Barcena said Mexico has taken steps to offer mi- grants visas in Mexico, and “without Mexico’s efforts an additional quarter million mi- grants could arrive at the US border in 2019”. Mexican Economy Min- ister Graciela Marquez plans talks with Commerce Sec- retary Wilbur Ross. Delega- tions led by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Foreign Relations Secretary Marcelo Ebrard will also meet this week in Washington. Marquez told reporters her team is assessing poten- tial reprisals in case the dip- lomatic efforts do not bear fruit this week. “We will have to make a strategic plan to take into consideration many elements,” she said. Trump has been here be- fore, issuing high-stakes threats, only to back off come crunch time. But a top White House official warned that the president was “deadly se- rious”. Trump is threatening 5% tariffs on Mexican im- ports starting June 10. Trump claims Mexico has taken advantage of the United States for decades but that the abuse will end when he slaps tariffs on Mex- ican imports. His frustration with the flow of migrants is nothing new, but it’s a sub- ject he often returns to, as he did last week after spe- cial counsel Robert Mueller’s rare public statement on the Trump-Russia report. The president said last week that he will impose the tariffs to pressure the gov- ernment of Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to block Cen- tral American migrants from crossing the border into the US. Trump said the import tax will increase by 5% every month through October, top- ping out at 25%. It swiftly refocussed attention on the border issues. Mick Mulvaney, the acting White House chief of staff, said on “Fox News Sunday” that the president is “deadly serious”. Still, Mulvaney acknowl- edged there are no concrete benchmarks being set to as- sess whether the US ally is stemming the migrant flow enough to satisfy the admin- istration. “We intentionally left the declaration sort of ad hoc,” he said. “So, there’s no specific target, there’s no specific per- centage, but things have to get better,” Mulvaney said. “They have to get dramati- cally better and they have to get better quickly.” The tariff threat comes just as the administration has been pushing for passage of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which would up- date the North American Free Trade Agreement and top Re- publicans warned it could de- rail that effort. GOP Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana, called the tar- iffs a “mistake” and said it was unlikely Trump would impose them. Republicans on Capitol Hill and GOP allies in the business community have ex- pressed serious unease with the tariffs. Some see this latest threat as a play for lev- erage and doubt Trump will follow through. Earlier this year Trump threated to seal the border with Mexico only to change course. During the palace welcome ceremony, Trump and Prince Charles inspected the Guard of Honour formed by the Grenadier Guards wearing the traditional bearskin hats. Mexico said it will only go so far to avert the duties, and absolutely ruled out a ‘third safe country’ agreement that would require asylum seekers to apply for refuge in Mexico first. US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump attend a welcome ceremony Monday with Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II in the garden of Buckingham Palace, in London, on the first day of a three-day state visit to Britain. – PHOTO: APNext >