ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – WEDNESDAY, 26 JUNE 2019 THROUGH A NEW STRATEGIC ALLIANCE A STRONGER, BRIGHTER FUTURE LIES AHEAD FOR GROWTH, DEVELOPMENT AND SUCCESS. CAYMAN NATIONAL — PROUDLY GROWING WITH THE CAYMAN ISLANDS FOR 45 YEARS. CAYMAN ISLANDS | ISLE OF MAN | DUBAI A Subsidiary of LEADERS DESCEND ON CAYMAN ISLANDS FOR SUMMIT Jamaican PM and Lord Ahmad among visiting dignitaries JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com Leaders from across Britain’s overseas territories are meeting in Grand Cayman Wednesday to discuss joint concerns ahead of meetings with the UK government in London later this year. Threats to the financial services industry and concerns over the constitutional relation- ship with the UK are among the key issues for some of the Caribbean territories, including the Cayman Islands, Bermuda and the British Virgin Islands. But with a diverse range of islands falling under the British umbrella, including Gi- braltar and the Falklands, a wide schedule of topics is expected to be under discussion during the talks at the Kimpton Seafire Resort. The meetings will be immediately followed by a joint UK and Overseas Territories trade summit, also at the Kimpton, where emerging opportunities in the fintech sector and the ‘blue economy’ will be discussed. British Overseas Territories Minister Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon will be in the Cayman Islands for a three-day visit to co- incide with the summit and the arrival of British naval ship RFA Mounts Bay, which is on disaster relief duty in the region, and will perform a training exercise on Seven Mile Beach on Friday. Lord Ahmad will host a meeting with the overseas territories leaders on the implica- tions of Brexit later on Friday. Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Hol- ness is also scheduled to attend some of the week’s events and hold bilateral talks with Lord Ahmad. Cayman Islands Premier Alden McLaughlin, who will chair the meeting of overseas Summer NiCE work project to launch next month Out-of-work Caymanians can avail of two weeks of paid work next month as the government runs its second National Community En- hancement (NiCE) Summer Project. According to an announcement from the government on Monday, unemployed Caymanians and their spouses can take part in up to two weeks of “environmental beautification work”, which in- cludes clearing away sargassum seaweed that has washed ashore. “As well as providing tempo- rary paid work, the NiCE pro- ject offers a chance for persons entering the job market to learn new skills, whilst allowing per- sons re-entering the workforce the opportunity to gain addi- tional experience,” the government statement noted. Registration and orientation for next month’s project, led by the Ministry of Commerce, Plan- ning and Infrastructure, will be held at the Lions Centre from 9am to noon on Tuesday, 2 July. The project will cover repairs and maintenance, gardening, ti- dying up parks and cemeteries, beach clean-ups, clearing beach access, garbage collection, as well as cleaning roadside verges and general bush clearance. “While the Government is en- couraged that at 2.8% unemploy- ment is now at its lowest in more than a decade, we are still keen to help those who are experiencing difficulties finding full-time work,” said Minister of Commerce Joey Hew in the statement. “This Summer’s NiCE Project has been brought forward to as- sist in addressing the issue of sar- gassum on the beaches and coast- line of Grand Cayman. A similar project will be conducted on the Sister Islands by the Ministry of District Administration,” he added. NiCE applicants will need to bring a completed application form and supporting documenta- tion to prove immigration status on registration day. Participants will be required to attend work daily from 7am to 3pm Monday through Friday. The government stated that “vigorous vetting” would be done to ensure only those eligible to take part will be accepted into the programme. Contracted workers will be paid Iguana cull numbers pass 750,000 mark MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com Figures for culled green iguanas have reached more than three quarters of a million. Numbers are on track to top 100,000 for June alone, after nearly hitting that target in May. Officials with the Depart- ment of Environment say warm weather, mating season and other elements have led to increased iguana activity, making them easier targets for cullers. “The females are now moving out to nest sites,” said Fred Burton, who oversees land- based biodiversity for the department. That movement makes them more vul- nerable as they excavate their nests in open areas. In recent days, Burton said, “I’ve noticed a number of road kills of females with eggs.” From 1 to 22 June, just under 82,000 iguana carcasses were turned in at Cay- man’s landfill. Since the most recent culling programme began in late October, a total of 767,000 iguanas have been killed. The es- timated population at the start of the pro- gramme was 1.6 million. Cullers remain ahead of the pace needed to reach the target of culling 1.3 million iguanas by the end of this year. Burton said he expects the recent rise in numbers to continue for some time. “It’ll keep going for a little while,” he said. “The nesting does peak around June and July, but it’s not like everyone nests at the same time. Some nests are laid much later.” PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 9 » As of October last year, there was an estimated 1.6 million invasive green iguanas in Grand Cayman.2 LOCAL NEWS The Ministry of Financial Services and Home Affairs announced on Tuesday that Lisa Malice had been appointed as the director of the Department of Com- munity Rehabilitation. Previously, she had been the deputy director of the department and had been the acting director since September 2017. She has worked in the department for 15 years. The Department of Community Reha- bilitation provides community-based su- pervision and rehabilitative services to adult offenders, primarily upon the in- struction of the Courts and Conditional Release Board. Malice said that while studying at the University of South Florida to earn a bachelor’s in social work and a minor in sociology, an internship opportunity with a local jail sparked her passion to work with offenders. “I wanted to better understand of- fending behaviour, why people make some of the choices that they make and be a part of helping them make posi- tive changes in their lives,” she said in a press release. Immediately upon finishing her de- gree, she was presented with the oppor- tunity to work with Cayman’s Depart- ment of Community Rehabilitation. Malice said when she first joined the department in 2004, it had only re- cently become a separate entity from the Department of Children and Family Services. “At that time, we were a small team of probation officers and commu- nity service coordinators, and within a few years the unit became a department and has since grown significantly to a team of almost 50 staff members.” According to the government press release, throughout her time with DCR, Malice has helped “establish a roadmap for the development of prison and community-based rehabilitation programmes that aim not only to re- duce recidivism, but also support the social reintegration of prisoners into the community”. She credited the advancement of the department to the work of its former di- rector Teresa Echenique, who now serves as the chief officer for the Ministry of Community Affairs, and described her colleagues as “unsung heroes”, stating that each person within the organisa- tion “is passionate about our mission and purpose and we share the common belief that we can be instruments of change in the lives of offenders, victims, families, and our community”. She said Echenique’s “vision for DCR to play a critical role in public safety by providing effective services to offenders that help them live a productive and crime-free lifestyle. Oftentimes the work of probation officers within the criminal justice system is taken for granted or misunderstood, but her leadership paved the way for DCR to be recognised for the primary role that it plays in offender management and public safety”. Chief Officer for Financial Services and Home Affairs Dax Basdeo said, “Ms. Malice’s passion and dedication is an in- spiration, and supported by a team of like-minded individuals. The department is well-poised to pursue its mission to influence positive behavioural change in adult offenders, and the Ministry will continue to support Ms. Malice and her staff as they deliver on its critical man- date for the country.” WEDNESDAY, 26 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(PG) 10:30 (SAT ONLY) I 4:35 I 7:15 (NO SAT) SUN: 4:35 I 7:15 CAPTAIN MARVEL(PG13) 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. - WEDNESDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) ALADDIN (PG) 4:10 I 10:10 CHILD’S PLAY (R) 1:00 VIP | 4:00 | 6:40 VIP | 7:20 | 10:00 MEN IN BLACK (PG-13) INTERNATIONAL 1:40 | 3:50 VIP | 4:45 I 7:30 | 9:50 TOY STORY 4 (G) 12:30 | 5:00 | 7:30 ANNA (R) 12:50 | 4:10 | 7:00 | 9:30 VIP | 10:00 X-MEN: DARK PHOENIX (PG-13) 1:15 | 10:15 SECRET LIFE OF PETS 2 (PG) 1:25 | 7:35 FBI acknowledges Cayman’s cooperation MICHAEL KLEIN mklein@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Washington Post published a letter to the editor on 21 June by Cayman Finance CEO Jude Scott de- fending Cayman’s cooperation re- cord in the fight against crime. The letter was in reference to Anne Applebaum’s 16 June op-ed, “A perfectly legal form of bribery,” about a “opaque offshore vehicle” used “to funnel money from un- named investors to a company called Cadre”, a firm co-founded by US President Donald Trump’s son- in-law Jared Kushner. In his letter, Scott wrote that the article missed the mark about con- ducting business in the Cayman Islands and failed to acknowl- edge that Cayman has been recog- nised by US authorities as a strong partner in combating corruption, money laundering, terrorism fi- nancing and tax evasion. Scott cited testimony by FBI Acting Deputy Assistant Director (Criminal Investigative Division), Steven M. D’Antuono before the US Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee in May, where he spoke about the “immense value” of beneficial ownership information shared by United Kingdom Overseas Territories and Crown Dependen- cies, including the Cayman Islands. “UK law enforcement has access to company beneficial ownership information in support of investi- gations. This information must be made available within 24 hours of a request. Our colleagues at the UK’s National Crime Agency have continually noted the immense value of such information in their investigations,” D’Antuono said at the hearing. “These frameworks can pro- vide valuable insight into the crit- ical aspects of a successful system for maintaining, accessing, and sharing accurate beneficial owner- ship information.” D’Antuono gave credit to coun- tries like the Cayman Islands that have robust anti-money laundering and counter terrorism financing regulations for their requirements of documentation and verification of beneficial owners for ‘legal per- sons’. As this information is avail- able to regulators and law en- forcement, it allows them to more vigorously be able to identify and mitigate illegal actors and protect financial systems. In a press release issued on Tuesday, the Cayman Finance CEO said, “Our world-class verified own- ership regime has been in place for over 15 years. We are pleased to see our international partners continue to recognise our leadership in this area as a transparent jurisdiction that adheres to the highest interna- tional standards.” The information Cayman re- quires to be collected is available to authorities making proper re- quests to Cayman Islands author- ities through existing informa- tion sharing channels between the Cayman Islands government and the UK, as well as other countries. “What distinguishes the Cayman Islands regime apart from most others around the world is that the information in our system is collected and verified by licensed Cayman Islands corporate service providers under existing anti-money laundering and know-your-customer laws,” Scott said. “Those same licensed corporate service providers are responsible for submission of beneficial ownership registry information to the Cayman Islands government, and that infor- mation forms part of the Cayman Islands’ current enhanced informa- tion exchange arrangements with the UK and shared with other coun- tries, including the US,” he added in the press release. Cayman Finance CEO Jude Scott ‘Not Your Spot’ campaigners still guarding disabled parking Rotary Central Cayman Islands, which recently won a community impact award for its ‘Not Your Spot’ cam- paign, says it is not resting on its laurels, and intends to continue its work preventing the improper use of disabled ‘blue spot’ parking spaces. The club launched its campaign 12 months ago. Earlier this month, the Cayman Islands Marketing Professionals Association awarded the rotarian cam- paign the Community Impact of the Year award. Susie Bodden, immediate past president of Rotary Cen- tral, said she was thrilled when she heard the cam- paign had taken the award and hoped the win would bring the campaign into the spotlight again. “We had really great feedback and support from across the community when we first ran the campaign,” she said. “It’s important for us to keep this issue top of mind and to remember that disabled parking spots and blue badges are an essen- tial service for Cayman’s dis- abled population, allowing ease of access to workplaces, shops, and other basic re- quired services.” Rotary Club president William Inniss congratulated Tower, the agency behind the campaign, and thanked Bodden for her vision in bringing the campaign to life. “Not Your Spot is about Rotary Central Grand Cayman launched its ‘Not Your Spot’ campaign a year ago. New director for rehabilitation department Lisa Malice bringing Cayman together to help support our disabled community,” he said. “With both our Share the Road and Not Your Spot campaigns, Ro- tary is championing respect for each other on the roads of Cayman, and we ask everyone to be patient and considerate when out and about.” Magda Embury, chair- person of the National Council for Persons with Disabilities, said the council welcomed the Not Your Spot campaign. “Our Council fully sup- ports Rotary’s effort to bring to the public’s attention the importance of persons with disabilities having accessi- bility to designated parking spots for office buildings, supermarkets, shops, trans- portation and many other public areas. This is con- sistent with our ongoing goals for persons with dis- abilities having full acces- sibility to all built environ- ments, towards achieving independent living,” she said. She added, “Illegal parking in disabled spaces is an on- going problem for our com- munity. With proper edu- cation, incidents of illegal parking in disabled blue spots could be significantly reduced and the day-to-day lives of our disabled commu- nity made much easier.”The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY, 26 JUNE 2019 where life blossoms CAMANABAY.COM Constitution Day Fireworks Monday, July 1 8:30 p.m. on The Crescent Bring the family to enjoy delicious food and drinks plus live music from DJ Dereck from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The Restaurants of Camana Bay present The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 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. WEDNESDAY, 26 JUNE 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS 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” ‘A Historical View’ examines church’s history in Cayman CURTIS EDWARDS Secrets of South Church Street – along the water- front where James Arch and Sons Shipyard existed in the early 1900s – are revealed in my just-released book, ‘A Historical View’. The ship- yard’s location is common ground with today’s Hard Rock Café and in proximity with the current George Town Church of God (Full Gospel Hall), the same or- ganisation that Arch leased ground to in 1911 for its George Town congregation. Familiar Cayman family names associated with the Church of God (Full Gospel Hall) are not limited to the Arches though, as the first pastor was William Mearns Coe, Jr. The Coe family was active in the mercantile busi- ness and William M. Coe served as a Justice of the Peace when George S. S. Hirst was Commissioner. These early beginnings were the fruit of an American missionary, Richard Russell of Knoxville, Tennessee. He first ministered in the Bay Islands of Honduras but then was transported to Cayman, cour- tesy of Henry Arch, brother of James. By 1908, several con- gregations were official in- cluding George Town, Sa- vannah and West Bay. Richard Russell served as the Gen- eral Overseer, with the pas- tors being Coe, Hubert Coe, and Azariah Powery. Likewise, senior deacons, elders and deaconesses were James Arch, Thomas Eden, Elmy Ebanks and Cleora Powery. Addi- tional congregations sprung up at North Side, East End, Breakers and Cayman Brac. The beginnings were filled with hard work and hazard; long journeys by sea awaited Russell. Reportedly, it ap- pears that he travelled by banana boat from Florida to Roatan, Bay Islands, and subsequently came over the waves to Cayman. He made several trips to these island ministry locations, with the last recorded trip being in 1931 from George Town to Tampa, Florida on the Noca. Locals of the Church of God (Full Gospel Hall) had to face their own adversities in order to minister or at- tend meetings. Miles of canoe paddling in the roadless is- land, fighting hordes of mos- quitoes with fire pans and brushes, walking the Seven Mile Beach, and wrestling with wicked men and Satan was included! The fruit of Russell’s la- bour was seen in several Caymanians who became later generation pastors, such as James Arch, Leo- nidas Merren and Charles Glidden. Others were part of the church, including Bill- ings Pouchie, Bothwell Smith, Chloe Eden, Raib Arch, Ti- dyman Ebanks, Luke Forbes, Lucy Watler, Carl Scott and Wilbur DaCosta. Two men rose to top lead- ership rank. Fossie Arch served as the second Gen- eral Overseer of the Church of God (Full Gospel Hall), be- ginning circa 1942. His juris- diction included the Cayman Islands and the Bay Islands of Honduras. In 1971, Will T. Bodden assumed Arch’s role as overseer of the Cayman church, a position he held until 1990. He was also the editor of The Gospel of the Kingdom and published Cay- man’s first newspaper, 1942- 1987. Both men are on the Wall of Honour at Heroes Square, their names inscribed in granite along with 500 names of select Caymanians. From start to finish – Richard Russell to Will T. Bodden and beyond – the Church of God (Full Gospel Hall) has enjoyed times of prosperity, endured hard- ship, and has experienced the highs and lows that come with life. Through it all, it still stands as an ancient Cayman landmark. Curtis Edwards is an ordained Minister of the Gospel and serves as a missionary/evangelist in the Wesleyan tradition in Africa, Asia and America. He has authored seven books that draw on personal biblical knowledge and ministry experience. ‘A Historical View’ is available at www.amazon.com. The Church of God Full Gospel Hall in downtown George Town. From left, Will T. Bodden, editor and printer; Fossie Arch, business manager; and Raib Arch, assistant business manager worked together on the Cayman Gospel Press from 1944. Ezra Sheets, Assistant Overseer of the Church of God (Full Gospel Hall) Locals of the Church of God (Full Gospel Hall) had to face their own adversities in order to minister or attend meetings. Miles of canoe paddling in the roadless island, fighting hordes of mosquitoes with fire pans and brushes, walking the Seven Mile Beach, and wrestling with wicked men and Satan was included! Church founder and General Overseer Richard RussellThe islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS WEDNESDAY, 26 JUNE 2019 6 LOCAL NEWS WEDNESDAY, 26 JUNE 2019 CAYMAN COMPASS Please be advised there will be no newspaper on Monday, July 1st, Constitution Day (Public Holiday) Constitution Day PUBLIC HOLIDAY Monday, July 1st PUBLICATION DEADLINES: Celebrate (345) 949-5111 • sales@pinnaclemedialtd.com EDITION BOOKING DEADLINE Monday July 1 No Publication Tuesday July 2 Wednesday June 26 Wednesday July 3 Thursday June 27 Thursday July 4 Friday June 28 Friday July 5 Tuesday July 2 MONTESSORI BY THE SEA GETS DEFIBRILLATOR Lobster Pot owner Marcus Cumber has do- nated a HeartSine 360P automated external de- fibrillator to Montessori By the Sea. Cumber expressed con- cern that cardiac arrests are major life-threatening medical emergencies, and wanted the school to be prepared in a cardiac event. An AED is a safe and easy-to-use machine which is used to treat a sudden cardiac arrest. Clare O’Keefe Thorpe, principal of Montessori By the Sea, said the school was grateful for the sup- port of Cumber and the Lobster Pot restaurant for donating the AED de- vice. Although they hope never to have to use it, it is comforting to know that it is available for the staff to use in an emer- gency, she said. Cayman Heart Fund coordinator Angelique Bodden applauded Cumber for donating the AED to the school, and encour- ages people to learn cardi- opulmonary resuscitation – commonly known as CPR – an emergency lifesaving procedure performed when the heart stops beating. Bodden welcomes members of the community to contact her for CPR and First Aid training information, on 916‑6324 or info@caymanheartfund.com. National Gallery exhibit explores Cayman’s landscape Cayman’s landscape is the theme of this year’s summer exhibition now on display at the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands. Drawn entirely from the museum’s collection, ‘Tropical Visions’ features 30 pieces by 24 artists – a mix of established and emerging names – and covers a period of 50 years. The ex- hibit runs through 30 Sept. According to gallery di- rector Natalie Urquhart, the exhibition takes the viewer on a journey that tells a still un- finished story, tying the work of contemporary artists to a lineage of landscape painting that lives on to this day. “Each year our summer exhibition explores artwork from the National Collec- tion through a specific the- matic framework as a way of opening up the collection for research and highlighting work that isn’t regularly on display,” Urquhart said in a news release. “Our unique Caymanian environment has provided a source of artistic inspiration for decades so, this year, we felt that it was very fitting to explore the evo- lution of landscape painting.” William Helfrecht co-cu- rated the exhibit. “These ‘Tropical Visions’ depict the scenery of our eve- ryday experience,” Helfrecht said, “while also meditating on the artist’s eye and the act of looking itself.” The exhibition will be supported by a programme of workshops, family fun days, tours and lectures run- ning throughout summer. Ac- cess to the programme and the exhibition is free. For a full list of workshops, lectures and events running throughout the exhibition, visit www.nationalgallery.org.ky/whats‑on. To participate in the related school programme or book a tour, email education@nationalgallery.org.ky. Cayman Heart Fund’s Angelique Bodden, left, Cayman Heart Fund founder Suzy Soto, third from left, and Lobster Pot owner Marcus Cumber, right, present Clare O’Keefe Thorpe with the automated external defibrillator. Drawn entirely from the museum’s collection, ‘Tropical Visions’ features 30 pieces by 24 artists – a mix of established and emerging names – and covers a period of 50 years. Jan Barwick’s 1980 painting ‘Picking Breadfruit’ is part of the new ‘Tropical Visions’ exhibit at the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands.7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY, 26 JUNE 2019 Dive operator handed over $1.9M in alleged immigration scam Trial of Judith Douglas reopens in Grand Court JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The owner of a water sports company was conned out of almost $2 million by a woman who claimed she was collecting legitimate fees for his applications for perma- nent residency and Caymanian status, a court heard this week. Judith Douglas is charged with obtaining money by deception from US na- tional Nathaniel Robb in a six-year-scam. The trial, which began ear- lier this year but was aban- doned for legal reasons, re- opened Monday in front of a new jury. Outlining the case against Douglas, prosecutor Toyin Salako said Douglas had been introduced to Robb by a neighbour as someone who could help him with efforts to get Caymanian status. Initially, Douglas claimed it would cost just $8,000 to get permanent residency, status and a Caymanian pass- port, Salako said. But, she said, the goalposts kept changing and Douglas kept coming back with re- quests for new fees, which she personally collected from him in cash. By January 2016, Robb had handed over $1.91 million in cash pay- ments directly to Douglas. Douglas had indicated that much of that money would be refunded at the end of the process, Salako said. Douglas also asked for copies of his passport, pho- tographs, land transfer docu- ments and police documents, leading him to believe she was a legitimate operator, the prosecutor said. Robb was granted perma- nent residency in April 2012, further bolstering his confi- dence in Douglas. “At all times, Douglas represented that she was working for or acting on be- half of the Cayman Islands government,” Salako said. She said Douglas had ar- ranged to have the PR appli- cation submitted to govern- ment on Robb’s behalf. Though the permanent residency fees were paido gov- ernment directly and gener- ated official receipts, the other cash payments to Douglas did not go towards any applica- tion, Salako said. “Putting it bluntly, it was a scam,” she said. Eventually, Robb became suspicious and reported Douglas to the police. She was arrested in November 2016 and made no comment in police interviews, the pros- ecutor said. The Crown’s case cen- tres on a series of text and WhatsApp messages between Douglas and Robb. Robb, giving evidence on Monday and Tuesday, an- swered questions about thou- sands of messages, spanning several years. Salako also quizzed him about cash withdrawals from his bank account, which she said correlated with payment requests from Douglas. The messages contain ref- erences to fees requested by the “big man” for “Cabinet” and “members of the board”. Robb said he did not know who these people were but understood them to be of- ficials within government whom Douglas was commu- nicating with in respect of his application. Robb said he had believed the fees to be legitimate and had used his personal savings and money from his business, as well as borrowing from friends and family, to make the payments. Asked why he did not stop making the payments as the fees mounted and promised refunds did not materialise, he said, “I was trying to get the process completed. I didn’t see any way to end this.” He added that Douglas was the only person to whom he had given any money or documents and the grant of permanent residency status had given him confidence that she could deliver as promised. “At this point, I was be- lieving what she was telling me,” he said. “My PR had come through. I believed the story she was selling me.” The trial continues in Grand Court this week. CUC GIVES UPDATE ON BODDEN TOWN POWER OUTAGES Upgrade work on the Bodden Town substation is “near completion”, according to the Caribbean Utili- ties Company. The utility company stated in a press release Tuesday that this means that its customers east of Prospect, excluding North Side, who, within the past month experienced above normal levels of outages, will see an improvement in the re- liability of service. The Bodden Town sub- station, which is being re- furbished, is expected to be back in full service by the end of this month, the com- pany stated. “While the substation is out of service, customers who would normally be sup- plied from the Bodden Town substation are being sup- plied from the Frank Sound or Prospect substations and are therefore exposed to a greater risk of outages,” the release from CUC noted. The company said it had been going through “a very active period of substa- tion upgrades”. “These upgrades will in- crease capacity and relia- bility to customers in the af- fected districts, but in the interim, the necessary con- figuration to facilitate these upgrades reduces system re- dundancy and increases the vulnerability to outages.” CUC has begun con- structing a new Prospect substation, with comple- tion expected in 2020. In the meantime, the existing substation will remain in operation. The Frank Sound sub- station will be upgraded in 2021. CUC said it had already completed upgrades to the South Sound, North Sound Road, and Rum Point sub- stations in October 2018, March 2019 and April 2019, respectively. “Following this major pro- gramme of upgrades and re- furbishments to the eastern substations, CUC will be able to meet foreseeable load growth with increased relia- bility for its customers,” the company stated.8 WORLD®IONAL WEDNESDAY, 26 JUNE 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Trump signs order imposing sanctions on Iran supreme leader Hong Kong protests signal alarm special freedoms fading HONG KONG (AP) – China promised that for 50 years after Britain gave up con- trol of its last colony, this shimmering financial enclave would get to keep freedoms absent in the communist- ruled mainland. Twenty-two years on, those are rights many here believe Hong Kong cannot live without. The hundreds of thou- sands who marched in a 16 June protest over a now- shelved extradition bill, and those still demonstrating, are signalling alarm that Hong Kong may become just an- other Chinese city as those protections unravel and Bei- jing’s influence expands in the territory. Activists are planning more protests for Wednesday, hoping to win attention and support from world leaders gathering in Osaka, Japan, for the Group of 20 summit later this week. “This is not about a power struggle,” said Bonnie Leung, a leader of the Civil Human Rights Front, one of a number of groups involved in organ- ising recent protests over the legislation. “This is about the values that make the world a better place.” “The whole world, who- ever has connections with Hong Kong, would be stake- holders,” she said. All of those involved – the territory’s top official, Chief Executive Carrie Lam, the police, lawmakers, the pro- testers and the rest of Hong Kong – are caught up in ten- sions stemming from the ‘one country, two systems’ colo- nial legacy that bequeathed a Western-style civic society under a political system con- trolled by Beijing. The protests erupted after Beijing-backed Lam tried to push through legislation that would have allowed some criminal suspects to be sent to face trial in Commu- nist Party-dominated courts in mainland China. Many in Hong Kong viewed the bill as another step towards curbing protections they expect from their legal system. While they come from all walks of life, the protesters share a determination to pre- serve those freedoms, said Samson Yuen, a professor at Hong Kong’s Lingnan University. “This protest has drawn everybody in town together,” he said. “They really value the freedom to speak up and protest.” Jerome A. Cohen, a leading expert on Chinese law and government, said the extradition bill would have deprived local authorities of the right to prevent forcible transfers by China of sus- pects, including visitors, “for detention, trial and punish- ment that violate interna- tional standards of justice”. The bill also would have enabled China to require Hong Kong authorities to freeze and confiscate assets of alleged suspects, Cohen wrote in a recent blog post. Efforts to limit the cases sub- ject to extradition would not prevent suspects from being subject to China’s “incommu- nicado torture chambers, its denial of competent legal de- fenders and its unfair trials”. Most Hong Kong resi- dents belong to families that fled poverty and political up- heavals in the communist mainland. British rule did not bequeath them democ- racy, but it laid the founda- tions for strong civic institu- tions, schools, healthcare – as well as a laissez faire trading regime dominated by busi- ness leaders deeply invested in keeping Hong Kong as it is. Normally reluctant to wade into political matters or criticise Beijing, businesses also expressed concern over the extradition bill, with the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce noting that the protests reflected “serious ap- prehensions”. The chamber welcomed the government’s decision to suspend the bill, as did its American and British counterparts. It’s unclear if the turnout for another big protest planned for the 1 July anni- versary of Hong Kong’s 1997 handover to Chinese control might match the earlier ones. Lam’s push for the now stalled legislation, ill-timed around the 30th anniversary of the 4 June 1989 crack- down on pro-democracy pro- tests in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, and the tear gas, steel batons and other aggressive tactics used by police, espe- cially in 12 June protests that turned violent, helped draw people young and old into the streets. WASHINGTON (AP) – Presi- dent Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday targeting Iran’s su- preme leader and his associ- ates with financial sanctions, the latest action the US has taken to discourage Tehran from developing nuclear weapons and supporting mil- itant groups. The sanctions follow Iran’s downing of a more than $100 million US surveil- lance drone over the Strait of Hormuz. Trump pulled back from the brink of retaliatory military strikes on Iran last week but is continuing his pressure campaign against the nation. “These measures repre- sent a strong and propor- tionate response to Iran’s increasingly provocative ac- tions,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “We will continue to in- crease pressure on Tehran until the regime abandons its dangerous activities and its aspirations, including the pursuit of nuclear weapons, increased enrichment of ura- nium, development of ballistic missiles, engagement and support for terrorism, fueling of foreign conflicts and bellig- erent acts directed against the United States and its allies.” Trump pulled the US out of the nuclear pact that world powers made with Tehran in 2015. Other nations stayed in the deal, which eased sanctions on Iran in exchange for curbing its nu- clear programme. Trump called it a one-sided deal in Iran’s favour and reimposed sanctions but says he wants to negotiate a different deal. Iran, which calls the sanc- tions “economic terrorism”, has shown no interest in negotiating. Iran’s UN ambassador Majid Takht Ravanchi said US-Iran talks are impossible under current conditions, adding, “You cannot start a dialogue with someone who is threatening, who is intimi- dating you.” Ravanchi, who spoke with reporters while the UN Secu- rity Council held closed con- sultations on the rising ten- sions between the US and Iran, said Washington should stop its military activity in the region, withdraw its naval forces and end what he called “economic warfare” against the Iranian people. The latest round of sanc- tions denies Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and senior mil- itary figures access to finan- cial resources and blocks their access to any financial assets they have under US jurisdiction. “For people who say these are just symbolic, that’s not the case at all,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said. “We’ve literally locked up tens and tens of billions of dollars.” Trump said the new sanc- tions are not only in response to the downing of the drone. The US has blamed Iran for attacks on two oil tankers this month near the Strait of Hormuz. Citing those epi- sodes and intelligence about other Iranian threats, the US has sent an aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulf region and deployed additional troops alongside the tens of thou- sands already there. All this has raised fears that a miscalculation or fur- ther rise in tensions could push the US and Iran into an open conflict 40 years after Tehran’s Islamic Revolution. “The supreme leader of Iran is the one who is ulti- mately responsible for the hostile conduct of the re- gime,” Trump said. “He is re- spected within his country. He also oversees the regime’s most brutal instrument in- cluding the Islamic Revolu- tionary Guard.” Iran’s naval commander has warned that Iranian forces would not hesitate to act again and shoot down more US surveillance drones that violate Iranian air- space. The US said the drone was flying over interna- tional waters. “We confidently say that the crushing response can always be repeated, and the enemy knows it,” Rear Adm. Hossein Khanzadi Khan- zadi was quoted as saying by the semi-official Tasnim news agency. The sanctions came as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is holding talks in the Middle East with of- ficials in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia about countering the mil- itary threat from Iran by building a broad, global co- alition that includes Asian and European countries. Pompeo is likely to face a tough sell in Europe and Asia, particularly from those nations still committed to the 2015 nuclear deal. Germany, France and Britain, as well as Russia and China, remain part of the nu- clear accord that lifted sanc- tions on Iran in exchange for set limits on its uranium en- richment levels. The three European coun- tries have sent envoys to Tehran recently, signalling they remain committed to di- plomacy and dialogue. They cautioned against moves that can lead to conflict between the US and Iran. President Donald Trump listens to a reporter’s question after signing an executive order to increase sanctions on Iran, in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday. Trump is accompanied by Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, left, and Vice President Mike Pence. – PHOTO: AP A woman waves a British flag as policemen in anti-riot gear stand guard against the protesters on a closed-off road near the Legislative Council in Hong Kong on Wednesday, 12 June. - PHOTO: APThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY, 26 JUNE 2019 Once the eggs in those nests hatch, the culling numbers may go up even more. “The hatchlings are really easy to catch,” Burton said. “It’s going to be culling bonanza time.” And, unlike the adults, the hatchlings have other predators to worry about besides humans. “The native snakes, the racers, take them,” Burton said. “Great egrets and ching chings take them. We would expect that owls will take them, and other raptors.” In addition, there are cats, dogs and cars. Burton said there may be as many as 200,000 nests on the island, each with about 60 eggs. “Not every nest is suc- cessful,” he added. Heavy rain can drown out a nest. Con- versely, too much heat with no rain can dry out the eggs, killing the embryos. The rise in activity is not expected to taper off until the winter months bring cooler weather. He’s hoping cullers will take advantage while more iguanas are out and about. “We want to keep the cullers working as hard and as fast as they can,” he said. Cullers are being paid $4.50 a head for iguanas, rising to $5 if they meet monthly and annual targets, in an effort to wipe out the invasive species in Grand Cayman. Pace to reach 1.3 million CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 territories leaders, said in a statement, “Each Overseas Territory is different, but these meetings afford us an opportunity to discuss the various ways in which we can work together. Through this meeting we will agree on an agenda and strengthen our collective position for the full JMC meeting later this year in London.” Topics on the agenda in- clude a joint Caribbean over- seas territories-wide oil spill clean-up strategy, oceans policy, the emerging fintech industry and the threats and challenges of Britain’s im- pending exit from the Eu- ropean Union. Roy Tatum, head of the Office of the Premier, said, “We all see the opportuni- ties that Brexit and the UK’s Global Britain initiative can bring if we put ourselves in the best possible position to take advantage of them. However, there are some ter- ritories, such as Falklands, Tristan de Cunha and Gi- braltar, who have direct trade relationships with various EU countries and who have concerns about the impact on their economies post Brexit.” He said there were also implications for some project funding arrangements that would need to be addressed. The controversial For- eign Affairs Committee re- port, which recommended an order in council on same- sex marriage and called for British citizens to be given the right to vote and run for office in overseas territories, is also on the agenda. The UK government has since dismissed the bulk of the report’s findings, indi- cating the policies outlined were devolved matters for the territories to deal with them- selves. Nonetheless, the re- port remains a concern for many territories and will dominate two discussion ses- sions on Wednesday. The trade summit be- gins Thursday and coincides with the weekend celebra- tions for the 60th anniver- sary of Cayman’s first written constitution. Eric Bush, the chief officer in Cayman’s new trade Min- istry of International Trade, Investment, Aviation and Maritime Affairs, said the summit was an important first step towards identifying opportunities for economic diversification. He said there were op- portunities for the territo- ries to access the UK’s net- work of global trade links to grow new industries, such as fintech, healthcare and the blue economy. Dr. Devi Shetty, founder of Health City Cayman Islands, has been invited to talk about medical tourism, but the summit will be mostly con- fined to government leaders and officials. Though there are areas of competition between some of the territories, particularly over fintech, Bush said the various countries had been willing to share expertise and experience of ‘best practice’ in these emerging industries. Lord Ahmad’s three-day visit will include meetings with Cabinet and the Leader of the Opposition Arden McLean, as well as a visit to Cayman Brac. Royal Fleet Auxiliary Ship Mounts Bay will also be in port and Lord Ahmad will be on Seven Mile Beach to witness an exercise to land disaster relief equipment from the ship. Governor Martyn Roper welcomed the visit. He said, “The Trade Summit will explore areas where the UK and the Over- seas Territories can work more closely together to de- velop export and inward in- vestment opportunities. Senior representatives from the department of Interna- tional Trade and its business delivery partners in the USA and China will be present. “It is also great that Lord Ahmad will be here to cel- ebrate the 60th Anniversary of the Constitution and dis- cuss cooperation on disaster management.” $10 per hour; foremen will receive $12 per hour. Application forms can be picked up at all district libraries in Grand Cayman, as well as from District MLA offices, the Needs As- sessment Unit, Workforce Opportunities Residency Cayman, and from the Gov- ernment Administration Building’s reception. The government in- tends to undertake another NiCE project in November this year to provide tempo- rary seasonal employment in the run-up to the hol- iday season. Iguana cull numbers pass 750,000 mark Leaders descend on Cayman Islands for summit Summer NiCE work project to launch next month People sign up for work at last summer’s NiCE programme. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 SpaceX launches hefty rocket with 24 satellites CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) – SpaceX launched its heftiest rocket with 24 research sat- ellites Tuesday, a middle-of- the-night rideshare featuring a deep space atomic clock, solar sail, a clean and green rocket fuel testbed, and even human ashes. It was the third flight of a Falcon Heavy rocket, but the first ordered by the military. The Defense Department mission, dubbed STP-2 for Space Test Program, is ex- pected to provide data to cer- tify the Falcon Heavy – and reused boosters – for future national security launches. It marked the military’s first ride on a recycled rocket. Both side boosters landed back at Cape Canaveral sev- eral minutes after liftoff, just as they did after launching in April. But the new core booster missed an ocean platform, not unexpected for this especially difficult mis- sion, SpaceX noted. NASA signed up for a spot on the rocket, along with the National Oceanic and Atmos- pheric Administration, the Air Force Research Laboratory, the Planetary Society and Ce- lestis Inc., which offers me- morial flights into space. An astronaut who flew on NASA’s first space station back in the 1970s, Skylab’s Bill Pogue, had a bit of his ashes on board, along with more than 150 other deceased people. Pogue died in 2014. SpaceX said the mission was one of its most chal- lenging launches. The sat- ellites needed to be placed in three different orbits, re- quiring multiple upper-stage engine firings. It was going to take several hours to re- lease them all. The Deep Space Atomic Clock by NASA’s Jet Propul- sion Laboratory is a tech- nology demo aimed at self- flying spacecraft. Barely the size of a toaster oven, the clock is meant to help space- craft navigate by themselves when far from Earth. NASA also was testing a clean and green alternative to toxic rocket and satellite fuel. The Planetary Socie- ty’s LightSail crowdfunded spacecraft will attempt to become the first orbiting spacecraft to be propelled solely by sunlight. It’s the society’s third crack at solar sailing: The first was lost in a Russian rocket failure in 2005, while the second had a successful test flight in 2015. “Hey @elonmusk et al, thanks for the ride!,” tweeted Bill Nye, the society’s chief executive officer. The Air Force Re- search Laboratory had space weather experiments aboard, while NOAA had six small atmospheric experi- mental satellites for weather forecasting. The Falcon Heavy is the most powerful rocket in use today. Each first-stage booster has nine engines, for a total of 27 firing simultane- ously at liftoff from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. The first Falcon Heavy launch was in February 2018. That test flight put SpaceX founder Musk’s red Tesla convertible into an orbit stretching past Mars. A SpaceX Falcon heavy rocket lifts off from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, early Tuesday. – PHOTO: APNext >