High of 90 Low of 79 Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. WORLD | PAGE 8 HOUSE CONDEMNS ‘RACIST’ TRUMP TWEETS ENTERTAINMENT | PAGE 11 ‘GAME OF THRONES’ TAKES RECORD 32 EMMY NOMINATIONS ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – THURSDAY, 18 JULY 2019 Regulated in the Cayman Islands as a licensed insurer by the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority. Generali Worldwide is a trading name of Utmost Worldwide Limited. Registered Head Office address: Utmost Worldwide Limited, Utmost House, Hirzel Street, St Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands GY1 4PA. Regulated in Guernsey as a licensed insurer by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission under the Insurance Business (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law, 2002 (as amended). Incorporated in Guernsey under Company Registration No. 27151. www.generali-healthcare.com Contact us to learn more about our new member benefits at 747-2000. Get your Employee Assistance Program for FREE! www.generali-healthcare.com Inside the caves and tunnels of Devil’s Grotto, just off the George Town coastline, lies a trove of flashing silver treasure. Eagerly anticipated every year by divers and snorkellers, the silversides – glittering bait fish that gather in giant schools – have returned. Tarpon, snapper and barracuda glide, on the hunt, through the huge swarms of little fish. Underwater photographer Ellen Cuylaerts was among the divers who visited the dive site over the weekend, when she captured this photo. Silversides back at Devil’s Grotto AMID BREXIT UNCERTAINTY, FEW FEARS FOR CAYMAN Governor: Direct impact ‘fairly minimal’ JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com A ‘no deal’ Brexit would likely have little direct impact on the Cayman Islands, ac- cording to the United Kingdom’s representa- tive here, Governor Martyn Roper. As the UK moves closer to leaving the Eu- ropean Union without securing a deal on the future relationship, Roper acknowledged there was still “considerable uncertainty” about how things would play out for the British Overseas Territories. But he said there would be no obvious immediate repercussions for the Cayman Is- lands economy. “The direct impact is fairly minimal but we can’t be 100 percent certain because we don’t know how this is going to develop,” he told the Cayman Compass in an interview. “I don’t sense at the moment there is ANTI-BULLYING LAW OPEN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@pinnaclemedialtd.com A comprehensive anti-bullying law that would apply to all schools in Cayman has been submitted for public comment. The com- ment period is open until 16 Sept. The Cayman Islands Law Reform Com- mission announced the proposed legislation on Tuesday. In a statement, the commission said the move was in response to comments on an earlier paper it produced, ‘Bullying: Leg- islation, Policy or Both?’ The proposed law, it said, “is formulated to complement a national policy on bullying.” The Ministry of Education is currently working on a draft of a national policy re- garding bullying. The proposed law would: ■■ Require every school to formu- late an anti-bullying policy; ■■ Hold the school leader responsible for the implementation and oversight of the legislation and any policies made PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 »2 LOCAL NEWS THURSDAY, 18 JULY 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 10:30 (SAT ONLY) I 4:35 I 7:15 (NO SAT) 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) • 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. - THURSDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) CRAWL (R) 4:25 | 6:55 | 9:30 SPIDER-MAN FAR (PG13) FROM HOME 12:40 VIP | 1:00 | 3:40 VIP | 4:00 | 6:40 VIP | 7:00 | 9:40 VIP | 10:00 TOY STORY 4 (G) 1:30 | 4:00 | 6:30 | 9:00 SUPER 30 (PG) 1:00 | 9:10 MEN IN BLACK (PG13) INTERNATIONAL 1:35 I 4:20 | 7:05 | 9:50 SECRET LIFE OF PETS 2 (PG) 2:15 | 4:30 | 6:45 Kanuga completes trek through Death Valley REX CRIGHTON BOULEVARD TRAFFIC DIVERSION Compass fish tank donated to Pines The Cayman Compass newspaper has donated the fish tank that has sat in its reception area for nearly 25 years to The Pines Retirement Home. Compass representative Sheree Rankin, back row, second from left, presented the tank, and its fish, on Tuesday to the residents and staff of the home. At the presentation were, back row, from left, Jusene Brown, Taejah-Rae Nixon, Louise Kidd, Lissette Williams, Pines manager Lynda Mitchell, Margaret Lue, and residents Leonie Bertolino and Emily Mae Bodden, both seated. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Rainfall deters iguana cullers SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@pinnaclemedialtd.com The indomitable Kerri Kanuga has done it again. She completed her fourth run- ning of the Badwater 135 on Wednesday, cruising into the final checkpoint nearly 38 hours after beginning the gruelling race. Badwater is an ultra-en- durance quest through the in- hospitable conditions of Cali- fornia’s Death Valley that bills itself as ‘The World’s Toughest Footrace’. Kanuga, who has done the race four years in a row, improved on last year’s time, which saw her finish the torrid 135 miles in 38:28:05. Interestingly, Kanuga was just one minute ahead of last year’s pace at the 42.3-mile mark. She shaved off 23 minutes during the 31.4-mile trek to Panamint Springs, logging the distance in eight hours and 17 minutes. She made it to the 90-mile mark, Darwin, in 23 hours and 35 minutes, and then ran through midnight and into the early morning before making it to the next checkpoint. The 49-year-old made it to Lone Pine, 32 miles up the trail from Darwin, in 10 hours and 15 minutes, bringing her total on her feet at that point to 33 hours and 50 minutes. Then she made it to Portal Road, within four miles of the finish line, in just under three hours. In the last leg, Kanuga ran the four miles in an hour and 12 minutes, finishing the 135 mile race in 37:58:24, a half- hour quicker than she had run in 2018. She averaged 3.56 miles per hour for the 135 miles and finished 43rd overall. Only eight women clocked a faster time than Kanuga did. Eastbound traffic along Rex Crighton Boulevard will be diverted to Chime Street, heading towards Sham- rock Road, on Thursday while water works for the Water Authority – Cayman gets under way. The road will be closed from 10am to 2pm. Traffic signs will be posted in the general vicinity and motorists are asked to drive with caution to ensure their own safety as well as that of Water Authority staff. Last week, cullers removed 9,232 inva- sive green iguanas from Grand Cayman, the lowest number in a single week since the culling project began in October last year. According to the De- partment of Environ- ment, heavy rainfall during 8-13 July deterred local cullers from hunting the animals. So far, a total of 815,987 green iguanas have been disposed of at the George Town landfill, according to the latest statistics from the DoE. Cullers are still above the pace needed to reach the target number of culling 1.3 million green iguanas by the end of 2019. Cullers are being paid $4.50 a head, rising to $5 if they meet monthly and an- nual targets, in an effort to wipe out the invasive spe- cies in Grand Cayman. START Badwater FINISH 135.0 Stovepipe Wells Furnace Creek Panamint Springs Kerri Kanuga completed her fourth Badwater 135 ultramarathon on Wednesday, and she trimmed a half-hour off her time from last season. Kanuga finished the 135 miles in 37 hours, 58 minutes and 24 seconds, and she averaged 3.56 miles per hour throughout the gruelling endeavour. 0 100,000 200,000 300,000 400,000 500,000 600,000 700,000 900,000 800,000 Week 1 (Oct. 29-Nov. 3) Week 37 (July 8-13) Iguanas culledTotal culled Green iguana cull updateThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY, 18 JULY 2019 Connect with a representative at +1.954.659.5080 floridaGPS@ccf.org clevelandclinic.org/caribbean WORLD-CLASS CARE WITHIN REACH. WITH CLEVELAND CLINIC FLORIDA JUST A SHORT FLIGHT AWAY, YOU’RE CLOSE TO WHAT’S BEST FOR YOUR HEALTH. You have access to one of the best healthcare systems in the world with top physicians, the latest medical technology, the best facilities and quality services. Plus, we offer innovative treatment options with a personalized approach. Schedule your consultation today. Every life deserves world-class care.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. THURSDAY, 18 JULY 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Trump’s bigotry and Britain’s next leader ISHAAN THAROOR The furore over President Donald Trump’s racist tweets found its way across the pond and into the Tory leadership contest taking place in Britain. On Monday night, the two politicians vying to replace Prime Minister Theresa May – former foreign secretary Boris Johnson and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt – were asked what they thought of Trump’s telling four minority congresswomen to “go back” to their countries of origin. Speaking during a debate for the leadership of the Con- servative Party, both agreed with a statement released by May’s office earlier in the day branding Trump’s remarks “completely unacceptable”. But they were visibly flustered when asked if they thought Trump was being “racist” and dodged the question. Johnson said such rhetoric has no place in the present. “If you’re the leader of a great multiracial, multicultural so- ciety, you simply cannot use that kind of language about sending people back to where they come from,” he said. Yet when pressed by the moder- ator about the explicit racism of the remarks, Johnson re- fused to answer. Hunt said Trump, who is historically unpopular among Britons for a US president, was being “totally offensive”. But he said “it’s not going to help the situation” to accuse the president of Britain’s closest ally of racism. That “situation” is already a bit tense. There’s still ac- rimony over the resignation of Kim Darroch, the British ambassador in Washington who was compelled to step down last week after diplo- matic cables he wrote de- scribing Trump as “insecure” and “inept” were leaked to the news media. Trump reacted angrily to Darroch’s analysis – a view that myriad diplomats in Washington share in pri- vate – and stridently tweeted that he would no longer deal with the British ambassador. While Hunt, Darroch’s boss, said Trump was being “disre- spectful” to Darroch, Johnson, the Conservative frontrunner and possible future prime minister, offered no resistance. “That was a body blow not just to Darroch but to every diplomat and civil servant in Britain, who have the right to expect ministers to defend them when they are attacked for doing their duty,” former foreign secre- tary Malcolm Rifkind wrote of Johnson’s silence. Johnson could be tapped for leadership as early as next week. His rise to power has been years in the making: A scion of wealth and privi- lege, Johnson launched his political career after a mixed record in journalism. His sometimes buffoonish affect and penchant for provocative bluster have drawn compari- sons to Trump. “But while Trump is a plu- tocrat who poses as an ordi- nary guy, Johnson revels in ex- hibiting class privilege,” Nick Cohen wrote in the right-of- centre Spectator. “His descents into obscenity and racism are done in a language that has the uninitiated reaching for their dictionaries. He uses Etonian slang and Latin quotes. He has called black Af- ricans ‘piccaninnies’ and gay men ‘bumboys,’ then pleaded he only meant it as a joke.” Nevertheless, as the mayor of London, Johnson lam- basted Trump’s “stupefying ig- norance” about life in Britain and suggested that Trump’s vilification of Muslims made him “unfit” for the White House. Then, sensing oppor- tunity, Johnson became one of the leading Brexiteers ahead of the 2016 referendum, cham- pioning an anti-establishment, nationalist cause that Trump also came to embrace. The Conservative front- runner has vowed to take Britain out of the European Union by 31 Oct. – no matter the strong risk of a ‘no deal’ scenario that could lead to economic havoc and hardship across the country. Observers warn that Johnson may drag the country to a precipice. “With few qualities beyond an- imal energy and ruthless am- bition, Boris Johnson has been remarkably successful,” wrote conservative commentator Bruce Anderson. “This appears to have convinced him that if he wants something badly enough, he will get it. He might now be about to discover that there are limits to the power of insensate egotism.” Over all this, Trump looms large. Divorce with Europe, es- pecially a messy and sudden one, would make Britain all the more dependent on a substan- tive trade deal with the United States. To this end, Wash- ington, and Trump in par- ticular, holds the cards. During Monday’s debate, Johnson suggested that his government could persuade the United States to raise its hygiene standards – British media are already abuzz with fear over a flood of chlorinated US chicken swamping British shops – to match those of Britain. The suggestion was widely mocked by experts, who recognise how little leverage Britain would have in negotiations. Johnson throughout has sought to marshal a sense of Churchillian bravado, sum- moning the spirit of World War II resilience that in- flames British nationalism to this day. But as Financial Times columnist Gideon Ra- chman observed, he may end up looking more like “a British version of Marie Antoinette”, leading the nation to ruin with high-handed delusion. “The real difficulty for Johnson is that the UK is pro- foundly divided over Brexit,” Rachman wrote. “By the time of the Blitz, Britain was more or less united in the belief that it was fighting for its survival and faced an evil and implacable enemy. But in the event of a no-deal Brexit, half the country is likely to see Johnson, not the EU, as the true villain of the story. That will be all the more the case if he has ensured a no- deal Brexit by proroguing parliament, a course of action he has refused to rule out.” Britain is less divided over Trump. “There is little demand among British voters for politi- cians to suck up to the United States,” wrote the Atlantic’s Helen Lewis, noting Trump’s staggeringly low 21 percent approval rating among Britons. “Unfortunately, that is exactly what Trump demands. He sees international diplomacy as a zero-sum game, where there can be only one winner. Auto- crats can gain his respect, but cooperation is for the weak.” And potential allies may end up looking like targets. © 2019, The Washington Post LABOUR’S RIFT OVER ANTI-SEMITISM HOWARD JACOBSON Special to The Washington Post That the former British La- bour Party’s head of disputes, Sam Matthews, should now be in dispute with the British Labour Party is an irony that the author of ‘Animal Farm’ would have relished. Indeed, the most telling al- legation made by Matthews last week in a BBC ‘Panorama’ investigation entitled ‘Is La- bour Anti-Semitic?’ – that to rid itself of the charge of anti- Semitism, the party had at- tempted “to redefine” what anti-Semitism meant – could have come out straight out of George Orwell’s fable. If you don’t want to be seen to of- fend, change the offence. And if you don’t care for the mes- sage, discredit the messenger. The sight of the Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn fulmi- nating in his shadowy way against any person or news- paper having the audacity to question his anti-racist cre- dentials is a familiar one in British politics. How dare we! Perhaps because grainy footage of Corbyn receiving accolades in the unfree-world, or denouncing Israel on Ira- nian state television, is so fa- miliar, it is not this aspect of the documentary that has set the country talking. Far more shocking are the instances of anti-Jewish hatred in Labour and the party’s continuing un- willingness to confront them, as described by a succession of former Labour staffers. Though there were pro- cedures in place for dealing with offenders, designed ex- pressly to keep party leaders away from decisions re- garding censure or suspen- sion, the picture painted was of interference by Corbyn’s inner circle at every turn, ei- ther to protect the reputa- tions of those Matthews called their “mates” or be- cause their offenses were not thought to be serious enough to merit notice let alone con- demnation. Anti-Semitism? What anti-Semitism? That anti-Semitism in some form would find voluble expression in the British La- bour Party was never in doubt from the moment Jeremy Corbyn became its leader. He came in from the extreme left wing of the party, where for many years he’d campaigned against America, Israel and the West, bringing with him comrades who shared ideol- ogies that had not changed much from the 1930s. In the aftermath of the doc- umentary, the Labour Party has gone to great lengths to issue statements discrediting those who appeared in it. And all the while the denials only compound the guilt. A Labour Party in better shape, more generous and less paranoid, would know that the way to demonstrate inclusiveness is not to de- vour its own. Jacobson’s novels include the Man Booker Prize-winning ‘The Finkler Question’. His new novel, ‘Live a Little’, will be published in September. 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” Conservative party leadership candidate Boris Johnson gestures while delivering his speech during a Conservative leadership hustings at ExCel Centre in London, Wednesday. - PHOTO: AP5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY, 18 JULY 2019 NOTICE THE DORMANT ACCOUNTS (FORMS) (AMENDMENT) REGULATION LAW, 2010 (Section 6) Name of financial institution/Number of financial institution: VBT Bank & Trust, Ltd. /License No. 87029 Address of financial institution: P.O. Box 454 – The Harbour Centre, 2nd Floor, 42 North Church Street. George Town. Grand Cayman KY1-1106. Cayman Islands. Change of name, if any, of the financial institution: Venecredit Bank & Trust, Ltd. The public is hereby given notice that VBT Bank & Trust, Ltd. holds the following dormant accounts: Account Number The date account was opened 0000001219 March 17, 1997 0000006494 June 11, 1997 0000001507 May 19, 1998 0000009302 November 01, 2011 0000004727 August 15, 2003 0000008313 October 16, 2009 0000008583 April 15, 2010 0000009013 March 14, 2011 0000009055 April 05, 2011 The public is also hereby given notice of the following: Unless one or more of the following transactions are effected on a dormant account listed above on or before 31st December next following, the monies in the dormant account will be transferred to the general revenue of the Islands without further notice: • Increase or decrease the amount held in the financial institution¹; • Present the passbook or other record for the crediting of interest or dividends in respect of the items enumerated in section 4(6)(a) and (b) of the Dormant Account Law, 2010; • Correspond in writing with the financial institution concerning the monies; • In the case of a trust, make a claim under the trust; or • Otherwise indicate an interest in the monies as evidenced by a memorandum concerning the monies written by the financial institution. Subject to the Dormant Accounts Law, 2010, on the transfer of the monies in the dormant account to the general revenue of the Islands, the dormant account holder will no longer have any right against the financial institution to repayment of the monies transferred, but the dormant account holder will have against the Government such right to repayment of the monies transferred that the dormant account holder would have had against the financial institution. Any interested person should contact the financial institution mentioned above to establish if that person is a dormant account holder. Dated this 10th day of July 2019 Margott Lares Managing Director Authorised Officer ________________________________ ¹ Interest paid by a financial institution on monies held in the financial institution shall not be regarded as a transaction which increases the amount held in the financial institution pursuant to section 4(5) of the Dormant Accounts Law, 2010. Caribbean islands collaborate on marine conservation KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com Islands across the Carib- bean are pushing towards a major environmental goal: to conserve and manage at least 20% of their marine and coastal areas by 2020. While fewer than six months remain to meet the Caribbean Challenge Initia- tive timeline, several juris- dictions have already sur- passed the goal and others are nearing the mark. Five of 11 partici- pating countries have now achieved the recommended coverage area: Domin- ican Republic (74.54%), St. Kitts and Nevis (49.93%), US Virgin Islands (43.56%), Puerto Rico (27.44%) and Haiti (22.84%). Although no British Over- seas Territories have joined the challenge, such jurisdic- tions have been encouraged to participate by contrib- uting data and collaborating on common goals across the region, explained Karen McDonald Gayle of the in- itiative’s financing mech- anism, the Caribbean Biodi- versity Fund. “With the overseas ter- ritories, the fact that they have parent countries, it does make it harder to get donor support,” McDonald Gayle said. Financing, coordinated through the Caribbean Biodi- versity Fund, has been a key component in making con- servation goals a reality for lower-income islands. Once marine protected areas have been established, the ini- tiative aims to ensure con- tinued management through a donor-supported trust fund structure. Overseas territories can face difficulties in accessing such donor funding, Mc- Donald Gayle explained, due to their connections with larger nations. Participation of British Overseas Territories islands, however, would help create standardised measures across the Caribbean, and fa- cilitate collaboration on con- servation efforts. Based on Cayman’s own measurements, for example, the 20% goal has already been achieved. In late March, Cabinet approved extensive expansions of the islands’ marine parks system. ‘No take’ zones, areas where marine life cannot be removed for any reason, were expanded from approx- imately 14% to 48% of Cay- man’s marine areas. Those zones include marine parks and reserves, environmental zones and wildlife inter- action zones. It’s not clear, however, if Cayman uses the same measurements as the Car- ibbean Challenge Initia- tive, and the jurisdiction has not shared its data with the programme. Other islands, such as Grenada, use their own cal- culations as well. McDonald Gayle would now like to get Caribbean islands on the same page. “Standardisation across the Caribbean is something we are working on,” she said. “We hope we’ll be able to grow and continue to serve the Caribbean region.” A recent US$45 mil- lion pledge to the fund from France, Germany and The Nature Conservancy should encourage further participation from low-in- come islands. “The additional funding will go to expanding CBF throughout the region. Fur- ther contributions will help the CBF establish a new fa- cility to tackle the region’s circular economy, plastic waste management, and wastewater treatment,” a Caribbean Challenge Ini- tiative press release noted on Tuesday. Of that funding, US$13 million from the French Development Agency will support the programme’s Haitian trust fund. From The Nature Conservancy, US$3.5 million will support the Bahamas and US$500,000 will go to Jamaica. Jamaica has already reached 11.94% conservation of its near-shore environ- ments, followed by the Ba- hamas with 10.34%. Elections Office vets nearly 45% of petition signatures The Elections Of- fice has verified 44.6% of the required 5,292 signa- tures on a petition calling for a people-initiated ref- erendum on the pro- posed cruise port dock in George Town. As of Monday, staff at the Elections Office, which has been tasked by Gov- ernor Martyn Roper to verify the petition, had confirmed 2,362 signatures. Under the Constitution, 25% of Cayman’s 21,116 reg- istered voters can prompt a referendum. On 12 June, petition or- ganisers from Cruise Port Referendum Cayman handed over the petition, which at the time featured 5,438 sig- natures, to Elections Office officials. An additional 199 signatures have been sub- mitted to the Elections Office since then. The Elections Office began its door-to-door verification process on 28 June. People can also visit the Elections Office headquar- ters to verify their signa- tures between the hours of 8:30am and 6:30pm Mondays to Thursdays, from 8:30am to 5pm on Fridays, and 10am to 3pm on Saturdays. Areas highlighted in green have already reached the goal of establishing 20% marine protected areas. - PHOTO: CARIBBEAN CHALLENGE INITIATIVE WOMAN ROBBED AT GUNPOINT IN BODDEN TOWN A woman was robbed as she returned to her home in Bodden Town from work on Sunday night. Police said they re- sponded to a report of the robbery at an address off Anton Bodden Drive shortly after 11pm. The woman had just left her place of business and re- turned to her residence with a quantity of cash. “Before exiting her ve- hicle, she was approached by a lone male who brandished a handgun and demanded cash. The male made off with a handbag. The woman was not injured,” police said in a statement. The robber, who is de- scribed as being of dark com- plexion, fled the scene in a vehicle. Bodden Town CID are in- vestigating the matter.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. THURSDAY, 18 JULY 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS THURSDAY, 18 JULY TOWN HALL MEETING: A public meeting will be held at Constitution Hall (formerly the George Town Town Hall) from 4:30‑6:30pm today to discuss the revitalisation of George Town. The meeting will be led by George Town Manager and Revitalisation Initiative Coordinator Colin Lumsden. The meeting will include a presentation and project update and members of the public will have an opportunity to ask questions and outline their priorities and aspirations for the revitalised town centre. HUMANE SOCIETY QUIZ: Monthly trivia to raise funds for the Humane Society. 7pm at Fidel Murphy’s. Ann Ghezzi will be hosting. Entry fee is $10 per person, six people per team. Call 949‑5189 to book a table. SATURDAY, 20 JULY WOMEN’S DIVE DAY: Divetech will attempt to break its own record of the largest number of women taking part in a single dive today as it celebrates Women’s Dive Day 2019. The event will take place at Divetech’s shore diving site, Lighthouse Point on North West Point Road, and is a fundraiser for the Breast Cancer Foundation. The aim is to have 100 women take part, to break last year’s record of 86. Spaces are on a first‑come, first‑served basis. $25 to secure a place. Call 946‑5658, 7:30am to 5pm, or visit the dive shop. STORYTIME: The Cayman Islands Public Library Service will hold the first of a series of Summer Story Times with Uncle Vic at the Bodden Town Library. Stories will be read by Victor Valencia every Saturday, at 10:30am, until 31 Aug. There will also be colouring activities and special treats for kids ages 0 to 5. Run time is approximately 45 minutes. For more information on special programmes at the library, email libraryprogrammes@gov.ky, call 949‑5159 or check Facebook. TUESDAY, 21 JULY GOSPEL MEETING: Speaking the Truth in Love gospel meeting takes place at 7:30pm from 21‑25 July at the West Bay Church of Christ. MONDAY, 22 JULY VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL: Calvary Baptist Church will hold a Vacation Bible School, beginning today. The theme is ‘Giddy Up Junction: Taking God’s Love to New Frontiers’. Monday, 22 July, to Friday, 26 July, from 8:30am to 12:30pm. Ages 4‑17. Location is 191 Walkers Road. Contact 949‑0629 or info2cbc@gmail.com. SQUASH SUMMER CAMP: The South Sound Squash Club will hold a junior summer camp on 22‑26 July, from 9am to 1pm. Visit www.caymanactive.com for more information. VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL: The West Bay Church of Christ will hold a Vacation Bible School from 9am to noon on 22‑26 July. Free. SATURDAY, 27 JULY PUB QUIZ: Eco Divers Reef Foundation will host its monthly pub quiz at the Hard Rock Cafe at 7pm. Entry is $10 per player, up to six players per team. Afterwards, a raffle will be held, sponsored by Cayman Spirits Company. This month’s questions will feature a ‘Star Wars’ theme. Call Hard Rock at 947‑2020 to reserve a table. All funds are used to support the volunteer programme for the Eco Divers Reef Foundation coral management programme. For more information, see the Cayman Eco Divers page on Facebook. CHILDREN’S FUN DAY: Takes place from 2‑6pm at the Savannah Playing Field on Pedro Castle Road. Free for children ages 5‑11. Activities include bouncy castles, face painting, a magic show and emergency responder vehicles on display as well as a drum circle. Finger food will be provided. MONDAY, 29 JULY VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL: The Church of God Chapel West Bay will hold a Vacation Bible School, from today through Friday, 2 Aug. The theme is ‘The Mane Event’. 6‑8pm. Ages 5‑12. Call 928‑1506. FRIDAY, 2 AUG. CIMA STUDENT MIXER: The Cayman Islands Monetary Authority is hosting a student mixer today at the Marriott Beach Resort, 3‑5pm. This interactive platform will give college‑ bound students (ages 16–25) a chance to meet potential employers, learn about the importance of the financial services industry and how it contributes to the standard of living in the Cayman Islands. The event will include refreshments, prizes and giveaways. For more information or to RSVP, visit www.cima.ky. CULTURE READING CHALLENGE: The Cayman Brac Heritage House and Cayman Brac Public Library Culture Reading Challenge takes place from 2‑15 Aug. Call 948‑0563. SUMMER FOOTBALL CAMP: The Sports Department of Cayman Brac hosts a summer football camp 2‑5 Aug. from 8:30am to noon for ages 7‑16. Call 948‑8382. MONDAY, 5 AUG. VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL: The Good News Baptist Church will hold a Vacation Bible School on 5‑9 Aug. The theme is ‘Incredible Race’. 6‑8:30pm. Ages 4‑12. Call 926‑3249. WEDNESDAY, 7 AUG. STROKE AND STRIDE: The first of a three‑part series of fundraiser races to support young triathletes and community charities will be held today for swimmers and runners. The swim distance increases each week while the run stays the same at 2 miles. Participate in 1, 2 or 3 of the races – individually or as a team. Race 1 is held today and consists of a 400‑metre swim and a 2‑mile run; Race 2 is on 14 Aug., a 600‑metre swim and 2‑mile run; and Race 3 is on 21 Aug., an 800‑metre swim and 2‑mile run. All races begin at 5:45pm at Sunset House. Entry fees are: Individuals, $15 per race/$35 for all 3; Teams, $25 per race/$60 all 3. Triathlon Association Membership required and is available for $15 at registration. YOUNG MEN AT RISK: The Community Affairs Ministry and the Alex Panton Foundation host a presentation on Young Men at Risk from 6:30‑8pm at the South Sound Civic Centre. SUNDAY, 11 AUG. ENVIROWALK: The rescheduled EnviroWalk Environmental 5K Walk/ Run, sponsored by Miss World Cayman Islands, F45 and Flowers Bottled Water, will be held at 7am at SafeHaven. The previous planned event was postponed due to the weather. All are invited. Bring your water bottle, hats, sunscreen and comfortable walking shoes. The entry fee is $25 for adults and $12 for those 12 and under. GENERAL INTEREST YMCA SUMMER CAMPS: Camps will take place from 2 July to 23 Aug. across three locations – Field of Dreams, Camana Bay Sports Complex and the Youth Centre at the Cayman Islands Baptist Church in Savannah. For more information, visit www.ymcacayman.ky. On‑site registration is open weekdays from 9am to 5pm at the Field of Dreams. The Day Camp team can also be reached at ysummercamp@ ymcacayman.ky. To find out about financial assistance, which is available for families in need, email info@ymcacayman.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. 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. ART AT THE STRAND: Every Saturday, from 3pm to sunset, the Visual Arts Society hosts a local art market featuring artists displaying arts, crafts, paintings, prints, hand‑ crafted jewellery and ceramics for sale in front of the Lodge/Eco‑Den, who is offering 2‑4‑1 drinks, pub food and homemade treats, smoothies, and speciality coffees/teas. For more information or to become a displaying artist, 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; Tues‑Fri 9:30am to 4pm; Sat 9:30am to 4:30pm. Volunteers are 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, cards, etc., in good condition needed. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. A public meeting on the revitalisation of George Town will be held at Constitution Hall (formerly the George Town Town Hall) at 4:30‑6:30pm on Thursday, 18 July. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAYThe islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY, 18 JULY 2019 massive concern that this is going to have a big impact.” One area of concern is that the UK will no longer have a voice within the Euro- pean Union on financial ser- vices policy when it comes to drawing up ‘blacklists’ and ‘grey lists’ that can impact the reputation and ability to do business of offshore fi- nancial centres. “I recognise there are con- cerns about that because the UK, in the past, has obviously stood up for Cayman and other overseas territories,” Roper said. “Once we are out of the EU, we will no longer be around that table.” The result of the Conserv- ative party’s internal elec- tion to determine the new UK prime minister will be revealed on Tuesday, 23 July. Both candidates, Jeremy Hunt and Boris Johnson, have refused to rule out a no-deal Brexit, and front- runner Johnson has been particularly strident about the need to leave the Euro- pean Union with or without an agreement. “My pledge is to come out of the EU at Halloween on 31 October,” Johnson told the BBC in a recent interview. “And the way to get our friends and partners to un- derstand how serious we are is finally, I’m afraid, to abandon the defeatism and negativity that has enfolded us in a great cloud for so long and to prepare confi- dently and seriously for a no- deal outcome.” Economists have warned that such a move would have a devastating impact on the UK economy. Roper said he believed everyone was working hard to avoid a ‘no deal’, but acknowledged both candidates had indicated they would be willing to con- template that outcome if out- going leader Theresa May’s deal cannot be renegotiated. At a gathering of British Overseas Territories leaders held in Cayman late last month, Lord Tariq Ahmad, the UK minister with respon- sibility for the overseas terri- tories, held a session on po- tential impacts of Brexit. For territories like Gi- braltar and the Falkland Is- lands, that have direct trade links with the European Union, there is considerable concern about the impact on their economies. But for Cayman and some of the other Caribbean ter- ritories the threat is less pronounced. “Cayman doesn’t do a lot of direct trade with the EU,” Roper said. “We need to watch it carefully and I will do a lot more public com- munication on this as we get closer to a possible no deal or agreement in October. I will try and make it as crystal clear as I can what the impli- cations are for Caymanians.” He does not expect there to be any visa or travel impli- cations for British Overseas Territories even in the event of a no-deal Brexit. He added that there would be opportunities for Cayman in the aftermath of Brexit as the UK looks to build its trade relationships around the world. He said the UK was looking to include the over- seas territories in its new vi- sion for global Britain, and that approach could tie in with efforts in Cayman to es- tablish new trade relation- ships. The governor’s office has been heavily involved with the establishment of a new Ministry of International Trade, Investment, Aviation and Maritime Affairs, and the setting up of a Cayman Islands government office in Hong Kong. Roper said the UK had the third biggest network of con- sulates and embassies in the world, and Cayman and other overseas territories could ac- cess that to build new rela- tionships and trade routes. He highlighted China as a potential growth area for fi- nancial services, as well as Cayman’s shipping and air- craft registers. He also be- lieves high-net-worth tour- ists could be attracted from China. Roper said a trade summit involving the overseas terri- tories, UK policy advisers and business associations from China and the US, held in the Cayman Islands last month, was the first of its kind and a sign that the territories, in- cluding Cayman, would have a bigger role to play in Brit- ain’s future. GOVERNOR COMMENTS ON KEY ISSUES During his interview with the Cayman Com- pass, Governor Martyn Roper also commented on a handful of other key issues that fall under his jurisdiction. On the vacancy at the top of the Human Rights Commission: “I am hoping to make an appointment very soon. A number of names are being considered and I hope to announce that in the very near future. I do think that we do have to bear in mind, these commissions are very im- portant for good govern- ance, for our democracy and the rule of law, and I think it is incumbent on all of us to protect the independence of those bodies and also support the people who do those roles. They are important and challenging roles.” On the National Security Committee: “Since I have been here, it has met regu- larly. The topics it dis- cusses are sensitive but we are looking at things like cyber-strategy, anti- gang strategy, road safety, marine safety and sham marriages. That is an im- portant group which is making an important contribution to maintain [the] security of the is- lands. I understand it was not functional for some time, but I can tell you it is functional now and it is something I attach a lot of importance to.” On a new agreement with Jamaica: “We spoke to the Ja- maican Prime Minister [Andrew Holness] about an agreement allowing aircraft and ships to come into each other’s waters and airspace on law en- forcement [grounds]. We would aim to sign an MOU which would make that sort of cooperation automatic. At the mo- ment, that happens on an ad hoc basis. That would be a good next step in terms of strength- ening the existing law en- forcement cooperation with Jamaica.” On the cruise petition process: “I think it is right to err on the side of cau- tion and do things trans- parently [and] in line with the law. I think it was the right decision to verify all the signatures – let’s see how that pro- cess goes. We have to re- member that for what- ever reason, we do not have a law setting out how we do referendums. That is something that will have to be put in place once we have got through this process. It probably would not be right to do it now, but I think we will have to put in place the regulations on how you do referen- dums in the future.” Amid Brexit uncertainty, few fears for Cayman CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Governor Martyn Roper “ I don’t sense at the moment there is massive concern that this is going to have a big impact.” CAYMAN ISLANDS GOVERNOR MARTYN ROPER under the legislation to address bullying; ■■ Require school staff mem- bers to report instances of bullying they have wit- nessed, or been made aware of, to the school leader in a timely manner; ■■ Require all schools to submit a quarterly re- port on instances of bullying and how they were handled; and ■■ Allow for imposing fines on school leaders, staff members, parents and students who fail to adhere to the school’s anti-bullying policy. The legislation covers physical bullying as well as threats that affect the well- being of a student, whether those threats are spoken, written or transmitted electronically. The law specifically pro- hibits bullying behaviour – which it defines as repeated instances of harm or intimi- dation – that includes “neg- atively commenting about a person’s looks, clothes, body, sex, race, colour, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social or- igin, age, mental or physical disability, property, birth or other status”. The law does not men- tion commenting on sexual orientation, a common target of bullying behaviour. Com- mission Director Jose Grif- fith said that, as in the Cayman Constitution, the phrase “other status” can include that. Provisions in the law re- quire school officials to notify parents of bullying instances and to provide specific sup- port to those being bullied, as well as remedial and punitive measures for students found bullying others. School administrators and staff can be fined $3,000 for failing to implement those provisions. Parents and stu- dents who do not abide by the law can be fined $1,000. “While the bully must be held responsible for his or her actions,” Griffith wrote in an email, “we believe that an equal responsibility needs to be placed on the school and parents to ensure that ad- equate measures are put in place to prevent bullying in the first instance and to pre- vent a recurrence of bullying.” “Penalties are designed to persuade all parties to take the issue seriously and in- deed deter adverse behav- iour,” he added. A copy of the draft can be found at www.lrc.gov.ky or www.gov.ky. Copies may also be obtained at the of- fice of the commission in the Government Administra- tion building. Comments can be sent by 16 Sept. via email to cilawreform@gov.ky. Written comments can be mailed or hand delivered to Director of the Cayman Islands Law Reform Commission. Anti-bullying law open for public comment CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Under the proposed legislation, every school would be required to formulate an anti-bullying policy. GUATEMALA INVESTIGATES $7 MILLION PUBLIC HEALTH CORRUPTION SCANDAL GUATEMALA CITY (AP) – Prosecutors in Guate- mala are investigating more than 100 people for their alleged involve- ment in a corruption ring that took kickbacks for re- building public hospitals and padded payrolls in the health sector. The case was revealed by the UN’s International Commission against Im- punity in Guatemala, whose mandate ends in September. Prosecutors say the suspects may have taken about $7 million at the Public Health Ministry be- tween 2012 and 2014. Several hospitals had to be rebuilt or remodelled following the country’s 2012 earthquake. Prosecutors said about 450 jobs were given out as favours, including about 100 ‘ghost’ positions in which people picked up paychecks but didn’t even report for work. They said 19 people had been arrested and others, including the former health minister, were con- sidered fugitives. Prosecutors say the suspects may have taken about $7 million at the Public Health Ministry between 2012 and 2014.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 THURSDAY, 18 JULY 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Germany making measles vaccination mandatory The German government is proposing a measure to make measles vaccinations mandatory for children and employees of kindergartens and schools. Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Cabinet approved the plan Wednesday, noting the number of measles infections has risen significantly in recent years. House condemns ‘racist’ Trump tweets Confusion, fear reigns on Mexico border with new US policy NUEVO LAREDO, Mexico (AP) – Asylum-seekers gathered in Nuevo Laredo, across the border from Texas, grappled to understand what a new US policy that all but eliminates refuge claims by Central Americans and many others meant for their bids to find a better life in America amid a chaos of rumours, confu- sion and fear. The policy went into ef- fect Tuesday and represents the most forceful attempt to date by President Donald Trump to slash the number of people seeking asylum in the United States. It de- nies asylum to anyone who shows up on the US border after travelling through an- other country, something Central American migrants have to do. In some parts of Nuevo Laredo, migrants continued to trickle into shelters, in- cluding seven members of a family from the Mexican state of Michoacan, who fled the shootings and extortions in their violent region and were happy to find shelter even though some had to sleep in the hallway. They hoped they could get asylum because they did not pass through another country to reach the border. But about 70 mostly Cen- tral American migrants, who had crossed Mexico to reach the border, were returned to Mexico with an appoint- ment with a judge tucked in a transparent plastic bag – part of another recently im- posed policy of requiring many asylum seekers to wait in Mexico rather than the US. Some bitter, they assem- bled in the National Insti- tute of Migration facility next to the international bridge with a cluster of women cra- dling children, men asking questions and small children running around under the watchful eye of parents. “They didn’t deport us but they took us out (of the US) in a bad way; in theory we wait for a hearing,” said Nolvin Godoy, a 29-year-old Guate- malan who has gone deep into debt paying a coyote al- most $10,000 to take him, his wife and her 2-year-old son to get them across the Rio Grande to turn themselves in to US authorities. After 10 days in a deten- tion centre in the US, they say they were given an appoint- ment with a judge in Sep- tember to begin the asylum process. Now they have been sent back to Mexico and hold out little hope of being able to appear before the judge on the date set. “Today the law fell on us and they are going to take us to Monterrey – 200 kilo- meters from Nuevo Laredo – and we don’t know what is going happen after that because we don’t know an- yone; I am sinking into debt,” Godoy said. Mexican migration offi- cials gave them food and a document that is a certifi- cate guaranteeing them ac- cess to official programmes but which does not specify which ones, though Mexico has said the returned will be able to get jobs. They received an official telephone number and email where they can get advice. Godoy, who says the stained shirt on his back is his only possession, believes it will all be worth little if he has no means of survival. “Maybe it’s best to go back.” No migrants dare to go outside the migration instal- lations. “Outside is organized crime,” he said. Dozens of people like Godoy were returned to Nuevo Laredo on Tuesday and by nightfall had been put on a bus with the only explanation that they were being taken to Monterrey, in the neighbouring state of Nuevo Leon. Most of them had reached the US irregu- larly, and did not fit the pro- file of migrants who would wait in Mexico for weeks or months, sign up on waiting lists and then be called by US authorities to process their asylum claims. Some said they had not originally planned to request asylum in the United States, and said the idea only oc- curred to them when they were offered the option. North of the border, civil liberties groups including the American Civil Liber- ties Union asked a federal judge on Wednesday for a temporary restraining order blocking Trump’s asylum re- striction. Immigrant advo- cates say that plan illegally circumvents the asylum pro- cess created by Congress. WASHINGTON (AP) – In a re- markable political repudia- tion, the Democratic-led US House voted Tuesday night to condemn President Donald Trump’s “racist comments” against four congresswomen of colour, despite protesta- tions by Trump’s Republican congressional allies and his own insistence he hasn’t “a racist bone in my body”. Two days after Trump tweeted that four Demo- cratic freshmen should “go back” to their home countries – though all are citizens and three were born in the US – Democrats muscled the res- olution through the chamber by 240-187 over near-solid GOP opposition. The rebuke was an embarrassing one for Trump even though it carries no legal repercussions, but if anything his latest harangues should help him with his die- hard conservative base. Despite a lobbying effort by Trump and party leaders for a unified GOP front, four Republicans voted to con- demn his remarks: moderate Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Fred Upton of Michigan, Will Hurd of Texas and Susan Brooks of Indiana, who is retiring. Also backing the measure was Michigan’s independent Rep. Justin Amash, who left the GOP this month after becoming the party’s sole member of Con- gress to back a Trump im- peachment inquiry. Democrats saved one of the day’s most passionate moments until near the end. “I know racism when I see it,” said Rep. John Lewis of Georgia, whose skull was fractured at the 1965 ‘Bloody Sunday’ civil rights march in Selma, Alabama. “At the highest level of government, there’s no room for racism.” Before the showdown roll call, Trump characteristically plunged forward with time- tested insults. He accused his four outspoken critics of “spewing some of the most vile, hateful and disgusting things ever said by a politi- cian” and added, “If you hate our Country, or if you are not happy here, you can leave!” – echoing taunts long un- leashed against political dis- sidents rather than opposing parties’ lawmakers. The president was joined by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California and other top Republicans in trying to redirect the focus from Trump’s original tweets, which for three days have consumed Washington and drawn widespread condem- nation. Instead, they tried playing offence by accusing the four congresswomen – among the Democrats’ most left-leaning members and ar- dent Trump critics – of so- cialism, an accusation that is already a central theme of the GOP’s 2020 presidential and congressional campaigns. Even after two-and-a- half years of Trump’s tur- bulent governing style, the spectacle of a president fu- tilely labouring to head off a House vote essentially pro- claiming him to be a racist was extraordinary. In tweets Tuesday night, Trump took a positive view of the vote, saying it was “so great” that only four Re- publicans had crossed party lines and noting the proce- dural rebuke of Pelosi. “Quite a day!” he wrote. Some rank-and-file GOP lawmakers have agreed that Trump’s words were racist, but on Tuesday party leaders insisted they were not and accused Democrats of using the resulting tumult to score political points. Among the few voices of restraint, Senate Majority Leader Mitch Mc- Connell said Trump was not racist, but he also called on leaders “from the president to the speaker to the freshman members of the House” to attack ideas, not the people who espouse them. “There’s been a con- sensus that political rhet- oric has gotten way, way heated across the political spectrum,” said the Repub- lican leader from Kentucky, breaking his own two days of silence on Trump’s attacks. Hours earlier, Trump tweeted, “Those Tweets were NOT Racist. I don’t have a Racist bone in my body!” He wrote that House Re- publicans should “not show ‘weakness’” by agreeing to a resolution he labeled “a Dem- ocrat con game”. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio- Cortez of New York, one of Trump’s four targets, re- turned his fire. “You’re right, Mr. Presi- dent – you don’t have a racist bone in your body. You have a racist mind in your head and a racist heart in your chest,” she tweeted. The four-page Democratic resolution said the House “strongly condemns Presi- dent Donald Trump’s racist comments that have legiti- mized and increased fear and hatred of new Ameri- cans and people of color”. It said Trump’s slights “do not belong in Congress or in the United States of America”. Despite a lobbying effort by Trump and party leaders for a unified GOP front, four Republicans voted to condemn his remarks. Migrants wait Tuesday at an immigration centre on the International Bridge 1, in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. – Photo: AP President Donald Trump speaks during a Cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House, Tuesday in Washington. – PHOTO: AP9 WORLD®IONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • THURSDAY, 18 JULY 2019 US objections to French tech tax overshadow G-7 finance meet CHANTILLY, France (AP) – The Trump administration is ob- jecting to France’s plan to tax Facebook, Google and other US tech giants, a rift that is overshadowing talks between seven longtime allies near Paris this week on issues ranging from digital curren- cies to trade. As finance ministers from the Group of Seven rich democracies gath- ered Wednesday at a cha- teau in Chantilly, near Paris, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin planned to take a tough line against host France. He was going to object to France’s proposed 3% tax on revenues of large tech com- panies with the G-7 host, French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, according to a senior US Treasury official. The controversial tax, which the French parliament passed days ago and could be signed into law within weeks, has already provoked a strong rebuke from the White House, which said it could lead to US tariffs on French imports. The rift risks feeding into broader disagreements, in- cluding on trade, after the US imposed tariffs on some EU goods last year, drawing re- taliation from Europe. “We are very disappointed that France has passed a uni- lateral service tax,” said the Treasury official, who said Mnuchin was set to raise the issue during Wednes- day’s bilateral meeting with Le Maire. The official spoke on condition of anonymity as the meeting had not yet taken place. French officials have in- dicated the digital tax is in- tended to spur an interna- tional agreement during the G-7 meeting and pledged it would be withdrawn if a deal is forged. The strategy is meant to provide negotiating leverage with the US, an ap- proach that some have com- pared with the go-it-alone approach of US President Donald Trump. Discord is no stranger to G-7 meetings. Last June, Trump roiled the G-7 summit in Canada by first agreeing to a group statement on trade only to withdraw from it while complaining that he had been blindsided by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s criticism of Trump’s tariff threats. In an extraordinary set of tweets, Trump threw the G-7 talks into disarray. Officials seem to be pre- pared for the potential for ugly divergences at this week’s G-7, with Mnuchin saying it could end with just a report of the discussion – rather than the traditional final statement signed by all. The regulation of tech- nology companies is emerging as a major issue around the world. The US is following the European Un- ion’s lead in taking a closer look at whether some of them are too big for the good of the wider economy. The topic was underscored Wednesday, when EU regu- lators in Brussels opened a formal antitrust investiga- tion into Amazon, echoing similar ones against the likes of Google and Microsoft. Beyond the US and France, the G-7 includes Ger- many, Britain, Italy, Canada, Japan and representatives of the EU. Their talks come against a backdrop slowing global growth and Trump’s Amer- ica-first trade policies, which have led to a tariff war with China on top of the tensions with Europe. Where the US may find more common ground with its G-7 partners will be in its mistrust of cryptocurren- cies like Facebook’s recently announced Libra, a position shared by the French. Le Maire hopes to lead on this issue, singling out Libra for scrutiny at the meeting, which will prepare the frame- work for a summit of the G-7 heads of state and govern- ment in August in the French Atlantic resort of Biarritz. US wants role in efforts to settle South Korea-Japan dispute SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – The United States will “do what it can” to help resolve fes- tering trade and political dis- putes between South Korea and Japan, a senior US of- ficial said Wednesday after a series of meetings with Seoul officials. David Stilwell, the top US diplomat for East Asian affairs, is in South Korea for three days, as Seoul is seeking US help to resolve the spat between two of Ameri- ca’s most important allies in the region. After meeting with South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, Stilwell told reporters that the United States places a “great pri- ority on strengthening” its relations with South Korea and Japan. “Fundamentally ROK and Japan must resolve the sensi- tive matters and we hope that the resolution happens soon,” Stilwell said, using the ab- breviation for South Korea’s official name, the Republic of Korea. “United States is a close friend and ally to both. We will do what we can to support their efforts to re- solve this.” Earlier Wednesday, he met other South Korean officials including deputy national security adviser Kim Hyun- chong, who visited Wash- ington last week for talks on the trade issue. Kim said he explained Seoul’s position on the issue to Stilwell in de- tails. Kim said Stilwell “suf- ficiently understood the seri- ousness of this problem”. South Korea and Japan are closely linked econom- ically and culturally and host a total of about 80,000 US troops on their soils, the core of America’s mil- itary presence in the re- gion. But they are often em- broiled in historical and territorial disputes stem- ming from Japan’s 1910-45 colonial occupation of the Korean Peninsula. Such on- and-off disputes have com- plicated US efforts to bol- ster trilateral cooperation to cope with North Korea’s nuclear threats and China’s growing influence. The latest dispute flared after Japan tightened con- trols on high-tech exports to South Korea, potentially af- fecting its manufacturers and global supplies of high-tech products like smartphones and displays. South Korean officials have warned Japan not to es- calate the dispute, saying its trade restriction would also eventually damage its own economy. Last week, Kang discussed the issue with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo by phone and con- veyed Seoul’s view that Ja- pan’s “undesirable” trade curbs could disrupt global supply chains and hurt trilat- eral cooperation. Seoul believes Japan was retaliating for South Korean court rulings last year that ordered Japanese companies to compensate some of their colonial-era Korean workers for forced labour. Japan has denied that, maintaining that the sensitive materials sub- ject to the stricter approval process can be exported only to trustworthy trading part- ners. Some Japanese officials including Prime Minister Shinzo Abe have suggested that critical materials with potential military applica- tions exported to South Korea may have been eventually transferred to North Korea. Seoul denies that. Japan maintains that all colonial-era compensa- tion issues were settled in 1965 when the two countries signed a treaty that restored their diplomatic ties. At the time, South Korea received more than $800 million in economic aid and loans from Japan and used the money to rebuild its infrastructure and economy devastated by the 1950-53 Korean War. When South Korea’s Su- preme Court ordered two Japanese companies to com- pensate their former forced Korean labourers, the court said the 1965 treaty cannot prevent individuals from seeking compensation. On Tuesday, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono warned that Tokyo might take further action if South Korea pushes harder on the issues related to historical issues. Tokyo has requested third- party arbitration of the Ko- rean wartime labour dispute as stipulated in a 1965 treaty. The deadline for a re- sponse is Thursday, and Seoul has indicated that it will not respond. Japanese Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasutoshi Nishimura on Wednesday urged Seoul to nullify last year’s court orders on the compensation issue and settle by arbitration. Ni- shimura said Japan will con- sider all options to protect Japanese companies. TRUMP BLASTS WTO RULING ON CHINA WASHINGTON (AP) – The Trump administration blasted a World Trade Organization decision Tuesday that could let China levy sanctions on the United States. The 2-1 decision by the WTO’s appellate body was actually a mixed ver- dict in a case that dates back to 2007 and is unre- lated to the tariffs the ad- ministration has slapped on $250 billion in Chi- nese goods. In its final decision, the WTO agreed with the US that China lets state-owned enter- prises (SOEs) subsidise Chinese firms by pro- viding components at un- fairly low costs. But it said the US wrongly calculated the tariffs imposed to punish China for the subsidies. If the US does not re- calculate them, China can retaliate with its own sanctions. The Office of the US Trade Representa- tive said the ruling “un- dermines WTO rules, making them less effec- tive to counteract Chi- nese SOE subsidies that are harming US workers and businesses and distorting markets worldwide”. Separately, the US- China are locked in a year-long standoff over US allegations that China uses predatory tactics – including outright theft of trade secrets – in an aggressive push to chal- lenge American techno- logical dominance. Finance ministers and bank governors attend a session at the G-7 Finance, Wednesday in Chantilly, north of Paris. – Photo: AP “ United States is a close friend and ally to both. We will do what we can to support their efforts to resolve this.” DAVID STILWELL, top US diplomat for East Asian affairsNext >