Nearly 230 pounds of gold seized The United Kingdom’s Na- tional Crime Agency is working with Cayman Islands authorities to investigate $4.1 million worth of gold seized at London’s Heathrow airport on 1 June. The gold, intercepted in the UK by Border Force officers, are thought to originate from a South American drug cartel operation that used the Cayman Islands as a stopping point, the NCA said. “It was being transported from the Cayman Islands to Switzerland, having earlier been shipped to the Caymans on a private jet which had arrived from Venezuela,” an NCA press release read. “The gold is now the subject of a money laundering investigation ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – MONDAY, 22 JULY 2019 SEVEN MILE BEACH WATERFRONT WALKERS ROAD TOWN CENTRE PLAZA RED BAY Breaking a record: 107 divers join forces, and hands, to break a world record by forming the longest recorded underwater chain of female divers. - PHOTO: DREW MCARTHUR, DIVETECH Cayman’s female divers line up to break their own world record NORMA CONNOLLY nconnolly@pinnaclemedialtd.com Fifteen feet below the surface of the sea off West Bay on Saturday, for the second time in two years, female divers on Grand Cayman broke a world scuba diving record. Last year, to mark PADI Women’s Dive Day, 86 women broke a record by holding hands underwater along a rope line to form a human chain. On Saturday, they smashed their own record when 107 divers held hands to form the world’s longest female underwater chain. Divetech’s Julia Bradford, clad in a tutu, officially launched the record attempt by zip- ping past the divers along the line, using a pink underwater scooter with a large ‘Go’ sign on it. Photographers and videographers then recorded the event, images and video of which will be sent to officials to confirm that the re- cord has been broken. As well as breaking a world record, the group also raised more than $5,000, and counting, for the Cayman Islands Breast Cancer Foundation. Divetech organised the dive, which was supported by many other dive operators on is- land that donated equipment and the services of their female instructors. Divetech owner Joanna Mikutowicz said, “It went really well. It was perfect, perfectly organised; everybody got out there and held the line, we made a continuous chain and eve- rybody came back.” She added, “It’s always a challenge to en- sure we have enough gear and tanks, and that’s why it’s so helpful that other dive shops step up and say ‘whatever you need’. It was like the Women’s Dive Day event of the Cayman Islands, not just Divetech’s.” Among the divers was Daniela Crema, who donned a colourful mermaid’s tail. Crema, a Cayman Islands resident origi- nally from Italy, said, “I was really happy to be a part of this and to support the Breast Cancer Foundation. I came to the island years ago to dive in these warm waters. Today, while I was holding hands with the other 106 women, PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 7 » UK, Cayman investigate gold smuggling scheme These gold bars were among nearly 230 pounds of gold seized by UK authorities on 1 June. - PHOTO: UK NATIONAL CRIME AGENCY2 LOCAL®IONAL MONDAY, 22 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 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 10:00 (SAT ONLY) CULTURE AT THE CINEMA: THE TRAGEDY OF KIND RICHARD THE SECOND SAT ONLY: 8:00 Matinees Daily (matinee price before 6pm) Seniors $8.00, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Additional charges apply per 3D/VIP tickets Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. - MONDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) SPIDER-MAN FAR (PG13) FROM HOME 12:45 3D | 3:45 | 6:50 3D | 9:50 VIP | 9:50 MEN IN BLACK (PG13) INTERNATIONAL 1:35 | 4:20 | 7:05 | 9:50 THE LION KING (2019) (PG) 12:30 3D | 1:00 VIP I 1:50 | 3:30 3D | 4:10 VIP | 6:45 | 7:00 VIP | 9:30 3D TOY STORY 4 (G) 1:30 | 4:00 | 6:30 | 9:00 CRAWL (R) 4:40 | 7:20 | 10:00 JURY NOTICE All Grand Court ju- rors who are in the 3 July–1 Oct. session are advised that the report date of Monday, 22 July, has been changed. Jurors are now required to report for jury duty on Monday, 29 July, at 9:45am. Call the Jury Information line at 244‑3899 for the most up‑to‑date information, or email jury@judicial.ky. Ultramarathon raises $12,000 for charities The annual KRyS Global Off the Beaten Track ultra- marathon raised $12,000 for several local charities. The funds will benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters, YMCA, One Dog at a time, Save our Youth Foundation, 345 Ath- letic Club and MS Founda- tion of the Cayman Islands, organisers said. “With this year being the 10th anniversary of the race, we were keen to support as many local charities as pos- sible,” said Kenneth Krys, founder of the ultramarathon and a runner himself. Krys has completed 15 multi-stage ultramarathons in the past decade, including races in such exotic locales like Iceland, the Amazon, Bhutan, the Gobi Desert and Madagascar. He launched the Off the Beaten Track race in Cayman after he completed the Marathon des Sables in 2009. Touted as the toughest footrace on Earth, the Marathon des Sables is a gruelling multi-stage adventure through the world’s most inhospitable environment – the Sahara Desert. While Off the Beaten Track does not take place in a similarly hostile environ- ment, runners in the Cayman race attack the local beaches, ironshore, mangroves and dyke roads. “We are very fortunate to have 10 great years of OTBT, and we look forward to con- tinued support from the run- ning community for years to come,” said Krys. He thanked Derek Larmer and the team from Race Car- ibbean who oversee the race, and the sponsors, volunteers, Red Cross and suppliers who all make this one of the most anticipated events on the running calendar. U.S. JUDGE DENIES BAIL FOR EX-PERUVIAN PRESIDENT TOLEDO SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – A US judge on Friday denied bail for former Peruvian Presi- dent Alejandro Toledo after prosecutors argued that he was a flight risk and pointed out officials found a suitcase with $40,000 in cash during his arrest. “If the defendant were to flee, this would be a diplomatically significant failure of the United States to live up to its obligations to Peru under the (extra- dition) treaty,” Magistrate Judge Thomas S. Hixson said before ordering Toledo, 73, held pending an extra- dition hearing scheduled for 26 July. US Marshals detained Toledo at his Northern Cal- ifornia home Tuesday on an extradition request. The ex-president is wanted in his home country on accusations of taking $20 million in bribes from Brazilian construction company Odebrecht. Toledo denies the charges. Assistant US Attorney Elise LaPunzina told Hixson that the cash and the fact that Toledo has ties to other counties made him a flight risk. She said his wife, former Peruvian first lady Eliane Karp, is from Israel, a country that does not have an extradition agreement with Peru. Toledo’s attorney, Jo- seph Russoniello, argued for the former president to be released on bail, saying he has deep ties to the San Francisco Bay Area, where he came in the late 1960s to study economics. Toledo was Peru’s pres- ident from 2001 to 2006 and has lived in California in recent years, defying or- ders from his country’s courts to return to Peru to face charges. He had been a visiting scholar at Stanford Uni- versity as recently as 2017. He earned a doctoral de- gree in education and two master’s degrees from the university. Toledo’s arrest was the latest chapter in what has been a stunning fall from grace for the man who rose out of poverty to become Peru’s first president with indigenous roots. His jovial nature, ease with the masses and oppo- sition to strongman Alberto Fujimori helped him clinch the presidency in 2001. The nation’s economy boomed under his leader- ship, with annual growth in the gross domestic product rising from 0.2% to 6.8%. KRyS Global Off the Beaten Track founder Kenneth Krys, front right, delivers donations to representatives of local charities and organisations, from left, Derek Larner of 345 Athletics Club, Jennifer West of YMCA, Tracy‑Ann Taylor of Big Brothers Big Sisters, Theodore Kelly Jr. of Race Caribbean, Paula Wythe and Paula Blane of One Dog At A Time, and Iris Stoner of Save Our Youth. Artists struggle to save Haiti museum after 2010 earthquake PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) – Franck Louissaint sighed and frowned as he stepped onto his patio and flung aside shower curtains protecting a painting by a former voodoo priest who became a re- nowned Haitian artist. The painting from the 1960s once depicted a seem- ingly joyous voodoo spirit known as a loa, but it warped into something that looked like a three-dimensional satellite image of moun- tains after it was damaged by rubble and waterlogged when a 2010 earthquake hit the museum where it was displayed. “It’s like the skin of a croc- odile!” exclaimed Louissaint, an artist who expects seven more months of work to fully restore the painting by Robert Saint-Brice. It is one of dozens of well- known paintings that art- ists are still trying to rescue nearly a decade after the magnitude 7.0 quake killed an estimated 300,000 people or more and struck count- less buildings, including the Museum of Haitian Art of St. Pierre College – one of the country’s top institutions. More than 600 other wa- tercolours and paintings by prominent artists are still in storage and in danger of de- caying as a small group of artists struggles to restore the damaged works. While life has begun anew for much of Haiti since the quake, the mu- seum has been shuttered for nine years and only recently opened a tiny room to display a small quantity of art. On a recent day, 91-year- old museum president Louis Du Bois walked briskly through the building, pointing out the damaged roof and walls as he occa- sionally put on his glasses to inspect certain paintings. “We have to reopen to the public,” he said. “All the great artists are here.” The quake also devastated other public spaces dedi- cated to art across Haiti, with $30 million in losses reported at the Museum d’Art Nader, which had one of the world’s most extensive collections of Haitian art. But the Museum of Hai- tian Art is one of the few worldwide to host Haitian paintings from the 20th cen- tury. The museum, which pre- viously drew 9,000 visitors a year, was established in the 1970s by art lovers to com- memorate US painter De- Witt Peters and is tucked into the southeast corner of Port-au-Prince’s historic area. It features mostly do- nated artwork. Fewer than a dozen paint- ings are currently on display, including one titled ‘Marriage of Interest’ by Rigaud Benoit, who is considered a master of Haitian painting, and ‘Tower of Babel’ by Préfète Duffaut, whose work was collected by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Both men also painted mu- rals inside a cathedral in Port-au-Prince that was flat- tened by the earthquake. Haitian artist Ernst Jeudy works on the restoration of a painting by Haitian artist Edouard Duval Carrie, at the Musée d’Art du Collège Saint Pierre, in Port‑au‑Prince, Haiti. – PHOTO: AP3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY, 22 JULY 2019 NOTICE THE DORMANT ACCOUNTS (FORMS) (AMENDMENT) REGULATION LAW, 2010 (Section 6) Name of financial institution/Number of financial institution: Venezolano de Credito, S.A., Banco Universal (Cayman Branch) / License No. 97027 Address of financial institution: C/O VBT Bank & Trust, Ltd. – 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: None The public is hereby given notice that Venezolano de Credito, S.A., Banco Universal (Cayman Branch) hold the following dormant account: Account Number The date account was opened 01040107188107032607 October 15, 2002 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 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. Dart buys major stake in Cayman Islands Brewery JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com The Dart group has con- firmed it has bought a stake in the Cayman Is- lands Brewery, which pro- duces the island’s signature beers Caybrew and White Tip, among others. The brewery recently un- derwent a $1 million expan- sion adding a new ware- house, two new tanks and an expanded taproom to meet growing demand for its beers. Matthew Bishop, CEO of Dart subsidiary Cayman Distributors Group, con- firmed in a statement to the Cayman Compass that the group was investing in the brewery. Neither Dart nor the brewery’s board of di- rectors have revealed at this stage the level of Dart’s in- vestment, or whether it has acquired all or part of the company. Bishop said in the emailed statement that he sees signif- icant opportunities for future growth, both for the business and its brands. “We aim to build on the success of the brewery and help the business to grow even further. We see a huge amount of potential in this company and we look for- ward to being a part of its fu- ture,” he said. Founder and chairman of the Cayman Islands Brewery board of directors Stephen Webster was also quoted in the prepared statement wel- coming Dart’s investment in the business. He said, “Over the last decade we have built a truly special business and we hope this will take the com- pany into the next phase of its growth. We are confident there is a very bright future for the brewery. “We see this investment both as affirmation of all we have achieved over the past 12 years and as a welcome opportunity for even fur- ther growth.” He said the daily opera- tions of the brewery will not be impacted and that the leadership team would re- main unchanged. Bishop said Dart’s invest- ment would provide opportu- nity for the brewery to grow even further. “Cayman Islands Brewery has had to fight for every inch of market share against a host of well-established and well funded, imported brands,” he said “The fact that Caybrew is now firmly entrenched as the national beer of the Cayman Islands is testament to the quality of their products, the dedication of their employees and of course, the loyalty of their customers.” In an interview with the Compass earlier this year, Webster said the brewery was going from strength to strength on the back of Cayman’s strong eco- nomic position and in- creased tourism. “Tourists want to try the local beer and the resi- dents all see it as their beer,” he added. “We are moving onwards and upwards.” Governor grants early release to Sheldon Brown The governor has author- ised the immediate release of Sheldon Brown, who was jailed for 22 years in 2006 for attempted murder. According to a Govern- ment Information Services press release, Brown, 49, was recently diagnosed with ter- minal cancer. That diagnosis, plus the fact that he was due to be released from North- ward Prison in mid-October this year, led to the decision to remit the remainder of Brown’s sentence. Governor Martyn Roper consulted with the Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy on the matter. Brown was found guilty in January 2006 of at- tempting to kill James Fer- nando Martin on 17 Aug. 2004 at the Cayman Islander Hotel. Martin had been shot at least three times, the court heard at the time. An appeal against Brown’s conviction and sentence in November 2008 failed. During his incarceration, Brown wrote crime novels from prison. Stephen Webster, chairman of the Cayman Islands Brewery, checks out newly installed tanks at the brewery in February this year. Dart has confirmed that it has bought into the brewery business. – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Sheldon Brown MORE THAN HALF OF PORT REFERENDUM PETITION SIGNATURES VERIFIED As of Friday, 55.6% of the number of signatures re- quired to prompt a people- initiated referendum on the cruise port project had been verified, according to the Elections Office. So far, 2,942 signatures have been verified. As well as doing house- to-house verifications, the Elections Office is also set- ting up ‘verification loca- tions’ and its staff mem- bers are available at booths at the following locations and times: ■■ Foster’s Food Fair, Re- publix Plaza, West Bay: Thursday, 25 July, 4-7pm. ■■ Foster’s Food Fair, Airport Centre, George Town: Saturday, 27 July, 10am to 3pm. ■■ Foster’s Food Fair, The Strand, West Bay Road: Monday, 22 July, 4-7pm; Saturday, 27 July, 10am to 3pm; Monday, 29 July, 4-7pm. ■■ Hurley’s Market, Grand Harbour: Monday, 22 July, 3-7pm; Wednesday, 24 July, 3-7pm; Monday, 29 July, 3-7pm. For more information, visit www.elections.ky.4 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY, 22 JULY 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” NiCE summer work wraps up This summer’s National Community Enhancement work project, known as NiCE, finished on Friday, after 486 unemployed Caymanians, working in 18 teams, com- pleted the two-week clean- up programme. During the fortnight, the workers removed sargassum from local beaches, painted roadside kerbs, tidied up the roadsides and cleaned up graveyards and public areas. Joey Hew, Minister for Commerce, Planning and In- frastructure, visited the workers at locations across Grand Cayman on Wednesday, and spoke to them and super- visory staff from the National Roads Authority and the De- partments of Environmental Health and Public Works about the initiative. “The tour was a good op- portunity for me to talk di- rectly with NiCE workers and find out their day-to- day experiences of working on the project,” he said in a press release. He added, “It was impor- tant for me to take the time to meet and thank them on behalf of the government and my ministry for their efforts. This trip clearly showed the pride many participants take in beautifying the commu- nity, and further confirmed my opinion that sargassum is a long-term issue that re- quires a concerted long-term and cross-agency solution.” His two-hour bus tour took in ongoing and re- cently completed beautifi- cation work that had been earmarked ahead of the two- week initiative, including at South Sound dock and the boat launch ramp at the Frank Sound junction, which had been impacted by the sargassum influx. The NiCE Winter Project 2019 is scheduled to run for three weeks from Monday, 25 Nov. to Friday, 13 Dec. NiCE workers Nella Stone and Arthur ‘Ransford’ McLean talk to Minister Hew at the Old Man Bay dock ramp, during his tour of NiCE beautification sites on Grand Cayman. Minister Joey Hew meets NiCE worker Quincy Scott, whose crew were doing roadside clearing at Midland Acres, Bodden Town. Mount Kilimanjaro climb to benefit Red Cross This August, long-time Cayman Islands resident Martyn Bould will take on Af- rica’s tallest mountain peak in support of the Cayman Is- lands Red Cross. The ‘Climb for Red: Peak of Preparedness’ challenge will bring Bould to the top of Tanzania’s Mount Kili- manjaro to raise awareness and funding for the charity organisation. “In light of the wonderful work that the Red Cross per- forms in the traumatic con- ditions following the pas- sage of a hurricane, climbing for CIRC appealed to me as a natural way to give back,” Bould said in a Red Cross press release. “I hope my journey brings awareness to the importance of hurricane preparedness and encourages the community to donate funds to the CIRC, thus enabling their disaster preparedness and response ef- forts and capabilities.” Bould has previously climbed mountain peaks in the Himalayas in Bhutan, and Mount Sopris in Colorado. To prepare to take on the 19,341-foot Mount Kil- imanjaro, Bould set out 110-day focussed training programme. His training in- cluded a breathing exer- cise known as ‘Oxygen Ad- vantage’, altitude training in Colorado and a daily workout routine. His seven-day trek will take him through tropical rainforests, alpine moor- lands, desert uplands and icy glaciers. The ‘Climb for Red’ chal- lenge is part of a larger Red Cross campaign called ‘Move for Red’ that the charity expects to fully launch later this year. “The aim of Peak of Pre- paredness is to tie in Mr. Bould’s movements up the summit with key actions in preparedness to ensure that the population is ready for the peak of the season in Sep- tember,” a Red Cross press release said. Bould became more fa- miliar with the Red Cross’s mission following the dev- astation that hurricanes Irma and Maria brought to the Caribbean in 2017. After the storms, he witnessed the Cayman Islands Red Cross’s work to support its sister agency in the British Virgin Islands. Bould’s journey up Mount Kilimanjaro will be trackable through the Red Cross’s so- cial media accounts. “Having someone like Mr. Bould undertake such an amazing journey on be- half of our organisation and our work is truly an honour, and we are sure that this en- deavour will help us reach a wider audience,” said CIRC Director Jondo Obi. Bould first came to the Cayman Islands 50 years ago as a chartered quantity sur- veyor. He has since developed several major projects in the territory, including Plantana, The Great House and the Genesis Building. He is chairman of the Cayman National Cultural Foundation, a founding board member of the Na- tional Gallery of the Cayman Islands and past chairman of the National Trust for the Cayman Islands. Bould was awarded an MBE by Queen Elizabeth II in 2012. Martyn Bould will climb Mount Kilimanjaro in support of the Cayman Islands Red Cross. - PHOTO: SUBMITTED5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY, 22 JULY 2019 Leadership Cayman CONNECT. GROW. INSPIRE. Are you a leader in business? Would you like to share in our dynamic, interactive Leadership Cayman 2020 experience? Find out more about the programme at our information sessions. JULY 17 TH & JULY 24 TH | 6:00PM – 7:00PM Chamber of Commerce, Governors Square www.leadershipcayman.ky | +1(345)743-9129. Application Deadline July 31 st , 2019 Pease Bay children help release hatchling turtles into the wild JEWEL LEVY jlevy@pinnaclemedialtd.com A group of children had a magical and educational ex- perience on Thursday night when they got to see up close the release of 100 baby tur- tles into the wild. “It was a great experience for me because I never expe- rienced anything like this,” Aaliyah Powell said, after she watched the hatchlings wiggle their way across the beach to the open sea. “The baby turtles were so cute, and it was a fantastic experience to see them brave off into the ocean by them- selves to expand the survival of their species,” she said. “I do feel bad that some might not make it, but that is part of nature. If we could save every single an- imal on Earth, I would go for it, but it’s just the circle of life,” she added. A chorus of “Aww” went up through the crowd on the beach as the first baby turtle was freed from a bucket held by Jerrica Wood, an officer working with the Department of Environment. Wood was leading the night’s release after the hatchlings were collected by DoE officers from a nesting area on the Pease Bay beach earlier that morning. “The release is great for the island because it awe- some to have lots of new tur- tles going out in the wild,” said Chad Powell, who along with other family members, swatted away a multitude of mosquitoes on the beach as they watched the action. He said he hoped the tur- tles would get a chance to survive in the wild. “It’s great to see everyone come out to support the release,” he said. Kayleigh Powell, Chad’s sister, was just as excited. “I am happy the baby turtles got the opportunity to live their lives, and when they come back there will be more turtles in the ocean after they lay their eggs and the eggs hatch. The life cycle will go over again,” Kayleigh said. Charlie Powell, the chil- dren’s grandfather, discov- ered the nest 47 days ear- lier while enjoying an early morning cup of coffee on the beach. He said he was lying in his hammock when a fe- male turtle crawled up on the beach to check out the area, but she did not stop to lay eggs. He took a stroll down the beach and spotted tracks that showed where the turtle had come ashore ear- lier to nest. He notified the Depart- ment of Environment, and because his grandchildren wanted to see the turtles coming out of the ground, he began monitoring the nest each morning. One morning, he discov- ered a second nest about 75 feet from the first one. When environmental officers came to check that nest, they discovered that a Bobcat ma- chine cleaning the beach had packed sand over the first nest and the baby turtles could not get out. The officers dug out the hatchlings, put them in a container with sand, and took them away for safekeeping. They were kept in a dark place to give them the feeling of still being in the nest, then they were brought back to the same beach that night to be released, Wood said. This, she said, ensures that when the babies become adults, they return to the same beach to lay their eggs. The DoE monitors all the nesting beaches on all three islands. Part of its monitoring process is to walk the beach and look for turtle tracks and turtle nests. They mark when the eggs were laid and return when the hatchlings emerge. They check the hatch rate of the turtles, and any tur- tles that are trapped in the nest and that emerge in day- light and therefore are at greater risk from predators, are kept safely and then re- leased at night. “In some countries, they mark out the nest and try to put stakes down and high- light the nest,” said Wood. “It’s not a thing we do in Cayman because we still have the occasional problem with poaching.” She said one of the big- gest threats to the baby tur- tles is artificial lights, which disorients them when they are trying to make their way into the sea for the first time. She said whenever there is a popular beach for turtle laying, people who live nearby tend to help out with keeping them safe. “They re- ally love the turtles and they keep an eye out for us,” Wood said. Turtle nesting season is May to November, although sometimes turtles start laying as early as April. “ The baby turtles were so cute, and it was a fantastic experience to see them brave off into the ocean by themselves to expand the survival of their species.” AALIYAH POWELL A group of Bodden Town children got to see the Department of Environment release tiny baby turtles into the sea at Pease Bay on Thursday. - PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY Speaker Bush addresses youth roadshow in Trinidad Cayman’s Speaker of the House McKeeva Bush last week was the guest speaker at a roadshow to highlight parliamentary issues with young people in Trinidad. He addressed participants from high schools and tertiary institutions across the island, where he highlighted the rules of Parliament. The event was organised by the Secretary General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. Bush was attending the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s 44th annual conference of the Caribbean, Americas and Atlantic Region. Mr. Vic helps children learn to read Victor Valencia, known as Mr. Vic, reads from the book ‘Dinosaur Tracks’ to youngsters Tamaya Powell, Alexa Valencia, Tyrece Whittaker and Azari Powell during summer story reading at the Bodden Town Library on Saturday. During the reading session, the youngsters also enjoyed colouring, special treats and learning on a computer. Reading with Mr. Vic takes place on Saturdays from 10:30am, until the school summer break is over. – PHOTO: JEWEL LEVY.The islands’ most-trusted news source 6 KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@pinnaclemedialtd.com The needs of downtown George Town remain myriad, residents heard once again Thursday evening. Lack of parking, housing and green spaces persists. Irregular and at times dan- gerous street designs hamper walkability. Worsening traffic clogs the roads with cars. High unemployment disad- vantages Caymanian res- idents. Single-use zoning limits business options. The list goes on. George Town manager Colin Lumsden and other of- ficials sought to provide the public with an update on addressing these long-dis- cussed needs Thursday. The Public Works Depart- ment architect said plan- ners are exploring the con- cept of ‘complete streets’ to enable accessibility for all types of residents in the downtown area. “Streets are not made for cars. They are connector valves for everybody. They are for people who walk and ride,” Lumsden told a crowd of around 60 individuals at Constitution Hall, formerly George Town Town Hall. A major aim of the ‘com- plete streets’ concept will be to integrate bike lanes, side- walks, safe crosswalks and trees into the zone’s roadways. The hope is to make George Town not only more modern, but also more wel- coming for residents and vis- itors alike. Currently, city plan- ners are focussed on a 200- acre space along Harbour Drive, from Eden Rock to Da Fish Shack and ending at Eastern Avenue. A timeline shared at the meeting indicated that on- going efforts, such as code reforms, capital infrastruc- ture development, public con- sultations and minimum op- eration upgrades, will carry on past 2022. The research and planning phase, which began in 2015, is expected to conclude by 2020. Lumsden broke down plans to incorporate mixed- use buildings, commercial and institutional areas to boost business growth, and multi-family sites and single- family dwellings to improve housing diversity. Develop- ment of a small business centre in the downtown area could also encourage diversi- fication and growth of local companies, he added. Only 1% of the study area was determined to include green space. “I am hell-bent on making sure trees are part of our row design,” he said, adding that trees contribute to air quality, heat control and quality of life. “It doesn’t take a keen eye to notice the amount of as- phalt and parking compared to green areas.” Several streets are being examined for road works and possible extensions to better connect George Town. Planners hope to make Harbour Drive a more scenic route, for example, Lumsden said. Other streets, such as Godfrey Nixon Way, have been identified as roadways that could be modernised to enhance connectivity and accessibility. In terms of next steps, Lumsden said planners are currently looking at in- stalling better lighting to im- prove safety, planting trees, building parking garages, up- dating kerbs and sidewalks, and redesigning roads with the input of the National Roads Authority. Other ideas include electronic displays, recy- cling bins, improved bus routes, and bike and vehicle sharing services. “We’ve pretty much mod- elled the entire city and have been looking at different de- signs throughout the entire city itself,” Lumsden said. To bring life back to the area, Lumsden said, offi- cials would also like to in- corporate the concept of “city furniture”. “We looked at George Town like a living room,” he said. “It needs seating. It needs artwork.” Evening events could en- courage the public to stay back in George Town outside of regular business hours. One event on the books, called ‘Saturday Night Live in George Town’, would po- tentially launch 3 Aug. with family-focussed activities, including street performers, food trucks and vendors. Public comments While attendees were largely hopeful in the feed- back provided, some pointed out that upgrades to George Town have been a long time coming, and that delays have been to the detriment of small business owners. “There seems to be a con- cern that there is a lack of co- hesion,” said architect Eddie Thompson, who pointed out that the evening’s presen- tation made no mention of the cruise port and how that might affect development. He questioned if a proper traffic study that considered cruise tourism had been con- ducted to determine max- imum capacity. He also en- couraged planners to avoid getting caught up in the mi- nutiae of redevelopment and to start focussing on low- hanging fruit that could be addressed in the short term. Another attendee, Noel March, said, “The disappear- ance of high-end Royal Car- ibbean cruise passengers has hurt small business.” Touching on the high un- employment numbers in the downtown area, he said such passengers could be boost to small businesses and en- courage hiring. Smith Cove resident Su- zanne Bothwell touched on the issue of gentrification and concerns that it has be- come increasingly difficult for families to maintain and redevelop land that has been passed down. “What we find is that over generations, the children and grandchildren have great difficulties in redeveloping land for new purposes,” Bothwell said. “Gentrification of cities and traditional environments is now being seen as an ex- tremely pervasive and de- structive thing … I would like for that thought to be present in the minds [of plan- ners], that we do not create an animal that we did not in- tend to create.” Lumsden responded that the question of gentrification was a difficult one. “It’s a reality and no one here has ways of controlling that, but we are very cog- nisant of it in a very sensitive way,” Lumsden said. “There are a few devel- opers and stakeholders we’ve talked to that want to give back to the community …. That’s a good sign.” Charles Brown of the Department of Commerce said gentrification in many places can be unpreventable, but that the department is looking at ways to encourage small investors and devel- opments through measures such as reducing lot sizes. He added, however, that some places do need an injec- tion of capital and wealth. Live, online polling con- ducted during the session in- dicated public interest in de- veloping nature and sea-view sitting areas, and providing pedestrian and parking con- nectivity with surrounding developments. Participants were also encouraged to mark maps placed on tables to indicate where they would like to see the development of parks and vehicle parking, where they would live if George Town were redeveloped, and where they consider downtown’s central business district to be located. MONDAY, 22 JULY 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Members of the public attend Thursday’s meeting on the revitalisation of George Town. - PHOTOS: KAYLA YOUNG George Town manager Colin Lumsden presents an update on the planned revitalisation of George Town at Constitution Hall on Thursday. Planners, public revisit downtown redevelopment being run by the Cayman au- thorities, with the assistance of the NCA.” The seized gold bars and pieces weigh nearly 230 pounds and are being held under the UK’s Pro- ceeds of Crime Act, following a hearing at Uxbridge Magis- trates Court in London. “We believe that this ship- ment was linked to drug car- tels operating out of South America. Working with part- ners overseas and in the UK, we were quickly able to identify it and stop [its] on- ward movement,” said NCA Heathrow branch com- mander, Steve McIntyre. He added, “The business model of many organised crime groups relies upon the ability to move money across borders, to fund fur- ther investment in crim- inal activity. If we can stop that, it not only causes dis- ruption to the criminal net- work involved and pre- vents them benefiting from crime, it also stops that re-investment.” The release also quoted Nick Jariwalla, Border Force Heathrow Director, who said, “Taking large amounts of money or gold out of the con- trol of criminal networks hits them where they feel it most, in the pocket.” The Royal Cayman Is- lands Police Service told the Cayman Compass in an email that it would not be providing comment on the case at this time. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 UK, Cayman investigate gold smuggling schemeThe islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS MONDAY, 22 JULY 2019 EXPERT CANCER CAREFOR CAYMAN ISLANDS PATIENTS © 2019 IPB CAYMAN ISLANDS PATIENTS Pamela R. Breast Cancer Patient At Cancer Treatment Centers of America © (CTCA), we guide you and your family every step of the way, starting with a 3-5 day initial evaluation to develop your personalized cancer treatment plan. A team of clinicians will work together to provide treatments combined with supportive care therapies designed to help manage side effects, boost your energy and keep you strong during treatment. I could really feel the energy. “I was also a mermaid; it was absolutely awesome. It was a bit difficult to swim at the beginning, but if you think you’re a sea mermaid, you’re going to make it.” Another resident diver, Tammy Kelderman, said she took part in the day’s event because, not only was it for a good cause, but “also just to do something fun, to break a record with a bunch of women. There was a pretty good vibe here today”. She also had a per- sonal reason for supporting the event, as her sister and a friend are both breast cancer survivors. Janette Fitzgerald, chief administrator of the Breast Cancer Foundation, which had an educational booth at Lighthouse Point for the day, said, “It’s fabulous. Last year was phenomenal, but this year, it’s just unbelievable – 107 women. They’ve really blown it out of the water.” Even before all the raffle tickets for 41 donated prizes had been sold, more than $5,000 for the charity had been raised from the $25 sign-up fee for the divers, do- nations and raffle ticket sales. “I’m touched,” said Fitzgerald. “It’s a lot of money, which we definitely need. Never ever do I take it for granted. It always gets to me how people come out and support us. It’s great.” Speaking to assembled divers and supporters after everyone got out of the water and celebrated with pink champagne donated by Pre- mier Crew and lionfish can- apes from Vivo, Bradford an- nounced the final confirmed number and said, “We’ve just got a new world record, guys,” to cheers from the divers. She told the crowd, “There has been a massive turnout from dive shops in terms of their divers. It’s heart- warming for me to see the re- sponse from every dive shop.” She also thanked the male volunteers, “not only because we forced them to wear pink rash guards all day” but for their hard work all day. Officers from the Royal Cayman Islands Police Ser- vice dive team were among the volunteers on hand to help with traffic control and surface support. With more than 100 di- vers arriving at the Light- house Point site around the same time, and limited parking available, the of- ficers directed them where to park and where to drop their dive gear before the event, as well as helping out with any on-land assistance that was needed. Following the dive, the dive team’s Constable Richard Connolly said, “The RCIPS really likes to sup- port the local community, and especially any chari- table cause. It’s been a de- light today, which we’ve all enjoyed, to help and assist the Breast Cancer Foundation and Divetech to achieve this world record.” Not all the police dive team stayed on land. After helping with parking du- ties, PC Rachel Rush said she joined the women un- derwater in the record at- tempt, “holding hands with two strangers”. She said the police’s participation in the event showed that the “RCIPS are very approachable.” Asked whether another record breaking attempt would be held next year, per- haps aiming for 200, Divet- ech’s Mikutowicz responded, “Sure. Why not?” Hold the line: Divetech owner Joanna Mikutowicz, foreground, right, surveys the scene as 107 female divers get ready for Saturday’s record attempt. - PHOTOS: DREW MCARTHUR, DIVETECH Cayman’s female divers line up to break their own world record CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Daniela Crema wears a mermaid’s tail as she takes part in Saturday’s record attempt.The RCIPS dive team with Divetech’s Julia Bradford, centre, at Lighthouse Point on Saturday. - PHOTO: JOHN DAVIS Divetech’s Julia Bradford, wearing the dive company’s signature pink and being propelled by an underwater scooter, lets the divers know that the record attempt is ‘Go’.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 MONDAY, 22 JULY 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS 1,000 firefighters battle wildfires in Portugal Some 1,000 firefighters are working to contain wildfires in central Portugal that have already injured eight firefighters and 12 civilians, authorities said Sunday. In recent years, the country has witnessed some of its deadliest fires on record, with 106 people killed in 2017. Iran’s seizure of UK oil tanker in Gulf seen as escalation LONDON (AP) – Iran seized a British-flagged oil tanker Friday and briefly detained a second vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, intensifying ten- sions in the strategic wa- terway that has become a flash point between Tehran and the West. The seizing of the British tanker marked perhaps the most significant escalation since tensions between Iran and the West began rising in May. At that time, the US an- nounced it was dispatching an aircraft carrier and addi- tional troops to the Middle East, citing unspecified threats posed by Iran. The ongoing showdown has caused jitters around the globe, with each manoeuvre bringing fear that any mis- understanding or misstep by either side could lead to war. Details of what took place Friday remained sketchy after Iran reported that it had seized a British oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz. The strait at the mouth of the Persian Gulf is a shipping channel for one-fifth of all global crude exports. The Stena Impero was taken to an Iranian port because it was not com- plying with “international maritime laws and regula- tions”, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard declared. A statement from Stena Bulk, which owns the seized tanker, said it was unable to make contact with the ship after it was approached by unidentified vessels and a helicopter in international waters. A spokesman for the company’s owners said the tanker was in “full compli- ance with all navigation and international regulations”. The company said the tanker had 23 crewmembers of Indian, Russian, Latvian and Filipino nationalities and there were no reports of any of them were injured. The UK has featured prominently in the recent tensions with Iran. Britain’s Royal Marines assisted in the seizure of an Iranian oil supertanker on 4 July by Gi- braltar, a British overseas territory off the southern coast of Spain. Britain said it would re- lease the vessel if Iran could prove it was not breaching European Union sanctions on oil shipments to Syria. Gibraltar’s government said Friday that its Su- preme Court had extended by 30 days the detention of the Panama-flagged Grace, which was loaded with over 2 million barrels of Ira- nian crude oil. British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt initially said two ships were seized Friday in the Strait of Hormuz, the second sailing under a Li- berian flag. The owner of the Liberian- flagged tanker later said the ship was briefly boarded by armed guards before being allowed to go. Iran’s semi- official Fars news agency tweeted that the Mesdar had left Iran’s territorial waters. “These seizures are un- acceptable,” Hunt said as he prepared to enter an emer- gency government meeting Friday night. “It is essential that freedom of navigation is maintained and that all ships can move safely and freely in the region.” “We’re not looking at mil- itary options, we’re looking at a diplomatic way to re- solve the situation, but we are very clear that it must be resolved,” Hunt later told Sky News, warning that if the situation is not resolved quickly “there will be serious consequences”. UK Chamber of Shipping chief executive Bob Sangui- netti said the seizure repre- sented a severe escalation of tensions in the Gulf and made it clear that merchant vessels urgently needed more protection. The British government should do “whatever is nec- essary” to ensure the safe and swift return of the ship’s crew, Sanguinetti said. President Donald Trump said US officials would talk with Britain about the un- folding crisis. “This only goes to show what I’m saying about Iran: Trouble, nothing but trouble,” he said. Central Command said the US has intensified air patrols over the Strait of Hormuz in response to the seizure. A Central Command spokesman, Lt. Col. Earl Brown, said a small number of additional patrol air- craft are flying in interna- tional airspace to monitor the situation. The incident came two days after Washington claimed that a US warship downed an Iranian drone in the strait. Iran denied that it lost an aircraft in the area. On 20 June, Iran shot down an American drone in the same waterway, and Trump came close to retal- iating but called off an air strike at the last moment. Tensions in the region have been escalating since Trump withdrew the US last year from Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers and imposed sweeping economic sanctions on Iran, including its oil exports. The sanc- tions have hit the Iranian economy hard. Iran’s government has desperately tried to get out of the chokehold, pressuring the other partners in the nuclear deal, particularly European nations, to pressure the US to lift the crippling sanctions. The Europeans – Ger- many, France, Britain, and the European Union – want to maintain the deal, but have not been able to address Ira- nian demands without vio- lating the sanctions. Iran has begun breaching some of the restrictions on its activities outlined in the agreement to put pressure on them to find a solution. The US has asked Mideast allies like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in past weeks to contribute fi- nancially and militarily to a Trump administration pro- posal called the Sentinel Pro- gram – a coalition of nations working with the US to pre- serve maritime security in the Persian Gulf and keep eyes on Iran. Late Friday, officials said the US is sending sev- eral hundred troops as well as aircraft and air defence missiles to Saudi Arabia to counter Iran. The move has been in the works for many weeks and is not a response to Friday’s seizure by Iran of a British tanker. The arrangement was an- nounced by the Saudi gov- ernment, which said it was meant to “enhance security” in the region. Before the British ship was seized, Iran and the United States disagreed over Washington’s claim that a US warship downed the Iranian drone. American officials said they used electronic jamming to bring down the unmanned aircraft, while Iran said it simply did not happen. Neither side provided evi- dence to prove its claim. At the White House, Trump said flatly of the Ira- nian drone: “We shot it down.” But Pentagon and other officials have said re- peatedly that the USS Boxer, a Navy ship in the Strait of Hormuz, actually jammed the drone’s signal, causing it to crash, and did not fire a missile. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive technology. In Tehran, the Iranian mil- itary said all its drones re- turned safely to their bases. UK Treasury chief vows to quit if Boris Johnson becomes PM LONDON (AP) – British Treasury chief Philip Ham- mond said Sunday that he will quit if – as widely ex- pected – Boris Johnson be- comes prime minister this week on a promise to leave the European Union with or without a divorce deal. Hammond said Johnson’s vow to press for a no-deal Brexit if he cannot secure a new agreement with the EU is “not something that I could ever sign up to”. Hammond was almost certain to be removed from office by the new leader in any case. He has angered Brexit-backers, who now dominate the governing Con- servative Party, with his warnings about the economic pain that leaving the EU could cause. Hammond told the BBC that if Johnson wins, “I’m not going to be sacked because I’m going to resign before we get to that point.” Johnson is the strong fa- vourite to win a two-person runoff to lead the Conserva- tive Party and the country. The winner is being an- nounced Tuesday, with the victor taking over from Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday. Britain is due to leave the EU on 31 Oct. but Parlia- ment has repeatedly rejected the divorce deal struck be- tween May and the bloc. Both Johnson and his rival Jeremy Hunt, the current foreign secretary, say they will leave the EU without an agreement if the EU will not renegotiate. Most economists say quitting the 28-nation bloc without a deal would cause Britain economic turmoil. The UK’s official economic watchdog has forecast that a no-deal Brexit would trigger a recession, with the pound plummeting in value, bor- rowing soaring by 30 bil- lion pounds (US$37 billion) and the economy shrinking 2% in a year. But Johnson, who helped lead the “leave” campaign in Britain’s 2016 EU mem- bership referendum, says a no-deal Brexit will be “van- ishingly inexpensive” if the country prepares properly. The EU insists it will not reopen the 585-page divorce deal it struck with May. Irish Deputy Prime Min- ister Simon Coveney said Sunday that the bloc is “simply not going to move away from the Withdrawal Agreement”. “If the approach of the new British prime minister is that they’re going to tear up the Withdrawal Agreement, then I think we’re in trouble,” he told the BBC. “We’re all in trouble, quite frankly, be- cause it’s a little bit like saying: ‘Either give me what I want or I’m going to burn the house down for everybody.” Hammond is the third UK minister within a week to quit or say they will re- sign in order to try to pre- vent a cliff-edge Brexit. Britain looks set for a fall showdown between the new Conservative govern- ment and British lawmakers determined to thwart a no-deal exit. “I am confident that Par- liament does have a way of preventing a no-deal exit on October 31 without parlia- mentary consent and I intend to work with others to ensure parliament uses its power to make sure that the new government can’t do that,” Hammond said. Britain’s Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond British oil tanker Stena Impero, which is believed to have been captured by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, is seen at unknown location. – PHOTO: AP9 WORLD®IONAL CAYMAN COMPASS MONDAY, 22 JULY 2019 Hong Kong residents deface Chinese emblem in latest protest Japan’s ruling coalition secures upper house majority DEATH TOLL RISES TO 15 IN CHINESE GAS PLANT EXPLOSION TOKYO (AP) – Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s ruling coalition secured a majority in Japan’s upper house of parliament in elections Sunday, according to vote counts by public tel- evision and other media. Exit polls indicated Abe could even close in on the super- majority needed to propose constitutional revisions. NHK public television said Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party and its junior partner Komeito had won 64 seats in the upper house after two hours of vote counting. The two-thirds majority needed for constitutional revision could be within reach if the ruling bloc can gain sup- port from members of an- other conservative party and independents. Up for grabs were 124 seats in the less pow- erful of Japan’s two parlia- mentary chambers. There are 245 seats in the upper house – which does not choose the prime minister – about half of which are elected every three years. The results appeared to match or even exceed pre- election polls that indicated Abe’s ruling bloc was to keep ground in the upper house, with most voters considering it a safer choice over an op- position with an uncertain track record. To reach the two- thirds majority, or 164 seats, Abe needs 85 more seats by his ruling bloc and supporters of a charter change. Opposition parties have focussed on concerns over household finances, such as the impact from an upcoming 10% sales tax increase and strains on the public pension system amid Japan’s ageing population. Abe has led his Liberal Democratic Party to five con- secutive parliamentary elec- tion victories since 2012. He has prioritised revi- talising Japan’s economy and has steadily bolstered the country’s defences in the backdrop of North Korea’s missile and nuclear threats and China’s growing military presence. He also has show- cased his diplomatic skills by cultivating warm ties with President Donald Trump. Abe was hoping to gain enough upper house seats to boost his chances for consti- tutional revision, his long- cherished goal before his term ends in 2021. Abe needs approval by a two-thirds ma- jority in both houses to pro- pose a revision and seek a na- tional referendum. His ruling bloc already has a two-thirds majority in the more pow- erful lower house. But Abe and his con- servative backers face chal- lenges because voters seem more concerned about their jobs, the economy and so- cial security. The main opposition Con- stitutional Democratic Party of Japan and three other lib- eral-leaning parties teamed up in some districts. They stressed support for gender equality and LGBT issues – areas Abe’s ultra-conserva- tive lawmakers are reluctant to back. At a polling station in Tokyo’s Chuo district on Sunday, voters were divided over Abe’s 6½-year rule. A voter who identi- fied himself only as a com- pany worker in his 40s said he chose a candidate and a party that have demonstrated an ability to get things done, suggesting he voted for Abe’s ruling party and its candi- date, as “there is no point in casting my vote for a party or a politician who has no such abilities”. Another voter, Katsunori Takeuchi, a 57-year-old fish market worker, said it was time to change the domi- nance of Abe and his ultra- conservative policies. “I think the ruling party has been dominating poli- tics for far too long and it is causing damage,” he said. BEIJING (AP) – Authori- ties in central China said Sunday the death toll in a gas plant explosion has risen to 15 with another 15 seriously injured. Three people who were previously missing have been found dead, said local authorities. About 270 firefighters and rescue workers have completed three rounds of search and rescue since the Friday evening explosion in Yima city in Henan province, China’s Ministry of Emer- gency Management said. The blast shattered win- dows 2 miles away and knocked off doors inside buildings, Chinese state media reports said. The official Xinhua news agency says the ex- plosion occurred in the air separation unit of the Yima gas factory of the Henan Coal Gas (Group) Co., Ltd. It said that all production had stopped. China experiences fre- quent industrial accidents despite orders from the central government to im- prove safety at factories, power plants and mines. More than 60 people died in March in a chem- ical plant explosion in eastern Jiangsu province. Among the worst acci- dents was a massive 2015 explosion at a chemical warehouse in the port city of Tianjin that killed 173 people, most of them fire- fighters and police officers. That blast was blamed on illegal construction and unsafe storage of vola- tile materials. HONG KONG (AP) – Hundreds of thousands of pro-democ- racy demonstrators took to the streets of Hong Kong on Sunday, with some of the marchers defacing a national Chinese emblem in their latest expression of protest against mainland authorities. After the march reached its designated end point in Hong Kong’s Wan Chai dis- trict, thousands continued onward, at various points oc- cupying key government and business districts before de- parting for the Liaison Of- fice, which represents China’s Communist Party-led central government within the city. Protesters threw eggs at the building and spray- painted its surrounding sur- veillance cameras. China’s na- tional emblem, which adorns the front of the Liaison Office, was splattered with black ink. Organisers said 430,000 people participated in the march. Police had yet to re- lease their estimate, which is generally lower. Large protests began early last month in the Chinese ter- ritory in opposition to a con- tentious extradition bill that would have allowed Hong Kong residents to stand trial in mainland China, where critics say their rights would be compromised. Hong Kong’s leader, Carrie Lam, has declared the bill dead, but protesters are dis- satisfied with her refusal to formally withdraw the legis- lation. Some are also calling for her to resign amid growing concerns about the steady ero- sion of civil rights in the city. A former British colony, Hong Kong was handed back to China in 1997 and was promised certain democratic freedoms under the frame- work of ‘one country, two systems’. Fueled by anger at Lam and an enduring dis- trust of the Communist Party-ruled central govern- ment in Beijing, the current demonstrations have bal- looned into calls for electoral reform and an investigation into alleged police brutality. Walking in sweltering heat, protesters dressed in black kicked off Sunday’s march at a public park, car- rying a large banner that read ‘Independent Inquiry for Rule of Law’. “Free Hong Kong! Democ- racy now!” the protesters chanted, forming a dense pro- cession through Hong Kong’s Wan Chai district as they were joined by others who had been waiting in side streets. “I think the government has never responded to our demands,” said Karen Yu, a 52-year-old Hong Kong resi- dent who has attended four protests since they started. “No matter how much the government can do, at least it should come out and respond to us directly.” Marchers ignored orders from police to finish off the procession on a road in Wan Chai, according to police and the Civil Human Rights Front, the march’s organisers. Protesters repeated the five points of their ‘mani- festo’, which was first intro- duced when a small group of them stormed the legisla- ture earlier this month. Their main demands include uni- versal suffrage – direct voting rights for all Hong Kong res- idents – as well as dropping charges against anti-extradi- tion protesters, withdrawing the characterisation of a clash between police and protesters as a ‘riot’ and dissolving the Legislative Council. “We did not want to em- bark on this path of re- sisting tyranny with our bare bodies,” the protesters said in a statement, “but for too long, our government has lied and deceived, and refused to respond to the demands of the people.” Abe was hoping to gain enough upper house seats to boost his chances for constitutional revision, his long-cherished goal before his term ends in 2021. Protesters take part in a march on a street in Hong Kong, Sunday, calling for an independent investigation into police tactics. – PHOTO: AP An aerial view shows the aftermath of a blast Friday at a gas plant in Yima city in central China’s Henan province. – PHOTO: AP Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo AbeNext >