ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – TUESDAY, 13 AUGUST 2019 High of 91 Low of 80 Slight with wave heights of 1 to 3 feet. LOCAL | PAGE 3 HEALTHCARE OFFICIALS DISCUSS EBOLA PREPAREDNESS SPORTS | PAGE 11 TEAM CAYMAN WRAPS UP AT 2019 PAN AMERICAN GAMES Two men dead in boat accident Airports authority seeks to sign late-night taxi operators MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@compassmedia.ky Two men were killed and a woman injured when two boats collided just before 10pm Sunday evening in the North Sound, off Pros- pect, police said. One of the men died at the scene and the body of the second man was found on Monday afternoon following an extensive search of the area. Police had not publicly released the names of the two dead men by press time. Police said three people were in each boat when the crash happened. One boat capsized following the collision, throwing its three oc- cupants into the water. All three were un- harmed and swam to shore. The second boat was located shortly af- terwards, police said, and appeared to have sustained “significant damage”. One man on board was unresponsive at the scene and was subsequently declared dead, and a woman was transported to Cayman Islands Hospital for treatment. The second man, 49, of George Town, who had also been on board the boat, could not be found and a search and rescue operation commenced on Sunday night. Police said emergency personnel, in- cluding members of the Cayman Islands Fire Service and the RCIPS’ Joint Marine and Air Operations units took part in the search. Crews searched until 4am, when poor visibility forced them to suspend opera- tions, police said, adding that the search re- sumed at 6am. KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@compassmedia.ky The Cayman Islands Airports Au- thority is working to approve 50 ad- ditional taxi operators to serve Owen Roberts International Airport. An un- specified number of those would op- erate from 4pm to 6am, in an effort to address late-night flight arrivals. “The CIAA recognises there are challenges with taxi service at night, especially for severely delayed flights that arrive outside ORIA’s normal op- erating hours,” the Airports Authority said in a statement Monday. “To help address this issue, we have recently increased the comple- ment of taxis approved to operate at ORIA from 75 to 117. “Our goal is to sign on 125 op- erators. This number also includes new taxi drivers who hold a spe- cial night service licence, issued by the Public Transport Board, re- stricting their hours of operation to 4pm-6am.” The CIAA statement said it hopes that new licences will en- courage independent operators to offer late night and early morning service, including to the airport. The announcement comes after weeks of delays in Cayman Air- ways flights, with passengers often arriving after midnight and as late as 4am. Travellers have complained about the difficulty in finding taxis from the airport during early morning hours. In a statement released Thursday, Cayman Airways attributed the de- lays to its reduced fleet due to the grounding of two newly acquired PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 » Police prepare to remove the Pepper Jelly from the water at Harbour House Marina on Monday. The boat was one of two involved in Sunday’s fatal collision. - PHOTO: ALVARO SEREY PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 6 »2 LOCAL®IONAL TUESDAY, 13 AUGUST 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS BREAKTHROUGH (PG) 1:25 I 4:10 I 7:15 I 10:00 SUN: 4:10 I 7:15 I 10:00 KALANK (PG) 3:10 I 9:00 (SAT ONLY) I 9:30 (NO SAT) SUN: 3:10 I 9:20 LITTLE (PG13) 12:30 I 3:25 (SAT ONLY) I 3:50 (NO SAT) 6:50 I 9:45 SUN: 3:50 I 6:50 I 9:35 DUMBO (PG) THE CURSE OF LA LLORONA (R) 1:10 VIP I 4:35 I 7:00 VIP I 10:15 HELLBOY (R) 12:35 (SAT ONLY) I 1:00 I 6:10 (SAT ONLY) I 6:45 SHAZAM! (PG13) 1:30 I 3:40 VIP I 7:15 I 9:30 VIP SUN: 3:40 VIP I 4:40 I 6:40 VIP 8:00 I 9:40 VIP KIDS CLUB: OVER THE HEDGE (PG) 10:00 (SAT ONLY) CULTURE AT THE CINEMA: THE TRAGEDY OF KIND RICHARD THE SECOND SAT ONLY: 8:00 • Matinees Daily (matinee price before 6pm) • Seniors $8.00, Mon-Fri Before 6pm • Additional charges apply per 3D/VIP tickets Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. - TUESDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) DORA AND THE LOST (PG) CITY OF GOLD 1:05 VIP | 4:00 | 6:45 SPIDER-MAN FAR (PG13) FROM HOME 9:50 THE KITCHEN (R) 1:30 | 4:15 | 7:05 | 10:10 THE ART OF RACING IN (PG) THE RAIN 1:15 | 3:45 VIP | 7:15 | 9:30 THE LION KING (2019) (PG) 12:45 | 3:45 3D | 6:30 | 9:15 3D F&F HOBBS & SHAW (PG13) 1:05 3D | 4:05 | 7:10 | 9:40 CLASSICS@ THE CINEMA (R) SAVING PRIVATE RYAN 7:00 VIP Panama ex-president found not guilty of political espionage PANAMA CITY (AP) – A Panamanian court has cleared former President Ri- cardo Martinelli of political espionage during his administration and ordered him released from house arrest, though the judges are continuing an order bar- ring him from leaving the country. The three-judge panel declared Martinelli “not guilty” Friday of charges stemming from the purported spying on the communications of at least 150 people and of the alleged misuse of public funds to purchase the equipment to carry out the intercepts during his 2009-2014 administration. The court’s decision said evidence presented by the prosecution as mes- sages from cellphones had been given a rigorous technical analysis by ex- perts. “The accusation is based on vague and ill-structured facts,” the ruling said. As for the charge of misuse of state funds, the judges said the prosecution did not establish that Martinelli ac- quired the spying equipment or that it was in his possession. The court also said Martinelli’s rights had been violated in the prose- cution, saying as one example that his lawyers were not present during part of the investigation carried out by the Public Prosecution Service. Prosecutors had been seeking a 21-year prison term. Martinelli de- clared his innocence. The 67-year-old supermarket ty- coon was extradited from Miami in 2018 to face trial in Panama. He ini- tially was ordered held at El Renancer prison during the judicial proceedings, but the trial court transferred him to house arrest in June. He was charged specifically with in- terception of communications without judicial authorisation; monitoring, persecution and surveillance without judicial authorization; and improperly purchasing espionage equipment with state funds. Panama’s former President Ricardo Martinelli arrives at court during his trial for illegal wiretaps, in Panama City, Thursday. – PHOTO: AP Dress-down day provides shoes for children CORRECTION ‘Outpouring of support’ seen from public and private sector Rotaract Blue’s fifth ‘Put Your Best Food Forward’ dress down fundraiser on Friday is helping to pur- chase school shoes for dis- advantaged children in the Cayman Islands. The community service club for 18-30 year olds part- nered with the Department of Children and Family Services to provide the shoes. “The initiative normally supports 25-30 students per year, and this year when we received the list it had more than tripled,” explained Com- munity Service Director Ally McRae. “The dress-down day not only allows local busi- nesses to support the commu- nity at large, but encourages and engages their employees through the process.” The colour orange was chosen to represent anti-bullying. The organisation said in a statement that it had received an outpouring of support from the public and private sector, as well as individuals, including participation and contributions from Governor Martyn Roper, Dart, Maples Group, Island Electronics Secu- rity & Monitoring Ltd., Jacques Scott Wines & Spirits, NCB Group, KPMG, Balboa Manage- ment, CUC, WORC, the Health Services Authority, Saxon, EY, CML and Nova Recruit- ment, Hurley’s Media, Stepping Stones, Property Cayman, First Caribbean Bank and Bella’s Beauty and Barber Studio. Rotaract Blue is in the pro- cess of collecting the funds raised and will be placing the order for the shoes shortly, targeting them to arrive be- fore September for the begin- ning of the school year, the organisation said in a press release. The cost of shipping and duty for the shoes will be sponsored by Dart. The ‘Put Your Best Foot Forward’ dress-down day will be held next August for the 2020/2021 school year. Any organisation that would like to pledge advanced participation can email communityservice.rb@gmail.com. A story that ran in the 12 Aug. edition of the Com- pass, ‘New Planning Au- thority board more diverse’, incorrectly stated that S.T. ‘Tommie’ Bodden was the only member of the former Planning Authority board who is not on the new board. Members Rex Miller and Eldon Rankin are also no longer on the board. BOLSONARO: BRAZIL DOES NOT NEED GERMANY’S BIODIVERSITY FUNDS PERU SUSPENDS $1.4 BILLION MINING PROJECT BY GRUPO MEXICO RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) – Bra- zilian President Jair Bol- sonaro on Sunday dis- missed the importance of Germany’s funding of sustainability projects in the South American coun- try’s forests, as the Euro- pean nation weighed with- drawing from the region. “The country doesn’t need this,” the far-right president known for his ties to agribusiness told reporters about a possible loss of German funding in Brazil’s vast Amazon rainforest. Citing Environment Minister Svenja Schulz, German daily Tagesspiegel reported Saturday the gov- ernment planned to stop sending money to a country that is not fully committed to curbing deforestation in the Amazon. According to Tagesspiegel, the min- istry is planning to ini- tially freeze some 35 mil- lion euros (US$39.6 million). Among the projects that could suffer is the Amazon Fund, created in 2008 to re- ceive donations to help pre- vent, monitor and combat deforestation in the Am- azon. Germany is one of the fund’s three main contribu- tors, along with Norway – the fund’s top contributor – and Brazilian state oil giant Petrobras. The Bolsonaro adminis- tration has questioned the efficiency of the Amazon Fund and pushed for an internal overhaul, threat- ening to lose funding from Norway and Germany. Bolsonaro and his envi- ronment minister have also questioned official num- bers on deforestation rates in the Amazon published by the National Institute for Space Research, leading to the departure of the in- stitute’s president. LIMA, Peru (AP) – Peruvian authorities have indefi- nitely suspended a planned $1.4 billion copper mine that has roused increasing protests by its neighbours. Energy and Mines Min- ister Francisco Ismodes told N television Friday night that the project will be suspended until objec- tions raised by protesting farmers are resolved. The government granted a construction license a month ago to the local as- sociate of mining company Grupo Mexico. Farmers in the nearby Tambo Valley fear the open pit project will con- taminate water they need, though the company says it will bring in its own de- salinated water. Protesters had blocked ports used by other mines in southern Peru. An association of mining companies issued a state- ment saying the suspension is a bad signal for investors. Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro KPMG staff were decked out in orange on Friday for a dress down day to raise funds for Rotaract Blue’s ‘Put Your Best Foot Forward’.3 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY, 13 AUGUST 2019 S ah, che THANK YOU TO OUR PLATINUM SPONSOR OCTOBER 5, 2019 The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman www.breastcancerfoundation.ky info@breastcancerfoundation.ky Featuring Special Guest Speaker Cayman healthcare officials discuss Ebola preparedness MICHAEL KLEIN mklein@compassmedia.ky Cayman’s healthcare profes- sionals have met several times to assess Cayman’s preparedness for dealing with cases of Ebola, after the World Health Organization last month declared the recent out- break of the deadly virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo a “public health emergency of interna- tional concern”. Officials reviewed and updated plans for dealing with epidemic dis- eases and discussed those plans with the border control agency, ac- cording to a statement from Public Health Department. While the Caribbean Public Health Agency considers the risk of Ebola to the Caribbean to be “extremely low” at this time, local healthcare professionals say they have held “precautionary” meetings. Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Lee said in a statement that rec- ognising the outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern allows for intensified and coordinated international action to manage the threat by releasing funds and resources. There have been sporadic out- breaks of Ebola in Africa since the 1970s. It is likely that the virus is animal-borne, with bats and pri- mates being the suspected carriers of the virus. The disease is spread by direct contact with blood or body fluids of an infected person or animal, as well as direct contact with clothes, bedding, needles and syringes of a person who is sick or who has died from Ebola. Ebola cannot spread to others when a person has no symp- toms or signs of the disease. Although there is no licensed vaccination available to date, trials of vaccines are showing a good deal of promise, the Public Health De- partment said in the press release. The World Health Organization advises that currently no country should close its borders or place any restrictions on travel and trade. There is also no requirement for countries outside of the affected areas to screen passengers arriving at airports or other ports of entry. West African countries saw more than 28,000 cases of Ebola and 11,325 deaths from the disease be- tween 2014 to 2016. In response to fears the disease could spread glob- ally, the Cayman Islands govern- ment at the time approved the use of up to $3 million from the Envi- ronmental Protection Fund to fight a potential outbreak in Cayman. The funds would have covered the staffing of an in-patient facility at the public hospital with nurses and doctors and an eight-bed field hospital, which would have been lo- cated in the hospital staff parking lot. Because the threat did not mate- rialise, only $32,300 of the budgeted funds were spent. While the Caribbean Public Health Agency considers the risk of Ebola to the Caribbean to be “extremely low” at this time, local healthcare professionals say they have held “precautionary” meetings. Health workers in Beni, Democratic Republic of Congo, wear protective gear at an Ebola treatment centre on 16 July. The World Health Organization declared the Ebola outbreak an international emergency after cases of the disease occurred in eastern Congo’s biggest city, Goma. - PHOTO: APTUESDAY, 13 AUG. ROTARY MEET AND GREET: Rotary Club of Cayman Brac presents a Meet and Greet Social at Cayman Brac Beach Resort, 7‑9pm. WEDNESDAY, 14 AUG. FUNERAL OF FORMER GOVERNOR LONG: An official funeral will be held today at Cayman Islands Baptist Church in Savannah at 1pm for the first governor of the Cayman Islands, Athelstan Charles Ethelwulf Long, who passed away on 31 July. Interment will be at Eden Cemetery, opposite Pedro St. James. The public is welcome to attend. A book of condolence is available at the main entrance of the Government Administration Building during business hours until today. The Union Flag and the Cayman Islands Flag are to be flown at half‑staff from Monday, 12 Aug. until sunset today to commemorate the official period of mourning. THURSDAY, 15 AUG. HUMANE SOCIETY QUIZ: The monthly trivia fundraiser for the Cayman Islands Humane Society will be held at Fidel Murphy’s tonight, beginning at 7pm. Ann Ghezzi will be hosting. $10 per person. Call 949‑5189 to book a table. LITTLE CAYMAN LICENSING: The Little Cayman Vehicle Licensing visit occurs today, 9am to 2:30pm in the District Office. WEST BAY NATIONAL TRUST MEETING: The West Bay District Committee of the National Trust for the Cayman Islands will hold its annual general meeting at 6:30pm today at the John Gray Memorial Church Hall, 224 West Church Street. SATURDAY, 17 AUG. CHARITY TRUNK SALE: All registration fees will go to benefit the Cayman Islands Cancer Society. The sale will be held at the parking lot of the CIBC FirstCaribbean Main Street branch. 6‑10am. Sellers should arrive by 5:30am and be set up no later than 6am. Vendor entry fee is $25. The deadline to register a space is 2pm, Friday, 16 Aug. Call 815‑2405 or 815‑2407 or email shadden. mclaughlin@cibcfcib.com or joy.anglin@cibcfcib.com to reserve a space. SUMMER FAMILY FUN DAY: The National Gallery is hosting a Summer Fun Family Day today from 10am to 1pm. Free family fun art activities based on the exhibition ‘Tropical Visions’. Art activities will be available for children of all ages and self‑guided activity booklets can be collected at reception for families to use as they explore. Admission is free and open to all ages. TUESDAY, 20 AUG. SEAFARERS MEETING: The Cayman Islands Seafarers Association will hold a general meeting today at 7:30pm in the Seafarers Hall, 11 Victory Avenue, Prospect. For transportation, three buses will depart West Bay Town Hall at 6pm; the Barnes Bus route in George Town will leave the public library parking area at 6:45pm, stopping at the Cayman Compass building and the Airport Foster’s; Bobo $1 public transport bus, blue in colour, will pick up from British Caymanian, Uncle Bill’s, Walkers Road, Shedden Road and Crewe Road; the bus from East End will pick up at the school parking lot, gas station and Wreck of the Ten Sail, starting at 5:45pm; North Side pick‑ups will be at Chisholm’s Store and the soccer field, starting at 6:15pm; Bodden Town pick‑ups at Lorna’s gas Station at 6:45pm; Savannah pick‑ups at gas station at 7pm. FRIDAY, 23 AUG. SENIORS TOUR AND TEA PARTY: The National Gallery and EY welcome seniors for a morning of art and conversation. Beginning with a tour of the exhibition ‘Tropical Visions: Landscape Painting from the National Collection’, with a chance to share stories and memories inspired by the artwork. This will be followed by tea service with refreshments and pastries in the Gallery gardens. Admission is free thanks to sponsorship by EY Cayman. RSVP by calling 945‑8111 or emailing receptionvolunteer@ nationalgallery.org.ky by 19 Aug. Transportation assistance can be arranged if requested. SATURDAY, 24 AUG. FISH FRY/FISHING TOURNAMENT: The Spot Bay Committee presents the Last Fish Fry and Fishing Tournament for summer today at Cayman Brac. Call 925‑3924 for more information. 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. For more Community Calendar events, visit www.caymancompass.com/events. 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. TUESDAY, 13 AUGUST 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Compass Media Limited Compass Centre Shedden Road, George Town, Cayman Islands SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman, KY1-1108 Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@compassmedia.ky ADVERTISE WITH US: Telephone: (345) 949-5111 Email: sales@compassmedia.ky Website: www.caymancompass.com PUBLISHER KATHLEEN CAPETTA EDITOR CATHERINE MACGILLIVRAY A MEMBER OF THE INTER-AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION “Give light and the people will find their own way” Former Governor Charles Long died on 31 July, at the age of 100. An official funeral will be held for Governor Long on Wednesday, 14 Aug.5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY, 13 AUGUST 2019 T H E O C E A N I S A B E T T E R P L A C E B E C A U S E O F T H E M Closing, 30 Aug 2019 Nominate those that have made a difference to the Cayman Islands dive industry and those that are making an impact today. N OMINATE D IVE.COM These local honourees are to be recognized at the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame (ISDHF) induction ceremony on 4 October, 2019. Summer is on the wane and, with it, summer vaca- tion. School is set to restart 27 Aug. Along with the official re- minder, the Department of Education Services also an- nounced some other key dates, those for school orientation and the dates when Year 11 and Year 12 students can re- ceive their final exam scores. Orientation Days are scheduled to provide new students and their par- ents with essential informa- tion for successful integra- tion into the new learning environment. Parents are re- quired to accompany their children to orientation day, which is mandatory for stu- dents entering a government school for the very first time. NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION FOR PRIMARY SCHOOLS DateTimeSchoolDetails 26 Aug. 2019 8:30-11:00amBodden Town Primary All NEW primary school students must report on Orientation Day. Parents/ guardians must attend 9:00-10:30amCreek & Spot Bay Primary 8:30am-noonEast End Primary 9:00-10:00amEdna M. Moyle Primary 8:30-10:30amGeorge Town Primary 9:00-10:00amLighthouse School 10:30am-noonLittle Cayman Education Services 9:00-11:00amProspect Primary 9:00am-noonRed Bay Primary 8:30-10:30amSavannah Primary 8:00-10:00amSir. John A. Cumber Primary 11:00am-noonWest End Primary School opening, orientation and test dates announced JOHN GRAY HIGH SCHOOL 27 Aug. 2019 Induction for New Students and Year 7 Students Students to meet in the new gymnasium and parents are welcome to attend the welcome assembly 28 Aug. 2019School Reopens For all current/previously enrolled and new students CLIFTON HUNTER HIGH SCHOOL 26 Aug. 20198:00am to 2:50pmNew Year 7 and Year 11 Students All New Year 7 and 11 students ONLY 27 Aug. 20198:00am to 2:50pmYears 7, 10 and 11 students Current / previously enrolled students 28 Aug. 20198:00amSchool Reopens For all current/previously enrolled and new students LAYMAN E. SCOTT SR. HIGH SCHOOL 21 Aug. 201910:00am to 12:00pmOrientation for Year 12 students UCCI (Dual Entry) students and Vocational Studies students 22 Aug. 201910:00am to 12:00pmOrientation for Transfer Students ONLY 27 Aug. 20198:00amSchool Reopens For all current/previously enrolled and new students 2 Sept. 2019Classes Begin Year 12 (UCCI Dual Entry) students CAYMAN ISLANDS FURTHER EDUCATION CENTRE (CIFEC) 26 Aug. 20198:00am to 3:00pmYear 12 Student Exam Results Students collect exam results and receive initial consulting 27 Aug. 20198:00am to 3:00pmYear 11 Student Exam Results 29 Aug. 2019Class induction for ALL Year 12 students 2 Sept. 20198:00amSchool reopens for all students UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF THE CAYMAN ISLANDS (UCCI) 23 Aug. 2019New Student OrientationSir Vassel Johnson Hall 26-30 Aug. 2019New Student RegistrationSir Vassel Johnson Hall 2 Sept. 2019Classes Begin Man pleads guilty in domestic violence assault SPENCER FORDIN sfordin@compassmedia.ky Camilo Osvaldo Naranjo pleaded guilty in Summary Court on Monday to assault causing actual bodily harm for an incident in which he allegedly kicked his former girlfriend in the face. Naranjo had been sched- uled to stand trial on the as- sault charge in Magistrate Kirsty-Ann Gunn’s court- room Monday. In addition to the assault charge, Naranjo is awaiting sentencing for an incident in which he allegedly drove into the North Sound with cocaine in his vehicle in an attempt to evade police custody. The court heard Monday that Naranjo and the com- plainant had been in a two- year relationship at the time of the assault. The defendant was attending the complain- ant’s home in November 2017 in an effort to get his belong- ings when the complainant allegedly became aggres- sive with him. Both sides agreed that the complainant pushed the de- fendant, who reacted by spin- ning around and kicking her. Naranjo denied that he in- tentionally kicked the com- plainant in the face, and he said that he reacted in self- defence but admitted that he used force excessive for the circumstances. Crown counsel Dar- lene Oko said Monday that the complainant briefly lost consciousness, and defence counsel Alex Davies main- tained that the dispute was an isolated incident. Naranjo has been in police custody since April following his arrest for the North Sound incident. Magistrate Gunn or- dered a social inquiry report to be conducted on Naran- jo’s behalf. A bail hearing was heard after press time on Monday to determine whether Naranjo must remain in custody while he awaits sentencing in his various court matters. Cayman’s youth receive gift of ‘mental wealth’ A 40th birthday wish to help young people in Cayman suffering from mental health issues has led to an ongoing series of donations to The Wellness Centre. The ‘Gift of Mental Wealth’ fund was established at The Wellness Centre to cover the cost of therapy for adoles- cents between 12 to 18 years old who do not have adequate health insurance to meet their mental healthcare needs. It was initially estab- lished in late 2017 by Marit Hudson who asked all of her friends and family to ‘pay forward’ her 40th birthday gifts by making a donation to the fund. Since then, do- nations have been made by others who have learned of the mental health needs of Cayman’s youth, according to a press release from the Wellness Centre. Hudson said in the state- ment, “Despite the high number of youth experi- encing mental health is- sues, health insurance cov- erage in the Cayman Islands often does not cover mental health issues and some ado- lescents do not have health insurance. “We wanted to raise funds for ‘at risk’ teenagers to receive at a maximum 10 treatment sessions at The Wellness Centre, or another licensed mental health fa- cility in the Cayman Is- lands depending on indi- vidual need.” Shannon Seymour, di- rector of The Wellness Centre, said, “We are de- lighted to receive this do- nation so we can continue to offer our services to ado- lescents who seek our help. People underestimate the mental health issues faced by our youth, and the chal- lenges that arise when they seek out help. This dona- tion will go a long way in reducing some of those challenges.” The release quoted one parent, whose daughter has received treatment because of the fund, as saying that the Gift of Mental Wealth has provided the family with a greater insight into how to support her. “Without the Gift of Mental Wealth, we would not have been able to pro- vide her with the services she needed at the time, we are eternally grateful for the support which she has received, and excited about her progress,” the parent said. Donations to the Gift of Mental Wealth Fund can be made in cash or through www.gogetfunding.com/mentalwealth. All funds go directly to cover client services. Adolescents interested in being a recipient of the ‘Gift of Mental Wealth’ or looking for further information on mental health services can contact The Wellness Centre directly on 949‑9355, email info@wellnesscentre.ky or visit www.wellnesscentre.ky.The islands’ most-trusted news source 6 Police also put out an appeal for assistance from small boat owners or people with Jet Skis or WaveRunners to assist in the search. It was not immediately known how many people participated in looking for the missing man. Near noon on Monday, the body of the man was recov- ered in the North Sound and transported initially to the Joint Marine Unit headquar- ters on Hirst Road, where an ambulance was waiting. The boats involved in the collision, one of which was a 32-foot Wellcraft Scarab called Pepper Jelly belonging to Mango Jam Charters, were taken to Harbour House Marina, but were later re- moved by police. TUESDAY, 13 AUGUST 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Passengers get ready to enter a taxi at the taxi rank outside the Owen Roberts International Airport. Passengers on delayed flights that arrive late at night or in the early morning have complained about a lack of cabs available to take them to their destinations on island. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Airports authority seeks to sign late-night taxi operators Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft. “While necessary ad- justments were made to the airline’s flight schedule to operate with a reduced fleet, it has left the air- line with little redundancy in the event of an aircraft being out of service,” a press statement read. Unspecified technical issues with the carrier’s remaining three jets has added an unpredictable el- ement to flight schedules, resulting in extensive de- lays in recent weeks. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Pepper Jelly was one of two boats involved in Sunday night’s fatal collision in the North Sound in which two men were killed. - PHOTO: ALVARO SEREY Two men dead in boat accident CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CAR BOMB KILLS 3 UN STAFF OUTSIDE MALL IN LIBYA BENGHZI, Libya (AP) – A bomb-laden vehicle ex- ploded Saturday outside a shopping mall in Lib- ya’s eastern city of Beng- hazi, killing at least three UN staff members, a spokesman for the United Nations secretary-gen - eral said. The attack came even as the country’s war- ring sides said they ac- cepted a cease-fire pro- posed by the UN aimed at halting combat in the cap- ital Tripoli during an up- coming Muslim holiday. Health officials said the blast took place outside Arkan Mall in the Hawari neighbourhood, where people were gathering for shopping a day before the Eid al-Adha holiday be- gins. The Benghazi munic- ipal council said the at- tack targeted a convoy for the UN Support Mission in Libya. The site of the attack is close to offices of the mis- sion in Libya. Two of the dead hailed from Libya and Fuji, and the blast wounded nine people, according to health officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not au- thorised to brief reporters. Stéphane Dujarric, a spokesman for UN Secre- tary-General António Gu- terres, said in a statement that three UN workers were among the wounded. “The Secretary-General extends his deepest condo- lences to the bereaved fam- ilies and wishes a swift re- covery to all the injured. He calls on the Libyan au- thorities to spare no effort in identifying and swiftly bringing to justice the per- petrators of this attack,” Dujarric said. He also said the secre- tary-general urged “all par- ties to respect the human- itarian truce during Eid al Adha and return to the ne- gotiating table to pursue the peaceful future the people of Libya deserve”. The UN special envoy for Libya, Ghassan Salame, condemned what he called a “cowardly attack”. “This attack will not discourage us, nor will it prevent us from carrying on with our duties to bring about peace, stability and prosperity to Libya and its people,” he said in a statement. Salame said the com- mitment of the parties of the UN-proposed cease- fire in Tripoli “sends an ir- revocable message that the blood of Libyans, and UN staff, … was not shed in vain in this heinous explosion”. The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting late Saturday afternoon on the situation. The Benghazi municipal council said the attack targeted a convoy for the UN Support Mission in Libya. No deal announced as US, Taliban wrap up latest talks KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) – The latest round of talks between the Taliban and the United States ended early Monday without any sign a peace deal had been reached for Af- ghanistan, as both sides said they would consult with their leaderships on the next steps. A Taliban spokesman had said last week that this eighth round of talks would conclude with a deal to end the nearly 18-year war, Amer- ica’s longest. The two sides have been discussing an agreement under which US forces would withdraw from Afghanistan and the Taliban would guarantee the country would not revert to being a launch pad for global ter- rorist attacks. US envoy Zalmay Khal- ilzad said the talks that began on 3 Aug. in the Gulf nation of Qatar were “produc- tive” and that he was heading to Washington for consulta- tions. Taliban spokesman Za- bihullah Mujahid called the discussions “long and useful”. Neither provided details on their outcome. The Taliban have con- tinued to stage near-daily attacks across Afghanistan despite the months of nego- tiations with the US. The at- tacks mainly target Afghan forces and government of- ficials but also kill many civilians. The US has pressed for a cease-fire and a framework for inter-Afghan talks, but so far the insurgents have re- fused to recognise the Afghan government, dismissing it as a US puppet. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, frustrated at being sidelined, on Sunday rejected foreign interference in Af- ghan affairs. He insists that elections planned for 28 Sept. will give the next government a pow- erful mandate to decide the country’s future. But Khal- ilzad is seeking a peace deal by Sept. 1, weeks before the vote. The Taliban, who effec- tively control half the country, have dismissed the election as a sham and warned fellow Af- ghans to avoid both campaign rallies and the polls. The Taliban are at their strongest since the US-led in- vasion toppled their five-year government in 2001 after the group had harboured al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden. More than 2,400 US service members have died in Afghanistan since then. The US and NATO formally con- cluded their combat mission in 2014, but around 20,000 American and allied troops remain in the country. Khalilzad tweeted Sunday that he hoped this would be the last Eid al-Adha in which Afghanistan is at war, refer- ring to the Muslim holiday that began over the weekend. The Taliban’s holiday mes- sage expressed the hope that future Eids would unfold “without occupation, under an environment of perma- nent peace and unity”. Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani, centre, speaks after offering Eid al-Adha prayers at the presidential palace in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday. – PHOTO: AP DANGEROUS HEAT GRIPS U.S. SOUTH AND MIDWEST BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) – Forecasters are warning of scorching heat across a wide stretch of the US. South and Midwest, where the heat index will feel as high as 117 degrees in some spots. Parts of 13 states on Monday will be under heat advisories, from Texas, Lou- isiana and Florida in the South to Missouri and Illinois in the Midwest, the National Weather Service reported. “It feels like hell is what it feels like,” said Junae Brooks, who runs Junae’s Grocery in Holly Bluff, Mississippi. Many of her customers were wearing straw hats or keeping cool with wet rags around their necks, she said Monday. Some of the most op- pressive conditions Monday were being felt in Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi and Oklahoma, forecasters said. It was expected to feel like 116 degrees in parts of eastern Oklahoma, near Tulsa, on Monday, forecasters said. And parts of Arkansas just west of Memphis, Ten- nessee, could see heat in- dexes Monday of around 117 degrees. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are among the main threats in those areas.The islands’ most-trusted news source 7 CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY, 13 AUGUST 2019 Italian JoY t faces Ney confidence Yote Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, who declared last week that his League party no longer supports Premier Giuseppe Conte’s populist coalition, is pressing for a no-confidence vote in the coming days. He hopes Conte will lose and resign, triggering elections as early as this fall. www.caymannational.com Customer Notice Interest Rate Decrease Cayman National Bank advises that its CI$ and US$ Prime Rates will decrease from 5.50% to 5.25% effective 15th August 2019. All products linked to CI$ and US$ Prime Rates will be adjusted on this date. Cayman National provides a full range of financial services at competitive prices and with excellent service. For more information call us at 949 4655 or visit www.caymannational.com. PERSONAL BANKING | BUSINESS BANKING | FUND SERVICES | FIDUCIARY & INVESTMENT SERVICES HonJ KonJ airport shuts doZn amid prodemocracy protest HONG KONG (AP) – One of the world’s busiest airports can- celled all flights after thou- sands of pro-democracy demonstrators crowded into Hong Kong’s main terminal Monday, while the central government in Beijing issued an ominous characterisa- tion of the protest movement as something approaching “terrorism”. The extreme action by the largely leaderless movement seemed calculated to prompt a stern response from Beijing, and Communist Party leader Xi Jinping’s administration responded within hours. No new violence was re- ported by Monday evening, although the city remained on edge after more than two months of near-daily and in- creasingly bloody confron- tations between protesters and police. Beijing tends towards a broad definition of terrorism, including in it non-violent protests of government poli- cies on the environment or in minority regions such as Xin- jiang and Tibet. Such a des- ignation adds to the regime’s descriptions of protesters as clowns, criminals and trai- tors intent on overthrowing Chinese rule in Hong Kong. Hong Kong International Airport said in a statement the demonstration “seriously disrupted” airport operations. Only flights that had already started boarding or those cleared for landing were al- lowed to use runways at the airport. “All other flights have been cancelled for the rest of today,” the airport state- ment said. It later said flights would resume at 6am Tuesday. A massive traffic jam soon formed on the highway leading back to Hong Kong’s city centre. Some protesters were seen walking towards the airport amid the sti- fling heat. The demonstrations that have drawn more than 1 mil- lion people at times call for democratic reforms and an independent inquiry into po- lice conduct, with both pro- testers and police adopting ever-more extreme tactics. In Beijing, the Cabinet’s Hong Kong and Macao Af- fairs Office issued a state- ment saying the situation in Hong Kong was “beginning to show the sprouts of ter- rorism” and constituted an “existential threat” to the population. “One must take reso- lute action toward this vi- olent criminality, showing no leniency or mercy,” said the statement, attributed to spokesman Yang Guang. “Hong Kong has reached an inflection point where all those who are concerned about Hong Kong’s future must say ‘no,’ to law breakers and ‘no’ to those engaged in violence.” The chief executive of Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways said there would be “disciplinary consequences” for employees involved in “il- legal protests”, as the airline joined businesses that have apologised to China in recent days over political flaps. Ru- pert Hogg warned in an in- ternal memo that the com- pany has a “zero tolerance approach to illegal activities”, apparently referring to unap- proved protests. Companies from luxury fashion brands to bubble tea shops are under pressure to distance themselves from protesters and declare their support for the ruling Com- munist Party’s position on Hong Kong. China had said it would bar any airline em- ployees found to have taken part in demonstrations. Earlier Monday, Hong Kong police showed off water cannons that could be de- ployed, a development that Amnesty International has warned could lead to serious injuries if misused in the densely populated city. Legislators and journal- ists were invited to wit- ness the display of crowd- control tactics, which came after a weekend of protests at the airport and in one of Hong Kong’s main shopping districts. During the weekend pro- tests, website Hong Kong Free Press showed footage of one arrest that appeared to include officers in plain clothes pinning a demon- strator to the ground. The young man, who said his name was Chow Ka-lok and asked for a lawyer, was shown with a bleeding head wound and said he had a broken tooth. Police defended their tac- tics and tried to fend off crit- icism over widely shared videos from Sunday night’s clashes, including graphic images of Chow’s arrest and of a female protester who was shot in the eye. Deputy Commissioner Tang Ping-keung acknowl- edged that police use decoy officers in some operations but would not go into details. “Our decoy officers do not take part in any unlawful ac- tivities,” Tang insisted. Police also have reported injuries, including eye irri- tation from laser pointers, burns from fire bombs and bruises and cuts from flying debris. Protesters hurled bricks at officers and ignored warn- ings to leave before tear gas was used in the Sham Shui Po area, police said, calling a march there an “unauthor- ised assembly”. Tear gas also was used in central Hong Kong’s Tsim Sha Tsui area on the Kow- loon side of Victoria Harbour, and in Wan Chai on Hong Kong Island. At one point, protesters blocked a plaza to keep police out. A train station in Lan Kwai Fong filled with smoke after police fired tear gas in- side. It was not clear how many protesters were in the station at the time, but it has been rare for officers to fire tear gas indoors. Earlier, a large group of protesters marched down Hennessy Road, a main shop- ping drag in the Causeway Bay area, as a rally was held in nearby Victoria Park. Many wore face masks to shield their identities, and a few had helmets. Others just car- ried backpacks over the black T-shirts that have become their uniform. The protest movement’s demands include the resig- nation of the Chinese ter- ritory’s leader, Carrie Lam, democratic elections for her successor, the release of those arrested in earlier pro- tests and an investigation into police use of force. A former British colony, Hong Kong was returned to China in 1997 under the prin- ciple of ‘one country, two sys- tems’, which promises the city certain democratic rights not afforded to people on the mainland. But in recent years, some have accused Beijing of steadily eroding their freedoms. Banners at the rally in Vic- toria Park read ‘Give Hong Kong back to us’ and ‘With- draw the evil law’, the latter a reference to an extradition bill that was the original spark for the protests. A large crowd sat under umbrellas, which are both a protest symbol in Hong Kong and protection from the summer heat. In an interview in Berlin, Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei said China’s leader- ship can now only resort to force, since it has failed in its quest to win hearts and minds in Hong Kong. Ai, who has lived in Berlin since 2015, said US President Donald Trump’s characterisa- tion of the protests as “riots” and as an issue between Hong Kong and China seems to have only encouraged the authorities. The US “should be sup- porting freedom, and democ- racy, and freedom of speech – for a major power to give that kind of signal to another, au- thoritarian society is very im- proper and it will cost more life and more blood”, he said. “Hong Kong people will not be the loser, because they’re on the right side of history,” he said. Protesters wave flags at the Hong Kong International Airport, Monday, as the airport cancelled all flights. – PHOTO: AP8 WORLD®IONAL TUESDAY, 13 AUGUST 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Turmoil calms as Puerto Rico governor turns to policy Conservative Giammattei wins Guatemala elections GUATEMALA CITY (AP) – Con‑ servative Alejandro Giam‑ mattei has blazed a long, strange path to Guatemala’s presidency, which he won on his fourth try. The 63‑year‑old spent several months in prison in 2008, when he was di‑ rector of the country’s prison system, after some prisoners were killed in a raid on his watch. He was eventually ac‑ quitted of wrongdoing. Until courts prevented some of the more popular candidates from running in this year’s race, he also ap‑ peared to be a long‑shot can‑ didate in a tumultuous cam‑ paign season. But on Sunday, his get‑ tough approach to crime and his socially conserva‑ tive values, including his stri‑ dent opposition to gay mar‑ riage and abortion, finally parlayed favour with Guate‑ malan voters in a presiden‑ tial runoff. Leaning on the crutches he uses because of his mul‑ tiple sclerosis, Giammattei acknowledged in his emo‑ tional victory speech that it had been a long road. “We won. We are very ex‑ cited, it is logical, it has been 12 years of struggle,” Giam‑ matttei said. “Twelve years waiting to serve my country.” With about 98% of polling places reporting, the coun‑ try’s Supreme Electoral Council said that Giammattei had about 58% of votes, com‑ pared to about 42% for former first lady Sandra Torres. About 8 million Guatema‑ lans are registered to vote in the Central American country. In a nation beset by poverty, unemployment and migration issues, however, turnout as low as 45% appeared to sug‑ gest widespread disillusion‑ ment with the political status quo in general. “I just hope Giammattei keeps his promises, and really fights corruption,” said Gua‑ temala City resident Leonel Regalado. “We hope he won’t steal, because that would be too much for him to steal as brazenly as [outgoing Presi‑ dent] Jimmy Morales has.” The presidential cam‑ paign was marked by a cha‑ otic succession of judicial de‑ cisions, intrigues, illegal party changes and accusations of bad practices that truncated the candidacies of two of the three presidential favourites. Giammattei’s key rival Torres, who had been mar‑ ried and divorced to former President Álvaro Colom (2008‑2012), focussed on im‑ proving education, health‑ care and the economy during the campaign. She also pro‑ posed an anti‑corruption pro‑ gramme, but her Unity for Hope party came under fire because some of its mayoral candidates were accused of receiving contributions from drug traffickers for their campaigns. She became a key con‑ tender after Chief Prose‑ cutor Thelma Aldana was barred from the race on the grounds that she lacked a document certifying that she did not have any out‑ standing accounts from her time overseeing a public budget as prosecutor. Oscar Argueta, secre‑ tary‑general of the Unity for Hope party, conceded defeat on Sunday. The new president takes office 14 Jan. and will most immediately face the task of attempting to stem the large flow of migrants headed to‑ wards the United States. At least 1% of Guatemala’s pop‑ ulation of some 16 million has left the country this year. On 6 July, Morales’ ad‑ ministration signed an agree‑ ment with the United States that would require Salva‑ dorans and Hondurans to re‑ quest asylum in Guatemala if they cross through the country to reach the US. The new president will have to decide whether to nullify or honour the agreement, which could potentially ease the crush of migrants arriving at the US border. SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) – Puerto Rico’s political turmoil seemed to be at least tempo‑ rarily easing on Monday with attention shifting to policy rather than protests fol‑ lowing the replacement gov‑ ernor’s move to suspend a hurricane recovery contract. In one of her first moves as governor, Wanda Vázquez announced late Sunday that she was scrutinising a pending $450,000 contract that is part of the programme to rebuild and strengthen the island’s power grid, which was destroyed by Hurricane Maria nearly two years ago. “There is no room in this administration for unreason‑ able expenses,” said Vázquez, who on Wednesday became Puerto Rico’s third governor in a week following popular protests that resulted in po‑ litical turmoil. Immediate pressure on the new governor appeared to be easing somewhat. There have been no large protests since she was sworn in and none appeared on the horizon. Puerto Rico’s Electric Power Authority, which is more than $9 billion in debt, had been expected to sign the contract with Stantec, a con‑ sulting firm based in Canada. Vázquez did not explain why she was suspending the deal, saying only that trans‑ parency is a priority for her administration. However, a power com‑ pany spokesman emailed a statement to The Associated Press saying that PREPA ex‑ ecutive director José Ortiz planned to meet with Vázquez on Monday to explain why it was important to sign the contract. Ortiz said the con‑ tract has to be submitted be‑ fore 6 Oct. so the US territory can obtain federal hurricane recovery funds. A Stantec official based in Puerto Rico did not respond to a request for comment. It is unclear whether Vázquez’s move will delay ef‑ forts to rebuild and bolster the power grid, which re‑ mains fragile and is prone to outages that have exasperated many of the island’s 3.2 mil‑ lion people. Power company spokesman Jorge Burgos said that he had no further details and that more information would be released after Mon‑ day’s meeting. Puerto Rico’s power com‑ pany has awarded several multimillion‑dollar con‑ tracts since the Category 4 storm hit on 20 Sept. 2017, and many of those deals have come under intense scrutiny, with some being cancelled. Currently, Mammoth Energy Services’ subsidiary Cobra Acquisitions, which has some $1.8 billion in contracts with the power company, is facing a federal investigation. Economist José Caraballo said he hopes Vázquez’s an‑ nouncement is the first of more changes to come. “I hope this isn’t a smoke screen and that there’s a real audit,” he said in a phone in‑ terview. “That’s what all these people who have lost trust in the government expect.” Puerto Rico has been mired in political turmoil, with former Gov. Ricardo Rosselló resigning 2 Aug. fol‑ lowing large protests. The is‑ land’s Supreme Court then ruled that his replacement was illegally sworn in, which left Vázquez, the justice sec‑ retary, next in line to become governor. The US territory also is struggling to emerge from a 13‑year recession and trying to restructure some of its more than $70 billion public debt load. Immediate pressure on the new governor appeared to be easing somewhat. There have been no large protests since she was sworn in and none appeared on the horizon. TRUMP OVERHAULING ENFORCEMENT OF ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT WASHINGTON (AP) – The Trump administration is finalising major changes Monday to the way it en‑ forces the landmark Endan‑ gered Species Act, in a move that it says will reduce reg‑ ulatory burdens but critics charge will drive more crea‑ tures to extinction. The administration was making public a final version of a rule overhauling the way the federal government han‑ dles protections for plants and animals at risk of extinc‑ tion. Information about the rule was obtained by The As‑ sociated Press beforehand. The Endangered Species Act is credited with helping save the bald eagle, Cali‑ fornia condor and scores of other animals and plants from extinction since Presi‑ dent Richard Nixon signed it into law in 1973. The Trump administra‑ tion says the changes will make regulation more effi‑ cient and less burdensome while preserving protec‑ tions for wildlife. At least 10 attorneys gen‑ erals joined conservation groups in protesting an early draft of the changes, saying they put more wildlife at greater risk of extinction. A draft version of the rule released last year would end blanket protections for animals newly deemed threatened, allow federal au‑ thorities for the first time to consider the economic cost of protecting a particular species, and could let au‑ thorities disregard impacts from climate change, one of the largest threats to habitat. The Endangered Spe‑ cies Act currently protects more than 1,600 species in the United States and its territories. A United Nations report warned in May that more than 1 million plants and animals globally face ex‑ tinction, some within dec‑ ades, owning to human de‑ velopment, climate change and other threats. The re‑ port called the rate of spe‑ cies loss a record. At least 10 attorneys generals joined conservation groups in protesting an early draft of the changes, saying they put more wildlife at greater risk of extinction. Puerto Rico’s new governor announced on Sunday that she is examining an upcoming contract to rebuild and strengthen the island’s power grid, which was severely damaged by September 2018’s Hurricane Maria. – PHOTO: AP Alejandro Giammatei, presidential candidate of the Vamos party, arrives to the Electoral Supreme Court headquarters for interviews with the press after partial election results were announced Sunday in Guatemala City. – PHOTO: AP9 WORLD®IONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • TUESDAY, 13 AUGUST 2019 Muslims clash with Israeli police at Jerusalem holy site India eases restrictions in Kashmir for Islamic festival SRINAGAR, India (AP) – Troops in India-adminis- tered Kashmir allowed some Muslims to walk to local mosques alone or in pairs to pray for the Eid al-Adha fes- tival on Monday during an unprecedented security lock- down that still forced most people in the disputed region to stay indoors on the Is- lamic holy day. Some protesters demon- strated against the Indian government’s surprise revo- cation of Muslim-majority Kashmir’s special status last week. All communications and the internet remained cut off for an eighth day. The streets were deserted, with authorities not allowing any large groups to gather to avoid anti-India protests. “Our hearts are on fire,” said Habibullah Bhat, 75, who said he came to offer prayers despite his failing health. “India has thrown us into the dark ages, but God is on our side and our resist- ance will win.” Hundreds of worship- pers gathered on a street in a neighbourhood in Srinagar after the prayers and chanted “We want freedom” and “Go India, Go back,” witnesses said. Officials said the pro- test ended peacefully. Kashmir police said in a tweet that Eid festival prayers “concluded peace- fully in various parts of the [Kashmir] Valley. No unto- ward incident reported so far”. Independent verification of events in the region was difficult because of the com- munications shutdown. India’s foreign ministry shared photos of people vis- iting mosques but did not specify where the photos were taken within the re- gion, which New Delhi down- graded from a state to two federal territories a week ago. Vijay Keshav Gokhale, the ministry’s top diplomat, said communications restric- tions “will be gradually eased when we feel the law and order situation improves”. He said most mosques were open but some were not for security reasons. He told reporters there were “no reports of starvation” and that medical facilities, utilities and banking services were functioning normally. The security lockdown in India’s only Muslim-ma- jority region is expected to last through Thursday, In- dia’s independence day. The restrictions had been briefly eased for Friday prayers last week and for shopping ahead of Eid. Meanwhile, Pakistan For- eign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and opposition leader Bilawal Bhutto Zardari expressed support for people in the Indian-administered portion of Kashmir to have self-determination. Both vis- ited the Pakistani-controlled portion of Kashmir for Eid. India and Pakistan have fought two wars over control of Kashmir, and the first one ended in 1948 with a promise of a UN-sponsored refer- endum in the territory. It has never been held. Qureshi urged the interna- tional community to take no- tice of “Indian atrocities and human rights violations in Kashmir.” He said Islamabad was trying its best to high- light the Kashmir issue inter- nationally and expose Indian “cruelties” in the region. Thousands of additional troops were sent to the dis- puted Himalayan region be- fore India’s Hindu nation- alist-led government said last Monday that it was re- voking Kashmir’s special con- stitutional status and down- grading its statehood. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in an address to the nation that the move would free the territory of “terrorism and separatism” and accused Indian archrival Pakistan of fomenting unrest. Kashmir is divided be- tween India and Pakistan but claimed in full by both. Re- bels have been fighting In- dian rule in the portion it ad- ministers for decades. Restrictions, security lockdowns and information blackouts are nothing new for Kashmiris. The region witnessed months of clamp- downs during massive public uprisings against Indian rule in 2008, 2010 and 2016. How- ever, this is the first time that landline phones have been cut off, intensifying hardship. Frequent separatist calls for general strikes and pro- tests are routinely met with security lockdowns. Kashmiris have learned to figure out ways to survive the hardships of incarceration inside their homes. Residents are also used to stockpiling essentials, a practice usu- ally undertaken during harsh winter months when roads and communications lines often remain snapped. Over a million people live in the area under security siege in Srinagar. Residents have begun to face shortages of food and other necessities as shops re- main shuttered and public movement is restricted. Par- ents have struggled to enter- tain their children who are unable to go to school. Pa- tients have faced shortages of prescription drugs. Authorities say they have made cash available in ATMs so that residents could take out money to buy essentials for Eid. JERUSALEM (AP) – Muslim worshippers and Israeli po- lice clashed Sunday at a major Jerusalem holy site during prayers marking the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha. Palestinian medics said at least 14 people were wounded, one seriously, in the skirmishes with police at the site, which Muslims refer to as the Al-Aqsa mosque compound and Jews refer to as the Temple Mount. Po- lice said at least four officers were wounded. Witnesses said at least two people were arrested. Clouds of tear gas swirled and stun grenades thundered across the stone-paved espla- nade as masses of worship- pers skirmished with police in the worst bout of fighting at the contested holy site in months. The clashes came amid heightened tensions between Israel and the Palestinians, just days after an Israeli sol- dier was killed south of Je- rusalem. On Saturday, Israeli troops killed four Palestinian militants who attempted to cross the Gaza border fence. Tens of thousands of Muslims had flocked to the site in Jerusalem’s Old City early Sunday for holiday prayers, police said. Jews are also observing on Sunday the Ninth of Av, a day of fasting and mourning for the de- struction of the two Biblical temples which stood at the site in antiquity. The site is the holiest for Jews and the third holiest for Muslims, after Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia, and has long been a flash point at the epicentre of the Israeli- Palestinian conflict. Jordan, which serves as the custodian of the holy site, said in a statement that it had sent a formal complaint to Israel and condemned what it called Israel’s “irre- sponsible provocations”. Su- fian al-Qudah, a spokesman for the Jordanian Foreign Ministry, said Amman holds Israel completely responsible for the violence. Large numbers of Pales- tinians had gathered at the gates of the compound early Sunday after rumours circu- lated that police would allow Jewish visitors to enter the site. The protesters chanted “Allahu Akbar” [God is greatest] and threw stones at police, who then charged into the compound while firing stun grenades and rubber- coated bullets. Israeli police had initially barred entry to Jewish visi- tors, but reversed their deci- sion after the clashes broke out and allowed them to enter. Several dozen entered the site under close police es- cort and Muslim worshippers began throwing chairs and other objects at the group. The Jewish visitors left the compound shortly thereafter. The reversal came after Israeli Prime Minister Ben- jamin Netanyahu’s religious nationalist allies called for the site to be opened to Jewish visitors. Israelis are headed to unprecedented re- peat elections next month after Netanyahu failed to form a government following April’s elections. Jews are barred from praying at the compound under a long-standing ar- rangement between Israel and Muslim authorities. Jewish tradition also main- tains that Jews should avoid entering the holy site. But in recent years Is- raeli religious nationalists have stepped up visits to the site to challenge the arrange- ment. Jewish extremists have called for destroying the mosque and rebuilding the Biblical temple. The Palestinians view such visits as provocations, and have long feared that Is- rael intends to take over the site or partition it. The Israeli government has repeatedly said it has no intention of changing the status quo. Hanan Ashrawi, a senior leader in the Palestine Lib- eration Organization, said Israel was “fueling reli- gious tensions in Jerusalem”, adding that Israeli officials are “fully responsible for its grave consequences”. The compound is in east Jerusalem, which Israel cap- tured in the 1967 war along with the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, territories the Pal- estinians seek as part of a fu- ture state. Israel views all of Jerusalem as its unified cap- ital, while the Palestinians want east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state. Israeli-Palestinian ten- sions have spiked following President Donald Trump’s de- cision in 2017 to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and move the US Embassy there. The Israeli-Palestinian peace process has been mor- ibund for at least a decade, and the Palestinians have cut ties with the Trump adminis- tration over what they see as its unfair bias towards Israel. On Saturday, Israeli troops killed four Palestinian mili- tants who the army said had tried to carry out a cross- border attack. Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2007, said the attack was an “individual act” carried out by youths frus- trated at the Israeli-Egyptian blockade on Gaza and was not planned by the group. The site is the holiest for Jews and the third holiest for Muslims, after Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia, and has long been a flash point at the epicentre of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israeli police clash with Palestinian worshippers at a mosque compound Sunday in Jerusalem. – PHOTO: AP An Indian Muslim man walks past Indian paramilitary soldiers after offering prayer during Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of the Sacrifice, Monday in Jammu, India. – PHOTO: APNext >