High of 91 Low of 80 Moderate with wave heights of 3 to 5 feet. LOCAL | PAGE 7 MOUNT KILIMANJARO CLIMB SUPPORTS RED CROSS LOCAL | PAGE 5 STUDENTS SAY SCHOLARSHIPS MAKE COLLEGE ACCESSIBLE ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – MONDAY, 26 AUGUST 2019 6pc - $2.99 9 MOZZARELLA STICKS New! Bird’s-eye view of downtown Thousands of local ‘ching-chings’ (also known as greater antillean grackles) perch on overhead lines in downtown George Town last week. After being sent a video of the Hitchcockian scene on the waterfront, Geddes Hislop, curator of terrestrial exhibits and education programmes at the Cayman Turtle Centre, confirmed the birds were ching-chings, based on the “harsh, raspy calls plus the distinct vertical paddle-shaped configuration of the tails on the males”. He said via email, “We can start looking out for swooping flocks of barn and cliff swallows coming through. Late September/early October is usually the start of (early) winter migration season, and the swallows are the first to pass through in numbers.” – PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Longtime East End MLA John McLean dies JEWEL LEVY jlevy@compassmedia.ky John Bonwell McLean Sr., one of Cayman’s most prominent politicians and a former Member of the Legislative Assembly, passed away on Saturday. He was 69 and had been unwell for a short time. The stalwart member of the East End com- munity served in the Legislative Assembly from 1976 to 2000. Twelve of those years were spent on the ministerial level. Opposition lawmakers expressed condo- lences to the McLean family and recognised McLean’s contributions to the development of the country and in particular, his home dis- trict of East End. “While we are saddened to hear of his passing, we pause here to pay tribute to his many years of service to our country and in particular his contribution to our develop- ment. We share in this loss to his family, friends and people of East End,” an opposition statement read. When McLean held his first political meeting in Leanise Conolly’s front yard in 1976, he was 27 years old with an infant son. He worked with Kirkconnell Brothers at the time. A powerful figure in Cayman’s politics in the 1970s, McLean unseated Warren Conolly for the district seat in East End in 1976 and went on to represent the East End constitu- ency for the next 24 years. McLean was born in February 1950 to Vella and the late Berkley McLean. His father died when he was just 6 years old. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » IMMIGRATION OFFICER ACQUITTED ON ALL CHARGES KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@compassmedia.ky Charges were dismissed Friday afternoon against Jeannie Lewis, the suspended im- migration officer accused of permitting con- sumption of controlled drugs at her home and of knowingly assisting a person to remain un- lawfully in the Cayman Islands. Magistrate Kirsty-Ann Gunn recounted the Crown’s evidence against Lewis and concluded that she was left unconvinced of the charges. Lewis’s Savannah home was raided during the early hours of 25 Aug. 2016, in an opera- tion that netted four other arrests, including Antonio Bullard, a Bahamian national who turned out to be an illegal lander. During the raid, police uncovered quanti- ties of ganja in her adult son’s bedroom, in a back shed and inside a lime-green drawstring bag found on a table. These discoveries entangled the career immigration officer in a more than three- year legal battle, in which she denied knowl- edge of Bullard’s status and the ganja found in her home. While certain circumstances of the case were described as suspicious, Gunn concluded that the Crown did not meet the burden of proof and could not demonstrate the Lewis knew of Bullard’s status or of the ganja. Review of CCTV could not demonstrate that Lewis was home when drugs where being handled at the home, where police also found electronic scales and jars in the shed area. “With 12 days of footage, police only iden- PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » John McLean, 1950-20192 REGIONAL NEWS MONDAY, 26 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) 10:30 (SAT ONLY) I 4:35 I 7:15 (NO SAT) SUN: 4:35 I 7:15 CAPTAIN MARVEL 1:40 I 10:00 (NO SAT) SUN: 6:30 I 10:00 THE CURSE OF LA LLORONA (R) 1:10 VIP I 4:35 I 7:00 VIP I 10:15 HELLBOY (R) 12:35 (SAT ONLY) I 1:00 I 6:10 (SAT ONLY) I 6:45 SHAZAM! (PG13) 1:30 I 3:40 VIP I 7:15 I 9:30 VIP SUN: 3:40 VIP I 4:40 I 6:40 VIP 8:00 I 9:40 VIP KIDS CLUB: OVER THE HEDGE (PG) 10:00 (SAT ONLY) CULTURE AT THE CINEMA: THE TRAGEDY OF KIND RICHARD THE SECOND(R18) SAT ONLY: 8:00 • Matinees Daily (matinee price before 6pm) • Seniors $8.00, Mon-Fri Before 6pm • Additional charges apply per 3D/VIP tickets Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. - MONDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) POISON ROSE (R) 12:30 | 2:55 | 7:40 | 10:05 THE ANGRY BIRDS (PG) MOVIE 2 1:20 | 6:45 47 METERS DOWN: (PG13) UNCAGED 12:30 | 3:00 | 5:20 | 7:45 | 10:00 ANGEL HAS FALLEN (R) 12:45 VIP | 3:40 VIP | 4:30 | 7:00 VIP | 9:45 THE LION KING (2019) (PG) 4:00 | 9:15 F&F HOBBS & SHAW (PG13) 1:05 3D | 4:05 | 7:10 READY OR NOT (R) 1:35 | 5:20 | 7:25 | 9:50 VIP | 10:15 US HOMELAND SECURITY CHIEF TOURS PANAMA MIGRANT CAMP PENITAS, Panama (AP) – The acting US homeland se- curity secretary visited a camp in the Panamanian jungle Friday housing hun- dreds of migrants who sur- vived the perilous border crossing from Colombia, usually heading for the United States. Kevin McAleenan ar- rived by SUV in Penitas shortly before midday and was briefed on the camp’s operations and the phys- ical conditions of those who crossed the region known as the Darien Gap. He did not interact during the brief visit with the mi- grants, who come mostly from Haiti, Cuba and Af- rica, along with some from Asian nations. Nor did he comment to journalists. Panamanian authori- ties have seen a spike in crossings of the Darien this year, with more than 16,000 people estimated to have made the several- day trek by foot so far this year. It’s a roadless, lawless place where stories abound of migrants suffering rob- bery, sexual assault or murder in the Gap. About 500 migrants are currently at the camp in Penitas, down significantly from previous months. Many of them said they were unaware of McAleenan’s visit, and when he arrived with Pan- amanian Security Minister Rolando Mirones, escorted by border police, the mi- grants remained seated in villagers’ homes and looked on with apparent indifference. TROPICAL STORM WATCH ISSUED FOR BARBADOS AS DORIAN NEARS MIAMI (AP) – A tropical storm watch has been is- sued for Barbados as the fourth tropical storm of this year’s Atlantic hurricane season moves towards the Lesser Antilles. The US National Hurri- cane Center in Miami says Tropical Storm Dorian is continuing to move west and could become near hurricane strength over the eastern Caribbean Sea by Tuesday. As of 8am EDT Sunday, the storm’s centre was lo- cated around 515 miles east- southeast of Barbados and was moving west at 13 mph. Maximum sustained winds remained at 40 mph. The advisory says watches for parts of the Windward and Leeward Is- lands in the Lesser An- tilles will likely be issued later Sunday. It also advises Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti to mon- itor the storm’s progress. Mexico sees jungle lakes evaporate amid lower rainfall MEXICO CITY (AP) – Some of the mystical blue-green lakes of the Lacandon jungle in southern Mexico are drying up this year, the result of what experts say is an ex- tended drought and rising temperatures in the region. The Metzabok lake, which normally covers 220 acres, dried up completely this month, leaving cracked mud where the translu- cent waters normally re- flect the surrounding jungle and Lacandon Indians travel by canoe. About 350 Lacandones, an indigenous group that still uses traditional dress of long hair and white cotton tunics, depend on tourism, fish and water from the lake and 20 other jungle lagoons nearby for their livelihood. In recent days they worked with biologists to capture and transfer croco- diles, fish and turtles from the dried-up lake to those nearby that still have water. The area is part of a nature preserve known as Naha- Metzabok, and the Lacan- dones have preserved the surrounding jungle for dec- ades by avoiding the slash- and-burn agriculture and cattle ranching. Some of the older Lacan- dones remember that the Metzabok lake (the name means “The god of thunder” in the Maya language) had dried up once ago, in the 1950s. But experts worry that such episodes will become more frequent as rainfall de- clines and peak temperatures rise in the area, located just a few dozen miles from the Guatemalan border. Brazil troops deploy to fight Amazon fires RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) – Backed by military aircraft, Brazilian troops on Saturday were de- ploying in the Amazon to fight fires that have swept the region and prompted anti- government protests as well as an international outcry. President Jair Bolsonaro also tried to temper global concern, saying that previ- ously deforested areas had burned and that intact rain- forest was spared. Even so, the fires were likely to be ur- gently discussed at a summit of the Group of Seven leaders in France this weekend. Some 44,000 troops will be available for “unprecedented” operations to put out the fires, and forces are heading to six Brazilian states that asked for federal help, Defense Min- ister Fernando Azevedo said. The states are Roraima, Ron- donia, Tocantins, Para, Acre and Mato Grosso. The military’s first mis- sion will be carried out by 700 troops around Porto Velho, capital of Rondonia, Azevedo said. The military will use two C-130 Hercules aircraft capable of dumping up to 12,000 litres of water on fires, he said. An Associated Press jour- nalist flying over the Porto Velho region Saturday morning reported hazy con- ditions and low visibility. On Friday, the reporter saw many already deforested areas that were burned, ap- parently by people clearing farmland, as well as a large column of smoke billowing from one fire. The municipality of Nova Santa Helena in Brazil’s Mato Grosso state was also hard- hit. Trucks were seen driving along a highway Friday as fires blazed and embers smouldered in adjacent fields. The Brazilian military op- erations came after wide- spread criticism of Bolsona- ro’s handling of the crisis. On Friday, the president author- ised the armed forces to put out fires, saying he is com- mitted to protecting the Am- azon region. Azevedo, the defence min- ister, noted US President Donald Trump’s offer in a tweet to help Brazil fight the fires, and said there had been no further contact on the matter. Despite interna- tional concern, Bolsonaro told reporters on Saturday that the situation was re- turning to normal. He said he was “speaking to everyone” about the problem, including Trump, Spanish Prime Min- ister Pedro Sánchez and sev- eral Latin American leaders. Bolsonaro had described rainforest protections as an obstacle to Brazil’s economic development, sparring with critics who say the Amazon absorbs vast amounts of greenhouse gasses and is cru- cial for efforts to contain cli- mate change. The Amazon fires have become a global issue, es- calating tensions between Brazil and European coun- tries who believe Bolsonaro has neglected commitments to protect biodiversity. Pro- testers gathered outside Bra- zilian diplomatic missions in European and Latin American cities Friday, and demonstra- tors also marched in Brazil. “The planet’s lungs are on fire. Let’s save them!” read a sign at a protest outside Bra- zil’s embassy in Mexico City. The dispute spilled into the economic arena when French leader Emmanuel Ma- cron threatened to block a European Union trade deal with Brazil and several other South American countries. “First we need to help Brazil and other countries put out these fires,” Macron said Saturday. The goal is to “preserve this forest that we all need because it is a treasure of our biodiversity and our climate thanks to the oxygen that it emits and thanks to the carbon it absorbs”, he said. In a weekly video message released Saturday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the Group of Seven leaders “cannot be silent” and should discuss how to help extinguish the fires. Electrical workers repair a power pole in the aftermath of a fire near the town of Robore, Bolivia. Bolivia, along with Brazil, is struggling to contain wildfires, many believed to have been set by farmers clearing land for cultivation. - PHOTO: AP The diminishing waters of the Metzabok Lagoon are seen amidst its drying lake bed, in the Lacandon jungle of Chiapas State in southern Mexico, in early August. - PHOTO: APThe islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS MONDAY, 26 AUGUST 2019 The islands’ most-trusted news source 4 Opinion & Letters The Cayman Compass welcomes comments, opinions and viewpoints from readers. Letters to the editor can be emailed to editor@compassmedia.ky, submitted via www.caymancompass.com, sent by post or hand-delivered to the Compass office. MONDAY, 26 AUGUST 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Cayman Compass Ltd. 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” CPR Cayman outlines its key concerns on cruise dock, part 2 of 3 Cruise Port Referendum Cayman has submitted a three-part letter to the Cayman Compass outlining its concerns about the pro- posed facility. This is part 2. As our islands approach the first people-initiated ref- erendum, critical data voters need to make a truly in- formed decision on the cruise berthing facility have still not been made public. The government should release any undisclosed informa- tion that they do hold imme- diately, and the referendum date should be scheduled to allow for the completion of and public consultation on the updated Environmental Impact Assessment and up- dated Final Business Case re- ports, to allow our citizens to make a fully informed de- cision on this matter of na- tional importance. This letter forms part 2 of a 3-part letter which seeks to highlight some, but not all, of the numerous signifi- cant and unquantified risks associated with this project. Information has been ob- tained by CPR from publicly available reports found on the websites for the Depart- ment of Tourism, www.sup- portourtourism.com, and De- partment of Environment, www.doe.ky. 1. Jobs 1.1) Cruise industry jobs provide average monthly in- come of US$1,662 (BREA re- port). How will (1) short- term construction jobs and (2) more of the same cruise industry jobs, regardless of the number, help Caymanians obtain financial security for a decent standard of living? 1.2) The EIA (Baird Report) estimates direct losses of US$9-10.5 million per year of revenue and associated jobs from the loss of the harbour reefs including two historical shipwrecks, the Balboa (di- rectly) and Cali (indirectly). What is the net number of jobs after water-sports busi- nesses can no longer operate in George Town harbour, and restaurants have closed from noise pollution during construction? 2. Carrying capacity 2.1) Cruise vs. stayover constraints: With only 76 square miles, Grand Cay- man’s infrastructure and natural environment cannot handle mass cruise tourism which displaces overnight tourists as well as local res- idents from our most desir- able locations. In 2018 both a record-breaking 1.9 mil- lion cruise passengers ar- rived by tender, and stayover visitors reached 463,000. The Department of Tourism (PwC Outline Business Case, Ap- pendix D, page 7) gave a limit of 2.1 million cruise passen- gers “to maintain the delicate equilibrium between cruise and overnight tourism”. What is the projected or com- mitted passenger increase with the cruise port? A com- prehensive assessment of Cayman’s carrying capacity needs to be undertaken for long-term planning and iden- tifying tourism caps, which many popular travel desti- nations are being forced to implement. 2.2) Cruise-ship itinerary re-routing: Cayman’s geo- graphical location places us ideally as a stop between Ja- maica and Mexico on a cruise itinerary. With cruises de- parting on a weekend from the southern US states for both clockwise and anti- clockwise tours, most ships arrive on a Wednesday or Thursday. The Minister of Tourism indicated we would not receive an increase in pas- sengers per year, rather the cruise schedule will smooth out over the year. (1) Will the cruise lines re-schedule their itineraries and departure days just to avoid Wednesday or Thursday being Cayman’s busiest days? (2) Will cruise lines stop repositioning their ships to Europe and other northern routes during the summer months to make sure that Cayman gets pas- sengers instead? 3. Coral and historic shipwreck relocation ‘Coral relocation’ or ‘translocation’ for George Town harbour merely in- cludes taking live coral from the surface of ancient marine structures. This complex hab- itat, with formations reaching up to 3-4 metres in height off the seabed are the foundation for beautiful tunnel swim- throughs for divers and pro- vides shelter for juvenile spe- cies of marine life, making it an integral part of the ma- rine ecosystem. Successful translocation is hugely de- pendent on uncertain, diffi- cult to predict environmental factors, including increased susceptibility to disease. According to the EIA, at- tempting to relocate 12 acres of coral colony could cost US$12 million-US$87.4 mil- lion, with no guarantee of success, and will not re- create the three-dimensional nature of the current envi- ronment. How can the cost of coral and shipwreck relo- cation be included in Option 2’s US$196 million cost when additional research needs to be performed? Part 3 will examine in- frastructure impacts and fi- nancing model concerns. It is also important to emphasise the referendum question chosen by Cabinet should reflect the original petition wording, be clear and easy for voters to under- stand, and ensure fairness and objectivity. Linda Clark, FCCA, MSc Marine Environmental Management On behalf of CPR Cayman A blow to women’s health The Trump administra- tion just won a victory over Planned Parenthood. Thou- sands of women will pay the price. Planned Parenthood an- nounced this month that it was leaving the federal gov- ernment’s Title X programme, which pays for family plan- ning services for low-in- come Americans. As many as 1.6 million women and girls who currently rely on Planned Parenthood for things such as birth control pills and health screenings could be affected. The Trump administration ar- gues there will be alterna- tives available to this vulner- able population. In some areas, that is not clear. Planned Par- enthood is the only Title X pro- vider in Utah. The organisation serves about 90% of Minneso- ta’s Title X patients. Without the funding, clinics will have to charge co-pays, draw on fi- nancial reserves or shut down. A new Trump adminis- tration rule bars Title X pro- viders from referring women to get abortions unless there is a medical emergency. This is a sharp change from a 2000 rule that required Title X pro- viders to tell patients where they could get abortions, if they were asked. Overturning a two-decade- old rule was an unnecessary fight the Trump administra- tion picked with Planned Par- enthood. Title X funds were not paying for abortions be- fore now. It is beyond ten- uous to argue that telling pa- tients where they can obtain an abortion, somewhere else, renders a provider a place “where abortion is a method of family planning”. Allowing Title X providers to refer patients to clinics that perform abortions merely per- mitted the transfer of fac- tual information to patients seeking the healthcare they desired. For many Title X pa- tients, Planned Parenthood is their primary healthcare pro- vider. Restricting even the ex- change of factual information about legal procedures asks doctors to betray their re- sponsibility to disclose infor- mation to those seeking their help and care. It is no wonder that Planned Parenthood baulked. It is so unsurprising, in fact, that the Trump administration must have anticipated that it would push out the family planning organisation from Title X. This was likely the out- come that the Trump adminis- tration desired: Planned Par- enthood loses federal funding, and conservatives get to lam- baste the organisation in the process. Many more women, meanwhile, will face new bar- riers to healthcare. Congress should over- turn the Trump administra- tion’s new rule, and soon – before too many clinics, mo- bile health centres and other women’s health providers face severe financial problems. © 2019, The Washington Post Soto’s reef and surrounding coral formations. - PHOTO: CPR CAYMAN5 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY, 26 AUGUST 2019 © 2019 KPMG, a Cayman Islands partnership and a member firm. © 2019 KPMG, a Cayman Islands partnership and a member firm. Tanae Charlery York University Bachelor’s in Commerce and Accounting Maya Smith The University of Tampa Bachelor’s in Accounting Josue Luis Sanchez-Ebanks Huron University at Western Bachelor’s in Accounting Adrian Anglin Brunel University London Bachelor’s in Accounting and Finance Alison Turner Southern Methodist University Bachelor’s in Accounting (not pictured) Committed to Your Education. KPMG celebrates the hard work, exceptional academic achievements and dedicated community involvement of our young people. The following bright leaders of the future have been awarded scholarships to further their education in Accounting: ard work, exceptionalCommitted to Your Education. KPMG celebrates the hard work, exceptional elebrates the hMG cd to Your Education. KPd volvement of our youacademic achievements and dedicated community involvement of our young community incated achievements and deding Congratulations (L to R: Josue Luis, Adrian, Maya, Tanae) Students say scholarships make college accessible MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@compassmedia.ky Without the Cayman Is- lands Government’s schol- arship programme, Deondra Kelly said her college career would have been far different. Kelly, 20, recently gradu- ated from the University of South Florida in Tampa, with a degree in finance. She was one of about 50 overseas scholarship recipients who attended a reception in their honour Thursday evening at the Grand Old House. If she had not received scholarship money, Kelly said, she likely would have had to study in the United Kingdom, far from her family and without the resources to occasionally come home during school breaks. Having completed her first two years of study in Cayman, at the University College of the Cayman Is- lands, Kelly said she also has support to pursue a master’s degree, which she will begin this fall at Florida Interna- tional University in Miami. Students can qualify for four years of aid. “It’s something that al- lows you to reach your true potential, having not to worry about that financial part,” Kelly said, adding that her scholarship covered as much as 85% of her college costs. “I will forever be grateful for this opportunity.” Kelly said she likely would have found a way to pursue her education without the government’s help. Others were not so sure. Lex Dobson and Alfie Parker, both 18, said without scholarships they would not be making their way overseas to study. “I’d be working,” Parker said. “Yeah,” Dobson agreed. “I’d be working.” Instead, Parker, a Cayman Prep graduate, will begin studying business at North- umbria University in the UK. Dobson, who went to St. Ig- natius, will pursue an ac- counting degree at Brock Uni- versity in Canada. They were sitting with Dominic Owens, 18, a St. Ig- natius graduate who will be at the University of Bristol next month. All three stu- dents said they were unaware such scholarships were available to them until they reached their final year or two of high school. “Our guidance counselor, before we got into Sixth Form, told us what scholarships were available,” Owens said. A group of young women recipients also said they did not know about the govern- ment aid until Year 11 or Year 12. It was a double-edged sword said Aaliyah Ebanks, 18, a Cayman Prep graduate. “It added and took away pressure,” Ebanks said. While it relieved some wor- ries about how to finance her college education, “you had to make sure you got your passes”. Students must meet cer- tain academic criteria to be eligible for a scholarship and must maintain their college grades in order to continue receiving the assistance. Most of the students in attendance Thursday evening said the scholarships they are receiving or have received will cover the bulk of their expenses. But for those going to school in high-rent areas, it may not go as far. Alyssa Gilbert, 19, at- tended foundational courses in fashion at the Univer- sity of the Arts in London last year without financial aid. This year, she said, the government scholarship she’s receiving will make “a ton of difference”, but will still only cover about 40 percent of her expenses. “I live in central London,” she said. “It’s very expensive. My housing is more than my school fees.” By contrast, her friend Paris Broad, 19, who is stud- ying fashion at Southampton Solent University, three hours outside of London, expects her scholarship to cover most of her costs. She did not re- ceive aid last year and the new support will help both her and her family, she said. “It’s like stress off my par- ents and other family mem- bers,” she said. “I would con- stantly have to ask them to send me money.” Kelly spoke to the gathering and encour- aged the students to take school seriously so they could continue to qualify for their scholarships. “A lot of people do go overseas, but not a lot of people receive the support that we have received,” she said. “Remember what you’re leaving for and always keep your eyes on the prize.” Paris Broad, left, and Alyssa Gilbert share a moment during a reception for overseas scholarship recipients, Thursday, at Grand Old House. - PHOTO: MARK MUCKENFUSS6 LOCAL NEWS MONDAY, 26 AUGUST 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Caymanian artist takes work to New York City gallery Emerging Caymanian artist John Reno Jackson, 23, will participate in his first show in New York City this summer. The group show, Summer Salon, at the Lower East Side’s Van Der Plas Gallery will run 26 Aug. to 1 Sept. An opening reception will be held 28 Aug. from 6‑8pm. Reno’s paintings for the show are inspired by an Ae‑ sop’s fables story, ‘The Wolf and the Crane’. “The story immedi‑ ately stood out to Jackson as something powerful with its strong message of, ‘Expect no reward for serving the wicked’,” ac‑ cording to a news release about the show. Reno encourages viewers to stop and reflect on his abstract style and the feel‑ ings evoked through shape and colour. “Hailing from the Carib‑ bean island of the Cayman Islands, John Reno looks to start a dialogue bringing the history, positives, and issues of growing up isolated in the ocean to a wider audience,” the release read. “His work focusses on feeling and intuition, choosing to show [more of] an abstracted representation of the subject than a realistic depiction.” Common themes in his work include life, beauty and death. Van Der Plas Gallery has operated as a contemporary art space for 25 years, fea‑ turing a range of outsider and emerging artists. For more information about Jackson, visit www.renojackson.com or find him on Facebook under @renojacksonart.John Reno Jackson paints in his studio in West Bay. - PHOTO: ALVARO SEREY Police assist woman in medical emergency Just after 3:15pm on Wednesday, 21 Aug., police were alerted to a report of a vehicle driving in a dangerous manner on Shamrock Road in the vicinity of Countryside Shopping Centre. The officers made checks in the area and the vehicle was not seen; how‑ ever, an update on the vehicle’s last known location was pro‑ vided and the officers followed up and eventually located the vehicle at an address in the Northward area. The officers approached the vehicle and found that there was a female occupant in the driver’s side experi‑ encing a medical emergency. The officers immediately ren‑ dered first aid and contacted Emergency Medical Services, while maintaining their assis‑ tance until EMS arrived. “While the officers were doing their duty, their dili‑ gence, commitment and keen attention resulted in life‑ saving interventions, including the compassion and care shown after medical attention had arrived,” said Acting Chief Inspector Everton Spence, in charge of Service Delivery for the RCIPS. “This is noteworthy as it goes to our primary duty.” The woman was transported by ambulance to the hospital where it was arranged for an of‑ ficer to be on standby to check on the status of the woman when the ambulance arrived. “We accept that sometimes, we don’t always get it right, and when we do not, we will respond to well‑founded crit‑ icism with a willingness to learn and change,” said An‑ thony Ennis, Deputy Commis‑ sioner of Police. “But for the most part, the majority of our police and support personnel have demonstrated tremen‑ dous acts of courage and com‑ mitment, sometimes well be‑ yond the call of duty, in service to the public, and have striven for the highest possible stand‑ ards and pride in their ser‑ vice. This is, therefore, another fine example of their profes‑ sionalism, dedication and un‑ wavering commitment. We also commend the member of public for calling in the in‑ cident, which led to the posi‑ tive outcome.” NiCE crew provides sargassum relief on Grand Cayman beaches Six workers with the Na‑ tional Community Enhance‑ ment Project, known as NiCE, cleaned Cayman’s beaches of invasive seaweed from South Sound to North Side this month. The coordinated sar‑ gassum control effort, from 5 to 16 Aug., ex‑ plored new methods of col‑ lecting the weed using a skid steer, backhoe and BeachTech Marina. “In instances where it was difficult to separate the sea‑ weed from the sand, the sar‑ gassum was taken to a gov‑ ernment location to be dried, sieved and the sand trans‑ ported back to the beaches by the Recreation, Parks and Cemeteries Unit,” according to a Ministry of Commerce, Planning & Infrastructure news release. The ministry is leading a multi‑agency task force to tackle the sargassum issue, which is now expected to in‑ vade Caribbean beaches for the foreseeable future. Several issues arise when cleaning large amounts of sargassum from the shore with heavy machinery, in‑ cluding erosion and possible damage to turtle nests. “Cleaning the sargassum manually is not sustain‑ able. This approach worked well with the combination of manual labour and ma‑ chinery,” said Minister Joey Hew in a news release. “We have received positive feedback from members of the communities who noted the stark difference they have seen in the clean‑up of our beaches.” Areas cleaned during the August initiative included the South Sound boat ramp and boardwalk areas, the Frank Sound boat ramp, Coe Wood Beach in Bodden Town, Cayman Kai Public Beach in North Side and Colliers Beach in East End. Much of the cleared sar‑ gassum was taken to the landfill. Some is being tested by the Department of Agri‑ culture for use as fertiliser, according to officials. A worker removes sargassum from the beach during the NiCE campaign in August. - PHOTO: STEPHEN CLARKE LAW LECTURER PRESENTS RESEARCH AT HONG KONG CONFERENCE Laura Panades, LLM Course leader at the Truman Bodden Law School, presented her re‑ search on Cayman’s new public procurement law at an international conference in Hong Kong. The three‑day confer‑ ence on “Unpacking the Complexity of Regula‑ tory Governance in a Glo‑ balising World” organised by the Chinese University of Hong Kong focused on good governance and com‑ pliance in complex regula‑ tory environments. Panades’ research anal‑ yses Cayman’s legal envi‑ ronment governing public purchases and points out the next steps needed to achieve a system that is world class. The research features the results of in‑ terviews conducted with main public procurement stakeholders in Cayman. “On the first anniversary of public procurement, it is important to reflect on Cay‑ man’s achievements and pending tasks,” Panades said. “My research seeks to make sure that Cayman’s public money is well spent.” The paper has been ac‑ cepted for publication in an international journal and will be released next month. Law School director Mitchell Davies said, “Ms Panades’ internationally recognised research feeds into our LLM programme in ‘International Finance: Law and Regulation’, which includes a course on public‑private partnerships and public procurement. He said, “Conferences are a fertile ground for TBLS staff in order to con‑ solidate knowledge and to keep abreast of new devel‑ opments worldwide whilst acquiring new ideas to stimulate further research and feed into teaching.” The Chinese University of Hong Kong hosted the event together with the Eu‑ ropean Consortium for Po‑ litical Research, an aca‑ demic network focusing on teaching and research into politics and interna‑ tional relations comprising 350 institutions across 50 countries. LLM course leader at the Truman Bodden Law School, Laura Panades, presented her research at a conference in Hong Kong.7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY, 26 AUGUST 2019 If you think you have fallen victim to any type of online fraud, contact your bank directly or the RCIP Financial Crime Unit on 949-8797. This message is brought to you by: Sponsored by our member retail banks: DON’T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU! If it looks suspicious, do not interact. Notify local authorities of any suspicious activity. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Only share information with those you trust. Remove fraudulent content and block senders. SOCIAL MEDIA SCAMS HOW TO BE CYBER SMART Cayman Islands retail banks do not recommend accepting money into your bank account from any unknown source. Ever seen an ad, message, or pop-up banner on your social media platforms promising to make you easy money or a quick buck? THIS IS A SCAM! It’s our grand one year anniversary! Ace Paint & Décor and Payless Auto Parts have been under one roof at the new ACE Cayman for a year already and it’s time to celebrate! The ACE franchise has been providing Cayman with trusted service, advice, and top brands like Clark + Kensington, Craftsman and Valvoline for over 35 years. info@acecayman.com @acecayman345 11 Ashgo Street, o Godfrey Nixon Way 949.4223 Open Mon - Sat | 8am - 9pm One Year Anniversary Join us to celebrate our • Refreshments • Prizes • Anniversary Specials AUGUST 31, 2019 Mount Kilimanjaro climb supports Red Cross KAYLA YOUNG kyoung@compassmedia.ky Mount Kilimanjaro and Grand Cayman have more than 8,000 miles in distance and 19,000 feet in elevation separating them. But climber Martyn Bould was able to draw similarities between the Tanzanian moun- tain peak and his home back in the Caribbean. Cayman may not have the tropical rainforests, al- pine moorlands, desert up- lands or icy glaciers of Mount Kilimanjaro but the low-lying islands also serve as a re- minder to respect the limits of Mother Nature. During an 8-day climb to Africa’s highest summit, as a fundraiser for the Cayman Is- lands Red Cross, Bould re- flected on the impact of ex- cess tourism to natural environments. “This is their Stingray City, if you like. This is the beauty of where they live. It is one of the wonders of the world,” Bould said after the climb. “There is something like 35,000 people every year who climb the mountain. In my mind, there are just too many people.” It’s a problem that has af- fected many iconic destina- tions from queues leading to Mount Everest and shoulder- to-shoulder crowds at the Great Wall of China. “The lesson for me is, we have such beauty in Cayman that we need to be careful that we don’t overdo it,” he said. The key is finding balance and paying attention to the warning signs sent by nature. The call to awareness taps into Bould’s greater mission on the trip: to promote hurricane pre- paredness and the efforts of the Red Cross. “In light of the wonderful work that the Red Cross per- forms in the traumatic condi- tions following the passage of a hurricane, climbing for CIRC appealed to me as a natural way to give back,” Bould said in a Red Cross press release. While he does not yet know how much money his prepar- edness campaign raised, he hopes it brought attention to the Red Cross mission. Much like climbing a mountain, successfully weath- ering a hurricane requires preparation. “We need to make sure that we’ve got a generator. We need to make sure our car is full of gas. We need to make sure that we have cash, all of the things that we learned from Ivan,” Bould said. “We need to not only hear what other people tell us but also practice those principals.” He chose to support the Red Cross after witnessing the work the organisation did to support the British Virgin Islands after Hurricane Irma in 2017. Cayman Islands Red Cross Director Jondo Obi warned about complacency towards natural disasters. With Ivan now 15 years in the past, many may have forgotten the les- sons learned from that devas- tating storm. “We know that it’s human nature to get more complacent as time goes by, but with cli- mate change and the growing intensity and frequency of storms, complacency has tragic consequence,” Obi said. “That is why it is so impor- tant for us to constantly try to engage our community into actively preparing.” With the coming months of hurricane season forecast to become more active, the Red Cross is reminding the community to review their safety plans. The organisation recom- mended the following basic steps to get prepared: ■■ Create a family dis- aster plan. ■■ Put together a family dis- aster kit. These kits should include one gallon of water per person per day, non- perishable food items, san- itation items, medication, battery operated lighting and extra batteries. ■■ Locate all passports, birth certificates, insurance doc- umentation, and other key documents. Place them in a secure, waterproof bag. ■■ Identify the hazards in your community. ■■ Identify your overseas emergency contact. ■■ Talk to your neighbours about their disaster plan. ■■ Practice your plan, in- cluding evacuation, the fastest and safest way to arrive to shel- ters, and communicating with family members. Martyn Bould bears the cold at the Moorland Camp on Mount Kilimanjaro. - PHOTOS: SUBMITTED Climbers in Bould’s group ascend the Barranco Wall on their way to the summit.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 MONDAY, 26 AUGUST 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS 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. tified five occasions of deal- ings,” Gunn said. “The de- fendant was not seen in the footage or proven to be home at the time.” Gunn concluded it was possible Lewis genuinely did not know of the drugs in her home, given that the ganja was found in her adult son’s room and that the smell was only detected by officers in the shed area. The presence of ganja in these limited areas hinted that perhaps it was being concealed from Lewis, Gunn said. Gunn added that it was reasonable to believe that Lewis no longer tidied her adult son’s room, preventing her from finding the ganja. “I was persuaded that the defendant genuinely dis- approves of consumption of drugs,” Gunn said, pointing to Lewis’s exemplary record in immigration enforcement. Regarding the discovery of ganja in a lime-green bag on a table, Gunn said she could not exclude the possi- bility that the bag had been moved during the police operation. “I cannot be sure that ganja was left in plain view in a communal area,” Gunn said. As for the discovery of Bullard in her home, Gunn was persuaded that Lewis had no reason to ques- tion Bullard’s immigra- tion status. In court Friday, Bullard was described as a friend of her son. During the raid, the Bahamian was found sleeping in the son’s bedroom. While CCTV footage demonstrated Bullard felt comfortable entering Lew- is’s home, Gunn said it did not establish that she was close to Bullard. Footage showed him entering the home with her son. “I am not persuaded that she would be questioning the status of every new friend of her son,” Gunn said, adding that Bullard’s American accent further di- minished any suspicion she may have had. Other footage submitted as evidence showed Lewis and Bullard speaking, but Gunn said this video only provided a snapshot and did not demonstrate when Bullard entered or left the home on that occasion. While officers observed Lewis passing Bullard slip- pers during the raid, it could not be inferred from this interaction that Lewis knew of his status. Gunn said she accepted Lewis’s argument that should would have reported any illegal immigrants who came to her attention. He received his education at the primary school in East End and the Cayman Islands High School in George Town. McLean said he owed his success to his brother Joseph McLean who supported him in school. When he graduated in 1968, he went to work with the Royal Bank of Canada as a filing clerk, rising to the post of assistant accountant. In 1973, he joined the staff of Northwestern Bank as op- erations manager, but left a year later to work in the ac- counting department of the Kirkconnell Brothers. He had three children with his wife Stephanie, nee Miller. McLean later remarried and continued expanding his family. He was East End’s po- litical star. Although he had origi- nally wanted to become a lawyer, McLean entered pol- itics with the needs of East End at heart. He felt his dis- trict was being kept back and lacked greater investment. While seeking election in East End, McLean aimed to encourage investors in the district and to revive the con- struction industry. He felt government should offer aid to improve the International College of the Cayman Is- lands and said he would seek the people’s advice before seeking a seat on the Execu- tive Council, if elected. McLean went on to serve on that council, and in his role in the Legislative As- sembly, he advocated for the development of roads and in- frastructure projects. The East End road that bears his name, John McLean Drive, once known as ‘Up on the Hill’, was built in 1977 after he was elected. Members of the commu- nity had requested the road and decided to name it in McLean’s honour. He was instrumental in the development of East End’s two civic centres, which have proven vital in times of emergency. His efforts first brought telephone service to his dis- trict. McLean also estab- lished an investment and management consulting firm in 1981 with the late Des- mond Seales, founder of the Nor’wester magazine. McLean was one of Cay- man’s biggest farmers and won numerous trophies and awards during the Agri- culture Show. Longtime East End MLA John McLean dies CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Immigration officer acquitted on all charges CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Jeannie Lewis VENEZUELA OPPOSITION LEADER VOWS TO SHUN EARLY ELECTION CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) – Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó said Friday that opponents of President Nicolás Maduro will not participate in any early legislative elections he calls amid a protracted power struggle. Socialist party chief Di- osdado Cabello, a key Ma- duro ally, has said elections for the National Assembly – the most important opposi- tion-dominated institution in Venezuela – could be held in January or earlier. The legislature’s five-year term is set to end in December 2020 and elections are tradition- ally held in the last month of its term. Guaidó, the man recog- nised by the US as Vene- zuela’s rightful leader said he plans to keep the self- claimed title of ‘acting presi- dent’ even after his one-year term as leader of the opposi- tion-controlled National As- sembly ends in the new year. “We are very clear that we’re going to continue until the point that elections in Venezuela are in reality free,” Guaidó said. DCI holds AML workshop for jewellery dealers The Department of Com- merce and Investment hosted a training session for dealers in precious metals and stones on Thursday, 15 Aug. The evening outreach work- shop provided members of the precious metals and stones industry with infor- mation about their obliga- tions under anti-money laun- dering and counter-terrorist financing regulations. The event is part of the department’s effort to meet recommendations by the Car- ibbean Financial Action Task Force, which highlighted var- ious shortcomings in its as- sessment of Cayman’s anti- money laundering framework in a report released in March. Minister for Commerce Joey Hew said it is essen- tial that the Cayman Islands as a jurisdiction does every- thing possible to meet its in- ternational obligations in anti- money laundering. “This is why the Hon. Premier has des- ignated the implementation of CFATF recommendations a matter of national priority.” The Department of Com- merce and Investment as the regulator for non-financial businesses that fall under AML regulations had a vital role to play in helping dealers in precious metals and stones and real estate agents, brokers and developers to strengthen their anti-money laundering and counter-ter- rorist financing frameworks, the minister added. Failure to comply could lead to a grey listing of the Cayman Islands by the Fi- nancial Action Task Force, the global standard setter in the space, “and this is not an op- tion”, Hew said. The Ministry’s acting chief officer, Tamara Ebanks, reiterated the importance of the workshop in her welcome remarks and stressed that precious metals dealers and jewellers should look to the department for support. The head of the Anti- Money Laundering Unit, Francis Arana, presented at- tendees with details of a Na- tional Risk Assessment that Cayman has conducted to better understand the level of risk the industry faces when it comes to money laun- dering, terrorist and prolifer- ation financing. He detailed the ways in which illicit cash can be converted into legitimate and difficult to trace prod- ucts, such as precious metals and stones. Deputy National Coordi- nator for Government’s Anti- Money Laundering Steering Group (AMLSG) Justine Plen- kiewicz discussed targeted financial sanctions and pro- liferation financing within the context of the precious metals and stones industry in the Cayman Islands. Workshop attendees were then instructed on their re- sponsibilities for supporting national compliance with the CFATF recommendations. This included a demon- stration from the Director of the Financial Reporting Au- thority Robert James Berry on how dealers should file suspicious activity reports. He detailed the reasons for maintaining up-to-date and thorough records, particu- larly when there is a transac- tion that raises a red flag in their business, for instance when customers attempt to run several credit cards for a single purchase or buyers wishing to make a purchase with a large sum of cash. Attendees were also in- formed about how the de- partment would evaluate their actions in the event of suspicious activity. Head of Compliance and Enforce- ment for DCI Claudia Brady illustrated how dealers can set up their own AML/CFT frameworks and the ways to conduct a risk assessment for their businesses. She re- minded the attendees that DCI will conduct regular onsite and offsite monitoring of the industry, to ensure compliance. DCI director Ryan Raj- kumarsingh said the work- shop was attended by about 70% of registered entities and a video link of the ses- sion would be provided to all precious metals dealers, so that they can review any of the complex subject areas again. “The small number of dealers who were unable to attend will be invited to fur- ther workshops and also en- couraged to view the video session,” Rajkumarsingh said. He also reminded non-fi- nancial businesses who fall under anti-money laundering regulations that the next outreach session will be on Thursday, 29 Aug. This mandatory session will focus on the require- ments of real estate agents and brokers. Interested stakeholders are asked to contact enforcement@dci.gov.ky to register their attendance. Deputy National Coordinator for the Anti-Money Laundering Steering Group Justine PlenkiewiczThe islands’ most-trusted news source 9 CAYMAN COMPASS • MONDAY, 26 AUGUST 2019 North Korea tests rocket launcher North Korea said Sunday that leader Kim Jong Un supervised the test- firing of a “newly developed super-large multiple rocket launcher”, another demonstration of the North’s expanding weapons arsenal. . G-7 MEETING Iranian envoy gets surprise invite BIARRITZ, France (AP) – A top Iranian official paid an un‑ announced visit Sunday to the G‑7 summit and headed straight to the buildings where leaders of the world’s major democracies have been debating how to handle the country’s nuclear ambitions. France’s surprise invita‑ tion of Iranian Foreign Min‑ ister Mohammad Javad Zarif was a high‑stakes gamble for French President Emmanuel Macron, who is the host of the Group of Seven gathering in Biarritz. Zarif’s plane left Tehran on Sunday morning and touched down a few hours later at the Biarritz airport, which has been closed since Friday to all flights unrelated to the official G‑7 delegations. A senior French official, speaking on condition of an‑ onymity to discuss the sen‑ sitive talks, said Zarif went directly into a meeting with French Foreign Minister Jean‑Yves Le Drian. The Iranian foreign min‑ istry spokesman, Abbas Mousavi, said Zarif flew to Biarritz at the invitation of the French foreign minister. Mousavi said on Twitter that there would be no meetings or negotiations with Amer‑ ican officials during Za‑ rif’s trip. Asked whether the White House was aware of Za‑ rif’s visit, the French official said, “We operate on our own terms” but noted that Macron and US President Donald Trump met for two hours Saturday and discussed Iran at length, as well as at the group dinner. The official described it as a Franco‑Iranian meeting for the moment and said that France “is working in full transparency with the US and in full transparency with European partners”. The Ira‑ nian had met with Macron on Friday. Zarif, who faces US sanc‑ tions, had been scheduled to go to Asia as part of a tour to seek support for Iran amid the American campaign against it since Trump with‑ drew the US from Tehran’s 2015 nuclear deal. US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said Trump had not “set preconditions” on negotiations with Iran. Zarif arrived as fissures emerged among G‑7 leaders over how to deal with Iran. Macron said the leaders agreed during a dinner the night before that the French president could serve as a G‑7 messenger to Iran. Trump denied agreeing to anything, and Macron was forced to play down his role and ac‑ knowledge Trump’s status as “the president of the world’s number one power”. The French official also said that based on Saturday night’s dinner, France con‑ siders it important to check in with Zarif to continue to bring positions closer to‑ gether and ease tensions. The official said the French are not “mediators” but think they can contribute to de‑escalation. Macron said he has no formal mandate to speak for the G‑7 leaders in deliv‑ ering a message to Iran, but that he would be able to ad‑ dress the issue in the con‑ text of what they agreed to during a dinner. For several months, Ma‑ cron has taken a lead role in trying to save the 2015 nuclear accord, which has been unravelling since Trump pulled the US out of the agreement. His office said the G‑7 leaders agreed he should serve as a go‑between with Iran. “I haven’t discussed that,” Trump said Sunday morning. He described the dinner as “very, very good” and blamed the media for anything that implied otherwise. But it seemed from other accounts that the previous night’s dinner had been tense, with a clear divide between him and the rest of the G‑7. From left, counter-clockwise, France’s Emmanuel Macron, the US’s Donald Trump, Japan’s Shinzo Abe, Italy’s Giuseppe Conte, European Council President Donald Tusk, Britain’s Boris Johnson, Canada’s Justin Trudeau, and Germany’s Angela Merkel attend a G-7 working session in Biarritz, France, Saturday. - PHOTO: POOL VIA APNext >