High of 90 Low of 80 Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. BUSINESS | PAGE 11 TAX DEPARTMENT CLARIFIES ECONOMIC SUBSTANCE RULES SPORTS | PAGE 15 RUBY SHINES IN SPARTAN ENDEAVOUR ESTABLISHED 1965 www.caymancompass.com – 50 CENTS – WEDNESDAY, 28 AUGUST 2019 Expect to see school buses on the streets again, with the start of school on Tuesday. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Buses back on roads as schools reopen MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@compassmedia.ky Tuesday morning the buses were once again rolling. Alarm clocks rang earlier. Dormant backpacks were pulled on. And many parents breathed a sigh of relief. School was back in session for all gov- ernment primary schools on Tuesday. John Gray and Clifton Hunter high schools wel- come students back today. Most private schools open this week as well. Melissa Rankine was enjoying the change. Having just dropped her Year 5 daughter off at Red Bay Primary, she stood under a walkway awning, speaking with several other mothers and smiling. “We’re so happy, we don’t want to leave the school,” she said. “It feels so good to be free.” She said her daughter was equally thrilled. “It was a little difficult to get her out of bed this morning, but once she was up, it was nothing but excitement,” she said. “She was excited to see her friends. She was ex- cited to see her new teacher.” One of the women talking with Rankine was Devon Myles. She said her daughter could not wait to start Year 5. “She packed everything last night,” Myles said. “I didn’t even have to iron. She ironed Clampdown on rogue car dealers JAMES WHITTAKER jwhittaker@pinnaclemedialtd.com. Government is beginning to clamp down on unlicensed traders selling imported cars by the roadside. Infrastructure Minister Joey Hew said there were con- cerns that many of the cars being imported into the is- lands where being resold on the black market. He said his min- istry was working with Cus- toms and Border Control to in- vestigate and prevent people from bringing in cars for resale without a proper trade and busi- ness license. More than 4,000 SUVs, trucks and motorcycles were shipped into the islands last year – al- most triple the number that were brought to the island in 2010. One local dealer told the Compass he believes less than 25% of those are being brought to the country by licensed busi- nesses. Robert Campbell, who has been running Campbells Auto Repair and Sales on North Sound Road for three decades, said the problem had been get- ting steadily worse over the past few years. He believes at least half of the vehicles being imported on a weekly basis are being resold. Minister Hew said govern- ment was working to cut out that illegal trade. “We have a lot of people here who are importing cars from overseas, buying them through the internet and selling them locally,” Hew said. “We are tracking imports and if you have Infrastructure Minister Joey Hew says there are concerns that imported cars are being resold on the black market. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 » OFFICIAL FUNERAL TO BE HELD FOR JOHN MCLEAN The government announced Tuesday that an official funeral will be held for the late John McLean Sr., who passed away over the weekend. This will be the second official funeral within a month, following the service for Cay- man’s first governor, Athelstan Charles Long, on 14 Aug. McLean, 69, spent 24 years as the East End member of the Legislative Assembly. He served three four-year terms as an Executive Council member, overseeing agriculture, communica- tions and works. This position is equivalent to what is known today as a Cabinet minister. As well as an official funeral that will be organised by the Protocol Office, the com- munity is also invited to participate today (Wednesday) in a candlelight service and mo- torcade being organised by McLean’s family. The motorcade, which begins at 6pm, will set out from his birthplace – 2714 Seaview Road in East End – and proceed to Sunny- field Road, onto the Queens Highway and then back down John McLean Drive, which is named after the former legislator, to East End Heritage Field. The candlelight service in cel- ebration of his life will begin at 7pm at Her- itage Field. In honour of McLean, the Union and Cayman Islands flags flew at half-staff on all government buildings on Monday. In a press release, the government stated that flags will fly at half-staff again for two days preceding his funeral, the date of which has not been announced. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 8 »2 LOCAL NEWS WEDNESDAY, 28 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(PG13) 1:40 I 10:00 (NO SAT) SUN: 6:30 I 10:00 THE CURSE OF LA LLORONA (R) 1:10 VIP I 4:35 I 7:00 VIP I 10:15 HELLBOY (R) 12:35 (SAT ONLY) I 1:00 I 6:10 (SAT ONLY) I 6:45 SHAZAM! (PG13) 1:30 I 3:40 VIP I 7:15 I 9:30 VIP SUN: 3:40 VIP I 4:40 I 6:40 VIP 8:00 I 9:40 VIP KIDS CLUB: OVER THE HEDGE (PG) 10:00 (SAT ONLY) CULTURE AT THE CINEMA: THE TRAGEDY OF KIND RICHARD THE SECOND(R18) SAT ONLY: 8:00 Matinees Daily (matinee price before 6pm) Seniors $8.00, Mon-Fri Before 6pm Additional charges apply per 3D/VIP tickets Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any film starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. - WEDNESDAY - 640-FILM (640-3456) 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 T: 949-7400 E: drschambers@caymanclinic.ky E: administration@caymanclinic.ky Dr. Sharon Chambers Rheumatologist Cayman International School gears up to open new preschool MARK MUCKENFUSS mmuckenfuss@compassmedia.ky This may not be the best space for someone with ob- sessive compulsive dis- order. Straight lines are in short supply. Cayman International School’s new preschool, which opens to students next week, feels like one of those hard candies with a soft centre. The subdued archi- tecture of the exterior gives no hint of the squishy in- sides, where curves and un- conventionally shaped door- ways and openings create an environment it’s hard to be- lieve any kid would not be at- tracted to. “This is the best facility of its kind I’ve ever seen,” said Emily O’Keefe, who will be teaching music and move- ment to children aged 2 to 5. “I’ve worked on island and off island. It’s so thoughtful about its design. This space is beautiful. The acoustics are wonderful.” The newly completed building, which will serve 160 students starting 3 Sept., is the first half of a two-part $45 million expansion for Cayman International School. A new high school is being built immediately next door and will open in fall 2020. School director Jeremy Moore said the approach in designing the school – which was done by Dart ar- chitects – was a bit of a re- verse engineer. “We talked about learning first and built the school around that,” Moore said. Which led to such things as holes in the walls, where padded surfaces allow stu- dents to squirrel themselves away in a ‘cave’ so they can read a book or just enjoy some quiet time; nooks with lofts for similar access to per- sonal space; knee-high sinks that are just the right height for toddlers to use; and cubby holes along walls in common spaces and hallways, where portable cushions are stored for impromptu seating. Alex Russell, vice presi- dent of design, said many of the features did not come from the architects on the project. “The idea of these lofts and nooks actually came from the teaching staff,” Rus- sell said. “It’s a great nar- rative about the collabora- tive effort that is maybe not that normal.” The C-shaped school is arranged around a heavily landscaped courtyard dotted with play equipment, in- cluding an open-slatted playhouse, spinning seats, a jungle gym made from pol- ished timber, a rubberised track for tricycles and a swerving path that meanders up a raised knoll to the top of a slide. Indigenous as well as non- native trees and plants are plentiful and, Russell said, over time they will create an even more welcoming feel. “This will become an ex- tremely shaded environ- ment,” he said. Fenced-in and covered outdoor patio areas line the playground’s perimeter. They serve as extensions to each of the classrooms. Wooden tables and stools in these spaces were made by local carpenter Shervin Rankin. “We’re really aware of being part of island cul- ture as well,” said principal Melody Meade. “I think that’s really important.” The rails along the pa- tios were constructed in Cayman. But most materials were shipped in. The play- ground equipment, designed by Richter, was imported from Germany. Windowed walls in the rooms keep the spaces well lit. “You barely have to turn on a light because there’s so much natural light,” said Moore. The construction of the school will open up badly needed classroom space. Pri- vate schools in Cayman are badly impacted and expa- triate parents often struggle to find space for their chil- dren, particularly those in the earlier grades. The new ad- dition has allowed CIS to in- crease enrolment by 120 stu- dents in the preschool and primary grades. O’Keefe said she cannot wait for the school to open next week. “I don’t know who’s going to have more fun,” she said, “me or the kids.” Playground equipment at the Cayman International School’s new preschool was imported from Germany. Benches throughout the new preschool have under-seat storage compartments with removable cushions for additional seating space. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY Jeremy Moore, director of Cayman International School A short set of stairs leads to a reading loft, offering children some private space in Cayman International School’s new preschool.The islands’ most-trusted news source 3 CAYMAN COMPASS WEDNESDAY, 28 AUGUST 2019 The cruise tourism industry injects US$200 million into our economy each year www.SupportOurTourism.com Join the conversation ✓ Tourism is estimated to contribute 25-30% to our GDP ✓ 80% of our visitors arrive here by cruise ship ✓ Servicing this industry provides employment for over 4,500 jobs ✓ The vast majority of those jobs are held by Caymanians – cruise tourism is a Caymanian industry ✓ The cruise berthing facility will protect those jobs, create more of them and safeguard our cruise tourism industry at no cost to the public purse. Today’s cruise passenger often returns as tomorrow’s stayover guest. Our tourism industry needs both. SUPPORT THE PORT4 LOCAL NEWS WEDNESDAY, 28 AUGUST 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS crushed last year when a well-known rapper in Florida that they admired was mur- dered. This is how this ini- tiative came about. We were brainstorming together on what they could do and the idea of a talent show came up. We are grateful to The- olodge and the local re- cording artists for offering their talents to help the teens put this together.” This is a new initiative for BPW Grand Cayman, a non- partisan charter group of the International Federation of Business & Professional Women founded in 1930. “Young BPW mem- bers, who are Club mem- bers under the age of 35, have been trying to come up with initiatives for our com- munity that make an im- pact on the younger genera- tions. We thought that this one was a perfect fit for us,” Baldwin said. She explained that the objective of the musical showcases is to inspire at- risk youth that they can follow their dreams in a healthy way. “You do not have to have violent song lyrics or use unhealthy coping skills such as drugs or alcohol,” she said. Baldwin added, “Studies have shown that at-risk youth who are given ac- cess to the arts out of school have better academic results, better workforce opportuni- ties, and more community engagement. Creative arts can provide an outlet for ad- dressing emotional and/or problem behaviours through opportunities to learn new skills, develop talents, and express thoughts and ideas in creative and therapeutic ways. Through this initia- tive, we hope to make a long- lasting positive impact on all the teens involved in it.” The TAYA Lounge, a teen and young adult drop-in centre for at-risk youth in Cayman, is an umbrella pro- gramme of the Cayman Is- lands Crisis Centre. It opened in February 2017 to address the needs of at-risk young people between the ages of 14 and 21. Theo Jones, better known by his stage name ‘The- olodge’ is a rising hip hop star from Orlando, Florida, and a former professional basketball player. He said in the release that he is “all about hard work, keeping clean and keeping it positive”, adding, “This is the message that I want to share with the teens in Cayman.” Friday’s event runs from 9pm to midnight and is free to attend. Tickets are $10 for the showcase at the Harquail Theatre on Saturday, from 6‑9pm, and will be available on the door or by emailing natalie.baldwin@cicc.ky. Prevention is better than cure. That was the mes- sage from the Lions Club of Grand Cayman when the club hosted an educational seminar last week on pros- tate, colon and testicular can- cers at the Seafarers Associ- ation Hall. The 20 Aug. event also served as the formal launch of the club’s annual PACCE (Prostate and Colon Cancer Event), the eighth an- nual Delano Hislop Memo- rial Journey for Life Walk/ Run, which will be held on Sunday, 22 Sept. Hislop was a vibrant member of the club who passed away from prostate cancer. The event is held in his honour annually. Pro- ceeds are donated to Jasmine (formerly Cayman Hospice- Care) and the Cayman Is- lands Cancer Society. The educational event was aimed at raising cancer awareness and gar- nering support for the annual fundraiser. Special guest speaker Dr. Andy Shillingford deliv- ered an address on the im- portance of testing and early cancer detection. As part of the club’s push to stress the need for testing, nurses were on hand to conduct free PSA screenings for interested individuals. The meeting also saw the debut of the Lions Club of Grand Cayman’s new Lion mascot. Donations of gro- cery supplies were also deliv- ered to needy members of the public in attendance. The Seafarers Associ- ation donated $5,000 to- wards the Club’s annual PACCE event. The next educational sem- inar is planned for 3 Sept. in Bodden Town. To learn more or to sign up for the walk/run, visit www.caymanactive.com/registrations. Lions Club shines spotlight on prostate cancer Lions Club of Grand Cayman president Cordella Chollette and the club’s mascot spread some goodwill during the seminar by distributing free groceries. - PHOTOS: SUBMITTED Seafarers Association President Denniston Tibbetts presents Lions Club of Grand Cayman member Andrew Eden, right, and Lions Club of Grand Cayman President Cordella Chollette with a donation of $5,000 for the Club’s PACCE event on 3 Sept. 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” Musical showcase to support TAYA Lounge The Business & Pro- fessional Women’s Club of Grand Cayman will host two musical showcases in sup- port of the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre’s TAYA Lounge this weekend. On Friday, Florida-based hip hop artist Theolodge will join local artists at The Lodge at The Strand for a fundraiser that is open to the public for people over 18. Then, on Sat- urday, a Youth Talent Show- case will be held at the Har- quail Theatre and will be open to all ages. “Our teens are super ex- cited about working with these talented recording art- ists and coming up with original music that they will perform at the Youth Mu- sical Showcase,” said Na- talie Baldwin, Young BPW President and coordinator of the Taya Lounge in a press release. “Music is an integral part of the teens’ lives. They were Theo Jones, aka Theolodge, will be helping to raise funds for the TAYA Lounge this weekend.The islands’ most-trusted news source 5 CAYMAN COMPASS WEDNESDAY, 28 AUGUST 2019 6 LOCAL NEWS WEDNESDAY, 28 AUGUST 2019 • CAYMAN COMPASS Police arrested two men in West Bay last week on sus‑ picion of taking marine life after finding a shell of an endangered green sea turtle with blood on it in their car. A subsequent search of a premises revealed a package of turtle meat. The men were arrested on 21 Aug. when police and Cus‑ toms and Border Control Ser‑ vice officers conducted a joint operation at an address on Up The Hill Road. During the operation, of‑ ficers searched a vehicle at the residence and recov‑ ered a package containing suspected ganja. They ar‑ rested a 27‑year‑old man, of Bodden Town, on suspicion of possession and consump‑ tion of ganja. During a further search of the vehicle, officers dis‑ covered the turtle shell, and found the turtle meat inside the residence. The 27‑year‑old man was further arrested on suspicion of taking ma‑ rine life without being li‑ censed. A second man, age 39 of West Bay, was also ar‑ rested on suspicion of the same offence. Both men were granted bail as investiga‑ tions continue. “Although our initial search was conducted based on possible drug offences, the marine offence that was de‑ tected is quite significant,” said Detective Superinten‑ dent Peter Lansdown in an RCIPS press release. “As the police service, it is part of our remit to investigate and prosecute these offenses as well, in conjunction with our partner agencies, and it is a responsibility we take very seriously.” Janice Blumenthal of the Department of Environ‑ ment said the shell had been taken from an adult green sea turtle, one of fewer than 150 such animals left in the wild around the Cayman Is‑ lands. “It is also the second turtle shell recovered in an apparent poaching incident within the past month on Grand Cayman,” she said. “Although the Depart‑ ment of Environment has seen a steady increase in the number of turtle nests in re‑ cent years, poaching of even a few endangered adult sea turtles can lead to a reversal of that trend very quickly,” she added. 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! As a thank you for your support, Ace is having a special Anniversary Sale on August 31st. Enjoy sale prices on all Valvoline, Craftsman, Magnolia Home and select Ace branded products all day. 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 The Environmental Management System at the North Sound Road Power Plant is registered to ISO 14001 CUC reminds the public that its electricity meters installed on customers’ premises are protected by law. It is unlawful to dishonestly waste or divert any electricity, or to destroy any meter. Accordingly, in any instance where a meter has been found to have been unlawfully removed, disconnected, shorted-out, damaged or tampered with in any way, or where the meter seals have been broken, the supply of electricity will be immediately disconnected and CUC will require payment of a connection fee of up to $500.00 as well as payment in full for any electricity illegally obtained before service can be restored. In addition, any person who has committed a criminal offence in relation to an electricity meter will be liable to prosecution and may on conviction be penalised by imprisonment, a fine or both. Only authorised CUC employees are permitted to install, remove or otherwise work on the Company’s electricity meters. If you have any queries, please contact our Customer Service Department at 949-5200 or via e-mail at service@cuc.ky. Tampering with Meters is Illegal CITIZEN JOURNALISTS SOUGHT FOR DG’S 5K RUN Organisers of the Deputy Governor’s 5K are looking for amateur photographers to help document this year’s runs on Cayman Brac and Grand Cayman. Volunteers can contribute photos, videos, articles, news reports, interviews and event reports, according to a press release. “Once selected, citizen journalists will receive infor‑ mation guidelines and other important information at photojournalism workshops,” the release stated. Workshops will be held on Friday, 13 Sept., for Cayman Brac volunteers and on Friday, 27 Sept., for Grand Cayman volunteers. The registration dead‑ lines are 11 Sept. for Cayman Brac and 25 Sept. for Grand Cayman. Volunteers will receive an event T‑shirt, a certificate of contribution signed by Deputy Governor Franz Man‑ derson, as well as “exposure and experience in serving the Cayman Islands, and opportu‑ nity to develop a photography portfolio”, organisers said. The DG’s 5K will take place on the Brac on Sunday, 15 Sept., and on Sunday, 29 Sept. on Grand Cayman. Volunteers who wish to help document the event and take part in the workshops can register at: https:// forms.gle/BUS5TL3oLsUngGXV9. Enquiries can be sent to dg5k@gov.ky. During a further search of the vehicle, officers discovered the turtle shell, and found the turtle meat inside the residence. Two men arrested after bloodied turtle shell found in car Runners set off at last year’s Deputy Governor’s 5K on Grand Cayman. This year, organisers are inviting citizen journalists to document the event. - PHOTO: TANEOS RAMSAY7 LOCAL NEWS CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY, 28 AUGUST 2019 Save the date The 8 th Annual KPMG Brain Bowl Tournament Date: Wednesday, October 30, 2019 Venue: Kimpton Seafire Resort and Spa Students, get ready to build your way to the top at the epic, highly anticipated, high-school challenge. Family members and friends can watch the tournament from anywhere via Facebook Live on our KPMG in the Cayman Islands page. We are delighted to announce that this year we will be partnering with the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, an organization that has made it their mission to conserve the marine environment through scientific research and educational programs. For more information, visit careers.kpmg.ky or contact, Cindy Reid at cindyreid@kpmg.ky for any questions. © 2019 KPMG, a Cayman Islands partnership and a member firm. #KPMGBrainBowl Indecent exposure captured on video Defendant also faces charge of indecent assault ANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky Grand Court jurors on Tuesday viewed videos that prosecutors say show a man indecently exposing him‑ self to a woman he assaulted. Leandro Theodore Solomon, 29, who is charged with indecent as‑ sault and exposure, is accused of in‑ decently touching himself in front of the woman, after allegedly grabbing her on the buttocks. Sitting in the witness box on Tuesday, the complainant recalled her 25‑minute ordeal. She told the seven‑ member jury panel that at around 12:30am on 15 Oct. last year, she was walking home alone along South Church Street when a stranger ap‑ proached her. She said he asked her for a ciga‑ rette and began walking alongside her. She told the court that during that time, he made several advances to her and even offered to pay her rent, but she declined his offers and began videoing the incident on her phone. In one video shown to the jury, the woman can repeatedly be heard telling the man not to follow her and that she was going home, and he should keep walking. In another video, the man can be heard offering to expose himself while the com‑ plainant screams and curses at him to get away, and cries out for help. During questioning by Crown counsel Kerri‑Ann Gillies, the com‑ plainant said that when she turned her back to the defendant and began walking away, he ran up to her, grabbed her on her lower back and then on her buttocks. Although the assault is not seen on the videos, he was re‑ corded touching himself in front of the woman. The complainant said that by using Facebook, and in a subsequent police line‑up, she was able to iden‑ tify Solomon as her attacker. When opening the case, Gillies told the jury that one of the video clips was posted on a social media site, where a Royal Cayman Islands Police Service officer viewed it and also identified the man in the video as Solomon. Solomon faces one count of inde‑ cent assault in relation to grabbing the woman, as well as a charge of in‑ decent exposure. He denies the allega‑ tions, and the trial continues. Man charged for Bodden Town stabbing Woman found with stab wounds after single-vehicle collision ANDREL HARRIS aharris@compassmedia.ky A man accused of stab‑ bing a woman in the head had his charges sent to the Grand Court on Tuesday. Troy Andre Ivey, 29, of Bodden Town, appeared be‑ fore the Summary Court to face charges of wounding with intent, wounding and carrying an offensive weapon. The charges stem from an incident on Sunday. Police said in a press re‑ lease that just after 2:05am Sunday, officers received re‑ ports of a man threatening to stab a woman he knew. Police say they were also told that the car the man and woman were travelling was involved in a single‑vehicle accident. A spokesperson for RCIPS said that when police arrived on the scene, the woman was found with an injury to her head, which EMS staff later identified as stab wounds. Ivey was arrested on sus‑ picion of grievous bodily harm, and a search of the car revealed a knife. The woman was taken to the hospital, where she was treated and later released. Ivey is scheduled to ap‑ pear in Grand Court on 20 Sept. Ivey is scheduled to appear in Grand Court on 20 Sept. Police use taser to stop fight Police used a taser to subdue a man who was involved in a fight among a large group of people early on Sat ‑ urday morning. Police said they were dispatched around 1:50am in response to a 911 call about a fight at Caribbean Plaza on West Bay Road. Four men at the scene continued to be‑ have aggressively to‑ wards each other after police arrived, and a 20‑year‑old man from George Town was tased by the police officers. The man was then ar‑ rested for affray. The arrested man was taken by ambu‑ lance to hospital for a medical examina‑ tion and he later dis‑ charged. He was booked into cus‑ tody and then bailed, police said. Three other men, ages 30, 21 and 18, all from Bodden Town, were also arrested in the inci‑ dent. They were subse‑ quently bailed. Sitting in the witness box on Tuesday, the complainant recalled her 25‑minute ordeal. She told the seven‑member jury panel that at around 12:30am on 15 Oct. last year, she was walking home alone along South Church Street when a stranger approached her.The islands’ most-trusted news source 8 WEDNESDAY, 28 AUGUST 2019 CAYMAN COMPASS her own school uniform.” There was some trepi- dation for other students. Karlene Wright was one of a steady stream of parents who lined up at a booth where they could pay for their children’s snacks and lunches. She said her Year 2 son was not sure about en- gaging with a new teacher. “He wanted to go back to his Year 1 teacher,” she said. “When he got to the door [of his new class- room], he was a bit hesi- tant, but then he went in.” But Merrie-Ann McField, a janitor and aide at the school, said no real melt- downs had taken place. “Not one child cried,” said McField. “Every child was happy, the parents, the children, everyone. This year is going to be a good year.” In West Bay, the fleet of buses at Smith’s Transport rumbled onto the road just after 7am. “It’s back to business,” said operations manager Taron Smith. “It’s a bit of a hustle and bustle.” He said between 30% and 40% of the students who ride the bus come to the yard where they are parked and board there, rather than waiting to be picked up. During the first day back at school, he said, the excitement of the kids is palpable. “You do sense it, saying good morning to the kids,” he said. “You see a lot of new faces.” For Smith, the transi- tion to school days means the end of a summer full of maintenance projects on the buses. “It’s not down- time,” he said. Nor is it for parents who have to find ways to keep their kids busy during those hot days with no class. At Red Bay, Myles said she would spend the day adjusting. “I’m going back home to rest,” she said, “until 2:45pm.” imported two or three cars for the year already, we will investigate and find out if you are running a business.” He said anyone trading in imported vehicles needed to be licensed through the De- partment of Commerce and Investment and to have a place to sell the vehicles. “We are trying to slow down the importation of cars by illegal dealers and to battle the occurrences of people using the roadside as a sales lot.” He said the move should help stimulate the le- gitimate local used car trade. Government is also looking into further initia- tives, including potentially restricting the age of cars that can be imported into the islands. Councillor Austin Harris is heading up a com- mittee looking into solutions. Campbell said he was pleased to see some move- ment on the issue. He said he had been calling for regula- tion of imports for years. He wants to see a paper trail linking vehicle im- ports to a specific driver and a law preventing the ve- hicle from being resold for at least a year. That would pre- vent people bringing in cars in someone else’s name and selling them on, he said. He also endorses restric- tions on the age of vehicles imported to the islands. He said Cayman could look to other Caribbean countries to see what restric- tions to put in place. Jamaica, for example, only allows residents to import one car every three years. Campbell believes similar limits should be in place in the Cayman Islands. He said everyone should be required to get a special permit to im- port a vehicle to the territory and recommended stricter restrictions for visitors and work permit holders. He said, “I brought this issue up for the first time in 2007 and it has only got worse since then. We have to put a stop to it. It may al- ready be too late. We have too many cars in Cayman.” He said unlicensed traders were a threat to le- gitimate businesses because they did not pay business li- censing fees, maintain proper facilities or pay health and pension benefits. He said their lack of expertise also raised the risk of unsafe cars being put on the road. Buses back on roads as schools reopen CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Clampdown on rogue car dealers “ Not one child cried. Every child was happy, the parents, the children, everyone. This year is going to be a good year.” MERRIE-ANN MCFIELD, Red Bay Primary Puerto Rico braces as Tropical Storm Dorian nears SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) – Jorge Ortiz, a 50-year-old construction worker, was taking no chances as Tropical Storm Dorian approached Puerto Rico on Tuesday and threatened to brush past the island’s southwest coast at near-hurricane strength. Wiping sweat from his brow, Ortiz climbed up a shaky ladder under the pun- ishing morning sun and tied down pieces of zinc that now serve as his roof because Hurricane Maria ripped the second floor off his house when the Category 4 storm hit in September 2017. He was forced to rebuild everything himself and fin- ished just three months ago, and said he received no as- sistance from the local or federal government. “They told me I didn’t qualify because it was a total loss,” he said, shaking his head as he added that he was wary about Dorian. “I’m wor- ried that despite all this sac- rifice, I’ll lose it again.” It’s a concern shared by many across the US territory, where some 30,000 homes still have blue tarps as roofs and where the 3.2 million in- habitants depend on a shaky power grid that Maria de- stroyed and remains prone to outages even in the slightest of rain storms. Dorian was located about 370 miles east-southeast of Ponce, Puerto Rico, Tuesday afternoon. The US National Hurricane Center said it had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph and was forecast to strengthen during the next 48 hours before passing near or south of the US territory on Wednesday as it moves west-northwest at 13 mph. “The biggest problem will be the rain,” said Roberto García, a forecaster with the National Meteorological Ser- vice in Puerto Rico. The storm was expected to dump between 3 to 6 inches of rain in the Wind- ward islands, with isolated amounts of 10 inches. Do- rian already caused power outages and downed trees in Barbados and St. Lucia, and a still-uncertain long-term track showed the storm near Florida over the weekend. The Hurricane Center is- sued a hurricane watch and a tropical storm warning for Puerto Rico and for the Do- minican Republic from Isla Saona to Samaná. Tropical storm watches were in force for Saba, St. Eustatius and parts of the Dominican Re- public from Isla Saona to Punta Palenque and from Sa- maná to Puerto Plata. In Puerto Rico, some gro- cery stores ran out of bottled water as people rushed to buy supplies including gen- erators and filled their cars with gasoline. Government officials on the island warned of possible landslides, flash flooding and power outages, with Puerto Rico’s health secretary urging those with certain health conditions such as diabetes to be prepared. The island’s transporta- tion secretary acknowledged that crews are still rebuilding roads damaged or blocked by Maria. He said more than 1,000 remain blocked by that storm’s landslides. Gov. Wanda Vázquez signed an executive order on Monday declaring a state of emergency and urged those living under a tarp to stay in one of the island’s 360 shel- ters if needed. Housing Sec- retary Fernando Gil said some 9,000 to 13,000 homes with blue-tarp roofs are lo- cated in the region that Dorian is expected to af- fect the most. Officials also said they would close all public schools by Tuesday afternoon. Vázquez said this time, the island’s Electric Power Au- thority has a vast inventory of equipment to cope with storm damage – $141 mil- lion worth compared with $22 million during Maria. That includes more than 23,000 poles, 120,000 lights and 7,400 transformers. A resident works to tie down his roof in preparation for the arrival of Tropical Storm Dorian on Tuesday in San Juan, Puerto Rico. – PHOTO: AP9 WORLD®IONAL CAYMAN COMPASS • WEDNESDAY, 28 AUGUST 2019 SEMINAR & WORKSHOP TITLES COST (CI$) TIMEDATE DAYTIME SESSIONS Introduction to EXCEL$2259am –4pmSept. 4 The Customer Service Excellence Workshop$2259 am –4 pmSept. 11 QuickBooks: Essential Skills$225 9 am –4 pm Sept. 12 Intermediate EXCEL Workshop$225 9 am –4 pm Oct. 2 Managing Time & Stress in the Workplace$225 9 am –4 pm Oct. 3 Minute Taking: Essential Skills$250 9 am –4 pmOct. 9 The Professional Receptionist$225 9 am –4 pm Oct. 16 Intermediate WORD Workshop$225 9 am –4 pmOct. 30 INVEST IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CALL US TODAY @ 943-4678 OFFICE TEL FAX E-MAIL WEBSITE ʹͲͳ ͻͶ͵Ǧ ȋͶͺȌ ͻͶ͵ǦͶͻ ̴̷ Ǥ ǤǤ Innovative Management & Professional Training Business & Computer Skills Training Seminars & Workshops training sessions. EMAIL: INFO_IMPT@CANDW.KY SEMINAR & WORKSHOP TITLES COST (CI$) TIMEDATE DAYTIME SESSIONS Introduction to EXCEL$225 9am –4pm Sept. 4 The Customer Service Excellence Workshop$225 9 am –4 pm Sept. 11 QuickBooks: Essential Skills$225 9 am –4 pm Sept. 12 Intermediate EXCEL Workshop$225 9 am –4 pm Oct. 2 Managing Time & Stress in the Workplace$225 9 am –4 pm Oct. 3 Minute Taking: Essential Skills$250 9 am –4 pmOct. 9 The Professional Receptionist$225 9 am –4 pm Oct. 16 Intermediate WORD Workshop$225 9 am –4 pmOct. 30 INVEST IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CALL US TODAY @ 943-4678 OFFICE TEL FAX E-MAIL WEBSITE ʹͲͳ ͻͶ͵Ǧ ȋͶͺȌ ͻͶ͵ǦͶͻ ̴̷ Ǥ ǤǤ Innovative Management & Professional Training Business & Computer Skills Training Seminars & Workshops Contact us for a full listing of available titles or to discuss private training sessions. 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ACCA Accounting Certifications (The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants – over 100 years strong ) OFFICE TEL FAX E-MAIL WEBSITE ʹͲͳ ǤǤ Starting Sept.2 ndAsk about our payment plans for self-sponsored students AAT Accounting Qualifications (From the Association of Accounting Technicians) ICSA Certifications (From the Institute of Chartered Secretaries & Administrators) Contact us for further details @ 943-4678 Spurning Amazon aid, Bolsonaro demands apology from Macron JACUNDA NATIONAL FOREST, Brazil (AP) – Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Tuesday said Brazil will only ac- cept an offer of international aid to fight Amazon fires if French leader Emmanuel Ma- cron retracts comments that he finds offensive. Bolsonaro said Macron had called him a liar and he accused the French presi- dent of questioning Brazil’s sovereignty amid tensions over fires sweeping the Am- azon region. Macron has to retract some of his comments “and then we can speak”, Bol- sonaro said. He spoke a day after the Group of Seven nations pledged $20 million to help fight the flames in the Am- azon and protect the rain- forest, in addition to a sepa- rate $12 million from Britain and $11 million from Canada. Macron, who has ques- tioned Bolsonaro’s trustwor- thiness and commitment to protecting biodiversity, has shrugged off the snub from the Brazilian president. The French leader said in a speech Tuesday that Bol- sonaro’s interpretation is a “mistake”. He said the money is not just aimed at Brazil but at nine countries in the Am- azon region, including Co- lombia and Bolivia. France too considers itself an Am- azon country via its overseas region of French Guiana. Macron and Bolsonaro have been feuding over social media in recent days. Equipped with hoses con- nected to rubber backpacks, Brazilian firefighters in the Amazon on Monday raced in a truck along dirt roads to- wards plumes of smoke after a spotter in a military hel- icopter directed them to a fast-spreading fire. A landowner opened the gate of a barbed wire fence and the firefighters set to work, dousing a fire they be- lieved was intentionally set to prepare land for crops or pasture. When their water supply ran out, they made a fire break, clearing brush with machetes and chain- saws to starve the blaze of its fuel. The smoke-shrouded scene near the lush Jacunda national forest in the Ama- zonian state of Rondonia, witnessed by an Associated Press team, showed the enor- mity of the challenge ahead: putting out a multitude of blazes and safeguarding – in the long term – a vast region described by world leaders as critical to the health of the planet. The country’s National Space Research Institute, which monitors deforesta- tion, has recorded that the number of fires has risen by 85% to more than 77,000 in the last year, a record since the institute began keeping track in 2013. About half of the fires have been in the Amazon region, with most of those just in the past month. The international pledges came even though Bolsonaro has accused rich countries of treating the region like a “colony” and suggested the West is angling to exploit Brazil’s natural resources. But the funds, which are widely seen as critical sup- port, are still a relatively meagre amount for dealing with an environmental crisis that threatens what Ma- cron has called “the lungs of the planet”. Under international pres- sure to act, Bolsonaro said he might visit the Amazon region this week to check on firefighting efforts and would make 44,000 troops avail- able to fight the blazes. How- ever, the military presence in the area seemed scarce on Monday, with only a few sol- diers seen patrolling roads and lending a hand. At dawn, the blazing sun was hidden under thick smoke that blanketed the ho- rizon like fog. Trucks carrying fresh timber sped through a road that cut through lands where heaps of ash were piled around charred logs. Some local residents seemed torn between knowing that the fires were devastating the environment around them, and needing to extract the Amazon’s rich natural re- sources to make a living. About 60% of the Amazon region is in Brazil, although the vast forest also spans parts of Bolivia, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru and Suriname. The Amazon’s rain- forests are a major absorber of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and described by environmentalists as a critical defence against cli- mate change. Firefighters rest briefly as they battle fires along the road to Jacunda National Forest, near the city of Porto Velho in Brazil’s Amazon, Monday. – PHOTO: APNext >