Archive for April 24th, 2009
Tradition meets modernity at market special
(CNS): Camana Bay will be hosting a very Caymanian event next week when Market at the Grounds comes to the new town for a special market. Local vendors will be selling traditional Cayman produce and crafts providing an interesting contrast set in one of the islands most modern developments. The market usually takes place weekly in lower valley on Saturdays however this special evening session from 3:30 pm to 8pm will give a new audience unable to attend then a chance to experience what it is all about.
Produce from local farms includes fresh fruit and vegetables plus a range of homemade goods from preserves and pickles to cakes, ice cream, sausages and pepper jelly will be on sale as some twenty vendors peddle their wares. There will also be a selection of native plants on sale, alongside handicrafts including jewellery, handbags, woodwork and traditional arts.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for the vendors of The Market at the Grounds to reach an even wider audience,” said Kurt Tibbetts, the Minister Leader of Government Business. “We hope many of the tourists staying in the hotels and condos along Seven Mile Beach will come and sample some of the quality goods that are grown and produced here in Cayman. It will also be a good introduction for local residents who have not yet had a chance to visit The Market at the Grounds on a Saturday.”
There will also be performances by local band Swanky who will be playing their unique mix of traditional Caymanian, Caribbean and folk music celebrating the island’s diverse cultural heritage. Swanky will be joined by Dance Unlimited who will perform a quadrille, a traditional dance that has been enjoyed by Caymanians for many generations past. Visitors will also be able to enjoy authentic Caymanian cooking such as fried fish and fritters.
“We are excited to introduce our first Evening Market at Camana Bay in partnership with The Grounds,” said Nikki Callender, Senior Events Manager at Camana Bay. “We very much hope that if this first evening market is a success, an Evening Market will become a regular fixture in our calendar of events.”
Vendors at The Evening Market at Camana Bay include Carmen Conolly, Andy Ebanks, Plants and Things, East End Garden & Gifts, Caribos Ltd, Hamlin Stephenson, Willies Fresh Fruit and Jucies, Zelma-lee Ebanks, Sparky’s Farm, Browns Majestic Farm, David Gerfen, Ivarine Johnson, Ailaine Barnes, Whittakers Farms, Annie’s Creations, Launa Batten, Eugene Christian, Maxine Bryson, Imagination, Cayman Sea Salt, Carlton West, Georgeanne General, Pepper Patch, Alvin McLaughlin, Ivy Thomas, Sarita Ebanks and Kirkland Nixon.
Anyone interested in having a stall at The Market at The Grounds should contact Gina Bodden at the Department of Agriculture at 947-3090 or 916-1314.
Kids plant trees on earthday
(CNS): With the younger generation the ones most likely to be impacted by the consequences of the current generation’s failure to address global warming and climate change, children across Grand Cayman were planting tree this week to mark international earth day (22 April) and do their bit to replace the millions of trees destroyed around the world every year. With the help of local communication firm LIME the National Trust delivered trees to schools across the island (Cayman Brac was excluded because of mealy bug precautions still in place.)
This year’s Earth Day campaign is the “Gereen Generation” which will also be the focus of the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day which will be next year in 2010. The fundamental goals include a carbon-free future based on renewable energy which will end the global dependency on fossil fuels, which still seems a long way off for Cayman. The campaign also seeks to emphasize the individual’s commitment to responsible and sustainable consumption and the creation of a new green economy that lifts people out of poverty by creating “green jobs” and transforming education systems worldwide into green ones.
The Cayman Chambers annual Earth Day takes place this Saturday from 7 am when teams across the island will be cleaning up beaches and roadsides.
Cops take up garbage beat
(CNS): Stepping outside the usual role of cleaning the streets of crime an officer from the West Bay police station joined forces with volunteers from the Cayman Islands Beautification Committee yesterday morning (Thursday, April 23) to clear garbage and other debris from a house in Beta Close, West Bay, as part of Earth Week activities. Police Constable Sharon Baillie and the volunteers spent around an hour and a half clearing the yard of garbage which has been an eyesore and a hazard to the environment.
The residents of the property required assistance to have the land cleared which was littered with household items, garden materials, old tyres, pieces of wood and other debris. “This kind of accumulation of garbage and litter is a blemish on the community,” said Area Commander, Chief Inspector Angelique Howell. “Littering can have a huge impact on people’s quality of life and we are pleased to work with the Beautification Committee on projects such as this which are of benefit to all.”
Anyone with information about crime taking place in the Cayman Islands should contact their local police station or Crime Stoppers on 800-8477 (TIPS). All persons calling Crime Stoppers remain anonymous, and are eligible for a reward of up to $1000, should their information lead to an arrest or recovery of property/drugs.
Caybrew becomes Cayman’s first exported beer
(CNS): Locally made beer, Caybrew is about to show what it is made of as it takes on the competitors in the world’s biggest beer market. Having won hearts and minds locally as well as a gold medal the beer is now heading overseas. The General Manager of CIB Allen Chu Fook has announced that Caybrew which is produced by the Cayman Islands Brewery has become one of the first manufactured products in the Cayman Islands to be exported to the United States.
"We are extremely excited to commence our export strategy just two years after the launch of Caybrew in the Cayman Islands,” he said. “We have had very positive feedback from initial test marketing of Caybrew in the USA and we expect the brand to do very well in selected niche markets.” Chu Fook noted that it was a truly monumental move not just for the brewery but for the Cayman Islands too as Caybrew would be spreading the word about Cayman.
Beers that conjure up images of tropical vacations have done well in the US market but Caybrew is not just evocative of memories of great times in the sun, it’s a great tasting beer that can compete with the best of the international brands the brewery said. Caybrew demonstrated its quality recently when it received a gold medal at the Monde Selection Awards 2008. Given its standing, Fook is confident that Caybrew will be as successful in the US as it has been at home which will secure the future for CIB.
Caybrew’s foray into international markets will not only see it act as an ambassador for the destination, but it demonstrates what Cayman manufactures can achieve. Dax Basdeo from the Cayman Islands Investment Bureau, which has supported and worked closely with the brewery since it opened, says this shows what can be achieved with hard work, professional and commercial expertise and, of course, a quality product.
“This is an excellent opportunity for the CI Brewery and is an example of the potential of our local businesses and entrepreneurs. As a past client of the Investment Bureau, it is gratifying to see this business grow and succeed and to hopefully have an even greater economic impact locally through the expansion of its market overseas,” Basdeo noted.
The excitingnew development has been facilitated with the help of Florida based distributers who say that Caybrew is sure to be a hit in the Sunshine State and beyond. “This is a fantastic product and we are delighted to be partnering with CIB to be able to sell Caybrew here in the US. It’s not just got a great image that is attractive to people here, but it is a great tasting beer,” said Fritz Hofmeister. “To begin with we will be rolling Caybrew out across Florida but then we will be taking Caybrew across the country.”
The first export of Caybrew set sail this week and it will be holding its own of the shelves in licensed establishments across the US by 1 May, bringing a little sample of Cayman and a great tasting beer to a whole new audience.