NDC warns people about the dangers of drinking
(CNS): Despite the various social and criminal problems that plague Cayman as a result of the use of illegal drugs, the legal one still poses one of the major threats to the community. As a result, the National Drug Council (NDC) is launching its seasonal campaign to urge people to drink responsibly. Partnering with Hollywood Theatres as well as a number of local restaurants and bars, the ‘Be Smart’ initiative encourages people not to drink and drive and warns about the dangers of excessive or binge drinking. It is also alerting drinkers about morning after driving when they can still pose a danger on the roads.
The NDC said there are two parts to this year’s campaign. The first includes radio and TV public service advertisements that are aimed at encouraging people to be responsible. The second includes a Holiday Survival ad that highlights the dangers of irresponsible drinking by advocating moderation, avoiding drinkingand driving, and highlighting risks associated with morning after intoxication.
The holiday is a time of merriment when alcohol is consumed at home, at office parties, or on the town. The NDC has provided essential tips to prevent over consumption and ensure that individuals get home safely this holiday season.
“We have found that when drinking, many people do not consider what a standard drink is and the amount of time it takes their bodies to eliminate it. When it comes to the morning after and getting into your car to drive, not knowing how much you have drunk is extremely dangerous as you may still have alcohol in your system,” explained Joan West-Dacres, the Executive Director of the National Drug Council. “There are lots of myths out there about cures to become sober. However, the only cure is time when it comes to the morning after.”
Category: Local News
Hmmm, how could I live here without being in an altered state?
Drinking. It’s great.
Rehab. It’s for quitters.
It would be great if there were more taxis available after nightclubs close at three. Many people have to walk miles home after celebrating past 3am, and it’s just not safe to do that anymore, even on West Bay Road. The police cars won’t even pull over when pedestrians try to flag them down for help! I think this is why many young people feel compelled to drive even when they know they shouldn’t. On any given Friday it would be safe to assume that a high percentage of traffic at that hour is inebriated in some form or another, but many feel they have no better option.
You anti-bar people posting here are totally missing the point. I happened to be at the meeting when the license holder was granted this license and it’s obvious you are not aware of the facts pertaining to this vessel. Anyone reading here would think that it’s only Stingray City he’s catering to and you’re wrong. BB is an honest Caymanian who is trying to put bread on his table just like me, you and the rest of us and to read some of the negative comments here against him makes me wonder what is really in the minds of some people on this island. I am quite sure many of you are living in glass houses and I know you gah (yes, I’m typing as I speak, and that doesn’t mean that I am not well acquainted with proper english) plenty rocks in your yards so try go sit down with unna complaining and enjoy the Christmas. For crying out loud, have yourself a cold one and if you’re on the water, feel free to pull up to the man’s boat and order another one! Isn’t that more convenient than coming ashore to drive down the road to buy another case? BB, I can’t wait to buck up in ya so we can have good laugh at all this foolishness ya. Cha!
Unfortunately the NDC is just saying what seems politically expedient at the time. The Director would be "moved" if she/he said anything truly independent…like the Auditor General, former chairman of CIMA just to name two examples.
I was totally taken by surprise when i heard on the radio yesterday that Mr. Bush had been granted a licence to operate a bar at Stingray City. Where is the Tendering Process for this unprecedented development? Why should Mr. Bush be the only person allowed to operate such a venture? Will anyone else be entitled to do this? Stingray City is owned by the people of the Cayman Islands…not Mr. Bush. And CIG is once again enabling and nurturing the impression of "choosing" who gets what, rather than following some sensible criteria to award the right to do something.
Furthermore, there is no real reason to establish a bar at such a venue. Stingray City is a Marine Park. Imagine, one can’t take a conch from this area for food…even if unemployed and hungry…lest one wind up in prison, yet the Govt. is going to allow and sanction a bar in this Marine Park. For decades, anyone who wants to have drinks have simply brought their own.
This makes about the same sense as supermarkets cannot open on sundays, as a matter of law (and absolutely NO MUSIC or DANCING)…but bars can open to sell alcohol (oh, but to make that look right to some…let’s close the same bars at 11:45 sat night) no sense at all! What do you say on this one oh powerful CMA? Your silence on everything since holding down any real Human Rights inclusion in the 09 Constitution is deafening. Guess your mission is accomplished…to hell with the rest!
This move to open a bar at Stingray CIty is purely about greed and power. Otherwise Govt. would have at least given the impression of transparency…by first asking "the people"…and then having a process of tendering open to all interested persons/parties.
And i’m not of "the anti-drinking campaign"…i just am of the view that there is a place and time for everything…and a bar at a National Marine Park is not the place…at any time.
What I find very interesting is how this business plan seems to have been passed through the approval process very quietly. How was that accomplished? Who was involved?
The Compass article gave the person involved as saying most of the tourism industry approved the business plan for a floating bar at stingray sandbar. How did they even know of the idea?
Another example of the approval process done behind closed doors, was the Department of Environment consulted the the approval process?
The closed door policy continues in Cayman.
As the National Drug Council initiates a campaign to urge people to drink responsibly, in other news a floating bar gets approval to operate at Sting Ray City. Talk about responsibility! People driving boats and wave runners and swimming with the Sting Rays. What a great cocktail aiming to disaster.
Do we really think a bar enhances the natural product that the stingrays are? Is that what our visitors want?
Do we need that kind of visitors that need alcohol in a Marine Park designated area?
It seems to me that if we continue in this track we will have nothing to be proud of and nothing different show to visitors. We will be like any other place. So why bother coming here then?
I wouldn’t worry too much about it, the licence holder of this extremely idiotic and dangerous idea has never been able to keep a business afloat (pardon the pun) before. No reason for this to be any different
Enough with the hysterical response on this from the usual anti-drinking brigade
There are bars everywhere.. rum point , public beach, turtle farm. Have these bars runined these places? It is possible to drink responsibley. I have never been on a private boat to stingray city where people have NOT been drinking.
You’re missing the point. One of the most common contributing factors to accidents during watersports (and that must include snorkelling at Sandbar) is that the participants are out of shape and probably shouldn’t have been pataking in the first place. Add alcohol consumtion to that scenario and it only increases the possbiblity of accidents.
I’m sure you have seen some of the 400Lb Americans waddling around Cayman. We shouldn’t be encouraging them to drink whilst involved in what can be (even at sanbar on a day with current) a strenuous activity.
of course drinking to excess can increase the risk…. but by your logic there should be no bars at beaches, near pools, turtle farm…
as an adult i think i’ll make my own choices thank you…..
Let the bar staff wear big foam novelty stingray outfits and make it the full cheddar rather than semi cheesy!
How about having a ‘Billy the squid’ style, reenacted shootout with the people dressed as stingrays!
Better still, how about sticking some dolphins in there too which would be a real novelty for those that couldn’t go an afternoon or a visit to a marine park without needing a beer!
Is there anything in Cayman that has not been exploited?
Is there anything left in Cayman that is not for sale?
Is there anyone left in Cayman who hasn’t been overtaken by greed?
I guess it means going somewhere else in the world to see sea life in it’s original habitat.
Three words sum it up – tacky, unrefined, unnecessary!
irresponsible too.
How on earth did that get approval? We try to promote ourselves as being a safe jurisdiction for partaking in watersports………..and then open a bar to serve aocohol to people while they are engaged in watersports. Does the opeartor have to get insurance? Who will they blame when the first cruiseshipper is found floating face down at sandbar having just consumed alcohol purchased at the "floating bar".