Brac cruise stops “not viable”
(CNS): Although Premier McKeeva Bush continues to promise to develop cruise tourism on Cayman Brac, the previous tourism minister, Charles Clifford, told CNS that the PPM looked at all angles of the cruise ship business for the Brac and concluded that the only economically feasible way to develop it at this time wouldbe to offer day trips packages to passengers docking on Grand Cayman, which would include a flight on CAL’s Cayman Express Service and tours of the island. The cost of building berthing facilities, which would run to about $100 million, was not viable, he said.
At the Cayman Business Outlook conference last month, Bush vowed to bring cruise ships to the Brac, repeating a promise he made at the Economic Forum held on the island in August 2009, when he told residents that he intended to approve plans for Salt Water Pond to be dredged and turned into a marina and also for the development of West End Cemetery Pier (Scotts Dock) to accommodate cruise tourism, and would waste no time helping the developers to get it done. “I promise you that when those things come before my desk, as it will come before the Cabinet, it will have my go ahead. Not in the way distant future but as soon as you can do so, we will support it,” he said.
However, Clifford told CNS that during the PPM administration they had many discussions with the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA), but the feedback was that there were serious issues with bringing cruise tourism to Cayman Brac. Firstly, because of the narrow shape of the island and the way the island lies, at a north-northeast south-southwest angle, and with the winds predominantly from the north east, the weather conditions on both the north and the south sides were challenging more often than not.
“This means that tendering cruise ship passengers is not viable. We then asked if it was feasible to build berthing facilities and we talked to them about that,” Clifford said. However, he said that because of the weather conditions, it would have to be a substantial investment – a deck berthing structure would not work – and they estimated the cost involved to be in the region of $100 million, which the cruise lines were not prepared to invest.
In addition, when they considered the size of the population, which is about 1,800, against the average size of the cruise ships, this would not work. “Most cruise ships have 2,000 plus passengers. This would be like 80,000 passengers arriving on Grand Cayman. The population could not cope.”
The next step, Clifford said, was to consider the smaller cruise ships with 250 to 350 passengers. “There are not a lot operating and typically they have two to three week trips,” he said. “If a ship puts a destination on its itinerary, it is important that they deliver what they sell. If they can’tdeliver on a consistent basis, they are not going to do it.”
Having established that tendering was not feasible, the PPM then looked at whether berthing facilities for the smaller cruise ships could work. However, because of the infrequency of the visits, they also ruled this out. “We also considered how beneficial it was to Cayman Brac and how many business people would invest in an occasional visit with only a couple of hundred passengers passing through a month,” he said.
“The whole issue required considerable thought,” Clifford noted, and said their conclusions were that having cruise ships stop at Cayman Brac was not feasible.
However, the former tourism minister said they did look at day trips to the Brac, in which passengers docking at Grand Cayman would be sold deluxe day-trip packages, which would include flight on the Cayman Express. The Cayman Airways Twin Otters have the capacity to fly more frequently – which might mean hiring more crew – and the planes could bring as many as 40 passengers in a day, Clifford said, adding that the PPM believed that this idea (which was originally proposed by the previous UDP government) offered the best opportunities for Cayman Brac businesses.
“Up to the time we left office, we were looking at how to make that work and that was the direction we were heading,” he said, noting that when the company who was leasing the Twin Otters to CAL decided not to renew, they suddenly had to look for alternatives, which had ended with them purchasing the two planes now in use. This had set plans back but, he said, that was the way the PPM believed that the Brac people would benefit the most from cruise tourism, and the FCCA had like the idea.
However, he said it needed to be developed while the Investment Bureau was helping the people prepare in terms of building the businesses for the services required, like transportation and shops, so that everyone could benefit.
Offering a note of caution, Clifford said that the premier might announce that a particular cruise line is willing to invest but that the Brac people should be wary of such a proposal, since it would likely mean that the cruise line would also have all the concessions for the businesses that profit from the cruise ship – as had happened in places like Grand Turk – and the local population would have no control.
“A handful of Brackers might get jobs but there would be very little economic value for the locals,” he said.
Category: Headline News
Cruise ships are for the "overfed, newlywed, nearly dead". They want Americanized chain restaurants like the Harley Davidson Cafe and Senor Frogs. The natural beauty of the Brackers and their island will not interest this crowd. I can’t see the Express flight plan working either.
As I frequent visitor and home owner on the Brac I would like to see a push for better airlift out of the States. A midday direct from Miami or other Florida airport would help immensely. The midday aspect is important to allow people from all over the US enough time to take an early morning flight down to Florida with enough time to make their connection to the Brac.
Concentrate on divers and people looking for a relaxing getaway. I do not believe the Brac needs another 1000 people a week on island to make an impact. That number is considerably lower, and should be obtainable. Brackers have been and always will be very resourceful people. The accumulated wealth of some Bracker families is testament to that. Maybe it’s time that they stepped forward to help their fellow Bracker and pushed government to make things start happening. Government seems too dis-interested in helping the Sisters, and besides we have all seen the fantastic job they are doing on Grand Cayman.
i believe that the biggest attraction in Cayman brac now is the popular FEET WASHING. Tourist are going to think that these Bracers are the most humble and kindest in the whole world.
Cruise passengers spend less money than stay over visitors,i just cannot see tourists of the high seas paying any extra for a two in one trip,also things could go wrong with flight schedules etc. moreover, at times this could cause nothing but stress for passengers trying to get back to GC in time to board their liners.It would greatly benifit the Brac for small cruise visits,just keep the numbers small,twenty-thirty years down the road every one in the Cayman Islands will be happy and satisfied that a great vision was carved out for the economical growth of our sister island.
The sequence of logical thought…….well said Chuckster…….its a pity Mac isn’t capable of analytical thought.
Hopefully we can get him back into High School soon to finish up !!!
A sabbatical would be good for the country don’t you think ?
Having read all the posts, and being a frequent visitor to the Brac, I’d like to say first & foremost, Brackers are wonderful people with a very unique island.
I believe that we should leave Cayman Brac for long-term tourists, as opposed to cruise ships Tourism.
More hotels and restaurants yes – but forget the cruise ship tourist who do nothing for the economy – and will only take away from the experience for our long term tourists.
I would never want to see Cayman Brac like downtown Georgetown!!
Thank you for visiting. Can I ask though… how are we supposed to survive without consistant overnight tourism? Can you get government to put in a direct flight to increase stay over tourism? Thanks for the help.
Mr. Clifford is right. Remember we tried to tender cruise passengers before in Cayman Brac and because of weather conditions the tender capsized in the channel and the passengers had to swim ashore. We were lucky that they were all swimmers. Let’s bring them over on Express. We have to accept our limitations.
Bracker To The Bone
Get your story correct. The tender missed the channel and ran on the reef. No one "swam" ashore, they waded ashore.
O wow……the boat just missed the channel…….and the passengers had to wade ashore…….I feel so much better and more confident now…….I know they were soaked and the hotel staff at the Brac Reef were waiting on the beach with towels for them to comfort the clearly shaken up passengers…….but thanks again for clarifying the story I feel so much better that the boat didn’t capsize it only missed the channel and ran into the reef….geez…..much better !
Ok bring the ships we can handle them…….we’ve proved it now…….they may have to "wade" ashore but we can handle it. We have towels !!!
Big Mac’s next Ingenious Ideas:
10. sell Vodka to the Russians
9. sell fertility pills to the Chinese
8. sell faulty accelerator pedals to Toyota
7. sell million dollar, heated, indoor pools to Cubans and Haitians
6. sellsnow to Canadians
5. sell ice to the Eskimos
4. sell sand to the Arabs
3. sell toxic mortgages to Americans
2. sell bibles to the Taliban
1. sell Cayman to… ummh, hold on there for a sec. Mac, there’s nothing left of Cayman to sell…
AND HERE WE GO WITH THE CAYMAN BRAC BASHING AGAIN!!!!!
BRACKERS COME ON!!!!! Stop this! Let these fools words be like water on a duck’s back! Have some self respect and STOP letting words get the better of you! When you respond with stupid hateful comments to the stupid hateful people that are posting negative comments about us! You sink to their level! Don’t do it! Show these losers that we are better than that! Look at all of the up standing Cayman Brackers that are over on Grand Cayman fighting to make a living for themselves. I’m sure they are not on here saying stupid things in response to stupid comments from obviously stupid people! I’m a Bracker to the bone! I’m proud of my little island and even though I’ve been in this hell hole for more years than I care to remember Cayman Brac is where the heart is! And I’ve heard alot of negative stuff said about my home and I read alot of negative stuff posted on thissite as well. But sometimes you just have to raise about the stupidity and immature people! And not sink to their level by answering back with negative comments! We are better than that! We have been raised better and we should hold our heads high and be very proud of our tiny island and our tiny bunch of people that people just love to hate! If they weren’t jealous of us, they wouldn’t spend so much time talking about us! Come on Brackers! PLEASE stop giving these people on Grand Cayman a reason to look down our noses at us! Raise above them! Don’t stoop to their level! Haven’t you heard the saying "Sticks and Stones may break my bones but names will never hurt them!"…Yes childish I know, but it makes alot of sense! A person can only hurt you as much as you ALLOW them to hurt you! So DONT ALLOW people to hurt you with their negative comments! All you’re doing is helping stir the sh*t stinker than it already is and we are BETTER than that! So please stop! Let the fools talk! Everything has an end so let the fools talk! Just PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE stop responding to every negative comment that is posted on here with more negativity! A person can only argue with themselves for so long you know! Don’t respond and you will see, eventually the fool will have no choice but to shut up!! It’s only fueling this fire even more and giving people a reason to look down their noses at us! Hold your head up and don’t respond to the stupidity….please don’t! I hurts me as much as it hurts you! But fighting a war of words gets no one anywhere! Please Brackers let’s just stop this back and forth….because some idiots have no lives and nothing better to do all day than to talk negative about others to get a raise out of them to help fill that void in their otherwise pathetic empty life!
Yea but when u running down my country u walking on the fighting side of me!
Come on Caymanians ,we can and should do better than this .Enough with the bashing one another.We are all one family and like any family we have our differences but do we have to constantly post it here.There is a saying that Caymanians are like crabs in a barrel, always climbing over one another trying to reach the top,but do we have to prove them right.While we are busy doing this others are taking us for a joke.So please lets stop the back and forth.If someone from Grand Cayman is of the opinion that Cayman Brac is not for them,its just that ;their opinion.And if someone from Cayman Brac is of the opinion that Grand Cayman is not their cup of tea;again its just their opinion.Lets save our bashing for those who want to see the Cayman Is and Caymanians brought down.Please can we all call a truce and instead lets "Put a little love in our hearts" for our fellow Caymanians.
Cruise tourism will never never ever work for Cayman Brac and the politicians need to just drop this idea. I support the current government but in this instance I support ex minister Clifford – no cruise tourism in da Brac – waste of money – the day trips are an excellent idea.
Oh God no!!!!!!!!, Dont subject our Tourist to this.
Last time a cruise ship visited the Brac the Brackers almost drounded them all.
The Scotts are building their dock all the way to Cuba. When that is completed we could consider sending a small cruise ship but not before.
Truth be told…95% of the 97% the GDP is generated on Grand Cayman by Cayman Brackers and Little Caymanians…..let’s check it out:
1-Fosters (Yes that’s right!)
2-Kirkconnells (Fo’ Sure!)
3-Scotts (check that out)
4-Boddens (Capt. Theo’s crowd-LC BABY!)
5-Dilberts (All the rich ones at least)
6-Tibbetts (oh, Yeah)
7-Jacksons (even)
Other outstanding figures:
1-O’Connors
2-Waltons
3-McLaughlins
4-Martins
5-Howells
6-Dixons
7-Scotts (again)
8-Dilberts (again)
9-Fosters (again)
10-Kirkconnell (always)
11-Tibbetts (Always)
Plus guess what GC….CB & LC-CRIME FREE BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!
God this parochialism is embarrassing and pathetic. It is like inter-District rows. It makes everyone who lives here sound like a bunch of hicks who have never lived in the real world. Jonathan Swift could not have made this place up.
His Loyal Bluffness – all you have proved is that your own Cayman Brac families arent bothered with the Brac. Even your youngsters cannot wait to finish school and hop across the pond.
As for crime free – no one ever died in a car crash in the Brac? No-one ever drove under the influence in the Brac? No-one ever killed anyone in the Brac? No-one ever smashed up their wife in the Brac? No-one smokes weed in the Brac?
PLEASE
The Brac and Little Cayman are positioned to benefit greatly from tourism if Gov’t can swallow their egos and fund some infrastructure redevelopment, post hurricane, and some small business development funding too.
I think it is stay over tourism that has the opportunity to flourish, and some of it at the expense of Grand Cayman. Cayman Brac and Little Cayman may now be two of the safest islands in the Caribbean as you read the headlines from most islands, crime is infiltrating them. Improve air access with direct from Miami, and watch some of Grand Caymans long time visitors visit the Sisters to remind them of the Cayman they once knew and grew to love. And perhaps their kids and grandkids will do the same.
With more natural beauty, friendly and hospitable residents, the Sisters are poised to grow. Take a fraction of the dollars invested in GC, and invest it into the Sister Islands. I think the return would be impressive.
It is no secret, Grand Cayman is having to reinvent itself, deal with the crime situation, and reposition itself in the Caribbean tourism market. While they are working through that process, I think a part of the existing tourism body could be redirected to focus on a 5 year plan for the Sisters.
Keep it authentic Sisters.
Though easier said than done, and it will take longer to grow, but you will be rewarded by preserving more of your culture and heritage, and feel empowered by resisting the usual temptations of greed and quick money schemes. Let it build slowly and help your neighbours grow too.
A fan of the Sisters.
The Sister Islands generate 3% of the GDP of Cayman and less than in terms of fiscal contributions. The spending onthem should be capped a 3% of national expenditure.
Great send it over. The spending is nowhere near that level on a normal basis
The UDP can’t get berthing facilities built in Grand Cayman so pray tell how in the hell are they going to get them done on tiny Cayman Brac ??
Pipe dream !
Chuckie is right……Cayman Brac prepare your people and businesses and CAL will bring you as many cruise passengers as you can comfortably handle.
I heard the Premier’s plan is to build a bridge to Cayman Brac or tie cruise ships end to end so passengers can walk there. That is leadership.
My only question is this:
"Why is Rolston Anglin not the current Premier of the Cayman Islands?"
(With Cline not far behind as Deputy of course.)
Everytime I listen to Mr. Anglin express his plans and viewpoints I feel a bit optimistic about our leadership … then of course – McKeeva decides to open his ignorant mouth.
(Sigh)
UDP elected officials … the time is way past due to do what you know is the right thing to do.
I for one simply refuse to watch my country go down the toilet on the back of one ignorant and pig-headed blowhard!
Sort it out fellas.
I agree that with the UDP in government Rolston should be the premier, but please do not mention Cline as deputy. He is not only incapable but he is also too far up Mac’s donkey (sorry, it rhymes with that) that it would be impossible to get him out, & furthermore, if we were able to get himout he would not dare take the chance to go up against Mac because he knows that his political meal ticket in being on Mac’s ticket! To go against Mac in West Bay Cline knows that it would mean the end of his political career as he is only an extension cord & yes man. However, I would like to see Rolston as the premier as long as the udp are the government. That would be far better for Cayman than what presently exists!
@ Born Free
Okay, you seem to be a bit better informed in regards to the ins and outs of Cline’s position.
However, I am quite confident that he would be much more suitable for the position than the current Christian extremist that occupies the post.
Regardless – fingers crossed that a "Change Goin’ Come" in Cayman sometime soon.
The way things are now is too ridiculous to continue for much longer – I trust that West Bayers shall soon see the light.
Crazy that Cayman is in effect being held in captivity by the blind allegiance of Bayas’!
Lol!!
Thats just too funny!
:o)
Hmmm- pretty scary at the same time though! :o(
Brackers need to "wake up and shed blood"but all the fighting brackers have left already and now its only the slaves behind! please bring back dignity, honor respect and good damn common sense bak home to clear out these cockroaches!
"Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 02/05/2010 – 15:40.
for the sake of the cruise ship passengers I hope they never get to stop on cayman brac.. desolate little place filled with strange locals…."
Desolate little place with strange locals huh? Well, here we go with another deranged nut taking a swipe at Brackers again! Or are you the same maycow who previously wrote about sending all of the prisoners over here? Since you are so concerned about the sake of the cruise visitors maybe you should bear in mind that when visiting the Brac, tourists don’t have to worry about getting whacked in the head and having their purse stolen while walking down the street, or the females can go to bed at nights without waking up to find some crazy dude fondling her while her child is in the same room. Additionally, the Brac is not embarrassed by greedy taxis who argue and fight over fares in the presence of the visitors. I could go on with the comparison of the Brac to Grand Cayman but it’s Friday evening and as usual, it’s off to Edd’s to drink that rum that some of you swear makes us strange locals. In the main time, to the person(s) that is/are so quick to post negative comments about the Brac, please get a life! Put all of your energy into being attentive when you go to the bank nowadays. You never know, you might be standing in line when the madness strikes again.
Wow, a bit defensive it seems. I don’t think the comment was personal, certainly wasn’t a comparison to Grand Cayman. And before yougo crazy with how close to heaven the Brac is compared to GCM just remember that GCM is a flow-thru to CYB and the crimials don’t have far to go at all to get there? Why aren’t they carrying on like they are in GCM? I could state the obvious but, not necessary.
Why would you develop a berthing facility there? What would thousands of cruise passengers do there daily? How can one honestly justify that sort of expense for Cayman Brac? I enjoy my trips to the Brac but there’s only so much on offer there… but then again, there ain’t too much to brag about on offer to cruise visitors here in GCM either.
I guess you could take them to Edd’s place with you. Here they’ll go to Calico’s as usual.
Bluff Rat…Fully supported!
Your comments are for the sake of all concerned, a bull’s eye. And you know what ticks me off even more is when these folks come to Brac and Little and pretend they know all about it, and most times, when there’s an issue-it by they’re hand.
Saying that,…Let the scribes write:
I, His Loyal Bluffness, of The God Fearing and Blessed land of Cayman Brac, hereby set forth a Loyal Bluffness Decree; That no man, considering evil against another shall set foot on Cayman Brac. Shall this Pagan Criminal worm wish to challenge this, a LB public flogging shall take place for the entire world to see and shall end with the Guillotine and concurrent stoning by the citizens of this great land, given by Our father’s Hand..
So it is written, so shall it be done.
I guess that’s weird eh? Thank God for Cayma Brac and Little Cayman. If it wasn’t for Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, Lord Have Mercy on Us!
The idea of day trips for cruise passengers to Cayman Brac makes sense. They do similar tours for cruise passengers using helicopters and planes in places like Alaska, the Bahamas and Hawaii.
The people of Cayman Brac and not the cruise lines would benefit from this and using this plan the money would stay in the Brac economy.
I think it is obvious to those who wish to be honest about it that berthing facilities on a small island like Cayman Brac is simply not going to be economically viable in the foreseeable future.
Lets use those CAL Express planes and get the cruise passengers over to the Brac as suggested by Mr. Clifford.
Ok, lets see you get 5 seats on the express flight? Impossible.
Stupid idea. Bring the ship!!! A Small one though!!!
Ok Dipstick…..let me break it down for you……these wouldn’t be regular CAL Express flights……these would be dedicated flights only for cruise passengers !!!!!……..got plenty seats now eh ?
Express can’t put in the required flights to meet current demands. Will that mean more or larger aircraft. I wonder where I heard that before.
Of course you do dumbo… seeing as the express is flying a three plane schedule with only 2 planes… still don’t have seats now do yah??? Live here… try getting a seat with 2 planes working properly much less when 1 has a problem. Express not the answer… day visits been talked about for years and they just don’t work.
Ever thought that maybe people go on cruise ships because they don’t fly?
Get a real idea and then bring the insults… in the main time go back to your clueless thoughts.
I agree the Brac and Little Cayman do seem to get the crappy end of the stick. More should be done to build up infrastructure and definitely to lower the prices over there. This venture however just isnt feasible. A cruise ship filled with hundreds of people just cannot be accommodated by the sister islands based on sheer size alone.
Additionally, sister islanders YOU ARE STILL CAYMANIANS. You all seem to pick and choose when you are Caymanians and when you are Brackers. You want government investment = you are Caymanian, you boast about lower crime rate = you are Brackers.
Its great to have your own identity but you alienate yourselves from us on GC and that makes us unsympathetic. The fact that in 2010 I am still called a ‘blackie’ by a bracker doesnt help either!
Conclusion – tell your wealthy founder to kick in some $, and ask you representative why they can’t be bothered tohelp.
Are you sure you are just not a Bracker moved over? We Bracker’s always say that we are part of the Cayman Islands but that does not make us Caymanians as such. We are proud to be from a small island and run the entire Cayman Islands.
Who exactly is this wealth founder you refer to? We have so many… where do we start?
When we want investment, we state the facts, geographically, we are part of the Cayman Islands… the Brac has so much more to offer. Let me ask all the "Caymanians," why didn’t one of your "founders" put their money up? Government did for you and now you expect us to do for ourselves… No problem. I think we’ve proven that enough times already.
Conclusion, tell yourself to shut up – by a Bracker!
I am definitely not a bracker moved over – I happen to love dark skinned people!
Doofus if you are a bracker IT DOES make you caymanian "as such", unless you have a CB passport?!?!?!
You just proved my point. The Brac is too small to handle cruise ships BUT I agree the Sister Islands need MORE HELP from Government, I just dont undertand why your elected reps arent kicking and screaming about it?!?!
I expect your reps WHO ARE THE GOVT to rant and rave about what their people need, but I never have seen that.
How do you expect toactually make someone who posts on a publicly accessed website shut up? I’m not speaking, I’m typing. Stop perpetuating the stereotype.
Problem is the Cayman Brac UDP rep is only concerned about clearing bush and showing off with an unnecessary bodyguard/lackey.
The Sister Islands should not be a permanent welfare case. Rather there needs to be an implementable plan for a sustainable economy coupled with social and environmental responsibility. I know, I know but one is free to dream….
Our dear ms. Julie can only get her picture in the paper. She has also washed the governors feet (add that to what she has done since becoming dep. prem.).
My representative? I wouldn’t vote for her if she was the only candidate running. She has no vision or leadership. XXXXXXX She proves that whenever she shows up on island (very rarely).
I am so tired of people thinking that the Brac may actually get something from Government. We would be better off askingObama because we know how much he loves the Cayman Islands.
All that we here have seen is huge amounts of money wasted in the year that Julie has been in power. She keeps telling everyone there is no money but when she wants to spend it, it comes out of the bushes… conveiniant how a budget can be fixed that way… makes common folk believe she gave them what they got and not government money… oh well the deception rolls on… 3 years to go.
Oh and all brackers are prejudice? You are so archaic.
My passport is a B.O.T. one but hey… it does say Cayman Islands (as I stated in my previous post). If you can read… check today’s Caymanian Compass – Mr. Kirkconnell has yet again requested direct Air Service from the US. So… you can see if you read the other newspapers that people have said that… shoot if you would look at the archives you would see how many times Mr. Kirkconnell has tried to get things happening only to be stopped by "caymanians. (read: Ministers)"
Caymanians don’t even know anything about the Brac and then they are supposed to plan for our economic development. My point, as a bracker, is that if government (CAL, DOT, etc.) would do something other than provide lip service the Brac could actually start moving forward… unfortunately that won’t happen because none of them want to actually put the money into it like they did into GCM so many years ago. My my, how you have forgotten where you came from in days that were hard.
We have money coming to CYB from Gov, only problem is that it is being used to clean up the sides of the road… tell me, how does that help the overall economy?
Speaking of stereotypes, why are chiming in on something that would benefit the Brac? Just like every other caymanian… doesn’t want anything for the Brac.
Ok, mentally shut up then… does that clear things up for you?
Hey Anon 19:03, you now have the deputy premier as one of your representatives, she is in the best position to help the Brac, yet you are saying the Brac is getting nothing! BLAME JULIE! She is deputy of the present government & she is your representative. It does not say much for her if you, as aBracker can still say that the Brac "is only getting lip service"! What a disgrace & disappointment. She seems to be a failure, why do you keep re-electing her? Vote for someone who will actually get things done for the Brac (She is deputy & can only get lip service for the Brac? SHAME, SHAME, SHAME!)
Body guard for what?nly to waste our money. I am sure nobody is going to harm her. Even to have a body guard accompany her to church. This is the biggest laugh of the year.
It’s sad that this site is over run with silly little teenagers who think they know it all! Yeah you do need to SHUT UP DOOFUS! You can shut up in many ways…by not typing comments, but not thinking immature childish thoughts or by not opening your silly mouth! How about you do all three:)
I am very disappointed with the attitude of the Brac people. When the people of Grand Cayman were suffering because of the destruction done by hurricane Ivan, many Caymanians went to Brac to live short-term & even put some of our children in school there. The Brac people were very unaccomodating, often complaining that we were taking up too much room & crowding the place, & even complained about Grand Caymanians buying groceries inthe supermarket!! They made us feel very unwelcomed & let us know they didn’t want us there. Yet after they faced the same situation with hurricane Paloma the Brac people felt they were entitled to everything that Grand Caymanians could give, & no help we gave was good enough for them. This is fact because on many occasions I heard Brackers cussing us saying we were not doing enough, even though we were giving up so much to help them. They cussed the government for not doing more, they cussed the Grand Cayman people for not doing more, & they cussed me for not doing enough, after a hard days work of labour while a few of them sat around & watched. I was shocked & disappointed! I am sorry to say it, but most of the Brac people have proven themselves to be very selfish, & are never satisfied. This letter (Anon 16:46) is more evidence of their over inflated ego’s & their selfish feelings of entitlement!
That’s a very strange statement, when I remeber buying bread and filling water bottles and send to Grand Cayman-to distribute via Churchs etc. I remeber the 7th Day Adventist church people putting food together-even on the sabbath and sending food over. They reached to the families over in Grand with everything from the store-and I mean eveything….our shelves were empty. We did what we could.
As for Paloma, yes there were loud mouth ungrateful folks…some of them that I know that call themselves Brackers…having more loot-in the loose sense-than anyone else and complaining. That is/was true!!! I agree and support you on this. For the most part, many Brackers including myself, took very little for myself, although I lost a lot. I did howver share, and more often than not gave away, simply because I had the means of doing so-freely! I PERSONALLY THANKED ALL THE PEEPS WHO HELPED! IAM FOREVER GRATEFUL!
here’s where I take issue with your statement. Brackers made you uncomfartable-….lol imagine who we feel 🙁
Who cares if you are disappointed with the attitude of people in the Brac? Are you God? You obviously don’t know anyone in or from the Brac. After Ivan we tripled our population just to accomodate family and friends. How would Cayman look with 180,000 people? If you heard a complaint, which I honestly doubt you would have, it was certainly justified.
I for one, washed clothes, sent food, generators, gave people place to stay, lent them a vehicle in GCM and much more… and I’m only one person. Every Bracker helped out after Ivan so knock that foolishness off. Yes, we all appreciate the effort the Caymanians put in after Paloma. Thank you, if you helped.
Let me assure you, I am a confident person and I don’t feel entitled to anything other than what I have bought with my own money. I have never received any handouts and if I can’t work to buy it then I don’t need it!
So, let me congratulate you… you came over to the Brac to help after Paloma and are asking us to thank you… what about the rest of us who put in 18 hours a day, went home to a house with no roof and children crying to see mom and dad? Well done, you left a comfy home that you could fly back to at the drop of a hat. We had no where to go. Ivan and Paloma were both terrible, but stop whining because no one gave you a medal. The greatest praise is the one never received.
Your response proves my point. I need say NO more! Thank you
Although my heritage on Moms side does not root as far back as dad’s, Cayman Brac is home! Born and raised in Grand, to Brac parents, makes this staement my opinion.
While I have lived in a few corners of the earth and have found much beauty and lovliness etc, the paradise found in Cayman brac and Little Cayman is second to none. If there was ever an independance move, it should be the Sisters moving from Grand.
Obviously Mr. Clifford gave this much thought and analysis unlike our Premier who just spouts out the first thing that comes to his mind and his brain never seems to get in gear…..or if it does…..as it actually eventually did with the Airport Redevelopment project which Clifford started, the result of the Premier’s brain delay is that the projects are delayed as has now happened with the Airport Redevelopment which is delayed for at least one year because the Premier wanted to put it out in East End by his Oil Refinery only to discover what everyone already knew…..that it isn’t economically feasible to do so.
If he had stuck with the PPM’s plan, construction on the terminal itself would have started in August 2009 !!!
another day, another embaressment for Mckeeva… this time being out thought by clifford……
mckeeva…big mouth….small brain ..
anywhere else in the world, this man would be forced to resign at this stage…. he displays his incompetence every day.. what about a revolt within the udp???
How bout that… the new Government hasn’t put any money into Cayman Brac. Almost a year later and all anyone can see is a few clean trees. Well done. Of course, that would be an improvement for tourist, if we had any. Thanks to government though, our tourism product just suffered another major blow.
One of the two dive operations in the Brac just shut up doors due to the lack of airlift and direct flights. How long is it going to take this government to do something? I’ll answer my own question… NEVER. They only care about driving around in their big SUV burning up my gas (duty), and staying in a hotel when they have a perfectly good house.
How much longer are us Bracca’s going to put up with this stupidness. I for one want someone who is going to do something for the whole island and not just their family members or off island, status granted friends.
Things have never been worse… all thanks to the last year of decline – mostly because of the lazy people calling themselves "ministers."
It’s time government show the people a plan… without one, the people perish!!! (We’re well on the way!!!)
for the sake of the cruise ship passengers I hope they never get to stop on cayman brac.. desolate little place filled with strange locals….
At least we na robbing ya blind every moment you turn around… we also have more natural attractions than Grand.
How rude and crude can you get?Obviously not posted by a local.
correct, i’m not a local (thank god) but i have been around the world to know what appeals to tourists and cayman brac ain’t got it…. sad but true…
I doubt that 100 millionis chump change to Mr. Kirkconnell or any other person from Cayman Brac.
O why am I not surprised. Us brackers listen to the windpipes from Cayman and are so fool as to get excited and actually believe that something positive will happen for us. Ha, ha, ha. The ideas discussed are left at our airport for storage until the windpipes return from Cayman to use them again.
Examples:
Extension of Piped Water
Paving of Main Road
Development of Cruise Tourism
Direct Flights to Brac
Increase of Back Office work
Control of Electricity and Fuel Prices
Building of Medical School
Marina
How in the hell do you expect us to survive and further develop if you are unwilling to invest in the very basics to keep the economy going? Cayman has no shortage of excuses why they cannot do anything for Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, but they spare no expense to do anything in Cayman!
Every month or so you read/hear about Cayman getting more new roads or another new building. If Cayman Brac/Little Cayman get a meager $375,000 for vehicles and heavy equipment that is like Grand Cayman getting $375,000,000 (hey does this sound correct – 2 new schools and new government admin building).
It is discouraging to go to meeting after meeting and hear the blah, blah, blah empty promises – just wasting everyone’s time.
Sign Me,
Results not Excuses
Perhaps Mr. Kirkconnell and the other families that rule Cayman Brac should dip into their sizeable pockets.
100 million is chump change for them and they know it.
Oh well, back to the hamster wheel.
Tell me something… where is your percentage of that 100 million? You must be from a particular political party if you do like so many others and expect the hard working man to give you off of his table.
Try to work and earn something instead of looking for handouts.
Take some pride in yourself!!!