Brac gets major tourism boost
(CNS): The long awaited direct flight from Miami to Cayman Brac starts next month, Cayman Airways Limited (CAL) has announced. The Saturday 75-minute flight will leave Miami at 12:30 local time and arrive on the Brac 12:45 local time. MLA Moses Kirkconnell, who is also president of the Sister Islands Tourism Association (SITA), said that this flight had been identified by SITA as critical to the rebuilding of the Brac tourism product, and members could now move forward in creating packages around this flight to penetrate the US market.
The airline said on Friday evening that from 17 April there will be a weekly non-stop flight from Miami to the Brac. The Roundtrip fares start at CI$292.60 (US$348.35) with taxes and fees included. The nonstop Saturday flights to the Brac depart Miami at 12:30pm (Eastern Daylight Time) as flight KX103, and arrive on Cayman Brac at 12:45pm (Eastern Standard Time). Passengers have two options for travelling to Miami: on flight KX102 departing the Brac at 6:10am and arriving in Miami at 9:50am on Mondays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, with one stop on Grand Cayman; or flight KX103 departing the Brac at 1:25pm and connecting with flight KX108 at 2:55pm which arrives in Miami at 5:15pm on Saturdays.
While direct flights have been scheduled to the Brac before, the complaints have been that they left Miami too early for passengers on connecting flight to take advantage of them. This mid-morning flight will not only allow greater flexibility for passengers flying straight to the Brac, which would cut down on their travel time considerably, but visitors going on to Little Cayman can change on the Brac for the short hop to that island on the CAL Express Twin Otter aircraft..
Kirkconnell noted that the Sister Islands now has more rooms available than before Hurricane Paloma hit the island in November 2008. With the opening of the Alexander Hotel, the recent reopening of the Brac Reef, the imminent reopening of Brac Caribbean and Carib Sands condominiums, as well as the completion of phase 3 of Carib Sands, plus Breakers condos and a number of guest cottages, there will be approximately 200 rooms on the Brac. There are also 143 rooms on Little Cayman, he said.
Praising the Tourism Ministry, the Department of Tourism and CAL for working together to achieve this, he said, “If this works on Saturdays, we should look for more than one direct flight per week.”
Acting CEO for Cayman Airways Fabian Whorms said he was delighted CAL had helped make this dream come true. “As the national flag carrier of the Cayman Islands we are proud to have assisted with making this dream a reality for our Sister Islands, and we look forward to continuing to work with tourism and other stakeholders on Cayman Brac and Little Cayman in their goal to revive and regenerate their tourism product,” Whorms stated.
“Our government has been diligently working with Cayman Airways, the Department of Tourism and the Sister Islands Tourism Association (SITA) to secure this very crucial airlift to the Sister Islands as the tourism industry on Cayman Brac in particular is seeing growth through its ongoing revitalization,” said Deputy Premier and second elected MLA for the Sister Islands, Julianna O’Connor-Connolly. “I am very excited about this opportunity for the Sister Islands, and I encourage all tourism and other stakeholders on the Brac to continue to work together to ensure the success of this crucial airlift.”
Nonstop flights to Cayman Brac from Miami are now available for purchase through www.caymanairways.com or by calling: Cayman Airways reservations 949-2311 on Grand Cayman; 948-1221 on Cayman Brac; or a travel agent.
Category: Headline News
Every month Government pays Cayman Airways Ltd’s reservation agents, ground handlers, check-in agents, pilots, flight attendants, aircraft maintenace crews, air traffic control, airport security, customs, immigration and firemen in Grand Cayman AND Cayman Brac plus the lease on CAL’s aircraft whether or not a plane stops once a week in Cayman Brac on its way to Grand Cayman from Miami. The only additional cost arising from this flight (barring delays which could incur overtime) will be for fuel from Cayman Brac to Grand Cayman. (Roughly the same amount of fuel should be consumed from Miami to Cayman Brac as from Miami to Grand Cayman as the distance is similar). The fuel cost for a flight from Cayman Brac to Grand Cayman is estimated at less than CI$1,500.00! That’s hardly a sum worth fighting over when compared to the potential boost to Sister Islands tourism and considering we’re already losing MILIONS of dollars annually on international flights all in the name of promoting tourism in Grand Cayman.
I used the proper names of the islands above but as a Bracker I’m proud that we have not yet lost something as endearing as our reference to our big sister simply as ‘Cayman’- it’s a part of our culture that hopefully will continue much the same way we allow United States citizens to refer to themselves as Americans when we all (should) know that Canada is also located on the North American continent. A Bracker’s reference to a person from Grand Cayman as a ‘Caymanian’ is simply an extension of his reference to Grand Cayman as ‘Cayman’. We seldom have to refer to a ‘Little Caymanian’ since they are few and far apart and who would want to be called a ‘Grandian’ anyway? Maybe we should refer to the three Cayman Islands as CAL employees do – ‘Brac’, ‘Little’ and ‘Grand’ to avoid confusion in the future?? Blessings!
I forgot to mention in my earlier post that my family and I will be taking advantage of this flight and wish only success with this endeavor.
In order to get this thing off the ground it needs to be advertised in the leading dive publications to spread the word. Airlift onto the Brac has been a recent hurdle for divers and their equipment. It is very possible that this flight will solve this situation as we will be able to bring our dive gear with fewer complications. Now it will be time to spread the word!!! The pool is open.
CNS I was just looking at Cayman 27.com.ky and they are saying that travellers will now be able to fly from Cayman Brac directly to Miami, which differs from your story.So"who is right? (by the way I am betting on CNS)
CNS: The flight information in this article was taken directly from a CAL press release.
You are quite right to query, but for the wrong reason. If the info in the report is right, there is a single direct flight TO the Brac, but no equivalent service back. Folks travelling to Miami (i.e. going home) will still have to go via Grand Cayman. The whole thing is a stunt and a nonsense. For travellers/holiday makers, it’s the journey home they remember. If that’s rubbish (as this is) it leaves a sour taste. If you arrive home having had a miserable journey, you might just as well not have been away. Re-think required – this doesn’t even satisfy Brackers’ (not unreasonable even if costly) need for a direct flight to Miami. However, it does let them bring their duty free goods in without carrying them too much. Hmmm.
NOTE: The direct flight to the Brac is not solely for Brac visitors. It continues to Grand Cayman and I’m assuming that there will be continuing passengers on it as well. In addition… it is also scheduled to allow Little Cayman passengers to arrive and connect with it in the Brac for both incoming/outgoing. So…. this will assist that Island also. This isn’t a chicken or the egg scenario. If we can’t get proper, consistent, progressive air service into the Sister Islands, that is acceptable for the tourist trade, then we simply cannot progress in developing that product. Ok…. so maybe the degree of success may not meet our expectations. Maybe. BUT just because we’ve tried something in the past that may not have "worked" the way we’d hoped, doesn’t mean it can’t or shouldn’t be considered now. Perhaps the timing was not right. Or the product or stakeholders were not 100% ready. Maybe marketing was the issue or there were other events in play. As we move forward in trying to develop the tourism product for the Sister Islands, we have to work with the cards we’re dealt and the resources we have. Each of these Islands are unique and special. That as a package is definitely worth a continuous effort.
In response to the comments at Mon, 03/22/2010 – 04:54., as the parent of a child that graduated from the Cayman Brac High School, I must say it is quite obvious to everyone in these islands and the world that Cayman Brac children are taught well. If you feel that something as simple as Grand Cayman being referred to as "Cayman" is making us look bad, I wonder what people from overseas are thinking when they read all of the silly comments being posted about Cayman Brac by some folks over in Grand Cayman? Instead of some of you praising whoever is responsible for the betterment of the Brac, you are finding every fault and discouraging point you can think of. But yet you wonder why Brackers tend to disassociate themselves and stand on their own feet. I am proud to say that what my child was taught in Cayman Brac is allowing him/her to hold a decent job in the Brac without having to resort to relocating to Grand Cayman and be subjected to so much negativity.
To Anonymous Mon.11:08 Please read the following posts before you go any further.Anon .Mon 15:40 and Anon Mon 21:21.First of all let me say that I agree that the Cayman Brac High School is doing an excellent job.I was trying to make the point that sometimes children take it literally that a Cayman Bracker is not a Caymanian.This was the case with the young lady I used in a previuos post who argued vehemently that she was a Bracker and not a Caymanian even when she was corrected by a fellow Cayman Bracker.Should your son ever move to Grand Cayman I hope he will find nothing but positive vibrations and if he encounters negativity I hope it is only a tiny part of the total experience.In no way was I bashing the Brac or promoting negativity .My intention was and is to encourage unity amongst Caymanians.
Thanks for the clarification. I don’t have a son but a daughter who’s, for now, quite content with living on the Brac. However, when over in Grand Cayman and I am asked where I’m from, I’m happy to say I’m a Bracker and I don’t see why anyone should take offence to that, whether it’s a Bracker or not. It’s plain and simple. We were born and raised in the Brac, not Grand Cayman, and we’re Brackers.
God bless.
I heard Rolston on the radio just now with his newly adopted "McDinejad" style of politics.
He was praising Julie for implementing this service after it had been talked about for 4 years with no action.
Reality check for Rolston – Mr. Clifford announced this flight back in 2008 and it was scheduled for twice a week, not once a week as is the UDP’s policy, from Miami.
The flight had to be removed from CAL’s 2008 winter schedule because Hurricane Paloma destroyed the Cayman Brac tourism industry and there were no available hotel rooms for an extended period. Those hotel rooms are just coming back online now.
So we thank the UDP for endorsing this PPM’s policy albeit only offering 50% of what the PPM had committed to Cayman Brac.
If the Brac only has a hotel capacity of say 35 rooms (there’s the Alexander Hotel with 29 and Walton’s Mango Manor with 5), and if one assumes that Cayman Airways expects this route to be full (because they are clever businesspeople) where will the 149 weekly visitors hope to stay?
Another moron that does’nt fact check before comenting. Cayman Brac also has Brac Reef Beach Resort, The Breakers, Carib Sands and Brac Caribbean. The flight will also serve as a hub for visitors to Little Cayman, where there are also more than 30 rooms
You stupid a$$ read before you post a stupid comment. It says "approximately 200 rooms on the Brac. There are also 143 rooms on Little Cayman".
I’m guessing you don’t know the Brac very well. Brac Reef is now open, Brac Caribbean will re-open within a few weeks, Carib Sands new phase is almost finished and the other 2 phases repairs are just about finished. There will be NO shortage of accomodation on the Island. We are part time residents and to be truthful DON’T particularly want to see KFC, Burger King and the like open there, otherwise it will become a mini Grand Cayman and completely loose it’s appeal. There are easily enough divers and people who just want a peaceful holiday to fill the plane, what it will need though is a "GOOD" marketing campaign.
CNS should really ban uninformed bloggers. 35 rooms??? really?!
Alexander, Brac Reef, Carib Sands, Breakers, Brac Haven Villas, La Esparanza, Beacon Harbor, Mango Manor, Almond Tree Bay, and the list goes on. There are almost 400 room available between Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. Please get your figures straight before looking stupid.
Also, the plane seats 109 not 149. You really have a problem with your numbers.
Once here there are numerous adventures to explore. Our tour busses have many trips available and our people are the friendliest. We have some of the best karaoke and outdoor movies anywhere. Our safety is the highest in the world. We have the best infrastructure in the Caribbean and our hotel rates are the cheapest of anywhere as well. My question now, is why would people want to go to Grand Cayman?
Brac Reef would be the answer, Carib Sands Condos and a few other places…check them out…
Tripadvisor.com only lists 2 places in the Brac…great marketing guys!
I visit Cayman Brac often and I don’t think the Brac is ready for a direct flight from Miami, the reason I said that is because of the lack of tourist attractions, the Brac need a lot of things to attract that market, the people there are wonderful and friendly which is a good thing. And the Diving alone is not enough to get the flight loads. And also the Brac don’t have the food chains in which visitors and tourises look for. And don’t have any Tour Buses or Taxi Service. And also there are no Cinema or a Night Club with high standards and no Golf Courses as well. So my question is, what is the Brac selling to such a high demanding market? I feel that these flights are not gonna get much loadsat all. Here is a list of things I think would be needed to get the loads with the reasons why.
1. Build a Golf Course: Not all visitors are into diving
2. Cinema and a Night Club: Visitors love going out at night to watch movies with their family or go clubing with their friends.
3. Tour Bus and Taxi Service: Not every visitor wants to rent a car and they would like to be tour around the Island instead of them driving and some would even like to get a taxi to carry them to their Hotel.
4. Food Chains: Yes they love the kind of food they leave back home, such as (Burger King, Wendy’s, KFC, Subway and even Pizza Hut). Because each visitor have a budget that they don’t want to exceed when visiting, with these food chains they can get an affordable meal and I’m sure they are still going to go to the local restautants for a nice dinner, but when they need somethings fast and reasonable to eat, that is where the fast food chains comes in to play..
5. Shopping: Did I mention a Shopping Mall? I guess not, now visitors love shopping and taking back souvenirs with them and even a T-Shirt saying, (I been to Cayman Brac). Now in the the Mall it would have all the stores that would attract them, such as (Clothing store, Shoe store, Jewelry store, Souvenirs shop and even a Electronic, Music and DVD store). Yes food would also be a part of the Mall, because visitors love to eat a go.
Now with all this to get the loads that Cayman Brac would love to have, it would take some development, but the Brackers need to stop saying they are going to turn like Grand Cayman. I don’t see any reasons for that to happen if proper development plan is put in place for Cayman Brac. Let say for instants the Brac get a Burger King and a Cinema, all needs to be done is limit them to one only, no branching out. And Condos and Hotels, if any more to be built, limit them as well. If Grand Cayman had put in place something like a Develoment Plan, it would not be over develop as it is today, for I would not like to see Cayman Brac get over develop as well, for I would like to see the Brac retain it’s natural beauty while it gets the roads and infrastructure enhance, because of development.
All the points you have mentioned above are already known. Everyone understands that non-stop flights from the US to the Brac are a political move, full stop!
No, no, no, no, no! If you desire these things then Grand Cayman has all you desire. Enjoy. If relaxation, world class diving, ecotourism, great snorkeling and meeting some of the neatest people on God’s green earth is your thing, then the Brac delivers. Not to mention the safest place in the Caribbean…oops, I guess I just did.
As a frequent visitor and owner on the Brac this is just what is needed. I will have more airlift options from Chicago to Miami and one less flight means more Brac time for me and my family and friends. Thank you Moses, Julianna, and CAL for making this happen. Now let’s go diving. The pool is open.
Add to the costs of this (bound to be loss making flight), there now has to be an immigration and customs presence in Cayman Brac. How much is the extra staffing and equipment going to cost? I see a FOI request coming.
My, My, My… How ignorant can you be?
Customs and Immigration are both here full time.
This flight are for people like you that have never been here. Come and see what there is to offer.
Anon at 17:22 there is already an immigration and a customs department in Cayman Brac. It is better to be quite and be thought a fool that to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt
It’s time for Cayman Brac to stand on it’s own two feet and start contributing to the revenues of these islands and not just by Tourism either. No young caymanian is going to aspire to be a bartender or divemaster in some boutique hotel.
What have the representatives of the Sister Islands done to promote real jobs? (I am not saying they have done nothing, I am inviting those that know to explain)
Cayman Brac could be a huge agricultural contributor, but if the powers that be cannot control it, they are not interested.
I think you got your answer, read
This is not political, this
Thanks for the comic relief. It seems that you have never visited Cayman Brac. There is very little farm land over on Cayman Brac. I mostly agree with you that "No young caymanian is going to aspire to be a bartender or divemaster in some boutique hotel". However do you think that they would be more likely to become involved in agriculture?
You should refrain from comenting on stories that you know nothing about…. then again maybe there would be too few coments on CNS if that path was followed.
It is a single flight to attempt to grow the economy of Cayman Brac. If it is successful the spin off will be much greater than a few jobs in the tourist industry. This filght was successful in the 1970-80s albeit by another airline. This is an attempt at allowing Cayman Brac to "stand on it’s own two feet". Don’t be so short sighted
This post belongs in the unemployment section as this is the reason there are so many unemployed, an why we have to bring in so many foreigners to do menial jobs.
The sad irony is that bar tenders and divemasters have played a massive role in placing the Cayman Islands in the forefront of international magazines.
Having been a farmer myself, I have never come across so much manure as post 9:12.
In response to Anonymous at 18:12, all I can say is wow! Your views on some of the hard working people over in the Brac is totally out of whack. I would love to answer your question on "why" but I’m sure CNS wouldn’t print what I have to say and people like you deserves a response to your views in person. Enough of the Brac bashing already.
it’s good to see so many positive comments for this wondful idea! all negative comments should be erased! get a life and stop hating on the good things that us BRACKERS are getting!
To reiterate what someone below said… Please, all the nay sayers, tell us how profitable the other routes coming intoGCM are? I hear of numerous flights over the last few weeks having less than 20 people to or from GCM. But, here the Brac is getting one single flight and all you idiots are going to crucify it before lift off??? There has been market study… there is a window of high passenger numbers that this flight will be in, it works good for the Brac tourism product.
Instead of someone new to our island arriving at dark and when all restaurants are closed, they will now have an oportunity to see some of the island and choose where to eat/visit/shop/sight see, etc.
Moses, you keep up the good fight. This is long over due and we all knew you would pull through on it.
Nay Sayers… stay in Cayman and count the seats that are empty on your flights coming in. Let us count all of our full ones!
This is yet another one of those sad choices made at the cost of us the tax Payers! Is CAL not loosing enough money as yet??? I swear CAL & DOT are trowing darts at a map whn they choose or look for a new destination, what a flippin and costly Joke………! And i thoughy we need to save Money and watch the spending, perhaps that was ment only for Grand Cayman! It seems to me as the whole Administration is out for Lunch!
Good Nnight Irene!
While I agree with your assessment of the stupidity of this idea, don’t blame the poor slobs at DOT & CAL – they’re just doing as they are told by the tweedle dee and tweedle dumb politicians.
Here we go again, this will not work. mark my words. this is worse that when Moses and the PPM were going to buy two SAAB This is done for nothing else but to satisfy a few Brackers who complain about not having a direct flight to the Brac. Do they realise the cost to operate one of these jets with nearly 125 empty seats. Ridiculous and stupid idea!
The Brac with just over one thousand people is better serviced using the Grand Cayman hub. It would have been a lot better to utilise one of the aircraft in the middle of the day slotted right around the arrival time of most of the carriers including Cayman Airways. The biggest problem with that however that it would all be one way traffic because the return leg would not arrive in time for connections going north. It would, though, save the fuel of going on to Miami empty.
American Airlines is smiling all the way to the bank. I know one thing if I knew there was two nonstop flights to Grand Cayman on American and one that took me via the Brac on Cayman AIrways, I would definately be taking the nonstop..on American.
Before going into this nilly willy and so that Moses and Julie can stick their noses in the air to get elected next time they should have went to one of the major air wholesalers in the states and ask them to put together a dive package and work in conjunction with the DOT to promote it at a low introductory fare. I remember years ago Ron Kipp did something similiar to Grand Cayman and it was a hit for years
Starting up a flight in low season to the Brac is just another money loser and done simply for political reasons. We need to stop wasting money for stupid things like this. Moses went fours years without producing one nonstop flight. There is no reason to start now.
Why is Moses getting the praise here. Without Aunt Julie.s input this would never happen.
If you want to give praise then give it where it is due.
God Bless you Aunt Julie. Without you the Brac and LC is really the islands that time forgot.
Why is Moses getting the praise? He had the flight in place and ready to go at the time Paloma hit and it took almost a year and a half of hard work for him to get it reinstated. He is a man with vision. That is why the praise is due him.
Aunt Julie has had more than 12 years in the most powerful posts and did nothing towards a direct flight. Perhaps she should stick to weekend dance parties at the agriculture grounds and leave the progress of Cayman Brac in the capable hands of Moses Kirkconnell. After all the extent of her vision for the future of the islands is to cut civil servant pay so that she can continue to live in hotels even in Cayman Brac.
What>? doesn’t she have a house on the Brac? She stays in a hotel? Got to be joking!
Of course but she insists on staying in a hotel. She also has a bodyguard/driver with her who even accompanies her to her home church.
Oh please, Aunt Julie is busy washing the FCO’s feet. This flight was in motion from right before Paloma but Paloma is the reason it was put on hold. Julie had nothing to do with that.
Replying to 20:18, one of these days you are going to wish that it remained the islands that time forgot. See what happened to Grand Cayman with all the supposedly "too fast growing" progress, it comes with a price don’t forget it.
I LOVE THE CAYMANS ITS BEAUTIFUL MAN,YOUL BE SUPRISED AT THE AMOUNT OF POEPLE THAT TRAVEL JUST FOR THE BEAUTY AND VIBE MAN, STOP WITH THE NEGATIVE VIBES, BECOUSE YOUR ALL BETTER THAN THAT, PS. YOUR ALL BEAUTIFUL.
It will be great not having to travel through Grand Cayman on the way to the sister islands. I’ll be visiting more often now.
It’d like to see the cost and revenue analysis on that one!!
i seriously doubt Cayman Airways even did one. they were simply told by the politicians that it had to be done and it was done.
A complete waste of money for an airline that is already losing large amounts of money.
When are we going to have politicians with the balls enough to run the country as if they were trying to run a profitable business.
There is no one in their right mind, be it Moses, Julie or Mckeeva for that matter that could look me straight in the face and tell me that this will work. They can’t! They know they are wasting money and they are doing it strictly for political gain to keep the Cayman Brackers off their back until the next election so that they can once again get voted in.
The days of doing stupid political and wasteful things like this have to stop. We are a country in trouble financially and we go out and do something like this to drown ourselves in more debt strictly for our own self prevervation and political gain.
Let’s see how long they can bleed the country with this one. I am tempted to buy a seat on the first flight and take a picture of how many passengers were in the cabin and I am not talking about the politicians and their entourages(those are free seats) and ask CNS to publish it. Even better CNS for good credibility, I am sure that Wendy will be invited along on the inaugural, take some pictures and do a story, in fact fly on the next flight so that you eliminate the free political seats and see what the numbers are,
Failing all of this let’s get Dan Duguay involved or beg and plead with Jennifer Dilbert to give us the information via the FOI.
Cayman, it’s time for us to demand fiscal prudence from our politicians. We suffered fours years of political and financial mismangement by the PPM and I was holding out hope for the UDP until this. Enough is Enough!!!
Cost and revenues analysis?
Sure….right after we see the one for the Grand Cayman – JFK flight.
Care to tell us all as to how’s that one been working out?
Granted, two wrongs don’t make a right, but we don’t know that for sure today – – replacing a huge disaster with one that can only be a small one is at least a step in the right direction.
D.T.
Jesus! We just don’t get it do we? We can’t afford these warm and fuzzy things anymore just to please a few Brackers most of whom are either on free this and that from Government or employed by Government in jobs that have no work associated with them. Does anyone ever ask what – eg -the firemen do all day? Or the District Commissioner on $140,000 a year, to say nothing of his deputy. Or the nurses in the hospital with almost no patients? We are flying a loss making airline to an island where most people are recipients of government hand-outs (salary or free health care etc). Can anyone explain why?
Hey idiots, how about you do some research before saying anything. The price will be $345 ROUNDTRIP and more than likely there will be large numbers of people wanting to visit Cayman Brac. In fact they should start more direct flights over there, such as American Airways and British Airways. Cayman Airways, as well as Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, will be making a profit through this. This is great because right now we are in tough economic times. Go learn economics! Im sick and tired of stupid people making stupid comments.
Heres a few things the Brac firemen do all day,They clean their own Vehicles unlike every ther Government staff do,they leave their families home in hurricanes to go to the shelters to care for the needy, They paint their Firestation themselves,unlike your firemen ( you guys have mamaran tho) they will drive to the other end of the Islands at midnight to open a car that was locked mistakengly I could go on but im gonna leave some more for some other proud Cayman Brac firemans wife!
In other words, Sat 20:45, they do most of these things (excluding the worthy hurricane work once in a blue moon) because there are no fires!!!! They’re FIREmen not car mechanics!
So what are you saying then? all im trying to say is they are firemen but if their is no fires they dont fart around, they work for their money unlike some of the other government officials, and by the way if you ever come to Cayman Brac on a plane and it goes down you sure are gonna be happy they were there!
Its ok for Cayman to reach farther than the stars but Cayman Brac should only be given water as once overheard a retired George TownPolitician once announcing at a cocktail party. I just wish that Cayman Brac was not included as part of the Cayman Islands. Thank God for the Bracers in Grand Cayman because you know what ? "if they werent there Jamaicans would own all of the Businesses." Dont you all realize that it was the Bracers who put Cayman on the map? Bracers ran the show in Cayman until of recent when you all got other foriegners taking over. About hand outs even there is a few Bracers receiving financial assistance they are true born Cayman Bracers, not like Cayman where the Johnnys come lately are receiving along with the Caymanians who refuse to work. Also please note that the majority of Bracers are wealthy as they are not lazy, and a wealthy millionaire Bracer already bought a plane, dont forget we built our own hospital, and our old peoples home. If Cayman can spend so much on the famous Northward Hotel then we can can have good plane service,and if not just give us our INDEPENDANCE. THANK YOU.
Here’s an idea. Since you raised the topic, and independence from the UK is an ongoing topic of interest, why not cast off the Brac to independence and we can see how that works out for you ? I suspect without government funds flowing from GC, you’ll quickly sink into economic ruin but let’s try it anyway!
A better idea!!! Let’s do the independance and then make sure all brackers come back to the brack with their businesses… Good bye to Kirks, Cox, Burger King, Fosters, Avis, Andy’s, Bodden & Bodden, Vampt Motors, Cayman Economy, Cable and Wireless (Brackers are incharge – GM and COO), Grand Caymanian, Kaibo, need I go on?
You see, it is quite simple… Grand Cayman would be nothing if it weren’t for Cayman Brac. Cast us off, but make sure you, poor, poor Caymanian (grand) are prepared for it!
Seriously ,I think its time some local geography is taught in the Cayman Brac schools and homes..Just too many posters who refer to "Cayman" when they should be saying Grand Cayman. eg. on a recent radio broadcast from Cayman Brac ,a Brac student made the statement that one parent was living in Cayman Brac and the other was over in Cayman as if Cayman was some foreign country when in fact "Cayman" is generally used in place of "Cayman Islands "by a majority of people.We have to do better because this is making us look bad.
You are totally wrong. Cayman is used all the time insted of Grand Cayman.
Your problem is that you don’t seem to understand how language is used, especially semantics. A word can have a different meaning depending on time, place, etc. When in Cayman Brac or even within the Cayman Islands Brackers will use "Cayman" to refer to Grand Cayman. When they are outside the Cayman Islands they will generally refer to the entire territory as "Cayman" like the "majority of people" as you have stated. Just because someone uses a word in a way that you do not understand does not necessarily indicate that they have a problem. They know exactly what they mean, you are the one confused. Example, anyone in Cayman Brac would know exactly what the student was conveying, you seem to be the one misunderstanding.
Anyway, it could be argued that Caymanians from the Sister Islands have a better grasp on the geography of the Cayman Islands as most have been to all three whereas it seems that most from Grand Cayman have never been to either of the Sister Islands.
To Anonymous Mon 11:55 Your post only serves to confirm my opinion .CNS is certainly not restricted to Cayman Braccers only ,so to continue to support "brac -speak" is doing yourselves a dis-service.Just look at your statement "WHEN IN CAYMAN BRAC OR EVEN WITHIN THE CAYMAN IS" which suggests that Cayman Brac is not within the Cayman Is.Furthering my argument is the story of a young lady from Cayman Brac (who is employed in Grand Cayman) who was overheard bashing Caymanians .When an expat co-worker asked "What nationality are you from?"She replied "I am a Braccer" A fellow Cayman Braccer then asked"Can I see your Cayman Brac passport?" Of course she did not have one.Like I said before "We know better so let’s do better" and stop encouraging this.
To Anonymous Mon 15:40, my statement may have suggested what you claim, I agree, for it was poorly worded as I meant to say "entire Cayman Islands" but my point still stands. I think you are making a mountain out of a molehill when it comes to how Brackers use the word "Cayman". It is a peculiarity of how people in the Brac speak and is used in a completely harmless way; not as if we are trying to separate ourselves no matter how hard you may want to believe that. If there was some negative motive behind they waywe use it I wouldn’t stand for it. Your point with the young lady is another topic all together and I think that when some Brackers act like that they are being foolish. But as you noted a fellow Bracker corrrected her; that should show that not all people in the Brac think like that. Caymanians shouldn’t be bashing each other especially on something as trivial as which Island they live on or how they speak for that matter.
To Anonymous Mon 21:21 Thank you for your excellent post.I agree with you wholeheartedly, we should all try to live in harmony .Peace.
This is not political, this flight is a required basic when you live on an island and your industry is tourism. It’s basic infrastructure that government needs to provide so the private sector can grow.
There is a minimum amount of government services that are required to support any community and that minimum is what we have in the Brac. The only way to make it more cost effective is to grow the community it serves, and to do that you have to create more private sector jobs, and thus more tourism.
This is a smart investment in growing revenues, and I might add a pitance of an amount, in comparison to the $9,000,000.00 Government wastes in West Bay every year on Boatswains Beach! That’s the waste you should be concerned about.
two wrongs don’t make a right…
‘Cause it’s theresponsibility of the Government to take care of ALL it’s citizens… and it’s cheaper than a bridge! The Brac and Little Cayman share (utilize) most of the infrastructural resources located in the Brac (eg. the Hospital, School network, District Administration, Old folks home etc.) True, in Little Cayman there are some limited government resources, (eg. a district clinic, basic primary school classes, 2 police, a district officer), but these are to support basic daily community functions. SO… let’s stop screaming, whining and clashing over the Sister Islands vs. Grand Cayman, and use our combined intelligence to leverage all our resources. Let’s get tourists and investors HERE… and then when can introduce them to ALL three islands and the amazing variety between us. So what if Brackers refer to Grand Cayman as Cayman… how many people refer to the United States of America as "the States". Yeessshhhh… come on people. Remember… our opinions and beliefs are only the sum of our current knowledge. Unless someone out there has all the answers (correct answers that is), I’m assuming we can all continue to explore options, open our minds to alternatives and learn something. Agreed???? Now back to work. We still a country to save, jobs to do, and a future to protect!
Glad to see the Moses hasn’t given up on the Brac. It looks like he can get projects completed no matter who’s in power.
On another note, I would wait and see how the entire tourism stakeholders embrace this before saying it won’t work. It was set up to fail the last time.
I say well done, and let us all do our part in making this flight a sucess.
Thank you Moses
The Brac thanks you! This has been a long hard fight and we’re proud to have a representative that wouldn’t give up on us.
You came through for us, now it is time for us to make good on this chance to build our tourism.
We’re ready to work.
I join too in saying thank you to our beloved BLUE EYE BOY. He is a Business man all the way. Three more years time you will top the polls again. Keep up the good works , it takes a good captain to to survive a storm.
This was tried as recently as three years ago and it didn’t work ,so dont expect any significant boost.That flight also arrived about the same time and suffered from low numbers .Another problem was the mixing of domestic and international passengers on the Cayman Brac to Grand Cayman section which presents major concerns for law enforcement and may be contrary to accepted International Aviation regulations.eg A passenger from Miami going on to Grand Cayman who may be involved in smuggling could pass his goods to someone travelling Cayman Brac to Grand Cayman who is simply allowed to walk through Customs .The other problem is that there is no direct flight from Cayman Brac to Miami(again due to the low numbers).
Don’t get ya? Regardless if the Miami passenger was in Brac or Grand Cayman, he’d still go through security at Miami end of the trip?
Makes no difference which island he’s coming from? it’s like saying somebody in Miami could give somebody a package and they take it to Vegas. Either way the person on the international flight is getting security screened so no smuggling.
To Anonymous Mon .15:12 It is obvious that you don’t get it.First of all I was referring to law enforcement concerns in Grand Cayman as a result of mixing domestic passengers(who are not normally screened by Customs) and international passengers(who are screened).Secondly ,security screening at the point of embarkation is not necessarily aimed at finding smugglers or duty evaders but at detecting threats to the security of the passengers and crew.Eg A passenger could pass through Miami security with a new and expensive item and not be stopped ;however Customs in Grand Cayman would be interested in collecting duties on this item. Mixing of passengers just makes it a little harder.Of course if you are a Bracker travelling to Grand Cayman for the weekend on this flight you dont want to be held up in Customs ,but in this case it may be unavoidable.
maybe we should move the captal to the brac too i can t beleave in these ecominic times we would do something so stupid
I hope you can balance this in a way that does not overdevelop Cayman Brac. It would be heartbreaking to see Cayman Brac and its tranquility go the way of Grand Cayman which is now in the throes of over development, a result of greed. Please don’t let Cayman Brac become overtaken with crime and overpopulation like Cayman.
I really like The Brac. The people are warm…friendly….I am pleased they have a flight…..if it was $200.00 all in you would see a tourism boom. The idea just didn’t go all the way. Its not a tourism boost…..its a way for CAL employees/family/whatever to get low fare no fare transportation and this will just cost Cayman voters more money. Do it "right" you will get tourism.
THIS IS AWSOMEEEEE!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHH..lol I cant wait to be able to go to Cayman Brac
Forgot to mention that is a shame to be charging so much for this flight.Would be a good time to drop the rates to US$250(inclusive of taxes)and see how full the flights would be.Its worth a chance and the same should be done for all other flights into Fla.Fill the planes with cheaper fares and the spin off to the islands would be very good overall.
So Happy to hear that this is being re-visited.Once everyone puts the effort into this move I feel that it will do great things for the Brac.Keep pushing ahead Moses and good luck in this venture and any other GOOD ideas that you have for your people.Hard to believe that we cant seem to see that there are 3 ISLANDS in these Cayman Islands not just Grand Cayman.
This is where politics takes precedence over common sense and business sense. Where is the market study supporting that this route can break even? I wouldn’t even say make a profit, just break even. I’ll bet it wasn’t done. In a recession and government coffers bone dry, how will the UDP take responsibility for this money losing venture? I guess they’ll say the PPM left them with no money to make bad decisions with.
I am so worried about the crater we are being enveloped in. For Pete’s sake, stop doing nonsense and make some prudent choices. You see where Air Jamaica is now for making unwise expansion choices? Please look and learn. If CYB cannot break even, let the people know and don’t play politics and jeopardize CAL’s finances any further.
From a selfish point of view I think this will be great as I will occasionally use it but I have to ask, how much of an additional annual subsidy for CAL will this require and politics aside, can we afford it at this time?
I clearly remember that flight from the last time and it generally served no purpose, there were always a handful for Brac and the entire flight for Grand. Handful meaning 5 to 10, I know this because I worked those flights and saw it every Saturday morning. Now some of that was due to lack of adveristing and the usual CAL mismanagement and poor serve. It always seemed more of an inconvienence to the 70+ folks bounded for Grand, mainly because the turn time in CYB was so disorganized.
The other failing factor was that it left MIA to early making it impossible for the folks wanting to be on it impossible to make the connection thru. So in turn they ended up catching the later MIA flights and waiting around in GCM to get the their final destination. The more pointless ones were the empty ones that flew with less than 20 folks.
Why are we attempting at a failed product? where are the new ideas? We have lost money here before, it doesn’t make sense………
We want to sell Govt. assets. HERE"S ONE!
CNS: Perhaps you should re-read the third paragraph.
CNS with all due respect, I did read it, it goes blah blah blah unfortunately it only mirrors the last time they attempted to pull this off, articles reads about the same, only I don’t remember the price being that high, understandably some of that is out of their control but even more reason not to attempt a failed product . it’s the same times as the last failed runs. 1230 out of MIA is still too early, people connecting into MIA are only arriving there around or after that time. Especially those coming from the northernly parts of the US.
Or they had to come into MIA so early only adding to the cost of their vacation, they may have done it this time but it only prevents them from returning and going somewhere else next trip that offers cleaner beaches, safer streets and lower prices.
Good for you Brac. I wish you all the best.
It will end in deficit and tears……again.
It’s wonderful that CAL is so profitable in its Grand Cayman flights…. So sad that you only count the Cayman Brac flights as money losers.