Hopes and promises offered for future of Brac tourism

(CNS): At a tourism awareness event during a long weekend government retreat on Cayman Brac at the Alexander Hotel, Premier McKeeva Bush noted that the GDP of the Sister Islands has dropped from $70 million in 2006 to $60 million now, but offered only vague promises and repeated previous announcements about the road forward. He said that it costs central government $13 million for the administration and running of the Sister Islands, which did not include the airport, seaport or the running of the hospital. “I’m not sure if Cayman Airways is in there either,” he said.

Bush said that he had had discussions with “the Chinese” about the “first class marina and ocean front facility pursued by the Scotts” and said they had made a commitment to build it, but offered no further details. “Of course,” he said, “they have an arrangement with Cayman first and that has to be done before they do anything new.” He has met with the Scott family (of Scott Development, which owns the surrounding land in the area around the proposed dock) and plans to work with them, he said, adding, “I’m not sure that that is something that will happen immediately, maybe two years.”

The premier said he has met with the board of Cayman Airways to discuss the possibility of improving the airlift to Cayman Brac, though he said there were “no promises.” Bush said he hoped that improved airlift would provide opportunities, especially in replacing Divi Tiara (a hotel which closed in September 2006 and is now derelict). He hoped those talking would make headway, he said, without explaining who or what was being discussed, “but it’s difficult to even get people talking, much less put money on the table.” He also hoped that with more properties they could get more airlines to consider routes to Cayman Brac.

There have been a number of applications for million dollar homes on Little Cayman, while on Cayman Brac there has been an application for 12 more affordable homes, he said.

Noting the importance of the existing tourism properties on Cayman Brac, he said, “I don’t know why … they still have problems with the Alexander Hotel.” Referring to the smell that sometimes emits from Salt Water Pond next to the hotel and proposals to alleviate this by letting in sea water, he said, “If it means letting in water, then let the water in …  That family has invested millions in that hotel. The pond is a deterrent.” However, he said, “If I have to move any mountain, then tell me which mountain I have to move.”

He identified lionfish as another problem on Cayman Brac that was “close to a critical situation” and said he was going to work with the minister (Mark Scotland) to offer some type of relief, which might include “a type of bounty system”.

The Brac office Department of Commerce and Investment has assisted 30 new or existing businesses in the 2011 calendar year so far, Bush said. The Development Bank continues to play a critical role in the economic recovery of the islands by providing financial advice and payment relief in restructuring finances. The past year the CIDB has provided financing for home renovations and construction of a new residence and is also financing a commercial venture, which will include a restaurant in phase 1 that is already underway, and a plaza in phase 2. The bank representatives will be on the Brac on 17 September, he said.

The premier repeated a previous announcement about the name change of the Gerrard-Smith International Airport to the Captain Charles Kirkconnell International Airport. “This takes away nothing from Mr Smith and Mr Gerrard and what they did,” the premier said. “I won’t disrespect any of Her Majesty’s past representatives but it was our people who took us to where we are.” There will be an appropriate ceremony in the near future, he said.

In the question and answer section Eddlee Martin noted the high cost of living on Cayman Brac. As an example he checked the prices at each of the three supermarkets on Cayman Brac for a box of Cornflakes that costs $5.89 on Grand Cayman. He said the prices he found for the same size and brand were $12.29, $14.30 and $15.25. “Something needs to be done. We are being taken advantage of,” Martin said and suggested that the government, which buys heavily from the local stores forsocial services, should boycott them until they bring down the prices. The premier said that there were no statistics on prices and a survey would be done so the government had a better idea of what to do, but he noted the economies of scale in servicing a smaller population.

Heavy equipment operator Raymond Scott complained about the high cost of fuel, which is currently $6.01 for diesel and $5.83 for gasoline on Cayman Brac, and asked why the government insisted on using the two fuel companies, Esso and Texaco, and did not buy from other sources, such as Petrojam in Kingston, Jamaica, or from Cuba, which, Scott noted, the government was already dealing with to buy other commodities. In response, the premier noted the MOU he had signed “to explore the matter” of oil refinery for Grand Cayman, which he claimed would “be cheaper all round”.

Scott also complained bitterly about the price of a licence to clear up beach property (CI$5,000), and said that he has been harassed by the Development Control Board and the police for doing so, saying that government workers did the same thing with a lot less care, since he always saved indigenous trees and shrubs wherever possible.  He said he had been arrested and humiliated for making “a few scratch marks” and this had made it difficult for him to feed his family.

The regulation concerning movement of matter on properties is being looked at, the premier told him, but they have to take advise from the planning department. “We have to follow guidelines,” he said.

The meeting on Cayman Brac also served to launch the national CaymanKind campaign, which was launched in the international market earlier this year. The Brac event was the first of a series of town hall meetings, which are planned throughout the islands.

In a presentation given by Rosa Harris of the Department of Tourism, Brackers learned that the campaign will educate the local population in the Cayman Islands about tourism and “evoke random acts of kindness as a way of life.”

Rock climbing on Cayman Brac is highly rated by enthusiasts of the sport but has never been promoted by the Cayman Islands government, but the DoT says it now has the “green light” from the premier to explore the possibilities. However, this is still in the early initial discussion stages.

In other initiatives for Cayman Brac, the DoT is planning a week long musical event, and better signage for tourism has been designed but has not progressed beyond the conceptual stage.