Viewpoint: What next?
Dave Miller writes: I write this viewpoint for thought or debate for the new year. We are on a little island that virtually has nothing as natural resources. We love out little island because of our forefathers and their suffering. But they have succeeded in persevering through the past to where we are today. The problem is time is changing and what has made us different is now making us the same. Competition in banking has now started to see the world changing the laws which will cause most investors to flee before the IRS finds them.
But most of all tourism is what I’m concerned with. We are stagnating , surfing in the wave of competition in things to do or see in Cayman, the beautiful sea which can be found across the Caribbean, the diving which gets smaller and smaller per year, or the Turtle Farm which has been invaded by environmentalist, the Stingray City which has been a point of interest by scientists recently, the new conservation law that has been pushed so that certain people will keep control of people they don’t like, the power and greed, jealousy, envy … on and on and on.
But I change the subject for the future. What will we offer or create for the tourism market to keep people happy and make them spend money that is unique, like Dubai? If we want hotel and condo success, we need Dubai attractions. Our population is too small. We need to grow. We need 100,000 people to keep the business we have have flourishing.
We need something that would take any other competitor 20 years to catch up with, something that would keep the greedy, jealous and envious together so that the project isn’t trying to be stopped.
But who could achieve this without money? We could go with Bo Miller’s idea, but he’s talking infrastructure. I’m talking innovational. We know people like the sea, so why not incorporate something using the sea?
How about a project under the sea? A hotel or restaurant under the sea? We could build on the surface of the land and sink it 60 to 100 feet. In case of a hurricane, we could float it and tow it. The design I have dreamt about is like a UFO with windows on the sides that can close. It needs to rotate round and round. It could be based off Pedro St James, which is close to shore and very deep quickly. Connect it to a cement foundation and an elevator to 60 feet on shore with a tube connecting to a bar, a restaurant, or hotel.
What about a floating city ? There is a group of people who are looking for a nation who will allow them to build a floating city. We could do something different instead of the same as anyone does. We have to understand, it has to be different.
Category: Viewpoint
Wow — that is a long list of ideas. But we do not need to build underwater and we are too prone to big waves for that idea to work.
I think that most Caymanians would not want to live in such a congested place as this island would be with TWICE as many people and cars and stores, and gas stations. God gives us a clear path for our lives and no where does it say we should earn more and more and more money at the expense of our quality of life. Do you remember what it was like here in the 70s? It was safe, no locks on the doors, a tiny phone book, almost every worker was Caymanian. It was not Utopia, but it was good. We have come a long way, but we have to ask ourselves, what do we really want? More traffic, more trash, more crowds? What good does that really do us if our young people are not able to enter the job market easily.
Here is what we really need, more than anything else in the world. We need to expose our children to the world of ideas. Instead of isolating them in a school of only islanders, make it mandatory for all students to attend mixed classes of local and expats. Then, pay the money needed and support that teacher with the proper mechanisms for discipline. Then, instead of just passing a youngster because he is nice, but failed the test, make sure he learns enough to pass first. And last but most important, offer the types of training that every youngster can actually use to get a job. Teach industrial skills. In the US a plumber makes a fine wage. Teach proper typing skills, and especially teach them how to talk to people. Why don’t we have Caymanians as sales staff at Kirkconnell?? One reason is that they are not comfortable around strangers. So we need to teach that. We are letting our children down terribly. they come out of school thinking they are ready for a job, but they are way behind the rest of the expat job market because we have this really dumb idea that segregating our children from them is a good idea. What a poor way to save money while building a fancy, expensive building. I know that it is easier for someone to steal money when contracting an expensive building than it is when contracting an expensive teacher, but the teacher is worth it. Education has been ignored and ignored and we all gripe about the consequences of it, but we still allow our administration to simply turn down a report that tells us how to improve discipline at the high school, and actually send it back to make it more acceptable. That report is for the benefit of our children. That report has more to do with fixing our future than this whole dock project. I was a public school teach in California for seven years and I have seen it all from the inside. And that is just the straight truth.
The Cayman Islands have been going downhill for years and will continue to do so. No country can continue to bring in labor from other countries and expect the Caymanians to prosper. As more people come to live here the islands will become more and more crowded. More and more of our natural beauty and tranquility will be lost. Crime will continue to rise. We will soon be crushed with hotels, restaurants, night clubs, more and more concrete, and yes, even gambling will be made legal. Greed knows no bounds. The money lovers will continue to grab all they can at the expense of the Caymanian people and the natural beauty and environment. I lump the developers and politicians together….. MONEY GRUBBERS!
How about less Rich billionaire South Florida looking ,take over Island type of investment and do something for Caymanians. so we can once again be a part of our future and not have it dictated by $$$$$$
What about the terrible state of Eastern.Avenue.between Payless and Walton center.that whole area needs to be torn down.why are people keeping this beautiful place soo dirty?what I can’t seem to grasp is why people come here,saying they are looking for a better life,but still bring thier old habits with them,Please Keep Cayman Clean.I love this Country too much to see it in such state.The Government needs to look into this.
Why doesn’t the Cayman government allow the marina to be developed at The Alexamdra Hotel or do they think a stink hole is better for the Brac.
My wife and I were hoping to go back to the Brac this year. We will spend our money elsewhere.
The Cayman government is letting the local people down badly.
Cayman has a lot to offer, but the little things that make it so wonderful are never highlighted. David has a great Idea about the under water restaurant but I’d highly doubt the NIMBY’s and environment fanatic will never let that fly. I am sure the generate response will be something like They will drill a hole into the ocean floor and cause it to drain the ocean. It would be nice to see a resort with Villas out on the water like the this one in Fiji, http://www.likulikulagoon.com/.
What about lowering the prices of airfare?
I also think that GC needs to promote events in a more timely fashion. I never know about them until they hit the news and then it is too late to buy an air ticket down to partake in the event. Publish the events here and on Trip Advisor and other travel websites so we know in advace what’s going on.
GREAT IDEA, Traveller.
What about a longer runway to accommodate larger aircraft from Europe so we can stop relying on US visitors alone.