US military to use Cayman as disaster relief staging post
(CNS): The US forces sent a team of around 100 military personnel and nine helicopters to Cayman Tuesday, in readiness to support disaster relief operations in the region if needed in the wake of Hurricane Matthew. In a release from the US Department of Defence, officials said a special-purpose marine air-ground task force left Honduras’ Soto Cano Air Base aboard various military helicopters to provide heavy lift support to us disaster assistance missions.
CNS has contacted the offices of the premier and governor but there has been no comment about the arrival of the US forces and their equipment from any local officials about Cayman’s role in the regional disaster relief mission as the hurricane continues on its destructive path.
At 8pm Tuesday evening, the eye of category 4 Hurricane Matthew was making landfall near the eastern tip of Cuba, having ploughed across Haiti, still packing winds of 140 mph. Aid agencies were reporting catastrophic damage in Haiti as international organisations began readying for the aftermath.
Matthew is forecast to move near or over the southeastern and central Bahamas Wednesday, and approach the northwestern Bahamas Wednesday night. But on Tuesday night but the powerful wind and heavy rains were still impacting Haiti and Cuba.
With the dangerous storm still heading north, here in Cayman, the national flag carrier Cayman Airways was offering to waive change fees for passengers wanting to cancel flights between Grand Cayman and Miami, Florida.
Category: Caribbean, Local News, USA, World News
Yes 839am i was here when HMS Nuttin showed and said they were too tired from Grenada and law & order on our streets was controllled by looters from our third world countries friends who were surrounding fuel shipments trucks on our streets. Oh sorry they did give us a few salt water tablets and tarps! and then flew their despicable piece of a governor who could not cope with our devastation off with their helo to eat and bathe. Yes you are right Maceewa did put a stop to a certain advisor who made an attempt to transfer control of our financial industry off island. Then out of pure spite blocked other governments who were told we do not need any help. Honduras even sent supplies. Oh yes we did get an apology 5 years later after we were back up and running during a gathering of a Hurricane Exercise about their failings!!! Yes i am still here thanks to the good Lord in this Overseas Territory. Oh before i sign off my biggest laugh from Ivan was when i saw the UK guarded disaster representative who went around to shelters looking for British citizens, ask those fools who believed that EU/UK passport meant something if any British citizens we amongst them. The look they recieved was priceless as was the shock of recieving ZERO assistance from Mommy dearest.
Greetings,
I would like to thank the US military who have responded to helping with the destruction that Hurricane Matthew has and will cause. All negativity aside, this is commendable. There is sometimes a lot of negative comments made about America getting involved in other countries issues and they not looking after their own issues.
However, it should be noted and they should be applauded for their many humanitarian assistance to MANY foreign countries over many years.
It is an honour in my opinion that they felt comfortable to come to the Cayman Islands to sort of set up a base to assist others in the Caribbean who are or will be in need. I thank them for their kindness to these people in need that have and will be affected by Hurricane Matthew.
I think that by Cayman allowing them to be deployed from Cayman, we are in a passive way contributing to assist others in dire need. It is the very least that we can do. Grand Cayman is a bit more modern and capable of “hosting” them in comparison to the Sister Islands. It is all good! Let them come! They are here to help people in need. Why the negativity? No need for that.
Thank you USA! Thank you for coming to our Cayman shores to once again offer help to others in need. Welcome and may God bless all of your military who will participate in humanitarian needs in the Caribbean. Thank you for NOT being selfish.
USA could have said “Hurricane Matthew is heading to the east coast of the mainland US, forget other places. Let us concentrate on ourselves!” But NO, they are willing to help others in need BEFORE there is a need on their home soil.
I hope others will be quick to offer THEM humanitarian assistance when and if it is ever needed.
God bless the Cayman Islands. God bless all who are and will be helping. And may God bless the United States of America! Thank you!
Praying for all who have been and will be affected by this horrific hurricane.
A Praying and grateful Caymanian.
Hear, hear! Thanks America.
It is a real pity we did not get this type of assistance at after our devastation in hurricane Ivan which was readily available to us. Yet the same folks are here now offering UK Tax payer money to carry out their own Agenda! My hope is that the US Government see and takes this as a token of our people long standing friendship and willingness to assist them at anytime to help others and not what others portray us to be for their own financial benefit.
If i recall it was big ol no good mckeeva who said we didn’t need no help after ivan and prevented anyone from coming in to help. hmmmmm
You are correct sir!! All the help needed was there and waiting from several venues but the government didn’t want to admit the devastation thinking it would lose $$$. So they sent them away. Even though GT was the first up and running area within days. (WB was next!)
This was common knowledge at the time.
Sucka Free Cayman, where were you?? How does everyone know this but you?
That is my recollection as well.
Why hasn’t our Government announced any assistance for Haiti and Bahamas while the opportunity exists to mobilize such assistance via the US Marines? But for the grace of God that could have been us!!
Cash money, the lack of it…
Conspiracy Theorists ! ATTACK !!!
Perhaps Gov was afraid that the development of Smith’s Cove was going to start a riot. These 100 military would have been helpful.
For what it’s worth, imagine if Caymanians united as strongly about all of the serious issues, in the same vein that they did about Smith’s Cove. It’s disappointing that 20000 Adult Caymanians have to live in fear of a few corrupt people.
It really stinks for me to say this about your comment, but, welcome to what it’s like to live in America. You are feeling the same as millions of Americans.
If needed? Help is needed but you have to actually go to Haiti to give it. Readiness to give support when support is CLEARLY needed makes no sense. What can they do to help from here…sit on the beach? If their task is to assist in a disaster then go to the disaster and do what you are trained to do. Gosh even the disaster response industry has gone all elitist.
It’s comments like this that reveal the true idiots of the island who are so quick to run their mouth. The US military is in Haiti, right now, they have been there. Fool!
Are there Caymanians from your military helping out right now, on your tax dime?
No?? Shut up!
Yes the US military is in Haiti EXCEPT for the bunch that are in Cayman and its THOSE I am speaking of. And please lets not talking about helping out, America does not “help out” other countries unless it suits their agenda. There has to be some resource or power or something to gain. A country that will create its own disasters and blame it on others just to justify warfare never just helps out anyone. AND while we are debating the US – any country where someone like Trump has even the most remote chance of being elected president isn’t that great….news flash America suffers from an overly inflated ego, which exactly why they think sending people here in readiness if needed is actually useful.
It’s easy to see you have an agenda that has nothing to do with Haiti.
Sorry but anyone who would vote for Bush or whatever your silent ones name is can not be qualified to judge anything about anyone or any country. Talk to your hand and wait for the reply.
Get over your bad self.
they are military personnel they will sleep on the tarmac…..if not hotels are available
All USA resources should stay at home as they never, ever, ever get credit for humanitarian aid. Only froth running out of others mouths (mostly Canadian and Western Europeans) is that they are war mongers and never protectors unless there is oil involved. Wait does Haiti have oil?
Wow! That’s really cool!
Not that it is anything wrong with offering or helping in times of disaster ,, but why wouldn’t the premier or the governor office comment on why US rescue operation is set up in Cayman, and not Cayman Brac which is.closer to Islands that would need help .
It is easier to find accommodations for 100 personnel in Grand than in the Brac, just my guess.
Good guess, also probably more space for the aircrafts.
80 to 90 miles will not make a big difference plus I am sure it has to do with other logistics e.g. fuel, space , equipment . just saying .
and fuel for the aircraft, and space for the aircraft, emergency supplies…
If any of the sexy military men need accommodation on Grand. I have an extra room in my house!
9:30 pm – It is EXACTLY that kind of mentality that has given the Cayman Islands and other Caribbean countries a negative and slack reputation.
I’m sure there are others who share your opinion. However, I’m pretty sure as well that there are others who are solid decent folks among the Caribbean who can welcome our visitors without being vulgar as your comment is.
Go take a cold shower!
Again, get over yourself. It was a funny post.
In no way does finding men in uniform hot give Cayman a negative reputation. It doesn’t even make sense.