Gov’t still cautious over resort ‘bubbles’
(CNS): The recent scare of a potential re-emergence of COVID-19 in the community has further fuelled government’s hesitancy over the concept of resort ‘bubbles’ as a way to kick-start the tourism sector. Premier Alden McLaughlin outlined at a recent press briefing the dilemma he feels the government faces over trying to protect the people of the Cayman Islands from the virus while facing the collapse of tourism, once the second most important pillar of the economy.
The premier said the hoteliers will not force government’s hand to reopen, regardless of the discussion about resort bubbles, because the CIG is still not satisfied they can be safe.
With a steady flow of people coming into and leaving the Cayman Islands, public concerns increased over the soft opening. Many have seen this as an opening for returning visitors to bring the virus with them. These fears were then stoked by the suspected outbreak at Red Bay Primary, though, based on testing and tracing, that was almost certainly an isolated case.
However, McLaughlin said Friday that there is no general tourism yet. It is also evident the government remains reluctant to spell out when and how the borders can open to tourists, despite the vocal pleas from some of the larger hotels and other tourism-related businesses entirely dependent on visitors that cannot transition their business model or manage on the government support offered so far.
Speaking at the press briefing, the premier said he was not sure how much more careful government could be in its effort to keep the island free of coronavirus. He said many people think government is being far too conservative about who it is currently allowing in and the circumstances surrounding the quarantine rules, as he spoke of the conflict he, as leader, must now resolve.
“We constantly get pressure from the tourism operators that we need to open up,” he said, because of the fears many businesses will close down. “But we have resisted and we will continue to resist those entreaties until we do so safely,” McLaughlin said, as he warned that even “safely” is not without risk.
On the other hand, the premier said he was “aware we cannot exist in a complete bubble going forward and none of us know how long this pandemic will last. Considering how others are living around the world and the death, too, shows how well off we are, despite the challenges.”
“But anyone who believes… they’re going to force the hand of government… they have gotten it wrong,” he said as he pointed to the Ritz-Carlton and the Chamber of Commerce. “There is a lot of discussion going on about resort bubbles and government has not closed its mind to that, but we are not yet satisfied that we can do so safely. Until we are satisfied, that is not going to happen,” the premier stated.
Government will now be occupied by the Legislative Assembly for the next two weeks. However, no information has been released about phase 2 of the reopening or if, indeed, government plans to make any changes next month to the categories of potential visitors, increases in flights, clearance for additional commercial airlines or changes to the quarantine and home-isolation regime and protocols.
There has been no indications at all from the premier or the tourism minister when, or what, phase 2 of the reopening process will be.
Category: Business, Health, Medical Health, Politics, Tourism
A negative COVID test result within 72 hours of a tourists departure to the Cayman Islands with documentation of such while following the known health safety requirements on island should be implemented. If the tourist stays more than 7 nights, an on island COVID test would be required. Not ideal for all tourists but would begin the economic recovery needed.
Better than what we have now!
We have the capacity to test them every day they are here. At the very least I think they’d be tested upon arrival and before departure.
Stop speaking about tourists as if they some kind of pests needed to be sprayed, controlled, corralled etc.
Unless you change your attitude towards them the word will spread that Cayman is the place to avoid, not visit.
Either learn to live with the virus that goes nowhere or forget about making money off visitors. .
Apart from the concerns sorrounding the bubble, consider that this is a way for resorts to introduce “All inclusive” accommodations, something which has been discouraged for years. Yes be wary, and ensure that if there is to be any kind of tourism reawakening post Covid, that we include trained caymanians tans that there is continuos monitoring by government to ensure Our people aren’t washed out on a whim as has been happening quite frequently pre COVID-19.
Travel Cayman had better get their act together ASAP or it won’t make any difference what type of travel policy you have in place. Nobody and I mean nobody is going to stand for unanswered calls, emails and getting notified to travel just hours before departure. Totally unrealistic.,
Cayman Airways can barely run their own business nevermind adding something like this on top. Never should have happened. This is a government responsibility and should be on government to implement and operate.
Until both the US and the UK can get control over Covid-19 it does not seem like a wise idea to reopen our shores to visitors.
Sure, let homeowners come to their own properties, but you damn sure need to monitor that situation.
It would be nice to understand what “under control” is.
Is the flu under control?
Trumpster??
Does the flu has a vaccine?
Does the flu spreads as effortless as the covid?
Does the covid caused more deaths in 6 months than the flu in a year? (And consider there were lockdowns implemented).
Yes, the flu is under control.
And we learned to live with it as we must do now.
What you think on morning we will wake up and the vaccination angels will have vaccinated the globe and we are good.
We are years from that we need a new plan.
Alden told us the ethos is zero deaths. Thus the flu is also out of control along with dozens of other ailments.
Apparently there are a number of people that still believe we can either go on like this indefinitely or that Covid will soon be reduced to flu numbers. Seems like wishful if not delusional thinking on both accounts.
We learned to live with a lesser sickness.
You are comparing apples and oranges.
God bless Cayman and prevent it to see the deaths and pain the covid caused in other countries. But it looks like you won’t learn until you have experienced it 🙁
Influenza does not leave some victims with life changing, debilitating pulmonary injuries like this virus and variants. With over 19 mutations and counting a vaccine might not come. This test period we’re in will prove wether we can control it here. Another lockdown or two down the road we might have better ideas on how to manage travelers. Again just like with other things, what works in other countries might not work here.
Sure let them in. We need to take the edge of the population growth anyway.
Three towns where I live are in the red zone ( Covid numbers are high). In one town it is because a nursing home has high numbers. In another town, a college has high numbers. In the third town, a prison. They are very centralized locations, but put all 3 towns in the red zone. One must be careful when reading the Covid case load maps.
FAKE NEWS. The WHO did not say that lockdowns are a terrible idea. They said that lockdowns should not be the PRIMARY means to control the virus, and that the negative implications (particularly on the poor) cannot be ignored. Lockdowns are, however, justified in their view to buy time to reorganize, obtain resources, and protect health workers.
To be clear—Cayman is not under a lockdown. Quite the opposite. We are more open and free to transact local business than most other places in the world. Keeping Cayman’s borders closed keeps us from having to go into another lockdown, which would have much worse implications on our economy.
We are a community the size of a city suburb in the U.S. A flare up in this isolated community could take the community out.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucelee/2020/10/13/who-warning-about-covid-19-coronavirus-lockdowns-is-taken-out-of-context
It’s pretty clear that we are headed for an economic disaster. The government does not have an endless supply of money to support those unemployed + those already on social welfare. Within 6 – 9 months, we will start to see the ugly effects of this total isolation, rise to the surface.
Not intentionally being negative, but we can expect to see;
– an escalation of small businesses fail;
– increase in serious crime;
– glut of unrented properties – residential & commercial;
– rise in loan defaults;
– rent rates drastically fall (good & bad to this)
– property values fall;
– Government hiring to help create some employment.
– construction drying up – (hard to believe we are in a boom – investors taking high risk)
– import duties and other indirect taxes rise (inflation) as Gov seek to service their massive debt and continue NAU support.
That should be enough for now and I hope I’m wrong but it seems fairly obvious.
Please CIG, just look what Bermuda is successfully doing. We need to avert an economic disaster in 2021 but we will have one if we do not change our current thinking.
I would like to believe but its too early to call.
You are so right on your analysis at least you are thinking of the consequences of financial ruin rather than deaths that our Premier thinks will happen. Alden get a grip on reality and stop the fear monger to the people as deaths will occur no matter if a person comes down with the flu, COVID, or pneumonia. Top scientists have already said the vaccines will not be available for another two or three years so they are concentrating on remedies to help the patient but that society will need to learn to live with it by wearing masks, washing hands etc. Most Caribbean Islands and Latin America have opened up to tourist and have succeeded with controlling the spread (Bermuda so far has been open for over three months) they are doing something right, airlines are rapid testing as well, so stop with your “bubble” mentality and get this damn economy (tourism) going or at least have a proper plan for January since we all know you are thinking of keeping the island shut down until next year.
We all complied and have successfully eradicated the virus on this island. If government let’s it back in I will not adhere to another lockdown.
In addition, it has been proven by the courts that the curfew regulations hold no water.
The Bermuda model is working. It’s been three and a half months and has been manageable. Anyone have issues with this model? Link to Bermuda travel protocol:
https://www.gotobermuda.com/bta/press-release/bermuda-tourism-authority-update
Dr Lee is following what Hong Kong is doing for COVID rules. Our leaders are agreeing with with him. We might as well become communist too… 2021 Cayman being ruled by Hong Kong!
Yes the Gov. does because they can’t even copy a successful plan!
7:16, We are a people who do not learn from other people because we are a brilliant people.
People keep talking about Bermuda (and Aruba) yet no one can tell me how many tourists they are actually getting.
My guess is that’s because the number is very low but the “Bermuda model” proponents don’t want that to be known.
Since July 1 Bermuda has had approximately 5,000 tourists.
citation?
Bernese
Instead of disliking, prove me wrong.
Bermuda was at 63% occupancy in a press relies they had a month back.
Dominican republic is testing on arrival with a 5 minute berth test.
Turks and Caicos was at over 50% the first few weeks they opened.
People want and are traveling!
Devils in the details- 63% of pre-COVID room supply? Or 63% of mid-COVID greatly reduced room supply?
Contxt matters.
I didn’t ask for made up numbers. I want facts.
You are so smart why don’t you go to Bermuda and do some research yourself.
Bermuda has to wear masks and social distance. We don’t and the people here don’t want to go back to that because then the children will have to wear masks in school almost all day.
Consider the massive number of US dollars that used to flow into the monetary system in CI. Those dollars are used to import groceries, fuel, autos and everything else that flow from Miami.
Now remember that those dollars before were scattered like chaff on the wind all over Cayman from those disease infested tourists. There was probably little need to “buy” or “convert” CI dollars into USD for the majority of the imports.
Now consider that the CIG/CAL/Businesses will have to convert its CI dollars into USD for all the imports. Maybe I am wrong but, does the fact that after the US dollars are all gone that converting the CI dollars to USD will have some type of money broker involved? Will the next coming conversions require something along the lines of $1.00 CI to $1.00 USD or maybe the inverse $1.00 CI to $0.80 USD? The conversion rate kept a steady surplus of USD in the pipeline as long as the US tourists were dumping their vacation money into the system.
Unless I am completely off base I think that this will force a currency debasement.
Can one of those financial wizards explain how this could play out? I know the financial industry is loaded with smart people, could just one of them explain?
…disease infested tourists…?
Seems to be the sentiment of most of the messages here. If I was to believe what I read here about the USA – one would think that we are back in medieval times where the wagon goes down the streets every day while the town Crier yells: Bring out your dead!
LOL
I am in Florida. And life is normal here. Has been for months. There are people who are unhappy that “no eviction” has ended and they have to find a place to live, but for some reason they don’t tell why 2 healthy young adults are not looking for work. Uber drivers are very busy, Amazon delivery drivers are very busy. For some reason some people want handouts using their children as a bait. Where do they get money to pay for hotels?
Give me a friggin break. Life is normal here? I live in Florida with nearly 16,000 coronavirus deaths and 742,000 coronavirus cases.
Stop drinking the Trump Kool Aid.
Do you wear your mask while alone in your car?
Do you wear your seat belt when alone in your car?
9:40, Bet you really live in the swamp in Florida. Just be careful of the gators and crocs.
66 coronavirus deaths and 2,883 new coronavirus cases in Florida today. Time to check out some funeral homes and hospitals soon.
66 covid deaths.
Florida population 24.5 million.
66 – 24500000
Good odds.
20% of that 24.5million over 65 years.
What you need to be concerned about in Florida is the rapid rate of growth of both deaths and new coronavirus cases on a weekly basis. That is what is scary, particularly if one is 65 or over.
The stats don’t lie even if you and Trump hate the reality they present.
8 million cases and 218,000 deaths in the USA due to COVID with the numbers growing every day, and people like you and idiot Trump believe this is going to “magically go away”. SAD
I remember when the Jamaican dollar was on a par with the US dollar.
Don’t forget the CDC also confirmed that COVID-19 is slightly more lethal than the common flu 0.02%. CIG and UKG are a joke at this point continue lockdowns and giving out awards to people that are taking instructions from higher powers and getting paid in the process, even my friend Pom Pom could pull that off.
Cite your sources. Memes don’t count.
THE YEAR IS 2045…
AND WE STILL DONT HAVE A PLAN…
Don’t worry
You will run in May 2021
You can tell us your plan
My plan is the plan currently being followed by Bermuda. It works. This is not rocket science. Wake up Cayman and get out of your hole.
6:52 or you can move to Bermuda and deal with all the other shit they have going on there.
And why as a Caymanian should I move to Bermuda? This is my home not Bermuda. However, we can learn from an enlightened place such as Bermuda where they have figured out a number of things such as how to develop an excellent bus system, a superb new futuristic airport built by Canada and most importantly, how to handle COVID and their tourist industry.
Get your head out of the sand 8:18. We can learn from others be it Bermuda, Barbados or Aruba.
nothing will happen before a vaccine is available.
but the chamber should keep ramping up the pressure on cig regarding their plans to save the economy.
right now the ppm have their heads in the sand are continuing to spend and will not reduce the civil service…complete and utter madness considering they are on a $25m/month or $300m/year deficit plan.
Do people realize the flu vaccine doesnt safeguard you from getting the flu? Why does everyone think this rushed covid vaccine is going to be magic and we go back to pre Covid-19 life the day after (well at least those who CHOOSE to take the vaccine).
I sure hope our honourable leaders are the first to get vaccinated, you know, lead by example and all as well as prove how safe it is!
Exactly! I don’t take the flu vaccine and DEFINITELY won’t be taking a brand new COVID-19 one. No thanks!
We can ignore reality, but we cannot ignore the consequences of ignoring reality.
― Ayn Rand
Can’t wait to see the response once the vax is found to be only 50% to 75% effective. Then what?
“we’re going of the rails on crazy train” John Michael Osbourne.
See you on the other side
Have you seen all the vaccine setbacks in the past couple of days? The vaccine gonna save us crowd are deluded.
I would agree.
May be they can make a vaccine that will increase cognitive reasoning…?
there is no plan as usual from the ppm and there never was one.
they created a bubble and will now have to live with the consequences till a vaccine is fully available.
the real question is how you keep the economy alive and how to prepare for the recession/depression that everyone keeps ignoring.
will pension be extended into the new year. will we be able to take another drawdown.
I guess Alden wants to wait until the US election and possible market crash so we can withdraw against deflated funds again. What does he care? Doesnt affect public servants. They have pre-approved loan to keep paying salaries.
You spend you pension now, you gonna be poor forever.
Again, yet another demonstration of no plan on the horizon.
It is crazy to think we will continue to live in a bubble. This is not sustainable – not for our economy and for our mental health.
We need to be able to live freely, taking all necessary precautions of course.
How much longer will our people and our economy survive?!
It is crazy to think our government wants to force us to live in a fake world. Talk about apocalyptic living?!?
We, the people, need to leave the island for so many reasons – family, medical, mental break from this place.
We are living in a fake world and this government should allow us to live freely!!
As per WHO – lockdowns are not the way to combat the virus. At this point, we are not combating, we are avoiding it at all costs (even the survival of our economy).
Open up with all the precautions and take us from this fake world we are living under.
you are taking who comments out of context.
lockdowns will never be the total solution but they can be used to suppress community transmission.
For the last 6 months We are using a lockdown as the total solution. At the cost of our economy.
We can’t shut the world forever and ignore the problem.
If that was so simple then government would have fixed a lot of our problems.
We are not on a lockdown. Our borders are closed, but we are completely able to engage in local business free from COVID. Perhaps we should be looking at why our economy is so critically dependent on so few sectors?
*boarders
You were correct the first time!
Looking shouldn’t take long. It’s a tiny f-ing island!!!! Should we manufacture cars? Grow corn? Tobacco?
May be it would be possible to bottle a Corona “wine”? It could be called Lockdown, or maybe Bubble, or Waiting for a Vaccine, or maybe CIG knows best. I am not good with marketing….someone help me out.
we are already growing tobacco…
We can manufacture more rum cakes. Will soak up lots of the unemployed. Rum cakes are our future. Think big like The Donald.
We can manufacture more rum cakes. Will soak up lots of the unemployed. Rum cakes are our future. Think big like The Donald.
Coughlin’s Laws of the internet.
When a person says “we, the people” it is almost certain they they no do speak for “the people” rather a small vocal lunatic fringe.
There are lots of flights out. Go spend a month or so in covid infested USA. If you like it after a month and you don’t have covid, it’s the place for you. Run wild!
Many of us have spending the entire year in the covid infested USA. If you just follow simple precautions you won’t get it and you can still run wild. Bonus – you don’t have to destroy your livelihood either. It’s call – win win.
9:40 good for you, stay over there then
COVID infested Florida is beautiful these days. Stupid people everywhere and not wearing mask while showing support for Trump.
Sad they are following the Hong Kong model. There no hope to open the economy the leadership of Cayman has checked out of his role he will be out in May 2021.
Dear Leader If you have nothing more to contribute please step down give it to someone with a vision to save us.
In full support of you Alden!
Even if you open do you really think they will come? Our major market the USA is facing record numbers of unemployment. Europe is the same. This is traditionally our slowest period of the year. So if anyone believes that simply saying it’s open will restore it they are living a dream.
Keep it the way it is for the remainder of this year. And in the meantime get on with doing others things the Country needs. Don’t let these money hungry artists distract you.
Stay the course.
You are SO Wrong. people are traveling from all over to Caribbean Islands.
Nearly every flight is full for the next 3 days to the DR.
Just spoke to a woman at work today. She said DR wants tourists so they are just doing testing before and on arrival and then people are free to travel the island. I said…please give me a list of hotels to look into. I was never really interested into a DR vacation, but I may just try it out.
You are far more likely to be murdered in the DR than you are of contracting Covid in the Cayman Islands. Prove me wrong.
Aruba and other places are testing and allowing tourists too. I have friends in the US that have gone to Aruba recently. Others to Cancun and Cabo in Mexico. Some are headed to Costa Rica next month.
I myself would not visit at this time.
The high unemployment will impact some for certain. There are many who haven’t been impacted, or only to the extent it qualifies to a rounding error on their net worth statement.
However, there are more people than you likely realize that would travel. I have listened to call-in talk shows on the topic asking snowbirds how many of them are or would be traveling this winter. Most who called in were planning to travel/return this fall/winter to their preferred destination. They perceived that their preferred destinations were doing adequate (read not perfect) in containing the virus, and they were willing to do their part while there- follow local guidelines and recommendations. Some owned homes at their destination, many didn’t.
Many have found travel insurance that they believe will cover them for COVID. Just as many were content not having any travel insurance and willing to take the associated risks. It is quite enlightening to hear their perspectives.
The spectrum for where everyone stands on the topic of COVID, next best steps, and specifically travel is broad and wide. Consensus will be near impossible to find.
Knowing that consensus will be hard to come by, what is the next best step?
I am interested in taking 3 trips coming from Dec. thru April. I am tired of not traveling and feel that I will be able to travel safely as long as I take certain protocols to remain safe while going thru airports and on the plane. Not worried about being on an island as I will continue to wear a mask, social distance and wash hands.
Because we were not allowed to come to Cayman we recently took a trip to Cabo San Lucas. It takes two flights to arrive in Cabo from our home and both legs of our flight were full; the same for the return flights. Mexico requires a health document to be signed and presented upon arrival, body temperature scanners were in place before claiming bags at Customs. There are no testing requirements, I’m not suggesting no testing for Cayman entry in the next phase (when and if that happens) but I am pointing out that people are traveling and taking the required precautions to do so. We’ve been home 3 weeks now and no sign of illness in any of us that traveled.
I must say it was wonderful to make a trip and all the folks in Cabo were so welcoming and happy to see tourists. I hope when Cayman finally decides to allow tourists to return they will be welcomed and CaymanKind will prevail. Sometimes I wonder if that concept will still exist.
What everyone must realize is Covid isn’t going to magically disappear. Living with this virus is something we all must learn to do. If CIG waits until there is a vaccine and everyone willing to take the vaccine has been vaccinated and/or there is proven treatment for those who get covid, then I fear for what will happen to Cayman in the years to come. The reality is it will take years for the world to be vaccinated and maybe even longer to find a proven treatment. At some point the money will run out, and what happens then?
At this rate, we too will have huge number of unemployed. And we will not survive the crisis ahead of us!
Do we know how many Caymanians are employed in tourism? Probably not many and mostly on minimum wage. Redeploy them in work permit dependent industries such as landscaping, construction and security.
No indication because they have no clue. Shutting everything down was easy, now some thought has to be applied. Handing the responsibility off to CAL to manage people coming has already proven to be a disaster
Resort bubble doesn’t make sense. What makes sense is testing before and masks and social distancing. I don’t believe we should flood the island with tourists but we can do this without continuing this charade.
Agree.
None of our hotels, except maybe Ritz and Kimpton, have enough amenities to keep guests satisfied while being not allowed to leave. More importantly, when people come to Cayman, they want to see the island and interact with our people.
I am definitely NOT in favor of just throwing the gates open. Cayman has worked too hard to be in this good position with little risk of Covid19. However, I do worry about the long term effect on Caymanians if some tourism revenue doesn’t soon start back.
Many of our longtime visitors are now traveling to other locations. We will certainly lose some of those to their newly discovered vacation spots.
Waiting for a vaccine is crazy talk! Many many persons won’t be willing to take it. Given the fact that this virus mutates, the vaccine will probably be as effective as the flu one which may or may not even cover the strain you come in contact with.
Require tests at airport before boarding (United is already doing it for Hawaii flights) and again on arrival at Cayman airport if desired. Mask use inside buildings/public vehicles or when can’t distance in outside settings.
Look around. Stores are full. Restaurants are busy. Everyone is driving a new car or renovating their house. Construction is booming. We don’t need tourists! Keep them and their diseases the hell out of Cayman!
And when the money runs out what then?
Don’t worry the NAU will have your back. Ha ha ha
you will be probably broke and out of a job in 6 months.
nope. my business is going strong. maybe its my positive attitude?
You dislike that my business is going strong?
Until the money runs out. Which will happen very soon.
2:50 I completely agree
I work in Camana bay and business is booming. We have made more money from local shoppers than we have previously from foreigners. It has been so nice serving our local community and seeing them support local! It has certainly been a time for rediscovery and appreciation for all of us.
You can’t imagine how many of us hope you are right. But after the CIG loans are gone, after the pension money is gone, and after the financial groups note that only half staff is needed to be physically in CI – then what? Don’t forget families are looking at this with the notion that kids in UK are not coming back for Christmas. And leaving and coming back isn’t a practical option – so get ready for the exodus after the New Year. I can’t imagine how awful things are going to be in 2 months. But, I really, really, hope you are right. Because I really, really, want to come back.
I have made more money this year than any other year in my lifetime but I’m not so blind not to see that my short term gain is not worth the short and long term devastation this shut down is having on others. Eventually it will catch your business and mine.
That’s right don’t listen to those people, we will live to regret it, let us pray about it cayman
Who are we to force the hand of DonAlden? Two oranges. One wants to open up completely, the other afraid to budge. Both egomaniacs with minimal between the ears.
Not an isolated case, a false positive.
They don’t have a clue. It’s so contagious, the kid is in school, and no one else gets the virus. Retest the kid. Negative. Maybe a cold. Who knows? They’re doctors, unable to make a diagnosis but making real economic decisions.
Been asking since Day 1, how many positives were retested within 24hrs to ensure it wasnt false positives? For all we know, half of our cases were false positives but nobody can answer the tough questions.