PACT promises cash for Grace damage

| 19/08/2021 | 67 Comments
  • Cayman News Service
  • Cayman News Service
  • Cayman News Service
  • Cayman News Service
  • Cayman News Service
  • Cayman News Service
  • Cayman News Service

(CNS): As assessment of the damage caused by Hurricane Grace continues across the three Cayman Islands, the PACT Government announced that it will approve funds to assist with the clean-up in constituencies and will also provide cash for necessary home repairs and support for farmers who have been adversely affected.

On Wednesday night Premier Wayne Panton called an emergency meeting of the PACT team to discuss the impact of the storm based on reports from the country’s emergency services, feedback from residents and PACT MPs’ observations from their own constituencies.

“It was essential for my team to meet as quickly as possible to get an update on damages resulting from Grace and to agree on the best way forward in returning our Islands to some level of normalcy,” said Panton. “While I am pleased that there were no reported injuries or loss of lives, I am saddened to hear that many residents had damages to property.”

He said the government remains “People-driving” and that “it was important to expeditiously approve a series of measures to help our people. I have asked my Cabinet colleagues to take immediate steps in order to implement the agreed solutions to help our communities.”

Panton has also invited members of the opposition to meet with his team today to consider a way forward for the country.

“Recognising that this is an opportunity for all of us to work collaboratively, as community leaders, I have spoken to the Hon. Leader of the Opposition and invited him and his colleagues to a meeting,” he said. “We will inform them of our proposed actions and provide them with the opportunity to work together with us for love of country and all its people and to engage in a successful recovery process.”

The premier said he was extremely pleased with the performance of the PACT team in the lead-up to the storm.

“Members were out and about personally helping constituents,” he said. They helped secure homes and worked with the National Roads Authority to clear drains well late into the night. I am even more pleased with their performance after the storm, where they assisted many people in their communities. I also want to thank their families for their personal sacrifice during this challenging time.”

The politicians also thanked the efforts of Hazard Management Cayman Islands, the Cayman Islands Regiment, the RCIPS, PWD, NRA, Fire Services, the Cadet Corps and the countless public servants and volunteers for their service during this trying time.

See video of damage from social media:


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Comments (67)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    plan is fine…but all they ahve to say that all payments will be subject to means testing. end of story.
    but this is cayman wonderland where money will magically disappear and we will then wait for ag report in 5 years time……zzzzz

  2. Anonymous says:

    Cayman has had a year and a half of Covid-free advantage time, plus captive unemployed labour force, to reinvest in the future, and upgrade our infrastructure – from burying power lines, to resurfacing roads, creating bicycle share ways, and city-scaping. We should be scrambling to upgrade our product for reopening. We’ve done a bit of it, but mostly squandered this time through lack of vision and direction. Fix that please.

  3. Anonymous says:

    Wow, there sure seem to be a lot of insurance experts here that have never dealt with our adjusters or settled a local claim. Well, welcome to Cayman, where your full coverage policy might negotiate you a $075 on the dollar settlement -*IF* that insurance company is solvent and properly re-insured upstream.

  4. Anonymous says:

    What exactly is farmed in Cayman? Serious question. I know there’s a little fruit farming here and there but what are the main farms producing?

    • Anonymous says:

      I’m claiming for my combine harvester

      • Anonymous says:

        Bobo, take off those monoculture lense.

        Unless you do, the type of farming/gardening that is done in Cayman will not fit your idea of what farming should look like.

        The model that has been practised in Cayman, and that will be practised in future, is in line with the way that the more “enlightened” world is/and will be following in the future.

        • Anonymous says:

          What model is that, not actually producing enough food to feed the population?

          • Anonymous says:

            There you go again

            Proving the very point

            Learn to grow to feed yourself and while you at it, cut those American-sized food portions in half.

    • Anonymous says:

      Does not appear to be a serious question, Cayman does grow a lot of persons that ask a lot of dumb questions.

      If it is, however, please find a little time to visit some of the local farms and get your own answers.

      You may become excited at what you will discover, so take the wife and kids along.

      Peace out🙏🏼

    • Anonymous says:

      Oh, man, you need to get out more. You don’t even do your own grocery shopping, do you?

  5. Anonymous says:

    Lookin for Honorable Jay Ebanks in North Side. No luck bobo

    • Anonymous says:

      He called CUC on behalf his constituents:

      JE: Hello, CUC, this is Jay Ebanks from North Side and I’d like to know when my constituents can expect power back on.
      CUC: What’d you say your name was?
      JE: Jay Ebanks.
      CUC: Jay who?
      JE: Jay Ebanks.
      CUC: Never heard of you. This must be a joke. CLICK

      CUC guy to colleague: Some joker just called trying to say he was Ezzard Miller and didn’t even know the name of the North Side Parliamentarian. It’s still Ezzard Miller, right?

  6. Anonymous says:

    looks like someone forgot to apply the parking brake on the 737Max or is it just another failure.

    • Anonymous says:

      It was not a Max

    • Anonymous says:

      The Max have distinctive forked winglets. The pre-2000 737NG and 737-600 have no winglets. This is a really old plane, or one nobody upgraded. Why it is still part of the Cayman Airways fleet, and unsecured in the path of an inbound storm, would be a better question.

      • Anonymous says:

        It is part of the Cayman fleet because no one in their right mind wants to buy an old 737-300 given its age, cost of maintenance and the depressed demand for in the aviation sector. Only reason its sitting on the apron at Owen Roberts is that CAL doesn’t want to have to pay for it to be stored in a US boneyard.

  7. Anonymous says:

    Let me guess, CMR will have a problem with this too and the bandwagonists will follow.

  8. Anonymous says:

    Only provide assistance to those that are vaccinated!

    • Anonymous says:

      Best comment yet!

      • Anonymous says:

        You both are contemptible people. In these times of hardship, you want an additional compromise to those who are unable or unwilling to take the vaccine. You have made your choice, and yet you see fit to force that choice on others. I hope you aren’t a neighbor of mine. You don’t have the right to judge. I feel sorry for you.

        • Anonymous says:

          You understand that part of the economic hardship is because we cant reopen our borders because the choices the unwilling have made mean that we cannot get vaccination levels to a level where reopening wont cause massive pressure on pour public health services, right? Talking of forcing choices on others. Bit like smoking in a crowded room then saying other people are contemptibly for trying to force their choice not to smoke on you.

          • Anonymous says:

            You are wasting your time my friend @10:45am.

            Mario Rankin, Renrick Christian, Velma Hewitt, Katrina Anglin, Lorna Bush, et. al. don’t have the grey matter to appreciate that logic.

            Suffice it to say that they will continue to misinform, but will all end of up in the dust bin of time, trying to be relevant.

            Every village has idiots.

        • Anonymous says:

          We would be open if the anti-vax idiots just went and got the shot.
          That’s why there is still hardship.
          Anti-vaxers are to blame pure and simple.

    • Anonymous says:

      Give it a rest. Hurricanes are a real emergency

  9. Anonymous says:

    Headline should read
    “People with insurance pay for repairs of those without insurance”

  10. Anonymous says:

    I assume government will be putting a lien on the properties so funds can be recovered?

  11. Anonymous says:

    Sigh. Damned if they help and damned if they don’t. SMH

  12. Anonymous says:

    Are farmers the new taxi drivers in terms of running the vote buying cartel?

    • Anonymous says:

      Farmers feed your miserable !!!

      Taxi drivers don’t, unless it’s your family

      Don’t mix the 2

      Now go back and mix your Hennessy and Red Bull😂

  13. Anonymous says:

    The world leader in handouts.

  14. Anonymous says:

    People getting upset because the government helping those affected.
    What if, they redistribute the wealth, give land to grow own food, give basic housing, and education to all in need. It seems charities promote poverty.

    • Anonymous says:

      Someone asked the questions earlier about why insurance companies aren’t paying for this. Since lenders require home insurance to give a loan, those asking for money for repairs their homes have either let that insurance lapse, have damages below the amount of deductible or don’t have a loan. The latter have made the choice to self-insure. Why? Because they know the government will pay for their damages if they’re Caymanian. It’s just more bellying up to the government trough

  15. Anonymous says:

    I agree with this sentiment. It’s unfortunate that most Caymanian families have no savings or investments to lean on in crisis. Mostly from lack of knowledge on finances and a vast majority of us are in debt because of these poor decisions.
    At this point unless we start paying 50% of our incomes into our pensions they are literally useless anyway.
    It’s a no win for everybody but at least people will be able to survive for a little longer without asking for a handout.
    I’m praying I get my ish together in my 40’s (in them now) or I’m sincerely fucked come retirement. That goes for 70% of my generation.

    • Anonymous says:

      P.S. This was in response to the comment about using some of our pensions.

    • Anonymous says:

      Unless you plan to fix climate change don’t sweat it.

    • Anonymous says:

      Half of our pension assets at 40+ are allocated to cash equivs earning less than the mgmt fees that are being deducted. Throwing more money into an inverted savings scheme doesn’t fund a better retirement. Plus, there are maximum payouts that are unlivable piecemeals. We need to give people their money to invest properly. That includes capital repairs to private property and real estate.

  16. Anonymous says:

    I am going to become a farmer. Cash for storms. Cash for parrots. Cash for doing nothing. Free land clearance. Free plants and animals. No duty on imports. Seems very lucrative.

    • Proud farmer---perhaps past farmer says:

      You have no idea what you are talking about. There was a small stipend to purchase plants and fertilizers during COVID, which did not cover much. For small Caymanian farmers they have suffered this entire year. We have not received cash in any way. We have two small farms, totally devastated everything taken by Grace…. It was bad enough competing with large farms by “retired” farmers or expats, but this is devastating. Everything on farm has been taken, including green houses, trees that survived Ivan—you name it. So go ahead….become a farmer—you are welcome to share in our experiences.
      —Selfish pr!*&

    • Anonymous says:

      And most of them have a day job which they put in 3 hard😉 days a week too!

  17. Anon says:

    Thanks to Hazard Management? Seriously??!!

    • Positive Banon says:

      Anon made a positive comment about the civil service. I immediately switched to the weather channel to see if hell had indeed frozen over.

      Well done Anon you have finally seen the light and accepted world class service.

  18. Anonymous says:

    So PACT is trying to assist persons who may not have the means or insurance for repairs to their home and some of you are complaining. Really????

    • Anonymous says:

      So they own a home with no mortgage and have no insurance? That’s irresponsible, but here, where self-reliance is a concept that most people these days have forgotten (although was certainly true in older generations) being irresponsible is just another way to get free money from the government.

  19. Anonymous says:

    More free money? PACT will leave CI broke.

    Wayne, keep following McKeeva, Kenneth Bryan and Jay with their populist agenda and see how your legacy as Premier will be covered in shit!

    • Anonymous says:

      Poor Jay Mac Bush Ebanks he is so lost.

      We needed Blizzard gone in North Side. But we could have done much better than elect someone who wants to be the next Mac.

      Jay develop a true role model.

  20. Anonymous says:

    This Govt seems to be all about spending cash to secure votes. Is Mackeeva running the show ? It’s really starting to feel eerily familiar tbh.

    Cash for cleanup
    Cash for repairs

    They havent had time to even assess how much cleanup is needed or how many legit home repairs they can justify

  21. Anonymous says:

    Shouldn’t insurance companies be doing this?

    • Anonymous says:

      If you don’t pay premiums you don’t get cover. And insurance companies don’t vote.

      • Anonymous says:

        Also your decidable may be well over $15,000 before they even cough out cash. So again, the rule followers are getting screwed. No cash for us from the government handouts. No reform of insurance companies. More expats feeding the government cash cow so grifters and the lazy entitled mindset takes over the younger generations.

      • Anonymous says:

        Their vote is a lot more powerful than you think – this is why the local government continually steps in.

        If these companies did not vote – there would have been true reform of these companies a long time ago.

        Think it through my dear.

  22. Anonymous says:

    If this government is going to continue to smother business and commercial mobility, then let us rescue/liberate another 20% of our under-performing private pensions. In this week our household has incurred about $50-70k in unplanned private property damage that won’t be covered by insurance or any needs-based government handout. Throw us a bone.

    • Anonymous says:

      9:29 Why won’t your damage be covered by insurance? You either chose not to have insurance or chose shitty insurance.

      • Anonymous says:

        Because you may have only $8000 worth of damage but your deductible is $20,000. All insurance companies are the same here. The government lets them run wild.

        • Anonymous says:

          Except that the OP’s “household has incurred about $50-70k in unplanned private property damage that won’t be covered by insurance”. So its not a $20K deductible problem.

          What it sounds like is not building damage, which would (I assume fromt he tone of their post) be covered by their insurance, but property, i.e., trees and land and perhaps ‘outbuildings’ and the material in them. But who knows.

          What it does point to is the need for more detail – both in what CIG is covering and why, and in what people were not isnuring and why.

          What your reply points to is the need for people to have insurance and an emergency fund, i.e., cash to pay for things below the deductible. Which just raises the amount of ‘insurance premium’ we need to squirrel away every year, i.e., raising the ‘cost of living’.

          I wonder if the insurance companies could operate under an ‘opt out’ system where by law they had to start at an ‘all damage $0 deductible’ package and work down with the customer signing off on the itimised coverage reductions and deductible increases. It won’t change the final costs for the customers (who of us can afford more insurance?) but at least people will be more informed of what they are really covered for. (Or make more informed decisions about what they insure for what damage.)

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