Chamber pushes for re-think on reopening pause

| 21/09/2021 | 133 Comments
Cayman News Service
Chamber of Commerce President Mike Gibbs

(CNS): Michael Gibbs, president of the Chamber of Commerce, has asked government to reconsider its decision to halt the reopening plan and open sooner than currently proposed. The association representing the private sector organised a meeting with government leaders last week to express the views of the Chamber members and concerns around the status of the phased reopening plan.

“It is imperative that the Cayman Islands Government is kept informed of the business impact of the adjustments to the phased Reopening Plan,” said Gibbs. “It is the responsibility of the Chamber of Commerce to not only illustrate this impact by highlighting the views of our membership, but to also offer our assistance in helping to prepare the community.”

Prior to the meeting, the Chamber’s Executive Committee met with the past presidents to gather their views around the postponement of the reopening and understand the implications within their respective industry sectors.

The Chamber said there was a broad range of industries represented by those who have led the organisation over the years, including real estate, development, investment, financial services, legal, retail, small business, healthcare, insurance and tourism. Specific examples from them about the business impact of the stalled plan was related to government to illustrate the challenges.

Gibbs said the meeting was positive, “informative and facilitated an open exchange of views and concerns”, and the government agreed to work with the Chamber on a communications strategy to prepare the community for a safe reopening. Other objectives of the strategy include increasing the community’s vaccination rate and addressing the anxiety associated with living with COVID-19 and community transmission.

According to the Chamber, the goal is to set a firm date for the country’s reopening so the local and international community can feel adequately prepared.


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Comments (133)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    My question for Mr. Gibbs, the Chamber and those here who support the Chamber’s views is one that should be fairly easy to answer: How many deaths would you deem to be acceptable as the price for lifting the current travel restrictions? 1? 5? 10? 20? 50? How many? The Chamber and their supporters seem to have an answer for everything so this should not stump them.

    • Anonymous says:

      When do you want the 10 unvaccinated to die? 2021 or 2023? Nobody wants anyone dead or sick anymore then I want to get meningitis, TB, denge or aids. You take sensible precautions against know risks. You unfortunately seem like the government – a deer in the headlights 🙁

      • Anonymous says:

        That was an admirable try at deflection and a less then deft avoidance of the question. The question apparently has thrown you into the headlights.

      • anon says:

        so the unvaccinated are holding the island hostage!!

    • Anonymous says:

      There is no such price tag. The virus is already among you right now. You may have a couple of deaths even if you stay closed, but the vaccine seems to be keeping it from being too bad since 90+ percent of the over 40’s are already vaccinated. Opening up doesn’t mean anyone is going to die.

  2. Truth says:

    Silly Chamber. You have no representation here. Business and economy are obviously not important to leadership on this island. Have patience and your day will come soon.

    • Anonymous says:

      “your day will come”

      Yes, when government decides to raise taxes to pay down the debt incurred during the border closure…

  3. Anonymous says:

    Mr. Gibbs: Planning a holiday to Bermuda? I bet not, and as the positive cases climb in Cayman because of the unscientific and irresponsible 5-days quarantine period, and the failure of the Judiciary to properly punish, and therefore deter, those who breach the quarantine rules, who do think will come here for a holiday when our cases spike? How’s Bermuda’s tourism industry doing right now? Your industry will have to hang on. Definitive action must be taken to protect your wife and grandma against the ravages of Covid-19. You cannot have a livelihood if you don’t have a life.

  4. Anonymous says:

    CITA is telling government about the costs of not opening. Who is advising government on the costs associated with opening including illness, health care cost increases, business lockdowns, general lockdowns etc. Whoever it is I wish that we the people would get to see the projected numbers for both scenarios.

    • Anonymous says:

      So it appears that there are a substantial number of dislikes coming from the folks who want to hide the true costs of opening from the people (and probably the government as well).

      • Anonymous says:

        Your paid by Government right? When they run out of money who will feed you then? Or did Bush tell you they will never run out of expat money? Then don’t worry. Be happy.

    • Anonymous says:

      Exactly… https://www.royalgazette.com/health/news/article/20210920/covid-19-another-death-active-cases-pass-the-1500-mark/… businesses closed, schools closed…. similar population and very high vaccination rate.. why would Cayman be any different?

      • Anonymous says:

        Because Cayman has a higher vaccination rate, and because Cayman’s medical capabilities are far better and more extensive

    • Anonymous says:

      What don’t you understand? With a very high vaccination rate, the chances of people becoming very ill or dying is extremely low. In the US, the rate of those in the hospital a couple weeks ago was 99.8 unvaccinated. In the Bahamas, it was close to the same. It was those that were unvaccinated who were in the hospital. Not those who were vaccinated.
      Stop stressing over people dying and being on ventilators when the vaxx rate on the island is so high. It is time that the island opens up. It has been closed down for too long. If you are vaccinated and the number of vaccinated is so high, people will not be over flowing the hospitals.

      • Anon says:

        How do you explain Bermuda with such a high vaccination rate?

        • Anonymous says:

          The hospitalised and death cases in Bermuda are almost entirely within the unvaccinated population. Last official figures I saw were 1% of hospitalisations were vaxxed, 0% of deaths. So solution is really rather simple – if you dont want to be like Bermuda, get vaxxed (and the stats arent comparable, BTW – they are 12% behind us on overall vaccination rate).

          • Anonymous says:

            Did the figures report Long Covid symptoms of the patients hospitalised? Just because you do not die doesn’t mean you do not suffer long-term medical complications — the management of which must be paid for.

            • Anonymous says:

              Long Covid does exist but when actually studying in a clinical context is not nearly as prevalent as when self-reported.

              Not saying it isn’t a problem, but we either need to decide we hid in a cave for a couple more years, or we normalize with public health measures.

              They sky isn’t falling anymore so we need to worry about the economy and people’s quality of life.

          • Anonymous says:

            Ok. Let’s go with your figure of Bermuda being 12% behind the Cayman Islands in vaccination rate. If you do a regression analysis and adjust for the relative vax rates and population it still paints a very alarming figure for us prematurely or overly easing travel restrictions, especially in regard to the death stats.

  5. Anonymous says:

    The Chamber says something. Yawn. The Chamber hasn’t been relevant since Johann Moxam left as president.

  6. Anonymous says:

    The Chamber should be clear and tell government and the rest of us how many dollars they expect to pocket in exchange for how many deaths. That way we can all see whether their figures add up.

    • Anonymous says:

      It is clear you wont be flying to the U.S. anytime in the near future.

    • Anonymous says:

      The Chamber should be clear, and indicate how many dollars they will stop paying to government to pay for the stipend , the civil service, free education and all the other things tax dollars pay for, so we can see whether PACTS figures add up.

      Helpful hint – government earns absolutely zero dollars from any productive activity – they and everyone on a government or NAU paycheck gets their money directly or indirectly from a private sector business – Governments “businesses” like Cayman Airways consume money, they don’t generate it.

  7. Annonymous says:

    Here is an idea. For those that don’t want the border to open. I suggest you at minimum you give up 1/2 your pay check to those that don’t have one. Our how about give up your job to those that lost their jobs.

    I also hope when you travel at minimum you stay in Quarantine the same amount of time that is expected in Cayman. Even if quarantine isn’t required.

    I know people don’t want the border to open until Covid is gone. Covid will never truly be gone. As long as one person in the world has Covid they can effect others. So how long do you really think the border should stay closed.

    • Anonymous says:

      My wife and I have both not worked since the business we were employed by closed in March last year and hasn’t yet reopened. So no wages now for 18 months. And we were working jobs that paid just over minimum wage so we didn’t have huge savings to rely on, but we were careful.
      And yet we still are happy that the island is closed to tourists coming here unrestricted to spread their virus and potentially cause serious illness or death. We think our sacrifice is worth it.
      If the island opened, an infected tourist came to our workplace and my wife got sick and died, how could I ever think it had been worth it.
      And no, we have not claimed any stipend or support from the government or NAU etc. We don’t expect handouts. We are all responsible for our own financial decisions in life and should prepare for the unexpected by saving and living frugally.
      So we will happily give up half of our zero income to support others who didn’t prepare for the future and spent every cent they had on big tvs, fast cars and booze and now expect free money because they spent all theirs.

      • Anonymous says:

        Full of it

      • Anonymous says:

        Hate to break it to you, but it is not just tourists who can walk into your workplace and bring you covid. Residents have been traveling for over and a year and anyone of them can walk in and bring you covid. Covid is there and you never know who is going to be spreading it. It is not just a tourist disease.

        I hope both you and your wife are double vaccinated. If so, then you have an extremely low chance of ending up in the hospital or dying if you do ever get covid.

      • anonymouse says:

        That is incredible. 18 months with zero income and you both worked a minimum wage job prior to the closing. You can still pay Rent, Utilities and Groceries. You really should be working as a financial planner. You could make a lot more then minimum wage teaching people how to get by with no income.

        • Anonymous says:

          More akin to the loaves and the fishes than financial planning – or one of those magic money trees government thinks they have.

    • Anonymous says:

      Suppose your ‘idea’ was out into practice. How many people in the knowledge of having to give up half their salary would say yes, they want the border to remain closed?

    • Anonymous says:

      Ok. In turn, if the Chamber has its way, would you be willing to pay for the medical bills, unemployment and disability compensation of at least one hospitalised Covid case that can be traced to an inbound traveler?

    • Anonymous says:

      Here’s an idea – those who want to open up – go look a job in a stable industry that can survive the various issues that will affect tourism in the near and distant future

  8. Anonymous says:

    The problem with this approach is the part about the “Re-Think”. Since the “think” part was always non-existent with PACT. There are only feelings, fear mongering and meaningless postulations.

  9. Anon says:

    $ for deaths

  10. Anonymous says:

    It doesn’t matter when we open, we’re going to find some people (both vaccinated and unvaccinated) will get very ill and a few will likely die.

    We have to accept that. There is no dodging this. The thing is, we have ALL the data we need – we know to a very clear statistical certainty the #’s of those that will get ill and will pass away. It’s quite easy to plan for it. We also know, to a near statistical certainty, WHO will be most at risk.

    its very easy to plan for all of this. For the life of me, i can’t figure out why we are not. it does seem that some in the community think we are a special little nation where nobody ever dies…this tends to happen in small village mentality, and its causing us all to suffer.

    Unfortunately, we have to accept death is unavoidable and we have to mitigate it. The statistics show all over the world that perhaps 0.15% of those that actually catch covid19 will die.

    We are going to have to live with that # and work towards protecting them (the old/obese/already ill). There is no other way around this.

    Its cruel, but life is cruel. We could be hit with a 8.0 earthquake today – it will take out far more than 0.15% of 1/3rd of our population, it will take out 000’s of us.

    Risk assessment, and positive risk abatement. Its time. Vax’d or non-vax’d, the same amount of deaths are statistically coming anyhow, and its the same vulnerable people. We know all this.

    It’s time to live with it, not in fear of it. Currently, we are slowly killing 100% of the population to save 0.15% of 1/3rd of it. That’s the raw maths. And its wrong policy. Very, very wrong.

    • Anonymous says:

      Take away – The sooner we open the sooner people will get ill and some will die so lets get on with it.

    • Anonymous says:

      Are you prepared to be one of the ones that will die? Is that OK with you? You’ll still think opening up to infected tourists was worth it?

      • Anonymous says:

        That’s why you get vaccinated as it significantly reduces the threat of death. Life is a risk – any number of diseases can kill you, so you do what you can to stay healthy and minimise risk but you can never eliminate risk, ever. Humans were not immortal pre-Covid!

      • Anonymous says:

        You all act like tourists are the only ones carrying covid. Residents are traveling in and out like the revolving door bringing in covid.

      • Anonymous says:

        Tourists aren’t the zombie army of the living dead.

        Let’s at least be a little bit reasonable

        I am more than prepared to live in an open society with the risk that covid could kill me.
        Just like the rest of the western world.

      • Anonymous says:

        Always was. Always will be. Yes. My answer is YES. I have lived 66 years of days knowing that I could die that day and will some day. In all those days I have lived a life. You have not and never will. Only death will ease your suffering. Please go quietly.

    • Anonymous says:

      Exactly. And it’s not just about opening for tourists. It’s about opening for residents. Getting our freedoms back. Why have we given up so easily? People are absolutely not understanding the true risk out there. It is so bizarre. We will eat fried food for decades and drink rum for sport, and wonder why we’re on dialysis in our 50’s. But heaven forbid we treat covid19 like the flu that it has become.

      I don’t envy PACT or any of them in power, you’re dealing with a bunch of terrified children, impossible to appease.

      I have yet to meet a vaccinated person tell me they don’t want the borders to open. Equally I’ve yet to meet an unvaccinated person tell me they are terrified of borders opening.

      Who are this minority controlling the rest of us? Get a grip

    • Anonymous says:

      Ha. Tell that to all the quarantine breachers last weekend!

      Willing to bet all the pro-openers will be the first ones to sue government and everyone under the living sun when they catch COVID!!!

      Cost of doing business folks, should have done better research.

    • KURT ma says:

      You say “there is no dodging this”, but there really is (as evidenced by the Cayman experience over the last 18 months until the quarantine protocols were relaxed).

      Now you may not think the restrictions and associated economic (and other) consequences that come with the bubble / isolation approach are proportionate (I’d agree), but that’s a different argument.

      • Anonymous says:

        Its the sustainability that’s the issue Kurt. Sure., it works for a while, but how long can you keep the border shut before doing irreparable harm to the economy? I guess you could go back to the Cayman of the 60’s, but would modern caymanians be prearared to accept the realities of that hard scrabble existence? Everyone waxes lyrical about the feeling of community and the absence of crime – very few want to talk about the lack of healthcare, modern conveniences, our men folk having to work overseas to generate any form of cash economy, and the mosquitoes.

  11. Anonymous says:

    Pause should never have happened in the first place. Bunch of panic-stricken people control our Premier? That’s not at all reassuring of his leadership. Weak!

  12. Anonymous says:

    Credibility is gone. Even if another date is set, everyone including tourists and airlines will expect CIG to change their decision again.

  13. Anonymous says:

    Business community has no sustainable plan to include locals, remain adamant on writing the rules and operate on 100% foreign workers while the average person is suffering. Our house, our rules.

    Made their bed, time to lie in it.

    Makers of their own demise. Enough said.

    • Anonymous says:

      makers of their own demise? Or representatives of the businesses that pay the fees and indirect tax revenues that make the economy work and pay for all the things that you have come to rely on, be it free education, civil service jobs and even the NAU. Honestly, where do you think the money comes from to operate government? The sky?

      • Anonymous says:

        Ha. Bless your heart for thinking that you are so irreplaceable.

        • Anonymous says:

          Individually no one person is irreplaceable.

          But the poster’s point is that expats, quest workers, imported poverty, whatever you want to call it are.

          The CIG is a bloated embarrassment that has become an employer for the vast majority of Caymanians. Government does not create economic value. It needs to be paid for. How is this going to happen?

          Feel free to propose a different system but be prepared for a very difficult transition and most likely a drop in the general standard of living.

    • Anonymous says:

      The business community doesn’t employ or indeed involve ANY Caymanians?

      Terrifying concept that someone who would make such a statement is out there in the community.

  14. Galts Gulch says:

    Who is John Galt?

  15. Anonymous says:

    Every business owner has lamented over their loss in revenue. No one has identified the number of locals out of a job.

    We are talking about human lives over companies profit who will fly someone from the Asia to work as a server instead of hiring local.

    Maybe, just maybe, present the people with information on ow many amongst their relatives will be out of a job and you may get support.

    Demonstrate sincere local hiring practices with livable wages and you will absolutely get local support for border opening as well as a higher rate of vaccinations.

    • Anonymous says:

      What business in its right mind, would employ an expat as a ‘server’ and absorb the costs of a work permit etc, if there was a Caymanian to do the job?

      In the main, Caymanians will not lower themselves for this type of work, as in the case of domestic helpers who are generally Jamaicans.

      • AnonLC says:

        It’s been proven over and over again that Caymanians will not work in the industry, and yet this keeps coming up in these comments. Nobody here is willing to work their way up by starting at the bottom. There was a job fair some time ago by the hotels, and iirc, only 60 people showed up for something like 2500 potential jobs, none of which will be filled now.

      • Anonymous says:

        A Food & Bev Server’s work permit fee is only $1,050.

        This is a small price to pay to gain control over your workforce. It is basically about $20/wk over hiring a Caymanian.

        Although I don’t disagree that Caymanians for the most part do not want to work in the service industry. The cost of work permits is arguably much too low.

        If the permit for a Server were $5k+ it might be a different conversation.

    • Anonymous says:

      How about 100% of the Caymanians in the civil service being out of a job when the economy collapses and government revenues evaporate?

      The number of people who simply don’t appreciate that there is a symbiotic relationship between the private sector and the public sector, or between expats and Caymanians, is stunning. I guess its of one with the mindset that Cayman can afford to detach itself from the outside world indefinitely – the supplies from Miami will still magically arrive, the financial services community will continue to be able to operate without travelling to service clients or recruit staff, that the tourism based businesses can keep operating without visitors, that the construction business can keep building indefinitely because people will buy the offices and houses they are constructing without being able to come here to use them – sad.

  16. Anonymous says:

    Open the damn border Wayne

  17. Anon says:

    There are people on this island that think there is an end to pandemic.. there’s not.

    Its inevitable that at some point in the future you will catch Covid. It’s hard to accept but this is the reality. I would rather catch it now when I know I have some protection from the vaccine than furher down the road as the effectiveness weakens.

    When our kids are eventually allowed to travel they will likely become sick due to thier compromised immune systems. Shielding them now is going to cause issues down the line. Fact.

    Kicking the can is pointless… We need to face the reality of the new world and what’s coming for the foreseeable future.

    If there is a genuine plan to reopen then Gov need to publish how they intend to manage it and what data points they will use before implementing suppression control. Closing schools and locking people up for weeks on end is not a plan.

  18. Anonymous says:

    Bermuda is being overwhelmed with sick covid patients so much so that they are trying to bring in more health care professionals. Their travel status has been moved to level 4 by the CDC and it’s advising citizens not to travel to Bermuda!!!! Can’t you all see what’s going on here. We should not rush to open up without quarantine rules still in place. FYI if you are fully vaccinated you can still spread the virus. What do you think will happen if we open up fully with out any stipulations in place? If our healthcare system gets overwhelmed and our people start dropping like flies “learning to live with covid” what can any elected official say then. If you think they won’t trigger a full lockdown after a massive outbreak then clearly you haven’t been paying attention, they will try anything at that point to save their political careers . They will never get re-elected again I can assure you of that. PACT will be the government that put MONEY AND SPECIAL INTEREST before the caymanians and residents of these islands. People will be begging to have the PPM back in power as they were the ones who put their people first. The Premier likes to say that locking down the country is easier than opening up the country. Thats bs the PPM was under immense pressure not to lock down because the movers and shakers knew how hard it would be to get the country opened back up again. Can’t you see these “Business Leaders” are willing to let you die just so they can go back to making millions.

    • Anonymous says:

      FFS just get vaccinated. Business leaders aren’t trying to kill you, just save their business which incidentally provide a living to us all – both direct employees and those that work for government, paid for by the taxes these businesses pay.

      You are like a man standing in the middle of the highway shouting about the car drivers trying to kill you – get off the damn road and get vaccinated.

      • Anonymous says:

        so your analogy – get off the road, now y’all telling me to leave my country of birth because you want to make tax free money?

        • Anonymous says:

          No – I am telling you to get vaccinated and stop acting like a privileged prick who thinks the rest of the world and other peoples livelihood’s should rotate around his unwillingness to get a couple of jabs. Clear enough for you?

          Or put it in your terms, you telling me I have to lose my livelihood and travel overseas to make a living because you are busy sucking off the government teat and don’t see the need to inconvenience yourself with a jab?

          Well bobo, reality is even Wayne knows he has to reopen at some point – you still standing in the middle of the highway then a big mac truck called Covid going to mow you down.

    • Anonymous says:

      Bermuda is overwhelmed with covid because a lot of the locals were not getting vaccinated. Sound familiar? I have two friends in Bermuda who flatly refused. They weren’t putting some **** into their body. Now, with the high number of covid, people are starting to panic and get the vaccine, but they only have one shot, or their double shot, but have not reached their full time period when the shot is fully effective (2 weeks after the double jab). People put off getting it until panic set in. Sound familiar? So , in that timeframe, covid infected more and more people who were in between that one and two shot phase.

      It is those unvaccinated that are taxing the healthcare system all over the world.

  19. Anonymous says:

    Because Cayman doesn’t have the astoundingly high numbers of covid that Miami has and they have the delta! So far we don’t. Simple as that. And when will Government advise the public why we need the boosters! The Chamber and Dart do not have the expertise to discuss the management of covid and nor is this their mandate so I understand why they’ve taken similar positions in just demanding the borders reopen (although hospitality does not represent the majority of business). However Governments first position must always be preservation of life. If Government knows the efficacy of the virus has long waned and boosters are necessary then how can you look to a start date without resolving this first. Furthermore no one should want the delta etc in this jurisdiction. That must be robustly managed. It’s inconceivable that we envy other countries who are literally plagued, their already robust healthcare systems have long buckled under the weight of covid but yet we feel we need to be like the rest of the world! It beggars belief!

    • Anonymous says:

      We do have cases of DELTA variant in Cayman, and MU is in Jamaica so may soon come. Those calling for a complete opening of the borders are short-sighted — an outbreak of MU in Cayman is very likely to be devastating. Gibbs: You cannot have a firm date when the Covid-19 situation remains in flux. The tourism industry has taken a big hit, but this is a pandemic where people die. P-A-N-D-E-M-I-C — look it up.

  20. Rethink, how about a first think says:

    because the “pause” surely wasn’t well thought out!

    • Anonymous says:

      Better thought out than the pause happening in Bermuda right now and most likely to happen here if you were making the decisions.

      • Anonymous says:

        Okay so when do we open up if you are making the decision?

        January 2022?
        Sometime later in 2022
        Sometime in 2023?
        When?

        Tell me what will be different?

        The lesson is to get your vaccination rate as high as possible and use some public health measures.

        If the flu starts to go around at George Town Primary or another school what do you do? Because for children and the vaccinated Covid-19 acts a lot like the flu.

        All of the money we are spending right now can’t be spent in the future and the choice being made right now will reduce the money that will be available to gov’t in the future.

        So when do you make the hard choice to open back up?

        • Anonymous says:

          You open up now. You invite those who are vaccinated without a quarantine (to jumpstart the economy) and to those unvaccinated they must quarantine. People must wear masks in areas where they can not social distance. Hand washing stations . You accept the CDC card with notarized paperwork from the US states. (Another jumpstart to the economy as digital is not available). You stop the panic. With such a high vaccination rate, people will not be dying in mass numbers/ ventilator overload. It is the unvaccinated that overloads the healthcare system. The unvaccinated will be going thru the quarantine.

  21. Anonymous says:

    Holy Hell, another M.

    Marc, Markus, Michael and Michael.

    Should we put Morons in front and make it the 5Ms.

  22. Anonymous says:

    So let me see if I understand. Based on a global pandemic that we really don’t understand, and changing circumstances from the countries we do the most business with, we must set a firm date?

    How can you simply say that?

  23. Anonymous says:

    As the US fully opens to visitors November 1st, how is it OK for vaccinated Caymanians to Christmas shop in Miami but US citizens can’t spend Christmas in Cayman?

    • Anonymous says:

      Curious to see how they respond to locals wanting (or needing) to travel to the U.S. once it’s borders open for international travel. Let’s hear the Government’s reason, if any, for not allowing traveller’s to depart the islands in November. Wait for it.

      • Anonymous says:

        US borders never even closed….except to travelers coming from some very specific areas. Cayman Airways been full every damn flight!

        • Anonymous says:

          Yes, at what fare(s)?
          These are repatriation flights, so what type of travellers boarded repatriation flights for a round-trip rendezvous, U.S. shopping trip, or vacation/break, in the midst of a pandemic? If true, it all seems crazy to me. At least, now know fully vaccinated people & negstive PCR Tested people will be soon be welcomed for International travel (to U.S.).

    • Anonymous says:

      The same way fully Caymanian Caymanians need a visa to visit MURICA but they need a driver’s license to visit us.

      • Anonymous says:

        You obviously have not travelled much.

        • Anonymous says:

          so you saying Caymanians don’t need a visa to travel to the USA? Yes we can get a Visa waiver, but only good for one entry direct from Cayman, no onward travel and return.

          As for your comment about my travels:

          USA – 29 states
          Canada – 2 provinces
          Caribbean – 7 countries
          Central & South America – 9 countries
          Europe – 7 countries
          Asia – 5 countries

          Is that enough for you?

          12 passports and counting

          • 2cents says:

            12 passports? What are you a scammer?

          • Anonymous says:

            I think it had to do with the silly statement “…but they need a driver’s license to visit us”. I know of no marginally sophisticated traveler who would say that. Please do not try to pull your “I have traveled more than you” card. You will lose.
            Me:
            –All of Obama’s 57 states plus DC, Puerto Rico, Guam, Marshall Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, and Gilligan’s Island.
            –All members states of the United Nations + NorKo and Atlantis.
            –Five major planets
            –Three planetary satellites
            –Two nearby star systems.
            Star Alliance Universal passport.
            Novemdecuple citizenships.
            It could be more: my memory augmentation module glitched and wiped out the previous millennium.
            (All as verifiable on this forum as your travel claims.)
            I know of no modern Earth western immigration system that accepts a driver’s license. A Starship Master’s Certificate with the new quantum picochip, maybe Area 51 New Arrival Portal, but driver’s license, nowhere. (However, I do recall one planet’s tiny nation that allowed entry using your Google pr Apple ID).
            I would love to hear 10:26 explain what a “fully Caymanian Caymanian is. I know countless “born” Caymanians who do not need a visa or waiver to enter the USA. Splain that.

    • Anonymous says:

      As far as I am aware americans can spend xmas in cayman, they just need to quarantine for the requisite period…And that make sense I might add.
      Many of these business owners really care very little about the country or its people just how much money they can pocket.

      • Anonymous says:

        No one is coming for Christmas quarantine. You’ve made it too difficult.

      • Anonymous says:

        Yes come to Cayman for Christmas. Spend your first 8 days in quarantine then take an unreliable PCR test. Positive? Could be a false positive so be prepared to spend a few more days in quarantine. Such a tempting offer – hard to resist. Especially compared to come to Turks, no quarantine and it’s cheaper!

        • Anonymous says:

          Yes, come to Cayman for Christmas. Have 7 days to travel, but need to do 7 days in quarantine. Hmmmmmm…..how does that work? Fly in, go into quarantine….stare at the 4 walls for 7 days, order expensive food to be delivered 3x a day….take a PCR test and fly home. What a great vacation. Tell all the friends and family how great Cayman Islands was.

          Yeah, I know, quarantine is actually 8 days….but work with me how impossible it is.

    • Anonymous says:

      America is welcoming International Travelers coming early November; that is, in another ~6 weeks. The COVID-19 requirements for traveller’s to the U.S. are (1) to provide proof of “full” vaccination (2) to proof “full” vaccination of a U.S. approved COVID-19 vaccine e.g. Pfizer or Moderna, and (3) to have a NEGATIVE PCR Test result upon entering the U.S. The thought of Christmas Vacation/Shopping this year (2021), while being fully vaccinated, is bringing much joy for the season. “Tis a season to be jolly.” Thanks to the Biden Administration’s well informed [action plan] & decisive COVID-19 efforts. Now, let’s see if the C.I. PACT Government will permit departures this November.

    • Anonymous says:

      6:31, The only thing wrong with your comment is that the US was NEVER closed to travel from Cayman!! People have gone to/from Miami on “repatriation” flights this whole time.

      • Anonymous says:

        Yes…according to U.S. State Department & USCIS for Essential Travel ONLY. The requirements are:
        1. U.S. Citizens/Permanent Residents
        2. Medical Purposes (by Referral)
        3. School/Education Purpose (with proof of current enrollment).
        4. Emergency/ High priority judicial matters e.g. Judge/Court Issued Subpoenas, Emergency Personal Real Estate Matter, and Other USCIS pre-approved Matters, etc.

        This is public information; also, clearly stated on the U.S. Embassy Website (incl. Jamaica & Bahamas Embassies). If people were boarding the local airline to conduct visitors/tourist travel on a B1/2 Visa it would be incomprehensible how they would have evaded U.S. Immigration with “tourist” classification. Those Cayman Airways Flights are designated “repatriation” purposes ONLY!

  24. Anonymous says:

    Idiot.

  25. Anonymous says:

    Why is the Chamber pushing for a rethink that will almost certainly push us into another devastating lockdown?

    • Anonymous says:

      Because it won’t!
      We must learn to live with it, there is simply no option as this virus will not leave the planet.

    • Anon says:

      Because the Chamber represents merchants/big business only and if you’re not aware of that as yet, you need to wake up.

    • Anonymous says:

      The chamber represents merchants/big business only and if you haven’t recognized that as yet, you need to wake up.

  26. Anonymous says:

    Weak lame response from the chamber when they should have doubled down on cita’s comments.

  27. Anonymous says:

    The Chamber thinks it is relevant but hasn’t been for years zzzzzzzz

  28. Anonymous says:

    So the goal is to do the thing that was already a key component of the plan (setting a firm date for reopening) so the local and international community can adequately prepare?
    We sure this won’t lead to more waffling and scare tactics?

  29. Anonymous says:

    Alden Roy and Joey and have too much influence over chamber

  30. Anonymous says:

    The chamber and this president are supports ppm. Chamber only cares about its membership not the poor people not Caymanians

    • Anonymous says:

      Get out with that nonsense. I am Caymanian and fully support the Chamber on this. Your comments about them not supporting Caymanians is farcical. Google the word if you don’t understand it.

  31. Anonymous says:

    Another special interest group that can’t be trusted to do what is in the best interest of the majority of people in the Cayman Islands. By the way, is the CoC the same group the pressed the government to do away with the plans for universal healthcare in favor of private insurance when the government was initually considering the best approach to healthcare coverage? This group has little to no credibility and are only interested in pushing the agenda or their members above what is best for the wider community.

    • Anonymous says:

      Well their name is chamber of commerce, not chamber of goodwill or better lives…..

    • Anonymous says:

      Only panders to and protects it’s paid subscribers.

    • Anonymous says:

      5:03, I’m glad we don’t have universal healthcare. That’s never all it’s cracked up to be! I’m happy to pay for my health insurance and know exactly what I’m getting!

      • Anonymous says:

        Tell that to all of the people that have lost their jobs and as a result no longer have health insurance.

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