The long awaited Cayman Craftmarket opened up slowly and quietly to the public Wednesday morning with an upbeat and optimistic air.
Tourism Minister Charles Clifford was to open the new facility officially, but this was postponed for a few weeks in order to allow for an establishment of business and a build up of clientele.
‘I think it’s about time this opened,’ said Vanessa Gilman, who was selling her home-made heavy cake at the site on the corner of Harbour Drive and Boilers Road. ‘Historically, we’ve never had anything like this, and it is badly needed as a place to sell genuine Caymanian things to tourists,’ she said.
The opening day had been planned for what was a quiet day in port, with only one ship, Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas perched on the glistening turquoise water across the road. However, with the storm activity of Hurricane Rita farther north, another ship, Caribbean Princess could be seen looming larger on the horizon as it prepared to dock here on its altered route.
Cruise tourists who trickled through the tented area were impressed with the wares on offer and some artisans/sellers had made a few sales by 11am.
‘It’s good to see they’ve finally established this. I’ve been in the business for 20 years and this is what the island finally needs,’ said jeweller and craft maker John Schirn.
‘It’s quiet today, but that’s the way we wanted it, although I’ve made two sales already,’ he said.
Thursday would be busier, however, with five ships due in port.
Tyrone Ebanks had also made two sales by 11am but believed business would pick up after lunch once cruise tourists returned from their island tours. ‘The feedback from the tourists is good. They like it, especially the products that are totally local and cannot be bought anywhere else,’ he said.
Tourism Attractions Board CEO Gilbert Connolly was on hand to make sure everything was running smoothly for the first day. ‘Today is not just about the opening of the Craftmarket, but of the opening of a new chapter for the growth of the arts and crafts industry here in Cayman,’ he said.
‘We now have a first class facility and there is space available for more people to come and apply for a licence, so this is a real opportunity for Caymanians, if they want to avail of it,’ he said, explaining that there is room for another tent to be erected at the site.
There are 18 artisans licensed with the Craftmarket.
‘We had a larger number of applicants, but for various reasons some of those were not granted: because there were not ready, or they just wanted to purely import products from abroad,’ said Mr. Connolly.
Products accepted for the Craftmarket must be either 100 per cent Caymanian, or semi-finished products may be imported, but completed here, reflecting the Caymanian culture. Resources may also be imported from abroad and used to make products locally.
The diversity of goods available at the Craftmarket was very good, with products ranging from heavy cake, to T-shirts, conch shells, wood carvings, jewellery and ornamental items. The prices are also wide ranging, with customers paying anything from US$2 for little trinkets or sea shells, to US$15 for a carved mahogany stingray or turtle, to US$70 for jewellery made of black coral and 14 carat gold.
The Craftmarket is open Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 3pm on days when cruise ships are in port.
Anyone interested in becoming involved can pick up a form at the Craftmarket site or the Tourism Attractions Board office in the Crighton Building.
Related Videos
