Cayman needs to develop a vision for its long-term future to avoid being ‘swept along’ by global forces, author and academic Roy Bodden warns.
For the past 30 years, Bodden argues, the island and its people have not controlled their own destiny.
Now he is calling for a repeat of the ‘Vision 2008’ exercise carried out in the 1990s to help ensure Caymanians are at the forefront of setting a course for the next three decades.
“Globalisation has been driving our development and it is a phenomenon that is far greater than any one persons or political directorate,” he said.
Bodden was speaking ahead of the 5 July launch of his latest book – ‘Deconstructing Development, Immigration, Society and Economy in early 21st century Cayman’.
He argues that Cayman has not done enough to shape its own fate and that an “ad hoc” approach to policy has left it at the mercy of external forces.
The book opens with a “litany of complaints” circulating in society, citing “family breakdown, unbridled immigration, corruption, environmental degradation, crime, runaway development and the high cost of living” among the commonly cited issues in 21st century Cayman.
Bodden insists he does not want the islands to return to the days of “donkeys and catboats”, but he argues Cayman is changing faster than many people desire.
He told the Compass, “What I am asking now is how we correct course with the least collateral damage?”
The book covers everything from Cayman’s “addiction to cheap imported labour” to how, as Bodden sees it, Caymanians lost control of the land.
He discusses options to collaborate better with investors and employers but also highlights policy considerations to restrict immigration in certain sectors and channel development towards national goals.
He argues that a coordinated vision should be the blueprint for deciding how Cayman develops.
While he acknowledges globalisation is a force that has, by nature, impacted the entire world, he believes Cayman could have done more to plot its future and have a greater say in ensuring its people derived the maximum benefit from the changes it has witnessed.
Now, as it looks to the future, he believes an overarching Vision 2050 project – mirroring the Vision 2008 project – would be a means for the community to have a greater say in how Cayman develops.
“This is something that should be driven by civil society as a whole,” he said. “It shouldn’t be the politicians. It should be the collective vision of the community. Where do we want to be in 30 years?”
A former politician and president of the University College of the Cayman Islands, Bodden has published multiple works of history, research, fiction and poetry.
‘De-constructing Development’ is the second volume in his study of Caymanian society and a follow up to his 2007 book, ‘The Cayman Islands in Transition’.
A launch event was held at the Sir Vassel Johnson Hall at UCCI on Saturday, 5 July.
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Is this a book on complaining or with solutions? Times are changing. Our own people sold out the land so we have no one to blame but ourselves. You want big money, you sell to foreign investors. You want a land market to collapse and sell for pennies on the KYD, only sell to our other Caymanians.
Our people aren’t educating at a level as other people generally speaking but want to be CEOs. Let’s look at our actions and take action before criticizing everything. We control our on destiny.
Solutions are – charging an additional fee on houses over 2 million
Better upper level education
Stuff like that.
Having a Long Term Management Plan for Cayman Islands sustainable development is of critical importance. Thank you Mr. Bodden for keeping the emphasis on this. Remember the wisdom of the adage “those who fail to plan, plan to fail”.
I have also been advocating a “Vision 2050” concept. Hopefully it will be crafted, and implemented, with greater success than Vision 2008!!
We have lost a lot of time and some negative impacts are irreversible, BUT we can still map a better course to shepherd our journey forward. Yes, We Can!!