Due to the overwhelming amount of positive response that I received in regards to my first ever Letter to the Editor, I fell obligated to once again attempt to illuminate some concerns of my fellow Caymanians who may be less affluent but of no less importance that the social and economic leaders of this country.
Before I get going, I just want to emphasis that this is an opinion piece and I will be the first to acknowledge that due to my past indiscretions that I am in no position to preach to you good people.
That notwithstanding, I feel honoured to be chosen as a voice for those without a voice or means to express what they really feel.
Like where is the accountability factor in Government? Who is watching the watcher? Nobody, that’s who!
Jobs, jobs, jobs; now this is a big concern mostly for the indigenous populace. Indigenous meaning you can trace back to at least great-grandparents or three generations. It is not that hard to see why unemployment is so high in this segment of Cayman today. First, there are more work permit holders than there are indigenous Caymanians.
No offence to the paper populace.
Simple math can solve this problem if mixed with a dash of moral courage and national unity and pride: “I am a Caymanian and I will not be a second class citizen in my home any longer.”
Be proud to be Caymanian and don’t shun your brother and sister when you see them. You are doing these things because we all have been indoctrinated to trust and obey. So many wrongs have been committed against us by the same people we give the power to, yet we just look away and do nothing. That’s a shame.
I grew up knowing that Caymanians, for the majority, are kind, loving, God-fearing people. But are we now spineless cowards? Living our glass houses, firing stones at each other? I know better than that, but the ones we put in power are not reflecting the real Caymanian values.
They too have been indoctrinated, but not to trust and obey but rather argue a little, then walk away.
My fellow Caymanians, have we learned nothing from our neighbours Cuba and Jamaica, both beautiful islands, with lovely native people, rich in natural resources, yet both mired in poverty, crime and social injustice.
If we don’t put a foot down and get rid of party politics and learn to stand up to ‘the man’, Cayman is headed for something like West Kingston in the 80s or worse.
The true Caymanian social identity is barely hanging on by a thread. If you doubt me, I’ll give you a simple test. Get 10 people, 15-25 years old and ask them to recite the lyrics to our national anthem. A Vybz Kartel and a Mavado song and see which one they know word for word. Don’t we see how bad it looks to know that we are importing people from 18,000 miles away to deliver pizza and pump gas?
C’mon man!
Our problems can be fixed, you know, but we as a people have to admit our wrongs before we can unite and take back a measure of influence and say so in this little rock!
I grew up in Northwest Point, West Bay, in the 1970s and 80s and let me tell you, that was Cayman then. I know we can’t go back, but we also cannot forget where we came from.
Right now the modus operandi of this government and previous ones are eerily similar in aspects to a communist police state who feels it knows it.
But seriously people, intercepting your mail, tapping your phones and God knows what else. How far will these people go for money and power?
All the way to the grave, that’s how far! You can’t get any help from England. I can tell you that.
The empirical mentality has no room for backwater colonies with no natural resources. I remember in ’83 or ’84 when Cayman donated CI$250,000 to the Falkland War effort, yet in 2004 when Ivan hit, England would not send a dollar for Cayman. I thought even stepchildren go lunch money, right? Not in this case.
Open your eyes and hearts and minds, hear your neighbour crying for help? Well tomorrow that could be you.
Stop the band-mind against your brothers and sisters and show who real Caymanians are. One love to everyone.
George Ian Duffell
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A very articulate, thought provoking letter. As you say, you cannot go back to those wonderful ‘old Cayman’ days, but you can take some of those good values into the future with you.
Cayman donated CI250,000….now please correct me if I am wrong but does the UK not expend millions every year in the governence of the Cayman Islands??