On the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Ivan’s passage through the Cayman Islands, Florida newspaper the St. Petersburg Time (circulation 395,973) carried a piece updating the US public on Cayman’s recovery.
On September 11, 2005, the Editor’s note to the article Storm Resurgence by Bob Harig read, ‘The catastrophe that struck New Orleans and other Gulf Coast towns just two weeks ago will be with us for years.
‘However, the Cayman Islands, another tourism destination suffered immense hurricane damage one year ago Monday but received scant notice in the United States because that hurricane, Ivan, continued on to smash the Florida Panhandle. Here is a look at the slow pace of recovery from Ivan on Grand Cayman, a popular destination for American divers and those just seeking a long beach weekend.’
St. Petersburg Times staff writer Bob Harig has vacationed on the Cayman Islands many times and returned late this summer to survey the recovery.
The article begins with an introduction to Charles Seymour, local musician, who has lived here for all his 51 years.
‘The heat and humidity were as routine to him as views of turquoise water that make it so enticing. Routine, too, were summer storms and threats of hurricanes,’ it reads.
It quotes Mr. Seymour, or ‘Lammie’, saying, I’ve never been frightened like that in my life’ (regarding Hurricane Ivan).
The article describes how his home was severely damaged by storm surge waters and points out that his family is still without a home.
‘The Seymours’ story is just one of hundreds, perhaps thousands, here. Any resident can tell you how Hurricane Ivan brought him or her suffering – whether it be their home, their business, or their jobs that they lost.’
It goes on, ‘Because Ivan would go on to pummel Florida’s panhandle – and because it was the fourth hurricane to hit Florida last summer in a six-week period – news of Grand Cayman’s plight was slow to make it north. Yet Americans have numerous business and residential interests in the Caymans, just 450 miles from the Sunshine State.’
It continues, ‘Ivan was devastating to this British Crown colony, known worldwide for its outstanding diving and international banking.’
The article puts the damage estimate from the storm to have been $1.8 billion. However, a report from The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean estimated that the total impact of the disaster on the Cayman Islands by Hurricane Ivan was CI$2.8 billion (US$3.5 billion).
The article goes on to describe the storm’s fury, saying that the recovery is still continuing. ‘Many businesses have reopened in the most frequented tourist area, Seven Mile Beach, and in downtown George Town, where the cruise ships disembark their thousands of passengers.’
But it also points out that many pre-Ivan businesses are not open and that in June less than 50 per cent of the pre-Ivan hotel rooms and rental condominiums had been opened.
Director of Tourism Pilar Bush is quoted as saying that the biggest challenge has been availability of resources to repair and rebuild.
‘For example, in the early weeks after the hurricane it was difficult to get enough labor on-island to do all of the work that had to be done. In addition, many people had to wait for insurance companies to settle claims before proceeding with rebuilding,’ she says.
The article singles out one hotel. ‘The only hotel on the island that was able to remain open through the storm and beyond was the Courtyard Marriott, on the northern end of Seven Mile Beach. Due to favourable construction and its location atop a small hill, the hotel made it through the winds and had little interior damage from seawater and rain’.
He quotes General Manager Steven Schwartz, who has spent 26 years in the Caribbean, who compared Ivan to America’s second costliest hurricane that struck south of Miami in 1992 – Andrew. ‘There was more dollar damage, certainly more deaths. It was bigger. But (after Andrew), you could get in a car and drive for 50miles and you had water and supermarkets open and everything you needed.’
‘Here (after Ivan), there was no place to drive to. No buildings were dry. It wasn’t like you could get away from it.’
The article notes that some on the island complained that not enough was done to seek aid from other nations.
‘Although food and water were supplied to residents, many locals believed that people from around the world would have helped with rebuilding had they known the severity of destruction.’
Mr. Seymour comments that some people still do not have their roofs fixed, but in all, the recovery has been remarkable.
The Director of Tourism is also quoted as calling the recovery ‘nothing short of amazing’.
The writer points out that although Cayman has some way to go in its recovery, this may not be obvious to the regular tourist ‘sunning on the beach, staring out at the clear blue sky, or scuba diving on the reefs and walls that surround the island’. He also states that many of the accommodations have been upgraded and enhanced since Ivan.
The article ends quoting Ms Pilar Bush: ‘Ivan had tried to scrape us into the sea, but the yellow wristband on my arm reminded me we had a choice and the Cayman Islands had chosen to ‘Live strong’.’
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