Topic: Cayman 2.0
Education and opportunity in Cayman: 10 things we have learned
A review of some of the key conclusions and ideas coming out of the Compass' Issues series on education and opportunity in Cayman, from the perspective of those it impacts most – the students themselves.
Education and opportunity through the eyes of one high-school class
More than a decade after high-school graduation, we tracked down the Class of 2008 to find out where they are now and what the struggles and successes of one class can tell us about how the system works - or doesn't - for young people trying to make their way in modern Cayman.
In Profile: The Class of 2008
As part of our feature series on education and opportunity we spoke to several graduates of the Class of 2008 to find out where they are now and the struggles and successes they had experienced in the years since high-school. These are their stories.
The great divide: Fighting education inequality in Cayman
As Cayman continues to develop its modern knowledge-based economy, concern is growing that some are being left behind. In a special feature today we look at the links between economic and education inequality and some of the programs seeking to bridge the divide.
Myles: Poverty a neglected issue in Cayman
Poverty and its consequences have been a neglected problem in Cayman for too long, according to former government at-risk youth officer Michael Myles.
Schools inspector: Good teaching key to fixing education inequality
There is a ‘clear link’ between economic disadvantage and academic outcomes in Cayman’s schools, according to government’s chief schools inspector Peter Carpenter.
My Cayman 2.0: Cayman could be a virtual college town
You have heard about digital nomads moving to Cayman to work remotely in the COVID-era, how about student nomads? In a guest column, Nick Joseph, an attorney with HSM Chambers argues that the new visa regulations create the opportunity for Cayman to become a 'college town'.
Class of COVID-19: Pandemic is shaping future of Cayman’s graduates
This generation of Cayman Islands students is graduating into a changed world amid the ongoing impact of the pandemic. COVID-19 has brought disruption, anxiety and mental health challenges for young people but it is also shaping a desire to make their world and their island a better place.
Anxiety and hope for class of 2020
Teachers and counsellors at Cayman’s high schools watched their students graduate in the midst of a pandemic with a mixture of anxiety, pride and hope for their futures.
Graduates encouraged to sign up with WORC
College and university graduates are being encouraged to take opportunities to step into the world of work – even if it is not in the field they studied for.
Interactive: From sewers and sub-sea cables to prisons and power generation
In a series of stories, journalist James Whittaker takes a look at how population growth affects every aspect of infrastructure in the Cayman Islands.
Cayman’s creaking infrastructure in need of investment
Population growth has driven residential and commercial development but investment in infrastructure is only just beginning to catch up
Editorial: If 100,000 population is coming, let’s be ready with detailed plan
If it’s likely that Cayman will boast a population of 100,000 within the next 10 to 20 years, the country’s leaders must map out every detail relating to how potential infrastructural, environmental and cultural issues are accounted for and mitigated.
Putting a price on nature
A new project aims to calculate the economic value of some of the services provided by Cayman's natural ecosystems in an effort to elevate the standing of the environment in planning and development decisions.
Reimagining Cayman: 7 ways the island could develop smarter in the future
If Cayman's population continues to grow, adopting modern development principles will help lessen any impact on the environment and way of life on the island, argues architect Mike Stroh.
Interactive: The changing face of Cayman, 1958 versus 2018
A series of aerial images of Cayman through the decades shows how quickly the island has changed and how dramatically that has impacted the landscape.
Population growth has transformed Cayman’s economy and environment
Cayman's rapid growth has had a staggering impact on the island over the past 60 years. We look at the consequences of that growth and discuss new ways of doing things as Cayman continues to grow.
From fishing village to financial hub
With the help of historians Christopher Williams and Roy Bodden, the Cayman Compass charts the journey the island has taken, including its rapid growth in the past half-century.
Editorial: Growth is good… but for how long?
Cayman's success has been built on the notion that growth is good. Population and economic growth have been intertwined for the past half-century. As new challenges and new priorities emerge in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we ask if that dynamic can continue.
Destination 100,000: Will Cayman’s growth continue post COVID-19?
COVID-19 may have caused a dip in Cayman's population but the long-term trajectory of the island is one of exponential growth. In a special feature we look at the benefits and the challenges of such rapid growth and ask whether the upward curve will resume in the post COVID-19 world.
Data analysis: Cayman’s population could hit 100,000 by 2031
If Cayman’s population growth rate resumes its pre-COVID growth rate, the island will be home to 100,000 people by 2031.
Opening Cayman’s borders: The pros and cons
Should Cayman be moving faster to open up its borders to visitors? In a point counterpoint editorial we argue the pros and cons of a swifter resumption of tourism.
Testing, testing, testing: How Bermuda restarted tourism
Bermuda has seen a slow but steadily increasing trickle of tourists return to the island since opening its borders in July. The island has no quarantine measures for visitors, instead opting for a policy of testing, social distancing and detailed contact tracing. It has worked so far, say political and industry leaders.
Medical tourism still a long-term option for Cayman
Continuing to invest in health tourism is likely to pay long-term dividends for the Cayman Islands despite recent setbacks, according to Cayman’s main medical-tourism...
Casinos not worth the gamble for now
The idea of legalising gaming in Cayman to allow for the development of casinos is one which has been in the background of debates over tourism’s future for some time but it has few advocates in the immediate post COVID future.
Demand for nature tourism expected to increase after COVID
With nature based attractions expected to be in demand post COVID, the future for Cayman tourism could be as much about protecting its natural assets as attempting to create new attractions.
Private jet terminal could bring big spenders
A new private jet terminal that could offer an exclusive experience to wealthy visitors has been highlighted as one of the key post-COVID infrastructure projects that could help enhance Cayman’s tourism industry.
Digital nomads offer new tourism opportunities
Attracting long-stay visitors who live by the beach and ‘commute’ remotely to cities all over the world is becoming big business for islands looking to compensate for lost tourism dollars.
Could super yachts be a new niche for Cayman?
Mega yachts can bring big business with relatively low impact, but for Cayman to pursue the industry major and potentially controversial infrastructure upgrades would be needed.
Body sensor aims to provide early warning system for COVID-19
Wearable body monitors that check your vital health metrics could provide an early warning system for COVID-19, according to researchers. The Cayman Islands government has discussed using BioButtons as an option for tracking the health status of people arriving in the country. Journalist James Whittaker tried it out for the last ten days and spoke to some of the proponents of the technology about how they believe it can be used in the fight against COVID-19.
Data from your FitBit could help predict COVID
Data from wearable health-tracking devices can detect signs of COVID-19 several days before patients notice symptoms, according to preliminary research from Stanford University.
Smartphone app could assess COVID risk status
A smartphone app that could allow users to ‘prove’ their COVID-status has been developed in the Cayman Islands.
My Cayman 2.0: ‘Sustainable vision for transport needed’
In the latest of our 'My Cayman 2.0' series of guest columns, Claire Pettinai, an artist, mother and business consultant, makes the case for a new model for public transport.
Behind the scenes at a quarantine hotel
The Cayman Compass went behind the scenes at the Ritz-Carlton's isolation wing to find out what protocols are in place for guests in quarantine and to hear how the resort hopes to adapt its safety measures to welcome back visitors.
‘Resort bubbles’ proposed to help bring back tourists
The concept of ‘resort bubbles’ has been put forward as a possible solution that could allow tourists to return to the Cayman Islands despite...
My Cayman 2.0: ‘Higher education can be new economic sector’
In the first of our 'My Cayman 2.0' series of guest columns, economist and former UCCI professor Thomas Phillips makes the case for transformative change in the way higher education is delivered in Cayman.
Ask the experts – The future of tourism
Cayman 2.0 is all about imagining and planning for a better Cayman. Today, we talk with experts in the tourism field to discuss what the future of tourism in the Cayman could (and should) look like.
Tourism industry fighting back against devastating job losses
Over the next month, as part of our ongoing Cayman 2.0 series, we will examine the impacts of the pandemic on tourism and discuss ideas for a new vision for the industry. Here, we look at the employment impact across the sector and plans to retool Caymanians to take front line jobs when the tourists come back.
Editorial: Cayman’s future depends on finding tourism solution
The Cayman Islands has successfully eradicated COVID-19. While that is certainly cause for celebration, the job is still only half done. Rescuing the tourism industry will require the same energy, focus and a degree of calculated risk.
What is your vision for Cayman’s future?
Over the next few months, the Cayman Compass will be continuing the Cayman 2.0 series, dedicating our Issues section to the ongoing debate over how to build better, more resilient islands in the aftermath of the pandemic.
We want to hear your vision for Cayman’s future.
We’re seeking contributions from guest columnists along the theme of ‘My Cayman 2.0’.
10 ideas to reshape Cayman after COVID-19
Over the past two months, our Cayman 2.0 series has cast a wide net in an effort to determine what changes the coronavirus crisis will bring to Cayman. In a series of special features, we examined both the consequences of the virus and the ideas for how we can come out the other side. Here, we summarise 10 of the most intriguing ideas for the islands' future that have emerged so far.
Editorial: Dream big, but make it happen
It is encouraging to see the scope and ambition of the vision emerging for post COVID Cayman, but big dreams need leadership and determination to make them a reality.
Video: Rethinking workforce development in Cayman
Ten young people have been given scholarships to give their careers a kick-start at Inspire Cayman Training.
In a video-feature we talk to the centre's founder Michael Myles and to some of his students about their aspirations for themselves and for the country.
Waterways offer avenue for transit reform
Ronnie Anglin, owner of Cayman Ferries, says he would like to see a future where marine travel complements land-based travel, but the concept hasn’t been easy to get off the ground.
Technology and innovation could help reform the way we move
The absence of bumper-to-bumper traffic was one of the features of life during the pandemic that many Cayman Islands residents enjoyed. With business and school life starting to return to something like normal, the roads are beginning to clog up with cars once again. The latest instalment of our Cayman 2.0 series examines ideas for how to reform public transport.
Man-on-the-street: Life after lockdown
We asked Cayman Islanders about the best parts of life under lockdown and what trends they would like to see continue after the pandemic.
Cayman’s construction engine kicks into high gear
Cayman’s construction industry experiences a surge of activity post-COVID-19 lockdown.
Higher education key to success in Cayman’s ‘knowledge economy’
The value of higher education is expected to increase dramatically as Cayman seeks to expand its ‘knowledge-based’ economy in the aftermath of COVID-19.
Re-educating Cayman: Economic crash highlights gaps in workforce development
The latest instalment of our Cayman 2.0 series looks at how the pandemic has exposed weaknesses in the island’s education and training system and highlights some of the solutions being proposed by business and education leaders.
Science and tech education could shape Cayman’s future
Glenda McTaggart, education programmes manager for Dart’s Minds Inspired programme, discusses the ripple effects of the coronavirus, and advocates for more technical and vocational training and a greater focus on science and technology in schools.
Too big to fail?
For the cruise industry the coronavirus has been a health emergency, an economic disaster and a public relations nightmare. But leaders of the major cruise lines say the sector will survive an come back stronger.
Tourism Minister: Current focus is on stayover
Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell said government is focussing primarily on stayover tourism right now, partially out of necessity.
Cruise tourism is still banned by the...
Which way now for cruise tourism?
Covid-19 has decimated the cruise industry, killed off the controversial pier project and fundamentally shifted the key questions about the future of this sector of our tourism market. What type of industry will emerge from the shadow of the pandemic and does Cayman want to be a part of it?
New push for digital payments
Cayman’s payment systems lag behind the rest of the world, and reform is needed to help businesses survive, according to Digital Cayman.
Smart Island: Tech investment could drive new economy
In the latest in our Cayman 2.0 series, we look at how COVID-19 is sparking new ambition to put tech at the centre of Cayman’s economic recovery.
Pandemic accelerated development of food delivery app
Smartphone-based food-delivery business Let’s Eat may be the first successful new venture of the COVID era.
Pandemic tests resilience of islands’ food supply chains
The COVID-19 crisis has demanded an unprecedented level of flexibility and adaptability to maintain access to essential products, like food and medicine – and as Woody Foster explains, suppliers have no roadmap to navigate what comes next.
Renewable energy offers huge jobs potential for post-COVID Cayman
A genuine commitment to renewable energy could help drive a green jobs revolution as Cayman seeks to kickstart the economy in the aftermath of the coronavirus crisis, industry leaders believe.
Five ideas for a green recovery
As Cayman plans its vision for a post-COVID future, ideas are emerging for a green recovery. Here we summarise some of the recommendations from various reports and advisors that they say can help grow jobs and protect the environment.
Green recovery proposed for post-COVID Cayman
Environmental protection and economic growth have typically been viewed as opposite sides of the argument in the debate over Cayman’s long-term future.
Compass roundtable: Cayman 2.0 – a post-COVID-19 work place
Today, we discuss topics related to the work place, including remote working and its impact on various sectors, including real estate and immigration.
Guest column: How Fountainhead decided to go fully remote
How Fountainhead decided to go fully remote, along with some benefits and challenges that other services businesses should consider when contemplating a similar move.
Work-from-home trend could impact commercial real estate
One obvious side-effect of the work-from-home movement is likely to be the demand for office space.
Remote Island: A new era for working life?
In the latest of our Cayman 2.0 series examining how the coronavirus crisis will impact the long term future of the Cayman Islands, we examine the world of work.
What is the Strategic Economic Advisory Council?
A quick guide to the committee shaping the vision for Cayman's post COVID-19 future
Editorial: The chance to build a better Cayman
The COVID-19 crisis has given Cayman's leaders the chance to press the reset button and the long-term ambition must be to build a stronger, more resilient and self-reliant Cayman that reflects a clear vision of where the islands want to go.
Cayman 2.0: Rethinking the vision for our islands
The Cayman Compass' new series will explore the challenges and opportunities that face Cayman as it plans for a post-COVID world. In the first of an ongoing series, journalist James Whittaker talks to some of the key players shaping the vision of the island’s future.
