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Online Forum - Website posting from caymannetnews.com
Friday, October 29, 2004
- Shelter Angel
I want to know if you can post the article about Laura Johnston on your
site as many of us really want to read it on line, as we do not have access
to your hard print. We heard it was a wonderful article. God bless
you all - Rob
- Post Ivan Issues – Part 1
Now I’m not the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree, but Charles
Clifford’s Part 1 letter to the editor struck me as a little, well ...
parochial and unresearched.
Had Mr Clifford researched James Lee Witt and Associates LLC, he would have
found a number of clients in a number of jurisdictions who you might not
think would need the consultative services of a disaster preparedness and
relief professional.
Clients such as the State of New York and the University of Houston and
University of Texas Health Science Center, UH and UTHSC sustained hundreds
of millions of dollars of damage following Tropical Storm Allison in 2001.
James Lee Witt was contracted to intervene on both schools’ behalves, and
helped secure more than $100 million in federal disaster relief and nearly
$70 million in insurance reimbursements. Not bad for a jurisdiction of
nearly 4 million people, in a state of nearly 18 million people, with
hundreds if not thousands of building contractors, roofers, tradesmen and
the like. Even the big boys need help every now and then.
With long-term damages and repairs to Cayman estimated near $2.5 billion to
$4 billion dollars, $1 million, or even $10 million, seems a small price to
pay for guidance through a disaster the likes of which Cayman has never seen
- but James Lee Witt and Associates have.
Perhaps, Mr Clifford, this firm just might be able to help us; because
judging from the state of this island six weeks after Hurricane Ivan, we
need the help! As of today, I don’t know of any firms here in Cayman with
the experience approaching anything to the level of Witt and Assocs.
I don’t believe that since the hurricane there is an “obvious leadership
void in elected government” as your letter states. I DO believe there is a
void of an organized collaborative effort to clean this island up. I also
believe there is a “void” of equipment and tools necessary to perform the
clean-up and a “void” of labour to do it.
Furthermore, to coin a phrase from Minister Bodden, there is a bit of the
Cayman entitlement attitude hampering efforts as well. Too many people
waiting for something to happen.
Regardless, your letter is nothing more than political rhetoric disguised as
concern. Taking the opportunity to grandstand in the midst of a tragedy is
wholly inappropriate and doesn’t bode well for your fledgling political
career.
I’m also surprised that Mr Clifford doesn’t know the old adage, “It takes
money to make money.” If we have to spend $1million or even $10 million to
bring our islands back to where nearly 3million tourists can come spend a
billion dollars, I say spend the money. Shortsighted economic policy is also
not good for someone running for office amid claims that the government of
the day has been fiscally irresponsible in hiring a specialist to help -
among other things - revitalize the economy.
Put simply, here’s where the rubber meets the road: if your car breaks down,
you go to a mechanic; if your body breaks down, you go to a doctor; and if
your country is destroyed by a natural disaster for which you couldn’t have
possibly prepared for, you go to a specialist who knows - through experience
- how to efficiently restore the infrastructure and return it to its former
state so it may continue to be the 5th leading financial center in the
world, and a leading Caribbean tourist destination, capable of supporting
its 40,000+ residents.
Hats off to the government of the day for recognizing the need for
specialized assistance with recovery efforts. And a big thumbs down for Mr
Cllifford’s attempt at self-aggrandisement in these trying times.
If, Mr Clifford, you are as committed to Cayman as you say you are, you will
put down your pen and pick up a shovel. All you’re doing right now is
throwing stones in a Glass House that others are trying their best to
re-build.
And by the way, Bodden Town isn’t the only area of the Island that hasn’t
been cleaned up. Sympathy for your plight stops where the pile of garbage in
my front yard begins - Perplexed in Prospect
- Storm Over Debris
So who has the gag on O.C., that he can’t speak his thoughts or
convictions? Or is it that he won’t stand up for Caymanians because he is
afraid of the retribution? I not only stood up for my fellow Caymanians when
I was a civil servant, but I didn’t hide my name as we have to do today.
Tell me O.C., when the riots start, will you have a placard and join the
Caymanians in their fight for right? Or will you be hiding in a closet with
the rest of the weaklings, and top echelons who are only interested in
protecting their own interests?
It is time to cancel that contract with the General, and DeWitt before
things get worse. Hiring them is like saying that Caymanians are too
ignorant to re-develop their own country. We admit we have at least one who
is only interested in developing his bank account and that of his friends
and constituents, but that $975,000 plus needs to go to re-build the homes
of the born and bred Caymanians who have lost everything... and not into the
pockets of blow-hard foreigners like the General.
Right after that contract was signed, he spoke at a gathering that cost
everyone who attended $50. Made me wonder if it was a fund-raiser for his
trip to Cayman.
I believe in my fellow Caymanians. I know that we have bright, intelligent
business people who can make suggestions about re-building Cayman, based on
their knowledge of our way of life, because they were born and raised in
Cayman. Their ancestors passed along to each generation, the things they
learned. It doesn’t always have to come out of the textbooks.
Bottom line: The contracts for the clean-up should go to the local people,
not overseas money-hungry fly-by-nighters… and the LGB just showed how
little he really cares about the rights of Caymanians - Fed Up With
McKeeva
- Generators - noise vs comfort
To the lady who wants people to “love thy neighbours not thy generators”
- I happen to know of one mother in particular who is so very grateful for
her generator (in her words “a God-send”) because now her toddler can sleep,
through the noise I might add, with a fan instead of spending the night
screaming due to the heat and mosquitoes. Send in your PO Box number and I
will mail you some ear-plugs - Content With Noise
- Poor Coverage of Cayman’s 9/11
I would like to take this time to congratulate the staff of Cayman Net
News for your outstanding professionalism within the media field. You kept
the information flowing both near and far. Keep up the good work...
I would like to also take this time to say that it is very sad when you have
something as devastating as this happen on such a large scale to such a
small little Island as Cayman, and yet the Government officials (from A-Z)
(you know who you are) who are supposed to be here to protect and care for
“the people” would try to hide something like this! I wonder what they are
up to now.
Don’t think for one minute that because the elections have been postponed
until May 2005 that we “the people” have forgotten the hardships that you
have made many of your people suffer through, because of your greedy little
egos! Try doing what you were supposed to be doing for the past four years
now that you really have a “job” to earn those ridiculous salaries for,
because now is where we will see who our true leaders are! (P.S. that
doesn’t mean buying people appliances anymore - that’s VERY small in
comparison to what your constituents need now because some of us don’t even
have homes to put them in!
Good thing the UDP opened the election spending limit, huh? And last but not
least, the Cayman Islands National Hurricane Recovery Fund (for those
without insurance) - who will monitor and give an account of the amount of
funds donated; how long will the people who have filled out the applications
need to wait for the help to arrive (I hope it’s not until next year May);
who will be on the board of Trustees to grant the funds to those who
(really) need it?
I pray that all of those who were affected by this storm realise that for
many years God has spared us from his wrath. Please remember that God is the
Almighty and the one and only Savior; he taketh and he giveth, and for those
Caymanians who read this, remember where you come from and who you are, love
your neighbor as you love yourself.
Let’s unite and bring our Islands back to where they belong: To our
God-fearing people... because God doesn’t sleep nor slumber and the
hurricane season isn’t over!
God bless you all and may our leaders open their hearts and ears to the
cries of their people once and for all - Kristine
- Cayman Islands remain a safe place to live
Recent crimes that have been committed against temporary residents or
tourists are absolutely unacceptable to our standards. But before I jump to
criticise or speculate that this will ruin the island, if it continues, I
would like you all to think about the concept of social intelligence and how
it might affect crime rate. I am short for time at the moment - so go search
Google or something and educate yourself on this brilliant topic: “Social
Intelligence”. Many thanks to Net News. Peace - Anonymous
- Self Government
We, the people of the Cayman Islands, need to have more born Caymanians
elected in office and more decision made by Caymanians - William Hussie
Rivers
- Reader Comments on Hurricane Ivan
Love and prayers to all our friends on Grand Cayman - particularly the
nurses, doctors and other health professionals who will be working very hard
to help people in distress. I was a midwife at George Town Hospital 1980 -
1988 - my husband worked for B of A - Julie & Vic Sobczak, Settle, North
Yorkshire, England
- As a former resident and an employee of Red Sail Sports, my thoughts and
prayers were with all of you and the rest of the people of the island
throughout this devastating hurricane. I wish you all the best! - Eleanor
Bosch
- We live in San Diego and travel to Grand Cayman every year. I watched
all the news networks I could, NBC, ABC, CBS, and no one showed any news
about the Cayman Islands. They kept talking about Ivan going from Jamaica to
Cuba, no mention of the Cayman Islands. What was up with that? Your
newspaper is about the only place I can find anything. We are supposed to
come in June and don’t even know if Seven Mile Beach Resort is still
standing - Gary
- My heart goes out to everyone affected by this hurricane, especially
Stefanie Suckoo and her family - Nick Cruz
- To all my friends in Cayman... my prayers go out to you. To all at St.
Ignatius Catholic School - keep the lovely spirit I have always felt from
you. I have been speaking to my friend Gina so I am well aware of the
devastation. Great of Desmond and his staff to have this site running. Gina
and Andreas - luv ya lots - Robert Solomon
- My wife Rhonda and I have been very concerned about the Island since the
hurricane. After living there for over 9 years we still have many friends
there and are trying to reach them. Desmond, good job on the coverage. Will
keep logging on regularly - Scott Smith
- A Nation Survives
I could not agree with you more. If it had not been for your web site I
would not have been able to know how things were for my family. God bless
you and thank you for your service - Marge Rice
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