Government's Annual ReportCaptures the Face of the Nation
The state of the nation is annually capturedin a publication bubbling with facts, figures, and features -from potted plants to piqued prisoners, from officialdom's cozychats at Scranton community to dogged dialogue in Paris.
Between its 1999 pages, history imperceptibly scribbles on: Didyou know, for example, that income from Cayman's number one revenueearner, Customs, exceeded $100 million for the first time? Orthat the Fire Service's intervention in property fires resultedin a potential savings of over $6 million? That the crime ratedropped by 12.1% and new case management strategies at the Courtsresulted in a 71% decline in the backlog of Grand Court casescompared to 1998?
All areas of Government have a story to tell: Tourism pressesits case for marketing technology tools to direct and sustainthe Islands' number one industry; the Monetary Authority describesits efforts to improve its human resource capacity and capabilityin its move to greater regulatory autonomy; the Cayman IslandsShipping Registry closes in on independently defined quality standards;while the Human Resources Department of Government describes ProjectPrepare's innovative outreach to the more vulnerable among us.
Far from faceless facts and figures, however, a recurring themein the report is the outstanding Cayman story of how a communityglues itself together through the resourcefulness of personalities,businesses, and service clubs. Cultural icon Julia Hydes celebratesher 90th birthday with school children; Social worker CatherineTyson almost disappears amid riotous colours splashed across apage depicting donated Christmas bundles; and the Legal Befriender'shotline, a service provided by a group of local lawyers, getsa well-deserved plug.
CIMI (the Cayman Islands Marine Institute) shares its appreciationfor Foster's Food Fair's generosity, and the Agriculture Departmenttakes a moment to visit 'Mr. Willie' at his North Side Farm, revellingonce more in his love affair with farming.
But while engaging readers with the flavour and essence of Caymaniansociety, the Government's Annual Report is also a resourcefulhandbook. Need information on national symbols? Chief magistratesand Governors going back to 1750? A directory of Government services?Government revenue and expenditure figures? Hurricane information?Hunting and fishing seasons? Need to find a Justice of the Peace?
"The Annual Report is a source you can trust," saysChief Information Officer Pat Ebanks. "Accuracy is our absolutenumber one concern."
But, Miss Ebanks says, "GIS also hopes that the report isone that the Caymanian public will embrace as the story of yetanother year of striving to carve out for ourselves a countryof which we can be proud."
The price of this year's report, obtainable at the GIS' CricketSquare Office, is $30.
"We are selling these reports below cost in order to ensuretheir accessibility - to everyone who has an interest in the CaymanIslands and in the country's progress," the Chief InformationOfficer said.