Letter to the Editor
Support for Vision 2008 Plan
Dear Sir,
I write with respect to Mr. Bill Gates'letter entitled 'Vision to solve current problems' which appearedin another local paper dated 4th December, 2000.
Firstly, I would like to thank Mr. Gates for his unstinting effortsin encouraging the Government of the Cayman Islands to pursuethe implementation of the 'blueprint plan' for the future of theCayman Islands, as set out in the Vision 2008 Plan.
Secondly, as Mr. Gates quite rightly pointed out, this Plan wasas broad-based, as all-encompassing and as comprehensive a planof the people that could realistically have been done. Indeed,the Plan was touted as the type of proactive projection for thefuture, which we needed and which other countries would very muchlike to have for themselves.
The Vision 2008 Plan was adopted by the Legislative Assembly ofthese Islands as THE NATIONAL STRATEGIC PLAN, and thus its mandatewas, and is, clear and unequivocal.
I am aware that there are a number of the hundreds of Caymaniansand residents alike who participated in the Vision 2008 processand are now disheartened and disappointed that substantial effortshave not yet been solidified whereby the Vision 2008 NationalStrategic Plan is to be implemented and only limited informationhas been communicated to the public regarding such efforts.
I am also aware that the there was a Custodian Group which wasformed by the Government and which worked on proposals for theimplementation of the Plan. However, more now needs to be done.
It will be necessary, for example, for the Government to obtainfrom senior civil servants, proposals for tying the National StrategicPlan into the budgetary process without which the Plan has littleeffect. It will be necessary also, for the Government to use entitiessuch as GIS to communicate to its citizenry precisely how theDepartments of Government are pursuing the goals set out in the'People's Plan', Vision 2008.
I firmly believe that it is now 'high time' that we make a positiveeffort to ensure that our systems and procedures are bought appropriatelyup-to-date, in a timely manner, and that we as a country acceptthat there is no longer room for us to 'drag-out' implementationprocesses as fundamentally important as this one or to play the'soon come' game with matters of such significance.
I therefore also, together with Mr. Gates, and the many participantsin the Vision 2008 process (including a fair number of the membersof the Vision 2008 Strategy 16 Roundtable on Immigration who feelsimilarly) would encourage the Government and indeed ALL Membersof the Legislative Assembly to step boldly up and support a properimplementation of the Vision 2008 National Strategic Plan.
Patrick Schmid
West Bay