Editorial
Beauty Beginsin Our Own Yard
We have talked about where the Cayman Islandsis heading. We have debated the issues to exhaustion. The economicsituation has been fretted over and that will continue until weare again safely moored in prosperity.
Closely tied to the condition of the economy,the Government will continue to come under public scrutiny untilthe status quo has been re-established. Only when our economiccomfort is restored will we cease bitter complaints. Like it ornot, that seems to be the future.
But one issue not argued to satisfactionconcerns the aesthetic state of these islands. None doubts thesupreme beauty of our serene, peacock-blue waters, nor the warmglow of our endless sun and cool breezes.
But what about our roads and highways? Whatabout, George Town and the Harbour, a place that every visitorto Grand Cayman witnesses with astonishment but not forthe reasons that we expect.
When six cruise ships glided into port onWednesday, and another slid off to the Brac, bringing more than13,000 fresh pairs of eyes to our shores what awaited them wasnot a glistening promenade, but a mismatched downtown withoutconsistent design, no landscaped walkway, no place to sit andwatch the boats buzz in and out of the harbour.
When visitors walk down West Bay Road, theyare not afforded a glamorous view of our heralded Seven Mile Beach,nor are they safe from the clutter of vehicular traffic. Insteadof finding a landscaped promenade like the Champs-Elyséeswith bubbling fountains and ample shade, our visitors tromp downa small, hot sidewalk, torn between admiring a hotel parking lotor a busy street.
Most visitors to Cayman find the visualeffects of our country one notch above a third world nation. Financiallyand politically, we rival the top world powers but aesthetically,we cannot compete.
Why is this? It is not for lack of resources,financial or environmental. Our sun provides endless bounty, shouldsomeone take the initiative to plant trees in dotted rows alongHarbour drive. Our natural flora could turn highways, roundaboutsand traffic-controlled areas into boulevards surpassing any Europeanroadway.
So why do our islands look so lacking ofcare?
Perhaps because no one cares to extend ourwarm welcome and colourful charm to visitors through beautificationof our islands. Many of the wealthiest communities in the NorthAmerica but certainly not more prosperous than Cayman, look thepart. The road that winds along their coasts are well maintained,monitored and landscaped. The streets in towns display tidy lawns,quaint lampposts, lush tropical flowers, and though this endeavorrequires work, it also makes the small, beachside town attractive.
For example: In New York City in the 1980's,fearing a devastating slump in tourism due to the deplorable stateof that city's main attraction, Times Square, the mayor decidedto initiate a beautification plan that saw Times Square becomea world-class tourist destination. Critics ridiculed him and assuredof failure; Times Square was mired in petty crime, prostitution,drug addicts and dealers.
An appointed committee quickly got to work,buying properties from Sixth Avenue to Broadway, reorganizingthe community and washing dirt out of town. The result, one yearlater, was unimaginable to long time residents.
To prove the cleanliness and safety of the'new' Times Square, the beautification committee threw an enormousparty literally on the streets: the steaming shrimp, butteredrolls and thick steaks laid bare on the streets of New York City.Everyone was made to eat without plates. It was a triumphant successand today Times Square enjoys its reputation as one of the world'sleading tourist destinations.
We have resources to make our islands lookthe part; we are an enriched and profitable country with numerousattractions and charm. We could start a beautification programmefor George Town that would coincide with our Quincentennial Celebrationsin 2003 and continue long into the future.
Let's start with our own yards!