Handel Whittaker - Notone to let go ...
Determined to Succeedin Tourism
Handel Whittaker
Today's Caymanian businessmen especiallyin the area of tourism have come a long way from the time whenchildren wore 'Wompers'. However, inspite of their accomplishments,which are immediately obvious as one looks around, "thereis much more to be done and corrected," says Handel Whittaker.In fact, unless you have a lot of time on your hands this sonof the soil is not the type of man to ask about national
affairs, such as the economy, commerce,hard work and the values to which society should return in raisingchildren.
Handel, who hails from the North Side, could spend half a daysharing his opinion on any one of these topics without pause,passionately relating how he thinks the way forward should bechartered for his country.
And so it was that last weekend when he sat down to talk withCayman Net News about his views ranging back from the times inNorth Side when he wore Wompers sandals fashioned from discardedcar tyres - to the present and projected into the future.
"Today everyone is wearing Nikes and the finest leather moneycan buy. We have accomplished a whole bunch financially, but Ihonestly feel that our leaders through recent years did not prepareus for some aspects of this modern day life in Cayman. They preparedus properly for the financial achievement, but also there areother side effects that go along with it: the moral decay, familylife."
Twice married, Handel has for the past 20years been in the tourism hospitality business. He is owns andmanages the popular Rackman's Pub and Restaurant.
He is the father of two: a 25-year-old boy,Niko; and 12-year-old girl, Alexandria.
His wife Audrey recently resigned from herjob at American Express to manage their very popular restaurant.
Handel believes that current events likethe attack on Cayman's offshore industry by the Organisation forEconomic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the slump in theeconomy point to a time for change in commercial direction ofCayman's economy.
Handel and hiswife, Audrey
He says that a need for refocusing on tourismhas long been there and given the circumstances now, this countryshould jump right into it." We should have been looking afterdifferent sources of income 20 years down the line," he says,adding, "I shall focus on tourism. We took tourism for grantedin many respects."
This successful entrepreneur's view is thatas the country concentrated on the financial industry over theyears the tourism product began going upscale in tandem with theincreasing wealth of the island and now that is a problem.
"We need to make Cayman more affordablefor the tourist. For many, years we in the tourist industry alwayscatered to the upper class tourist, and we did not think thatthe guy that drives the garbage truck has money to take a vacationalso. We kept our head too high, we need to bring it down andattract more middle income people to the island."
"The entire tourism product needs lookinginto. We need to be not so greedy. Instead of increasing pricesdaily, we should step back and say 'listen we will make less todayto get more tomorrow' with a view to pulling the prices down.
"I am a businessman and I try to keepmy prices down for as long as I can, and in some instances I havepurposely not increased what is charged to keep my customers happy,"he says.
"We need to have a serious look atputting a price freeze on everything for a year or two years untilwe can get our market share of tourists."
Handel's fear is that while the Cayman Islands'tourist industry continues to cater to a reducing number of upscalevisitors less expensive destinations like Mexico, neighbouringJamaica and Cuba will be pulling in the bulk of tourists visitingthe Caribbean.
He especially fears the potential of Cuba as that destinationbecomes more open in the not too distant future.
Not only does he think that the cost toa visitor here is too high, but also that even flying into thiscountry is a costly affair. "People have been expressingtheir concern to me about how much it costs to get here."
In addition to the issue of cost, Handelwants a better administrative arrangement to maximise the possiblegains from cruise passengers. He says that with only the currenttwo tenders for disembarkation there is a bottleneck and the visitorloses a lot of valuable shopping time in simply getting ashore.
He adds that there is also vehicular andfoot traffic congestion in one area while another commercial sectionhas no buyers. In his opinion another point for passengers tocome ashore should be established in the vicinity of the Old Fortbuilding.
"We need a small dock there. It willenable passengers to have better access to North Side where thereare over 60 merchants in the tourist-related businesses."
Handel began a working life at 12 yearsold cleaning beaches and planting lime trees. His career tookhim through being a dive-fishing guide between studies in summerat the Cayman Kai Resort where he later rose to become the managerthen onto the Galleon Beach Hotel, also as a manager.
He is grateful to the original developerof Cayman Kai in North Side, Mr. Don Dise for much of his lifeachievements. "He took me from a little boy and contributedto what I am today."
Handel describes Mr Dise as the saving gracefor North Side. At the time Mr Dise developed Cayman Kai Resortit was the regarded as among the largest investments in the countryand it employed an estimated half of the North Side populationwhile also attracting workers from West Bay.
An appreciation for what non-Caymanianshave contributed to the development of the country quickly comesout in a conversation with Handel. He is unhappy with the waymany expatriates are being treated here.
"Some of these fine people have doneenormous good for this country Regardless of race colour or creedor nationality, if someone has been living and working in thiscountry and continues to contribute we should give them peaceof mind," he believes.
By 'peace of mind' he does not necessarilymean granting the expatriates status but making them feel securein living here.
Handel Whittaker leaves no doubt that he holds his beloved CaymanIslands quite close to his heart.