Hon Kurt Tibbetts Leader of Government Business

By Tina Trumbach
tina@caymannetnews.com

Sister Islands residents won’t have to make loan or mortgage payments for the next six months as they recover from Hurricane Paloma, the Cayman Islands’ seven commercial clearing banks have agreed.

Leader of Government Business Hon Kurt Tibbetts made the announcement on Thursday, 13 November, at the weekly Cabinet press briefing.

Mr Tibbetts said Sister Islands customers should contact their banks, as financial relief options were “flexible” with customers being able to choose their options.

He advised that of all the banks, Cayman National Bank (CNB) was the only one to make the payment waiver automatic for all Sister Islands customers with loans and mortgages.

He attributed this to the fact that CNB, as the only bank with a physical presence on both Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, has more customers in the Sister Islands than any other commercial bank.

Any CNB customer who did not want to take advantage of the relief offer should contact the bank, he said.

Mr Tibbetts advised loan and mortgage holders that although monthly repayments would cease for up to six months, interest would continue to accrue.

To further ease the financial burden on storm victims, he said all of the banks agreed to extend the terms of customer loans to pay off accrued interest rather than expecting it to be paid in a lump sum at the end of the waiver period – as occurred in some cases after Hurricane Ivan.

He said the six-month moratorium would give Sister Islands residents a break from monthly “cash outlays” and still allow them to resume loan payments at the same rate as before when the waiver period ends.

The Cayman Islands Civil Service Association (CICSA) Credit Union also announced that loan repayments for Sister Islands members would be deferred from November 2008 through January 2009.

In his address, Mr Tibbetts also discussed the allocation of jobs in the reconstruction effort on the Sister Islands.

“Where employment in the reconstruction effort is concerned, Government is insisting that preference should be given to the residents of Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, as long as they are experienced and capable of doing the job.

“We believe this is only fair, especially in cases where persons have been displaced from their regular employment as a result of the hurricane,” he said.

As Mr Tibbetts and his Cabinet colleagues were updating the media and public on the ongoing relief and rebuilding efforts, reports and information from various Government offices and relief agencies told of continuing progress in the Sister Islands.

Hazard Management Cayman Islands (HMCI) announced new initiatives by the Department of Agriculture (DoA), Faith Hospital, Mosquito Research and Control (MRCU) and the Department of Environmental Health (DEH) in the Sister Islands.

The DoA’s office is again open in Spot Bay on Cayman Brac, from 8:30 am to noon each day. Staff were assisting with replanting efforts and reviewing regulations for importing plants and agriculture material from Grand Cayman, the HMCI release said.

Flu shots for elderly Sister Islands residents were being offered at Faith Hospital, where power had been restored. Residents were urged to contact the hospital to make medical or counselling appointments or to request a doctor’s visit to their homes if they needed any medical care.

MRCU assured Sister Islands residents that the substance being used in current mosquito control operations on the Brac and Little Cayman is not harmful to humans, animals or fish. Areas affected by flooding have been targeted by the MRCU for increased mosquito-control operations.

In anticipation of a refuse-collection timetable, the DEH requested that Sister Islands residents separate all debris into four categories: vegetation or yard waste; residential or household garbage; construction and demolition debris; and metals.

Deliveries of relief supplies to elderly and housebound residents on the Sister Islands continued through a joint effort by governmental and volunteer agencies. The Health Services Authority, the Department of Children and Family Services, the Red Cross and the Adventist Development and Relief Agency were visiting people requiring assistance, both dropping off supplies and providing any needed help or services.

Meanwhile, Mr Tibbetts remained positive on the progress made in Cayman Brac and Little Cayman since Hurricane Paloma hit the Sister Islands on 8 November.

“Tragedy somehow brings us closer together as a nation,” he said, “We united and came to the aid of our brothers and sisters in Cayman Brac and Little Cayman this past week. For them, it was a tremendous source of comfort and reassurance. It told them they were not alone. That their fellow countrymen care.

“I am confident that we will arise from this misfortune a much stronger nation. Our resilience came through during the experience with Hurricane Ivan. With God’s help, it will come through again.”