Moses Kirkconnell Cayman Brac and Little Cayman MLA

By Simone Tatum & Mwangi Ngamate

It was a somber, yet thankful, occasion when residents of Grand Cayman joined those from the Sister Islands to mark the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Paloma’s devastating strike on the Cayman Islands, at aThanksgiving Service held at the Aston Rutty Centre in Cayman Brac last Saturday.

Hurricane Paloma caused extensive damage on Cayman Brac and Little Cayman during its passage on 8 November 2008. In addition to destroying homes, Paloma also caused damage to some of the Brac’s schools, hotels, government buildings and business places.

Specially invited guests included H.E. The Governor Stuart Jack, CVO and his wife Mariko, Acting Premier Hon. Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, Minister for Community Affairs and Housing Hon. Mike Adams, Chief Officer for Education Mary Rodriguez, George Town MLA Ellio Solomon, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman MLA Moses Kirkconnell and his wife Kathy, among others.

Deputy District Commissioner for the Sister Islands,Mark Tibbetts, who was the Master of Ceremonies for the evening, gave the opening remarks and welcomed the special guests from Grand Cayman who were announced by Wanda Tatum.

District Commissioner for the Sister Islands, Ernie Scott and the band members and singers from the Crossroad United Baptist Church contributed a Musical Prelude, during which the audience enjoyed the song “Going home on the morning train”, before his welcome speech.

“This place is quite luscious and green; at the same time last year, place one would have mistaken this place for an area in the aftermath of a volcanic eruption,” said Paulette Conolly, a Bracker who is now resident in Grand Cayman, as she recalled the devastation caused by the hurricane.

Chevala Burke and Delroy Bodden gave a visual presentation about the devastation Hurricane Paloma left behind on Cayman Brac in November 2008. The pictures not only showed the destruction and damage done to many buildings on the island, but also showed the great efforts of Cayman Brac’s people and the progress during the recovery process. The captivated audience was silent while they remembered last year’s tragedy. Some of the images showed a broken sign bearing the name of Faith Hospital, the devastation of the Creek, and the Seamen’s Centre. One audience member said that it seemed as if somebody had punched a hole in the centre of the island.

In her remarks, Hon Juliana O´Connor-Connolly thanked God for the recovery efforts and for sparing the Brac.

“Had it not been for these storms, including Paloma, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I am always told that politicians shouldn’t talk about God, but I know my God delivered me and He has always been there for me. God is still in the delivery business, Ladies and Gentlemen,” she continued.

During her speech she asked the questions:

What did we learn from Paloma?

And will there be another storm?

“Live good, love, learn to forgive. We can be put down, but we can not be defeated if we trust in God,” was her answer.

She further noted: “Perhaps there will be another storm, but when we come together for a common cause, we cannot be stopped. We came a long way as time has passed. We must thank God and praise the Lord. I am grateful for all the assistance we received. And yes, you can be a politician and believe in God.”

During his speech, H.E. The Governor Stuart Jack not only spoke of the devastation and recovery efforts following Paloma, but also delivered his farewell speech to the Brac community, ahead of his 2 December departure.

He noted that Hurricane Paloma was the biggest event for the Sister Islands during his term as Governor. He recalled spending a night at the Aston Rutty Centre, one of Cayman Brac´s hurricane shelters, amongst the victims of the storm who lost everything.

“My best and worst memories about Cayman Islands came with Hurricane Paloma,” he said.

“The Island was totally black; apart from an occasional twinkle of a generator for those who had them,” the Governor recalled.

On a positive note, Mr Jack said he was happy to see the determination of Brackers in getting things back to normal, to their jobs, churches and everything else. He congratulated those who put in hard work in the command centre and also at the hotel. He was especially happy with the relief work was carried out.

“Through the efforts of the people, the island has seen a speedy recovery; today there is a lot to give thanks for. There are many who are still recovering financially, but there is a lot to be thankful for, since the hurricane could have been worse,” Mr Jack noted.

He said that as he leaves the Cayman Islands, he will always remember the Brackers and urged them to preserve the good values they had.

From all his trips to the Sister Islands, the Governor said he especially remembered the warm welcomes, the friendly handshakes, smiles and sometimes hugs. He also noted that Cayman Brac has a special potential and that he always appreciated the religious faith, principals and integrity of the Sister Island´s residents.

First Elected Member for the Sister Islands, Moses Kirkconnell, read Psalms 46: “God is our Refuge and Strength,” and thanked the outgoing Governor for his outstanding services to the Cayman Islands and its people during his term.

Gifts of gratitude and farewell were presented to H.E. the Governor Stuart Jack, CVO, and his wife, Mrs Jack, by Tanner Scott and Anya Connor. The National Song “Beloved Isle Cayman” was led by Mrs. Chevala Burke and the closing remarks were given by Deputy District Commissioner Mark Tibbetts.