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That Cayman Magic - What Is It That Makes Cayman So Special?

Mar 1, 2010

Anyone who was born, lives on or visits the Cayman Islands knows there is something unique about the three islands - something that makes you want to stay and pulls you back when you are away. They also know how difficult it is to try and explain the magic... Never one to shy away from a challenge, I thought I would give it a try and see if my explanation makes sense to anyone else.

Two oft-repeated sayings are "There must be something in the water" and "It’s in their blood." And indeed, in the Cayman Islands it starts in the water and in the blood.

In days gone by, the only way for many Caymanian families to survive was for the men to go to sea and send their hard-earned wages home to support their families. These brave men became prized seamen and were much in demand on ships around the globe. While out traveling, Caymanian seamen had two special experiences. First, they got to see and meet people from all parts of the globe. Secondly, they experienced being a foreigner in many strange lands and understood what it feels like to be the outsider, the newcomer, the one who has to learn new ways. In bringing these experiences home to merge with a society built up in their absence, they unwittingly created the perfect environment for developing the most successful cosmopolitan Islands in the world. It was in this fertile soil that the twin pillars of finance and tourism took root and flourished.

The key to this success was the ability to accept outsiders, genuinely welcome them into society and make them feel a part of the fabric of the country. Although strange for a small Caribbean island, seeing people from Nepal, Malaysia, South Africa, Romania and Brazil was not unusual and Caymanians took it in their stride - enabling them to attract the best of the best from every walk of life.

As time went on, Cayman’s cosmopolitan mosaic created a variety of additional benefits which in turn encouraged more exceptional people and businesses to settle here, increasing the overall wealth and diversity of the Islands and making them a more attractive place to be.

Because of this cycle, the Cayman Islands are unlike anywhere else. And as we face today’s challenges, which are unlike any we have seen before, we would do well to look at how we got here. It’s time to embrace the true Cayman magic - the benefit that the Islands’ diverse residents bring to make this the most affluent and cosmopolitan country in the region … Just a magical place to live.

Michael Ryan

Owner and Developer Dragon Bay, The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman resort