Running head: LITTLE CAYMAN 1

Little Cayman

Paullete Jane McField

International College of the Cayman Islands

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Little Cayman

I learned about the research and conservation of marine life and the Sister Islands Rock

Iguanas on Little Cayman. First, Ms. Beth Chafin, Development and Communications

Coordinator of The Central Caribbean Marine Institute (CCMI) informed students that CCMI is

a non-profit marine research, conservation, and educational facility. The CCMI ensures the

public is kept abreast about the importance of having healthy coral reefs and the ocean. Through

educational programs, students from around the world, as well as students from the Cayman

Islands, are brought to CCMI to learn about marine life research. Ms. Chafin mentioned that

CCMI has a program for local students that may not go to college; through this program, they are

trained to do some marine profession. She further pointed out that CCMI has an internship

program for students, as one of CCMI’s goals is to teach Caymanians and ultimately to not have

expatriates operate CCMI (Chafin, personal communication, 2018).

Additionally, we learned of the efforts being made by CCMI to restore unhealthy coral

that has been affected by disease or bleaching. Staghorn coral is the primary coral that is grown

in CCMI’s coral nursery. Coral can reproduce once a year, and they do this late at night after the

full moon around August or September. Ms. Chafin highlighted some of the reasons why it

essential to nurse and restore unhealthy coral. Having healthy coral reefs serves as protection

from storms, coral reefs also provide food, and elements from coral reefs have aided in cancer

treatment for cancer patients (Chafin, personal communication, 2018).

Furthermore, we learned that Little Cayman only has one school. Ms. Susan Howard of

Pirate Point Resort advised us that the school only has two students and there is only one teacher.

Alternatively, when children reach a specific grade in school, they would have to attend school

on Cayman Brac or Grand Cayman (Howard, personal communication, 2018).

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One way, in which I can relate what I learned to what I read in the textbook, “Founded

upon the Seas” is when it comes to the educational system for children on Little Cayman.

According to Craton (2003), “Here there are no means of regular education for the children nor

do I see how any measure [could] be devised, but owing to intermarriages with women from the

Grand Cayman there is some rudimentary education on island” (p.161). With the population of

Little Cayman being so small the need to construct more schools would be unnecessary.

However, if in the future the island’s population increases the need to improve the educational

system, amongst others things will have to be a significant focus for the Cayman Islands

Government. The government would need to ensure that vital necessities are in place for

residents.

Each island has unique characteristics that separate one from the other. Little Cayman is

plentiful with nature, but time was against us, and we were not able to explore extensively.

Nonetheless, the peacefulness on this tiny island is priceless. The slow pace and laid-back

atmosphere is different than that of Grand Cayman. One interesting detail about Little Cayman is

that most of the caves on the island are underground; compared to those found on Cayman Brac

(Howard, personal communication, 2018). Also, Ms. Howard told us that residents of Cayman

Brac and Little Cayman pay their electricity bills by topping up utility cards (Howard, personal

communication, 2018). That was a little funny because residents of Grand Cayman do not pay

their electricity bills this way.

Finally, the island is primarily populated by expatriates. Of the three Islands, I felt the

least connected to Little Cayman. For me, it did not feel like it was a part of what I call home but

rather an island operated by wealthy white expatriates. However, at the same time, it is evident
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and admirable to observe their contribution, passion, and dedication to protecting the indigenous

wildlife of Little Cayman.

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References

Craton, M. (2003). Founded upon the seas: a history of the Cayman Islands and their people.

Kingston, JA: Ian Randle Publishers Inc.