including turtle products by Mariculture Ltd. to a value of CI$620,000. ** including turtle products by Mariculture Ltd. to a value of CI$266,699. The trade of the Cayman Islands is mainly with the United States and Jamaica. George Town is a port of registry with a total of 68,360 gross tons on the register at the end of 1974. During that year 28 ships made 164 calls at the port. The islands are not served by a steamship line, but a motor vessel service is maintained between Kingston, Tampa (Florida) and all three islands. There is also more or less regular communication with Central American ports by sailing and motor vessels. Owen Roberts airfield in Grand Cayman is used by Lineas Aereas Costarricenses, S.A., Southern Airways Ltd. and Cayman Airways Ltd. There are regular air services between Grand Cayman and Kingston, Miami and San José (Costa Rica). A 3,250 ft airstrip has been constructed in Cayman Brac and a regular service by small aircraft is in operation. A private airstrip has also been constructed on Little Cayman capable of taking light aircraft. Motorable roads connect all districts in Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac; there is a motorable track in Little Cayman. The national and international telephone/telegraph and telex services provided by Cable & Wireless (West Indies) Ltd. continue to expand. The Cayman Islands received CI$894,718 in Development Aid for the year 1972. This covered the extension of the eastern road programme providing black-topped roads to the districts of East End and North Side, the comprehensive school building programme, and equipment for the P.W.D. Capital expenditure included the completion of the road programme to the Eastern districts, additions to the comprehensive school, extension of the Primary School at East End for infant work, opening of Police Sub-Stations, hospital development and the re-surfacing of the Cayman Brac airstrip. These were all undertaken from Development Aid. Work on the new Administration Building was commenced during 1974 and the new Police Headquarters and Central Station was opened. There was a slowing down of construction work in the private sector but some homes, cottages for rent and apartment buildings were constructed. Preliminary work was undertaken in connection with the provision of more adequate harbour facilities in George Town work on which is due to commence in June 1975 with a completion date anticipated for the end of 1976. In recent years 16 hotels catering for tourists have been opened on Grand Cayman and one on Cayman Brac, and improved communications have greatly increased the tourist trade. In 1974 recurrent revenue was CI $8,277,337 and expenditure was CI $6,949,749 There is no income tax, companies tax, estate or excise duty. The principal source of government revenue is from import duties and the sale of postage stamps. A poll tax of CI$2.00 per male between the ages of 18 and 60 is collected annually. An ad valorem Customs duty of 20 per cent is levied on most imported commodities, with specific duties on alcoholic liquors and tobacco. There is a preferential tariff on certain Commonwealth goods. Stamp duties are payable on receipts and specified instruments and documents. The rate varies from 3 cents on every CI$100 for receipts to five per cent on conveyances. HISTORY Cayman Brac and Little Cayman were sighted by Christopher Columbus on 10th May 1503 during his last voyage to the West Indies, though the islands are shown in approximately their correct position on maps published prior to this date. The Spaniards first called the group Las Tortugas because of the large numbers of turtles they saw in the surrounding waters, but by 1530 they were generally referred to as the Caimanas or Caymanes*. The Caymans were frequently visited by Spanish, English and French ships for revictualling but none of the powers laid claim to the islands or attempted to settle them until 1670, when Jamaica was ceded to the British Crown by the Treaty of Madrid and the Caymans similarly came under British rule. They were subsequently colonised mainly from Jamaica, though some English and Scottish seamen shipwrecked on the Cuban coast also made their way to the islands, which, owing to their remoteness were for long a favourite refuge for fugitives of one kind or another. By the end of the 18th century the ruthless exploitation of turtles had so far reduced their numbers that their virtual extermination in Cayman waters became inevitable, and the Caymanians, who had few other resources, were obliged to go further afield in search of new turtling grounds. They first turned to the uninhabited cays off Cuba but by 1839 their operations had been extended to the Nicaraguan and Hondurean coasts (vide Thomas Young: Narrative of a Residence on the Mosquito Shore, During the Years 1839, 1840 and 1841). This source of supply ceased in 1967 when all permits to fish in territorial waters were withdrawn by the Nicaraguan Government. The islands of Cayman Brac and Little Cayman were permanently settled only in 1833, when several families from Grand Cayman established themselves on Cayman Brac. They lived in isolation until 1850, when, then numbering 36, they built themselves a boat. As late as 1877 there was no administrative connection between Grand Cayman and the two lesser islands. In 1877 a Justice of the Peace was appointed in Cayman Brac but not until 1887 were any more formal links established. Cayman derives from a Carib word covering crocodilians in general and there is sufficient evidence that the islands were so named by the Spaniards because of the large numbers of crocodiles (almost certainly the largely-marine crocodylus acutus) they found on shore. Dampier (Voyages and Discoveries, 1676) reported many crocodiles on Grand Cayman, which he carefully distinguished from alligators he had encountered elsewhere during his travels, noting that 'both kinds are called Caymanes by the Spaniards; therefore probably they reckon them for the same'. Incorrect identification probably accounts for later reports of 'alligators' on the islands (e.g. by Dr Hirst in 1910 and by observers during a hurricane in the 1930s). According to Dampier both crocodiles and alligators were commonly used as a source of fresh meat. Slaughter by ships' crews would account for the subsequent disappearance of crocodiles from the islands, which offered only limited areas of suitable cover. Specimens of crocodylus acutus have been taken on Little Cayman at least as recently as 1939 (vide Chapman Grant, The Herpetology of the Cayman Islands, Institute of Jamaica, 1940). The islands were favourably located for trade with passing shipping in the days of sail, and Caymanians achieved a considerable reputation as builders of small schooners; but as the 19th century advanced the islands became more and more cut off from the outside world, a state of affairs which lasted effectively until the 1940s and the era of air transportation. The result was extensive emigration to Nicaragua and the settlement of the Bay Islands (at one time British but now part of Honduras) and later emigration to Florida. CONSTITUTION When Jamaica achieved independence on 6th August 1962, the office of Governor of Jamaica, and consequently also of Governor of the Cayman Islands, disappeared. The 1959 Constitution was accordingly amended by Order in Council to provide for the assumption by the Administrator of most of the powers and responsibilities formerly exercised by the Governor. In November 1971 the title "Administrator" was changed to that of "Governor" by an Order in Council made by Her Majesty The Queen. A revised constitution was introduced by the Cayman Islands (Constitution) Order 1972 which came into operation on 22nd August 1972. While the constitution requires the Governor, in general, to exercise his functions in accordance with the advice of the Executive Council, consisting of three official and four elected members, it provides for him to be responsible in his discretion for defence, external affairs, internal security, the police and certain matters relating to the public service. Provision is made for the assignment of responsibility for business or departments of the Government to Members of the Executive Council. The Legislative Assembly comprises the Governor, three official members and twelve elected members. There is provision whereby a Speaker can be appointed by the Governor if the Legislative Assembly resolve that such an appointment be made. LAND POLICY There is no restriction on alienation to non-natives. Governor: H.E. Mr T. Russell, CBE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL The Governor D. V. Walter, CBE, JP (Chief Secretary) A. B. Bush, JP W. W. Conolly, OBE, JP B. O. Ebanks Jr T. Foster LEGISLATIVE Assembly President: The Governor Appointed Members: 3 official members Elected Members: 12, representing six electoral districts and elected every four years T (HE Falkland Islands are situated in the South Atlantic and lie some 480 miles north-east of Cape Horn. The numerous islands of which they are composed cover 4,700 square miles. The Dependencies now consist only of South Georgia, 800 miles east-south-east of the Falklands, and the South Sandwich Group, some 470 miles south-east of South Georgia. Those territories south of latitude 60° S. which were formerly part of the Falkland Islands Dependencies, namely the South Orkney Islands, the South Shetland Islands, and the Antarctic Peninsula together with the sector of the Antarctic continent lying between longitudes 20° W. and 80° W. were constituted a separate territory on 3rd March 1962 under the name of the British Antarctic Territory. There are two large islands, the East and West Falklands, and numerous smaller islands. The coastline is deeply indented and affords several good anchorages. The relief, except in Lafonia, is hilly and the maximum height above sea-level is in East Falkland where Mount Usborne rises to 2,312 feet. There are no large inland waters. Peculiar to the treeless, moorland scenery are the 'stone runs', long 'rivers' of angular, quartzite boulders. The island of South Georgia in the Dependencies is a mass of high mountains which are covered with deep snow where they are not too precipitous, and the valleys between are filled with glaciers which in many cases descend to the sea. The islands are in the same latitude south as London is north but apart from hours of sunshine, which are similar, there are marked climatic differences. The main feature of the Falklands' weather is the strong winds, which occur particularly in the spring. Climatic figures for Stanley are: The Dependencies have a rigorous climate of Antarctic character. On 31st December 1974 the population, excluding the Dependencies, was 1,759, there being rather more males than females. All were of European descent and most were British. The population of the Dependencies on 31st December 1974 was 22. Stanley, the capital (population 1,081 at 1972 census), is the only town. In the Camp (the countryside other than Stanley) the largest settlement is at Goose Green on East Falkland where there are some 100 residents. There are three churches in Stanley; the Cathedral of the Anglican diocese of the Falkland Islands and Eastern South America, St Mary's Roman Catholic Church and the United Free Church. In 1974 there were 316 children receiving education. There are no facilities for higher education but there is provision for secondary education to ‘O' level standard in a few subjects at Stanley and Darwin Schools and arrangements exist for secondary education in the United Kingdom, Argentina and Uruguay. Outside Stanley, education is carried on either in settlement schools, some of which are very small, or by itinerant teachers. A boarding school opened in 1956 at Darwin on East Falkland can accommodate 42 boarders and caters for as many day pupils as there are in the two nearby settlements. Attendance at school is compulsory in Stanley, and in the Camp, where there are boarding or settlement schools and where itinerant teachers call. In 1974 ten travelling teachers were employed among the 89 children outside Stanley, Darwin and settlement schools. Education is free except at Darwin Boarding School where a boarding fee of £10 per term (3 terms a year) is levied in respect of every child of each family. A competitive overseas scholarship examination is held each year, successful candidates being granted places at boarding schools in Argentina or Uruguay. Total approved expenditure upon education for 1973/74 was £81,065. There is a lending library in Stanley with a postal service designed to bring library facilities to residents outside Stanley. The Government has one hospital, situated in Stanley. It is modern and wellequipped, and has 27 beds for the treatment of medical, surgical, obstetric and geriatric cases. The Government medical department employs a senior medical officer, two medical officers, one dental surgeon, a matron, three nursing sisters and up to six staff nurses. The Government air service is used for medical transport to and from Stanley. The m.v. Forrest can also be used by the Medical Department for use when the weather does not permit the use of the aircraft. Total approved expenditure on the medical Department in 1973/74 was £95,502. The Government operates a broadcasting station at Stanley on 536 and 3,958 |