Running head: PRIDE WORKSHOP 1 1

Pride Workshop 1 about the Cayman Islands

Sandra L White

International College of the Cayman Islands

SO230

Seminar on the Cayman Islands

Lecturer: Melisa Bent-Hamilton

February 10, 2019

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It was President John F Kennedy who spoke the famous words about not asking what

your country can do for you but rather what you can do for your country. I felt the same way

about the PRIDE Workshop the acronym stands for personal responsibility in delivering

excellence. The onus then is on the residents of these islands to actively engage in promoting the

three islands to the best of their ability. However, this is not just left up to the community, but a

workshop that teaches customer service and the history, heritage, and culture of the Cayman

Islands was embarked upon by the government. Mostly, the government wants to ensure that

these islands remain a world-class destination for all.

Janet Holness who is the Customer Service Standards and Training Officer for the

Department of Tourism Product Unit was the facilitator for our Local Seminar on the Cayman

Islands. She was energetic and rather knowledgeable about these islands and added her own

flavor and technique in presenting the information in a delightful way. I learned that although

the islands really did not have much in terms of natural resources – not even fresh water- yet they

used the turtles, the wood and the sea and survived. Also what kept and preserved the islands in

the early 1800s are still being used today as contributors to the Gross Domestic Product namely

the turtles and the sea. This showed how resilient and creative the Islanders were. The

information she presented was synonymous with what is written in our textbook but was brought

alive by her presentation style. It is interesting how Grand Cayman was overlooked many times

but has become a prime destination for tourists and emigrants alike.

I felt the most exciting aspects of the day were the amount of information that we were

presented with that I did not know existed. It was rewarding to hear who the early settlers were,

how Jamaica was interwoven into Cayman’s heritage and culture, how the Silver Thatch Palm
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tree contributed significantly to the products and homes of the Cayman people, how the Owen

Roberts Airport got its name and much more that kept us delightfully engaged.
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.Reference

Craton, M. (2003). Founded Upon the Seas: A History of the Cayman Islands and Their People.

Kingston Miami: Ian Randle Publishers.

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