Existing comment:
The Door Opens:
Noticeable development for Cayman began to happen in the mid-1950s with the building of the airport -- partial assistance came from Jamaica and the UK -- and with the development of the main east-west road, in 1957, also with Jamaican PWD help. Pivotal, also, was the Mosquito Control and Research Unit (MRCU) under Dr. Marcus Giglioi. "Without Giglioli's work to combat the mosquitoes we would have not been able to get tourism going here," said Sir Vassel Johnson former Financial Secretary. George Town resident Dick Arch: "Up until 1964, George Town had three telephone lines, but there was only one line for East End, West Bay and North Side. It was a party line; you would answer depending on the number of rings. I did the first commercial phone call from George Town to Bodden Town from the Assembly here to Anton Bodden in Bodden Town -- we weer both representatives in the Legislative Assembly -- and it was the official opening of the Assembly. Warren (Conolly) made one to East End. That was in 1964." By the 1960s, things had started to change as wealthy Americans began buying homes here and as the tourism industry stirred with Englishman Benson Greenal putting up the Galleon Beach Hotel on Seven Mile Beach. Some Caymanians were then staying home sustained by work in the construction industry and by savings from merchant marine work. Said Carey Hurlston: "Many of us thought Greenal was crazy building a hotel up there in that bush -- no road -- but he had this vision." |