It is with dismay and a heavy heart that I watched the news reports on BBC this morning of Russia’s military operation in Ukraine earlier today. 

War carries a tremendous humanitarian cost and is usually the worst possible action and least effective option.  It is unacceptable that lives of soldiers and civilians have already been lost as a result of this invasion. 

Additionally, this war presents a threat to the global economy, which is already reeling from its attempts to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. We have already seen an increase in energy prices worldwide as oil rocketed past $100 a barrel. If war continues, the prices could go up even more, affecting prices worldwide.

Here in the Cayman Islands we will almost certainly see higher fuel prices, which will in turn impact the prices on all goods and services, and therefore the general cost of living.

Instead of war, the Cayman Islands would prefer an urgent peaceful end to this situation.  To us, war is not a viable solution. Indeed, the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal No. 16 calls, in part, for peace.

At this time, the Cayman Islands Government Office in the United Kingdom is not aware of any Caymanians presently in the Ukraine.  However, we will continue to monitor the situation as we continue to hope for a diplomatic and peaceful resolution. The Scholarship Secretariat has advised that we have no students on Education Council scholarships in Ukraine.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent children, women and men of Ukraine as they face the fear of this unprovoked attack on their lives and their country.