The ForCayman Investment Alliance, a public-private partnership between Dart Realty (Cayman) Ltd. and the Cayman Islands Government, has provided temporary work for as many as 30 unemployed Caymanians at a time when it is needed most – right before the holiday season. The underlying objectives of the alliance are to get people back to work, provide opportunities for local businesses and stimulate the economy – and this temporary work project most definitively puts people back to work.

The temporary work involves the clearing of Dart owned land, in preparation for the northward extension of the Esterley Tibbetts Highway, which is just one of the alliance’s West Bay Corridor Projects. The Highway will be extended from its current terminus northward to Batabano Road and Reverend Blackman Road will be extended so that it becomes a connector road between the Highway and Willie Farrington Drive.

In the short term, the highway extension will provide employment for local businesses, contractors, truckers, labourers and heavy equipment operators, and these new jobs will collectively boost the economy. In the long term, the extension will greatly improve access between West Bay and George Town; significantly reduce traffic congestion on West Bay Road; and decrease the probability of damage to the road from storms (hurricanes and nor’westers).

Tekeisha Manderson – a mother of five girls, whose husband is battling Leukemia, has been out of work for almost two years and was very excited to be given this employment opportunity. “This work has been an enormous blessing for my family,” said Manderson. “I am so grateful for the work as I can now buy Christmas presents for my girls.” Tekeisha went on to say that projects like the ForCayman Investment Alliance are good for the country – anything that provides Caymanians with jobs is good for the country and much-needed. She fully supports the initiative and hopes that she will receive full-time work as a result of the signing of the Agreement. “It’s been so hard for my family, as their father is unable to work because he is ill and every day we struggle to make ends meet. We have had to rely on our family’s help and the hope that God answers our prayers.”

Brian Parchment, another worker on the project was also extremely happy to receive work, especially before the holidays: “There are a lot of people in the country that are crying for work and as a father of three it means so much to me to be able to make some money before Christmas. The Government and Dart need to work together so we can have more jobs for the people of Cayman.”