Acting Premier Hon Juliana O’Connor-Connolly and other members from the Ministry of District Administration, Works, Lands and Agriculture (DAWL&A), along with Little Cayman residents and the children of that island’s Education Services, opened the extension to the Little Cayman Command Centre on Wednesday, 26 September.

Work on the building began in June, following its groundbreaking ceremony on 29 May.

The event was attended by DAWL&A Acting Deputy Chief Officer Jonathon Jackson, Deputy District Commissioner Mark Tibbetts, District Officer Larry Foster, PWD Project Manager Lazarus Yotamu, contractor James Thomas of Maximum Construction and Repair Company, members of Cayman Brac Public Works and many Little Cayman residents.

The existing multi-purpose building which serves as part of LC PWD’s residential quarters also acts as a hurricane shelter.

The 1,254 square-foot addition comes with a conference room extraf storeage capacity for hurricane supplies, bathroom facilities and an office for DAWLA Ministry staff and District Office.  The windows, doors, walls and roof of the new facility are hurricane safety-rated and the building floor is 22 feet above sea level.

There is a backup generator to provide electricity if there is a power outage as well as internet service, to enable real-time access to Hazard Management Cayman Islands and Ministry officials and to track approaching weather during a hurricane.

The Acting Premier congratulated all the parties involved in the project for their excellent performance in delivering on time and within budget.

“This project was very important to the residents of Little Cayman because of the dire need for such a facility. I have been tracking hurricanes for many years and in particular Ivan, Gustavo and Paloma and we have noticed how easy it is for Little Cayman to be cut off in terms of communications and supplies, so this shelter will provide crucial back-up until unfavourable weather conditions pass,” Ms O’Connor Connolly stated.

Contractor James Thomas said he was pleased that his company was awarded the contract. “While it was a challenge to get material on the island, my 11-man crew and I made the most of it to complete the job on time for the benefit of residents.”

Mr. Foster was relieved to have the new facility up and running. “We now have the privacy to make command decisions and we will be better equipped in the event of a storm.  This is a big improvement on what we had before.

Little Cayman resident Maxine McCoy-Moore congratulated the Acting Premier for her perseverance in getting the project complete.

“This was something we needed years ago and I am pleased to see that it is now complete and that we have somewhere to go in the event of a storm. We can feel protected and also watch what is going on with the storm. I am relieved. This is important because I am one of those residents that want to stay here during a storm. This is my home,” she said.