“We moved away from manual collection years ago in order to facilitate a more efficient operation” – Cayman Islands Airports Authority (CIAA).

The CIAA also said (three years ago) they would still be using the manual collection in addition to the “more efficient” machines because both visitors and residents loved the personal human touch at the airport when they picked up their cars they had left there before going away on business or vacation.

How the human operated lifting of the gates isn’t as efficient as the present machine operated system is beyond my comprehension.

The system in place at the moment hasn’t worked efficiently since it has been installed three years ago. A few months without incidents is not efficient. It is constantly breaking down and that makes it inefficient!

The present fault is blamed “at the hand of God”. A lightning strike or so it “appears”. If that is the case God’s hand must have been very busy.

The machines don’t accept debit or credit cards. They should but they don’t. And there are no plans to change things because the CIAA think the system we have in place is “efficient”.

The machines are not efficient at knowing the difference between US and CI monies. That is too difficult but more efficient than a human who would know the difference immediately.

When things go wrong. And brother, our airport parking system goes wrong. Humans are good at thinking outside of the box: seeing connections when they are not there. In other words, humans are good at seeing the big picture.

Humans are creative. We are social animals. We like to work together. If someone doesn’t have the exact change – a cent is missing, humans will smile and open the barrier at the car park. A machine will not!

Machines do not have friends. Humans do.

“How was your trip abroad?” “Glad to see you back safely.” “Say hi to Diana and the kids.” “How’s your ma and pa?”

Don’t you prefer that human touch?

And if you press the button for assistance from a human. There is no guarantee that will work. You have to physically walk back to the terminal building and try to find one.

And when it is proved the airport parking machines are continually breaking down. Don’t say they are more efficient than humans. Unless, perhaps, you are comparing it to yourself….?