In a radio interview on Friday, 3 Sept., Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan addressed fears that a border reopening may represent too big a public health risk, stressing those concerns must be weighed against the ongoing economic impacts of COVID-19.
Speaking on the Cayman Crosstalk show last week, Bryan said health concerns must be balanced against economic consequences, given that there is no end in sight to the pandemic.
Considering tourism sector demands for a border reopening, he said it is hard to tell an industry that represents 20% or more of the economy and employs many Caymanians that their priorities are not important.
Another factor was government’s financial loss caused by the pandemic and the almost complete absence of tourism, he said, noting, “Government continues to lose a lot of money every month.”
Stipend payments amount to close to $6 million each month and Travel Cayman’s budget until the end of the year…
