Governor visits George Town constituencies
(CNS Local Life): As part of his continuing familiarisation tours of the Cayman Islands, Governor Martyn Roper was recently escorted around the constituencies of George Town North, South, East and West by the areas’ MLAs. In between stops at the constituency offices, Roper met with Caymanians who call the wider George Town area home.
The visit, on Friday, 21 June, started in George Town West, with Councillor David Wight bringing the governor to the Godfreys’ home, where he was taught to dance by Mr Godfrey, before being presented with freshly-baked cake and swanky, stated a press release.
At Brainard Watler’s home, Roper was shown artefacts from that family’s long history in the Cayman Islands, including historical navigation equipment. The governor also met Viola Brown and then did a television interview about the trip with Wight.
On the way to the George Town North constituencies, accompanied by Minister Joey Hew, the governor’s party stopped in on Christmas McGowan, before they met Peggy and Esmie Bodden in their garden.
The last stop before lunch was to call upon Alvernie Watson in Rock Hole, who was “dressed in a fabulous hat and greeted all four MLAs and the governor enthusiastically”, the release said. She also took some time to show the governor how to dance, while “regaling him with stories of her eleven children and countless grandchildren”.
After lunch, Roper visited George Town South with Councillor Barbara Conolly. The first stop on the tour was to see noted local seaman and historian Captain Paul Hurlston, “a living embodiment of the days when Caymanian men spent decades at sea earning the hard currency that kept the country afloat”.
Next door to Captain Paul, Roper visited the first clerk of the Legislative Assembly, National Hero Sybil McLaughlin, where he learnt more about her career in the Cayman Islands public sector and the Commonwealth.
He then called in at Mind’s Eye, where he toured the lifelong home of the late visionary intuitive artist known as Miss Lassie, and watched a video about her life.
Roper and the accompanying MLAs finished their visit in the constituency singing songs with Elisabeth Hurlston, soon to be 105, and one of the oldest residents in the Cayman Islands.
Minister Roy McTaggart then led the party to George Town East, where Carol Jackson and the governor talked about their families and walked around her garden. They also discussed the medicinal properties of her herbs with her mother, Madonna Williams.
Following that, Toy Ryan of Ryan’s Retreat welcomed Governor Roper and his party into her home. As well as chatting with Ryan and her daughter Karen about Ms Toy’s formative days as a childminder, they spoke about her granddaughter who is currently studying construction management overseas.
The tour ended at the Progressives’ Headquarters on Crewe Road where Roper met members of that party.
Category: Community, Local News
Mr Roper seems to have joined the PPM. 😡