Editorial by CIRO Manager Orrett Connor

The Cayman Islands Recovery Operation has begun the year in the transition between recovery and restoration.

Four months on from Hurricane Ivan, the immediate recovery has come a long way. Utilities, telecommunications and many government and private services are available again. Work is now gathering momentum on the rehousing of displaced families, sorting out bottlenecks with importation and dealing with more subtle but just as crucial concerns like stress management.

As has already been pointed out, restoration, in any community that has suffered a disaster, can take years to fully achieve. Many people are still hurting as they try to rebuild their lives and deal with the uncertainties of the future.

There is no doubt that it will be a long process. But one thing is sure: the process will be an even longer and harder one without the willingness of each of us to give and take.

CIRO has responded to community concerns regarding the debris processing site at Spotts Newlands by closing down operations there, and continues to seek to balance individual needs with that of the island as a whole. The Port Authority, taking input from business operators, CIRO and others, is introducing new initiatives to smooth the flow of vital economic and reconstruction material into the island.

What we must all keep in mind is the need to work cooperatively for the benefit of us all. The road will still be long, but the journey to restoration will be less fraught with tension.