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Cayman Island Director of Tourism Apologizes

Jim Burroway

May 7th, 2008

Aaron ChandlerThe American tourist who was detained by Royal Cayman Islands Police for kissing his partner on a dancefloor received a sent a letter of apology from Director of Tourism Pilar Bush. Bush responded on Friday to a letter of complaint written by 23-year-old Massachusetts resident Aaron Chandler on Thursday, the day after the incident took place at the Royal Palms:

“On behalf of the entire Department of Tourism, I apologise for your upsetting experience and want to assure you that the Cayman Islands is a welcoming jurisdiction to all people,” Ms. Bush wrote to Mr. Chandler. “What happened to you was an isolated incident, and is not representative of Cayman. We know that thousands of gay and lesbian visitors travel to the Cayman Islands every year and enjoy their vacation.”

Chandler told a Cayman Islands newspaper that he appreciated the response:

“I should say that, yes, her prompt decision did ease the anger for me a bit,” Mr. Chandler said in an email written from back home in the United States.

“In addition, it’s just good business sense for Ms Bush to have apologised to me. The [Department] of Tourism surely doesn’t want to have someone leave the Cayman Islands not wanting to come back.”

Chandler also said that he hasn’t received any response from a complaint lodged against the RCIP.

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Stefano
May 7th, 2008 | LINK

I’m sure Chandler appreciated the gesture. However, officials seem to giving out mixed messages. The Camamian Compass has also reported that:

A few days after Cayman’s tourism director apologised for authorities’ decision to detain a gay man at a local bar, the Tourism Minister was calling the public display of affection which apparently led to that apprehension “offensive.”

Minister Charles Clifford was asked at a public meeting Monday night about the 30 April incident in which one of two gay men was taken into police custody after kissing his partner several times on the dance floor of the Royal Palms.

“All of us in this room and most people in Cayman would agree that what happened in that incident at Royal Palms was offensive to most people in Cayman,” Mr. Clifford told an audience of about 25 people at the Webster United Church Hall in Bodden Town.

That statement appears to conflict with a letter of apology sent Friday by Department of Tourism Director Pilar Bush to the man who was detained. . . .

Cayman-Islands » Cayman Islands - Higher economic gains forecast for tourism
June 23rd, 2008 | LINK

[...] Cayman Island Director of Tourism ApologizesBush wrote to Mr. Chandler. “What happened to you was an isolated incident, and is not representative of Cayman. We know that thousands of gay and lesbian visitors travel to the Cayman Islands every year and enjoy their vacation.” … [...]

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