INDEX Friday December 10, 2021
A rum
story
The Cayman Islanders (Caymanites, perhaps?) pride themselves on the rum they produce: making them rum people. But they also celebrate the lawless past, even having a week long pirates festival.

Pirates were, of course, thoroughly vile people; unless they happened to be licensed privateers, like the slave trader Sir Francis Drake; though the Spanish may have a different view of him to the one taught in English schools.
Despite the yo ho ho tradition, the Caymans is, for the most part, a thoroughly peaceful and crime free place; at least it appears to be. My daughter doesn't bother to lock her car and we leave valuables on the beach when swimming. Up to this point no problems have resulted.

But walk around the middle class districts and you soon come across a crop of signs advising that private security guards these homes. The more prosperous, live in gated estates or communities.

There has to be a reason for that.
INDEX
Friday December 10, 2021 Jonathan Brind