Governor of the Cayman Islands, Martyn Roper, has said that the volume of individuals requiring the assistance of food banks has declined since the reopening of some segments of the economy.

Roper made the revelation over the weekend as he participated in an activation by the Cayman Food Bank at the 1st Assembly Church of God. The COVID-19 pandemic brought an influx of those in need of food support to local food banks, with some food banks reporting having a significant uptick in new users.

“Although numbers visiting have dropped since we reopened much of the local economy, 175 people still visited in the first hour and rely on the generosity of our community,” Roper said. Despite the decline, Roper was sure to thank the organisation which he said has been doing an excellent job in assisting residents, particularly those most-affected by the pandemic. “It was heart-warming to visit the Cayman Food Bank at the 1st Assembly Church of God this morning to meet their volunteers and thank everyone for what they have done during the COVID crisis,” he added.