About Flowers Air Agencies

It all started when...

Throughout the years CL Flowers & Sons Ltd., which later formed "The Flowers Group", has diversified into a myriad of businesses primarily run by Mr. Clarence's three sons, Frank, Richard and Clarence Bradley.

The Flowers Group now umbrellas everything from concrete block manufacture, to polystyrene products, bulk and bottled water, aviation security and baggage handling and various real estate developments such as Cricket Square.

CL "Clarence" Flowers started from very humble beginnings.

He came to the Cayman Islands at the age of 13, in 1931 as a migrant Jamaican worker.

Starting as a yard boy for the Merren family, even from then Mr. Flowers dreamed of success.

His philosophy was simple, and at 88 this year, it is still the same: to be successful you have to foresee a need and supply it before anyone else, and you have to be the best.

Full of ambition and youth, Mr. Flowers was ready to take on the world.Leaving Cayman as a boy, Mr. Clarence returned from the war as a man. At that time, the planes coming to Grand Cayman were seaplanes that landed in the North Sound. Mr. Clarence acquired a small boat, and used it to transport bags and people to land. He also made sure that transport was available on land.

In 1946 he had one of the first truck transports on the island. Since he already owned a truck, it seemed like a natural progression that when people wanted Mr. Clarence to transport water to fill their cisterns, he loaded a water tank on the back of his truck, and the Flowers Water Transport Company was born.

By the 70's his sons were grown up and Mr. Flowers and his family were ready to take on more.

When the Governor's Harbour development began, Mr. Clarence was a founding member of the Cayman Water Company which was formed to provide water and remove sewage.

Since Cayman was prime to become a tourist destination, Mr. Flowers was instrumental in pushing the Cayman Water Company to extend piping down the road to seven mile beach, thus providing fresh water to the beach, giving the tourism industry a much needed boost.

During this time, Mr. Flowers had still maintained his connections with the airport from his boat transport days in the north sound, and seeing the need for a proper baggage handling company and aviation security team, he capitalized on the opportunity.

Realizing the potential for major property developments in George Town, he started buying real estate with a mind to develop in the future.

By the 80's Mr. Flowers was beginning to take a back seat as his sons took over much of the everyday running of the companies.

Richard now runs the bottled water operation which had its beginning some forty years ago with Mr. Flowers using his truck to transport bulk water to the outer districts.

Frank remained with the blocks, and some six machines later, in 1990 he upgraded to the Columbia 1600 the most modern block machine to date, which can make up to 40,000 concrete blocks a day, and is still the show piece block manufacturing plant for the Caribbean.

Frank also oversees the Aviation baggage handling and security aspects of the company.

Some sixty years after its inception, C.L. Flowers & Sons Ltd. has expanded and become successful primarily through one man's singular vision that has been passed down to his family.

Mr. Flowers with his pretty wife and wonderful family, including two grandchildren, Frankie Jr. who has focused his drive and talents towards the film industry, and Dara who is finding her niche within the Flowers Group of companies.

Talking to any member of the family, one realizes how much Mr. Flowers' drive and dedication has infiltrated and inspired all of their lives.

As Frank Sr. comments, "My Father always taught me that the most important thing in business is to have foresight, be honest and be the best, with that combination and a bit of luck, you can do anything. I still live by that mantra, and to this day, in sixty years, even after hurricane Ivan, the Cayman Islands has never run out of our concrete blocks and we have never compromised the integrity of our product, that's a testament to my father and the business ethic he has instilled in all of us."

Mr. Clarence Flowers is truly an inspiration not just to his family, but to the people of Cayman that he has touched and continues to touch through his tireless drive and exceptional vision.