Dozens of Dominicans have been rescued from the Cayman Islands by Dominican Air Force planes that mounted the airlift operation from Jamaica. The British islands, where some 500 DR citizens reside and work as mechanics, technicians and domestic help, were nearly destroyed by Hurricane Ivan earlier this month. Tears, hugs and kisses marked the arrival of the refugees at the San Isidro Airbase. Maridalia Pena waited for her grandson Roilin Nicholson, 7, and gave thanks to God that he was returned home safely. The boy’s father operated a garage on Grand Cayman. Celeste Duran, a 17-year resident of Grand Cayman, arrived with her son. She was employed in a government office that was destroyed, and her boss told her to come back in January. All the schools are closed and are similarly scheduled to re-open in January. Reports from the refugees, all of whose houses were either damaged or destroyed, tell of a 95% destruction of the island. Before dawn yesterday, the Dominican Air Force dispatched an aircraft loaded with 500 food rations. According to reports in El Caribe, the battered islands have been left with little food, no water and no electricity after Ivan made its way directly through. The Dominican AirForce used three of its transports to evacuate the refugees. According to the Dominican ambassador in Jamaica, there are still 54 Dominicans awaiting their trip home.