MLAs explore threatened reefs
Politicians and officials take an upclose look at the reefs that will be lost if the proposed dock goes ahead
(CNS): Some members of Cabinet, the Legislative Assembly, the PPM and the Port Authority Board took a closer look this weekend at the reefs, wrecks and other marine habitat that will be lost should the government press ahead with the controversial and destructive cruise berthing plans. Accompanied by the Department of Environment director, the politicians and officials went aboard a local submarine to see what would be destroyed by direct dredging as well as the much wider area of impact from silt and turbidity that would kill endangered coral and destroy the marine habitat.
As Cabinet awaits the final draft of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) and the results of an additional benthic survey, members of the Progressives’ caucus, which will ultimately inform the government’s decision, had an opportunity to see for themselves the beauty and extent of the harbour’s unique underwater world with their own eyes.
None of the members sitting on the government bench have yet declared a definitive position but the trip is understood to have had a significant impact on the politicians who were not all familiar with the incredible marine habitat in the George Town Harbour that is at risk.
Sources close to CNS have said that no decision has yet been made by government to support the proposed cruise development plan but Cabinet is committed to the process and in particular the environmental risk assessment. One source said the project was “by no means a foregone conclusion” and CNS understands that the potential environmental damage is of serious concern to some on both the front and backbench of government.
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Following the statement by CITA last week that the majority of its 250 members from the tourism sector do not support the plan because of the environmental risk, more local experts have also pointed out that there is very little hope for any mitigation regarding the coral.
Peter Hillenbrand, Chairman of the Central Caribbean Marine Institute based in Little Cayman, said coral reefs were one of the most dynamic, important, and endangered ecosystems on earth.
“It is the unanimous opinion of the board and CCMI officers that the Cayman Islands will need to find a solution that will better protect our endangered coral reefs,” he said in a statement posted on the Facebook page of the SaveCayman campaign.
Tube Sponge on Balboa Reef (Photo by Courtney Platt)
Pointing out the people of the Cayman Islands and the local business community rely on healthy coral reefs, he said institute’s research centre has been at the forefront of marine science for seventeen years and over the last three has conducted projects on coral reef restoration.
“The work has been time consuming and expensive but has produced excellent results with our single species experiments,” he said, explaining that they have regenerated colonies of staghorn coral, once one of the most abundant corals in the Caribbean, but research has revealed the survival of transplanted coral is highly variable for some species and unknown for others.
“All of the coral species on the most endangered species list occur in Cayman waters,” he said. “Timing of removing corals is critical. Corals stress very easily, and any change in their environment makes them susceptible to disease and death.”
While teams are bringing back corals from near extinction by mapping the threatened species and collecting broken fragments and restoring them, there is a significant learning curve to making this work successful.
“Our team has had successes and failures,” Hillenbrand said. “One thing is certain, maintaining and transplanting rare corals is a much more daunting and difficult task than growing and transplanting terrestrial flora.”
Category: Marine Environment, Science & Nature
These are not smart people. Clever maybe, but not smart.
Pretty clever how the fat cats making millions on the tender boat monopoly are using the ex-pats to campaign against the dock that will eliminate the CMS monopoly.
Remember those of us that need to work for a living need the cruise passengers to earn a decent wage. Glad to see the govt going down in the sub to see for themselves.
That dock can’t come soon enough!
10:33, I know you have thought of this, I just want to hear your answer.
What do you expect to happen if the new piers are built and the mega ships do not come, the marine environment is destroyed resulting in a huge loss in stay-over visitors who will no longer come here because we chose to destroy the places they loved to visit, and SMB is changed forever (they still don’t know the effects of this on the our main attraction)?
What’s your solution to killing our tourist attractions? What do you expect people to come here for?
You should read the EIA report more closely and you’ll see your catastrophic scenario is unrealistic.
Probably more realistic that if gov doesn’t build the piers the government head tax for cruise passengers will decline and without budget to provide infrastructure, restore GT and fund crime prevention …. Cayman will become a less attractive stop for cruise ships, and stay over tourists; the downward cycle begins.
Oh, and meanwhile the reef continues to be destroyed by anchoring since we have no docks.
No, if you read the reports as closely as you suggest, you’ll note that they only predict a plus/minus change of 1%-3% total cruise numbers if the docks are built or not. (They say its more important to improve the landside tourist experience.)
You will also note that the reefs being argued over are inshore of the current anchorage area. So they have avoided cruise ship anchors thus far and should continue to do so, but won’t avoid the dredge.
The balboa bring 100 000 dollars a year to 48 people, the cruise brings millions to 20 000. simple math… the balboa is a nice place but not the only one here
Seriously? Have you not seen how trolls like yourself make unfounded personal attacks on anyone that actually does use their real name? I could go on to ask why you decided to stay “Anonymous” but I already know why.
Why is it that “other” countries have built huge piers, massive marinas, working dumps, hundreds of on time on budget schools, and can always balance their books, etc., etc., and Cayman can’t? A rhetorical question for others and unanswerable for at least another generation for Caymanians?
Because Caymanis playing the game with other people’s money. Simple.
Now they can add reef expert to their resumes along with dump, school building, road paving, and gas and money dispursement.
Now that the real Experts are on the matter, we can all rest assured good decisive actions will ensue….
I am against the Port…What the government should focus on instead is the creation of virtual offices attracting businesses in high margin businesses and services doing business here and hiring and spending good deals of money locally. Also, what they should spend their time and encourage retaining people here during retirement instead of everyone “even Caymanians” leaving because no national healthcare for retired folks. All they do now is bandaid a broken pension law which only addresses one aspect of retirement instead of a complete overhaul. Better enforcement they say…um, I suggest you limit private pension industry to 1 or 2 providers instead of try to keep ex pats money for 3 years after they leave. Um, people property is people’s property and the Government just needs to see their way out of it because we all are going to leave Cayman for retirement unless your really rich or really poor and if you are poor now no $100,000 in pension is going to save you so CIG just need to eat that expense. All the middle class people, we are leaving to other places where we can survive so don’t need to watch our pensions we would rather you just turn it over now so we can invest it for ourselves and avoid all those fees and employment costs of the private pension companies all 7 or 8 instead of 2 or 1 or none.
Now, the reason why the project (port) will go ahead is because this is how the politicos in Cayman can really make money. In Cayman, the number one scam is real estate and construction…Million dollar prices on medium quality finishing. In my office, we joke about it each and everyday…young professionals getting scammed by real estate agents…I tell them rule number 1 if no ones incomes are rising how do prices rise? Its magic folks magic but I ain’t buying and judging by the loss of equity in all these foreclosures not much of anyone else/is or should be either at these pie in the sky asking prices…Next.
Buy a frank hall home in Cayman and the rest you should be buying London, Toronto, Miami or right next to Jeff Webb in Atlanta but not Cayman until they fix the retirement system, police/crime and do something about this cost of living. In these location a middle class home can sell (if you get into financial problems) and rent very easily until you are ready to retire. Then just sell your frank hall home and say thank you…no need to pretend to be rich just follow this plan and run your life like the government runs this country…like bunch of accountants and then task same accountant heavy staff with interpretation of law..no wonder why these people just make it up as they go..
And the police, they are even run by accountants..Police…most of them are just fools from islands nearby…once again,,,,running the country from a budget…before you pay $70,000 (starting salary) for a quality officer who understands the law and how to keep information to themselves you can fire 3/4 of the fools as this one officer will be more effective. The foot tags on criminals with tin foil,…again a budget tool to save costs. Try amending the law where the criminals family must pay $$$ or they eat mash potatoes morning, noon and night and if they don’t pay rent they sleep under the stars on mosquito duty. That will cut down on costs
Prices of real estate are determined by the market. That would be the buyers. If buyers stop buying because they feel prices are too high the market will adjust and prices will fall. The last time I checked real estate agents were not allowed to carry guns to force “young professionals” in to paying high prices. That is like claiming that Dentist cause cavities, Doctors cause cancer, and weather reporters cause hurricanes.
What, don’t they believe the EIA Report? Guess their “look-see” will carry more weight when they vote in the LA!! Sad bunch!!
They can’t win for losing with you can they Bobo? The CIG is well within its right to have first hand knowledge of what is at stake. They should be applauded for taking the time and showing the initiative to have taken this trip.
Another waste of our tax payers good money.
Your assumption is that it actually cost the govt money, but , maybe the excursion was provided free by public minded people. They do exist you know.
Chet, its was most likely free seeing as Atlantis will be one of the many businesses shut down with this port development. If our MLA’s finally see the writing on the wall and bin this project they will probably all get Atlantis VIP passes for life and then you can borrow one and go see for yourself the very places that a few seek to destroy.
Of course I notice the names of the MLAs who cared enough about the reef to take the submarine were not shared. CNS is always careful to not embarrass government. Where was Ezzard and Arden?
they are against the port
Ezzard and Arden already looked at the reefs and already oppose spending $200Million on a cruise ship dock.
You have a problem with that?
The picture nor the story tells anyone specifically who were there on this “fact finding” submarine trip, nor where they went or what they looked at, Nor does it say if they invited!………..yet your only contribution is to question weather Ezzard or Arden went along?
I know from CNS that they both opposed the same ides of a Mega cruise ship dock in East End because of the eventual cost to the CI Government! I also know that they have raised real concerns about the eventual cost of this particular project and how we fund it.
You chose to attack and throw innuendoes at the only two elected members of Government, that dares to question the details of most things that comes up in LA or finance committee, even if they end up supporting something because of additional information they garner from asking questions that are difficult.
As I have stated before, I vote for neither one, however, I do appreciate the transparency that they bring to the forefront with their brash styles. Sometimes they are right and sometimes they are wrong, nevertheless, one never has to ask what their positions on particular positions are.
Trolls like you need to bring something to the conversation if you are going to post to CNS……..seriously!
There will be the direct reef destruction from the dredging but I am concerned that there will be indirect damage based upon a large dredged hole in front of George Town and the natural sand movement which occurs with weather will cause reef damage as well as severe erosion along 7 mile beach.
Go back and read through the EIA, it clearly states that 7 mile will not be affected, the sand does not move through GT Harbour to the beach, the dredging will not increase wave action in town during storms (actually it reduces due to shelter from the piers and increased land side).
Suspended “reef-suffocating” particulate can be carried for miles. Dredging will be continuous since Cayman would be obliged to guarantee the port depth. The milky white waters of once popular Seven Mile will be the resulting legacy.
And it clearly states 15 acres of coral will be destroyed…….can’t have it both ways. Either you believe it is a reliable report or you don’t. If you don’t believe the part about 15 acres, how can you believe the part about 7 mile beach not being damaged?
Actually I agree, you have to use ALL of the information. It says15 acres but not 15 acres of coral. It says “coral reefs and associated marine habitat” EIA says coral cover is between 14%-30% but 20% on average in George Town. So Using that information it would realistically be 20% of that 15 acres. There are several aerial photos that show this clearly. Like you said you have to accept ALL of the information. Something the anti-port side is clearly not doing.
Apart from the reef biosphere not just being the coral heads, that is still 3 acres of coral heads!, a hell of a lot to either destroy or move. and then there are the wrecks and the reefs which will be destroyed by the sediment of dredging all the way along past sunset house.
Again, go to the report. Summary for use of silt screen shows a 24hr maximum siltation of 490ft from the point of dredging. 490 ft hardly even touches Eden Rock much less Sunset House.
I understand that Mr Kem Jackson, was involved in a research study several years ago assisting a US University that clearly showed how the sand moves around the island including the GT Port, 7MileBeach, the North Sound etc.
Perhaps he would be willing to share a copy of the report.
CNS – could you track this down and post it?
You mean the study from the 80’S that was written up on a typewriter? Technology has come a long way since then. There are more recent studies that give the best explanation of how the sand moves from the north and is placed on 7 mile by northwesters. They even document how the sand on the southern coast diverts off of Grand Cayman at 90 degrees and is lost forever.
bulldust, you are biased to the point of treachery. who is paying your wage while you write this stuff
It is common local knowledge that there is constant sand movement up and down 7 mile beach so do not tell me that a huge dredged hole off George Town will not impact natural sand movement.
You realize the magnitude of the downside to this project right?
I am against the pier. But I do now want them to cut the branch they are sitting on. The destruction will reduce the number of stay-over visitors, which in turn would benefits the island’s ecology. Word’s don’t teach,life experiences do. Let them learn the hard way..
So, I lived and worked in the UK and could not vote. I also lived and worked in the U.S. For awhile and could not vote. I respected and thanked them for the opportunity and when time came for me to leave I do so without acrimony. I knew I would be returning home eventually and looked forward to. I kept my mouth out of their business and suggest you do the same.
So Island Girl, you have the experience of working and living in other jurisdictions, congratulations. Why do you, as a true born well travelled Caymanian feel the need to hide behind Anonymous, when you could maybe add some non insular real international perspective to all of these debates?
It would be great to get the actual results of the CITA Survey. I can’t imagine all 250 actually filled in the survey. We all know CITA is heavily stay-over biased anyway but it would be good to know if it was actually a majority or if CNS is guessing at information. As far as the MLAs taking a sub ride, I hope they drove them over the barren areas in front of the port where the only real impact will be.
you obviously know nothing of what is out there, top tip, try snorkling the balboa wreck when you have time away from selling your jewelery.
I wonder how many of them believe in evolution?
Probably none since Cayman has been devolving for hundreds of years
If the Progressives go forward with this project in the face of the opposition and clearly stated damage to marine ecosystem projected in the EIA they will be voted out in 2017
And back in in 2021 lol…….
They will go ahead with this important project and they will Win with a landslide victory next election because most driftwood on our island can’t vote.
Why should you??
I will not vote for anyone who supports this insane destruction of our only natural resource- and I am a “real Caymanian”
I am a “fake Caymanian” and I also do not support it although operating business in tourism sector.