No special treatment for Dart

| 03/03/2016 | 65 Comments
Cayman News Service

Image from Dart’s video about its coastal works application

(CNS): Environment Minister Wayne Panton has indicated that there will be no special treatment for an application by a Dart company for a coastal works licence. The Cayman Islands environment ministry received the expected application on Thursday from a company called Crymble Landholding Ltd, one of the developer’s network of companies, seeking permission to dig up a sample of beachrock from Seven Mile Beach, as set out in a statement yesterday, which some believe will set a dangerous precedent.

However, Panton said that there would be no dodging of the process and government would follow its usual criteria in evaluating and responding to any coastal works application.

Noting the public interest in the application and proposed works, after CNS received almost 100 comments following the publication of the story Wednesday, the minister said that all coastal works applications are subjected to a set evaluation process that begins with analysis by his ministry’s technical experts from the Department of Environment (DoE).

“Dart made a presentation to caucus on Monday, 22 February, to explain what they are seeking to do,” he said. “Now that the formal application has been received, it will be evaluated by the ministry’s policy officer for completeness, and public notification will be ensured through the normal publication process for two consecutive weeks, and the requisite 21-day comment period.

“In the meantime the Technical Review Committee, consisting of the DoE scientists and staff, will review the application and subsequently make their recommendations in a report to Cabinet. Only then will Cabinet make its decision on the application, based upon the merits of the application and the review process,” he added.

The developer has made the application for a site investigation, which would involve the removal samples of the submerged beachrock at the shoreline and immediately offshore using an excavator, plus a trial of construction methodologies. According to Dart, the beachrock samples will provide information for a second application for the main project, which is the removal of the beachrock.

The Cayman Islands’ largest investor is planning another new resort on the land next to the site of the Kimpton resort, which is still under construction. Officials from Dart said that they want to remove the naturally occurring beachrock because it will be a hazard and an “unpleasant experience” for guests at the proposed luxury hotel who want to go in the ocean.

Dart seeks to dig up 7MB rock

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Category: development, Local News, Marine Environment, Science & Nature

Comments (65)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    There is such a simple solution. Under no circumstances allow a “foreigner” to buy land, under no circumstances allow a Caymanian to sell their land to a “foreigner”, stop all progress immediately, and tell Dart they have enough. Your own MLA’s are robbing your cultural heritage dry and if you care then vote them out and ensure that Bush does not get back in. Stop blaming Dart for the greed of your own people.

  2. Anonymous says:

    You People, Yes I said it. You People are so confused and easily manipulated that you let your own elected leaders make fools out of all of you and you still keep voting them back in over and over again. It not Darts fault they are excellent developers with a great vision for Cayman, just like it not my fault that I purchased piece of Beach Front Land from a young Caymanian that preferred the money over the land. Blame each and every child that grew up and sold the land their family left them when you wonder why so much is owned by Dart and other investor with roots outside of Cayman. They had the foresight to see what this land could be, I am sure that when people started selling their sandy salty water front land that they couldn’t farm on, they thought those foreign investors were the fools.

    As for the rocks, when did beach rocks turn into protected Coral Reef, people just say whatever they think will make you side with them. Intelligent people ignore these folks and keep it moving.

    I lost confidence in the people’s ability to make sound decisions that are in the best interest of the nation when everyone rallied against letting Dart fix the dump at his own cost which was huge, look where that left us, with nothing.

  3. Anonymous says:

    Its a Rock, like all of Cayman, its a Rock. Quit selling your land and you won’t disappear off the face of the planet.

    • Sharkey says:

      So should we start a campaign to not sell any more Cayman Islands property to Dart so you disappear from the planet .

  4. Sharkey says:

    If Government did give permission for the rocks / corals to be removed , and a large group of Caymanians would stand on the beach at high water mark in protest of the removal of the rock formations , what can anyone do or say ? Is it still the law that a land owner only own the land to the high water mark from the sea/ocean ? That area was always known as crown property .

    • Anonymous says:

      “That area was always known as crown property .”

      That’s why he’s asking the crown if he can proceed.

  5. Sharkey says:

    I find it very disturbing that Dart would release a picture like the picture above to describe any part of the 7 mile beach . Or was that picture done to shame the government to say that this spot needs to look pretty like the rest of the 7 mile beach. Unless something is mucking up the water of 7 mile beach since I seen it last .

    • Anonymous says:

      Instead of trying to blackmail Government with this photo, perhaps he should promote it as an area good for snorkelling close to shore.

  6. Sharkey says:

    I think that Anonymous 04/ 03/ 2016 1: 06 pm comment should open all of our eyes . I think that what he or she is saying that is that if Government gives the go ahead on the removal of the rock formations, that a protest against it be started.

    I completely understand and agree with the comment. Because we need to see and know the difference between development , destruction , and corruption.

    • Chris Johnson says:

      Unfortunately most readers are unaware of precedents in removing beach rock. Beach Rock which is effectively sandstone, lies in several locations north of where Dart wishes to excavate.In the early eighties Brian Butler excavated the rock outside Discovery Point. Consequently this actually damaged the adjoining property. Of course in those days planning did not care much and did no investigations. Moreover no proper notice was given to adjoining property owners.

    • Anonymous says:

      Sharkey, that was the goal of the post. Peaceful protest, but enough of force to stiffle their pocket books. You need informed “historians” like Chris Johnson that are willing unearth the destruction from the past, or you’re doomed to repeat it. The book by Carl is great in that it shows how developers and politicians use bully and various other tactics to get their way. I would also caution to be weary of black flag attacks and misdirection. Make a little noise over here, so that way over here you can get away with even bigger miscarriages of justice of violation of rights. And be careful of the wolf within your midst. It is not above those with the money to buy off vocal activists in order to sway public opinion. This is your home, and I suggest you lead the charge in peaceful revolution.

  7. Anonymous says:

    Trust me….says the man with the Yellow sand! let me make a video to brainwash you out of thinking how I imported yellow sand last time and ugly up the place….that good! be a good sheep government bah bah bah

  8. Rp says:

    Gov plans to build a dock and dredge the crap out of GT harbour, and destroy live reefs, despite the findings of expensive environmental studies. However, they take a tough stance against Dart’s plan to remove some rocks.

    Hypocrisy at its best.

    Would like to see the study of impact of removing the rocks from an environmental perspective but I cannot imagine the findings being more severe than the govt dredging.

  9. Anonymous says:

    There’s nothing to see here. While you all are distracted by DART who won’t get anything, Cayman Brac is flying the Serbian flag high for all to see. They passed two coastal plans for her.

  10. Anonymous says:

    Him digging up this rock is just a con to get a coastal licence to build up a million hotels on the coast

  11. Anonymous says:

    yeah, das wha dey say now, but you know deh go approve it latah, Dart always get his way, you don’t know dat yet?

    it’s just a smokescreen, not saying Wayne isn’t being true, but he can’t win Dart, Dart has enough players in high places to always win and get his own way, he’s precise, cunning and patient and has the money to lure people in high places. Just gotta watch Mother Nature bite him back one day, not if just when. But he has other countries he’s invested in, he’ll probably buy up Cuba too, so he don’t care if he destroy Cayman, he can just pack and leave and carry on elsewhere. The money he spends and invests here is just a drop in the bucket of his mega worth, it’s nothing to him.

    Dart had this all planned when he told Cayman they could still use the little seagrape trails for easter camping, he already knew he was taking away the road, building 2 hotels to smoosh the easter camping spots inbetween the 2 hotels and then take them away from the Cayman public, but yet he wouldn’t admit that at the time, see now it’s all coming to light.

  12. Anonymous says:

    Who is he kidding. They will do as they are told by the piper or all the support ends.
    Digging on the way boys!!!!!

  13. Anonymous says:

    There’s a great book by Carl Hiassen “Paradise Screwed”, here’s a snip-it – “In this sequel to Kick Ass, bestselling author Hiaasen pulls no punches and keeps his humor intact for 200 more essays about politicians, judges, lobbyists, zoning boards, evangelists, environmental scofflaws, and more south Florida weirdness.” Would recommend any Caymanians read this book… this the basic playbook of what happened to S.F. through the 80s-00s… basically a template for what is happening to Cayman now… stop relying on your politicians, stop blaming expats, and take a stand to stop the bs… your laws are not designed to protect you or your way of life, they’re designed to control you so that a minute few can profit… they don’t want to fix your education system, they want to build new courthouses and bigger jails to process you faster and longer… calling in on talk shows and venting on CNS doesn’t work… these are advertising agencies that make more the more your vent by selling advertising… peaceful and coordinated revolution is your only solution… if you are looking for an issue to use as a foothold, this is new plan excavation of the beach rock is a great one to start with…

    • Anonymous says:

      I hope to see the day when indigenous Caymanians will break the shackles of colonial indoctrination by teaching their children to elect leaders that cannot be controlled by unscrupulous developers and special interests groups locally and internationally who has no interest in the development of the Caymanian people, but keep us educationally disenfranchised so we can continue to be easily exploited to the detriment of us becoming extinct. Just look around and see with all of the major development taking place by government and private investment which is based on physical and capital development without any human resources development to compliment the first two.eg: When all these developments are completed who will make up the majority of workers from the highest positions to the lowest in these places of business. To drive home my point. Look at the unfinished Goverment high school in George Town. PPM started it UDP left it as it is, PPM looks like they are going to do the same with it. Keeping the majority of us and our children semi illiterate is how colonialism works to keep us subservient to the class system that is deeply entrenched in Cayman.

      • Anonymous says:

        No my dear not the indigenous people voting for stupid politicians, can’t you tell who they keep appealing to? Yup new Caymanians, mainly status holders majority being from Jamaica who still can’t let go of that mental slavery so when Mas’a light skinned Mac build them up they don’t see they have power to vote for better candidates, scared Mas’a take status away, that’s the problem and the other side playing same game

  14. P&L says:

    Enough is enough… in addition to appeasing Dart with whatever regulatory changes he wants… and allowing him to gain so much control and own so much… and basically giving him our public beach…

    We… and by that I mean our incompetent Government )which I’m sorry to say includes most of our MLAs and most of the Civil Service) agreed to bypass millions and millions of dollars in government fees.

    I heard that they should have collected $16M in planning fees from the Kimpton but did not. I hope it’s not true but that’s what I heard dem eedioyuts did. Why not collect at least half?

    I also heard that they not only waived the fees on the Kimption but that they have agreed to waive planning fees for ALL Dart the Fart’s projects ever from public beach to West Bay… to infinity and beyond basically. Again, hope it’s not true but dat’s wah de marl road sey!

    Think of how many millions and millions they gave away with that deal. It hurts my heart and pisses me off. I wouldn’t feel so sad and be so mad if we had more than roads and CBay to show for it.

    We should have the best schools in the Caribbean. We should have great Government. Caymanians should be thriving not just barely surviving. Collectively we should just be in a better position and our society should be more harmonious. All of these things could have been ours if we had just done it better… But alas… We have become the land of polar opposites to the many rainbows.

    Not much we can do to stop him now… but at least don’t fold so easily. Take what’s due and use it strategically to improve our socioeconomic scenario.

    • Cheese Face says:

      Did you even consider the amount of jobs that are being created? No thought not. Let me guess, you applied and didn’t get one?

    • Anonymous says:

      It is not government’s fault that CAYMANIANS sold and continue to sell their land to DART.

    • Anonymous says:

      All of these things could have been ours if we had just done it better…

      You must mean if we had not sold it..

    • Anonymous says:

      What you ‘heard’ is true. All of this was published after the fact. That is why they are saying it was greed behind closed doors.
      All duty waivers over $20K are done behind closed doors.
      Where are you been P&L??

  15. Don't Dig Dart says:

    If they let Dart dig up those rocks they might as well dig up all the coral in Hog Sty Bay to accommodate the cruise berthing piers.

  16. Sharkey says:

    Development is there other places where tourist can go that have children parks , and would your and my children be able to go there , or afford it . People don’t come to Cayman for children park .

  17. Sharkey says:

    I wonder if Government is looking at the needs for development , if a other hotel is even needed . Are all the hotel’s operating at full occupancy now ? Are there other kind of development that is much more needed to be done at this time ? Is the government thinking about the economic consequences when Cuba open up to tourism.

    I think that the government and Caymanians needs to put on their thinking caps and start thinking about how to economical sustain a spot in the tourism market . When Cuba is open to tourism it will have great effects on Cayman Islands.

  18. Anonymous says:

    He who pays the piper calls the tune!

  19. Consuelo Watching you says:

    When you allow one developer to get away with this we have to be fair and allow others. Is this not what is happening South Sound & Red Bay with the mangroves.???

  20. Al Wayne says:

    All dart has to do is to give them a couple of dollars for the next election and erryting will be alright eh???

    • Anonymous says:

      Are you suggesting bribery? You should sign your name to really make a more impactful statement.

      • Knuckle Sandwhich says:

        Why don’t you ask some of the residents in the two largest subdivisions in Newlands who were handing out $$$$ last election. Ain’t bribery if its the PPM

  21. Political Malice says:

    If that were so why make such a statement in first place I guess Mr Dart doesn’t have the same company connections as the company cutting off the top of our corals to make eyelashes? The PPM’s immunity from the UK’s run ACC is both abundantly clear and abhorrent to Caymanians & residents alike . This why the seeds of mistrust will always find fertile ground in Cayman.

  22. Anonymous says:

    Just watch the progress with this application as DOE and Government allow Dart to remove a huge acreage of reef just to have a beautiful beach in front of their intended two hotels in the area. They purchased the land and closed WB road with full knowledge that they had little beach and a huge reef in front of their properties. The DOE obstructed Govt from removing any reef in GT directly in front of our commercial port area, yet they allow the harvesting of or coral for cosmetic purposes to make drugs for growing eye lashes. Now they will allow Dart to remove the reef to improve the beach for his hotels while they continue to obstruct the development of the cruise and cargo port. Now let’s hear what SaveCayman/SaveMyTenders and the NCC have to say and whether they even make any statement at all. Removing the reef is a catch 22 situation because, yes it will improve the beach and more sand in that particular area will definitely be created and accumulated, however the reef in that area is the only reason why Public Beach is stabilized and loses less sand than any other area along the beach in summer when the lattorial long shore currents running north close to shore along the shoreline is transporting beach sand along the beach to the north of the beach each summer. The reef slows down this current speed to drop out sand in suspension and actually protects the public beach from the loss of sand compared to other areas along the entire beach. What is DART going to do about this phenomena. There is an easy solution to satisfy both DART and the country to protect the Public Beach, however it does not seem to be recognized or mentioned.

  23. Anonymous says:

    Why not wait until the DOE checks it out before passing judgement. It might be a good thing and others have done it before.

  24. Anonymous says:

    No special treatment until the whole “but we will create jobs, and benefit the tourism, and Gov will get cash from all the work permit applications” etc etc speech begins again.

    Now give me my permission and throw in the usual duty waivers!

  25. Anonymous says:

    Cayman Islands Ltd (Dart Realty)

  26. Anonymous says:

    The kind of “sampling” taken via mechanical excavator in Cayman tend to be 100’s of feet long, tens of feet wide, and several feet deep. Shouldn’t DoE or designate be taking the sample with a drill core? We can’t be this dumb.

  27. Anonymous says:

    DART is the only organisation that has built anything decent in Cayman since the completion of the Ritz. I support their proposals 100%.

  28. anonymous says:

    They plan to build a children’s resort next to Kimpton. While it sounds good at first, they should keep in mind that many affluent tourist prefer adults only resorts. Mixing Kimpton with children’s resort might have a negative impact on the former. Keep them separate. I wonder when they were selling Kimpton suites were the buyes aware of the Disneyland in planning.

    • Anonymous says:

      And how much research have you done to come to this conclusion? Pretty sure Dart – and all his money – have/are doing research to be sure this idea will work.

    • Anonymous says:

      A better idea is for the hotel to have its own play area so the tourists don’t have to mix with the masses. Keeps income inside the complex too.

      • Anonymous says:

        You’re confusing DART with the Serbian princess. That’s what she’s doing: her own planes, boat, transportation, etc. and no Caymanians employed.

    • Anonymous says:

      They’re building a Four Seasons… Not sure where you’re getting a children’s resort from….?

  29. Anonymous says:

    Would it not be better, instead of removing the sand and beach protecting rock, to add sand and cover that area? Done in Miami Beach to expand it all the time.

  30. Anonymous says:

    If there is no special treatment why / how did they get an “audience” with caucus two weeks ago?????

  31. Sharkey says:

    Sorry I can’t let you do it now, too many people upset now, you have to wait till after the election by then people would have forgotten about it.

  32. whatever says:

    No special treatment folks! [snicker, snicker, snicker] Nothing special to see here folks! [snicker, snicker, snicker] No special deals here! [snicker, snicker, snicker] Ok Mr. Dart, now that we have fooled them all, what exactly is it that you need again??? PS I trust DART over Mac or Billy Bob Alden!

  33. Anonymous says:

    May I suggest that this was always the intended location of the hotel, hence the need for the bridge. This shrewd businessman has a vision and a long term plan, unlike our Government past and present. Now their lack of planning creates opportunities for the opportunistic. Will our people please step up and and take charge of the development of our island. Action instead of reaction.

    • Anonymous says:

      Sorry but it take money to take charge of the development of this island and you have to be willing to put your money where your mouth is. I am certainly glad someone is..

  34. Anonymous says:

    Brave chatter but watch PPM roll over for daddy dart again.

    • Anonymous says:

      Just rolling out anti Dart comments with no knowledge or facts to go on is pretty weak

    • Chris Johnson says:

      It is traditional in Cayman that whe a new government is elected being a different party, that all previous decisions get reversed. The proposed hospital project that was cancelled many years ago led to the government being sued for damages that they could ill afford.
      This reflects the immaturity of many of today’s politicians but I suspect it could happen again, particulary in the case of any Dart project which neccitates long term planning.

      • SSM345 says:

        DART needs to look at what we did at the Marriott years ago to save their beach. Install Reef Balls. Beach returned and is still there and the reef balls are now an actual living reef. Far better option to accommodate the tourists and their soft feet. People seem to have to be constantly reminded after the fact what happens when you mess with Mother Nature.

    • Anonymous says:

      All Dart has to do is wait for Mac to get back and without anyone knowing the deal will be done. That is Mac’s way and Dart has time.

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