CIG signs deal with lawyers for dump project
George Town landfill
(CNS): The government is doubling down on lawyers to help it through the tendering and bidding process for the proposed Integrated Solid Waste Management System (ISWMS) that it says will solve the islands’ garbage problems for decades to come. A deal was signed Tuesday with two law firms. Maples and Calder from the Cayman Islands and Burges Salmon from the United Kingdom have been contracted to advise government on all legal aspects of delivering the ISWMS project and ensure that a legal and regulatory framework is provided to facilitate investment and reduce transaction costs, officials said in a release.
Government has faced criticism for the slow progress on what many believe is one of the most pressing problems for the community. However, officials claimed the procurement process is moving forward and that government went through a pre-qualification process in the autumn to shortlist potential bidders.
But the details of who will be in the running for the potentially lucrative, 25-year contract have not yet been revealed. CNS asked the premier’s ministry, which includes environmental health, if they are willing to reveal the firms involved in bidding but government officials refused, stating that the public will only learn who gets the contract at the end of the process.
The ministry stated that these mystery selected bidders have now been asked to outline their ISWMS proposals by early February, and a preferred bidder is expected to be announced by the end of April 2017.
“We said from the outset of being elected to office that we would do everything in our power to resolve the issue of the landfill and the need for a modern solid waste management system,” said Premier Alden McLaughlin.
“We have taken time to ensure we identified the best possible solution and follow all the regulatory guidelines. Therefore, I am very pleased that we have signed this contract with the legal firms today and are at the final stages of putting our plans into place. The country needs a waste management system that will protect our environment, our health and our economy for generations to come, and I am confident that our plans will deliver all of these aspects,” the premier added.
The project is being executed on a “design, build, finance, operate and maintain” basis. This was established following a report by environmental consultancy firm, Amec Foster Wheeler, and financial analysis by consultancy firm, KPMG.
The Cayman Islands Government plans to create a public-private partnership for a new state-of-the-art solid waste management system. As well as running the garbage collection services, the contractors will be required to remediate the current landfills, with recycling, composting and a waste-to-energy approach at the heart of operations.
The government has remained committed to keeping the main waste-operations at the current George Town site but a decision not to mine the existing dump means that a new lined landfill will be created for what is hoped will be a small percentage of waste in future that cannot be reused, recycled, composted or burned. But that location has not been revealed.
Clearly relieved to have got to the bidding stage before the election, Roy McTaggart, the councillor in the premier’s health ministry who has been focusing on the dump project, said he was pleased to be at the final stages of the procurement process.
“Now that we have our specialist legal team in place, we will be in a position to appoint the contract to a company qualified to provide our new solid waste management system. This will be of benefit to everybody in the Cayman Islands,” he said.
Category: Politics
The farthest uninhibited corner of the island is the only place for new proper landfill.
These clowns had a foolproof plan four years ago, or didn’t they?
This article should have been headlined ” CIG is doubling down on GARBAGE” because that is all we are going to get with the so called experts lawyers, like we don’t have enough of those already here.
Name just one world-class beachside tourist destination with an open air dump and a trash burning incinerator right in the middle of it. The absurdity of the plan is mind bogging.
Name just one world class modern town that was intentionally built in a swamp adjoining an active landfill?
Where is that thumbs up when you need it?
It was not active landfill, just a temporary Dump foolishly set in proximity to SMB, the only valuable asses this island has.
Miami
I have no confidence in these 11th hour bids to show voters that the progressives are doing something. No confidence at all, hopefully voters will not be fooled.
where’s the like button when you need it.
Ship it all to Sweden where they use the garbage for energy. Or better yet, get someone who can set up Cayman with this way of recycling so we can tell CUC to kiss our a$$.
Can someone tell me if I am remembering correctly, because I distinctly recall the CIG spending millions on a consultant’s report about 7-8 years ago then going through the tender process to find someone to implement the consultant ‘s recommendations. At the end of the tender process a contract was agreed with the winning bidder.
Then McKeeva unilaterally cancelled the contract, ignored the procurement law and tried to award the contract to someone else after they, um, “persuaded” him they were more suitable. That led to a big hoo-haa and legal action by the winning bidder who had already signed a contract and the lawsuit ended up costing the country tens of millions (if I recall correctly the final settlement for the legal action was confidential but rumored to be high) anyway neither contract went ahead and for some reason the whole thing was shelved.
So we’ve already spent God knows how much on this without a single piece of trash being moved. Why can’t the current administration dust off the previous consultant’s report? Why can’t they contact the previous winner bidder and see if they’re still interested? Why does each successive government start back at square one with the dump and spend millions hiring outside agencies to go back over old ground?
Also who in their right mind would ever vote for McKeeva?
This is a wise move by the government and anyone who doesn’t think so just hasn’t read the article or the documents previously published.
Complaining just for the sake of complaining makes you look dumb.
I have not read one constructive sensible negative comment so far.
Folks no government has EVER produced a comprehensive waste management strategy for our islands.
Don’t you understand by now that saying ” just fix the dump” is tantamount to saying “just build your house ” without house plans. Zeez sum why do have I told explain this.
Congratulations, good to see progress on this very important project! Better for CIG to hire competent (hopefully) legislative drafters than to use poorly equipped CIG lawyers to draft confusing laws that MLA Arden and MLA Ezzard have to spend hours in the LA amending for them.
But tell me, why wait so late in the game to ensure that a legal and regulatory framework is in place? This should have been dealt with before the bidding process. These pre-qualified bidders will build into their costs the uncertainty of a regulatory framework that is completely unknown! Who is advising CIG on these matters? Will private sector solid waste management be regulated by the newly minted URDO, you know, to save money?
I am so impressed with the way in which this project has progressed. I can’t believe the stupid comments. First we ask government not to waste money on large capital projects. So the government follows all procurement rules obtains the business cases and does every thing to ensure value for money.
Now they secure the best Lawyers on the islands to ensure that the largest contract in our history is solid and what happens they get critized.
Don’t make dumb comments it makes you look stupid.
Back at you…Your insults toward people whose opinions are different makes you look….stupid.
Hmm waste to energy will not work in Cayman. Read the consultants reports. This Country does not produce enough waste in order for the operation to be profitable, frankly breaking even would be a win. Other countries in the region, some larger than ours have shot down waste to energy for the same reason.
So how exactly is instituting an expensive unproven solution to the dump considered a win? Some of you PPM supporters are blind. Please align yourself for what’s best for the country, not any given political party smh.
Now that our largest and most expensive law firm has been added, could there be a project with more hot air? If just the right gust were to get underneath all those studies, outlines and proposals, the next government would have to start all over again! This is very concerning.
This sounds very reasonable…why all the hoopla?
If residents of Grand Cayman allow its government to proceed with incinerator, in the absence of strict regulations, trained specialists and monitoring specialists (EPA doesn’t count), they would have no one to blame for the consequences. There are no safe incinerators exist. And one built in the heart of the SMB area, luxury residential area, would be a disaster.
Guess who gets the brunt of the smoke? Dart town.
That will never happen boys as this is a play for Dart to just take it over once and for all. Lets march on that one!
Come on dude, they are burning dead bodies in the heart of town. So what is your issue? The garbage needs to be dealt with and on its existing site. You can’t have your cake and eat it too.
Tim says I offered to do it for FREE now it will really cost you and at the end most likely fail ,,,,, just like fishing needs to be done by a fisherman Garbage needs to be taken care of by a garbage man
Preferred bidder – but not winner – announced by end April. What’s the betting that if the PPM don’t get back in the preferred bidder is rejected and the whole process starts again?
Really? Government’s own lawyers couldn’t do this? We needed to pay M&C 100k? Give me 100k and I’ll resolve it. Jeez.
I would be amazed if Maples bill is anywhere near $100K 🙂
Monitoring, analysing and considering client project public opinion – 9 units
More like a million!
Proper process indicates the use of independent lawyers/accountants/etc. So there is no hint of “inside dealings”. More cost & more time but likely we will get a much better outcome. For reference think back to the UDP inside arrangements and what happened to those.
Mystery Bidders – where’s the transparency that is supposed to be followed by the public management and finance law???
$100k?? They’ll have racked that up by the end of the first week. I’d guess a few million at least.
Truly! They are the most cunning bunch here and elsewhere.
OMG! Here we go again!!!
I’ll bet my 1st million Dart will get it !!
PPM are not in Dart pocket. If this was a UDP gurment then fa’sho !!!!
When the transparency isn’t there you can usually put money on this being the answer.
funny how they panic once elections come around. Hell at this rate should have an election every year and we really would see some results. Say where are those marcher/protesters on this one? Lets go get that big bully man Trumpy!
Set the dump on fire and let it burn out. Problem solved.
Would that make it a fire sale?
You are mad and stupid, 11;48
With two more brains cell sir, you would be a tree.
Both
Well done. Keep pushing on. Better to get the result slowly but with a confident solid solution, than to do it quickly but it falls apart & does not solve our long term needs.
11:38, how many consultants and reports would you need to have a “confident solid solution”? Governments for the last 25yrs have been given these solutions and reports more times than Quaker has Oats.
Someone needs to grow a pair and get the job done. That’s where the problem lies.
If this crony comment was not so sad it would be funny. Almost 4 years to sign up lawyers, really? Slow and confident or unfit for office?
You must work at one of those law firms!