Report backs activists’ claims on beach access
(CNS): Government’s most recent and updated review of beach access points and rights of way around all three Cayman Islands backs claims by local activists who have been raising the alarm that the majority are blocked or inaccessible in some way. The final report was published this week and shows that of the 385 known and traditionally used coastal access points, less than 30% are unblocked and accessible. The report details registered rights of way, unregistered paths and private registered access points and describes their current state.
On Grand Cayman just 17 out of 108 public rights are signposted and more than 90 are blocked in some way, and of the 112 unregistered pathways and access points 94 are clear. There are also 59 registered private rights of way to the sea on Grand Cayman.
On Cayman Brac there are just three registered public rights of way, all of which are blocked and missing signs. There are also 30 registered private access points and 25 unregistered paths. All ten registered public rights of way to the sea on Little Cayman are blocked or missing a sign. There are also 30 unregistered public access points and just 8 private registered pathways.
In many cases the pathways are blocked with natural overgrowth but some have been deliberately blocked by adjacent landowners with gates, walls, fences or even storage containers and equipment.
The report, which has been available in large part for several weeks on the activist website Cayman Beach Watch, has been published as activists have been highlighting their concerns. Despite government’s claim that it intends to address the issue, the historic failure of past administrations to protect public beach access rights has created mistrust and speculation among campaigners, who are trying to force government’s hand to register access points through the courts.
The creation of a land commission has fuelled some hope that the government is committed to action as well as talk about a public interest issue that has been growing as people become increasingly aware of the decreasing access to Cayman’s coastlines.
However, some activists have described this as “smoke and mirrors”, distracting the public from government’s past failures to act, when the law already provides a solution for the rights of way to be registered and their access enforced.
Category: Local News
This shows how our wonderful Unity Team government just stays at it and gets the jobs done. The naysayers and cruel critics need to step back and look at all the positive achievements or wonderful premier and honorable Bush have done for our country during their short time in office. They are truly making Cayman great again. Thank you for all your hard work.
They released a report. You think that solved it? Nothing has been done at all. Drink less kool aid.
I have grubby trespassers trekking through tracks on private land. This sort of nonsense campaign will only make things worse. There are no registered rights of way on my land and if there is not a registered right of way you are not setting foot on it regardless of how much these people want to get to the beach. There are plenty of areas of public access t the beach, and quite frankly, other than the immediate shoreline, I do not see why the public should be allowed any further on to private land when they do get there.
Ummmm – shame you do not understand prescriptive rights. Try and stop me on a path I have used all my life – unhindered – and you might get a good lesson on them.
Grubby? You racist SOB! Go back to your country! Don’t hesitate!
CNS thanks for the link to the actual report- compass did not refer readers to this information
On the subject of thanking CNS . And the Compass did not refer reader to the information. .
I have to thank and believe that CNS is doing the Islands and all the issues that are happening on the Islands a real big favor , by posting comments of criticism and shame to better those situations.
But it seems that the other media just wants to keep those issues as pretty as they write about them . Which I think don’t help the situation , and is making them worse .
If someone leaves items in a public area is anyone entitled to take them? So if someone puts a gate / bin / other materials in a public beach access route is anyone entitled to take them?! If so, might be the start of a solution!
Took 15 minutes to download the report on a 80mbps line.
page 210, SMB9 block 11d parcel 31.view from beach…
The quintessential Cayman rope barrier on a registered public right of way.
The marl road talk is if the public can please be given the less than 30% unblock and accessible known traditionally coastal access points which less than 30% is still not telling the public the accurate amount. The marl road talk is that we will take the less than 30% since you all have it but the public still want the accurate amount and please provide the public with the accurate listing of them as urgently as possible because it is long, long time overdue. Please no political interference or any other type of unfair interference.
Is this post available in English?
lol
YEA, I’m with 5:09..I think. Sounds good to me though
So what is the delay in getting the public accesses sorted now that all have been identified?
It sounds like the Activists are going to have to take matters further in their own hands . Meaning that if those public beach access are Lawful , but the Government wont register them . Then if any land owner puts anything on that right away , a group of 10-15 CAYMANIANS just back your truck down to it and haul it away . Then see what the Government would do then when all 15 are indigent and need 15 Attorneys to defend them .
I asked what would happen if this was done and it was blocked.
I will need more information
Just do as I said , and the Public beach access issues would be fixed forever .
Now that the evidence is there for all to see in the report what exactly are Ministers Juliana O’Connor-Connolly and Joey Hew waiting on to do the right thing? The silence and inaction by Cabinet is disgraceful. There is really no excuse it is down to integrity and political will. Cabinet and these ministers in particular must feel they only answer to developers and corporate interests not the public of the Cayman Islands. Vote out all the useless deadwood selling out Cayman collecting money for doing nuttin!
Their hands may be tied 3:01pm, because those property owners might have been political contributors. Just saying.
Seize all movable private property and destroy and permanent structure blocking beach access and impose a heavy fine on the people responsible.
Let’s get our act together, and get a bulldozer to do the job, take out anaything that’s in front of it. That should set things in motion.