Referendum campaign launched over cruise port

| 28/08/2018 | 165 Comments
Cruise Port Referendum, Cayman News Service

Cruise ship in George Town Harbour

(CNS): With concerns mounting that government is close to making a deal with undisclosed bidders to develop the controversial and costly cruise berthing facilities in George Town, local activists have launched a campaign to start collecting signatures for a people-initiated referendum (PIR). The campaign is being coordinated by people from various quarters of the community opposed to the project for different reasons, from the financial to environmental risks. But their main goal is to petition government to give the Cayman electorate the final decision at the ballot box on a project that is extremely significant for everyone who lives here.

As of 1 July the Official Register of Electors stood at 21,150 voters, which means campaigners will need to collect 5,288 signatures from electors to force government’s hand over a national ballot, which is provided for in the Constitution.

While the need to secure 25% of registered voters to trigger the referendum may seem daunting, the opposition to this project is mounting from many different quarters, including the business community and those directly involved in tourism. But more importantly, the call for a referendum will give everyone, including supporters of the project, the chance to have their say. Campaigners should, therefore, be able to secure signatures for the call for a national poll from both sides of the debate.

Organisers have pointed to the rights given to voters in the Constitution and the need for people to make informed decisions about major developments like this proposed facility, which will change the face of the capital and have far-reaching implications for the economy, infrastructure and the natural environment.

“The launch of the petition for a people-initiated referendum is backed and supported by concerned Caymanians in regards to the proposed cruise berthing facility,” said a spokesperson for Save Cayman, one of the groups coordinating the campaign. “We support this community initiative to give the people a chance to exercise their democratic right by explicitly stating their support or rejection for proceeding with this project that poses significant socio-economic and environmental risks and will impact us for generations.”

Opposition Leader Ezzard Miller announced last week that he is championing a private member’s motion asking government to instigate the referendum, given the significance and wide implications of this proposed project to every Caymanian as well as residents and visitors. However, while the MLA for North Side has the backing of his full team plus Kenneth Bryan, the independent member for George Town Central, the chances of him picking off more than one of the government members is extremely unlikely.

Although Austin Harris was vocally opposed to the project on the campaign trail, as party whip and councillor in the premier’s ministry, it is extremely unlikely that the former talk show host will live up to his campaign promises and vote with the opposition.

Bernie Bush remains the only hope for the opposition to pick off any of the government members. Although Bush has parted ways with his former CDP colleagues, he remains in the government coalition and it is still not clear where he stands on the cruise port. All of the government front bench are bound by collective responsibility, so they will not be able to support Miller’s motion.

Even though his motion is destined to fail on the vote in the Legislative Assembly, if it makes it to the order paper when law makers meet in Cayman Brac next week, Miller believes it will provide the opportunity for the opposition to raise key questions and pry answers from government about what has been an opaque process, despite official claims from government that it has been transparent.

However, unlike other tendering processes, including even the complex case of the waste management bid, no tender documents have ever been published regarding the cruise port project. Government has been extremely reluctant to identify any of the bidders, though when asked directly, Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell admitted at a public meeting that China Harbour Engineering Company was one of the bidders. The revised plans have never been made public, and the estimated costs and how it will be paid for have also remained a mystery.

It is understood that government made a presentation to a select group of executives at the Chamber of Commerce recently, which was confirmed by officials at the business organisation. However, the tourism ministry has ignored inquiries from CNS about that presentation and whether there are any plans to share the details with the wider public.

Meanwhile, despite damning conclusions in the recently published National Tourism Plan about the impact the growing number of cruise passenger arrivals is already having on our water and land tourism attractions and the public beaches, government is still aiming to award a contract for the project next month.

For more information about the Cruise Port Referendum campaign contact cprcayman@gmail.com or visit the new FB page

To check your voter number go to the Elections Office website here

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Category: Business, development, Local News, Tourism

Comments (165)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Man I haven”t seen so much effort by expats to gain support for a cause since the time of the so called ” Expat Tax”.

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    • anon 345 says:

      Expats? What will your story be after the petition for referendum on cruise berthing is signed by over 5,300 Caymanian Registered Voters?

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  2. Anonymous says:

    a lot of people say that we should all read the EY (and other) reports as a justification….has anyone really read these reports? if so…tread them again, but just the one sentence regarding the waivers that EY and the others put in….the disclaimer/waivers are the real scandal in all of this….they effectively state that they can’t really commit to the report and nobody should take it as fact…..but sure, lets build a port based on that comforting position

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    • Anonymous says:

      Read the BREA reports which warms the reader more aggressively they cannot substantiate or verify the data. Disclaimers all over

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  3. Anonymous says:

    Anyone saying the mega-ships won’t come if we have no dock?

    https://www.caymancompass.com/2017/12/05/5700-passenger-mega-ship-will-tender-in-cayman/

    If the cruise lines are so set against it then explain that news article.

    – Muppet Hunter

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  4. Anonymous says:

    Caymanians BEWARE. I believe someone with a secret agenda maybe trying to take advantage of you. This sudden spurt of activity to stop the port is very troubling. Almost everyday a new unknown group is springing up but you cant”t find out who is really behind them. These anonymous ( and thus suspicious) individuals want you not only to sign but to give them your voter ID number while at the same time they want to remain anonymous. We don”t know who or what they are, who is financing them , who is their employer, who are their family or business connections. Nothing. With your voter ID number they will know all about you, ( where you live, what your occupation is etc) while you know nothing about them. What if you find out after the fact that this opposition is being organized by some new political party who wants this Government to fail and has its own agenda for a port. Think long and hard before you follow these unknown “Pied Pipers”.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Says the anonymous poster.

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    • Anonymous says:

      You’ve taken a page right out of lying Donald Trump’s playbook. Scare tactics and conspiracy theory. You are a jerk. If you have a position, state it or shut up!

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    • Dr. Phil says:

      Drugs are illegal in Cayman. Just Say No!

      You are not a very good conspiracy theorist you are completely off your head. Please make an appointment with Dr. Lockhart before you end up going postal at work.

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    • Mario says:

      Don’t sign this stupid petition. We need the jobs and the cruise passengers. We are a first world country with a third world dock. Even Rotan had cruise piers. Shame on anyone who wants to keep my beloved Cayman down.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Bovine scatalogy.

      – Whodatis

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    • TNB says:

      This is truly a STUPID comment.

      1. Voter ID numbers are PUBLIC on the Elections Office website – so they could get that info without you signing.

      2. If enough signatures are collected to call a referendum, then people who are against the port can vote AND people who support the port can vote!

      3. You really need to stop posting such ridiculous comments and trying to stir up trouble!

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    • Anonymous says:

      You do realize that voter ID numbers are publicly available information right
      Its not your social security number it cant be used in any way shape or form other than referendums and to vote in elections
      It is literally listed on the elections office website right next to your (you might want to sit down for this) full name and home address *gasp*

      The reason they ask for your Voter ID is to verify you are actually a voter in Cayman because only registered voters can initiate a referendum

      I love these comments though
      The “Cayman’s Port, Cayman’s future” page has been buying paid advertisements on Facebook and no one bats an eye or asks who is funding theme

      But a group of concerned citizens starts a referendum that would be out of their control and they are somehow being nefarious

      Fucking ridiculous

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  5. Anonymous says:

    The referendum is not a real tactic, the tender funded save Cayman just want to delay the project in hopes of pushing it to the next election cycle. Pure politricks

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    • Anonymous says:

      It’s a politrick to want to know the truth? Push it to the next election cycle? Oh Lordy the muppets are out in force. Unless you are being told to argue against it or just willing to let the government run unchecked, NO-ONE has a valid reason to vote no to the referendum. We know almost nothing about this deal and the government isn’t saying anything and that sit well with these muppets?

      – Muppet Hunter

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  6. Anonymous says:

    Referendum is the best for all. We get a clear picture of what everyone wants, we won’t be able to blame it on the politicians as either way it goes, the voters will have chosen it. And finally we will get some public information on the plans as the gov’t will have to start a media campaign if they want people to vote for it. I’ll be signing on Saturday.

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    • Anonymous says:

      A waste of time..read the EY and BIller Paw report. Just build the dock.

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    • Anonymous says:

      4.19 pm A referendum does not necessarily give as clear a picture as you may think. In fact it may take multiple referendums to ascertain what the voters really want. If the aim is simply to find out if a majority of voters want the cruise berthing facility currently being considered, then a simple yes or no question can be put. However further questions need to be asked to determine what to build ,where to build it etc should be put.If for example the answer to the first referendum is no, then we need to find out exactly what they are saying no to eg Is it Financial reasons, environmental concerns , location etc. So you see once we start this referendum train , it could keep on rolling and rolling until nothing happens. Running a country by referendums is wasteful and counterproductive and if you think we have gridlock now try ruling by referendums.

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      • Anonymous says:

        No the aim is for the government to come clean with the details. If all is right and good why the secrecy? Tag and release season is here.

        – Muppet Hunter

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        • Anonymous says:

          Muppet Hunter, don’t release them, just put them out of our misery. The tactics pro-porters are Trump like for sure…all lies, all twisting and turning just for their few pieces of silver whilst all Cayman will end up paying. Facts, nothing but the facts will do. Facts does not include reports that have waivers of responsibility should they have got it wrong, and were paid by for people who are trying to justify their position. The ant porters could pay someone else to produce a damning report of the proposal, if we actually knew what it was…

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          • Anonymous says:

            @1:53 Exactly, I don’t know why all these muppets are so willing to be kept in the dark. We cannot truthfully go ahead on any level on any path without being told the details. Yeah definitely tag and no release for this.

            – Muppet Hunter

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        • Anonymous says:

          Muppet Hunter or Tenderbot? Why don”t you guys come clean in the interest of transparency. eg What is your plan to provide jos for Caymanians when the cruise numbers fall. What? you don’ care because you are non Caymanian. Makes sense now.

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          • Anonymous says:

            My plan would be to focus on the stay over guests and expand that market, have the Government limit the number of work permits given out, improve education and create trade schools to give young Caymanians training for jobs that do not rely mainly on tourism besides cruise numbers rise and fall with the season and I do care because I am Caymanian, 5th generation Caymanian at that. You support a project that will be built mostly by foreign workers, brought in by a foreign company who has a history of bribery of public officials, safety violations, underhanded dealings. Owned, controlled and financed by a foreign power for almost quarter of a century and you call yourself a Caymanian? Shame on you. F’n muppet.

            – Muppet Hunter

            • Anonymous says:

              Funny, Muppet Hunter gave a sound plan and no comments followed. @5:12 No reply Kermit? Miss Piggy got your tongue?

      • Anonymous says:

        @9:26 It may not be as clear as we think but it is more than what the government is willingly telling us and who said anything about running the government by referendums. we just want answers to basic questions the government should have no issue in answering.

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  7. Anonymous says:

    Don’t expect any transparency before the Standards in Public Life Law is enacted. Right now they all believe they can lie, cheat, and swindle the public at large without any recourse, penalty, or criminal prosecution. Even Miller isn’t calling for basic accountability in the LA. There is nothing more fundamental to the perception of accountability than a basic public disclosure of conflicts by public officials entrusted with our money.

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  8. Anonymous says:

    The problem with people like Johan is that they make their owns “truths” and facts and then preach them like gospel. Gov and consultants show piers will be under $200m Johan says $500m. Gov says they will convert the $6 tender fee into berthing fee to pay for docks, Johan says it will take all Port fees at almost one billion to the developers.
    Nothing but lies!

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    • Anonymous says:

      Moses needs to give us the facts and all information. The public deserve to know then that will end the speculation. They only have themselves to blame. The problem with Johan he is demanding answers and holding them accountable something that rarely happens. Politicians and the pro lobby hate being called out.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Where are the facts and data from Govt? They refuse to answer basic questions

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    • Anonymous says:

      @3:21 If the deal to pay for the dock means that a private company or whatever controls it for 25 years. How else are they to recoup the money to pay off the debt? Let the Government keep the $6 “berthing” fee then have the company charge additional fees to let people land? 25 years of all fees going to the company is a hell of a lot more than the $300 million they are paying, more that should be given to the company and yes once added up it will probably be close to that amount given away as a concession. F’n muppet.

      – Muppet Hunter

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    • Anonymous says:

      @3:21 In the absence of information from the government and when the government refuses to supply information asked for what else can you do?

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  9. Anonymous says:

    There are a few facts that keep getting overlooked in this debate. First, this is a working harbour that we are talking about and our cargo port is in terrible need of upgrading. that has to happen regardless of whether the cruise berthing goes ahead. We need to be able to accommodate bigger ships so that the cost of goods will be less, and that is still going to mean dredging the harbour. Claiming that we can move the cargo port to somewhere else is only going to cause environmental damage somewhere else.

    What about the damage that has already been done to the reef because of cruise ship anchoring? Does the berthing facility not eliminate that from happening again?

    The cruise industry feeds mostly Caymanian businesses. income from the hotels does not stay here, and there are almost no Caymanian managers in the hotel sector.

    If we do not build the port for cruise, the cruise business will go. I am an environmentalist too, but i also recognise that those who are already comfortable can’t haul up the ladder on those coming up behind. What are we going to tell all those hundreds of people who feed their families from cruise tourism?

    I think there are a lot of porky-pies being told out there from the anti-port group and that the people are forming opinions based on those unthruths. that is not right.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Feeds a couple of already very rich Caymanian businesses is what you should say. Hardly a Caymanian employed there. Nothing like lining your own pocket.

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      • Anonymous says:

        well, that is just not true. Are you saying that there are no Caymanian taxi or tour operators? water sports operators? restauranteurs? small retail business owners in George Town and other places? And what if the passengers did not have to spend half of their entire day lining up to get on and off the ship – could they not go out to East End, North Side or other places in West Bay? is there not a single Caymanian entrepreneur who might benefit from that? You do not seem to be giving Caymanians much credit here and that is simply not right.

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        • Anonymous says:

          The local business will get richer on stayover tourism. The cruise ships drive the lowest prices or heavy discounts making it difficult to survive. The stayovers are much easier, no need to pay the cruise lines huge commission. Besides, its the shop owners driving this, not the people outside the port.

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          • Anonymous says:

            Yeah look at the report that came out from Bairds and look at thsoe who supported it.. Literally 90+% worked for Kirks.

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      • Anonymous says:

        So, in your opinion, where are caymanians employed ? They are not in town, they are not in the hotel sector, so, where do caymanians work?

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    • Anonymous says:

      “our cargo port is in terrible need of upgrading” – says what report based on what data? You mean the one they were using several years ago to try and justify the double-Port-plan then, then they realized they could work at night and boom no capacity problem and the Government (same party) has switched from talking about the need for a cargo port to the need for a cruise port.

      ‘Existing anchor damage’ – the anchorage area is basically a wasteland. Continued anchoring THERE will do little new damage. The port proposal kills coral reef that is outside of the current cruise ship anchoring area.

      “If we do not build the port for cruise, the cruise business will go.” – Says who? The people who said this 5+years ago or the ones saying we currently get 90% of the western Caribbean cruise market? Pray-tell, when is the cruise business going to go? until you can answer that (which they haven’t been able to yet) then you can’t answer when we need to build the dock. And where is it going to go? Until you can answer that, which they haven’t yet, you can’t answer why the dock will stop them going there anyway.

      PS> There are things we can spend our money on to get more tourism return on investment, i.e., more tourists spending more money more happily with more small Caymanian operators, than building the dock. (What? Well, better parking/pedestrian management in George Town would be the first one.)

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      • Anonymous says:

        The cargo port does need upgrading. Only the smallest possible cargo ships can call here – even by Caribbean standards where there is plenty of shallower water. This is a significant contributor to the high cost we pay for our goods. If the port could accommodate larger ships, they could put more goods on the ship and the prices go down.

        Yes, the cargo port operates at night and I think this is a significant contributor to the fact that George Town is a ghost town at night. Ever sat up at Breezes/now Sharky’s for a drink after work to watch the sunset? You can’t hear yourself think from the rumble of trucks. This needs a rethink for sure.

        The cruise lines have said definitively that they do not intend to tender their oasis class ships. And they are not building small ships anymore. So, once these older ships start to be decommissioned, there will be no more cruise tourism. it will dwindle away slowly. it has also been made public that the reason the cruise lines continue to come is because the Government has committed to look at cruise berthing.

        Where will the business go? There are 22 other destinations in the Caribbean that have cruise berthing. Including Cuba, where people are still very curious to see. We ought to be very concerned about what our competition is doing and how we are going to stay competitive.

        This is why it is dangerous to look at the current state and say ‘everything is wonderful, so why would we change’? well, grasshopper, we need to be planning for and working towards what we are going to do tomorrow.

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        • Anonymous says:

          Having imported many items over the last few years at retail prices, and previously wholesale for retail, I am of the opinion that even if you cut the shipping cost (cost charged by the shipping company) in half you would not significantly reduce the final local sale/purchase price. Yes I recognise that even a few pennies off of each item makes a difference, but the port/ship size is NOT ” a significant contributor to the high cost we pay for our goods”. – And it doesn’t matter since the Government’s plan is NOT to enlarge the commercial dock. Unless you know something they’re not saying publicly?

          Using GT at night. GT is a lot bigger than Breezes front step. The reason Town is dead at night is not because of the commercial Port operations. If we spent half of the proposed CRUISE dock money on improvements in Town (not least Planing rule changes supporting mixed-use development) you would do a lot more to energise GT at night even if the couple of roads have to be set aside for truck traffic. (I’d set aside a lot more, encouraging commercial deliveries at night and pedestrianisation in the day. But that’s another story.)

          The cruise lines? I believe you mean that one cruise line is opting for the ‘super ships’. The others have not laid keels for anything as big and several of the already small lines are unlikely ever to do so. Even if they did they just leave a market for someone else to slip in providing ’boutique’ tours. The question, as it always is, is how many tourists are the right number for us? Considering the number we have now, and the small independent operators who feel they are not getting a fair share of those tourists it would seem that we could better spend our money on up-skilling, etc., those operators because if they’re not able to get a slice of customers now then adding more won’t make a difference as the new ones will just go to someone else. So, again, we’d be better off spending our money to improve our tourism product in more productive ways than wasting lots of money to bring a few more tourists in for the people already getting a big slice of the business to get a bigger slice.

          I agree we need to be concerned about our competitors but “there are 22 other destinations in the Caribbean that have cruise berthing. Including Cuba” so clearly having a dock does not guarantee cruise ships beating a path to your port. Or are all of them as busy as Cayman already? The way we stay competitive is not by replicating them and building a dock it is by enhancing what makes us better already. (Make your own list, no need for us to argue over that.)

          Like the ant we do need to be planning and working towards a better tomorrow. But the cruise dock proposed for GT is not it. We need to be responsible with our money, use it to make improvements in our infrastructure and our people that will have real improvements for many people both in the industry and in wider society. The dock doesn’t do that. It mortgages our future to whoever is putting up the money up front.

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    • Anonymous says:

      So the cruise business will leave if we don’t build the dock? Are you sure about that?

      https://www.caymancompass.com/2017/12/05/5700-passenger-mega-ship-will-tender-in-cayman/

  10. Anonymous says:

    The KirkBots are seriously out in force now… All these cruise ship passengers buying watches has increased the discretionary income to pay these trolls $$$!

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    • Anonymous says:

      One thing that always amazes me is the crabs in a bucket mentality here. If a Caymanian family is successful we have to strip them down. Why? Can we not provide the opportunities for other Caymanian families to be equally successful instead of making it impossible for everyone to get ahead?

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      • Anonymous says:

        That would be fantastic except the shop owners have no wish to share that wealth with other Caymanians, hell they don’t even employ them…I know, I am in those shops frequently for a variety of reasons.

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      • Anonymous says:

        There is nothing wrong with a Caymanian family getting rich. More power to them but what other Caymanian families will get rich from this? All the shop spaces in town are in the hands of what 3 people? Who will get rich attracting maybe 1,000 more tourists a day? Seriously get a mind of your own and research everything about this dock deal. The arrogant secrecy by the government willing to throw $300,000,000 (MINIMUM) away on this, the company (CHEC) who is going to build it (SERIOUSLY research them, spend 5 minutes I dare you and tell me truthfully you don’t see anything wrong with them doing business in Cayman), sit down and look seriously at who will really benefit from the dock, look at how much of the marine environment will be affected by this deal. No one new is going to get rich from this, only a certain existing wealthy family and a few wealthy individuals will get richer from this. F’n muppet.

        – Muppet Hunter

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    • Anonymous says:

      anon 1104 so are the blind as bats

  11. Anonymous says:

    It appears from the FB page that registered voters can sign a petition at Hurley’s on Saturday, 8-4.

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  12. I ❤️ Kirkbots says:

    Kirkbots really need a life. Hiring Chinese to help the online campaign on all social media platforms is funny considering they’ll own Cayman if the dock is built.

    People see thru the lies. People get it and want their voices to be heard. Sign the petition let’s hold the referendum and show the Kirkbots they do not speak for Cayman.

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  13. Anonymous says:

    The Kirkbots clearly received their instructions around 17.00 last night. Not one of them, not one, can put together a concrete argument for the dock. It is all scare tactics and thumb downing the anti dock people. I hope the petition gets enough signatures. Even the pro-porters should sign it, that way democracy will be seen to have worked, and whoever wins, well good luck. However the few cannot decide for the many. PPM did not win the election on the port promise, they won it on fear of Mac getting back in. Like with the USA, it was an absence of choice that led to the election of the least evil, rather than the best.

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  14. Anonymous says:

    Umm…can someone please explain to me the argument AGAINST a REFERENDUM on the port decision?

    There is ZERO downside to this approach and for any politician to be opposed thereto is evidence of recklessness and ignorance at best and corruption and complicity at worst.

    There is a lot at stake with this project, so much so that it should be decided by the people.

    You know, we would be filled with praise if this project was in Switzerland and there were plans for a referendum.

    However, when it comes to Cayman, the very same people who would be praising the Swiss and Scandinavians for their “progressive and responsible” approach to government and development are the ones attacking the movement here.

    Free your minds Cayman. Believe it or not, you too are worthy of and deserve good and responsible government.

    – Whodatis

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    • Jotnar says:

      Did you have the same view about the Brexit referendum before it was held? After?

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      • Anonymous says:

        I don’t know about his view, but I’ll give you mine about both referendums.

        Brexit was internecine Conservative Party politics visited upon each of the UK’s constituent countries, the Crown Dependencies, and Overseas Territories, confirmed by the Supreme Court as affecting such fundamental rights of citizens that an Act of Parliament was required to implement it, and conducted by two sides: “Project Fear” and “Project Lies”. Project Lies won because old people believed the lies, remembered voting to enter something different than the EU was evolving into, and they sacrificed the young who were right to be afraid of how it would affect the course of their lives.

        The dock is THE question of what kind of tourism destination Cayman wants to be and therefore about one of our two economic pillars. It’s about who we want to get in bed with to build it for us since we can’t afford it, and how they get paid. It’s about how much environmental damage we are prepared to allow in the narrow commercial interests of a few. It’s about where the benefits that are said to go to the many will actually be distributed, since apparently there is more than one dock on the cards and who is going to do all that building? It’s about the most expensive capital project in our history. It’s about our capital, which happens to be the largest settlement by population in any Overseas Territory.

        See the similarities? Vested interests of few, broad impacts on everyone, finality of decision, enormous cost, enormous opportunity cost, the young affected the most.

        The big difference here is instead of the Unity Government being internally conflicted about the dock and compromising within its own ranks to hold a referendum and let the people decide, there appears to be no internal conflict within the Government and as a consequence, far from a desire to allow a referendum, there is a refusal to provide basic information to the public such that it has become necessary to ballot for a referendum just to find out what we would be voting on if we got one.

        Jotnar, I’ve read your comments for a long time and I’m fairly certain you’re a lawyer. You’ll know the old police saying for when an accused wants his lawyer: “what, you need a lawyer to help you tell the truth?”

        If you have to demand a referendum, it’s because the subject of it is something big enough that the people should decide. But it should be a fair fight, with facts. Brexit was not, and we’ve got much, much less to go on in Cayman right now with our big decision.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Yes because building a dock in Cayman is equal to Brexit. F’n muppet. Go back home to Sesame Street.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Was never against the Brexit referendum, I just knew what the result would be – unlike the British government.

        – Who

      • Anonymous says:

        Yes

    • Anonymous says:

      The problem with referendums on complex, evolving, 50/50 issues, as Brexit showed (thanks Jotnar) is that even when the vote is taken the sides/Government still can’t agree that the right decision was taken.

      Lets say I’m asked to vote for/against the port. But I don’t know what the Port plan is. How do I vote? If the port plan changes after I vote does that invalidate the referendum? What if the change was because of the referendum?

      So, if you’re a politician a referendum gives you very little you want. It tells you nothing you don’t already know about public opinion and removes your ability to (mis)manage the situation by tying the nation to a position the nation might not want after 6 months and two adjustments to the plan.

      If you’re a voter, referendums are fun however. And may help to crystallize a divisive issue that can’t otherwise be decided one way or the other. So bring it on.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Some of the most advanced and respected western democracies refer to referenda on a regular basis.

        Kindly quit with the feeble attempts of water muddying.
        Your bias is showing.

        – Who

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        • Anonymous says:

          Sorry Who but the waters are already muddy. You know things are complicated and people can hold an opinion (bring on the referendum) while appreciating the other side’s point of view (answering the request for an argument against the referendum).

    • Anonymous says:

      The problem with a referendum is that with anti-port campaign is filling people’s heads full of lies and then asking people to make decisions based on the lies and political motivations.

      When people are mislead and then asked to make decisions it is dangerous. Besides, moses campaigned twice on this issue and won both times. that seems to be referendum enough.

      • Anonymous says:

        There is nothing dangerous about demanding cold hard facts. Spinning your own lack of evidence is not going to cut mustard.

  15. 3 QUESTIONS says:

    My people –

    I think before you make a decision for or against this cruise berthing facility, ask your these 3 simple questions:

    1. Will it create more Caymanian jobs?
    2. Will the country be able to pay off its loan? 3. Will it provide easier access for tourists to walk to small inland businesses throughout the George Town area?

    If you can’t find a positive answer to these 3 questions, please don’t speculate and listen to false dreamers –

    PLEASE VOTE NO!

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    • Anonymous says:

      If you look at the public commenting report you can see who are virtually the only supporters

      https://cnslibrary.com/wp-content/uploads/Cruise-port-facility-Response-to-Public-Comments-September-2015.pdf

      Go to the bottom of the document and scroll through the list of those for and against
      take a look at the occupations for those who approve and the days which they submitted their comments

      This port really driven by and for the Kirkconnells, Thompson, Hamaty’s business partners and other waterfront merchants.

      They fear a referendum. The people deserve one

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    • SSM345 says:

      If you cannot answer these 3 simple questions then you better vote YES:
      a. What exactly is the plan? We need all the details; not just “talks are progressing”.
      b. What happens if we get demolished by Hurricanes over the next 15-20yrs (like IVAN); is there a backup plan to repay the massive loan with no cruise business?
      c. What is being done to develop all the infrastructure required to accommodate the massive increase in visitors?

      WE need these answers to name a few.

      Open up your eyes and mind because you clearly do not understand the word “risk” or anything about its role in business or Cayman’s future.

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      • philip says:

        One more big question to add to your list,

        What guarantees do we have from the cruise lines that they will bring in the large ships and for how long?, a very critical question.

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        • Anonymous says:

          That’s right Philip, we have no guarantees and I’d bet the cruise lines won’t guarantee it either. They can’t because it would make other destinations want guarantees and they can’t guarantee they will be everywhere at once.

        • Anonymous says:

          They’ve actually already been coming here and seemed perfectly capable of ferrying passengers.

  16. Johann Moxam says:

    What has been confirmed by CIG as of 26/8/19

    1. CIG are negotiating a Design/Build/Finance/Maintain model that means “there will be NO GUARANTEES” on a 25 year term. It will then be returned to the people of this country.

    Consider this…

    CIG collects $17.00 per passenger head tax

    In 2017 Cayman received 1.9million cruise passengers

    $17 x 1.9million = $32.3million in annual revenue

    32.3 x 25 yrs (financing term) = $807.5million over the life of the deal in gross revenue.

    For a project CIG thinks will cost CI$200m. Please note that no one in CIG has discussed the cargo operations and redevelopment with any details or facts to date. How will CIG replace this lost revenue over the 25 years? When there is a shortfall who do you think will be responsible for making up the difference? The answer is simple ALL citizens, residents and businesses especially corporate Cayman.

    It reasonable to estimate the financier makes 30-50% net of that over the life of the “ loan”. However the numbers speaks for themselves…the easiest way for CIG to clear up all speculation is to provide relevant information to the public.

    One must also take into consideration that the per head tax will likely increase from $17 per head over that 25 year finance /build/agreement. It is also important for CIG to confirm if they will ring fence any of the current revenue or surrender it all to the financier over the 25 year term life of the “borrowing”?

    Perhaps that’s why there is such a level of secrecy and lack of transparency. The issues that CIG are faced with and the increasing lack of public confidence is due to their own actions and poor PR and public consultation.

    If the hypothesis is inccurate all that is required is for CIG to provide their facts to the public.

    The time has come for all Caymanians to hold your MLA’s accountable. CIG must now be transparent with the public and release the information…the numbers will determine the true value for money proposition of the proposed cruise berthing project.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Moxam for Governor

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    • Ron Ebanks says:

      If government’s borrowed money is going to build this pier , why are the government talking with investors so secretive ? So if government collect the head tax , how would the financing, and maintenance /day to day operations be paid , and how much is all of these expenditures going to be monthly ?
      Like Mr. Moxam said they need to come clean with the public now . Too much cow manure in the smoke pan .

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    • Anonymous says:

      WRONG JOHANN! CIG does not collect $17:00 per passenger in head tax and are you talking CI or USD?Try so doing a little research before scaremongering people. The Compass did an article recently on exactly how much CIG collects in passenger tax and how much goes to the port and to the tenders. Check it out and stop spreading false news.

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    • Anonymous says:

      The best way to deal with Moxam is for the government to release the information to the public. He’s asking the correct questions and was brilliant on rooster. The silence speaks volumes plus drives even more questions it’s a very poor pr strategy.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Do this calculation again with the numbers that have been published, and not making up your own, and then redo the payment schedule based on the funds that go to the TENDER OPERATORS ($6 per head), not to the CIG/Port Authority. no loss of revenue for the Government, just for the tender company – who make about a cool $12 million a year from this business and who are financially supporting Save Cayman – I wonder why!

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      • Anonymous says:

        They make $12m? Based on your argument the government want to bankrupt some existing Caymanian businesses, so that their favorite colleague businesses can flourish, whilst incurring a massive debt that all here (Caymanians and expats alike) will need to pay if it goes wrong. You try to make it sound like the tender owners make $12m profit-however they have to invest in the tender boats, pay the crews, maintain the boats, buy insurance and all of that at no cost to the tax payer. Stop trying to legitimize illegal theft of Caymanian businesses whilst nobody else (and I mean no one) apart from the shop owners will benefit. Who is spinning who here?

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        • G.Wirth says:

          No is remembering the Cruise Line comment before.We don’t like using ports without tie-up…..tendering is expensive and time wasting.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Wouldn’t it be better for you to provide this information along with the
        “correct” calculations in order to prove your point?

    • Anonymous says:

      please confirm as you say that over 32 million per year goes to government. gee that sounds as if the government is making some money off thus not just kirk freeport.

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  17. Anonymous says:

    for the kirkbots…..
    if you think there is only expats against this why are you afraid of a referendum?

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  18. Anonymous says:

    The actuality of this referendum matter is purely a delay and obstruction tactic. Even if this were to go to referendum, the dock would win hands down. Why? Because it makes economic sense and good for the growth of Cayman, tourist wise and economy wise. The only thing we have to ensure is to keep as much of the project and financing out of the blisteringly incompetent hands of government which will undoubtedly find a way to skyrocket the build and operational costs. I don’t know Dart nor work for him, but we should let him built it and know it will be done right and awesomely. Like everything else he does.

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    • The Constitutional Critic says:

      If you honestly believe a word of the portion of your comment in regard to the initiative “winning” a majority vote by the people surely you support the referendum as it would categorically give the elected government the mandate they need to charge forward with the support of the majority behind them.
      Except that is exactly the opposite of the likely outcome of the referendum and you know that as well as they do, if there was even the slight possibility of them getting the outcome they desired from the referendum they would have proposed one years ago

      The truth is the majority of the public, both Caymanians and Expats have been against this project from the beginning the government is cognizant of this information and hence the lack of information, transparency and communication on the part of the government

      The absolute best part of this comment is even though you support the port, you admit that the government has a track record of mucking up capital projects, look at Clifton Hunter which costed 110 million when the CIG said it would be 50 million

      Look at John Gray that isn’t even done 10 years later, and is now being remodeled for a convenient completion right before a general election (aka more of the Government holding projects over the heads of the people, “Re-elect me and my party, or this will not be done” )

      Look at the airport that is now at least 30% over the original projections, which the government refuses to acknowledge (but our elected members can show up for the photo Op in regards to the project yesterday)

      The CIG has a long and storied history of spending money they don’t have in order to build monuments to their own egos

      We as the broader Caymanian people will not allow this port to become another such display of unnecessary opulence and ego-maniacal self service to the PPM led coalition or any other government

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    • Anonymous says:

      Darkbot supervisor right there.

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    • Anonymous says:

      As much as I want to thumbs down this comment the middle part had me agreeing.

      “The only thing we have to ensure is to keep as much of the project and financing out of the blisteringly incompetent hands of government which will undoubtedly find a way to skyrocket the build and operational costs.”

      I would just add Dart to that. Build the dock then have say tug boat assist in the docking so they big ships don’t churn up the silt.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Yeh, right, so you have nothing to worry about if there is a referendum…so have it and the question will be answered once and for all. Trump like tactics “everyone likes me” when that could not be further from the truth do not cut it.

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  19. Anonymous says:

    Talk about transparency. When are we going to get full disclosure on who are the people pushing and funding groups such as.Sustainable Cayman
    . Went on facebook page, can’t see one name or picture, yet you want me to sign and identify myself. No way Jose`.

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  20. Anonymous says:

    Build the berths. You campaigned on it and won. .Just build it

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    • Anonymous says:

      They didn’t win, they lost resoundingly, and then were allowed to form the Unity coalition.

  21. anon 345 says:

    Let the referedum show the true position of the majority of Caymanians on this issue.

    If the Government is so certain that the majority of the country supports their cruise berthing project, they should have no fear of the people going to the polls on this.

    Let the people of our Island have their say.

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  22. Anonymous says:

    All those online petitions signed by foreigners gave the save cayman group false hope. They will soon find voter support against the dock is non existent.

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  23. Anonymous says:

    Smh! How can you say in your story ‘How it will be paid for have also remained a mystery?’ Maybe you don’t read the papers but there was an ad in there yesterday from the Department of Tourism saying the port would be paid for by DBFM meaning the person who builds it will finance it not government. And it would be repaid like @7:29 said, by the tender funds.

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    • Anonymous says:

      @8:00 So tender funds are paying for it? All $300 million minimum? If a dock is built there will be no tenders. That was extra money paid by the ships to get the people ashore. You really believe the cruise lines are going to pay that for something WE decided to do? That’s like me buying a house and having my neighbor pay the mortgage.

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    • Anonymous says:

      The devil is in the details

  24. Anonymous says:

    I’m sick and tired of the same noisy people who jump up in arms against every major project that will keep Cayman successful. Government better not give them the time of day. They have nothing better to do but complain. Keep Caymsn going FORWARD. THE DOCK EQUALS JOBS FOR CAYMANIANS AND OPPORTUNITIES. the economy is stale and saturated. We need help.

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    • Anonymous says:

      not quite. The tourism industry is at full capacity at the moment and seven mile beach does not hold the sufficient space for an estimated 2 million cruise ship tourists per annum. In addition to these facts, the potential silt from the port construction and docked cruise ships is bound to destroy the beauty of not only the coral reefs in George Town but also seven mile beach – Cayman’s two biggest assets for tourism. These two assets are necessary to medium and long term economic growth in the tourism industry.

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    • Anonymous says:

      No one is up in arms. We can create the future we want through a democratic process that engages everyone’s best abilities and with careful observation of the facts and the vision our youth has for their future. Cayman belongs to them too and this project will be their debt for the next 25 years.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Ooooh, touchy aren’t we? Back up your claims….except there is nothing but empty words and pie crust promises to do so with.

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    • Anonymous says:

      WRONG-most number of cruise ship visitors occurred without this white elephant. Fear tactics will not work.

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    • Anonymous says:

      “THE DOCK EQUALS JOBS FOR CAYMANIANS AND OPPORTUNITIES.”

      Not in the construction phase if CHEC is building it. I would be surprised to see a single Caymanian working on it. As for after it’s construction? Jobs doing what? You won’t be able to sell anything on the dock, that will be at the new berthing terminal. Maintaining the dock? Umm nope. Cleaning it? Umm nope. The only people who will benefit are the taxi’s and tour buses of which there are plenty already and the shops in town which are already staffed and there are no more rental spaces so how exactly does that provide opportunity? OH you mean in regards to the extra thousand tourist on the couple of mega ships out there IF they come to Cayman for about 4 months of the year? Oh yeah, I can see the opportunity man, I could go out there and cut it with a knife. F’n Muppet.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Nonsense from Kirkbots and desperate supporters. Show us the facts then let’s have the referendum to demonstrate the views of the people. What exactly are the Kirkbots and Unity government afraid of?

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    • Anonymous says:

      Calm down. A referendum should tell us how many people want or don’t want it.

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    • Anonymous says:

      @7:40 The economy is stale and saturated.. I agree but I ask you what is it saturated with? Tour operators who whisk the people away to sting ray city and island tours that stop at select places? Or maybe the fact that almost every store in George Town sells not the same product but the same designs on the same products. Take a walk through town one day and pick 5 stores and I promise you 4 out of those 5 will have the exact same t-shirt with the exact same design for $30. We need more local people getting involved in this industry and creating their own products. I know there is a few, 345 Cayman for example. Want to create jobs? How about our young people creating their own tourism based companies that don’t include jet ski’s or boat tours.

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  25. Anonymous says:

    The tender company monopoly is the money behind this fake environmental conservation front. All they care about are the $6 per head they take in every single time a ship throws an anchor down. They have paid a few foreign dive masters to make noise.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Read the EY and Biller Paw report …just build the Piers.

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      • Anonymous says:

        WOW the pro berthing facility people must really be afraid that the people of the Cayman Islands will stand up to stop this waste of money.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Do you really think there aren’t Caymanians who don’t want this dock? Who don’t dive or value the environment? If so you don’t know my generation. We mingle very effectively amongst each other, many of us being only half-Caymanian anyway (in my case my Caymanian father fell in love with a visitor who has now been here for 35 years) and share more or less a common set of values amongst our generation including with the children of expats and that includes not fixing what isn’t broken and not destroying what nature made all on its own and that can’t be fixed if broken. There is a broad coalition of millennials, expats, yes overseas enviromentalists, Caymanians who think the port will be ugly, too expensive, badly managed, bad for stayover tourism, there are stayover tourists who wouldn’t want it if they knew about it, yes there are the tender companies and I could not care less if they funded opposition to this with the revenue they receive. They bring tourists to shore in a sustainable way. What better use of their revenue could there be than to fight a concrete montrosity that has a high probability of destroying underwater tourism on the lee (western) side of Grand Cayman that we’re so lucky to have. You’ll see if this is a fake environmental conservation front when you see the registered voters putting their names down and you’ll be sorely disappointed.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Yeah and a fake pro “allcaymaniansfromnowtilltheendoftime” will benefit front is funded by a certain family that owns boats and jewelry stores.

  26. Anonymous says:

    This project is for the socioeconomic betterment of the people of this country and the only people against it is expats and some dive companies staff who call themselves environmentalist! We need to ensure cruise tourism survives because the local operators depend on it… without cruise visitors many many local operators will be out of work and lose their business!

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    • Anonymous says:

      Saying it’s for the socioeconomic benefit of caymanians is not true. First of all socially it can’t be – such environmental damage to coral reefs which are already in fragile states worldwide definitely does not meet the nation’s social benefit… Having proven the sociological benefit to be false, then the last standing argument you have is for the economic benefit for caymanians. The medium to long term economic benefit is dimished due to the environmental damage. It is quite simple, destroy the tourism industries two greatest assets – coral reefs and seven mile beach beach (both due to silt from the port construction and the over crowding on beaches from the estimated 2 million cruise passengers per annum). Drive through town on a weekday and it’s difficult to believe that unemployment levels in the tourism catering to cruise ship passengers is in jepardy.

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    • Anonymous says:

      I’m a Caymanian and have no connection to a dive company and I’m against it. You make it sound like if we don’t build this pier crusie ships will stop coming here altogether. They will still come here. Stop being an alarmist.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Calm down. A referendum will reveal all.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Thing is, what will the cruise ship visitors see here if there is nothing environmentally attractive to enjoy? The deterioration of the environment, the unmanageable crowds and traffic are already causing rumbles among the very visitors that come on ships.
      The Sand Bar is already crowded, does Government know many days out of the week the Rays do not enter the Sand Bar and operators are passing along the only Ray they can catch for hours on end? In crowded days the Rays stay away in the deep zone and operators already struggle to show the main attraction.
      This is one fact of how the environment is affected and it is changing the behavior of the rays. When rays re gone, then what?
      Seven Mile has already disappeared from several properties including the Marriott area. Is government aware there were so many beach chairs on a narrow sliver of sand that people could not walk from Coco Plum to Regal Beach. Erosion by natural causes with the help of walls built close to the high water mark have taken all sand away. When Radisson was built (where the Marriott is now), there was more than 80 feet of sandy beach. Now it is gone. A pier could have serious side effects on our environment, traffic and social as crowds are hard to control..
      Side with nature, you can not go wrong.

      • Anonymous says:

        Side with nature, she will win regardless in the end, it’s just up to how much you are will to fight her.

  27. Anonymous says:

    If anyone actually goes through the comments on Save Cayman Facebook page it is easily 75% or more expats or foreign dive masters working in Cayman. None of them have skin in the game and none of them have any idea how many Caymanian families are propped up by the cruise ship passengers. I am a local who has my own jet ski company and I am struggling and am 100% for the dock.

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    • Anon says:

      Either you are making a judgment of nationality based on your own beliefs of what is perceived to be a caymanian on a superficial level or you know for certain the nationality of all those you see on Facebook.

      Addressing your complaint about the lack of business in your jet ski company. I find difficulty believing that not enough cruise ship passengers are on seven mile beach. Have you thought about the breakdown of your clients? Maybe do a survey of those using your facilities and see what percentage of clients are overnight or cruise ship tourists. The daily expenditure of cruise ship passengers is minimal (I think the estimate is 80 dollars for the day). Jet ski rentals are costly expenditures for any tourist. Either the demand for jet ski rentals from cruise ship passengers is not meeting your supply so your prices need to be lowered to entice them to rent Jet skis. I say this because the tourism industry is at full capacity and I don’t see how if business is lacking with crowded beaches already during the day from cruise ship passengers, how adding more of the cruise ship passengers to the same size beach is going to solve the problem of lack of demand for your jet skis.

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    • Anonymous says:

      A brief aside: could you possibly feed your family with a less obnoxious, loud, dangerous a-hole’s toy than a jet ski business. Asking for the environment.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Oh, SO YOU are the muppet that is breaking every law on the West side of the island. Get your business in order 7:08, before you kill someone.

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      • Anonymous says:

        FACT! As to the issue of jet ski’s coming too close to dive boats? I say let the crews on the dive boats have paint guns. A couple of those paint balls on bare skill will deter that crap.

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        • Anonymous says:

          9.38am A really stupid idea. What happens when the jet skiers bring their own paint guns and fire back hitting a few visitors, or maybe they will bring something more lethal.Really dumb idea.

          • Anonymous says:

            Unless the marine division of the cops gets their waterlogged asses in gear and patrol the Seven Mile Beach areas to stop jet skiers form coming close to dive boats and ticket them. You have a better idea? I do have another idea, wait till a diver is killed by a jet skier then ban jet skis on the Seven Mile Beach altogether.

  28. caymanbluerunner says:

    It’s interesting how some people have forgotten what it was like in 2009, personally I want cruiseship’s to berth. George town needs the help which the berthing intern will spur further funding to provide the growth that George Town needs to move forward otherwise Dart will just purchase the whole town then develop the port himself… town has gone backwards while Dart has sucked GT.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Oh dear, now throwing Dart in? Do you have a real argument?

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    • SMH says:

      If this was a good idea and real value the government would be proud to share the details with the people. I wonder is the Auditor General auditing this project now before it’s too late? The public deserve all the facts and to be consulted. What are they afraid of? The referendum will clearly indicate the views of the people before any contracts are signed.

      The lack of transparency confirms that Cayman is going to get fleeced in negotiations by Royal Caribbean and Carnival cruise lines, Dart or CHEC in any financing and construction contract when this deal is signed by short sighted politicians who are incapable of thinking long term they worry about monuments, political legacy and getting re-elected. They will have healthy pensions to retire with. SMH

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    • Anonymous says:

      How do you think George Town will grow? How is that even physically possible? Show me undeveloped land in George Town where more trinket shops and over priced burger joints can be put.

      Here is what is going to happen.

      Dock is built, these tourist are whisked away to Barkers (once it’s developed), Caymana Bay, the various tours, etc and George Town will remain exactly as it is (because it cannot be physically developed more than it is) owned by a couple of people who’s stores are raking in the money while paying slightly more than slave wages. Or in laymans terms.. A really good friday.

      How does this benefit the majority? More traffic? More dangerous driving buses? Less beach space? More trash?

  29. nickcayman says:

    Why countries might want out of China’s Belt and Road

    There’s also a powerful political motive: A Pentagon report released last week said China was trying to “develop strong economic ties with other countries, shape their interests to align with China’s, and deter confrontation or criticism of China’s approach to sensitive issues.”

    Even so, many foreign partners were eager to sign up for the Belt and Road — largely because the loans tend to come with far fewer restrictions than those from Western countries.

    But Malaysia’s decision shows how the plan can come apart. For one thing, Belt and Road projects have sometimes made no economic sense. In Sri Lanka, China poured money into an airport designed to handle 1 million passengers a year. Now it has been dubbed the world’s emptiest international airport. “Business is so slow that the airport has made more money from renting out the unused cargo terminals for rice storage than from flight-related activities,” wrote Bangkok-based writer Brook Larmer.

    Another Belt and Road project in Sri Lanka, a deepwater port, is now in the hands of a state-owned Chinese company on a 99-year lease after it failed to attract enough business to make its loan payments. This could swell into a bigger problem: A study released by the Center for Global Development in March suggested that Djibouti, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Maldives, Mongolia, Montenegro, Pakistan and Tajikistan would also struggle to repay Chinese Belt and Road loans.

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2018/08/22/why-countries-might-want-out-chinas-belt-road/

    Nicholas Robson

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    • Anonymous says:

      Is this anything like the DECADES of unsavoury and destructive deals the USA, UK, France, Holland, Spain etc have saddled Africa, Latin America, Asia and essentially the entire “3rd world”?

      Ever heard of “3rd world debt”?

      I find it laughable when leaders like Hilary Clinton and such travel to Africa and the Caribbean to “warn” the people against China.
      All they have to do is look around and see what 80 years of the alternative western “trade deals” have brought them; poverty, dispossession, and aid dependence.

      It would be nice to see this level of scrutiny applied when the seedy snake-oil salesman is White, Western and Christian.

      (In fact, I often wonder where were the western grassroots social justice warriors fighting for the rights of the exploitable when it was members of their own team committing the evil?)
      Oh, that’s right – those were the ostracised tinfoil hat wearing, peace sign flashing, weeded out hippies. Got it.

      As for China’s endeavours – according to history and western example, they have the right to do everything they are doing right now.
      In fact, nothing they attempt today will ever equate the levels of destruction and manipulation when compared to say, the USA…who even involves its military in foreign countries to pave the way for its private companies to reap economic benefits.

      To those who will surely draw the red-herring retort of “the race card” aspect of my perspective I say; Sometimes we fail to see the glaring hypocrisies in societies because we have been indoctrinated to regard injustices as normal and or inherent privileges within humanity.

      It is only when the very same transgressions are committed by the “others” that we awaken thereto.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Btw, my original reply was not to absolve China of their responsibilities or economic transgressions, but instead to advise caution on the ongoing attempt to demonise China when those before it (western countries) have done and continue to do far worse.

        Fundamentally there is little difference between the West and China.

        Rather than playing tug-of-war over the heads of the affected countries, how about we finally regarding the citizens thereof as primary in these trade deals and policies?

  30. Anonymous says:

    Where do I go to sign , .?

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  31. Anonymous says:

    All this silence stinks of corruption and kickbacks. It is no surprise that the so called ‘transparency’ campaign promises have vanished. If 1.3M of public funds are spent on a little piddly sidewalk of such a short distance, does anyone really believe this will be budget?

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  32. Anonymous says:

    Save cayman has been going on facebook for 3 years now and can’t even get that many likes and most of those people never even been here before so they never gone get any votes.

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  33. Anonymous says:

    Unless the Save Cayman group has figured out a way to get the Overseas member of DEMA registered as voters this is going no where. Mainly foreigners against the port.

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  34. Anonymous says:

    How convenient the wave of cruise port supporters seems to have magically evaporated this week

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  35. Anonymous says:

    Everyone sign the petition to push the people initiated referendum. The government that WE elected who works for US needs to see that we are not taking their shit anymore. They work on our behalf and there is no successful company I know of that an employee can do whatever they want contrary to what the boss says. They need to come clean and when the facts come to light, heads need to roll and I don’t mean not getting elected.

    What they are doing is borderline treasonous by as government officials, colluding with a foreign power to get a foot hold in OUR country. Any MLA, back bencher, board heads/members or director who stands to gain PERSONALLY from this project by means of either money/concessions in pocket of private business gains needs to be held accountable. Enough is enough.

    These fools have profited at our expense for FAR TOO LONG!

    All of them, their finances should be subpoenaed and investigated. WE the people of Cayman need to stand up as one and tell them we are sick of being pushed down in our own country, we are sick of this runamuck government, we are sick of millions being spent to benefit a certain few will the rest of the population suffers, the lodge needs to burn and the LA needs to be cleaned out from top to bottom.

    How many positions have been given to people who run this country into the ground through incompetence because it’s who you know and skills be damned. How much money has gone into the hands of a select few from the various government projects through direct influence or plain greed.

    Our children’s grades suffer, schools are below standard, healthcare and daily living costs are out of control, cost of buying a property beyond ridiculous and yes I know it’s an island and land is finite but that doesn’t explain the insane cost of a piece of land or a modest 2 bedroom house or the fact a one bedroom apartment is nearly $1500. Break the CUC monopoly, encourage competition in utilities to bring down prices, introduce renewable energy to help bring prices down.

    Most of us in Cayman struggle to make ends meet yet the government tosses around money like water out of a sprinkler on lawns that don’t need watering. Let this referendum be the end of this dock foolishness and let this dock be the start of Caymanians taking back our island from those who wish to sell it out from under us and from those who only wish to see us fail or benefit at our expense.

    THESE PEOPLE ARE HIDING MORE THAN WE KNOW AND THEY NEED TO COME CLEAN AS MEN OR BE BROUGHT DOWN AS CRIMINALS!

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    • Anonymous says:

      You already had an election . The dock won. The referendum is trying to undo that.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Hmm don’t remember putting my mark on the politician named “Dock Pier”. And the last bunch that wanted the dock? Their party didn’t win.

  36. Anonymous says:

    This is great news. Give us a choice at least.

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  37. An older Caymanian says:

    The dock is a great deal for a select few…… and over 90% of us aren’t included!

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  38. Anonymous says:

    CNS the electoral register which is online is in direct breach of the Cayman Islands Data Protection Law. Does Chief Officer Wesley Howell who is in charge have anything to say?

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  39. Anonymous says:

    Where do I sign?

    And people, remember that crap McKeeva pulled of caving and doing a government-organised referendum when signatures were being gathered for a people-initiated one and saying that 50% of registered voters had to vote in favour for him to treat ‘his’ referendum as binding on him. In a people-initiated referendum, 25% of registered voters have to want the referendum but only 50% of those who vote have to vote in favour for it to pass. We want the latter. Start collecting and keep collecting until we have a people-initiated referendum.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Anon 3:10,
      The threshold for a people’s generated referendum as established in the Cayman Islands Constitution Order 2009 is 50% +1 of the registered voters not those who vote.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Don’t let McKeebler pull the cookie dough over your eyes.

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    • West Bay Premier says:

      Where do I sign the petition ? Oh my god the kirkbots at it again. Thumbing comments down even if they makes sense, but can’t write an intelligent response to the actions.

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      • Cliodhna says:

        Hurleys Saturday August 1st from 8 am to 4pm. You Must know your voter registration number to sign

  40. Anonymous says:

    About blimmin’ time….lets get all the facts, and when I say facts I mean it, rather than the bland and rather disingenuous “if we don’t build it, they won’t come” when the facts seem to indicate otherwise…ever increasing numbers as emphasized by the very people who want this built.

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  41. Anonymous says:

    Finally!

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