Opposition pushes for referendum on port
Save Cayman march against the cruise port proposal
(CNS): Opposition Leader Ezzard Miller has filed a private member’s motion calling on government to put the question of whether or not it should go ahead with the cruise berthing project to the people. Calls for a referendum on the issue have been mounting as public support for the increasingly controversial proposal appears to have dwindled and the justification from government is losing traction. Now the opposition is challenging government to let the public decide with a vote. Speaking on behalf of the official opposition at a press conference on Thursday, Miller said he doesn’t believe there is enough support or justification and the project will not benefit most Caymanians.
Miller said the government was pursuing the costly development on the “false notion of wide-scale public support”, but he said there is “considerable evidence of a lack of public support” for this “ill-advised course of action.”
He pointed to the absence of support from major stakeholders, such as the Chamber of Commerce, the Watersports Association and even the Cayman Islands Tourism Association, along with the demonstration of opposition from the people in 2015 with the sizable demonstration, and the public consultation results in the environmental impact study, where 73% said they opposed the project.
The leader of the opposition was confident that this motion would take priority over the motions expected to be on the agenda for the next meeting of the Legislative Assembly, which is scheduled to be held in Cayman Brac next month. Seconded by the opposition member for East End, Arden McLean, the motion calls on government to put the proposal to the people as soon as possible and not to sign any contracts until after the referendum.
While the opposition does not have the numbers to force government to accept the motion, prior to the election at least one member of the government benches was opposed to the port. But the motion is calling for a vote by the people, and in theory those supporting the project should not oppose a national ballot if government’s position is truly supported by the majority, as it claims. Nevertheless, it is unlikely that the front bench will embrace the idea.
But Miller explained that the motion provides an opportunity for the opposition to press the government to be more transparent and tell the people exactly what is happening in the closed-door discussions about the revised plans.
“We have asked more than four times for a presentation on this project, including in writing, and government has not responded,” Miller said. He pointed out that if nothing else, the motion should reveal more information than is currently in the public domain and force the government “to unveil the details”.
But he also said that if the motion for a national vote cannot persuade the government, through debate in parliament, to put a stop to the project, the opposition will join forces with local activists and environmental campaigners to purse a people-initiated referendum.
Miller listed a catalog of reasons why the opposition opposes the idea of building cruise berthing facilities, including the failure to justify it economically, the negative impact on the George Town infrastructure and wider tourist attractions, the risk to existing dive and watersports businesses, the threat to the marine environment, as well as the risk to Seven Mile Beach. which has not been ruled out by experts. He also noted the costs, which he insists will eventually be carried by the people, despite the government’s claims to the contrary.
“At some point in time the government is going to have to accept that we do not need this project and it does not have public support,” the opposition leader said. “For more than 20 years the government has been saying the cruise ships won’t come unless we build piers, but they still come because the good Lord put Cayman in the right place.”
He pointed out that passenger arrival numbers have gone up and the current minister of tourism has bragged of a 15% increase in numbers since he took over. Miller rejected claims put forward by the government and supporters that the piers would see ships stay longer. He said ships’ arrival and departure times are part of the schedule required to get from island to island, not piers, as well as the need to get into open waters to open the casinos.
“There can be no justification or urgency to build a cruise pier in the face of government reported sustained growth in cruise ship and passenger visits year-on-year for the last five years,” he said. “Cayman currently gets 90% of all cruise passengers on the western Caribbean itinerary and pre-disposing conditions are such that there is no likelihood that will change.”
He added, “To spend more than $200 million to secure a percentage of the remaining 10% is totally illogical and a waste of the country’s resources.”
Not just opposed to this plan but the idea of berthing facilities at all, Miller said he and the opposition members support the idea of a moratorium on tender licences to enable the existing businesses to invest in new modern fleets. He said that they also want to see immediate investment in new and appropriate facilities in the harbour to improve the disembarking and embarking process for passengers.
Surveys conducted by the cruise sector have consistently pointed to the cost of shopping in Cayman as the main complaints visitors have, not the tendering.
“Cayman has other far more pressing development and infrastructural needs, such as education and training for Caymanians, improved and expanded mental health services, and more comprehensive and efficient waste management systems and services,” Miller said.
The total cost is also cause for concern, as the government’s track record on major capital projects when it comes to costs and overruns may not fill the public with confidence, given that this project’s starting price could be as much as CI$300 million.
Government has constantly refuted this estimate but has never suggested what it believes is a realistic estimation, as the position of the current administration has been that the public purse will not pay for it as it will indirectly be paid for through the diversion of cruise passenger fees from the Port Authority to the cruise lines.
Meanwhile, local political pundit and former Chamber president, Johann Moxam, who has been unwavering in his opposition to the project, which he said has significant environmental, socio-economic and financial implications, welcomed the opposition’s call for a referendum. As someone who was instrumental in organizing the people-initiated referendum on ‘one man, one vote’ in 2012, Moxam said this was another issue that should be decided by the people.
“A referendum will clearly demonstrate the will of the people at a time when Cayman has record numbers in both cruise passenger arrivals and air arrivals,” he told CNS. “There are other more pressing priorities for the country at this time. The concerns of the masses must take precedence over the commercial interests of a handful of merchants who represent the pro-port lobby.”
Moxam added, “This will become another government white elephant project to placate a select few supporters, campaign financiers and the egos of politicians, which each tax payer, resident and corporate Cayman will subsidize.”
See the opposition leader’s motion and statement in the CNS Library
Category: Local News
There is the registered voter-led petition that will be circulated by the end of the week the unelected Unity Gov’t they do not have a mandate from the public.
The People’s Referendum will demonstrate our views on a very expensive and bad idea. Let’s show them our collective voices now.
Only need 5,288 voters to sign.
People-initiated referendums:
§70.—(1) Without prejudice to section 69, a law enacted by the Legislature shall make provision to hold a referendum amongst persons registered as electors in accordance with section 90 on a matter or matters of national importance that do not contravene any part of the Bill of Rights or any other part of this Constitution.
(2) Before a referendum under this section may be held—
(a) there shall be presented to the Cabinet a petition signed by not less than 25 per cent of persons registered as electors in accordance with section 90 (@21,150 = just 5,288 voters);
(b) the Cabinet shall settle the wording of a referendum question or questions within a reasonable time period as prescribed by law; and
(c) the Cabinet shall make a determination on the date the referendum shall be held in a manner prescribed by law.
(3) Subject to this Constitution, a referendum under this section shall be binding on the Government and the Legislature if assented to by more than 50 per cent of persons registered as electors in accordance with section 90.
Let’s work together and challenge their actions in the courts if necessary our environment is too important. Public pressure and loud United voices from all types of Caymanians and residents who will be impacted by their decisions will give the government all the reasons to reconsider this horrible idea and listen to voters if they want to be re-elected.
Any MLA that supports this project and the current lack of transparency and potential damage to our marine environment, the seven mile beach, our world famous dive sites while committing the financial future to a PPP financing partner including Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise lines, China Harbour Enginneering or DART lines that will own and control our port for a minimum 30-50 years be voted out of office in 2021.
I categorically do not support this petition.
What I do support is a request made by the opposition that all details be provided in good faith to the docks at every step and that a complete EIA study is provided on the new way forward prior to any movement.
I think we can all appreciate that no matter what we do there will be some impact so a spotless report is a fairy-tale story only. What we want to see is what we had first and what we have done to come to where we are to see that the government is operating in good faith.
I heard all the environmentalist screaming it’s not worth it and all that crap but no one is looking down the line for Cayman. Everyone is stuck in the here and now.
Currently the Cayman Islands makes around US$82 per cruise passenger. The cost of the docks as I heard would be around $300mil. That’s roughly 3,658,537 passengers. If this was amortized over 10 years it would mean 365,854 passenger increase per year. This is very possible. The Cayman Islands has done over 1.9 mil passengers before and we are currently on par for about 1.7mil this year. I believe it’s fairly safe to say we could increase our passenger counts by 400k per year leading the dock paying for itself in a little over 9 years.
So from a finance end I see this as viable.
Things that need to be addressed:
1. Environmental Impact – We need to mitigate as much of the impact as humanly possible with the best technology known. This is a must. We should not be cutting our arm off for our leg.
2. Passenger disbursement – We need to look at how we distribute traffic. I think we need invest another $10mil to $20mil in creation of a dock in eastern districts and further improve the Spotts dock. This will allow us to put less pressure on GT. This also allows us to grow our outer districts and change traffic demands. This is a win win situation. Currently everyone has to go to town to work. What if many East Enders and North Siders had work in their own area? This would help traffic and spread tourism. I would create a special job/business ownership moratorium to allow East Enders and North Siders to have first rights to jobs and businesses.
3. Cruise Line confirmations. We would want agreements in place that allow us to reach those 300k to 400k mark in tourism increases. Getting commitments by major cruise lines for stops in Cayman for larger ships is a must.
I do believe more planning is needed on this but I do believe it needs to move forward.
I think we need to understand that the world is changing. Currently our finance sector is under major attack and by end of 2020 we could be in a different place where we loose 20% to 40% of our finance sector.
I think we need to learn lessons before the pain. We do not want to wait until we have massive job losses before we react. We need to be creating jobs and growing our country by choice not by circumstance.
I think we also need look at Casinos. I think something like that could create jobs and income for our stayover market. If we had tournaments here in summer months we could increase tourism and level out our seasons.
We need to start thinking outside the box and moving our country forward Not just bitching at ideas because they go against our religion. We need start creating jobs so that our kids have jobs to come out to. Investing in schooling for new careers in technology and sciences.
We need invest in solar and other alternative energies. The Cayman Islands with its wonderful weather should be a global leader in this sector not on the back end. I say shame on our previous governments for allowing CUC to rape us and control us for so many years.
9:45 am: a lot of common sense. However, the Opposition has asked over and over for a presentation on the project to no avail. Never happened and took us to where we are now. The whole idea of the Motion for a Referendum is to force govt to debate the issues.
We shall see.
I just wish we didn’t have to be so political about things and could just sit down around a table and hash things out knowing we all want what is best for the country.
One question about your math, that US$82 that is what the shops, etc make not port fees I assume? Port fees are what $20 – $30? So that $300,000,000 just became 1,500,000 – 1,000,000 and not the 365,854 more a year for 25 – 27 years in port fees to pay for it. That is 125,000 – 83,333 more tourists a month or (based on 3,000 per ship) 42 – 28 more ships a month coming here or about 5 – 7 ships a day in total.
1. Environmental impact reports – yes definitely need.
2. More dock locations – Agreed, this could be win win if done right.
3. Cruise Line confirmations – Never happen, they would never commit because then all the other islands would want the same.
All the rest I agree with, for the job situation? My views are a bit more radical in who and how many permits given out but I’m leaving my opinion on that in my head.
Growing up in Cayman, for me this is all déjà vu. When a Government tries to plan strategically it is opposed and the Government in turn withdraws from engaging with the public. Our short history is littered with such mistakes and I fear that we are about to add to the list. I hope that the Government gets its act together soon and does a better job at communicating. There was a good start a number of years ago and now the information in the public domain should be urgently updated.
We need the dock and to rebuild GT. Please PPM don’t be disheartened by the noisy minority of mostly xpats.
Referendum, please.
Hmmmmmm
A ‘Big’ (greedy) family on island has been upset for years that the Cruise Ships advise their passengers to not buy things on Grand Cayman because at their other Ports of Call, items are cheaper. GREAT advice for their first time Passengers AND repeat Passengers.
I took many cruises. I bought Jewelry excitedly from other than Cayman because it was true that there are no bargains on Grand Cayman.
Same here, I bought a watch in Antigua on a cruise for nearly $200 less than I saw in Kirk’s
Rebuild GT when was that business case put forward ? Who is going to pay for that ? Won’t it cost more than the port to rebuild a town ?
@1:04 I’m noisy and I’m not an expat. We don’t need the dock. ┌∩┐(◣_◢)┌∩┐
Moses parting the sea so an Oasis can land in cardinal avenue. Alden on his knees pleading sophisticated harassment as Joey signs confidentiality agreements and Liberace sits overseeing it all. What a mess.
The Hon. Minister of Tourism Moses Kirkconnell appears to be full of conflicts of interest. In 2013 as Minister for the Port Authority his cousin Gerry Kirkconnell was the Port Dep. Chairman. Why? Were there no other persons to choose for the Port Board?
Now, still as Minister of Tourism for the Airport, Mr. Moses has appointed Thom Guyton as Chairman, and Thom is the husband of the Minister’s cousin Debbie Kirkconnell-Guyton. Why? Is there no other person to put there?
Where is the anti-corruption commission inwestigation on all of this?
Where is the Anti-Corruption Commission on any issue?
Choudury talked when he returned to the UK.
He may be the ‘saviour’ after all.
Not forgetting a certain IT company who’s poor software has found its way into government bodies
There are some reasonable arguments to build an improved port facility and there are also valid and strong arguments not to build it.
However, there is no acceptable argument for the Minister in charge of the project not to be wholly transparent and publically release the latest designs and cost estimates.
Why would anyone divulge why they promote anything to get their pockets filled?
Seems Dart started Addictions of certain Caymanians to respond only to BIG monies which carries on to levels higher and lower, they will and have sold out Middle Class, etc.
p.s. You will see them sitting in the front rows in Churches. Tithing does not absolve sins.
CITA and Chamber are against it…we need Standards in Public Life Law enacted, and ACC investigation of spearheading Cabinet members.
You people are disgusting. I wish that the cruise ships leave and never come back. But when they do I hope you will enjoy all the high ends hotels and restaurants that you think are going to solve local employment. What a farce how none of you really understand the logistics of customers who travel all over the world and come on to a dock. Here we pretend to be a first world country and all the third world countries all around us have docks and Scuba Diving and don’t have an issue. When I went to the FCCA meeting in Cozumel, Mexico they brought use coaches that couldn’t even land you off at the hotel front door. They had the same geography except their piers face East into the tradewinds. Talk about seaweed they had dumptrucks all over the East coast. The shoreline had hundreds of local people cleaning their beaches everyday to keep down the smell.
Hotels in Cayman don’t even want locals to use their beaches and they don’t want locals in their restaurants unless you willing to drop CI$100 for lunch. So who you all talking about, foreigners??
Caymanians have an opportunity to make over $150 a day at the dock, prove to me that Caymanians will be paid by any hotel or Restaurant the same without Grat..
Talking about education? the best schools are church schools and private schools. Why and who are we building public schools for?
School teachers are already paid more then what they can get in US, Can. So why are we paying more? By them living here they get a tax exemption of over US$105,000 per year. Where are the Caymanian teachers?
Again special interest groups who don’t want progress. Who are these people? Rich and not in the cruise ship business. Only one family and their friends have a business that might not make 11 million if and when the dock is built. It will be built!! Get over it.
How about finding something else to complain about like the electricity, food, medical ins.,life with increasing crime, people who. click on social media but can’t click on their turn signal. These are things more important. Again and again Government will not be funding the docks…….. Stop and listen.
We will also have to build a larger cargo dock.
This needs to go a referendum.
Let’s see the confirmation from Cruise Lines that they’ll stop calling in Cayman unless we build a few piers (they won’t, the passengers demand Cayman)
Let’s really see the average $ spend per passenger – its all made up. the only way to truly know is to ask Kirk/Dart/Tortuga/etc for their Gross Sales and extrapolate.
Where is the infrastructure to cope with more passengers for longer? More importantly, where are they going? Already, with the Dart purchase of large swathes of Cayman and smaller developers locking up prime lands, we’re out of beach….the net result is cruise passengers (and ourselves) being forced to move infront of condo developments and hotel resorts where they systematically tell them/us to leave
How about some transparency? How about someone in CIG having the cojones to stand up and say enough with the madness…let’s redirect the funds to education/training/jobs/maybe a new prison/old persons health care/…..the dump!
the port is a WANT, not a NEED…….NEEDS must, WANTS bust.
1:54 The harsh reality is that to date nobody from the cruise industry has come forward and supported this project. By the cruise industry I don’t mean the FCCA, which is a ‘not-for-profit trade organization’ with no funds to put into this, but the actual cruise lines. In fact the major players seem to be staying as far away from this mess as possible. I wonder why?
No they are not staying away…one of the majors is in active negotiations and the others scrambling to secure some birthing rights. Giving it to one major user will eventually irritate the others to the point they will go away, defeating the purpose entirely. Save the money, lengthen the runaway, build more hotels, renovate George Town and the whole Island will do well.
Why?
What does Cayman offer to Cruise Passengers besides what Cayman wants?
Passengers want to explore, not shop.
ok Mr / Ms Anonymous 8:31pm , so government is not funding the pier , So who is going to pay for it ? Who are going to maintain it ? Who are going to receive the benefits/profits for 25-30 years ? I expect the answers from you since you sounds like you are , or conected to the developer .
Who is going to insure it? EIA stressed we have no granite bedrock into which we can anchor pilings, just cavernous, brittle, calcified iron-pan sandstone.
Yes, Ron, if Govt is not going to pay for it, then the Cayman Islands won’t reap the profits either— for the next 25-30 years not more. No one is doing us any favors.
In any case, let us take a good hard look at the pros and cons rather than rush into something that we have little information about—if it is not already too late, that is.
8:31: I don’t know if the dock may be a good thing or not, but I want to find out before it is too late.
Rather than support the move for more information, you are engaging in a mix of hyperbole and inaccuracies:
1. As a local, I have never had a problem using a hotel beach and have never paid anything near to $100 for lunch at a hotel restaurant.
2. “the best schools are church schools and private schools” — Private schools are not all up to scratch in every respect, and the truth is the govt schools are achieving enormous successes in external exams.
3. You ask “why and who are we building public schools for?” What a question!! Check out John Gray High School — have you driven by there and seen the hopelessly dejected look of the campus with weed-infested abandoned construction? And is there any school on this island or anywhere that is more in need to a decent and equipped environment for our children. We need to finish this school for Caymanians. Further more, UCCI is desperately in needed of upgrading of facilities to meet needs.
3. Again, in keeping with your inaccuracies: “School teachers are already paid more then what they can get in US, Can. So why are we paying more?” Not true at all!! Teachers out of college in Canada can get as much as CN$100,000. It is true that that may not be their take home, as they have high taxes and health insurance deductions, but CN$50,000 can go a lot further than CI$48,000 in Cayman, I can tell you.
4. Then you ask where are the Caymanian teachers? Working where they can make a living, that is where. But the idea is to attract and keep good teachers, whether they are Caymanians, Canadians or Americans, or others.
5. “Only one family and their friends have a business that might not make 11 million if and when the dock is built.” eh??? What???
Thank you CNS for raising the poignant issue where hundreds of millions of Cayman’s money should be better utilized.
When spending the people’s money one would think the government at minimum would do something that everyone can derive benefit from.
Thumbs up for port.
Thumbs down against port.
I am against the port. Am I supposed to thumbs down your post??
Eh?
4:56 pm, CNS was reporting what Mr Miller and Mr Suckoo said at the press conference on which the story is based
What I think is going on with this cruise pier , is that if it is built it would be beneficial for a chosen few . If new roads are being made to Barkas , who owns most of the property in that area today ? Do we see how the 7mile beach is being developed, and how the tiki beach bar is closing down and moving to barkas .
I believe that the plan is going ahead with the pier , but certain development of barkas property has to done first and ready before the the developer can get the contract to do the cruise ship pier .
When that is completed , it will be just like the NEW AIRPORT CONCESSIONS a big bidding war and they go to the rich/big moneyman , then all the little small business owners are going to be bitching and complaining about not getting NO BUSINESS FROM THE CRUISE SHIPS .
I say that everyone on the Islands should go to LA BUILDING WITH Ezzard Miller and tell those other 18 politicians WE WANT A REFERENDUM ON THE PROPOSED CRUISE SHIP PIER Now, not tomorrow .
You smart and intelligent 6 people , needs to talk and que the other 11 people in who don’t see and understand what is going on in the Island.
I agree with you Ron, Ezzard should lead us to the LA so we can all get answers. Ezzard please do this, I know a lot of people who would stand with you.
Anonymous 4:56 pm , your comment is not a survey . I will never believe in a hundred years that the majority of the people of Islands are for the dock , unless they are all dartbots and kirkbots .
The public ultimately will pay for this project. The sheer magnitude of it and the immediate and long term costs and benefits, demands that a stand alone public referendum be held on it.
Ships at dock means less need for them to eat n drink while on shore.
Unlimited grub is a few steps away!
Why not relax gambling laws to allow the ships to stay overnight (inside our waters) and allow limited numbers of residents (by appointment/ticket) to go aboard for entertainment; including guest tourists – they can get top shelf entertainment right at the dock?
Similarly, tourists can take a night stroll on the beach – or a ferry to Rum Pt. for dinner.
And, why doesn’t govt as yet own shares in any of these lines, which have grown so fast?
Contact me to discuss these and other novel, workable concepts!
– Identity provided if requested.
I suppose that birth certificate is included in that identity too if required. We should have your identity , and not anonymous too .
CCL stock down 30% from January.
4:48 pm: I doubt every much that cruse ships would allow even “limited number of residents” on board. Just thinking about it from my limited perspective raises security concerns in my mind.
Going from 6-7 ships a day to a maximum of 4 (from the universe of ships operating in our cruise tourism theater), doesn’t increase the headcount, only port-side congestion in each direction. The implied disincentive effectively tells the other would-be-visitor ships (many of them smaller higher-end non-big three liners) to bypass our stressful port where they have been deliberately excluded. Result: huge debt incurred on a vulnerable, high risk endeavor, with fewer tourists, and less of the desirable luxury-good spenders (both from liners and stay-over categories). The taxis will also be displaced with unregulated liner-owned or partnered bus companies, belching fumes and driving like maniacs, just like in every other regional port that has allowed a pier. Dumb, dumber, and dumbest.
Put it in Red Bay where it belongs
Agreed with 11:30 am: The smaller ships may bring in higher value passengers from many points of view. We don’t want to exclude those people who may make economic difference.
This is a very thought out, well written article (posted in another comment);
http://www.destinationdevelopmentwatch.com/can-destinations-increase-revenue-limiting-banning-cruise-ships-yes-keep-reading/
Anonymous 11:26 am , that’s a very good article on the Cruise ship business you posted . I think that Mr. Kirkconnell , and Mr. McLaughlin should read it .
As with many internet postings, the author has no credentials in the cruise industry and is just mad because he was treated badly of a cruise.
Ezzard went on to say….“The Good Lord put the Cayman Islands in the correct geographical location, a day’s sail from Montego Bay and Ocho Rios” . Ironically, both of which have proper cruise berthing docks. This all comes down to ensuring a good cruise customer experience and that means a cruise dock. That’s a simple fact. Either get in the cruise business to stay and meet customer expectations of get out of it altogether.
A dock alone does not make a good cruise customer experience. A revamped George Town, pristine beaches and reefs not screwed up by an expensive white elephant monstrosity is what tourists want. Extend the runway, build more hotels and new well thought out place for locals and expats to go on SMB would solve most ills. $300m of debt and no other improvements will not.
And Airbnb and the like have become more desireable!
Make Moses build it in cayman brac an send all the ships there. That will fix them
That’s a great idea. Be careful what you wish for….you just might get it.
One thing I think no one is considering is why the people who want the cruise dock want it. Yes, Money is the main reason. And yes, cruise numbers and air arrivals are at all time highs. However, it is good to remember that the economy of Cayman is built on tourism as a large part of it.
The other point that I think is important to remember is that the longer the time that tourists have on island, the more they will spend. Having visited Caribbean islands on a cruise, the time in Cayman is considerably less than other destinations with the only reason being the tendering process. We basically had 6 hours on island when we came on a cruise, whereas ports where you dock you get a minimum of 8 hours, and sometimes up to 12 hours.
The environmental impact is the main detractor, if there is no way to build it without irrevocably damaging the environment, which is what Cayman is known for, that should be the leader in the opposition. The economics are sound, but other factors not so much.
The part you conveniently leave out is that while our system is focused around tourism our system is no longer dependent on CRUISE tourism
making the entirety of the idea for a cruise port redundant
We need to focus on stay over visitors not 2 hour cruise tourists coming to the (insert number here) identical tropical island that is really just a tourist trap to sell expensive jewelry
No one comes to Cayman to go shop at Kirk freeport sorry kirkbots
The liners can very easily get here much much earlier, and leave later, but (a) HM Customs/Immigration have inflexible operating hours, (b) all-inclusive cruise travelers won’t disembark until after breakfast, and prefer to return for dinner and afternoon pre-paid all-you-can-drink packages, and (c) the liner and passengers both want to get moving back into int’l waters so that the gambling can resume.
NO, it is not built on tourism. One dollar invested in tourism brings back $2. One dollar invested in financial sector bings back $18!!!
Not all Caymanians can or want to work in Financial Services. I am quite happy to drive my tour bus.
How much of those $18 ends up in the hands of real working Caymanians
Rather than as a company profit margin payed to far-off shareholders, partners or executives
Tourism revenue, including stayover, contributes about 1/4 of what Financial Center brings.
We can’t have a Referendum without access to all the information.
That is information that they don’t wish to supply as the game would be up. So if they will not release proper and honest information, it should be voted down never to be heard of again.
Here’s some information – check this out. https://www.farandwide.com/s/largest-cruise-ships-
All of the major cruise lines are moving to bigger ships and if Cayman wants to be in the cruise ship game it has to provide piers. No if’s, and’s or but’s.
Even if the cruise companies had no objection (which they do) how long do you think it would take to disembark over 4,000 passengers by tender and then get them back on the ship by tender? We cant even cope with the embarkation / disembarkation process now, with the smaller ships. Lines wrap around the terminal and passengers are at the mercy of the elements while they wait hours in line for the tender transfer. Can you imagine what it would be like with four times as many passengers to deal with? By tender.
This govt do not seem to understand the meaning of transparency.
Unfortunately, the public will be left picking up the final tab if this project goes the distance. Please note I agree that we need to improve the experience for passengers that come to Cayman but must proceed with caution in order not to burden current and future generations to essentially aid a select few. A project of this magnitude which will likely cost closer to CI$300-400m final costs must not be driven or decided upon by the pro-port lobbyist and the politicians they control. This type of decision requires a referendum.
People need to stand up, speak out and continue to publicly ask questions and hold all MLA’s accountable. All Caymanians, residents and businesses including Corporate Cayman must unite against this type of political tyranny, guard against the potential fiscal and environmental mismanagement.
We must call the charade what it really is and understand this entire process and project is nothing more than an example of “Government Sponsored Corporate Welfare” to benefit a few select business interests for certain families, political financiers, friends and acolytes who expect the public purse to finance and prop up their commercial interests.
Those businesses or groups on Harbour drive that are desperate for the project to proceed and who are the main drivers of the project should “put skin in the game” and invest their own funds or assist with financing the bond/loan that could potentially push the government over the financial cliff and potentially plunge our country into significant long term financial hardship. Poor and expensive decisions like this one will accelerate the implementation of a direct form of taxation in the Cayman Islands.
History clearly shows us that the perceived success of most of those businesses and groups desperately pushing for the cruise berthing project no matter the costs to the public is largely because of the cryonism, nepotism and attitudes of entitlement which drives the duty free retail sector and how decisions have been historically made over several decades. If they have failed to adapt or appreciate the facts that cruise ships are now selling the same products onboard their floating hotels the public should not have to subsidize those businesses or commercial interests.
The pro-port lobbyist obviously know more than the general public about the project given their blind support e.g. full project details and the financing formula + terms + projections given their close connections and working relationship with government etc. Therefore, those business owners should lead by example and demonstrate your confidence in the project by sharing all the relevant information with the public and demanding the government to do the same instead of expecting a type of government bail out from the public purse.
You people, take the time and effort to read Johann Moxam comment , so that you will be informed about the cruise pier , and what is going on in the Islands with the select few including the politicians .
Make sure and read in between every line of the comment, so that you better understands the situation.
You do realise that we already currently regularly receive ships with over 4k passenger capacity?
The f***ery needs to stop and the sooner the better. If we cannot trust our elected officials to act in our best interest then I say the population needs to be call for a general election now before things get completely out of hand any more than they already are.
#cleanslate2021
#votethemout2021
#newblood2021
#nomorepartypolitics2021
These guys won’t get to stick around that long.
When have politicians ever put the best interest of the people before their own greed?
From what I figure, this is not about political greed this IS about greed from the tender boat owners who see their $20,000,000 dollar a year gravy train at risk.
I say they’ve taken our money long enough. We need to use that money to build our dock and stop giving it to them to live a lavish lifestyle.
Before the Referendum (which is absolutely necessary on an infrastructure development of this scale and risk), there needs to be a public education period with full disclosure of revised enviro, engineering, geo and architectural studies, reef relocation plan, business case – including construction, maintenance, insurance, and security costs. We need a full transparent picture to consider. Enact the Standards in Public Life Law and demonstrate that this government shouldn’t be replaced in advance of the next scheduled election.
That is kind of how all referendums work
There is generally a campaign-like period where both sides try to convince the public one way or the other, so you’d see kirk
But you are right the Standards in public life laws need to be implemented as written and not watered down for Civil Servants and SAGCs
Any MLA not calling for the immediate implementation and enforcement of the Standards in public life laws needs to be voted out in 2021
We CANNOT let another 4 years go by without this very serious law
talk bad about ezzard if u want …. at least he’s the only one who seems to tackle the opposition.
Time to Occupy Cayman Streets movement. Cup Tourist Numbers. Fix The Dump. Cayman Children Education comes First!
Many are being manipulated about this issue. Opinions are being reported as facts by both sides. Either cruise ships will stop coming or a port will be built and most likely by some of those who strongly oppose it now, after they have extracted all possible value from the current arrangements.
We have been hearing that the ships will bypass cayman for twenty years yet continue to have record numbers arriving today. Perhaps it’s scare tactics by some greedy merchants. Can CIG produce the written proof that the cruise lines have categorically stated they will cease calling into the Cayman’s? If they can why haven’t they shared that with the public?
You are wrong. Those ships will not stop coming if we do not build a port.
Haha what yo smokin?
They will. The ships we get now are being phased out in favor of newer, bigger ships which we can’t handle if we don’t have a port. Why is that so hard to understand? Google any of the cruise lines and see for yourself how many they have in the pipeline for 2019, 2020 and beyond.
Sooooo….interesting…your comment is, well…err manipulative…Kirkbot!
Years ago, the now 65 year old Giora Israel believed Carnival’s port expansion plans would involve mega-tonnage ships calling on an isolated number of pier-equipped ports in our region. That was the FCCA mantra at the time. The order book for Carnival (CCL on NYSE, with 27 equity analysts covering) has spoken otherwise since, and Giora’s much younger port development successor has focused on higher-margin privately owned islands where they control the entire experience, including security, and capture all of the spending. RCL has had a similar strategy. CCL, RCL, and NCL control 80% of the cruise sector. Common sense should dictate that we are unlikely to be gifted a several hundred million dollar financing deal with any one of these three publicly-listed competitors without some exclusion to the others, the net result to us will be a drop in passenger headcount and receipts. The CI Port, which we’re learning has longstanding governance problems, is hoping to dispense with it’s tendering subsidies (internal emails from McKeeva’s Cabinet in regards to RCL, a Google away, explain the origin of these), so it can increase margin on what will surely be fewer heads. The self-appointed brains in the decision room are incapable of understanding commercial, logical, or environmental sense, some with a disposable career horizon of only 4 years, still operating from a template from over a decade ago and ALL unwilling to enact the Standards in Public Life Law…
Wrong
One side is not releasing information and the other side is questioning the reasoning, transparency and lack of accountability
Thanks for the thumbs up and down. Remember the Master Ground Transportation Plan. The most vocal amongst us thought we didn’t need that either and convinced enough people to oppose it. Later when projected gridlock became undeniable reality “deals” were made with Dart for just a portion of the planned roads. The developer is being paid to build roads needed for his own developments while other needed roads are being built at many times the cost to you and me. Will we once fail to really look ahead?
Why can’t these greedy so called politicians see that there’s no need for a cruise ship dock , and it will destroy the future of the Islands and the next generation . That they need to be working on more important infrastructure projects that will benefit everyone, like the dump and education/sports and Healthcare.
The government needs to stop believing that Cayman Islands need to be better/prettier /fancier than any other place in the world . That was not the CI was founded on . Some of these fancy improvements in which the government is doing , is building on faults hope , while some get rich .
I think that the motion that Mr. Miller should be working on in LA , is a CORRUPTION and STINk test that every potential candidate must pass before they can get elected .
I do agree that if the PPM government don’t drop the idea of a cruise ship dock , it should go to a referendum. These politicians needs to see that YOU THE PEOPLE ARE AWAKE .
There should be a referendum on this government, calling for an election…it is a travesty what is happening on our Islands….Cruise Port? Follow the money all the way from Bayshore to Barkers….see those lovely new roads? They are for the buses between both destinations ferrying cruise passengers…..why no more beach resorts for day-tourists (and us lcoals btw) on SMB? Because they’re planning to bypass (pun intended) the whole thing with these cruise passengers….and how many are in on it? I dont have enough fingers
stop this now….the absolutely out of touch and scandalous minority are ruining it for the majority as they live and operate in the tiniest of bubbles…..you want collusion? It’s here in Cayman and happening right in front of us as we drive around all these roundabouts to nowhere, making us too dizzy to notice we can’t afford them
I agree, they have shown they cannot, are not and will not act on our behalf and interest. Break out the ballot boxes. NO MORE, cut out the cancer and give the patient a chance to survive. New faces all around and NO PARTY POLITICS!
I agree, I heard on the marl road that Kaibo is to become yet another cruise ship passenger ‘resort’. They making changes that look to me like expansion and readiness for extra seating, parking and beach loungers.
Sat at bar an heard unhappy staff, seem to be going in wrong direction and stopping locals from enjoying beach bar, instead making it fancy for who? I’ll go back to Rum Point for a proper beach experience and traditional Caribbean feel. No more ego driven nonsense, more local access.
Denying the public the basic human right of voting is treason toward the people of the Cayman Islands and those responsible should be held accountable to the highest standard.
This is a very promising development. Thank you Mr. Miller for making a move on this. It’s very frustrating seeing the maddening decisions that continue to worsen the overall state of our country. It’s not as easy as voting them out come Election Day as the choices aren’t that vast. Our best and brightest do not tend to run and if they do and succeed they are a lone wolf in a den of thieves.
I have to ask any politician or political party member reading this… why, if it’s even slightly possible that the majority of the people do not want to turn GT Harbour into a massive irreversible concrete slab… why would you not want to check and be sure? Why would tou want to chance being wrong on this? What do you gain from this that makes you ignore the call of the people? If you go ahead and you’re wrong… This is something we as a people could never change even if every living soul on this island one day wanted this thing gone. Please let us have a say! Please. We want to be a part of this decision. Can’t you hear us!?!
We need to fight these fools. Show them they cannot just do whatever they want especially when it’s something of this magnitude. They do not have the support of the people and they KNOW this! They can hear us but they are just ignoring us.
People often say Caymanians never stand up for themselves. We don’t march. We don’t fight. Maybe not in the past but it’s time to fight now. If you don’t know where you stand on this then educate yourself so you can understand what is at stake and who truly benefits. If you are against the dock then talk to your politician and tell them you want a referendum and then go out and VOTE. If you are for this project I do not have $#it to say to you… well I do but I can’t in this forum.
All we needed was a simple dock extended. That was it ! Not this elaborate shady deal into the millions!!!
Ah yes, but the more money on the table, the more money under the table.
The TenderBots out in full swing early!
Kirkbots going all out to win the thumbs up thumbs down battle because they need the dock and are too dumb to understand this is not scientific polling.
Agreed yeah but we are already seeing the effects of their headstrong push to build this dock.
Someone told me Dan Scott was educated on some type of funding or scholarship in the USA to become an accountant aka bean counter. Did his parents have to be means tested? Now that he has had his share of the economic pie and is wealthy, and is able to pay for his own kids, his proposal should it proceed as is, will undoubtedly deny deserving children with ability government scholarships!
The criteria for any scholarship should be academic only, as this is what parents have already invested in to bring their children up to this point to qualify. Doesn’t he know that it probably costs parents in excess of $600k per child to educate and raise them up to age 18 at private school in our high cost of living country? Where is his data to show what it costs to educate and raise a child in Cayman? Parents have invested over many years with the hope of gaining such relief in the college and university years, and many cannot save in this country because of the high cost of living. His proposal will create another cost to government with more people on the doors of the NAU in the future with the cap on private sector pensions payout at $1,000 per month, and the new public pension scheme no different. Where is his analysis of the economic effect of his proposal on the whole system?
Scott being US educated obviously doesn’t know that in the mother country Britain “going to university is a rite of passage” per Sam Gyimah the UK Minister of Universities and Science. And “Higher education is a key part of the transition to adulthood offering students the chance to grow as individuals and develop their curiosity and knowledge”.
This bodes the question of how does his scheme fit into the wider macro economic needs of the country and the objective to build a $200M dock during this administration. This piece of the jig saw puzzle is not clear and the political arm now needs to speak up on what are the plans overall to take Caymanians to full employment?.
This retrograde step will do nothing to address Caymanian long term employment needs and will only do the opposite as declared by WORC. WORC is trying to address the training and employment, and now here is another arm of government reducing the education and training. The proposal will only increase foreign labour needs and further marginalize Caymanian families!
Didn’t the government just announce TechCayman, doesn’t Scott think that requires a further increase in training and education and not less as he proposes?
How does this scheme fit into the announcement that the government finances are in surplus?
Let us get a wholesome solution for Caymanians and not this disjointed way of approaching policy.
Truth often hurts.
All we are getting is a simple concrete dock. NO upland development. All of that was said ages ago at the public meetings I attend. Was it so long ago that you forgot? Or did you not bother to attend to hear for yourself?
It is a done deal as Decco & China Harbour are all ready to get started and the deals have been made. The Premier, Minister Kirkconnell & future Premier Hew already have plans in motion and the concessions all done so just suck it up.
The Anti-Corruption Commission, Auditor General and financial crime cops need to be investigating all parties involved or negotiating this deal. There is a reason why this smells fishy and is cloaked in secrecy. All Public Officers need to investigated. Follow the money.
Nothing will ever be investigated as the top runs the show. Our wonderful premier and his flunkies have all made sure this deal is set. Why else has China Harbor set up there office in you know where. Best to be close to your partner, Minister Hew will lead the charge.
As reported in Belize and the Cayman Eye News earlier this week, in January of this year the Bangladash Goverment banned banned China Habour (note spelling) from other Government contracts. No doubt the usual KYC procedures will be used by the CIG, the same ones they thrust at the financial sector!
Corruption rules in Cayman as illustrated by the CIFA fraud which after four years remains unresolved. Any old accounting firm with a couple of employees could have resolved it within weeks. It is hardly of Madoff proportion.
Cayman prides itself on the international circuit as being clean as a whistle so can we please live up to the expectations.
China Harbour is an arm of the Chinese government funded by the China CITIC Bank International for the sole purpose of spreading the influence of the Chinese Government.
Vote them all out!
#cleanslate2021
#votethemout2021
#newblood2021
#nomorepartypolitics2021
#soundbites
Fake News. How do you know? Read the procurement law
Please stop using that ridiculous term. Find a more articulate and less BS tainted way to say what you want.
Better to keep your mouth closed than to open it and prove you have no idea what you’re talking about.
This certainly must be written by a unity team supporter or a K or a D employee.
Thank Goodness, let the people decide! The money is in the stay over guests anyway. Spend it making them more comfortable, build a trade school for young ppl or finish the east to west extension, or both. Kirkbots, your downvotes amuse me, so please, make my Friday!
Thank you Mr. Miller. The people are being shut out of decision in country. It is time for our elected officials to act for the people. not the rich developers ( read Darts)
of the world.
Smart move ~ Save Cayman!
The answer is NO
Hell no, the new dock’s gotta go!
Hell no, the new dock’s gotta go!
Hell no, the new dock’s gotta go!
Hell no, the new dock’s gotta go!
Hell no, the new dock’s gotta go!
Hell no, the new dock’s gotta go!
Hell no, the new dock’s gotta go!
Austin we can’t hear you speak up!
Austin??!!! You won’t hear from him now! Alden gave him a title and a little extra pay!!! He ain’t got time to be as concerned about the issues! Those days of shouting on the microphone is over!
Austin proving that he is a fraud and one term wonder. Enjoy it now 2021 you are done you sold out the people
Does anyone have a means of reaching Mr Harris
I have some words for him
Kirkbots are going to go insane or hack every pc in the family again. Please save them sweet jesus
I support the Opposition one hundred percent on this. I really do not want my children and grandchildren saddled with this huge bill especially when it it so hard for them to get meaningful jobs because of open season on work permits by this government. Ten percent more tourist landing fees on top of what is presently being collected will not pay for this pier as Moses wants us to believe, therefore it will be on we the people to finance. I am sure the tender company will have no problem providing larger and better tenders so visitors can more comfortably disembark and embark . Upgrade the port facility in town with covered walkways with exhaust fans to keep the place cool while they line up to embark. Do the same at Spotts dock. Keep it simple and nice. Commit to the tenders owners that they will not have to compete with any other company, if they commit to upgrade. Madness from these so called technocrats, that is what it is. Do not let them get away with this craziness.
There were 4 ships in port yesterday which is approximately 12000 people. I watched huge queues standing like cattle in the baking hot sun waiting to get back on the tenders. Cayman MUST upgrade what there is just now before even considering a new dock (which is madness anyway).
I sat in my car with the a/c blasting on Crewe Road watching a barely moving line to get to one of two roundabouts but I don’t see any new roads being built to cut congestion either so STFU!
Ha! Totally agree. I was sitting right behind with NO a/c!! (can’t afford to fix it)
With all the new hotels in the works, you have a promise there that the congestion will not be getting any better.
@8:51 am
I was right behind you, with no a/c because a local auto shop had ordered the wrong one, then I had to wait 3 months for the right one, but they were charging me an arm and a leg for the used one with NO warranty. They didn’t refund the deposit I paid.
@8:15 am
a good one!
Don’t you realise that the reason they are having to queue is because they are queuing for the tenders, which they wouldn’t need to do if there was a dock!
Read 8:15 am comment
Yes, but you would be queuing up to pay more of your hard earn money to government and every business you have rely on to live. You will pay for the dock by whatever means necessary. This government need to try to keep the cost of living down instead of jacking it up on a mega dock thst is not necessary. I would rather cool down the tourists with an exhaust fan than have to turn off my air conditioning because I cannot afford electricity.
Obviously you haven’t been on a cruise. Even with a dock there is still queuing, do you think you are allowed to run on and off at will. There is always someone checking to see if you are a legit passenger. I don’t think the tourist mind the queuing Or else they would not come. However we can keep them a bit cooler while doing so. Heck it will cost a lot less than that monstrosity they plan to do!!
Docks will not eliminate the queues, nor necessarily improve offload and re-boarding times that are bottle-necked at the door and throughout the interior and stairwells of the ship! Old people move slowly throughout the entire process.
Correct. They are more elderly on these cruises that younger able bodied passengers. This dock is a bad idea all around and dveryone recognizes thst except the government. If this goes through we will have no choice but to relieve them of their duties. Speaking for Grand Cayman- Cayman Bracer will make their own decisions.
They came here for the sun, let them enjoy the sun.
Why would you join a huge queue in the baking hot sun to leave Cayman whilst there is so much too do & see in George Town & beyond? oh yes! They all cant wait to leave, what we need is more to do & see to keep these tourists here so they are all rushing to get the last tender out not the first.
Regarding Moses, is this the parting of the ways or the parting of the waves?
I have the same concerns as Miller and Moxam here. And the study by CREST is interesting and logical. Grand Cayman is a very small island and so can only accommodate a finite number of visitors, a small number when compared to many other locales. We are already over capacity at seven mile beach and stingray city / sandbar, which are our two most popular tourist sites.
Of genuine concern also is; as others have voiced is CIG’s poor track record at handling even moderate projects (good examples voiced as the high schools and now garbage collection / disposal) woes.
Add to this that the wealthy merchant class (including especially one local family) are to gain the most by more cruise ship passengers and the Tourism Minister and Deputy premier is of same family (should he be the leading Govt. person on this?…) and the lack of hard data or transparency….and we have a real long term mess brewing.
One that us and our children will be left to pay for for many years.
Seems to me we should be enhancing things for our stay over visitors and solving our problems with the dump and education….which both negatively impact our tourism product.
Until CIG can show conclusively and transparently the need / cost / benefits of this to the wider Cayman community, I cannot support this project.
“Do you believe the port decision should be made via referendum, yes or no?”
Their answer to that SIMPLE question will let us know ALL we need to know about each elected member of government.
– Who
*No decent, responsible, and neutral MLA would respond negatively.
Especially when we consider what is at stake and the many potential pitfalls of us making the wrong decision.
I agree, every media outlet should pose that simple question to each MLA and push for an clear answer. YES or NO.
If the cruise ship berthing facility becomes a reality the quaint little port town overlooking the sea will be a thing of the past. Instead it will be looking out at a dock where those in favor are the jewelry store owners and the Minister of Tourism. It will be the final nail into the coffin which was once George Town.
Please do not allow the fear and greed that the pro dock lobby have spread. Cayman does not need a dock and the infrastructure is overwhelmed now. Save the money and use it for the Cayman people not a few merchants.
Single member constituencies give us greater power. They will either listen to the people or are voted out of office. SMH
OMOV got you ghetto politics into the LA.
If Moses and Alden had any pride they would be embarrassed trying to shove this dock down our throats
They full of pride, they have no shame!
No pride, just arrogance and self-interest.
Why build the port when there is a record high in Tourism arrivals? Look at the stats.
https://caymannewsservice.com/2018/02/cayman-islands-tourism-breaks-records/
The electorate of the Cayman Islands did not vote in the PPM/CDP that slithered and backstabbed their way to the levers in the days after the May 2017 Election. Neither of those parties received a decisive mandate from the people. We did not vote for the Port, or any of the other vestiges of outgoing PPM policy. If anything, the opposite – the people voted for new blood, and specifically, non-party aligned candidates and ideas and processes untainted by chronic cronyism and opacity.
Cayman does not need this port. In the referendum send a clear message Vote NO.
Don’t let facts get in your way. Total of 9 independents were elected. Still not a majority of the 19 seats even IF they had stuck together like a political party. So 7 PPM + 3 CDP could form the Government with a majority of one. The final Government of National Unity included two indendents giving the government an operational majority of two since one CDP became the Speaker.
This has to be a people’s vote
It will be interesting to see what the independent Councilor Austin Harris has to say publicly about these proposals given his daily vitriolic criticisms of UDP government CHEC deal & cruise berthing dock proposal under the PPM over the past 8 years as a talk radio media personality. Will he tow the party line as the whip and formally join the PPM?
This is a public test of his integrity. Has Austin sold his soul like those he raged against before becoming a MLA?
This is disgusting DECCO are currently in deep negotiations with Moses K and Ministry of Tourism. A redeveloped Barkers will play a key role in where the passengers go during a part of the day. The main pick up drop off zone will be Kirk’s Bayshore Plaza. Dart own this government just like the last two and nothing can happen without his approval and participation in the Dartman Islands. Dart will then buy Bayshore Plaza and Kirk Freeport.
Disgusting behaviour from every single MLA- opposition here is your chance to agitate. Austin and Dwayne wake up and smell the coffee – this is Alden and Moses’ last term – who will pay your rent next time around …. wait you and the Unity govt. are making sure of your personal future rent through this deal!! All I see said the blind cayman voting public. Do not force people to pitchfork the lot of you.
This is going to not only cost every PPM the next election, there is going to be a lot of only 1 term members. Serves them right, YES men and women. Is Austin Harris supporting this project now? Is he still an independent?
Austin Harris has no integrity. He willing lifts his hand to women’s faces.
Don’t matter Dart and Jackie will puppeteer whoever is elected next.
Please take the time and read the following article by Doug Lansky, an award winning travel writer:
http://www.destinationdevelopmentwatch.com/?s=Cruise+ships+and+destination+revenue&submit=Search
The conclusions are worrying for the future of the Cayman tourist industry, some of which are:
1/ Cruise ship passengers rarely visit the same destination twice, whereas overnight visitors do.
2/ The average spend per passenger that is often quoted is a figure provided by the Cruise industry itself based on passenger surveys at the end of a cruise which are open to exaggeration.
3/ A lot of the shore excursions are booked on the Cruise ship itself thereby ensuring that they get their percentage as well.
4/ The biggest money generator are the Port fees which go directly to the Government not to the local vendor.
5/ Many of the businesses which have Cruise line recommended signs have to pay a yearly fee for that privilege.
I could go on, but I think you get the point – curiously cannot understand why the Government don’t. This is a very bad and an expense idea by a government who do not understand what transparency looks like.
Number 1 is definitely true. I have lived in 3 other countries and travelled widely and every single person who has told me they came to Cayman on a cruise came once. They can’t remember exactly when or what they did. Contrast this with the tourists I meet in Cayman who tell me they first came on a cruise and came back on a plane, and this is their fourth trip or what have you, standing in line with me at Chicken Chicken like locals. That’s what we want!
The CIG should be more attentive to the needs of stay over tourists who are the meat and potatoes of the tourist industry. A Cruise passenger comes and spends $150 in a day maybe, hell you can’t even get a hotel room not overlooking the beach for that cheap. Cruise tourist are here what 6? 8 hours? then gone? That’s one day of supporting local businesses maybe if they aren’t bused off to spend the WHOLE day at sting ray city only to come back to catch the tender to the cruise ship and maybe spend an hour or so in town. Stay overs spend what a week here? $150 is nothing to them and they pay more than that in just hotel and car not alone 3 meals, drinks, excursions, souvenirs. Use that $300 million and make day resorts on the beach that everyone (tourist and locals) can enjoy without being harassed by vendors, drop some of that cash into the airport to make it easier to get them out and enjoying the island. Drop some of that $300 million into Pedro Castle, the Museum, the Botonical Park, blow hole lookout and photo points, help advertise local restaurants for $10 plates of food instead of $25 hamburgers.
Wow, thanks for that link. A very interesting an eye-opening read. I knew it was bad, but didn’t realize it was quite this bad. Will share with as many as I can
Really good article, I have asked before how many people come off the cruise ships, does anybody actually do a count? When the average spend is quoted does it include prices tourists pay to the cruise line for a tour, this is far removed from what the on island vendor gets for their tour.
With respect, the public haven’t been convinced there is a public business case to proceed, nor has the much revised deepwater plan gone thru EIA or hydro studies (that we can see). Skipping those necessary steps again (as if they don’t matter) and advancing to the selection of bidders is a least premature, and quite possibly corrupt. Must the public file an injunction to check the eagerness of our politicians? The PPM election manifestos were not confirmed at the ballot box last May. It’s only through backstabbing and horse-trading that they managed to get back to the levers at all. Governor pls Help!
He tried.. look what happened to him.
I have a GT business, and I do not want this new dock. This is not the customer that spends money. Make GT more accessible. Offer a shuttle from the hotels to town. Fix Spotts dock up, so it is not an embarrassment. Add pedestrian walkways, and cross walks so our visitors can safely enjoy town.
And parking! There is no parking for visitors to drive into town.
And the idiocy continues.
well done ezzard…(i now feel dirty)
I’m not a fan of Ezzard but I like his stance here!!! Johan is a prerson the government should listen to!
I’m starting a petition against the call for a referendum.
“No call for a referendum! No call for a referendum! We demand the right not to be heard!”
I see you are using your constitutional rights well
Perhaps you could remind me which section of the constitution enshrines your right to be an idiot?
I think the poster was being funny