Lands Commission OKs 7MB fencing

| 12/02/2019 | 74 Comments
Cayman News Service

Fence on Seven Mile Beach (CLICK TO ENLARGE)

(CNS): The Public Lands Commission has confirmed that there is nothing unlawful about the fencing that has been erected on Seven Mile Beach in connection with the musical festival taking place at the weekend on Dart-owned land to the east of Seven Mile Beach and north of the Kimpton resort. Public concerns were raised yesterday when a long double line of fencing appeared very close to the ocean and seemed to signal that the public would struggle to get access to the beach in that area for the duration of the KAABOO Cayman event.

But Rupert Vasquez, the chairperson of the Public Lands Commission, which is now responsible for regulating the use and enjoyment of public lands, including beach access, said that while the commission was aware of this public concern, it has found that there is no public obstruction to the beach as a result of the fencing.

The commission’s chief inspector, Winsome Prendergast, visited the site on Monday at the invitation of the festival organisers and confirmed that “the fencing has been erected on private land and no permission is needed”. She added that “the public’s prescriptive right to enjoy the beach unobstructed has not been affected”, though the commission will monitor the situation.

“The landowner was made aware of the public’s established prescriptive rights under the Prescription Law, and confirmed that there is no intent to obstruct the public use of the beach,” Vasquez said in the statement responding to CNS enquiries.

“Ms Prendergast reports that she was assured that the fencing is for temporary security purposes only for the build-up and duration of the two-day festival,” he added.

It is understood that events will be taking place on this area of beach as part of the festival but it is not clear what restrictions will be imposed on regular beach goers not taking part in the festival, given how close the fencing is to the waterline.

However, in response to CNS questions Monday, Jason Felts, the festival’s brand officer, said public rights of way had been kept clear and the fence was approved as part of the event applications.

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Comments (74)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    So no wining and grinin going on at the beach this valentines night or what?

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  2. Elvis says:

    This an argument fest event?…… jeesas

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  3. Anonymous says:

    I bet the garbage left behind by this event will be extra disgusting. Whatever makes government more rich I guess.

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    • Anonymous says:

      I don’t like the control he seems to have in this territory but let’s be real; he won’t allow rubbish to sit there or be left behind, it will be cleaned-up accordingly and the site back to it’s previous state within 24 hours.

      One thing this organization does well is leave very little room for criticism. Unless it’s constructive.

      Can’t complain about that. Haha

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  4. Anonymous says:

    We’re talking about a couple days here people. Holy crap people love to complain.

    There has to be significant revenue generated for the government as a result of this event. That revenue in turn pays for Government projects and the Civil Service which most Caymanians work for!! Everybody wins.

    You sound like 4 years old kids who haven’t played with a toy for a week and then scream as soon as someone touches it because all of a sudden it becomes very important to you.

    I would love to know how many people sit in that area of the beach on any given day. It is less then 100. They can live without it for 2 days.

    If you can afford it go and enjoy the concert. If you can’t or just don’t like the music, take comfort that it is making money for the island in airport fees/hotel taxes etc.

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  5. Anonymous says:

    I hope people going to Kaboo do not intend to use the free parking at Public Beach. Please pay and use the shuttle service or paid parking areas. Leave public beach for the poor people going to the beach.

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    • Anonymous says:

      They took that over and are charging usd$25.00 per day if I am not mistaken, I would like to know how much they paid for that each day and how much the RCIPS is charging them for added police coverage in the area.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Who is the current land owner of said parking lot?

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  6. Anonymous says:

    I would really want to know how many of the people that here are so concerned about the beach-access to this very specific piece of land have used it in the past? Anyone? Anyone? Bueler? Thought so.
    If you are concerned about Cayman, then I give you some food of thought: Many people outside of Cayman know nothing about our beautiful island and get brainwashed by the international media and politicians that we are just a tax paradise and the reason for all the poverty on the planet. Countries put us on blacklists. So, and then we have a great opportunity to show the world what a great place full of friendly people we really are and instead of embracing this opportunity to change the global perception, you get your knickers in a twist over this tiny bit of fence? I suggest you see the big picture instead. A successful Kaaboo festival is more important than your access to that very specific beach on this very specific weekend.
    I pity the small minded people that cry in their homes about this fence while I will be at Kaaboo, enjoying an amazing weekend full of great entertainment… I recognize a good thing when I see it – and this festival is good.

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    • Anonymous says:

      This festival is a harbinger of something much more sinister.

      How many Caymanians are working at Kaaboo this weekend?

      How many Caymanians are attending? I read this morning in the other newspaper, 60% of tickets are held by Caymanians. I believe that to be an exaggeration.

      But it works for me to thwart your argument: people are NOT coming from far and wide to attend this event.

      The hotels ran their prices up so high ($1000+ USD/nt) that few people outside of Cayman will pay those prices for a festival with washed up musicians.

      It is not going to do anything to boost the world’s perception of the Cayman Islands.

      To move on…

      The beach is FREE. Dart has helped himself and fenced it off days before Kaaboo.

      Kaaboo is an exorbitant amount of money and is NOT meant for the average Joe.

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      • Anonymous says:

        I absolutely agree with the above post. I usually spend my February holiday in Grand Cayman, but this year the price for hotel was so high that I could not justify it. I also always said it would be great if Cayman had live music (concerts) like Jamaica does, but the price and the line up of Kaboo did not entice me. Maybe another time…

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    • Anonymous says:

      Clearly you never went to the Jazz Fest, one at Pagent Beach, the other was at Camana Bay.

      The tickets for Kaaboo (which means “command” btw) are highly inflated and the line-up does not match the price-tag.

      But, you are free to spend your hard-earned money how you like; bon appetit!

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      • Anonymous says:

        Jazz Fest 2009 ticket prices were not much different than the early KAABOO prices. That event cost the people 1.4 million.

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        • Anonymous says:

          They making back abt 14mill though!

        • Anonymous says:

          And thanks to PPM

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        • Anonymous says:

          Jazz Fest did not cost that much, you are being extremely dramatic.

          You still failed to address the fact that the line-up, I.E the “artists” are not the quality you got at the Jazz Fest (think of Natalie Cole and Alicia Keys), and the tickets for Kaaboo are extortion at best.

          The Jazz Fest tickets were $25-75 a piece; you don’t see the huge difference???

          Cheapest Kaaboo tickets were what? $250.00 each?!?

          SORRY, not worth the money. $$$ wasted to see washed-out artists and not-so-funny comedians.

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    • Anonymous says:

      DartBot again.

  7. Ya gyal master says:

    All about the money. CIG is all about the money. Sodom and Gommmaraaahhhhhh, bredrin..S&G money gang!!!!

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  8. Anonymous says:

    So the layered fencing, creating it’s own 4ft path from the private land was not necessarily disruptive this time?

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  9. Anonymous says:

    I understand that DART/Government has imposed a no-fly/no boating restriction in the area of KABOO. What are they going to do shoot down overflying aircraft or blow up any boats that come near the beach..what about the people that live in the nearby condos..Do they have any say?

    This is getting a bit ridiculous! It’s a bloody concert not the arrival of the Queen of England..We didn’t have this much security in place when she visited.

    We are setting precedent Cayman…notice how quiet our politicians are? Wonder how much they are getting paid to stay that way…Worthless Imbeciles!

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  10. Anonymous says:

    Also mentioned on Crosstalk with Mr. Adam this morning was the growing divide between Caymanian Have and Have nots.

    Gated communities, gated beaches, beach access points stopped, and gated DISTRICTS are fast becoming topics of discussion in Cayman.

    Are you people paying attention?

    When the WBR got shut off, you all lost your charm and view to the water, in trade for a fast road inland.

    BUT

    Now the people who get those privileges, of actually seeing and appreciating the sea, are the people who pay the big bucks to stay in the hotels.

    If you, Caymanians, do not stand up NOW you will be in your own basement padded cell.

    You will never enjoy your god given rights to all of the beauty that surrounds the rock you live on. You won’t be able to see it nor will you be able to enjoy it.

    DART is taking away your rights and privileges as you sit by complacently.

    It’s not just DART, by the way.

    Look at the mess up in Cayman Kai.

    Those people want a gate at Driftwood patrolled by a security guard who will search you before you can proceed on to the Rum Point area. A gate at the old Driftwood!!!

    The Cayman Kai homeowners also didn’t want washrooms put on crown land because they don’t want other people enjoying Cayman around their mansions.

    The person fighting that battle for you is Ezzard Miller and he’s been successful thus far but you all need to wake up and understand these are all symptoms of bigger problems facing the Cayman islands.

    #removethefence

    #signthepetition

    #WAKEUP

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  11. Anonymous says:

    Why did the fence go up on Monday?

    Seems it could have gone up Thursday night, late?

    Maybe even super early morning hours on Friday?

    What purpose did it serve putting it up so early?

    That seems extraordinarily odd to me.

    Test run for the future of something more?

    I don’t know but there is no reason that fence needed to be erected on Monday. None.

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  12. Anonymous says:

    I heard Mr. Billy Adam on Cayman Crosstalk this morning and he said that Mr. Pandohie (sorry on spelling) had telephoned him at 7pm last night:

    1. The fence is NOT proper

    2. That the bottom fence line has to be moved

    3. Next year (if Kaaboo returns) the fence will NOT be allowed. The fence could only go on the vegetation line.

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  13. Anonymous says:

    of course…the rich rules

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  14. Anonymous says:

    I am confused. If the fence is on private property, why is the Public Lands Commission talking about it. Doesn’t a private fence need approval from Central Planning instead?

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  15. Anonymous says:

    “the fencing has been erected on private land and no permission is needed” Wrong!

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  16. Anonymous says:

    Calm down! Temporary. I know you guys know what that means.

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  17. Anonymous says:

    I would have preferred a wall topped with razor wire to keep the riffraff out, but this will do I suppose.

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  18. Anonymous says:

    Kaaboohoo losers!

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  19. Anonymous says:

    You should move to the Brac.

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  20. Anonymous says:

    The wrist bands that they are giving out for Kaaboo are like your very own ankle bracelet, giving Dart untold amounts of info.

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  21. Anonymous says:

    There were discussions on this topic yesterday on talk radio that were very negative toward this fencing. This temporary fencing is to be removed after the upcoming event this weekend.
    A local community organizer was on air describing the dangers of this fencing and there are still local people who are upset about the 7 mile beach road closure. It was my mistaken understanding that the general consensus was that the new roads improved traffic flow considerably.

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  22. Anonymous says:

    Who is paying this two? School children in China know that you need Planning Permission to erect a wall or fence on private property..

    Where is the minister for West Bay South…not a peep out of her or is she still jet setting around the world, oblivious to what is going on in her district or Cayman for that matter…

    Let’s see which politician catches this and deals with it…

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  23. Anonymous says:

    Wait a minute, permission is no longer required to construct a fence on private land??

    When did this law change. I want my money back, CIG!!

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  24. They Pave Paradise says:

    This fence is considerably closer to the water than any permanent vegetation. Who’s land is it on. What rights do the public have to use the beach. Ķaboo cannot prevent the public from listening to the events from beyond Darts property whether on boats or on land. Kaboo is entitled to control access to their events but where should the fencing be placed?

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  25. Anonymous says:

    Well, there is the end of Cayman.

    This all but confirms the Britannia home owners will lose their case.

    No reason, at all, that fence could not have been put in today, Wednesday.

    Welcome to the DART Islands.

    Enjoy being electronically tracked and watched. #polyn

    Enjoy being coralled like animals.

    Enjoy being told where you can and cannot go. This is only the beginning.

    Enjoy being held at the whim of exorbitant prices because Dart has the monopoly on every business in Cayman. Say goodbye to small business.

    Enjoy when the new cruise port goes in.

    Enjoy.

    You all screwed this up royally.

    Caymanians have screwed up royally because everyone is too scared to say NO.

    Turn on the tv and take a page from the yellow vests in Paris. Disrupt Cayman at the busiest time when the world can see how messed up and destructive the CIG and dart are in Cayman.

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    • Anonymous says:

      I will enjoy, thanks for your concern. Where is the outrage from Caymanians that cashed checks from DART for their land and or businesses. No one forced them to sell.

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      • Anonymous says:

        I haven’t sold anything to DART to date.

        You don’t have to generalize about “us Caymanians” as if we’re all “the same”.

        Some of us have enough sense to understand that DART isn’t the issue. Who or what enables his organization is the problem.

  26. Anonymous says:

    No public obstruction to the beach? Hmm…..

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  27. Anonymous says:

    Rock on!

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  28. Anonymous says:

    haha…dart proved right again and again.

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  29. Anonymous says:

    I have a prescriptive right to put my towel on the beach, sunbathe, walk down to the water, swim, return to my towel (up near the vegetation line) and sunbathe again.

    The Lands Commission either does not understand that, or thinks a human can walk through that fence. Either way, their position should be of great concern to the Caymanian people – not because of the fence, but because of the attitude of the regulator towards beach use rights generally.

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    • Anonymous says:

      It’s temporary. Find a different beach for 1 week. Simple.

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      • Anonymous says:

        I will. That is not the point. The Lands Commission does not seem to accept I had that right in the first place. That takes it from a minor (and perhaps even necessary) inconvenience to downright scary.

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      • Jotnar says:

        So if I decide I want to park my car across the bottom of your drive for a couple of days it’s no problem because it’s just temporary? Since when does removing someone’s access right become ok because it’s temporary?

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  30. Anonymous says:

    Suck it unfulfilled whiners!

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