Dart in talks over cruise port land
(CNS): The Dart Group has confirmed that it has been approached by the Verdant Isle consortium about a piece of land it owns becoming part of the controversial cruise berthing facility and cargo project. The group, which won the bid to develop the project, released a picture of the planned area of the development, which includes the land owned by Cayman’s largest investor.
Answering CNS queries about how the Dart land was encompassed within the plan footprint (see circled plot), Dart said that it had been approached by the port partners but nothing had been agreed.
“We have been approached by the preferred bidder to explore our willingness to make the parcel available for the port project; there have been no discussions about the parcel with CIG. To date no commitments have been made,” a spokesperson for Dart told us in an emailed statement.
Dart had at one time been in the running as a potential developer for the cruise berthing facility. In 2009 DECCO, the Dart Group’s construction company, came out top in a bid for the project by the Port Authority but they eventually pulled out of negotiations over a stalemate on the lease period for what then had included an upland development.
It is not clear whether or not Dart ever submitted any bids in the preliminary rounds of the tendering process that were re-started under the last two PPM-led governments. However, Dart has offered its support to the project and it has been keen to use some of its other beachfront land around the island, from Seven Mile Beach to Barkers, to host cruise passengers.
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Category: development, Local News
Well I hope Dart show the Government who is boss by refusing to sell his land. Plus Dart is all about playgrounds for the wealthy right, the port would surely ruin that whole plan. That’d be the greatest irony if Dart stops this but let’s see. I have no confidence in my Caymanian people educating themselves or even making an effort to go out and vote but again we’ll see.
It was interesting to see that a team from Dart accompanied our ministers on their trip to Monaco. That’s how ingrained they are.
sock it to um dart….they caused our islands to seel out…
You can be sure he will get the better of the deal
Over the weekend I was chit chatting and learned about all of the real estate Dart owns in George Town as well. When are we going to do something about this? Maybe it’s too late? When should we start packing to leave then? I for one do not want to be here if he is going to be HNIC.
He is the BIGGEST Landlord on this island. XXXX What else?? There’s just so much that needs to come to light.
I don’t think this will end good for us, sorry.
Signed,
A Fed Up Caymanian
Were you chit chatting with all of the Caymanians that sold out to Dart?
Here we go again….poor Dart! Such hate for a group that inspite of it all continues to be a driver in the local economy. Would it not be wrong for them to not support the current project?
As for the berthing facility and cargo port redevelopment – on all fronts we are trying to achieve best in class…but for some reason we are stuck on delivering to cruise visitors a B rate product.
Fact. The cruise industry has a more direct impact on the registered voters in the Cayman Island than stayover. 70% of people working in cruise are registered voters compare to at 30% in stayover – ask the local tourism association if this fact is not believed.
I agree. And I read a study on the internet where they proved that 82% of statistics are made up on the spot. Proved it! Hard to believe but they did.
Not they again!
Yes because of 400+ taxi and tour operators. CNS – use FOI to check how many new licenses have been issued by the Public Transport Board in the last 4 years.
CNS: Anyone can make an FOI request and you can do so anonymously via email.
PPMUDPDARTBOT – “Poor Dart”, gimme a break. You working hard for your Daddy D.
Dart controll$$ all of our $ell out politician$.
From behind the $$$ Curtain Dart now pulls all government levers to get whatever he wants.
And a 50 storey building will be approved for Dart by CIG next year. Won’t that be wonderful for traffic? Looking forward to more traffic hell.
Justifiably earned, empirical hate, from the many people that have been touched by it, or read any of the sneaky fine print inserted into any of the versions of NRA Agreement.
Percentage looks good but what are the numbers of Caymanians directly working in each tourism sector. Facts please!
You have to come in everyday for stayover tourism. Doesn’t fit Cayman lifestyle where you may show up when the cruise boat’s in, or not.
“Poor Dart”? This “good slave owner” mentality has to stop. “He does so much for us”, “He feeds us”, “He provides jobs”, “He boosts the economy”…..but……in the end, he owns and controls all the land.
A benevolent slave owner is still a slave owner.
First, most of the people working for either cruise stayover tourism are not local caymanians, but people on work permits.
Second, I’ll wager a months wages that those working in stayover tourism make more money than those working in cruise tourism, by a large margin.
Bulk tourism (quantity) isn’t nearly as lucrative as stayover (quality) and would result in less permits, and a better standard of living for local staff and small business owners. It would also have the side benefit of making this a better place to live for people that do not rely on tourism for their livelihood.
Poor Dart? Damned if I want a 50 storey building in my neighborhood. Dart is often their own worst enemy. They really need to work on their PR strategy for the island.
Here we go…
Royal Palms, Calicos, Public Beach, Barkers……why do u need to be a rocket scientist…..?
All kind of people living large but some feel they not getting their cut.
All up in the Seafire, not a mosquito, centipede or a piece of traffic in sight.
It’s a man steal dog world out there.
lol
Why is Verdant Island wanting to buy the land, shouldn’t it be the Cayman Islands Government???
Funny how the thumbs up and down will be changing as soon as the Kirkbots get off work… These numbers will change by tomorrow morning.
The Voters of Cayman should petition the Governor to use his reserve power to (a) enact SIPL Law, (b) amend Constitution Order in regards to Eligibility Requirements for Office – opening to ALL Caymanians, including those with second Birth passports, (c) dissolve LA and call elections for 6 months from now.
Anyone remember when Hurricane Michelle hit this island? It it happens again that dock will be flooded.
Everywhere gets flooded in hurricanes .
Or lying next to the piling beds 80 feet down.
Hurricane Michelle ? Or Mitch I’m lost when did we have hurricane Michelle.
We don’t need a hurricane, to flood us out now a heavy nor’westor does enough water damage hence the brand NEW AIRPORT just imagine if any live wires had connected with that water the amount of lives lost or affected and the law suits this govt spends hundred of thousands of dollars FROM THE GOVT PURSE to these foreign companies rather than listen to locals WITH EXPERIENCE on what needs to be implemented but so much is scraped and plundered under the table. Its going to be the same crap with the dock too.
Nothing is ever done here for the local community its for the millionaires,billionaires.
Sorry to say but we have lost our island I’m just waiting for the name change WE ALREADY DROPPED B.W.I. FROM OUR AND ALL GOVT HAVE DROPPED H.M. FROM THEIR TITLES.
TOURIST WAS OUR #1 INDUSTRY
NOW ITS OFFSHORE MONEY LAUDERING .
2:39 if it happen again make sure your house don’t flood!
IF the published drawing is accurate I wonder if someone could explain exactly how the cargo port is improved? Apart from carrying the apron further seaward which will admittedly provide more working space, I can see no useful difference. It will still be possible to berth only two ships at a time; there is no proper provision for the handling of aggregate and cement cargoes and, worst of all, it appears that the cruise passengers will have to walk though the port compound to get to the street.
You really are confused, don’t add being an imbecile to your state of being.
Of course.
It’s interesting that the illustration does not show the piers out to sea ie the drop off to the berthing to the shoreside or the coral that these piers will be built over.
Article says Dart supports the project- but what does Dart think about the impact of the coral devastation in George Town Harbour?
Maybe the CIS kids need to be presenting Dart with a petition too!
https://earth.google.com/web/@19.29478218,-81.38439668,3.60148298a,1623.37852834d,35y,124.53439427h,44.93991821t,0.00000001r/data=ChMaEQoJL20vMDJoNzc1GAEgASgC
Article says it, where and when has Dart said it?
Honestly does anyone think the Dart group cares more about the environment than about $$$? I mean the Dart empire was (and it is still a SIGNIFICANT source of revenue) built on SINGLE USE PLASTIC!!!! They have teams of lawyers ready to do battle against jurisdictions, cities, communities that try to introduce plastic bans.
Plastic?
Styrofoam business
solo cups
Let’s have a party!
Dart has been working with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines from the very beginning on this project. They did not want to get caught in the negative politics of the port again. Any combination of Verdant Isle, Dart and a Unity Government that is desperate to push the port project through no matter the costs is bad for this country and Caymanians.
And if you think traffic in Georgetown is bad now? Just wait until this port is built. It will be impassable! Islands too small to accommodate the people from more ships than now.
The stitch-up continues.
PS> When they ever do get around to showing a port plan for people to vote on, how can we believe it given that the pictures they are currently showing involve taking people’s land who haven’t technically agreed to it yet?
Verdant Isle and the government members particularly Moses Alden McKeeva Joey Tara Juliana Roy Dwayne and the rest cannot be trusted with anything they say or do about the port project. Whatever they all do or decide in the cover of dark will come to light.
How do they include land belonging to a private land owner in drawings they share with the public and claim there is no agreement in place or contract signed?
This entire thing stinks more and more everyday especially when Michael Bayley of Verdant Isle confirms the cruises lines will still come to Cayman if the piers are not built.
Which land Dart nuh have he hand?
Mine cause I na a sell out like many other Caymanians.
Nor mine.