MLA claims to be listening to voters on port
MLA Barbara Conolly (GTS) writes: When I campaigned during the 2017 general elections I asked the people to vote for me because I was willing to do what is right for the benefit of our people and these beautiful Cayman Islands. I have thought long and hard about the various issues surrounding the proposed cruise berthing facility. I have heard from those concerned especially about the potential environmental impact. I have also heard from constituents concerned about traffic congestion in the waterfront area.
I have also witnessed the public dialogue which is clearly very emotive and, in some cases, seems to get very personal. Persons who would otherwise be happy to be friends and family are now being alienated from each other due to their differing opinions on this project.
But this does not have to be our way.
As a representative of the people I stand by my promise to do what is right for the benefit of our people. I have carefully listened to the concerns and made myself aware of the facts so that I can properly address the concerns expressed to me.
Traffic congestion – As more details of the plan can now be revealed without any commercial sensitivities and without any breach of confidentiality, we can now reveal that there will be a large area built within the port area to accommodate all the related traffic dropping off and collecting passengers. This means that the traffic congestion concerns expressed to me will be fully addressed and it’s possible that the situation on the main roads in the waterfront will be even better than it is today.
There appears to be a misconception regarding the number of tourists which will be in the waterfront area on any given day during our high season. Most of the additional passengers will be arriving primarily during our slow months which is July to September on the larger ships. Therefore, while we may see some increase during the high season, we will not be receiving all of these additional passengers during this time as they will be spread out over the other months of the year. Ultimately the Port Authority has full authority over how many ships/passengers can arrive. That control has always been there and will remain in place.
Cost – This project does not pose any risk of over runs which might end up costing the government more money because the contract is a fixed price contract. Any over-run costs will be fully borne by the developers.
In addition, although we will be giving up 2.32 cents from the passenger head tax to support the project, we will have an increase in the number of cruise passengers from 1.9 million to 2.5 million and therefore the overall revenues we receive over the 25 years will actually be more not less. Therefore, the project will not cost the government or public over this 25 year period.
One of the facts that has not been mentioned much is that at the end of the 25 years the people of this country will also own a port facility valued at over $450 million.
Environmental impact – The footprint of the project has been significantly reduced. In fact, the new design now shows that the entire area will be reduced by around 30%. The potential damage to Seven Mile Beach area was also one of the main concerns raised at the very beginning of this proposed project. But we now know that our Seven Mile Beach will not be negatively impacted.
I see my role as an elected member of the legislative assembly as serving the interest of our people. I believe that this project will be in the best long term interests of the country. I know fully well that this project poses political risk but I am willing to do what is right for the people who I serve.
Our government has put pressure on the developers during negotiations to ensure that the project is carried effectively while being environmentally sustainable. Like my other colleagues in the LA I would not support the project if I were not convinced that the mitigation measures and new design is in the best interest of our natural environment.
The proposed cruise berthing facility will create hundreds of new jobs. It will help many smaller local businesses who rely on the cruise industry for their livelihoods.
I will continue to listen to all my constituents on this project. I promise to continue to fight to ensure that any remaining concerns can be addressed in the way that this project is executed to ensure that we will all reap the benefits while minimising the costs and any potential negative impacts.
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Category: development, Local News, Viewpoint
Barbara it is hilarious that you think anyone is falling for this, you are trying to cover your own ass
Sorry but when someone is insulting our intelligence and playing coy I am frank, representative or not
George Town South, has the 3rd highest percentage of signatories to the petition in the country. 34% of your constituents put their name to the petition at the very least saying they want to have their own voice be heard and many of whom are concerned with the project.
For a second, have you reached out to any of those people, have you actually listened to any of those people, or have you just sat back up in glass house in Unity Government caucus meetings listening to other MLAs sing the praises of the project
And you have the audacity to preach down the right decision, but to say you are listening to them, you haven’t even waited for the vote’s results but you are listening to the people?
You voted for a referendum bill, that will prohibit counting the results by constituency because you are terrified that a majority of voters in government constituencies will vote No
Please cut the crap, drop the act and at least be honest with people, you clearly have no regard for the input of your constituents
If the money is worth selling yourself out then do it but at least have the courtesy to be truthful to us
Keep chasing Alden, and McKeeva and you will be a one term MLA, at the end of the day, they don’t care about you, look at how many Ministers Alden sat back and allowed to be unseated in the last election alone, with his unpopular policies and by refusing to be transparent
You got 40.6% percent of the vote in 2017… and you are currently disregarding 34% of your constituents in favour of a project that few people want
I hope for your sake, you aren’t planning on knocking on any of those doors come 2021, because I for one would certainly slam my door in your face
I was willing to do what is right for the benefit of our people and these beautiful Cayman Islands.
Barbara if you really believe that about your constituents you would not be supporting the cruise piers!
But that line does say ” I was willing”…. I guess you are no longer willing to do what’s is right for your constituents
Vote NO December 19th!
Well said ms Barbara
Everyone take note on these key words spoken by MLA Barbara Conolly.
“Traffic congestion – As more details of the plan can now be revealed without any commercial sensitivities and without any breach of confidentiality, we can now reveal that there will be a large area built within the port area to accommodate all the related traffic dropping off and collecting passengers.”
You know where else this was done? Falmouth Jamaica. This way the tourist are kept to the shopping area within the walls of the berthing area, whisking away the tourists to tours and kept the local vendors away from interacting with tourist effectively crowd controlling them. Ask the Jamaican vendors how well they prospered. Stay woke people.
A question to MLA Connolly. Ma’am where will all the trash created by the increase of tourists on a daily basis go? Straight to the already full to capacity Mount Trashmore! How can you say that these increase in tourists would not have any envorinmental impact? We know up front MT is full and nowhere to go – so tell me again how the people of the Cayman Islands will not end up at the bottom of this deal? Clearly this seems to be a rob Peter to pay Paul scenario with both loosing in the end….SMH!
Best laugh I’ve had all day! Ha!
Shame on you Barbara! You know better and should do better! Vote NO and save face with your people. Shame on you!
Shame on you not her. She is making a decision with facts for this country future and not into the fear mongering being pushed by the opposition politicians
Facts???? You can’t be serious…
“Making a decision with facts”
Thats hilarious
As the government hid behind closed doors for years, as they want to release information after the vote takes place
You all are setting yourselves up for a loss and I will love every second of it
Barbara has more courage than the rest of us who comment anonymously, with the exception of Roger Davies.
Oh,please, what does she stand to lose being a parrot? She did not say a single word that reflected hers position. If you don’t understand, read (below) late Bo Miller arguments against the project. He was a true visionary, loved his country and cared about its people. He is being missed.
Vote YES – thank you Ms Barbara
Well, Barbara you knew these fanatics would try to get the emotions up to 1000%. There is no one buried in Balboa or Cali. All piers in seawater causes more corals, fish and sponges to grow in tropical waters around the world. I believe the Baird report didn’t guarantee the sand on 7 mile beach because of Climate Change. Miami is either sinking or the sea is rising.
Central Caribbean Marine Institute President Dr Carrie Manfrino needs to check the damage on Eden Rock, Cheeseburger reef and that reef in deeper water where Zenith drop that anchor. I would love an assessment on how how much reef has recovered. It was such a short time to tell people its all beautiful and pretend a 330 ft container ship twisted on top of the reef and left it beautiful. The Balboa was blown up by explosives and the Cali was too. Surely that must of destroyed coral all around the wreck. A pick look on a snorkel will show you they use a lot of dynamite? The bottom of the ship was torn away and flipped upside down. The engine room was thrown some distance away. The bow of the ship is standing alone. I mean you can’r make this stuff up go check it out yourself.
Oh I forgot you have to wait till the ships leave before you venture between tenders crossing in your path.
Poor Mr Berkeley Bush he didn’t get elected again but he left his mark as a true hero and a Caymanian. He built that dock even with all the fervor and hostilities thrown at him. This is akin to a lynch mob in how they throw their rhetoric. A tender company saying they going to have to close their business. What a joke. People trying to find scientists to agree with their hyperbole. Come on, its for your country your children and grandchildren. I heard a MLA member from the opposition side say that a ship that was tied to a dock needed to turn on thrusters to keep a ship on the dock? Why would they need to do that when they’re tied. If its that strong a current in GT it must be a Northwester in which case the ship should be in Spotts. Remember we need to build a Cargo Dock and a fuel bunker out of town. Should n’t we build it near Beakers? How about Scotts Quarry? Perfect place. Maybe in the Central Mangrove build them together and finish the East-West Arterial.
cut it out. admittedly didnt read your entire post except for the first few lines. look up the (relatively) astronomical fines the cruise lines are paying… not due to being a good corp citizen but out of court-mandated penalties because they plead GUILTY.
https://www.npr.org/2019/06/04/729622653/carnival-cruise-lines-hit-with-20-million-penalty-for-environmental-crimes
https://www.forbes.com/sites/trevornace/2019/06/11/carnival-cruise-to-pay-20-million-after-admitting-to-dumping-plastic-waste-in-the-bahamas/#5f4a9a403a6f
in short stfu
LOL I didn’t read much past the first few sentences either…
Thank you for the links. People need to take a deeper look at this industry. It is dumping so much trash out at sea… Makes me speechless. Wonder how those employees that do the dumping, as instructed by their bosses, feel about their contribution in this world. They should take a stand and blow those details up!
@ 5:59 pm Are you some kind of nut? Gedouttahere!
She is not sure whether to “flip or flop”…you better walk the floor…if you enjoy your $10,000 per month…that’s what Bernie did…he does not care about the environment…jobs…youth…saving his own A$&^%%^
Barbara who?
She family to Joey?
She knows exactly where she stands and is being courageous enough to issue this statement and that is why she will get my vote again. she is brave enough to tell her constituents her position and how she has reached that position. just because a bunch of wanna be politicians are using the port to launch their campaigns does not mean the port is not a good idea. any other location will cause even more damage to our environment. you people talk about how the referendum is for us to exercise our democratic right but when someone says they support the port you try to tear them down. democracy doesn’t mean saying NO..
try thinking for yourself for a change and stop following the heard and posting cheap digs at politicians.
Courageous and brave? Is there a war in this OT? If not, being brave and courageous, whatever that means, is not a requirement for her position.
Intelligence and competence are.
She is being paid big bucks to represent people, not to be a puppet. Besides when her personal opinion is not in agreement with opinions of people she represents, shouldn’t she resign? I would. Admitting shortcomings is honorable and earn one a respect.
She must be good at something, and my comment is not to offend her, but her viewpoint is NOT really hers. She is repeating what has already been said many times by others.
Third world does not like facts any more than they like development(unless its theirs) you do not represent them if you are not ignorant. Think about it. What will you do? Do you really know who you are representing? Do you want the next vote?
Barbara has been under estimated from the start but she is an extremely sharp and knowledgeable woman. Couldn’t be happier to have her as my representative and will definitely be voting for her again in 2021.
Sharp and knowledgeable in what exactly?
I never voted for her in the first place and I can’t wait to see her go.
Barbara, I have always respected your judgement, as demonstrated in just one example, on the Smith’s Cove project. However in this case I must respectfully disagree with you, flooding this island with more cruisesheep will only cheapen our image as an upmarket tourist destination and cause many future problems we will not be able to address.
I truly feel that in this scenario you have not been able to freely speak your own mind which from your party’s point of view is shameful.
Well, she wanted to do more “development” at Smith Cove, so called face-lift, did you forget?
“I’m going to enhance that piece of land that government acquired to add cabanas, an additional car park, restrooms and barbecue grill facilities,” said Ms. Conolly. “We’re going to be thinning the trees a bit and clearing out the undergrowth so you can actually see from one end of the land to the next.” She said.
I am off island and hope she didn’t proceed with such a destruction of natural environment.
Now she supports an “enhancement” on a larger scale.
8.27pm The car park would be adjacent to the existing one if it can be funded, not on the beachside.. The enhancements Barbara put forward are eminently sensible given that 80% of the property was impenetrable bush and ironshore. She also put a stop to cruisesheep being delivered to the Cove. I have lived within half a mile of the Cove since 1972 and have enjoyed it’s beaches and appreciated the generosity of the Webster family who donated the original site to the people of this island.
Barbara was kind enough to take on this project and shared her plans at several meetings with local residents. She had my full support on her intentions,and will still have my vote in the next election, if she is a candidate.
I hope to God she doesn’t run again. Roger would you consider it instead?
Agree with this comment 100%. We cannot imagine, in our wildest dreams, the impact this would have on our way of life in Cayman. We have accepted much change but this would be absolute overwhelming. No EIA will describe what this will mean. You’ll have to find a place to get a peek at the ocean. I am praying that this can be stopped.
Best comment I’ve read so far on this article.
Time for a new MLA to represent her current constituency.
Dear Ms Barbara,
Your correspondence is appreciated.
Can you guarantee us our water in Hog Sty Bay and the rest of the waterfront will remain clear, clean, blue and amazing subsequent to the dredging and removal of appropriately 20 acres of coral and stone underwater – particularly when the 300,000 ton Oasis class mega-ships pull in and out of proposed port?
(Just one simple question.)
– Whodatis
That is an outrageous claim. You know full well that the area is not 20 acres of coral. The footprint has decreased by almost a third. and even then the entire area is not all flourishing with coral. It is estimated that there is no more than around 6 acres of coral and these people are trying to relocate some of it. All to appease a bunch of people who can’t see the difference between a port and protected marine park.
You are obviously not a scuba diver. If you were you would know that relocating coral is next to impossible and that a single touch of a finger can kill an entire coral head due to creating a space for algae to grow and overrun it. I respect Ms. Barbara and her loyalty to her party. It is an admirable trait to have. Unfortunately I do not agree with the current party’s lack of care for our undersea environment and I also can see that most of the MLAs have yet to even go snorkeling to understand the true beauty of our islands.
“20 acres of coral and stone” was what the OP said, i.e., the entire dredge footprint.
(I just checked the CIG book on the Port Project and despite sighting the % changes from old to new plan they don’t actually say what the size of the new dredge footprint is.)
Barbara, I live in your constituency and I am campaigned and voted for you. You have failed us miserably. I expected more from you and thought for once that we could have someone that could stand on her own two feet. You might as well be in cabinet because your “collective responsibility” and just going along with the majority reminds me of Captain Eugene following McKeeva…
I think the one thing that all elected members must understand is that they must listen to us the people, not just when you want our vote but also when we need you to stand for us and not just the PPM party.
#barbarawho
You are surprised that the PPM’s candidates are vapid, and substantive-less voids pushing the policies that benefit their donors, the thing they have spent the last 20 years doing
You’d think that would be the kind of thing you figure out before you campaign for someone much less vote for them
The PPM haven’t changed in 20 years,they have just gotten more and more desperate for the money that keeps their party afloat
You won’t have any constituents to mislead after the next election, after this load of government propaganda
This is not hers viewpoint, she is just repeating almost word to word what has been already said many times by pro-porters. All hers so called facts are just assumptions written on water.
It becomes more and more apparent that something rotten is afoot when these people who want that port plead these empty lies. What is their gain? It is certainly not for the good of the Cayman people.
“As a representative of the people I stand by my promise to do what is right for the benefit of our people.”
If you truly mean what you say Barbara; poll your constituents on whether or not they want you to support the cruise berthing project in its currently proposed design, build, finance and maintenance plan. Simple. Do that, then I’ll believe that your statement above is sincere.
What about the general traffic congestion all the way up SMB on cruise days? It is not just an issue that impacts central GT. It was awful today, right up past Hemingways – can’t imagine it with significant increases in passenger numbers! This is aside from all of the other absolutely valid concerns – environmental impact, affect on already bursting-at-the-seams tourist attractions, etc.
Her response is that it wont get any worse during bsuy season (but it will get as bad during summer). Well that’s all good then.
Sorry Barbara you just lost 2 votes
More BS from supposed “Leaders”.
“Persons who would otherwise be happy to be friends and family are now being alienated from each other due to their differing opinions on this project.”
Sounds like their relationships weren’t that strong.
Ms. Barbara Conolly,
I appreciate your viewpoint and thank you for sharing your opinion on this port. Few things I would like you to consider before your continued support of the new cruise berthing facility:
1. “Cost – This project does not pose any risk of over runs which might end up costing the government more money because the contract is a fixed price contract. Any over-run costs will be fully borne by the developers.”
Yes, overruns are borne by developers but that doesn’t count the fact that we are out $450 million and only receiving a $200 million facility in return. The cost of this port are far too high and a better deal could be struck.
2. “In addition, although we will be giving up 2.32 cents from the passenger head tax to support the project, we will have an increase in the number of cruise passengers from 1.9 million to 2.5 million and therefore the overall revenues we receive over the 25 years will actually be more not less. Therefore, the project will not cost the government or public over this 25 year period.”
Glad you mentioned this. This is partially true as, in addition to the money, we are giving even more power to the cruise ships who do not have the best interest of Cayman in mind. The increase of passengers may offset this cost, but it does not account for the fact that Cruise Ships are more interested in their stakeholders and not the Cayman Islands. We are already at capacity at 2 million passengers per year. Don’t you have concerns that this amount of an increase will bring problems to this tiny island? Where are the attractions, space and transport for this increase? I have not seen it.
3. “Environmental impact – The footprint of the project has been significantly reduced. In fact, the new design now shows that the entire area will be reduced by around 30%. The potential damage to Seven Mile Beach area was also one of the main concerns raised at the very beginning of this proposed project. But we now know that our Seven Mile Beach will not be negatively impacted.”
The size reduction is irrelevant. We are still talking about a significant alteration of nature. In addition to the construction of the port, the ecosystem will be under even more stress daily as ships dock close to shore and kick up tons of debris onto coral that hasn’t been moved (also no evidence that the moved coral will survive). Voting yes to this project will make certain that all of Georgetown from Cheeseburger reef to Eden Rock will be permanently destroyed over time.
Also, there is no substantial evidence 7 Mile Beach will not be affected by this port. No one will truly know until the port is actually there. It’s still a major risk to the place where all the real money is made; stay-over tourism. We do not have to build this port immediately. We need to slow down and really consider this further. There is no rush from what I can see.
Please consider this a bit more before supporting this project. Let me conclude by saying thank you for your viewpoint, it was a good read.
Thank you Mis Barbara. May I suggest that
the surest way of knowing the wishes of your constituents is to have the ballot boxes counted separately. Surely the other MLAs who care about the people’s wishes want the same.
Your response is just a rehash of the misleading information that the CPR is putting out there. They want to kill this project for political benefit only..
I personally disagree, but you are entitled to your opinion. The facts are overwhelmingly against this port. CPR makes a very compelling case. Even if you are for the port, it is worth your time to at least understand what is known and what is not known. Make your decision based on facts and not conjecture like you would if you were buying a car.
Great response!!
#VoteNO !
Featured comment, CNS. Great rebuttal!
How are we going to be 450 million out of pocket? Stop spreading nonsense. We will have a net increase in revenues over the period and end up with an asset valued around 450 million at the end.
It’s valued at $200 million as per press reports. The cost over 25 years due to the lost head tax = $450 million over 25 years. This is fact that has been previously written.
“CPR Cayman also points out that Verdant Isle can expect to receive more than $450 million over 25 years from its passenger fees, in return for its $200 million upfront investment.”
https://www.caymancompass.com/2019/09/26/campaigners-cayman-cannot-cope-with-2-5-million-cruise-passengers/
Obviously she is not listening to all the voters!! Some of us are still waiting on the facts.
The voters are split on this issue. Her views are consistent with many voters but they are just afraid to speak up
Not on my entire street. I know this for a fact. No on my street even voted for her. The rest of the people that live on my street as expats/renters.
Us registered voters aren’t split on this issue. We are completely against it. #VoteNo
oh dear! We do not expect you to have the correct information so please spare us the rehashes of the fake news.
More PPM kool aid, we not drinking it no more.
Time to vote NO on Dec 19 and come 2021 vote the whole unity team out of office.
Yup I’m really looking forward to Ezzard and co running this country??
I believe she had something like 300 votes to get into office and over 400 in her constituency signed the referendum!
Definitely not listening to her constituency.
Anon 4:39 : Rest assured. It CANNOT be any worse than the last dozen years!
Traffic Congestion – Wasn’t the Government’s consultant’s recommendation to improve the land-side tourist experience, i.e., traffic, etc., in Town, as more ‘bang for buck’ than building the docks? And din’t the reports say that roadway improvements would be needed especially if the docks were built? So is the government intending to make these recommended improvements and what are they going to cost and when are you going to do them?
“it’s possible that the situation on the main roads in the waterfront will be even better than it is today.” Based on what plans please? Taxis parking in Town aren’t what cause the congestion so more dock-side space for bus parking isn’t the solution to the problem.
More Low Season Tourists – So the super-ships don’t pass (or won’t want to call) on Cayman in the high season? Or is the Port Authority going to suddenly start limiting the number of ships in Port? (And if they do, won’t it make sense to prefer the super-ships over the smaller ones since the super-ships supposedly bring not just more tourists but more higher end ones as well.)
Environmental Impact – If the new plan is so much better than the old plan (a) why not wait until the revised EIA proves this before deciding? (b) What were the trade-offs compared to the first design and why were they made? (Or was the first design, by the same engineers, just incompetent?)
“we will have an increase in the number of cruise passengers from 1.9 million to 2.5 million” – We will? Are those numbers guaranteed by someone? Or are they ‘projections’? And, if so, what were the projections if the piers are NOT built? (And if they are projections, as most of these numbers are, what’s the range because no statistician ever projected 2,500,000.000 exactly.)
Compare Barbara Conolly’ viewpoint to
“An argument against cruise berthing facilities” by late Mr. Miller
https://www.caymancompass.com/2015/07/30/an-argument-against-cruise-berthing-facilities/
“I firmly believe that the environment is what will feed the next generation, not hedge funds. When you look at the tourism attractions Cayman has to offer, the God-given natural ones are far superior to the man-made ones. It is almost impossible to put a monetary value on the marine environment.”
Mr. Miller key points:
*Cayman was built on two pillars – its people and its peaceful, pristine environment.
* We built a country without a proper development plan and totally ignored our infrastructure during the boom years.
*We are at a crossroads – many believe, and hope that we can simply make a few tweaks here and there, and just continue and all will be right.
*Grand Cayman cannot handle any more development until adequate infrastructure is put in place.
*Those who believe that economic growth is only possible by tearing down more mangroves, dredging more holes, pouring concrete in swamps and now the ocean, draining waste down into our water lenses, etc. are short-sighted.
*The question is not whether we need a port improvement or not, it is whether we are prepared to sacrifice the very marine attractions which bring our visitors here in the first place.
*It is worth noting on page 1 of the Baird report, this quote: “Baird accepts no responsibility for damages, if any, suffered by any third party as a result of decisions made or actions based on this report.” This should give us all reason for pause.
*The recent EY report estimates the costs of Cayman’s infrastructure needs is in the $1 billion dollar range.
Well said Babs, level heads.
Did you see her in the LA? What an embarrassment she is a lost sheep
Politicians are puppets to control people, not serve them!
Oh Barbara, let’s just dissect some of your comments:
“Environmental impact – The footprint of the project has been significantly reduced. In fact, the new design now shows that the entire area will be reduced by around 30%. we now know that our Seven Mile Beach will not be negatively impacted.”
This reduction does NOT make it acceptable Barbara! How do you think moving 2 historical wrecks is okay? Did you ask the families of those who died on those ships if it was okay to try and move their burial grounds? How does one attempt to move these without sacrificing the integrity of them? The second part of your comment, about Seven Mile Beach… can you PLEASE share your SOURCE that 100% verifies that there will be NO impact? We’re waiting……
“The proposed cruise berthing facility will create hundreds of new jobs. It will help many smaller local businesses who rely on the cruise industry for their livelihoods.
Really? Hundreds of jobs? Name 50. Name 25. Also, inform us on how you plan to create jobs for all of those who LOSE THEIRS once this port is being constructed. We’re waiting….
” I know fully well that this project poses political risk but I am willing to do what is right for the people who I serve.”
This project and the “political risks” are NOT our concern!!! We are concerned that our beautiful, pristine waters will become murky, disgusting, toxic and will endanger and/or kill the marine life that calls it home! The reason why tourists come here is to enjoy these crystal clear waters, it’s also what we look forward to showing our children, grandchildren and so on! CPR is NOT the enemy here! They are asking very valid questions. The internet has shown us so many videos of other countries around the world who have made the mistake of trusting these cruise ship companies and are now in ruin. Have you seen any of these videos shown of neighboring countries? Have you read the articles about Jamaica and their failed port and failed coral relocation? Have you?? If so, what do you say about all those FACTS?? We’re waiting…..
Why is our government, who are elected to support their constituents, afraid to allow CPR to speak to civil servants? If they are so confident in the “minimized environmental impact”, why not let the other side speak to those who have a voice, have a vote?
Just because we are against THIS PROJECT, it does NOT mean that we are against an enhanced facility. There are so many other ways to promote this island, wouldn’t it be fantastic to be the world leader in environmental change, and maybe think out of the box a little and look to smaller, more boutique ships that hold more lucrative passengers? We already have Mt. Trashmore to thank for the high cancer rate, do we really want to add fuel to that fire with more black smoke from the cruise ships?
And my final question, Barbara… why are all of you in government making it seem like all cruise ships will stop coming here if the port doesn’t go through? That’s a scare tactic and it’s really pathetic that you all have to stoop so low! It’s unbecoming.
So, we’re waiting for those answers…. I’ve taken the time to write them out beforehand, giving you plenty of time to contemplate.
#voteno
You shouldn’t have any political risk if you are really doing what is best for the people you serve. If the people you serve agree with what your government has planned for the port and you are in support you should be fine politically if they don’t then – oh well you figure that one out!!
Barbara, love you, but you cannot sustainably destroy large areas of coral, control the widespread environmental damage caused by increased turbidity, or for that matter, guarantee the increase or distribution of cruise ship passengers.
The idea of ameliorating traffic problems by effectively building an enormous car park in the sea is foolhardy and expensive, and will be no improvement to the infrastructure available to your constituents.
Where are the plans for the widened landscaped streets, pedestrianized areas, public restroom facilities, streetside cafes, park areas, large carparks on existing land and entertainment areas needed by your constituents and cruise ship passengers?
Look to Camana Bay for an indication as to how the private sector deals with these issues. What is proposed just cheapens town further, diminishes its standing as our capital, will cause increased frustrations as those that actually live and work in Town already dare not leave their desks during the day because of hoards of cheap day trippers worsening gridlock.
VOTE NO
Barbara please go away you are puppet for Alden.
At least she’s not a coward to stand up and be counted! Too many are afraid to speak up in support because of all the negativity out there. I fully expect a hundred thumbs down on this site…
26% of the electorate already stood up to be counted when they signed the petition.
How can anyone expect support from a government that lacks TRANSPARENCY and attacks the democratic process that demands it.
Is she referring to the lies and malicious attacks on CPR and citizens by PPM and members of the government? The hypocrisy from the government is nauseating.
You will feel the will of people come next election. That is a promise from my household in your district.
I didn’t really know who Barbara Conolly was before the last election – but I have to say that I’ve been impressed.
She’s parroting the same talking points that the PPM have been using for the past 2 years and you are impressed?
She’s sticking to the script
Thats all this is
If you are fine with your MLA doing what the dear leader tells her to do
Then I guess you have the best MLA in the country
Watch how fast she disappears when this project goes tits up
I still dont know who she is!
tell us exactly what has impressed you?
Sigh. Barbs, please put the Kool-Aid down and step away from Alden’s table and try to get back some of your integrity.
Even the blind can see that this opinion piece is trying to be simplified too much for the common folk, but even the common, simple folk can smell a bad egg and knows it!
More ppm propaganda who wrote this garbage Babs because we know it wasn’t you?
I was thinking the same thing. Come on Babs stop being a puppet for PPM and Alden. We all know you are smarter than that and so do you deep down.
A very balanced view from this MLA. I know many will try to tear this statement down but some decent points are being made here. We should be thinking about how to move forward not whether to move forward.
decent points? More like opinions and not facts! She doesn’t know that SMB won’t be affected! And minimizing the marine destruction by 30% is not acceptable!! We should be thinking on how to move forward… just NOT WITH THIS EXACT PROJECT!!!
Move forward blindly into the unknown? #VoteNo
I wonder if the person who writes her debates is the same one who wrote this Viewpoint? Really do not sound like her. Just saying!,!
He must be busy, he also writes for David- another lost sheep!!
Well they are friends aren’t they?!
Are you really, really listening to your constituents? Are you? Or are you trying to save face and toe the party line? I know how I’m voting, and I hope as the meetings increase and Caymanians wake from their slumber – better yet, as long as the Pro-Port people keep talking – there will be a sweeping change across this country for the better.
#iAhRascal #GuardianOfTheGate
Please resign Barbara
Ms. Connolly
If you were listening to your constituents you would not have said the ignorant things you said in the LA during the referendum bill debate. You read a speech prepared by the party and gave no consideration to the concerns of people in your district. Have you surveyed your constituents for their views?
You are a Yes person for the Premier. You are a nice person but deserve to be voted out of office in 2021 for being weak willed and a follower instead of representing the majority of people in GT South. You will be a one term MLA at this rate. You have forgotten that your job includes serving all the people not some of the people.
She has drunk the red cool aid…. spewing propaganda
Fix the damn dump Barbara.