Controversial development target of graffiti
(CNS): A controversial luxury condominium development under construction in South Sound, which is causing concern about the impact on the shoreline environment in the area, was the target of graffiti vandals last night. The red spray-painted profanity was aimed at the Central Planning Authority as well as the developers, Michael Ryan, the man behind the Ritz project, and local businessman Dale Crighton.
The FIN Grand Cayman project has raised concerns because the developers managed to get planning permission to fill the ironshore with cement. This is to create a luxury glass swimming pool and a saltwater lagoon on the ironshore coastline for its wealthy owners to enjoy, despite breaching coastal and other setback rules.
Although the Department of Environment had advised against granting planning permission for work on the ironshore, the project, which was granted millions of dollars in concessions, was nevertheless given the green light.
The development, which comprises just 36 luxury condos with starting prices in excess of CI$1.5 million, has triggered a social media storm over the last few days, drawing attention to the environmental questions thrown up by the project.
Category: development, Local News
You know there is a serious problem when you let yourself get screwed by Michael Ryan a second time.
Why all the Comments or Blogs and stressing your selves out when the developement of these islands are controlled by ALL PERSONEL on the Planning Board = I rephrase that = The Planning Board is Controlled by a selective few and the rest sit and do as they are told =
Do you think that will matter when we have the PPM Government in office and CONTROLLED by BIG MAC =
Always remember that in an election your stroke of a PEN is more powerful than a Sword
Dexter L Ebanks
Duty concessions are not a complicated concept. A calculation is made to determine if the long term financial benefits outweigh short term duty requirements that may prevent a project from moving forward. There seems to be some confusion and in many cases gaslighting in regards to duty concessions.
Nobody ever cites evidence that any concessions that have been made have not lived up to their long term financial projections. Evidence may exist to substantiate such a claim I’ve never seen any published evidence to suggest that’s the case.
A 10 million dollar concession today may bring in 100 million in long term revenue.
Further and of equal or greater importance is the number of jobs created through construction and long term support and services to maintain these projects.
Wouldn’t it be wise to understand whether or not we are winning or losing on these wagers instead of engaging in knee jerk reactions?
You are subversively and surreptitiously predicating your commentary on a disingenuously derived assumption that those who are supposed to be objectively and equitably making these considerations and/or calculations are and/or have been actually doing so. Reality says otherwise. That we have come to see that they have not proven themselves to be worthy of trust as it pertains to said privilege in the first place is indicative of the first fallacy of your statement. Is it not now common knowledge that there is evidence of a systemic institutionalized corruption and that there is a preponderance of hidden in plain sight evidence which is without doubt indicative of a widespread malfeasance?
One can be assured that well known yet inconvenient truths, verifiable fact which is smoke indicative of fire, the archived experiences of witnesses, historical fact, archived media articles, the Hansard transcripts of the Legislative Assembly, the inexcusable and unacceptable continued miscreant presence of proven bad actors and predatory charlatans who have yet to be held to account, multiple and myriad repeated boondoggles and scandals and that which points directly to the presence of a diabolically contrived prostitution of decision making processes to the highest of bidders in and/or of the ‘commercial’ and/or private sector would and will continue to beg to say otherwise. It has become evident that these burgeoning and destructive realities have to now demand for, and no longer beg or ask for, the paradigm shift which is direly necessary in order to achieve a transparent, equitable, objective and tenable equation in any and/or all of these matters.
In my humble yet vociferous opinion, this has become self evident, with the resultant sociological degradation being but one of many negative consequences. That the subjective application of planning laws, regulations and the implementation of said regulations is and has not been applied equally and/or acceptably in any conceivable realm of cognitive sanity is both heinously and glaringly obvious to all and sundry. That the consequences for transgression, even when they are flaccidly implemented in an after the fact farce, are water off of a duck’s back for the worst of the worst transgressors is also glaringly obvious. This toothless and ludicrous application of consequence for transgression affects only those who do not have the illegitimate power and the undeserved influence of the worst of the worst, if ever in the first place.
Is this Jonathan or Frank?..the writing is all becoming a blur now and google is working in overdrive looking for word definitions..
Just finish high school and you won’t need to google for definitions.
It’s Jonathan, I can tell from the 492 uses of “and/or” and the use of words last used in the year 1932.
I see, we don’t need any actually evidence, we only need your emotional soliloquy.
Also, you’ve made an excellent anti-corruption argument to someone…What’s that called? Strawman?
Summary / tl;dr for anyone not interested in JA’s word vomit:
Your comment implies that we can trust the calculators to act with good behavior. In fact, the people who we trust to grant these concessions obviously cannot be trusted because of evident corruption. Consequently those who don’t wield the corrupted power in our society suffers, because after-the-fact approvals happen like water off a duck’s back here.
Good work, excellent overview and straight to the point. You neglected some salient points, but your summary is well constructed nonetheless. Now, would you like to explain why you did not say anything before I delivered my word vomit? I somehow posted in error before I was finished or had even edited it, if you can believe that. Would you like to identify yourself now so that I may thank you in person, or more importantly, so that the miscreant powers that be will not be further emboldened and/or unhindered because people such as yourself are not willing to state your name and as such, stand and be counted?
Amm, all now the Ritz still owe duty that hasn’t been paid back, no?
First, I don’t know that the Ritz owes any duty, perhaps the original developer does. Regardless, it’s not the point. The point is, it would be worth while to look at any concessions that were made in order to move the Ritz Carlton project (or similar projects) forward and see whether or not the concessions have been offset through greater long term duties, government receipts and other benefits such as jobs.
The fact that this is public knowledge and government has done nothing to address the situation shows how little they care. let Joe Public add a porch to his house that’s worth 1% of what that developer owes and it get reported.
Jobs for who??
The comments about what Michael Ryan has got away with are hilarious. I don’t live in Cayman.
Let’s go take a look this weekend! It’s going to get rough to the west of South Sound Road.
It never ceases to amaze me how developments like this are given millions in duty concessions to “promote growth” yet we have starving children and under funded schools that could “promote growth” in a more meaningful way but are constantly ignored. We have lumberjacks protecting the forests so to speak who give concessions to logging companies to tear it down when money is dangled before their eyes instead of making them plant more trees. As the Lorax said “a tree falls the way it leans, better be careful which way you lean”. I weep for my country I love. We have sold it away and can barely hang on to what is left to the point we are being imported out to the point being Caymanian is becoming more and more of a paper bought title. God help us all that we wake up before it’s really too late.
Like anyone who is involved with a Dolphin Prison gives a flying eff about the environment (or anything else for that matter).
Fast cars and nice wine ain’t cheap you know?
Why would the private sector do something like this.
Because the public service which represents the people lets them.
$1.5 million a unit
The developers have tried to cram a quart into a pint pot and for the last 2 years have had to use South Church St as part of their construction site because of this. They have constantly interrupted traffic, destroyed a section of the road without repairing it, and turned a quiet seafront location into a never ending nightmare for their neighbours and local drivers.
What is the point of the massive wall in front, it looks like Dade County Jail, and what about the cheap minimalist sidewalk with no paving slabs on the outer edge, like they have in the neighbouring condo developments.
Just wait until the next hurricane, having removed the ironshore and built so close to the ocean they will get their just desserts.
Why would the private sector led planning board approve something like this?
You know they sit on the board to enforce government laws. It all comes from cig
Are you seriously asking that question? LOOK WHO IS ON THE DAMNED BOARD!!!
Good. Serves us right. It was our land. We sold it. They should have built a 50 story. Planning would have approved it.
FIN is going to be in difficulty when there’s a heavy sea from the west. I hope its buyers know that. I’ve been there and looked when there was a storm. The waves were smashing against the building.
HOW could Planning have allowed it?!
Dale Crighton? Gullible expats? Next question.
And Fin is the only building on Cayman next to the shore in your world? Did you know it gets wet when it rains?
Don’t try to sound so clever. It’s not you.
Of course not, but it’s the closest.
Simple, Al’T has a big “rubber stamp.” Just one word on it “APPROVED.”
Neither the developers nor the buyers and/or tenants of Fin are much concerned with this. The building itself is well designed and it is very sturdily constructed, that itself is not the issue.
I myself very recently walked the razor blade of a boundary line between this building’s construction site and the building to it’s immediate South so that I could pitch off into the Caribbean Sea for a short dip. It is and was obvious that the building itself is almost smack dab upon the very coastline of phytokarst iron shore. I noticed the build up of plastic bottles, construction debris, lots of styrofoam detritus and other garbage in the already thinnest of strips between building and blue Caribbean Sea. I picked up what I could on my way out after my quick dip.
I will probably be accosted by some security guard or some other delusional, conceited and asinine ignoramus if I choose to try again to go down to a coastline which at one time I was able to see but is now blocked out by this one of many blights born of a larcenous greed and the poisonous fruit of an institutionalized corruption.
How could planning have allowed it? Methinks that the answer to that and the reasoning of such is glaringly evident and completely obvious to one and all, including the willfully ignorant and the purposefully blind, not to mention all of the transgressors and those who are in tacit collusion with said systemic institutionalized corruption and the already proven bad actors therein. It is also obvious to the myriad charlatans who pretend to be champions of the environment in which we all live, or the remunerated govt. departments/ministries charged with the duty of stewardship of such, yet still shy away when one’s own interests or conscience is challenged by the very truth itself.
The question is and shall remain; Are those who are now in and/or of the Cayman Islands willing yet to take the words of JFK to heart when he said; “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”? In the absence of a paradigm shift born of a selfless yet abundantly wise solidarity, then this diabolical, inequitable, unjustifiable, illegitimate, destructive and disloyal to the real well being and/or real interests of the Cayman Islands will continue on unhindered and/or unmitigated as the heinous status quo which it most certainly and without a shadow of doubt is today.
There are none so blind as those who refuse to see, regardless of whether or not they can even see the Caribbean Sea anymore in the first place or even if they now own one of the penthouses.
Well said. Thank you. I feel your pain. Caribbean jewel has turned into a bizarre conglomerate of ugliness and environmental toxicity by the very people who are being paid big bucks to protect and preserve it.
1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ thumbs up. 👍
Jonathan, you are over-writing your contributions. Cut back on the lists of adjectives and clarion calls of frustration and outrage and try to write in a more measured manner. It would be easier to read and digest and would make your points much more effectively. That said, you are to be commended for your passion and there are many of us share your disgust with some of the stuff that is going on nowadays….including this miserable FIN project. Keep up the pressure and good luck.
No one wants unsolicited advices. But if you have decided to do so, at least state your real name, otherwise you look like a pitiful coward.
Secondly, Why won’t you improve your comprehension skills and expand vocabulary instead of advising him to dumb down his comment?
Wtf, they’re just giving constructive criticism and you didn’t state your real name either, coward.
Hang on a bit. You want someone to give their name. Where the heck is your name?
😅😬
I didn’t give him any advices or criticized his writing style.
Just as well since you cannot write!!
I think his writing is fine. The group that it was intended for is the group that will understand it. Which is unfortunate as I doubt the developers will be able to follow any of it.
Who (ie “the group”) do you think his writing is intended for, 8:16?
Who the F are you to criticize? The beauty of CNS is that you can post anonymously without fear of repercussion. 2:47 p.m. was correct to offer the advice. Jonathan is a great guy, passionate, etc. but the message is weakened by the overwrite. You criticize 2:47 p.m. for not attaching his name to his well-meaning message, yet your message, which is far more critical than 2:47’s does not have your name attached. Obviously you’re not bright enough to get the irony. And based on the votes, 3:1 people disagree with you.
Agreed with you 100%. I was going to suggest the very same. The “over-writing” takes away from the core message. As you mentioned, Jonathan’s passion is to be commended – 90% of the readers agree with Jonathan, and are just as sickened by what is taking place. Keep up the great work Jonathan, just tone down on the descriptive. By and large, simplicity of wording will make the message more powerful.
Johnny, I’ll be thinking of you when I am taking a dip in the glass pool.
Be careful. Sometimes the glass shatters.
Especially when a earthquake starts shaking offshore.
The next 48 hours will be very interesting. Watch the building.
Input from the ignorant. Cowards who have nothing better to do than cut down the work of others. Now that they have done their work they hide.
Input from the ignorant? Looks like the developers are more ignorant. Who would put all those metal accents on the seaside? Guaranteed to rust after a few weeks. What a joke!
Who ever designed this monstrosity of a building needs to be crucified. And whoever approved this got blood in their hands.
It’s called speaking out anonymously…
We have gay rights now, are you staying that we should stop rights to free speech?
Cayman Islands are full of people who live in the past and do nothing but complain about the present. This is because the future is has nothing but hard work for them and they hate hard work more than anything. Most forward thinking people love hard work because that is how they build up their lives to a comfortable level and the only way for most people to gain a reward they can use in their lives. Cayman Culture has taught that hard work is for slaves and the real men are pirates. At the end of life they will have nothing and those who work hard will own it all. Hard work and living in the present builds lives. Complaining wastes it.
Now tell me one Caymanian other than Dale Crighton that will benefit from this? And please don’t hand me that crap about because with all the problems he has caused in Cayman there should be alaw to revoke his status..
We Caymanian fools think this is for us. Go down and look at the Land registry and see who the majority landowners are now..It isn’t us..
Isn’t Dale Crichton a born Caymanian?
sorry typo..I was referring to Michael Ryan..
Michael Ryan.
That’s one.
^What is this?^; Confessions of an ignoramus and crookedly corrupt asshat?^
The anonymous author who has posted this drawn and quartered half truth of disingenuous drivel is more probably than not one of the poncy pirates parading around wearing silken neckties who themselves deserve nothing other than to be made to walk the plank. This is indicative of just another pallid prevaricator whose miscreant self serving carcass lives within a web of self induced lies in a gilded cave which just like their own damn self is exceedingly dark and dank.^
Trying to like your comments but you are making it tough.
Mea culpa.
Now you’re just getting silly. Write English.
Oh, it is English. I did not create it. I am simply using it. Silly? Yes, maybe so. Did I speak on untruth? No I did not. Point taken on board nonetheless.Constructive criticism is to be taken in the manner it is delivered as it pertains to intent of purpose.
But he knows how to use Latin. Smart dude.
Jonathon WTF
I love your comments but boy your vocabulary is excessive..You could get your point across without so many very seldom used English words.
I have to get my dictionary out every time you write something and I have an MBA.
7.18am Well since these days 80% of the so called Caymanians are imported what does that say about them.
We are 100% imported. Only the dates change….
Concessions for this size development is not the norm. Needs to be investigated promptly.
Lol
35 of the 37 units have been sold. So I think the investors and very happy.
How many from China laundering money?
Do we have a Chinese laundry here? Me never know dat.
Lots of Chinese laundry money here.
Yep, we are certainly being taken to the cleaners by Chinese interests and money. We are just too stupid to recognize it yet. However, it will come out next year.
Thank God for Mother, who will require us, the British Virgin Islands and Bermuda, to disclose under the new beneficial disclosure law to be implemented next year, who the foreign people are behind the companies that buy big properties here and on the other islands.
Reluctantly, must now say that we need direct rule to clean up the mess we have created for ourselves.
Will the developer ever be made to pay back the duty owed from the Ritz project? Guess he should be really happy.
Check and see how many are in company names. Things that make you go hmmmm. Watch and see how many will ever be occupied.
This is no different from many condos on the beach bought and registered in company names but never occupied.
Let’s see if anyone can say why.
Has one ever tried to wash the blood out of money on the ‘delicate’ cycle? Did one use clothespins to dry out the bills or did one use and overpriced ‘green washed’ dryer of an oh so environmentally conscious design and construct? Done know. Why is this so? Ask the ones who don’t want to stop the carnival.
You mean 35 have deposits…maybe. Doubt they are paid for unbuilt and sight unseen.
Thirteen condos are still up for sale. Most of the penthouses are listed. Take a look at Crighton’s site.
Another private sector board strikes again.
Mr. Roy Bodden,
Do you stand in agreement with the premise that I broached in my commentary on the most recent article regarding the Beach Bay Blight and the disparities therein said all too common debacle? I spoke in said article of the dire need for the electorate themselves/ourselves to be solely the ones who are to, by construct of design, install, supervise and remove the leadership of these positions in and of the public sector. To be more specific Sir, I mean to the direct and purposefully implemented exclusion of the will, the vote, the individual interests of and/or the presence of an innate and inherent fallibility to malfeasance within the Membership of the Legislative Assembly and/or The Cabinet and/or any other than solely and exclusively the will of the electorate in our collective entirety. What I speak of Mr. Bodden is power to the people. I speak of a real, a valid and a viable system of democracy.
I for one believe it to be self evident that these progressive, positive and proactive steps forward have to be made a priority, regardless of whether or not they may fit into the construct of the Westminster system, and the fallacies inherent within said construct, which has proven itself not fit for purpose, and which facilitate the now glaringly obvious institutionalized corruption and malfeasance therein. At the very least, the cabals and the cartels involved have to be hindered, if not disallowed, from further carte blanche miscreant and abusive behaviour to the detriment of all and sundry.I believe that full and open transparency in any and/or all of these matters has to be demanded unequivocally with neither fear nor favour.
Moreover, I believe that the secretive, illegitimate and subversive influence which private and/or ‘commercial’ sector interests have been so unwisely and illegitimately and inequitably allowed to have over any and/or all of theses decision making processes has to be contended with, and that a continuance of the heinous and diabolical status quo has to be disallowed, forthwith, by the will of the electorate themselves/ourselves and that said decision has to be to the exclusion of any and/or all others, with neither fear nor favour.
What say you Sir?
What kind of verbal diarrhoea is this?
The one which you fear.
😂 a good one Jonathan! By the way, I don’t know you, but love your comments!
12:42 does his comment hurt your ganglions?
I can easily spare the 25 seconds required to read and digest the post. Perhaps your attention span is more brief than my own.
The same Michael Ryan that lost all of the $250 million that a Christian charity invested in the Ritz Carlton.
Good luck to the Fin Cayman investors.
The Chinese investors can afford to lose a lot of money. Don’t cry for them.
But Cayman coastal line can’t take more abuse.
The building is ugly and look like Miami. But I guess that’s what cig has advised the cpa to approve.
Does not matter. The goal of CIG is for Grand Cayman to become Miami Beach South.
Sad but true. DEVELOPERS RULE.
South Beach has sidewalks. We’ll never be that advanced.
Ain’t that a sad fact? We likely won’t have dedicated bike paths either.
Since most of the commenters seem to hate developments like this, why don’t you just leave Cayman and go and live in some place like the Nicaraguan coast. It will be far cheaper, and you won’t have any problem with luxury developments there and can live your lives in peaceful harmony with nature.
Apologies Dale
9.18 do you mean APOLOGISE.?
No. Apologies. As in I offer my …
The ignorance revealed in some comments is remarkable…
Different people have different things they don’t want to see change. This over arching trend of hating tradition is quite amusing to be honest. I’m a strong atheist, but you don’t see me running around wanting to destroy churches and burn bibles or other religious texts. There’s a certain level of respect we need to show for the things that brought us to where we are. I think we all need to appreciate that there are people who value certain things. Appreciation does not mean agreement, in this context it simply means having a level of understanding that another’s situation is similar to yours. It could be you and WHEN your fight comes along, I hope you ‘appreciate’ when someone says to you, just go somewhere else and leave your home country if you don’t like the changes happening.
Well spoken Jason.
Can’t really believe it even had to be said.
Well, you see, if we did that and controlled the mosquitoes, and built a wonderful thriving and successful culture and society, carpetbaggers would come in and screw it ip for everyone.
I have some questions for you.
Where is it do you think we should go when we’re told we should leave this country where we were born if we don’t like it?
Instead of telling people “If you don’t like it, you should leave,” why can’t you just accept there are major issues in this country? Why can’t you just work alongside us to fix it instead of telling us to buck the system and leave?
Instead of telling us to leave this place why don’t you get the hell out so the country we’re trying to change will benefit from your leaving?
There are more of us who are dedicated to changing — not just this country — but this world for the better. So pack your own bags first.
Because this is our country.
Sorry to tell you but the Cayman Islands are NOT / NOT a country.
We really need direct rule now before we totally destroy these islands.
Go flip a crabby patty with Patrick. Direct rule will kill these islands.
As you know 10:20, my good friend Squidward died a slow death with his own tentacles. Similar to these islands dying slowly with every new big development project on island.
As Krabs said “it is the crabby patty which holds everything together”. Hope one day your people will come together and hold together against the forces which break us apart and destroy our islands and environment.
Going with Patrick now for a fresh crabby patty.
Guess Sponge Bob is smarter than at least 14 people. Even he knows the Cayman Islands is not a country. Such a sad educational system here.
Amazing what one can learn living underneath the sea.
You sound smart.
Thanks 8:59. My new book is coming out for Xmas so buy it for your friends and kids.
This is a disingenuous attempt indicative of a common tactic of deception which those like the anonymous author of said comment above have foisted forward for years and for far too long.
Said comment is designed to say that those who stand against the perversion of Capitalism as an economic system are against Capitalism itself. Nothing could be further from the truth. You, dear decrepit and deceitful author have been identified as the clear and present danger to the well being of the Cayman Islands which you damn well are.
I know you, and those like you, to be a cabal and a cartel of predatory, charlatan blackguards who are the transgressors, users, abusers and benefactors in and of an institutionalized corruption which furthers your diabolical agenda at the expense of and the detriment to all and sundry, including Capitalism itself.
Nicaragua is not corrupt enough to be able to get what I want.
Seriously?? This is my country and like hell you or anybody else can tell me to leave here and go somewhere else. I was born here and I will die here and I will fight for here..If you don’t like that you can get on the first flight out and head to the Nicaraguan coast.
This Caymanian staying right ya!!!
Thank you Mr. Developer. Keep looking after your own interests here.
Well luckily, Michael Ryan doesnt finish any of his projects.
It’s a shame the government can’t build a road East so developers build great condos like this in east end. Would be great to create jobs in that part of the island.
No, we don’t want any of that bullshit up here. They know better than to try that. Northside and East end breed a different kind of crazy. Make um try it
There would also be a fairer distribution of property prices if these areas were easily commutable
Move all CIG to the East. Better plan. Civil servants only WORC till 3 so it gives them time to get home.
Why do you have to pick on us in EE? Not fair. Bad enough having to deal with our own MLA.
Just pave it all over and build, build, build on the coast and everywhere else until everything that is unique and treasured about the Cayman Islands are rendered into the overbuilt urban sprawls like Miami.
Can we save just a little part of GC as a monument of what we once were? The sense of community, and sea, and fishnin’ and diving off the shore?
I know you weren’t talking about overbuilding, but it seems that every place that we build to, we then overbuild. I hate like hell to lose it all.
Well, here’s a thing – the chairman of planning or whatever board is the owner of the largest hardware store on island.
and that’s the least dodgy thing going on in this country.
vote everyone out, clear the decks, remove all members of every board (Planning, CIMA, all of them)
start again. And dont listen to the developers or realtors or lawyers tell you that’s wrong and the world will end
no it will not. Only theirs will.
FFS Cayman, wake up. Get rid of this 30 year sewage infested debacle, they are all laughing at us. All of them.
@5:49 drain the swamp!
Don’t forget about the Emerald Beach pool in South Sound. Approved to be built within the 75′ setback. What a joke! Remove the developers from the Planning Appeals Tribunal and put someone on the board who cares about Cayman.
It’ll get taken out by a hurricane like the last one.
The graffiti is appropriate for the level of intellectual dissent.
Name those on the CPA so we can all know who are personably responsible for these decisions
A L Thompson
Bob Watler
Edgar Ashton Bodden
Joseph Coe
Peterkin Berry
Trent McCoy
Ray Hydes
Fred Whittaker
Selvin Richardson
Kris Bergestrom
Jaron Leslie
Roland Bodden
And the token socially-minded woman, Christina McTaggart-Pineda.
9:46 O would, or I had seen the day
That Treason thus could sell us,
My auld grey head had lien in clay
Wi Bruce and loyal Wallace!
But pith and power, till my last hour
I’ll mak this declaration
We’re bought and sold for English gold –
Sic a parcel o rogues in a nation!
Robert Burns
and how very apt for Cayman as well.
“Och lay yersel’ doon and dee ye great big tattie bogle ye”. ( Anthony Hancock).
“Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth” Michael Tyson
Your information is incorrect. You have listed names who are no longer on this Board.
This development is a skidmark on our society, it should be demolished. Jeez don’t even get me started on the mess they’ve caused to the road – who do I send my replacement suspension bill to?
I look forward to the next circa Christmas eve 1989 Nor’wester “running down to Grand Cay-man “
It’s called progress and will bring money to the island. Dale is an upstanding businessman and a generation Caymanian. Stop your petty jealousy
Pearls before swine.
Being Caymanian longer than another Caymanian does not make you more Caymanian.
7:53 Just makes you less driftwood.
Well, it does, but we began to sell and cheapen our heritage for a dollar. You say there is no difference until you find another “Caymanian” you don’t want to be associated with then it gets tricky!
Yeah, what a success the Cays at Rum Point has been. Dredged the hell out of the mangroves and a decade later not a single house. But that’s progress for you.
That he is – but what is he doing for our islands, other than making himself richer, creating monstrosities and partnering with a XXXXX who owes these islands millions
What were the concessions?
At what point do the people say to developers, “enough is enough” and establish a Green Party to take Cayman back from the out of control developers?
We are allowing our island to be destroyed. Caymanians wake up.
I would wholeheartedly support a Green Party.
Signed Generational Caymanian
Concessions ? How about sea and road setbacks, massing, entry/exit sight lines as a start.
They are also using the fire lane of the property next door so they can build closer to the edge of lot they are building on.
We will never know what the concession were? Why do we have to give developers concessions in any case. They take large deposits up front and throughout the project to fund it and these units are selling upwards of $3M so way out of reach of the average Caymanian so definitely not for us..
Why not give concessions on the basis that once the project is completed that the concessions or at least a portion of them is paid back to the government so at least the people of these islands get the dregs of what’s left..
Further, why doesn’t the government seek out local developers to build affordable nice developments so that Caymanians can have nice home rather than having to live in low income housing developments with very small lots of land?
Michael Ryan …. how much did CIG lose in duty repayments after the Ritz went bust? Yet we are happy to give him a free pass on this? And this time you cant even blame McKeeva.
https://caymannewsservice.com/2015/06/ritz-6-2m-duty-debt-still-unpaid/
Can’t blame McKeeva?
Who do you think is running the Government? Who do you think is really pulling the strings? Who do you think is keeping the membership of the Planning Board as it is?
Smells like Mckeeva, looks like Mckeeva, quacks like Mckeeva, must be Mckeeva!
Any investigation as to any of the status grants yet?
McKeeva is making a political comeback next year. So many political IOU’s to cash in plus all that wonderful developers money behind him.
Still a God in West Bay.
He is heading in a different direction.
Biggest IOU to be settled will be to reward Kenneth Bryan for saving him from the no confidence vote..
Don’t be so sure about that, the influence is still rampant.
The guilty complicity, equally shared collusion and decrepitude is still present.
From the attached article @4: 01
“Since the Ritz was sold and Ryan and his creditors settled their various legal arguments out of court in 2014, the government’s debt, which was unsecured, has remained unpaid. Answering questions on behalf of the Ministry of Financial Services and Economic Development, Financial Secretary Kenneth Jefferson said that government had had no luck in recouping any of the $6.2 million debt, which has been outstanding since the summer of 2009.”
NO LUCK? How about freezing his freaking assets? He robbed Cayman government of $6.2m in plain sight and got away with it!
Michael Ryan is broke. He can’t pay back the $6.2 million.
So how is Ryan a partner in this development, which bank gave him financing for this? Why did CIG give him planning permission If he still owes CIG money. Stinks to high heaven. Sick making the double standards of this government. Broke? Ha…not if these units are all sold. If that’s the case, then CIG should be knocking on his door in Patrick’s Island….but of course they won’t.
This example of the influence of the wealthy and the well connected over even those government departments charged with safeguarding the public’s interest is far more representative of the routine than it is an aberration . The Beach Bay hotel is another such project which is scheduled to proceed against reasoned objections and the good sense of area residents. A third case is the’ after the fact’ habitat removal which attracted a measly fine of CI $IOOO.00 dollars.
When will this madness end ?
Perhaps ,these are the cases Shakespeare was referring to when he penned the lines :
” Oh Judgement thou art fled to brutish beasts and men have
lost their reason. “
Mr. Bodden, do you stand in the agreement with the premise that I broached in my commentary on the most recent article regarding the Beach Bay Blight? I spoke of the dire need for the electorate themselves/ourselves to be the ones to install, supervise and remove the leadership and/or membership of these positions in and of the public sector. I for one believe it to be self evident that these positive and proactive steps forward have to be made a priority, regardless of whether or not they may fit into the construct of the Westminster system.
Moreover, I believe that the illegitimate and subversive influence which private sector interests have been so unwisely and illegitimately and inequitably allowed to have over any and/or all of theses decision making processes has to be contended with, and that a continuance of the heinous and diabolical status quo has to be disallowed forthwith with neither fear nor favour. What say you Sir?
“ is far more representative of the routine than it is an aberration”
Or in other words, Legge was right.
Of course he was right. It more often than not what is not said which is of far more consequence that what is not said. As such, when the editorial was written it was conveniently forgotten to include their own culpability and benefit derived from said institutionalized corruption and the purposeful promulgation of such.
Sad thing is, they have no shame so naming them doesn’t make a difference. It’s like Morne Botes the so-called advocate for the environment tearing up 1 of the last undeveloped parcels of land on the southwest coast for his “South Cove”. All of the units in these monstrosities then purchased by foreigners, land around George Town is now unaffordable for Caymanians. Some government, some CPA we have – total disgrace and joke.
He’s just saying what everyone is thinking.
Here’s the thing. I have respect for the designer – he’s talented. It IS a beautiful art deco style building. The problem is the building is simply built in the wrong place. It is oversized for the lot and is not a good fit for the neighbourhood. Whoever approved this will be kicking themselves in the future as it clearly sticks out like a sore thumb and degrades the entire neighbourhood. It looks like an hotel in a residential area. I don’t get it…
Follow the money, honey….
It may help you understand.
I don’t want your money honey, I want your love.
Like that thing in Rum Point. Completely out of keeping with the character of the area.
And the setback regulation from the road, ignored . No one else could get away with it.
I must say, this development is a disgraceful monstrosity. It’s hard to think that permission for it was granted without a nod and a wink here and there.
Why is Michael Ryan even still in business here?
Agreed, he should not be allowed to do any further development until he pays government what is owed, regardless if it’s with partners now matter how well connected they are.
Not just government.Many in the private sector was scammed and never paid by this man. Government should looking at putting a lean on this property until he pays up all his debts.
Good job our laws prevent persons with unpaid debts, including through being an officer of an insolvent company, from getting residency or status.
Michael Ryan has status
Simple. He has friends in very high political places.
PERIOD.
Disgusting. These upstanding men are risking there hard earned money only to be treated like this? Premier please get the Governor to have Scotland Yard come investigate and jail these dirty vandals.
Perhaps whilst Scotland Yard are here they can investigate exactly how this development got approved In the first place, how the Ritz got approved initially, how it got the building height limits in MB adjusted, and how Ryan got away with not repaying duty concessions. Still want an investigation? Thought not.
Nature will take care of it eventually.
Actually because they carry insurance that will be called on to fix the damage. Then all our insurance premiums go up. Every time this board approves something foolish like this everyone pays except the developers who got concessions.
Oh please…..
This is not the first project to get the approval of our corrupt government and it will not be the last. Wake up Caymanians. You are losing your country bit by bit and inch by inch.
Clearly the CPA does whatever it wants, and there is never a question by the LA. This will continue until all and I mean all of the current Ministers are thrown out of office and strict open records laws are written and enforced. Like the USA, all of the elites control government and big business. After all, the largest building materials company is owned and run by the chairman of the CPA while the rest of the committee members sit there in a daze.
Perhaps it is time to televise CPA meetings and repeat the meetings on government TV Channels.
My only comment would be that all current members of the Legislative Assembly should be replaced. Sick and tired of the same bunch of incompetents running a country like ours. And do not be fooled by what they say. They are all alike. Every single one of them is as guilty as the other.
Vote them out!
Eat them out. Drink them out. And vote them out!!!!
Do you really want to eat them out?
5.23 Vote them out! Vote them out! Vote them out!……..And replace them with who exactly? The pool to pick the replacements from wouldn’t get your big toe wet!
But Planning is a joke?
No harm is done.
Look From South Sound destroying the turtle nests, to across kirks filling and blocking the iron shore.
To Darts work.
Cayman is a lawless country and the older generation would sell every inch of the island regardless if it destroyed the environment or broke every protection law.
The real criminals are the ones who should be protecting the island.
You know there is a serious problem when you let yourself get screwed by Michael Ryan a second time.
It’s not the people that approved it that are getting screwed. It is the Caymanian people and the generations to come. There is a term for someone who takes money and other people germs screwed. We are living in a institutional whorehouse where you can get anything you want for a fee.
Are the Fin Cayman contractors being paid? How much did the smaller contractors lose on the Ritz project? We all can see Michael Ryan left rich.
the real crime is how expensive these are
and again I still can’t get permission to build my little fence, but this got passed!!!smh
@2:46 just build it!
Cash in a plain brown envelope would probably solve your problems :-}
When will this lunacy stop? When will we stop freely giving approvals to destroy our own natural landscapes? When will we stop giving concessions which only benefit the already rich?
Hopefully we can at least slow it down come May 2021 by changing the political landscape and getting rid of greedy store owners on the Planning Board who also only look to filling their already bulging pockets.
Hopefully!
The lunacy will only stop when we have direct rule from London. We are destroying this place by the day and are children out of control.
The “artist” is not wrong.
CPA must be investigated now. Obviously the members are conflicted and decisions which breach the law must be investigated. The Ministry of Commerce, Infrastructure & Planning and the Central Planning Authority must all be investigated by the Auditor General’s office for their roles in political directions, conflicts of interests, political interference and how these millions of dollars in concessions are granted, who benefits and the decision making process.
It would be nice in theory but we all know it ain’t going to happen. Too much cronyism.
I suggest that you read paras. 81 and 82 of the Auditor Generals report of Nov 2018 “Fighting Corruption in the Cayman Islands” http://www.auditorgeneral.gov.ky/powerpanel/modules/reports/html/uploads/pdfs/Performance-Audit-Reports-Fighting-Corruption-in-the-Cayman-Islands-final-report.pdf
Auditor Generals have done their job; we need to vote more wisely.
Not that I support this development, but graffiti did sh!t all to stop the public beach wall from being built too.
There are obviously two sets of Laws here. One for the Rich, and one for everyone else. There has been a catalogue of environmental breaches since the start of this year, from West Bay, George Town, Sound Sound and East End; all of which have gotten after the fact approval, and some have never been addressed.
While the common man is being told by planning department, they have to set their perimeter wall back 4ft of their land for govt development. Absolutely ridiculous. Sounds like we need to rally together and sue Planning dept for their unfair/ biased practices.
planning dept needs to be investigated, the the unequal enforcement of laws needs to stop before people are pushed too far and violence erupts. If you are offended by the writing, ask yourself how much more offended you will be if people start torching stuff.
Looks rather like the work of the teenage vandals who painted up Webster Estates late last year. Probably just wanted to use the rest of the red spray can.
😆😆😆
Ironic that the person who did the graffiti would go to jail before the individuals responsible for this development’s transgressions.
I don’t know who would want to live there when the project is right on the road and literally no space inside to turn or manuever the vehicle. I don’t know what type of planning department we have
Isn’t he the same Michael Ryan who owed millions to the government on the Ritz Carlton development? If, he is the same person, can the authorities say whether the outstanding funds were paid. Just curious.
Of course not! Don’t be silly. Ryan has been bankrupt numerous times here and in Canada and yet CIG and the cayman banks open their arms to him. Developers like the Thompson’s, Creightons, the Wight’s contine to sell our islands down the drain for $$$. They don’t care for the future as they and their families will be gone. And our useless government ministers with them. Disgrace.
@7:28 claiming to be bankrupt is a simple way to get away from paying your creditors. He obviously isn’t suffering financially. Our government “had no luck” in collecting the $6.2 million that he owes! Yet, he is the other main investor in this project. Just maybe, it is the Cayman government’s (our) $6m invested in this building? Government should cease it and use it for the mentally ill housing. That would be real justice.
Care to cite the law broken by the developer? I couldn’t careless about the developer but I despise vandals especially a cowardly graffiti “artist”.