Panton ‘steps on toes’ over mangrove development
(CNS): Premier Wayne Panton will not support development in the Central Mangrove Wetlands, he stated on Friday in the wake of comments made by two Cabinet colleagues that building the East-West Arterial extension would offer opportunities for lower-cost homes in the interior. Deputy Premier Chris Saunders and Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan publicly backed the idea last Wednesday.
But speaking at a press conference on Friday, where he sat next to Bryan, the premier said that while he didn’t want to “step on his toes”, the road doesn’t translate to developing in the wetlands.
Panton said that pursuing the highway extension was not a question of developing the Central Wetland Mangrove areas, though he accepted that some of the land was privately owned. But he made the case for retaining the mangroves for their existential ecological value they offer as well as for the potential to generate income on green markets once Cayman gets involved in the rapidly growing blue and green carbon trading by selling the eco-services they offer, such as carbon sequestering.
The premier said this type of land no longer has monetary value through development alone because people will now pay to keep mangroves and wetlands in their natural state because of their ability to absorb carbon. He said that like Cayman’s seagrass beds, they have a greater capacity to capture and store carbon than rainforests.
The premier said he supported the extension of the controversial road, which might disappoint those who believed he would put a stop to the project. However, he said he did not support allowing access for development access to the wetlands.
“The major factor is providing better access to the Eastern Districts… and providing a key route not subject to storm damage or road traffic accidents that might block off the road,” he said. “That road does not translate… to meaning that everything to the north of the Central Mangrove Wetland gets developed,” he added.
But he said it would make the south side of the road, especially around Frank Sound, more accessible, even though much of that land is also critical primary habitat that is home to much of Cayman’s dwindling unique flora and fauna.
Panton was clear that the wetlands must be protected, as he outlined the significance of this natural habitat for carbon trading and the services it provides to the country.
“That land has a significant value being left in its original state… You don’t have to sell the land to gain value from it. You can sell the services that the land… provides. There are companies and countries that will buy those services and create income and value for that land beyond… the existential value,” he said.
Concerns have been raised by environmentalists that the East-West Arterial extension from Woodland Avenue in Bodden Town to Frank Sound will cause major flooding problems for residents in the area. It will also break up the largest area of continuous mangrove forest in the Caribbean and allow people to access land in the area that has been protected because of its inaccessibility.
While much of the mangrove wetlands would be difficult to develop without massive amounts of very costly fill, the area includes some higher, drier land. Sales are already taking place for land within the interior, raising alarm that the limited remaining natural habitat in the east will be developed, not as affordable homes for local people but for profit for overseas investors.
The National Roads Authority is currently going through the process of finding consultants to conduct an environmental impact assessment, which will include a public consultation process.
See the press conference below:
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Category: development, Land Habitat, Local News, Science & Nature
Sad state of affairs for our little island. If our government had the ball to stop the import of all these cars coming into the island every week from Japan and make the many companies on the island provide effective bus transport for the immigrant workers that we are spending money to build roads for and the majority of them bringing their dirty driving habits with them there would be less traffic jams and no need for our government having to spend money to buy land at $5000.00 per foot to build roads to support these enormous amounts of vehicles which are polluting the island and being then subsidized again by the government having to spend money to hire another immigrant worker , from the same country that is helping fuel this to pick them up and take them to dump to increase our mountain.
Immigrant workers SHOULD not be allowed to do this within our country , you are on a limited license and your employer should be responsible for your transportation to from work, on the other side of the coin again take a page out of Bermuda’s book which states until until you reach certain income bracket you cannot afford a car , and then only if approval is then given via the government.
Cayman we need effective leaders in this island who are not afraid to say no and not just every 4 years stand on the soapbox , but when they get the proverbial position they forget everything in order to build their empire and forget you the people.
Stop talking sense…….Govt do not listen or care if if doesn’t make them, their family or their concubine from Honduras some money.
The Premier has driven across Alligator Alley in Florida many many times. He has therefore seen for himself the damage that results from pushing roads through ecologically sensitive wetlands.
@8:08:
You give Panton too much credit regarding his environmental awareness. I seriously doubt that he would recognise the degradation of the natural Ridge and Slough environment of the land that was once down flow. Alligator Alley was not the first such project. The Tamiami Trail, built and completed in the 1920’s, was the first massive civil engineering project to impinge on the ‘Glade’s natural flow.
Wayne, I hope that you are beginning to understand what you did to these islands by grabbing this group of power hungry misfits to gain power. You are on the skidds my friend and when the Jamaican moves to grab control from you I hope that you have a solid plan to stop him in his tracks. If not you had better take off the blinders and get organised and understand what is taking place right under your nose. Not for your sake but for the sake of these islands wake to hell up!
@7:39am DART owns multiple times 500 acres in the area..Have you checked the registry lately? Chisholm and Arch’s 500 acres is miniscule in comparison..
Woosh.
More like…”Checkmate”
More like deflection
The comment was a specific response to a threat made to Wayne’s standing as an MLA. So I’ll ask again, who is it that he should be afraid of? Certainly not Dart.
I wish Dart would go somewhere else. He has already caused chaos for a lot of us here.
500 acres🧐😳🤐? Interesting🤨.
“1 acre put aside for every acre we develop going forward”
Two things.
Why can they not build a road/bridge like the Interstate 10 through Louisianas Atchafalya Basin?
Also: the carbon offsets equal big bucks. It’s a good thing to do. But you can not develope AND collect offsets. There is no going back once development starts.
Here is the mathematics of that:
1. Ask an architect or quantity surveyor what it costs to purchase a 40ft x 40ft slab of concrete with sufficient rebar to make it strong enough to be used as the floor for your new house.
2. Then ask what it costs to purchase and install concrete pilings to support that concrete slab in a mangrove swamp. Average depth to bed rock is probably 40 feet and you want the road at least the same height above the mean water level so you don’t have mangroves growing up over the road.
3. There are 5280 feet in a mile, so each mile of road will need 132 40’x40′ slabs. Plus you will need guardrails to be installed. The length of the road from Newlands to Frank Sound is at least ten miles.
We simply don’t have the money or manpower or other resources to build an elevated road of any length anywhere in Cayman.
5:56, Our Govt has no issue spending money and flushing it down the toilet…..what’s your point?
Environmental protection fund?
*nothing to see here folks*whistles as they walk away*
All wrong.
@4:51:
You seem to be saying the same thing that Panton suggests: “The carbon offsets equal big bucks”; therefore, you must know what sums are involved. So far Panton talks a big game but thus far is dark on what kind of $$ he is talking about relative to carbon credits for mangrove wetlands. Since you apparently have that “big bucks” data, please fill in the blanks:
The income from carbon credits involving a hectare of mangrove wetlands can expect to bring in an average of $______ per year. And please give us the source of the data.
Thank you.
Panton keeps going on and on and on about how there is somehow someway somewhere big money to be made by wetland land owners if they do not sell the land but, rather, sell the natural services the mangrove land can provide.
According to a previous article on CNS, Panton and his ministry recently hosted economist Ralph Chami, the co-founder of Rebalance Earth, which advocates for integrating natural capital into local economies. Per CNS article: “Chami delivered a series of presentations about a nature-positive economy and how communities can raise money by selling the services that nature, from elephants and whales to seagrass and trees, can offer mankind. Panton said that the creation of an exchange market where carbon credits and sequestering services could be traded could be a perfect fit for the Cayman Islands.”
Chami sounded like a snake oil salesman and Panton attested as to how wonderful Chanmi Amazing Magical Oil is. Chanmi expounded on the idea that a lot of money can be made by selling carbon offset credits based on the carbon sequestering function of the mangrove wetlands. (Bear in mind that Chami’s company is involved in such trading and so his pockets stand to be lined if CIG does business with Rebalance Earth. Grain of salt needed.)
I am not impressed and neither are land owners who see opportunities to sell or develop their land and make a decent “now” buck. Chami could tell his audience how much in dollars that a whale is worth in carbon sequestering ability in its lifetime, and Panton continues to extol the profits to be made by selling the services that nature can provide. However, neither gave mangrove land owners who might be pondering their options the prime information they need to decide if the snake oil is worth pursuing: they failed to suggest how much money per acre or per square foot can one expect to earn per month or per year by selling these “natural services”. That is a really really reallyyyy stupid oversight.
Does anyone here know of that figure?
Land owners looking to sell or develop their land care primarily about one thing: $$$.
If the land owner can make X number of $$ per acre in hand (now) by selling, and Y number of $$ in hand in, say three years, by developing, and the income from carbon sequestering fails to approach the other options in terms of dollars, it is no-brainer which option land owners will be inclined to choose.
If Panton wants anyone to take his fabulous incredible wondrous amazing stupendous spiel seriously, he needs to come across like this: “Mangrove wetland owners stand to earn an average of about ($$$) dollars per acre each month by selling carbon sequestering credits.” You see, it’s like the old saying goes “Money talks, bullshit walks”.
In closing, my parting thoughts: Selling carbon credits so large corporations can continue to pollute at unabated levels is nothing more than environmental prostitution. Developing environmentally sensitive wetlands to make a quick buck is environmental pimping; but at least if we sell our credits to the foreign corporations, we don’t loose our precious mangroves wetlands to the bulldozers of the local pimps.
Unfortunately from time you hear the leader say “I don’t want to step on any toes”, you know he’s not a leader. Free bananas for everyone!
And the Coup is not far away. Has the country forgotten 2001, the same modus operandi followed then by the now Speaker of Parlliament, is now at play within
PACT. Ministers disagreeing with the Leader over portfolios assigned to him etc.
Either the old Con Artidtbis pulling the strings or the younglings mentorship has finished and they are ready to take what they believe is theirs because of their youth. How sad that we cannot stick together for the good of the country and not for self.
Except that what happened in 2001 was not a coup but the legitimate removal of a leader deemed unfit by the majority of his elected colleagues. Those using the term coup should consider the negative effects such rumours can attach to our islands’ reputation. Islands they claim to love. Just stop it.
Wrong coup.
Yep Mck is still in charge. PPM and Anti-PPM Big Money to blame in equal parts.
If a takeover is in the works and the plan is to remove Wayne because he is unfit, what exactly makes him unfit?
And who pray tell is the better fit?
Julie? Is public education a success?
Roy? Is he going to work with Chris?
Joey? To hand it all over to developers?
Alden? Is he going to work with Kenneth now?
Large bucket of popcorn in hand.
My logic is this. Developing the wetlands will negatively affect the community on a whole while only having positive affect for select groups. I just don’t see how this is a positive for every one and further more why should everyone suffer so a few people that inherited speculated swamp can benefit?
9:28, Our Govt does nothing that benefits everyone; where have you been living?
The 1% count and that’s it.
Panton is now paying the price of putting together his PACTless Clown Car.
Because his minions have him by the short hairs, Panton cannot step on his Cabinet’s toes or exercise any authority and get them in line as a true leader would. Panton is not leading. He is doing triage. Pathetic! If his minions jump ship and make a deal with the other devils, Panton’s PACTless government falls apart and he is exiled to the back bench. Panton has to pucker up and kiss ’em up real sweet…or else!
Welcome to party politics in the Cayman Islands all ye fools who allowed parties to be enshrined in the Constitution.
Voters always get the government they deserve.
The clowns are running the circus. What can possibly go wrong?
PACT is not a party. They are barely A functioning government.
Well our last party in power stripped and sold the country to fill their own pockets…..PACT could be a party for the people but they need a leader….Wayne wake the hell up man.
What Party ? Where have you been ? These are a bunch of independents who couldn’t form a party if they were given the manual. All egos and no brains
Never should have gone to parties
Here’s a thought exercise. Let’s say the wetlands is completely off limits for development. What options would that leave us with?
Just because you own land, that doesn’t mean anybody else is obligated to help you develop it. The rest of the population doesn’t not have to suffer because you want you’re generational speculation to pay off. You bought land that can’t be developed without negatively affecting your community? Tough luck. Keep it moving.
doubt the initial owners bought it – just took it or given it.
For the thousands of us that were born and raised in the East and the further thousands that believed in the Go East initiatives of prior leaderships, and moved East to secure their piece of the dream.. a HUGE THANK YOU!
Please build the road so we can enjoy some of the same travel freedoms that WestBay realized, after Dart pushed thru all the red tape and built that wonderful highway from town to WestBay.
We are in crisis daily…. your ever effort appreciated.
Thousands born in the East? GTSOOH
4:12, i didn’t get that either, born in GT, raised in EE maybe; unless we are talking about going back to the 40s when people were born on the EE beach or in the EE bush and then raise din EE because they didnt have a donkey to leave the district?
Jamaica?
we are on a road to nowhere…
a highway to hell…
a road to hell
Ponder this:
Healthy mangroves lay down fresh soil (grow land vertically) by 5mm a year.
Sea levels are rising at 3.6mm a year.
And some in our government want to do what to our mangrove core?
what is your source for 3.66mm sea level changer per year?
@8:39
–NASA: Global Mean Seal Level from 1993 to 2020 rose an average of about 3.3 millimeters per year.
–NOAA: Sea levels continues to rise at a rate of about one-eighth of an inch (about 3.18 mm) per year.
–Climate.gov (USA): “The rate of sea level rise is accelerating: it has more than doubled from 0.06 inches (1.4 millimeters) per year throughout most of the twentieth century to 0.14 inches (3.6 millimeters) per year from 2006–2015. Past and future sea level rise at specific locations on land may be more or less than the global average due to local factors: ground settling, upstream flood control, erosion, regional ocean currents, and whether the land is still rebounding from the compressive weight of Ice Age glaciers. In the United States, the fastest rates of sea level rise are occurring in the Gulf of Mexico from the mouth of the Mississippi westward, followed by the mid-Atlantic. Only in Alaska and a few places in the Pacific Northwest are sea levels falling, though that trend will reverse under high greenhouse gas emission pathways.”
Observation and logical conclusion:
The ice sheets and glaciers are melting and breaking off at accelerating rates as clearly shown by comparing satellite images over time. The calving ice and melt water has to go somewhere: the oceans. Result: sea levels rise.
Best advice and long term synopsis:
–Buy Bluff land on Cayman Brac, or second best, inland highlands on Grand Cayman and Little Cayman. High
–“Ironshore” better than sandy beach.
–Sandy beach land is a fool’s choice: unless of course you would enjoy seeing your very highly valued beach investment slowly disappear due to erosion. In that case, enjoy!
–Cayman Kai: From the sea it was born, to the sea it will return.
Lol
How does that compare with the rising of Mount Trashmore? I say we all keep our own garbage and scatter it in our own yards. Some will rise faster than others, but overall the land should rise ten times faster than the rise in sea level.
Mt Trashmore now goes above the highest buildings in Camana Bay. i
Makes for a spectacular view we get to show and tell our clients now in board meetings.
You could increase the size of the mangrove wetlands by 10x and we’d capture maybe 0.0001% more carbon per day.
Build the dam road and release the low cost housing – pun intended.
You understand that as soon as this massive wave of construction is done, and 5,000 construction workers return to their homelands, We are going to have a housing surplus, right?
And building out East helps no one. It increased traffic and urban sprawl and makes life less inefficient.
If Government wants to do something helpful and useful it should build housing in George Town central.
Decrease traffic?
Slow urban sprawl?
Makes life more efficient?
Government doing do something helpful???
Shhhhh!!
How very disrespectful!
I will have you know that our Government (AKA Panton-PACTless Clown Car) does not appreciate people like you making intelligent suggestions! Talk to the hand!
Please bear this in mind next time you get the urge to write a comment.
perhaps a surplus of homes that need to be condemned. Perhaps that’s a good thing?
Who u say going to leave?? May God help us… you haven’t been looking around??? Every parasite that can get to Tje Caymsm Islands whether: by plane, by boat, by whatever means they are here.
PACT, Immigration better wake up. Talking about rising sea levels!!!’ Damn We already swamped and drowning!!
your maths is awful.
go back to school…or start school
I think you meant. ‘Oxymoron intended’ referring to ‘low cost housing’.
This is some real mental gymnastics.
I felt like I needed concussion protocols after trying to decipher the nonsense the premier was talking about….selling benefits of mangroves without developing the land???
Collective responsibility in disjointed action – Just like the newly instituted Cabinet Manual.
Panton blindsided by Saunders and Bryan radio interview, on matters not in their portfolios.
So, to save face, he’s had to make a press briefing to sorta kinda deal with what was said and meant, if you know what I mean.
No. He should show them the door!
@7:45:
If he shows them the door and they make a pact with the Roy Machine, the wheels of the Panton-PACTless Clown Car fall off and (if Panton has the balls to run again) Panton is exceedingly likely to be ushered to a seat on the back bench. All Panton can do now is to try to apply a Band-Aid to the gaping chest wounds. In the slang vernacular of war medic triage for hopelessly injured victims, the Clown Car looks like it is CTD (Circling the Drain).
This madness needs to stop. Who’s going to advocate for the environment? Clearly, someone or an entity needs to step up and protect our nature. Our government previous and present are not to be trusted.
The wet lands should not have been sold to begin with, but I understand, back then the benefits of the wet lands for the protection of the islands and the preservation of nature were not known. Government should buy back these lands.
Interesting how not a single comment so far has mentioned the generational Caymanians who have owned land in the Central Mangrove Wetland for generations. They have been waiting that long for the road to go through so they can develop their property and help their families prosper. Wayne can keep talking about his fictional ideas about how these owners can “sell the benefits” of their land without actually developing it….but that Sir will cost you the next election.
@7:45pm..Have you looked at the Land Registry lately..The lands you are talking about have long been sold to DART and Schilling? The only large swaths of land left is the Crown Land..Go take a look and see for yourself..
Here are some names of DART Companies to look up..These companies own literally hundreds of acres between Newlands and Frank Sound and beyond..
DART Realty(Cayman) Limited
Turtle Creek Investments Limited
Shoreline Development Companies Limited
Frank Schillings acreages is FS Inc.
Go to Lands and Survey and let them give you the block and parcels and the amounts of acreage for each one..You will be shocked and amazed. There is very little for local people to buy or use.
There is a small amount left owned by Lower Valley Watler Family and we all know they don’t sell their land. There rest are just bits and pieces owned by some local Caymanians and overseas corporations.
We don’t own much of this land and I think that Chris and Kenny may want to do the same study I’m asking you to do.
These big companies are waiting for Government to build the road so they can start their expansion plans to the East and North. We are just so stupid we didn’t even know that this was all sold out years ago for what the old people use to talk about, a few shillings to the DARTS and Schillings of Cayman…and guess what they are now Caymanian to and with enough money and clout to demand that any sitting Government be at their beck and call.
Dart will help build the road if the want him to but for another sweet NRA deal like he got before which saw him taking parts of West Bay to construct his hotels.
Anyone notice now how much bush is grown up along the roads on the highway but everyday his grounds and roundabouts in front of Camana Bay are kept well landscaped and manicured. Until he is ready to develop the land along the Esterly Tibbetts highway, the bush will continue to grow high and unkept not unlike the old rat infested Hyatt building that no Government has ever forced him to clean up even though there is a law in place to do so..
Things that make you go hmmmmm.
You left out “Global Conservation (Cayman Ltd). Who is that and what are their nefarious intentions?
@8:07am..Didn’t forget them but they are over on Little Cayman with some 800 acres…another DART owned company..different names for different islands…just a way to keep the natives guessing..
They own land in the Central Mangrove. You forgot them.
I remember them. They outbid the National Trust, didn’t they?
Good. The National Trust is a waste of space. At least someone is doing something to conserve land with legitimate ecological value.
Not an acre for acre trading card?
@12:47
Very well put together!
You may hear some “Hmmmm” sounds from the public/voters, and some may even open their eyes, but it is not unusual for those in a prolonged vegetative state to make sounds and occasionally make sounds and open their eyes. It does not mean they are actually aware of anything or responsive.
You also left out National Trust of the Cayman Islands, Crown of course, and a parcel under the ownership of one ‘Governor of the Cayman Islands'(?)…
12:47, Precisely why DART came out with the snippet that they will put aside an acre for every acre they develop going forward…
What part of Cayman did we all think that refers too?
Bingo.
Who’s to say Saunders and Bryan are not aware who the owners are? Remember deals are always made when one takes their eyes off of what really matters
You trying to tell us that Dart Realty is a Dart owned company? Not sure I believe that. They sure hid that one from us good.
“1 acre put aside for every acre we develop going forward”.
I hope we are all ready for what’s coming.
@7:45pm. The few generational Caymanians that owned any land in the Central Mangrove Wetlands have long sold out to the DART’s and Schillings. I hope you are not thinking that this is going to make Caymannians reach..maybe more por but definitely not rich..
The few that are left there will either sell it to them or will be too poor to fill it to do anything with it.
Another complaint from the “what’s in it for me” pressure group.
Not quite. Sounds more like concern from the ‘this place is going to ratshit’ group. And quite rightly so.
Killing the environment so my family can be wealthy too.
This attitude is why runaway development continues.
Envy and greed.
Exactly. If it is so beneficial and valuable why dont Govt.buy it. Have they bought anything aside of a overpriced rocky beach in GTC? All talk no action.
There’s a fair amount of Watler family owned land in there and Berna and ALT own a few parcels. Other than that’s it’s mostly held in corporation names, some of which are easily identifiable and others deliberately not so, ask yourself why.
For what it is worth, I have always been told that “tidal mangroves” were Crown Land. In 1964 all of the East side of the West Bay road was mangrove. It therefore belonged to the Crown, and to date all that now recovered “land” is presumably leased?
The largest privately owned parcel is the property of the Arch and Chisholm families (500+ acres), is that who Wayne should be afraid of?
They should thank Wayne for providing access to their lands, at no cost to them.
@7:39am DART owns multiple times 500 acres in the area..Have you checked the registry lately? Chisholm and Arch’s 500 acres is miniscule in comparison..
Woosh.
Thank you Wayne!
Well, duh, build the road but we don’t need more housing developments.
Frank Hall is a Jamaican.
Joe Biden is an American.
I thought he was Irish?
Joe Biden is someone who never accomplished much while in the U. S. senate. Personally, I think he does’t know his AC from his DC.
@3:45 and @7:20 Voters get the government they deserve, and, they deserve the misery they allow to prevail.
Anyone with two functioning brain cells knows American politicians (including many many other than Biden and on all sides of the aisle) and the country’s politics, suck. Please try not to stink up this board with the off-topic stench.
And I is Caymanian.
Which makes you part African, Scottish, Welsh, English or Irish but most don’t go back that far in their family tree.
3-5 generations normally suffices to exonerate any link a McLaughlin might have to their roots elsewhere for example..
Imagine if all the Ebanks knew that their name is taken from Eubanks; which is Welsh….
Or Bodden which is English….
The list goes on.
The voice of reason drowned out by greed. Truly sad times for our natural wetlands, history and culture, and reason. All for investments that only the chosen few can benefit from.
Thanks for speaking to this Mr. Premier. While I don’t expect any better from Saunders or Bryan, I do support the extension of the EW Arterial! The current BT artery / road is long past its “sell by” date. There is far too much traffic traversing that road between Newlands and Pease Bay than can safely by done. It’s a wonder we don’t have more accidents along there. Just build the road by elevating (on pilings) along the areas needed.
The suggestion to “build the road by elevating (on pilings) along areas needed” is a plausible solution.
It’s plausible – just eye watering my expensive. But hey, we have a major surplus right ( ignoring all that debt we are not paying down but that’s some other governments or our grandchildrens’ problem). And of course preserving the wetland under the road will make zero difference if the land to either side of the road is then filled in and developed, but god forbid we should ban that.
The congestion in Bodden Town is between Newlands & Northward; also, between Lookout Gardens/Belford Estates & Midland Acres.
Geez what a strong leader..don’t expect any change from PPM destruction from this guy or the immigration Minister that begs industry for EQUAL opportunity.
Speaking of ripping out mangroves, the mangrove island /quay immediately south of Vista Del Mar towards Lalique Point I understand has been recently acquired, with the aim to tear the entire mangroves out & fill/develop into luxury homes of the style seen at Deck Houses. Will the choice eventually come down to pick Carbon Sequestering or Mega-dollar homes?
Smells of Dart
Strike one.
5:30 pm No. Not Dart. A single purchaser who plans to build his home.
The Crown should enforce protection of their property and waterways with an injunction against any planning approval and the developer acting on behalf of the owner should be encouraged to suggest a wetlands venice style paradise rather than the crap Californiaesque monstrosity likely touted for a young dotcom billionaire with zero sophistication. Stop raping this country!
yikes…lots of caymanian wonderland ideas to digest there.
panton decoded: the road will happen.
It would be quite simple to prevent the new highway from becoming an access that promotes development. Simply do what is done in countless such instances the world over: make the highway a limited access corridor. It would entail a higher acquisition cost as the landowner’s whose land is taken would receive no offsetting benefit from the highway and government would have to pay fair market value of the take. But if government is truly committed to preservation of the wetlands, they will put their money where their mouth is.
Like the limited access Harquail Bypass where certain dubious politicians make back room deals for buddies because “the land is worthless without access” and then the next thing you know there are special accesses – with at least two more coming this next few months. It might as well just be called Harquail Road – it don’t bypass anything….
You got more insider information than the general public has.
Ask yourself who developed the Dumpside apartments.
and purchased more land for the next phase?
Exactly.
8:09 am Just say it….Kurt Tibbetts allowed direct access off the bypass for Lakeside Apartments (across from the dump) because his childhood pals were the developers.
If the wetlands ‘Must be protected’… then you should not bulldoze and build a road through it. I am amazed at the incomprehensible low IQ of our Ministers. (Or their pocketbooks are being padded).
Come and see where you live now? Probably was mangroves or some other high value ecological system. Hypocrite.
The voice of rationality.
How many miles of road are we talking about here? How many lanes are needed? Any possibility that the road could be elevated a few feet above the ground to minimize environmental impact?
Last question on point.
” It will also break up the largest area of continuous mangrove forest in the Caribbean”.
Way to go Cayman; we should all be so proud of ourselves; everyone pat themselves on the back.
Is it a verifiable fact that this is the largest area of continuous mangrove forest in the Caribbean? Or is that a convenient label given to it by those opposed to the idea? Where’s the report/data substantiating that assertion? Is it in your library CNS? Please share the link.
CNS: The National Trust says so here but I don’t know what the source is. I shall endeavour to find out and put it in the Library.
The wetlands are wet as they are a natural drainage area, but that won’t stop the developers. Drive around and look at developents where natural drainage areas were for centuries, and remember how relatively flat this island is.
Come storms and flooding, hundreds of homes will be flooded out.
Flood plain management, anyone?
An elevated highway with limited access/off ramps might be the solution.
Or we could limit vehicle ownership to permanent residents and Caymanians and invest the money for the road into proper public transport!
Build the monorail!
I’m pretty sure culverts are cheaper
Sadly, the planning department and others have no control over rogue developers who say one thing and then go do the opposite. Look at Da Fish Shack building and adjacent house, both destroyed on a SUNDAY just to minimise the risk of planning intervention.
Then look at the slave wall in South Sound destroyed after the planning department SPECIFICALLY approved. fence to be erected ONLY if the wall was protected. But the owner, a developer went ahead and destroyed it, knowing full well the planning department has no teeth when it comes to enforcement unless it is the little guy they can walk all over.
In other countries devlopers are made to rebuild illegally destroyed structures, destroy illegally built ones and face serious financial penalties and even jail time for these acts.
Here it is widely known and expressed within the developers circles that it is better to go ahead and apologise after.
Now is the time for planning to act. Take these two recent acts destroying our history and heritage and string up the offenders along the Cardinal Avenue parkway!!!
But of course they won’t. And just like the petty crime has led to more serious crimes due to the police not acting and the driving has gotten worse and worse for the same reason, the developers will get more and more brazen in their acts.
IT IS TIME TO SHUT THIS DOWN. MAKE EXAMPLES OF THESE TWO AND SHOW THE PUBLIC PLANNING HAS THE POWER AND INCLINATION TO ACT – TO TAKE ON ANYONE – AND ENFORCE THE LAWS!!
I will make it easy for them – the developer agreed to retain the wall. The developer lied. The developer destroyed the wall. The developer should lose all planning approvals for that area and be fined and made to rebuild the wall.
But wait he probably has friends in high places.
The wall destroyers have been destroying Cayman since the 1990’s. They believe they can have their cake and eat it too, trouble is, it’s overpriced and tastes like shit.
LOL – I see what you did there, and you are so right. They ooze entitlement and hopefully have finally taken a step too far so they can be smacked back into place. There has to be accountability.
An eye for an eye perhaps?
Eye-cing on the cake there my friend…. Lol…
Your moral outrage is no doubt heartfelt. But your outrage is undermined by being based on assumptions not facts. Fact. The landowner may have said they were planning to retain the wall, but the planning permission didn’t require it, which gave them every legal right to change their mind. Same with the Fish Shack – demolished on a Sunday to minimize the risk of planning intervention? But they already had planning permission- why would their be an “intervention “? If you want to get angry, get angry at planning granting the permissions or the lack of conditions on the permissions- blaming the landowners for acting within the law and regulations is both pointless and makes you look a little unhinged.
Actually I was with you until the last sentence. It is ALL planning departments fault. Yes, you are 100% right. They are spineless puppets.
But you lost me when you call me unhinged for being upset that the landowners took advantage of the law while professing to support the spirit of it. The spirit is protection which is why they agreed to protect the wall. Knowing full well, however, they were plotting its demise. Same for da fish shack. They did it Sunday knowing they would have least exposure and resistance to their plot that never would have been approved if laid out honestly in the first place.
XXXX
Whose lawyer are you?
She thinks she is a lawyer though really she’s just a poor baker.
2:04 pm I hate to burst your bubble but this story and comment thread is about the highway to the east, which is the NRA’s responsibility, not Planning. If Government and the NRA allow access from this road, then Development and Planning Laws will kick in. If you don’t like them, speak up to your MPs and ask them to change the laws. Until then, the Premier is talking out of all 2 sides of his a$$ (I mean mouth).
yep not planning’s fault they follow the law in what they do. It is the money grabbing Politian’s that need to change the law. Who votes for the politicians – Caymanians who are the politicians – Caymanians.
Mr. Premier, don’t expect boneheaded Bryan and silly Saunders to understand the significance of your argument. Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb will most likely undermine you as they’re McGreeda Bush’s prodigies and his puppets.
They’ve been rubbing their hands together ever since word broke of the East West Arterial go ahead. And probably already have cut a side deal with McGreeda. You had better step heavily on their toes as you are supposed to be the boss. Are you???
Furthermore this type of dissension in your Cabinet should not go unchallenged. Don’t be a whimp nip this foolishness in the bud. Cayman needs protection from numb skull idiots who want to destroy what little we have left for the love of money and power.
Poor Premier Panton is a dead man walking
Might be.
Especially if he doesn’t lay off the BK soon. Saunders not far behind mind you.
Panton can’t control them. It only takes one person to cross to the other side of the house and the horsetrading begins again. That’s why our ‘parliament’ is a joke. Not ONE of them gives a toss about this island. Only their own pockets.
🛑 Stop the madness. Say NO ❌ to developing the Central Wetland Mangrove areas.
There is a solution that won’t affect the Central Wetland Mangrove areas: Public transportation
Agreed, public transport is absolutely needed.Thing is the quarries that are in the business of exporting East End and Bodden Town to West Bay want this road.
When both the ETH and LPH were constructed, commitments were given that there would be no on/off access granted. Needleless to say, a few rather well known locals were quickly given on/off access on both. Everyone knows the same will happen here. That, coupled with the proposed road doing nothing to alleviate traffic issues, makes anything Wayne says laughable at best.
These are my concerns too. Build the road and development will come. The Premier is literally the only one to live in reality. The complainers need to bring solutions or shut up. The dumb need to stop thinking they are wise.
Playing all sides.
So it go.
Sounds like a midnight coup is in the making again, look out Mr Premier as you will wind up like Kurt did years ago!
You know who took over.
The rumors are flying everywhere, ever since Jon Jon jumped ship and didn’t get Bernie’s ministries 2+2 and all that !!!