Bryan proposes moving governor to take back beach
(CNS): As vendors, cruise ship passengers and local residents begin to clash over the use of Seven Mile Public Beach in the face of dwindling access, Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan has suggested that the official residence of the Cayman Islands governor should be moved so that this stretch of the beach can be reclaimed for the public. Bryan has said he has raised the issue with his Cabinet colleagues and is now working on a proposal to find another secure home for future governors away from the islands’ top attraction.
Speaking Friday on Radio Cayman’s For the Record, the minister set out some of the challenges surrounding increasing unregulated beach vending on Seven Mile Beach. He said the solution is for government to acquire more beachfront land as it is clear that vendors need a location and residents want a place to call their own.
One potential area was the current governor’s residence.
“I’ve said to my colleagues, I think it’s time for us, and I said it in front of the governor, how would you feel about relocating the Government House,” the minister said. “I tested the waters and it seemed to be that there is some appetite for that. So I am going to be formally putting it in a paper to my colleagues to say, I think it is time for us to start planning now to find a new location for the governor’s residence, especially considering as we are transitioning now to a new one. So get him or her, whoever that may be, before they get here to get in the mindset. Don’t get too comfortable in this spot.”
Bryan said he respected the position of the governor but that “my people” come first before the crown. He said the governor’s residence could be moved to a safe, nice, comfortable property and save the current location for Caymanians. He said the house itself could be preserved and maybe even include a Caymanian-run restaurant, opening up the site and beach for locals.
During the course of the show, Bryan said that while the situation at Seven Mile Beach that is causing controversy was not really his area of responsibility, it was impacting him as tourism minister. He also implied that there is considerable disagreement among the PACT caucus about allowing the vendors on the beach and the provision of activities and services for cruise passengers, but he supported the vendors.
Bryan said he believed that the vendors should be allowed, but said a way had to be found to balance that with the right of locals to access the beach. He pointed out that without Royal Palms, Tiki Beach, Calico Jacks and other past beach venues that catered to cruisers, “the bottom line is… we have run out of space on the most famous beach we have in the Caribbean”.
Bryan suggested regulating the situation and allowing licensed vendors to trade there on cruise ship days but freeing up the beach on weekends or when there are no ships. He said he was stuck in the middle of a situation that really lay at the feet of the Department of Commerce and the lands department. He said he had done his job by getting tourists back, and more were coming, which meant this situation had to be resolved, and he encouraged the vendors to contact their MPs.
The situation of beach vending on Seven Mile Beach has escalated since the borders opened now that Dart, who owns most of the beachfront venues that previously serviced cruise visitors, has closed those locations. Because cruise visitors are limited in the beaches they can access, they are all heading for Seven Mile Public Beach, where a variety of traders have descended on the location offering everything from jerk chicken to jet skis.
While a significant number of the vendors have trade and business licences that allow them to operate on the beach, some are operating illegally, including some selling beer without a liquor licence. In addition, the layout of the beach chairs covers the entire lower half of the beach, with beds and umbrellas placed side by side all the way down to the water’s edge, making navigating the beach almost impossible.
See Bryan on For the Record below:
- Fascinated
- Happy
- Sad
- Angry
- Bored
- Afraid
Category: Business, Local News, Retail
So what this really says is the gov want the real estate, as they know in a couple years they can sell it for 10’s millions to a developer, with a significant proportion of that never making it to the public purse.
Everything else here is just distraction.
Here it is. Someone wants their turn at the “real estate commission” trough.
Wow, what an idiot, and then leans on “my people “. Brother, your people signed on the dotted line when selling off their lands.
A couple of options come to mind from his request:
1) The Crown grants Kenny his wish, and also grants independence at the same time. Win/win?
or
2) Without the will/ability to enforce and manage the current situation, no further expansion of the hawkers should be contemplated. Better yet- preserve one of the few features (no hawkers on the beach) that differentiates Cayman and have zero tolerance policy.
On the topic of beach access- I see plenty of it along 7MB. What is lacking is parking for residents within reasonable proximity. CIG could invest in 4 or 5 parking lots along West Bay Road and north (on the east side) so residents can more easily utilize the beach accesses in mid and north 7MB.
It’s ok. within a generation many of those condo blocks will fall into the sea, leaving room for parking and beach access…
Won’t take that long. The sea is already arriving at the doorsteps. Majority of the coastal development along seven mile beach will be flooded in another decade give or take a few years and importing sand isn’t a bandaid solution it’s rubbing dirt into the wound. I certainly won’t lose sleep over it Zzzzz :).
The condos put up barriers in front of their units, how is that okay?
My experience walking along the beach from Kimpton to Sovereign this month was that we were able to go for a swim and relax on the beach all along the stretch with only a couple of exceptions. We used various beach access points along the way.
Not sure what you are referring to.
The barriers you refer to are above the high water mark, which is private, not public property.
How would you feel about people parking on your own driveway and having a barbecue in your backyard?
It’s no different from how the owners of these properties feel about people coming off the beach and using their beach chairs, pool and showers.
But absolute right to use the beach up to the high water mark.
Government should make a beach where tourists can pay to use the Governors beach. Offering chairs and bar and restaurants with 2 pools one for adults and the other for children. Cozumel is making money for government projects that don’t add more taxes.
I’d like to hear how the Caymanians only scheme will work. Will I have to show proof of Caymanian status to enter the locked gate. What if I paddle up in my little dory and try to pull it up on the Caymanian only beach. Who will stop me and how. Every day this Government is creating more and more artificial ‘Caymanians’ every one of them will have a Stamp or a Letter saying they have the right to be Caymanian. With four or more generations of Cayman born ancestors what proof do I have, what right do I have?
The laughable side to all these arguments is that Caymanians sold the properties to Dart in the first place.
Then there were the calls to encourage the super rich, a disastrous policy that sees even larger, more exclusive, and less accessible hotels and condos built on the waterfront.
How about building more affordable hotels for the traditional clientele of divers and sun worshippers instead of the paranoid rich? Then there wouldn’t be the reliance to bring in thousands of cruise shippers on low dollar cruises to fill the tourism product with willing customers.
The rich don’t do mass tourism, and they certainly won’t fill all the charter boats, bars, restaurants, and tee shirt shops downtown.
Time for a rethink, not relocation. Time to decide if the rich actually contribute to the island’s tourism and local economy, or diminish it by taking land that could be better served by locals and tourists alike.
Personally, I’d like to see more emphasis on long haul middle class tourism, especially from Europe and ditch both the extreme low and high ends of the existing policy.
Cayman is not, and can never be, the Caribbean Riviera, it isn’t Nice, Monaco, Sardinia, or any other enclave of the rich and their super yachts. But it is special and could be a uniquely welcoming place to those with the most disposable income.
lol middle class Europeans can’t afford cayman! have you seen eurusd or gbpusd recently?
There’s no business model there. You’re delusional. If there were, someone would fill it. Europeans can go diving in any number of places from Indonesia/Malaysia through Egypt all the way to Mexico for a fraction of what it costs to come here. Christ they can book an entire package holiday for a week at the 5* Four Seasons in Sharm el Sheik for the price of just the flight here!
Soooo, we kick the Governor off prime beachfront where billionaires live and where s/he should rightfully remain, to acquire and hold on to more beach…THIS time for Caymanians? Like we held on to the now dilapidated public beach which was also ostensibly for Caymanians? And for this one to also be overrun in six months by vendors gone wild? What about taking back our true public beach? Why isn’t anyone doing anything about the illegal vendors? Why was Dart allowed to put up another hotel there?
Someone please help me understand how any of this makes sense.
Barbie/Ken, please don’t waste anymore of your colleagues’ and our time with nonsensical stupidity that seems to be just hot air spouted from your a$$!!
It would be nice to have the Governor on the beach. The house would need to occupy the entire area, Governor’s Beach and parking included, to be fit for purpose given Cayman’s development.
So, of you are not fit to be secretaries in
Government because of how you name call this Minister.
It makes you stop and think what you would say
about anybody.
You better stop and realize
he is in Office for a reason established by
the higher power. He may not be a perfect person,
but he will be prayed for, like all of you.
It is my hope that he makes the best of his position and time in office.
3.08 that is the epitome of plain unadulterated garbage.
Sort out the current problems on Public Beach before attempting any new beach projects. If you cannot control vendors on that space there is no chance of controlling several locations.
this is such a valid point! The CIG lacks the backbone to enforce regulations on Public Beach so they would rather run and distract the people with another idea. To be honest, A few years ago when Indigo Hotel started I knew public beach was lost, just watch and see as that hotel opens and is running for a few years. I actually do think our last hope for an accessible beach venue for all is The Governor’s House, but it really should be deeded over to the National Trust to or the like to run and lease out. I wish I could say I trust the CIG to do that, but I don’t. WE could pay honor to the building and keep it and convert into a beach club called “The Governor’s Beach Club.”
Without tearing down the house to provide parking, you gain nothing. You can already use the beach in front of the house, there just isn’t enough parking available.
There is parking at governors beach, and plenty of people park at governor square on a Sunday. It won’t hurt anyone on this island to walk 200 feet or so.
Politicians are like baby diapers… we change them often for the very same reasons..
1.23pm You “Sure Hit It True”.
Hi, and where do you propose they operate at in George Town?
Craft Market. Kenny Beach.
Once the 10-story Hotel Indigo opens in a year, can pretty much write off Public Beach. At capacity, that hotel will accommodate over 1,000 guests.
The Kimpton Beach is at capacity now, so spillovers are going to Public Beach.
And do not forget the new hotel where the Coutts building is. We have an unmitigated disaster.
Look up moron in the dictionary, you’ll find Bryan’s picture there!!!
What will more public beach real estate do other than provide more turf for the higglers?
Have you lost the last marble in your head Mr. Bryan or did you ever really have any? Confronting real the problem head on is too difficult for you? Remove the illegal vendors and tackle the issue of sea walls and you might have more accessible beach in the future. But then again the majority of illegal operators are most likely hail from your constituency and you empathise with their illegal activities don’t you?
You are clearly one of a group of ministers who is he’ll bent on degrading the standards Cayman once thrived upon. I hope your political career soon comes to an end before you put any more nails in the coffin of our tourism industry.
There is not even enough sand left at the public beach to enable Bryan to bury his head.
Hey Kenny how is your project getting along at the reefs – Smatts old property?
He has done nothing after one year. He could not organize a piss-up at a brewery.
Poor Kenny, so delusional!
Terrible idea and from our experience will end up chaotic and not regulated #nobeachvendorscayman
All votes to free up the beach to locals and tourist.
They could allow some local vendors to occupy the old governors house as Brian proposes – even better if they could preserve it. Brian is thinking generous thoughts.
The people selling alcohol without a permit should not be selling alcohol in the first place.
Let us also promote a clean environment that reduces the usage of plastic, glass and aluminum bottles. The sale of beer and alcohol on the public beaches should be prohibited. I highly recommend it.
Children do not need to be around drunken behavior and images of rum while they enjoy themselves on our beach. We are in for something else when pride arrives. And just so you know I do not subscribe to this group because it is sexually incorrect.
And what I suppose should be the alternative to the usage of recyclable containers? Use plant-based bio-degradable containers in every respect. Hopefully, the top-market chains could make these products inexpensive to purchase and source.
Likewise, as a lover of these islands myself, let’s keep it local. So, all votes that the next budget will be to source our own environmentally friendly products.
Hello nostalgia. The beach was ours. There was a building on it called the bath house. Someone thought the Governor should have it. Probably the same person that took away the Princess Royal Park from the public to build the Parliament Building.
Damn right….then CIG can sell to Dart for a tasty lil kickback and he can put up a 20 storey hotel.
I don’t see what this has to do with vendors, but moving the Governor is a great idea so long as current gov beach and the residence is PERMANANTLY deemed to be for local use and cannot be sold or otherwise appropriated.
It would be nice to have a venue with a restaurant, music and beach again. Right now we’ve got nothing and all of that property being used by 1 person.
You’re right… somethings up with all the negative posts here… seems orchestrated
The real estate market is in for something clever.
First, I want to say, thank God for some owners that
have put a fair price on some properties in the sister islands. Second, ancient landmarks of these islands
should never be sold.
It belongs to the children of Caymanians. We want them to also earn a living.
I believe Brian got the vision and prestige necessary.
The locals and their children need to have a way to sell their local food staples and creative arts.
Stewards can be great too.
The ancient landmarks should be preserved and maintained. We could agree that apart of the maintenance includes replacing old materials that create hazards.
This could be mainly caused by bad storms.
And who gets to run that restaurant? One of their friends?
For local use- like public beach, covered with Jamaican vendors and cruise ship tourists?
Fire, ready, aim. Our boy Kenny strikes again. What did he think would happen with Calico’s Tiki Beach and the Royal Palms gone? He’s now created the largest shit show in the Caribbean and in addition to that he’s created one of the most thrilling rides in the boat ride from the Brac to Little with inadequate life jackets. Just remember, when you vote for him this is the government you get.🤪🤪🤪
Stay tuned for the next editing episode…..
Kenneth Bryan has most likely never crossed to the sister islands in summer by boat , let alone in January when the swell is 4 meters at 13 second interval. All these grand schemes sound great, but they are just that : Grand Schemes that in all reality and divorced from it. But they sound good, Kenny also looks good in the face of them. Kick the Governor out of his beach house ? Yes, of course it must be a good idea as our esteemed minister is saying it, it must be right !
Fear not , as Bryan may very well look in his bathroom mirror and see brilliance in these schemes and the reflection staring back , but the larger intelligent majority here won’t be falling for it .
Regardless of vendors and cruise passengers, taking back the Governors plot of beach and joining it next door to current ‘tiny gov beach’ is a brilliant idea, what is wrong with people criticizing it on that basic view?
We have hardly any public beach. The Governors House was not always there, and Bodden Town is the original Capital. In most countries, a governors or overseas representative’s residence is an apartment downtown, not a $200M massive beach front area that is restricting for his personal use most of the time!!
Kenny B isn’t the brightest bulb in the ceiling, but he’s not a total doofus either. This is a good idea at bare concept level.
The Gov permanent address can be moved anywhere. The people deserve politicians acting in their interest and this is one right here. We need more beach.
How is this even controversial? The Governor can host events anywhere, it doesnt have to be on a $200M piece of beach land that the country could enjoy.
Y’all are crazy to think otherwise
Yep
He actually is a total doofus.
I almost didn’t write this as I didn’t want to be unfair to all the doofuses out there…
Yeah, like spread the wealth.
It would be nice to see a new paint job
on the place and something like an artist
wall near the hedge.
‘a $200M massive beach front area that is restricting for his personal use most of the time!!’
What on earth are you gibbering about? I walk that part of beach almost 7 days a week. You NEVER see the Governor there and certainly not restricting anyone’s access. Daftest comment on here by far.
Because as long as a VIP occupies that house there will be no higglers, and the public can enjoy the beach in front of it.
Yes, this.
My trip down in August was my last. This just firms up my decision. Governor will be moved. Dart will somehow end up with the property and another cement tower( hotel) will go up. Leave Cayman alone! Leave some things without high rise buildings!
Government should have accepted the old Victoria house site when Dart offered it to the Government years back. Vendors should not be allowed on Public Beach. Most are not even Caymanian.
As Mark Twain once said, “It’s better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than open it and remove all doubt.”
The governors residence is probably the smallest plot on 7 mile beach and that’s where this moron proposes?
Kenneth really will do anything not to upset the private interest groups who pay him huh?
God I hope a decent candidate runs against him in 2024. He needs to go.
A decent candidate – you are forgetting the electorate’s preferences in George Town Central.
A decent candidate running against him is exactly what will get him re-elected. Unfortunately, smarts doesn’t win the popularity contest.
What a chop!
Wayne and Andre aside this government is little more than a job creation scheme for people who would otherwise be in prison or hawking garbage on the beach themselves.
Wayne put this government together unfortunately.
What an idiot
Honestly, when this fool talks it makes me throw up in my mouth a little.
Yah, That’s where most of us throw up.
Most of you throw up in my mouth?
Dart has plenty of beach that he’s just letting sit vacant..lease it until he’s ready to do something with it.
I wonder at what point Kenny will realise he should keep his ignorant mouth shut and focus on solving problems within his remitt instead of openly insulting the structures and tradition that allow him to play politics?
Just keep your head down, move on the sun bed jockies and buy some buses.
Let’s start the movement #nobeachvendorscayman.
Bryan your unbelievably stupid
I can’t tell if that was deliberate or not?
I cant either
How do vendors, cruise visitors and the Governor’s house correlate in any way? Maybe ask the Marriott and others to tear down their properties and move inland so the beach can take back what it lost!
You can’t make this stupidity up. Utterly utterly amazingly disgraceful and stupid, but would you expect anything less from Kenny? It hurts my heart how embarrassing this man is.
NO! Absolutely not. As a Caymanian, stop granting planning permission for more hotels. We love the Governor’s House where it is. Stop trying to ruin everything!
Government House needs replacing. I don’t mind replacing it where it is, but if so the entire parcel needs redesigning and rebuilding so the house and its outbuildings and grounds meet the requirements and expectations of an official residence.
Why do this and turn Governor’s Beach into the cr@p show that is now Public Beach?
Its the PEOPLES beach – not the “vendors” beach, not “his people’s” beach, not the hustlers beach…but our, the PEOPLES beach…
Kick the vendors off the beach.
I thought it was the King’s beach, either way that amounts to our beach not “his people’s”. How arrogant do you have to be to claim something for “my people”? Unreal.
Kenny could put up a large bandshell for all the musical events that will never travel here again.
I thought you could book the cabanas for parties and BBQs and such like. Have the jerk vhicken mob booked these indefinitely?
Bryan is a borderline imbecile who appeals to people of similarly low intellect. Suck it up Cayman. You voted and will continue to vote for these muppets.
Public beach has turned into a cesspit. I’ll stick to Governor’s Beach. Cleaner, quieter and without the chancers charging a fortune for the ‘privilege’ of sitting there.
COP, what are your people doing about it????
Why doesn’t Wayne compulsorily acquire some beach land off dart north of kimpton and use that for more public beach. It’s not like dart use it anyway and the value now is less than after they develop it and we lose even more beach access.
You understand it is not free, do you have $100M?
I am certain about one thing, I stood in my last voting line!
Sounds like you voted for the quack Pack and is now sorry! Better luck next time.
What part of NO VENDORS ON ANY BEACHES do these idiot so called politicians can’t understand?
Last week, Brian said he believed there should be no vendors allowed on the beach and this week, he declares support for vendors on the beach. Can’t make this shit up.
Looks like everyone seeing the light from the BS now. 😂😂👍
why can’t we move the Governor to the White House in BT? That seems like an ideal place!
Why can’t we move Bryan there instead? He could bus tables.
Because it belongs to someone else?
Imminent domain Bobo!
OMG this really irks me big time! Perhaps Kenneth Brian and the rest of this stupid PACT Government could try to do something about the amount of cars and people we have on this little Island; the amount of garbage floating around our roadways and beaches on a daily basis nowadays; the amount of crazy ass drivers on our roads seemingly taking over our roads as their raceway playgrounds; the skyrocketing cost of living. I could go on and on but will leave it here as probably wasting my time anyway!
TRUE !
Kenny has at least one brilliant idea every day. How did we ever manage to achieve anything before he came along?
‘Sus Christ!! WTF is wrong with this bunch of morons! Thanks Wayne Panton, for a PACT Government of stupidity! Didn’t Kenneth already spend millions of dollars to purchase the beach front property next to Lobster Pot supposedly for Vendor Market?!?! Now he want to house them on Seven Mile Beach?! What da hell?!? I’m so tired of reading nonsensical foolishness coming out of his mouth. Can he not try to focus on some of the real shit going on in this Country and find sensible solutions or is that asking too much!!
You know that guy that you wonder ‘how the *^** did he manage to get to where he is ? – well Kenny’s not that guy. Kenny’s the guy that numbs your brain to the point that it’s unable to wonder 🧠💫
As stupid as stupid can be…..smh.
Here we have a Government minister who has sworn alliegence to the Crown, saying that his people come before the Crown. This idiot doesnt even know his own job description. His power comes from the Crown.
Doesn’t realise that his people are the Crown’s people.
Why move the Governor Kenny? He/She is at GAB most of the day anyway. Those cruise tourist would love to visit the “Governor’s Mansion” rather than some old place where he used to live. Here are some other ideas:
1. Coffee with the Governor 7am to 8am. $5 per person or $100 per 27-seater bus. Limit 300 cruise tourist.
2. Patties on the lawn with the Governor 12pm to 1pm. $7.50 per person including tip. 15% discount for groups of 25 or more. Limit 500 persons or 20 buses.
3. Kenny’s people run the straw basket and T-shirt concession stands. All T-shirts will feature the Cayman Coat of Arms and catchy slogans like “I Pood on the Governor’s Throne”.
4. All prices in US dollars.
OMG! Love it. At least we can still have a good laugh 😆
Anonymous @ 8:08 pm you are too funny! However you do realise that Kenny B do not understand sarcasm and is probably now thanking you for these ideas?
Kenny Beach II. What a moron.