Consultants wanted to drive Car Free Week campaign

| 13/03/2023 | 91 Comments
Public buses at George Town depot on Grand Cayman, Cayman News Service
Public buses at George Town depot

(CNS) Government is in the process of finding more private sector consultants to promote its proposed Car Free Week planned for some time this spring. The tender from the Ministry of Sustainability and Climate Resiliency is inviting bids from event planners or marketing companies for a month-long multimedia campaign to launch on 21 April ahead of the seven-day period, likely in late May, when the public will be asked to get around without using their cars.

The successful consultants will also develop, implement and manage the week-long schedule of activities for Car Free Week as well as the marketing campaign ahead of the week promoting alternative transport options such as riding bikes and scooters or using a special free park and ride service from all the districts and a free George Town shuttle.

The consultants are asked to liaise with the National Roads Authority and police to set up safe riding paths for cyclists, among a number of other ideas to get people out of their cars for a whole week. they will also be expected to promote a “car-free pledge from individuals, schools and businesses” according to the documents on the procurement site, and provide an education campaign on the existing public transport service.

The bid process closes next Monday and a winner will be selected by the end of the month. The tender process comes against the backdrop of continued traffic trauma for drivers commuting from the Eastern Districts but also when local bus drivers refused to stick to what they say are poorly planned routes and as they seek a hike in fairs due to the increase in fuel prices, which has so far been refused.


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Comments (91)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    It would make far more sense to implement an official “Work From Home Week” campaign.

    In light of the fact that we have no viable public mass transportation, a Car Free Week is a plan from morons.

    A Work From Home campaign is in keeping with the reality of the situation.

    Oh…hell…did I just suggest that the Panton-PACTless Clown Car do something that makes sense? Wishful thinking, huh?

  2. Anonymous says:

    Hahaha ! Excellent idea…never gonna happen. Parts of the islands road dont even have a usable pavement to walk along so thats out. No one is gonna want to cycle in that heat so thats dead in the water. People would take a bus however…oh wait the bus system is so crap is almost unusable. Still some firm is going to make to swift bucks doing a study for it to be filed under WPB.

  3. Anonymous says:

    There is no public transport system. How stupid are these people?

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    • Anonymous says:

      Very. But, to be fair, they don’t honestly expect to have a car free week succeed. They just want to say they had one so they can pay themselves on the back for being green. The actual work to make it feasible, like introducing a proper public transportation systems, is far harder than just crafting some press releases.

  4. Anonymous says:

    Deloitte?!

  5. anonymous says:

    This is such a joke – the Premiers office is filled with people who have good ideas they can sell to their ‘friends’ consulting businesses. Wake up people – this is your hard earned money that is being wasted on consultants who are moonlighting while they work from home. News Flash – PACT members, the KINGs and QUEENS of the consulting world in Cayman. Just say NO to consultants!

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  6. Anonymous says:

    This dubious exercise is nearly meaningless as it is, but it will have no meaning whatsoever unless the Minister heading the Ministry of Sustainability and Climate Resiliency–the one Gurney Wayne Panton–takes a Car-free Pledge for the entire week. Ditto for all his PACT-less Clown Car minion-ministers. The people of the Cayman Islands are beyond nauseated at the “For thee, not me” attitude of these clowns. Ok, Panton, get out your bike, check out the bus schedule to/from GT, dust off your walking shoes, rent a scooter, whatever it takes to lead by example.

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  7. Anonymous says:

    Best way to solve this issue is have everyone in George Town, South Sound, and those that live along WB road, is to take public transportation. Or ride a bicycle….the same thing they recommending to those who live out east.

    Let the hypocrites reply now!

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    • Anonymous says:

      I would love to take the bus, I hate driving on this island because most people cant use a roundabout correctly. The bus got me late to work 3 times because they refused to stick to the route and kept deviating to drop and pick up people.

      Nationalize the bus service, make it publicly funded, pay the drivers a salary and fire all who refuse to stick to the routes.

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  8. Michel says:

    Who comes up with this crazy idea. I’m 72 and i will take my wife on the bicycle handle bars from Savannah to her chemo session in town. Yep it all makes sense. Really ???

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  9. Anonymous says:

    Free George Town shuttle you say? Visionary!

    Jeez, I wonder how that’s going to work out?

    https://caymannewsservice.com/2021/05/end-of-the-road-for-free-george-town-shuttle-bus/

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    • Cartel Boss says:

      PACT, I have read some warnings to you sll recently regarding your lack of cohesiveness in thought word snd deed asa government. . I must say that I agree with them snd further add that you are now passing the borderline of true incompetence. Car Free will only frustrate the public more seeing that you don’t have viable and sufficient transportation alternatives in place. Furthermore what happens with the school buses and the children whose parents drive them to school , and what about the school buses not having enough space for those children who will have to take the bus for this planned screwup!.

      Listen guys your actions are now bordering on the insane. Mr. Governor eith respect Sir. We the people of the Cayman Islands, humbly, respectfully snd urgently request for the Members of Cabinet to be subjected to an immediate psychiatric analysis to determine if they are fit for purpose. This exercise we humbly ask be conducted soonest, with the results snd actions to be taken where applicable being published in all available media outlets.

      If by chance the results show a degre of mental psychosis in these fellas then immediate steps are to taken to remove them for office and dates immediately established for by elections where applicable for In God WeTrust.

      Father God please continue to Bless these Beloved Cayman islands

      12
  10. Anonymous says:

    Cannot wait to see a motorbike or scooter with the license plate PROTOCOL2.

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  11. Anonymous says:

    Does this mean that JuJu will be parking her heavy roller for a few days or does that not count?

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  12. Anonymous says:

    Pretty sure 50% of us could work from home. It’s a solution staring us in the face. I have worked from home since the pandemic began and work/life balance tremendously improved. I go to the office only when needed for face to face meetings etc., why does the government not promote it?

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  13. Anonymous says:

    I think our world-class civil service has forgotten when our rainy season is. Who was the genius who decided to do this in May!? SMH

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  14. On yer bike Wayne says:

    Lead by example Mr. Premier, let’s see a Cabinet pledge by elected members to ride bicycles for a week. Can’t say that you all don’t need the exercise. What say you? Crickets….

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  15. _||) says:

    1) drop duties on electric bikes / motorcycles under 125cc

    2) increase duties and licensing fees for large vehicles / trucks

    3) subsidize public transport with the increased fees on large vehicles to make it better and free to promote use

    4) get bus drivers on an app so that I can see where they are, how full the bus is, and its eta

    5) make Crewe Rd residential access only to prevent unnecessary merging

    6) put more, synchronized traffic lights for peak times at roundabouts to prevent unnecessary wait and congestion

    7) extend the orange cones from king’s roundabout straight to on-the-run in red bay to have a dedicated lane for prospect while everyone else goes through the highway. switching lanes causes traffic

    7.5) I wan a plate of turtle and a 6 pack for consultancy, send it on.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Electric bikes cannot be ridden legally on our roads.

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    • Anonymous says:

      crewe road has businesses so that can never be shut to traffic.

    • Anonymous says:

      Alternately ,Cayman could just stop importing people into a declining space landscape of a little under 75 square miles.

      • NoSale says:

        Thank you! If government is not willing to add infrastricture then stop bringing in 24 new people a day and then telling the rest of us we can’t use the road. Again, the ppl outside of GT and WB shall suffer with this campaign. Not to mention people with families, the elderly, the disabled, people who cannot shower at work. I mean the lack of empathy here is shocking. This is good marketing? What are you trying to sell exactly?

  16. Anonymous says:

    Pretty crafty by Wayne if the intention is really to expose the inadequacies/lack of alternatives to using a car, – gas powered scooters and motorcycles over 90cc, duty 37% 🤷🏻‍♀️

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  17. Brigitte says:

    Could this be PACT’s way of introducing Cayman to the 15-minute city which is a part of the UN 2030 Sustainability Agenda?

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    • Anonymous says:

      Far from it if we can’t even paint or stencil bike lane markings. Nil integrated consideration at roundabouts. Even pedestrians have to play Frogger with their lives.

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  18. Anonymous says:

    “a special free park and ride service from all the districts and a free George Town shuttle”

    Wait. For one week we ae going to have a good, working, bus system? – I think I just found the consultants for the bus system consultancy contract.

    (Actually, this just proves what we’ve all been saying. Getting a good public bus system can be done fairly easily. Just do it.)

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  19. Moi says:

    I would gladly walk, but there are no pavements (sidewalks here). Did no one think about putting pavements? Walking is like putting your life in your hands here. I love a good walk. But, not easy as you have no place to walk.

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  20. Anonymous says:

    Hmmm when I get to work at 6am from East End ?!?!?

    Really now? Will my employer i.e. CIG let me work from home??? nope bc the CO is only assured I am actually working when my @$$ is at my desk even though the entire Ministry successfully WFH and collected additional money during Covid … announce the dates soon so I can be on leave that week…

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  21. Anonymous says:

    I live in Northward. From my house it is a 22-25 minute walk to get to the main road to catch a bus. From where the bus drops me it is then another 25 minute walk to get to my work. Plus the travel time on the bus.
    I had to do it once when my car wouldn’t start. Never ever again. And its too far (and too dangerous) to cycle.

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  22. Anonymous says:

    Will there be a full moon that week? Time to saddle up the donkeys!

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  23. Anonymous says:

    It’s rainy season.

    That’ll be 100k please.

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  24. Anonymous says:

    I guess I should take the triplets to daycare on a bicycle and then head to my job pumping out septic tanks with a bucket on a rope. My wife will have to pick up her taxi fares in our wheelbarrow.

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  25. Anonymous says:

    Poor Wayne.

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  26. Anonymous says:

    We’ve put the cart before the horse.

    We’ve designed +90% of the islands to be fully car dependent; Camana Bay being a notable exception. Now we want to trial a rushed non-solution, just don’t drive.

    I think we’d be better suited going back to the infrastructure and planning problems of bike lanes, denser housing, mixed use buildings, walkable communities and more. The reduction in car usage there would ne notable, natural and long term sustainable. Are we willing to invest in these solutions?

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  27. Anonymous says:

    you want me to not drive, in a place where the entire way to move about is by car? There is no way to move around this island effectively without a car, because it was built that way on purpose. Our complete desire to copy the US has gotten us into this mess.

    Another round a bout… another lane.. and as per the usual, the government creates situations and then asks the public to take up the mantle to fix it. they ignore a good section of the public who don’t want decisions implemented, implement the decisions, then shrug their shoulders and say “hmm, we couldn’t have known. but now WE ALL need to do our part to fix it”

    When there is a safe place to walk or ride with some shade, I might consider this. But until then, its all just farce and an attempt to pass the burden of responsibility to someone else while they continue to reap the island for their own pockets.

    42
    • Anonymous says:

      Very Relatable. I would catch the bus if it was reliable, on-time, and had a schedule. I need to be able to make it to work on time within the same amount of time it takes me to sit in traffic. So, if it takes me 60 minutes to get to work…the bus system needs to get me to work in the same amount of time or less…otherwise it is no longer convenient if it’s taking me longer when depending on other transportation than just driving myself.

      10
      • Anonymous says:

        First world countries have standards for driving public service vehicles and tests to pass. Until that happens I will never voluntarily take a bus.

  28. BLVCKLISTED says:

    Cool… Will there also be a mandatory week off of work as well or?

    I live in East End but work in town… Do I really need to say more?

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  29. Anonymous says:

    Yet another consults report that will go no place. The only findings will be that Caymans bike lanes should be renamed “Death Lanes”😢😢😢

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  30. Anonymous says:

    This is a braindead waste of time and resources. An event to make it look like the impotent Panton-PACTless Clown Car is doing something positive about the traffic problem.

    How the hell would anyone with half a functioning brain cell in their otherwise empty skull promote a car-free week when the Cayman Islands has no reliable, island-wide, affordable, practical public mass transportation? Talking about an excremental exercise, this is it!

    How would anyone with half a functioning brain cell in their heads make a car-free pledge when we have no public mass transportation?

    The Panton-PACTless Clown Car have crafted and done some epic stupidity in their circus, but this is a true prize winner. Total clown show, total, shameless waste of money and resources, NO substance, and accomplishes nothing to actually solve the problem.

    If the Clown Car wants to do something truly epic, sorely needed, and truly beneficial to the country, perhaps Panton and his minions should consider taking a Stupidity-free Pledge. Now THAT would be newsworthy!

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  31. Anonymous says:

    Why would I stop driving my car, where I have some sort of control to protect myself from the idiots on the road to:
    A) Ride a bike and be completely in danger of getting hit
    B) Get in a bus where the drivers are worse than the drunks on the road
    or
    C) Wait for a taxi, which will not be available, because everyone else needs one too during this “car free week”

    What is a week going to do anyway? Who comes up with this crap??

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  32. Anonymous says:

    ha..more consultants???….what do the civil service actually do for their salaries?

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  33. Anonymous says:

    Just make the roads safer for walking and cycling. Just yesterday I witnessed a CUC truck drop a very heavy drilling auger bit on the road by the airport turn to Shamrock. Any cyclist would have been killed!

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  34. Anonymous says:

    They should be planning this for April 1.

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  35. Anonymous says:

    Brain dead idea, doomed to fail immediately

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  36. Anonymous says:

    Waste of money! Come on guys you can do better than this. We elected you all to help the ordinary joe but all i see is our country being sold out right under us!!

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  37. Anonymous says:

    Guess I’ll have to take my Hatteras to work that week then.

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  38. Anonymous says:

    yeah effin right. I’m not going anywhere without my SUV that protects my family from the idiots on these roads. until cops do their job this committee can go carless but we won’t.

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  39. Anonymous says:

    Great idea, it will let me drive my car to where I need to go quicker, while the lemmings follow full instructions from the eco-zealots.

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  40. Anonymous says:

    Hire a professional urban city planner. The NRA continues to fail to deliver the promised bike lane infrastructure published in their own 2015 Plan. Cyclists continue to die needlessly because there still aren’t safe corridors to ride to connect residents to where they work, shop and live. It would cost less than $10,000 per mile to professionally hardscape and high-vis paint genuine bicycle infrastructure once and for all. $75,000 for both sides of West Bay Road Hotel Tourism Zone connecting shadows in George Town. It could even create a couple very useful full-time jobs. There’s just no remaining excuse not deliver what we already paid for. Not when our residents are dying.

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  41. Anonymous says:

    Should be a link to remind everyone that a cyclist was struck and killed by a hit and run drunk driver on WBR last week. That should help with the promotion.

    Here’s a thought for you Premier Panton. How about a plan to get us off diesel generated electricity. Oh sorry bit too complicated for you. All you do is virtue signal with no substance.

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    • Anonymous says:

      There has been several proposals for the replacement of diesel to LNG, but the Premier isn’t interested in pushing that.

  42. Anonymous says:

    i rode a scooter only on sundays…a drunk i assume pulled out in front of me by the fish shack…lets just say it didnt go well…i wounded up in emnergency room…the black ranger never stopped! i take my personal vehicle thank you! plus the e-bike killed last week…left on roadside like a dog…..

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  43. Anonymous says:

    Wayne should quit. Like right now.

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  44. Mumbichi says:

    Consultants? To ask people not to drive for a week? Really? Sure, I’ll consult. What does it pay? Ready? here goes: This well-intentioned request will be a dismal failure until such time as there is a genuinely viable substitute for driving to work.

    Do they think we WANT to ferment in traffic twice a day? That we can merely CHOOSE to not drive? Will our MPs and their retinue also ride bikes and scooters everywhere for a week? Maybe once for a photo op, however I doubt much more than that.

    “Bid process” 🙁 give me a break. Waste of money. MY money. YOUR money. I would rather CIG spend the money on projects which actually benefit the people and their problems.

    There is your answer. No charge.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Would love to see the Premier, the Deputy Premier, the Attorney General and Jon Jon Seymour coming through on scooters.

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      • Mumbichi says:

        I confess, that would me pleasure also.

      • Anonymous says:

        Alden might put on the cycling tightas and buzz through on his racing bicycle.

        It’s been years now since I have seen Alden riding through with his red or neon pink and green cycling outfit.

    • Anonymous says:

      in rush hour, every day (no late nights at the err “office”.

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    • Anonymous says:

      I really thought this was an”April fools” type of joke .. I still can’t believe any responsible government would so shamelessly waste public funds.
      I guess my mistake was assuming we had a “Responsible government”.

  45. Anonymous says:

    Hahahahahahahahahahaha…….oh boy! No car week? Hahahhahahabahahahahahahahahaha

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    • #getreal says:

      Who comes up with this sh!!? Where I come from they would call this symbolism over substance media scam Pi$$!!! Into the wind. What a waste of money!!

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