Ministry picks priciest option for private terminal
(CNS): The Outline Business Case for the next phase of development for the airports on all three Cayman Islands has revealed that the government has picked the priciest option for redeveloping the General Aviation (GA) Terminal that caters to private jets at Owen Roberts International Airport on Grand Cayman. But there is very little in the document that justifies this element of the proposed plan.
On Monday evening, the Ministry of Tourism released the 280-page document, which outlines the review by public sector technocrats of elements of the Cayman Islands Airport Authority’s 20-year masterplan to justify the proposed projects.
But the document has very little to say about the $42 million GA terminal, the costliest element of the upgrades at Owen Roberts, stating only that the government’s policy is to attract more high-net-worth people to the islands.
A number of options are outlined in the document for sprucing up the terminal, where rich visitors spend a very limited amount of time as they come and go. According to sources close to the airport operations, the majority of people who arrive on private jets are coming to attend business meetings, though there are some who vacation at luxury resorts or visit their own properties.
The government has said it wants to attract more HNW guests but has not given a clear reason why the GA terminal should be moved or why the upgrade needs to be so costly. The options that have been presented include three that would improve the look of the current terminal, which appears to be the main priority of the upgrade.
However, the one chosen, which involves a complete rebuild at ORIA, is expected to cost over $42 million, accounting for well over half of the funds for the next development phase of Cayman’s airports.
“CIG has outlined in its policy that there needs to be a focus on attracting High Net Worth Individuals to the Cayman Islands,” the document states. “The current GA facility is of low quality, outdated and is not a good representation of the islands from a luxury brand perspective.”
But a close look at the OBC indicates a seemingly more pressing need to address the main terminal’s layout and congestion issues, especially at peak travel times.
Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan announced that the government was pressing ahead with the next steps to upgrade the airport facilities at a press conference last month.
As well as a new general aviation terminal, the plan includes lengthening the runway, technical upgrades to air traffic control at ORIA and safety upgrades at Charles Kirkconnell Airport on Cayman Brac for a total cost of $76 million. Bryan said this was “a significant and necessary investment in our airport facilities”.
The minister argued that once completed, the enhancements are expected to deliver significant economic benefits, such as increased stay-over visitor spending, increased revenues for the CIG, increased opportunities for additional airlift into Grand Cayman, and greater overall profitability for the CIAA.
But it remains unclear how a new costly GA terminal building and apron will increase visitor spending, given that most stay-over tourists are passing through the main congested terminal.
Check back to CNS later this week for more from the OBC.
See the full document in the CNS Library.
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Category: development, Local News, Travel
Stop what you are doing for a second and thing about this…Kenneth is responsible for spending $74M or so on this project… Are you Mr and Mrs GTC voter comfortable with this?
Upgrade the existing one making room for additional FBOs
Move the weather office into the same building as CIAA(which should also be incorporated into the Tower facility)
Install an ILS on both runways
And pretty please for radar for ATC
Thanks!
So they can rain down more chemical and noise pollution on top of our heads.
Panton talks of concern about climate change and Bryan talks of more private jets. Do they actually talk to each other?
Who is really in charge ???
Me thinks Panton has to do whatever the ministers say or he will lose the government.
He will stay in seat and allow them to burn the country to the ground.
A new airport terminal built without skywalks so Joe Public is expected to get soaked when boarding a plane but CIG can spend money on a private terminal for Mr Dart and his compatriots. If they want this facility, not that it’s needed, they can pay for it. It’s not like they’re short of a dollar.
Only the best for the tails wagging the dog, er, I mean the high net worth visitors.
Rest assured folks. They are not building it for high net worth visitors! THEY ARE BUILDING IT TO ENRICH THEMSELVES!
ROGER THAT !!!!!
GREAT because all we need is more snobby entitled people to come here and look down on us.
Those ‘snobby entitled people’ OWN the island. And YOU sold it to them.
Except senior Dart management ..livin the life.
This is also true.
Just keep out of sight and they won’t be able to. No one is coming to look at you.
True
In the face of the very real problems facing Caymanians now and into the future, to waste so much money on this ego boosting project is obscene. Central GT voters, PLEASE see that your homegrown political star has sold you – and the rest of us – down the river. Ask yourselves how he has made Cayman better for you and your children and grandchildren. I won’t hold my breath while you search for a relevant achievement.
Hasn’t it been obvious that our leaders aren’t doing much for us? They seem to be making things better for them$elve$!
I haven’t been here but a dozen years………. but it is obvious that the people running the country seem to be only interested in enriching themselves! Very sad!!!!!
Anyone want to take bets how much over budget this project will finally end up?
….a $2 bet says it hits $105m for the GA terminal alone…..but I might be underestimating the genius of our “stake holders” to stretch the (brown) envelope even further……….
Generally the public are stakeholders in public projects, however I see no benefit to the public for this.
He needs to stop inviting people here who have no real interest into the island. We already have unwanted guest we need to get rid of.
He needs to remember where he started from, but clearly money has clouded his judgement.
Of course they would pick the most expensive. Remember they have to brag about it. Easy come, easy go!
How does catering to high net worth individuals translate to economic activity to benefit the people???? IT DOES NOT!!
The proposal should present case studies to prove otherwise but it doesn’t cause it can’t.
Where is the Opposition on this matter and the OAG whose remit is to ensure that the public’s money is invested wisely?
Is no one going to stand up and march against this excessive PACT spending? But wait I forgot. The current politicians aren’t speaking cause they are already trying to broker deals for the next election. Makes me sick!
If the average Joe tries to rally the people they are blacklisted. Political interference is rampant so those who would like to speak up can’t.
Guess what too – the high net worth don’t care cause it does not impact them.
Remember Hurricane Ivan and how they took off in their private jets and offered no help? I do
Agree with everything you said, except that I recall our first Premier turning away services, including a chartered jet from Miami, various offers from neighbouring countries, HMR warships, and US Coast Guard.
I do remember . Hopefully we won’t have to hear anything from him again. As Frank McField’s play title goes. Time longer than rope!
This is indeed true but that’s a different topic. The original poster was talking about the HNW visitors buggering off before Ivan arrived.
“Luxury brand” – Please, this is abject gibberish. Cayman is not even vaguely near being a luxury brand. The west of the island is an overdeveloped, overpriced dump, with the pathetic remnants of a once beautiful beach. Roads, traffic, fast food, fragrant waftings from the trash mountain, strip malls, tattoo joints, poor restaurants and hostile residents.
And as for the ex-con, ex-pusher Kenny, don’t get me started.
I guess you like trash since you spend your time here, as evidenced by your familiarity with all of our faults. This makes me wonder how bad your actual country is for you to be here living in this trash heap.
SHAZAM !
Thanks Kenny: Add 1 more fee to all the other fees we pay to leave or come to the islands.
Taxes/Fees/Carrier-
Imposed Charges
USD 42.20 US2 (US International Transportation
Tax)
USD 5.60 AY (US Security Fee)
USD 6.52 YC (US Customs User Fee)
USD 7.00 XY2 (XY2)
USD 3.83 XA (US Aphis User Fee)
USD 37.50 KY (International Airport Departure
Tax)
USD 13.13 SU (Security Tax And Terminal
Charge)
USD 1.25 GX (Terminal Fee)
USD 15.90 LZ (Passenger Facility Charge)
USD 4.50 XF (US Passenger Facility Charge)
not including the cost of the actual ticket.
not including the 3M being sought in next budget for another jack-in-the-box project.
Disgusting, isn’t it !
Dont blame Kenneth he is what he is. Blame the voters but we never learn. An honest man who tells the truth will never get elected.
Today Fed Chairman Powell stated that he does not believe inflation will be 2% again until 2025.
I ask again, is this the best use of of public funds?
Should the vast majority of people who will never use this service be funded by them? Is this even morally acceptable? I would argue it is not.
Government needs to begin to reduce expense. Is that head count or expense belt tightening i don’t know.
Government needs to address cost of living by reducing duties have savings past onto consumers. They should not be bailing out creditors as this Will exasperated local inflation.
typical, they have their loot bags ready.
Over the last few years you have heard it. ‘High Net Worth’ individuals. If it isn’t apparent to other people that the government who BEGS us to vote for them to get power, doesn’t care about anyone who doesn’t have money then I don’t know what will wake people up. Speech after speech, deal after deal.
Why do we allow them to completely neglect us while we keep paying their salary? If we paid a contractor to fix something in our home and he walked into another house, spending our money to help someone else we would be up in arms. Yet, I’ve watched the government do it for years now and somehow enough of us believe this is the only way things can be done.
I’m ready to check out of clown world when enough of you wake up. Until then I’ll sit back and sip my drink hoping enough of us wake up before its too late.
This decision is all you really need to know about Caymanian governments. Your elected officials would rather spend money on this rather than actually fix the issues which make our daily lives worse. So pathetic.
Why modernise the airport at such a high cost to bring in more visitors to see the mount Trashmore on their decent info GT. Then get them stuck in traffic on the road to their condo/hotel? God forbid if the taxis dare drive them through the Minister of Tourism’s electoral district- considering they might have to duck bulletts, stones or bottles being thrown around! So much need fixing on this island before the over- priced remodel of the airport. Why can’t these pea brained people get a grip on their stupidity. Hopefully like every other nightmare idea they have had their presser about they will be unelected before they can get around to causing so much havoc. So far it has all been talk and hype, I cannot bring to memory any accomplishment since they have been elected.
cro·ny cap·i·tal·ism
noun
an economic system characterized by close, mutually advantageous relationships between business leaders and government officials.
“the bank has strongly rejected accusations of crony capitalism”
This is absolutely ridiculous $42M for a general aviation terminal. What is even more ridiculous is the the notion that HNW individuals pick a destination based on the the general aviation terminal. HNW individuals are coming to Cayman for either business or pleasure not the GAT. If you look at the private jet arrivals and departures on FlightAware you’ll see that the jets are doing nothing more than touch and goes to drop-off or pickup their passengers. Whomever wrote the OBC is totally off the dish.
People on the verge of or have become homeless, mental illness, and menial pay while the wealthy receive a luxury terminal.
Such a sad state of affairs.
The suicide in East End is terriblw news, but I fear it won’t be the last.
When the poor continually get nothing but platitudes and clear signals that the wealthy are more important than them, it leads to a feeling of desperation and hopelessness.
How about we focus some attention on the issues with rising crime, traffic, the dump, population growth and education for starters.
Must be new here. Consider how things should be done, but completely opposite.
I wish I could find their Money tree, give it a few shakes and get enough to pay my electric and Cinico bills.
But that won’t be a glamorous for Kenny & Rosa! It is all irreverent anyway because we have a surplus that must be spent.
I wonder if this new terminal will also be used for VIPs such as, er … government ministers?
Does a bear shit in the woods?
Not if it’s a polar bear.
Yes, and adding to the analogy, a bear shits everywhere else also, especially in its own cave.
Yes in the Kenny & Rosa suite! Don’t forget the high ranking civil servants who are VIP also.
Of course. They probably hated being visible to the public scum.
Don’t forget their demanding entitled wives! According to the grapevine that led to the demise of a very bold efficient, protocol manager. . She was bold enough to not bow to the frivolity of one of “the wives” last year.
Cayman Islands government – the best government money can buy!
Maybe the most expensive, certainly not the best. World Class!!!
If only we could buy them for what they are worth and sell them for what they think they are worth.
Why should the regular joe fund this project for the wealthy? I smell a rat!
Because we arent French.
“Governments should not be prone to extremes. Our leadership needs to be pragmatic, future-focused and capable of balancing the competing interests while maintaining fiscal prudence.” He said that PACT was achieving this.
“But the process to get there will involve hard decisions as it is expected that expenditure requests will not be met by existing revenue projections,” he warned.
This was Wayne just over a week ago at the annual Chamber of Commerce Legislative Luncheon but today his tourism Minister p***** in the wind finding it prudent to go with the most expensive option, – and, and, its not even for the majority of Caymanians !!! What a complete ******* ****show
Wow!! Looks like the Flowers got a 3rd hand up Kenny’s ass with this one.
First the Scranton Park thats not complete. 2nd the LAX flight that is losing money. 3rd now the most expensive ORIA upgrade which FADS (Flowers Air Departure Service) will control the baggage handling, security check pounts, and airplane handling services. Is it a conflict to have only one entity controlling so much of the airport services?
Will HE Gov look at this as she is respinsible for national security matters.
Are Flowers still on the CIAA Board too from PPM days?
Wow! Just Wow!
Bitter much?
CAL loses money on everything, LAX is no exception.
FADS is only one service provider at ORIA. You realize Minister Seymour owns one of the other companies that serves ORIA.
There is currently a monopoly on GA services with Island Air being the only provider. Also Island Air was sold by its Caymanian owners for millions to a US firm. How do sell a government contract for tens of millions to someone else?
There are much bigger scandals at the CIAA/CAL than a legit services provider like FADS.
Kingston is an exception
@7:58 pm.
you forgot the property on the waterfront next to the Lobster Pot.
We need to consider the following on this Private terminal.
Why is the government intervention in the market? If no private company want to own the risk maybe this is a poor investment for the country.
Should we not let market forces determine resource allocation?
Generally private enterprises is more efficient than the government in providing goods and services.
Using taxpayers’ money for a private jet airport would be seen as a misallocation of resources.
government spending should prioritize public goods and services that benefit society as a whole. Please be clear Kenneth about how this benefits the whole of Society?
My friend, are you running for election any time soon? You have my vote! Someone who finally has a brain!
Remember who runs the CIAA a private sector board. are we therefore surprised by any this. The same board that could not sort out parking at the airport.
Wrong again. A statutory government authority to be precise.
Good point 5;58. How many boards members flew to LA and now Panama for a Jolly good time on public funds?
I am very concerned that the terminal is being built in what I believe is a flood soon.
Board members do not get any monetary compensation…they are paid in kind (free KX tickets)
No CIAA board members went on the Panama joll
12:36 true but they certainly went on the more lavish and expensive LA jolly. Yet they preach good governance. Yeah right.
Projects like this are policy decisions. Funding for projects are driven by the Ministry of Tourism which is then approved by Cabinet that vote on funding. This is a politically driven project. All funding is determined by MP’s and no board votes or influences political decisions.
Understand how the process works.
All funding determined by MP’s.
All MP’s elected by voters.
Indeed, remember wisely next time.
There is nobody using the general aviation terminal that needs public money to pay for anything, least of all their luxury wants. It’s unconscionable to make this a spending priority, knowing how far over budget the final bill will be.
lawlessness 101…Cayman soon price itself out of teh tourism busniz’ Kenny B…or is that what is planned and in progress. Why al this fluff with cruise ships when the truth can’t be told. Locals can’t afford to even go out to have a burger….can anyone be honest anymore. I guess not when the rolde models for the youth are corrupt, women beating, drug dealers, con artists…the list goes on and on. What about the education system that fails the youth. What are the priorities…never mind teh crime and education adn cost of livig for the people that live here. no one gives a hoot….get mhy second term sorted out and that is all that matters to these jokers.
disgusting. will the churches stand up. guess not. they gettin’ something too.
Money better spent on schools, teachers and fixing the dump.
Too much money is being spent on schools and teachers. Vouchers for Caymanian parents.
This would pay for the airport and the dump as well as improving the quality of Cayman’s education.
REALLY? I SURE DIDN’T KNOW THAT!
Better education can only be achieved by parental involvement and role model encouragement.
Single parent abandoned children of transient Jamaicans will not offer any of the above.
Contraception and sex education will begin to help.
THIS is the elephant in the room, and its not just transient Jamaicans either.
The younger generation for the most part has been trending down in education, work ethic and employability.
The generation after them is largely worse. Recall the kids tossing fireworks into the Burger King recently?
That’s not an isolated incident. Violence and bullying is a common occurrence at John Gray High School.
how many ministers are in bed with island air ?
And has Island Air paid up all its outstanding apron fees?
Just see who is getting private jet rides..
The HNW individuals don’t care about the terminal. They fly in and their minions take their bags to an awaiting car. Time spent in the terminal is probably 20 min. In other parts of the world, private jets are boarded by the country’s immigration officer, why can’t we do this? I think its Dart who wants it to house his own plane. FULL STOP!
Let him build his own dam terminal then.
Close, it’s Schilling actually.
Well since he has all the deep pockets then guess what – pay for it Frankie boy!
The HNW couples I know do not even blink at vacationing in GC. GC is not up to their vacation standards. They would never stay at a Ritz or a Kimpton or any hotel for that matter. They would not be interested in a trip to Hell or Stingray City. Focus on single professionals, families, repeat guests and not so much the HNW.
Another reminder that voters need to petition to change the Elections Law to ban those with a criminal record from eligibility to run for office, to then skew public spending priorities, cherry pick vendors, and disappear our money. Get them all out.
time longer dan rope Kenny B
when the new expat status holders a vote.. unna find a new job!
byeeeeeee!
Give expats the vote and the Jamaicans will take over…. Be very careful who you think is an expat.
If the condition of the arrival airport was linked to spend, nobody would go to NYC, LAX, Aspen or Vegas. Even John Wayne in Orange County is a dump.
This is about flexing for vanity and ego, by those who should pool together and pay for it themselves.
Things would be very different if there was transparency in campaign funding for the 12 months before an election.
While you have a point, those exposed wouldn’t be who you want them to be.
This is stupid. The HNW people don’t come to spend time at the terminal. They get in and out of there as quickly as possible. Most of this money to be spent is wasted. I supposed we can only guess at why this is really being done and who the money is really being funnelled to.
Mega wealthy developers are driving this demand for a first class general aviation terminal. Why hasn’t the Minister and CIG developed a public private project that makes them carry the majority of the costs and associated risks? This is not being done for the majority. The people want jetways not private jet terminals. The minister is tone deaf on this and several other matters.
Bo Bo watch and see the poor people will pay for this and the HNW players will be smoking cigars, drinking their bourbon and laughing at how stupid Caymanians are.
It’s Caymanians making the decision on this. Your victim card must be well-worn.
Define your idea of caymanian !
Rosa and Kenny will have special offices for themselves at this new terminal. More wasteful spending of our hard earned tax dollars. wait, no problem as we have a surplus!
Plus a named parking spot for the new Silverado’s.
A new spiffy GA terminal would be a good place for the homeless to sleep at night. I saw some poor guy living under one of the huts at the park across from Fosters just a few weeks ago.
Let me know when this will start being attached to our tickets, as we are ordinary folks who save to travel down all year, and we will find a new vacation spot after 20 years of being loyal visitors. We are not funding a private terminal for the rich just like we do not stay at any of Dart properties (we make a point of it) and we do our best to avoid eating at any restaurants that are not locally owned. And, for the naysayers, yes, we have moved from a “budget hotel” when it was taken over by Dart to now staying in airbnb off 7MB.
Friend and company! 2 years to go
The rationale here by Bryan sounds eerily similar to the reasons Mac gave for the overkill at the new Turtle Farm years ago – we all see how that turned out, with a never ending handouts from tax revenues to subsidize it to the tune of some 5 – 10 million dollars annually I believe.
“Public sector technocrats”! Oh my aching sides!
Morons in charge – still!!
Obscene
When you are not paying for it, why not choose the most expensive option? Especially if it will benefit your contacts and sponsors.
If it walks like a duck and squawks like a duck, chances are its a duck. When a government minister decides to sponsor the most expensive spend option on something that demonstrably has no direct benefit to the general public, and cannot even point to a business case to justify spending $42 million , let alone choosing the most expensive option which conveniently will have the highest procurement value for local construction companies, what do you think the motivation could possibly be. Quack, quack.
Cayman gone alright. Gone for all but the wealthy.
So sad but couldn’t agree more. The rich get richer and the rest get @£&!ed. Only time the people matter is an election year. Free washing machines, microwaves and booze all round.
2.06pm Not gone for the poorer immigrants either. We stupidly have more than one flight daily just from Jamaica alone.
Completely unfair that a private jet terminal should be funded by a levy on ordinary travelers who will never get to use it.
and all to be funded by the ordinary traveller…..zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
welcome to wonderland
Welcome to plunderland!
Enjoy your stay, but don’t be poor, and if you are, please remain out of sight. It’s quite the bother for the wealthy.
This really is something asking ordinary travelers to pay for it.