Premier: Seven Mile Public Beach not subject to ‘swap’

| 05/10/2023 | 40 Comments
Seven-Mile-Beach-Grand-cayman, Cayman News Service
Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman

(CNS): Premier Wayne Panton has dismissed the idea that Seven Mile Public Beach will be part of a land swap deal. In a statement posted on his social media platforms on Thursday, he said the rumours were “absolute nonsense” and simply “not true” and stressed that the beach would not be swapped for London House, Victoria House or any other property.

“This government has never been involved in any such discussions,” he said. “If this rumour campaign is deliberate mischief, know that this government won’t be distracted by the lies and misinformation thrown from the shadows by nameless, faceless cowards. We have the people’s work to do, and that work demands our attention and our focus.”

The rumours that the beach was about to be sold or swapped appear to have emerged yesterday. While the premier made no mention of Dart, the rumours circulating across social media implied that the government was involved in some deal with that developer to give up the existing public beach.

Dart is currently working on the completion of a new hotel in the area, and according to the original planning application, guests staying there will be given access to Seven Mile Beach at the old Calico Jack’s site.

In the original For Cayman Alliance deal and the subsequent National Roads Authority Agreement, the London House condos and Victoria House site, both owned by Dart, were proposed as potential land swaps to compensate for the controversial closure of the West Bay Road between Seven Mile Public Beach and The Renaissance condos. However, the investment deal signed between the UDP government and Dart was reviewed and renegotiated several times, and that swap proposal was removed.


Share your vote!


How do you feel after reading this?
  • Fascinated
  • Happy
  • Sad
  • Angry
  • Bored
  • Afraid

Tags: , , , ,

Category: Politics

Comments (40)

Trackback URL | Comments RSS Feed

  1. Anonymous says:

    There should be a full investigation into Dart and his power over the CIG. Its disgusting. the people of the cayman islands should also insist on taxing him for all the property he owns and hasnt developed that is leading to a spike in housing. enough is enough.

    36
    5
  2. Anonymous says:

    Headline should read: “Dart agreements, obligations, non-performance and finite waivers to duties/taxes/processes/laws, not subject to review or oversight at any governmental level…for some reason”

    19
    1
  3. Anonymous says:

    Probably nonsense but the way these Caymanian-ran governments keep selling stuff to Dart, you never know.

    20
    4
  4. anon says:

    What happened is Cayman Marl Road printed a story that was false (Again). Creating its own news story and whooping up the populace.
    Rather than printing a story that was accurate , newsworthy and true. Basically, wasting everyone’s time.
    Then the rest of the local media follows.
    how about print actual news rather than create it

    CNS: Ahem.

    27
    3
    • Anonymous says:

      While you would be correct in most instances, you are wrong on this occasion. Panton Marl Road in fact corrected this nonsense.

      12
      • Anon says:

        Wrong.Marl road were the ones that initially ran the story! Is this Sandra by any chance ?

        5
        5
        • Anonymous says:

          I think you maybe wrong. It was two people (well known local conspiracy theorists) on social media that were promoting this. Cayman Marl Road corrected the rumor in one of the morning shows.

  5. Anonymous says:

    There is no swap, Dart is just buying the government out!

    34
    6
  6. Elvis says:

    So which hotel you taking ? Lol

    4
    2
  7. Anonymous says:

    I never go there anyway

    14
    3
  8. Anonymous says:

    Also incorrect. London House has never been owned by Dart or part of any negotiations.

    21
    2
    • Anonymous says:

      Libanon has bought up London House, but that fact wouldn’t suit the narrative.

      Besides, pretty sure that The Commonwealth and Mandalay might have something to say about a public beach facility stretching from London to Victoria House.

      11
      2
  9. Anonymous says:

    So essentially that means an outright takeover then, right Mr. Premier?

    12
    3
  10. Anonymous says:

    If Dart had a conscience he would donate the Victoria house site to the caymanian people

    26
    13
  11. Anon. says:

    So basically, Dart got something for nothing. The guests of the new Dart hotel will have access to the public beach directly in front of the hotel (after all, it is public), and the residents of the island will have to share the beach with them. Meanwhile, Dart gets to keep London House and Victoria House. Typical Cayman government deal.

    36
    11
    • Anonymous says:

      So basically, what a baseless pile of horse shit.

      23
      1
    • Anonymous says:

      4.03..What an mis informed Idiot you are.
      FFS check you facts before making such s stupid statement.

      8
      2
      • Anonymous says:

        @7:46 so are you saying the hotel guests will be prohibited using the Public Beach? Think about it, anyone, from any hotel, condo, private home can use the “Public Beach”.

        3
        1
    • Anonymous says:

      Oh good. Hopefully Dart can do what govt can’t, which is to keep the area clean and sanitary and safe!

      13
      5
    • Anonymous says:

      Maybe if Darts guests start using public beach something will be done about the higglers. CIG doesnt give a rats ass about us, but I am sure they fall over themselves to deal with any offence to Big Ken’s commercial interests. I don’t mind sharing public beach with stayover tourists if it gets rid of the open drug taking and harassment you get at the moment.

      20
  12. Anonymous says:

    Maybe not now but just wait till the developer’s best friends PPM get back in power. MP Hew will lead the charge claiming that we will get so many benefits from the new deal! Where there is smoke their is fire. Could it be a swap to pay off all the money the government will owe for the Dart dump deal? That one will be rammed thru immediately after they win election.

    24
    7
    • Anonymous says:

      UDP turned down Victoria House, not Joey.

      12
      3
      • Anonymous says:

        PPM mad the deal signed worse given the 8 years in power from 2013-21. They are the government of the wealthy and represent the developer mob not the best interests of the Caymanian people. Joey Hew is the mouth piece for Dart and all developers particularly with green washing plans.

        14
        4
  13. Anonymous says:

    Sad part is that it wouldn’t surprise me if it was true.

    19
    3
  14. Anonymous says:

    Did Wayne get permission from Jay to make that statement?

    31
    6
  15. Anonymous says:

    who cares….ppm/pact have destroyed public beach by allowing beach vendors to infest the area.

    64
    6
  16. Anonymous says:

    What people don’t understand is that it is not the PACT that wants the swap, its the PPM…

    17
    19
    • Anonymous says:

      And they will get it because they must listen to the almighty developers no matter what Marl Road Sandy has to say.

      10
      5

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.