Port Zeus developers to consult Brackers on proposed marina
(CNS): Frank Schilling and the developers planning a multi-million dollar marina and residential village on Cayman Brac, known as Port Zeus, are holding a public meeting on Thursday evening so that residents can have their say on the terms of reference for the environmental impact assessment for the project proposal. Members of the public can submit comments until 21 July. Although it appears to have public support across the Brac, there are concerns about the environmental threats and lack of benefit to the wider community.
Concerns have been expressed by some Brackers that the project is aimed at millionaire yacht owners and will have little to offer local people, either economically or socially, and that after the construction period, the project will only create opportunities for low-paid jobs.
There are also concerns that the existing infrastructure on Cayman Brac will struggle to cope with the influx of workers to construct this and other planned projects on the island, such as the new high school, which could increase the already staggeringly high cost of living.
Issues that will be up for discussion at the meeting include increased traffic, general disruption, the safety of the site, potential losses of income, and threats to the environment. Schilling has made it clear that he doesn’t think the project is contentious and is planning a safe harbour that the Brac badly needs in an existing quarry loading zone that will bring broad benefits to the community.
According to the developers, the first phase of this project includes refurbishing the existing Scotts Dock, building a new rock pier and dredging the marina entrance. Phase two involves creating the onshore marina, including Port Authority facilities, beach facilities, and what Schilling, a former internet company owner, describes as “a pedestrian-friendly mixed-use development”.
Members of the public are now free to submit their thoughts, comments and questions on the terms of reference, which outline what will be studied in the EIA and how the studies will be conducted.
The ToR has been developed in collaboration with the Environmental Assessment Board (EAB), which includes representatives from the Department of Environment, the Department of Planning, Hazard Management Cayman Islands, the Department of Tourism, and the Port Authority of the Cayman Islands.
The result of the EIA will be an Environmental Statement (ES), which will help to inform the decision-making process. When it is completed, the Draft ES will be subject to a separate public consultation.
Download Draft ToR for Port Zeus or collect a hard copy from the Cayman Brac Public Library, the West End Post Office or Kirkconnell’s Market.
Comments can be submitted in writing during the Open House session on Thursday evening, electronically via e-mail to doe@gov.ky, mailed to the Department of Environment, P.O. Box 10202, Grand Cayman, KY1-1002, or hand-delivered to the Department of Environment, Cayman Islands Environmental Centre, 580 North Sound Road, George Town, Grand Cayman.
This open house session will be held on Thursday, 11 July, at the Aston Rutty Civic Centre from 6:00pm until 8:00pm. Representatives from FS Inc, the EIA consultants and the EAB will be available at this session to provide information to the public and recieve comments.
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Category: development, Local News
We didn’t want this, but we weren’t given a choice…
The meeting was not for answering public concerns, they had no data and plan B to offer us.
When asked if jobs for Caymanians would be available, we need to specialize in specific areas.
I say he should advertise those jobs so people can train or study now for them that when it is built the kids can actually jump in.
But nobody cares about our kids so…
As long as Little stays beautiful maybe there will be hope for the Cayman Islands.
Otherwise…
Welcome all to new Miami.
Tourism no longer seems to be our top priority…
Saying “It would be good to have a marina on Brac” is not the same thing as saying “It would be good to have a privately-owned marina planned by someone whose previous infrastructure proposals didn’t pan out (i.e. his internet address extensions that no one wants or uses).” If the public benefit of a marina is so great, perhaps people could form an organization that is designed to serve the public interest, that would undertake infrastructure projects from which many parties can benefit economically.
Wealthy yacht owners are not going to dock next to your stinky fishing boats. You think your mooring fees are going to be less than a dinner at his restaurant?
more jobs for Jamaicans & Phillipine folk.
Okay, I understand the problem with Jamaicans and crime. What is your problem with Filipinos?
They are coming here and stealing Caymanian men and women for husbands and wives. The poor Honduranians, Cubeans and Dominicans can barely get a look in these days.
Where do I start and how much time you got?
Shabu, kiddy diddling, racism, nepotism hires (sorry “kabayan” patriotism), skirting the law and outsourcing “virtual assistant” jobs for pennies back home instead of paying even the local minimum wage. Need more?
One of the common failings among honorable people is a failure to appreciate how thoroughly dishonorable some other people can be and how dangerous it is to trust them.
Nailed it.
Thanks Pete. Give my regards to Alice. She is looking very good these days.
Sounds like you are describing Caymanians in the 1980’s to present day who trusted fellow Caymanians to be their country’s leaders. How’s that working? And the next election will prove the electorate is not able to learn from their past grevious failures to elect ethical, educated, dedicated Ministers. And before you ask the stupid question: “…but where are those ethical, educated, dedicated Ministers I would so dearly love to elect!” That is the precise point – you have none!
“Consult” with the people of the Brac. It will make no difference. Just as the government, Shiller will be done. We have no say. I will be at the meeting tomorrow, but it won’t make a difference.
When a big storm comes here and runs across the road via the future marina channels that will run there, you remember that it was talked about.
I don’t think Frank is a bad person. In fact, I think he wants the best for us. I just don’t think he will delve into the nuts and bolts of what is best for the Brac.
We, the electors, have zero influence. We once did, but that time has passed.
And I’m sure people said this 20 years ago. ‘We have no choice’ ‘it’s not in our hands’. Having a defeatist mindset makes it a sure-fire win for developers… We need to quit being so damn weak.
Not defeatist. Realist. You can, perhaps, be fooled by their sunny disposition. Not me.
You completely missed the point 2:46 made – that we SHOULD NOT trust what is being told. And if we had any backbone 20-30 years ago we might not have lost so much. Please bother to think before you type.
7:03, Maybe I am missing something but appears to me that one marina on an island is best for Cayman Brac. Why would an island people not want a marina?
Find it hard to believe that there is no marina there today.
This project seems to me as a no brainer. The CIG and the people of Cayman Brac will be paying nothing.
Cayman Brac needs to move forward and get off all the CIG subsidies.
So, use of the marina will be free?
Who will decide the fees charged?
It’s a good project, government must want it and will and should pass, because it’s good for Cayman. I see a lot of no’s with Grand Cayman accents. Trolls who don’t understand what life on Brac is like
As a boater, I can see no good reason why an island the size of Cayman Brac, in the Caribbean, does not have a marina in 2024.
Looking forward to visiting a marina there one day.
You won’t
its the brac.
who cares.
Certainly not Schilling.
That is a completely senseless comment. If Mr Schilling did not think this would be a successful project, he would not be doing it. Sorry, but I’ll favor Mr Schilling’s vision than yours.
No, he’s not. He doesn’t have enough money. That’s why he’s looking for other investors. Ask the folks who bought condos from him on Grand that he didn’t build.
5:16, I don’t get it. Mr. Schilling is putting his money on the line here. Nobody in the Brac has any financial risk in the project.
Seems to me that people in Brac should be welcoming investment as nobody else is investing there. Wonder why?
Wait, you think this is some sort of altruistic proposal for the benefit of Brackers? Boy I know you fool too.
7:06, So you are saying that Brackers would not benefit from having a marina? Guess you are not a boater.
You wonder why? It’s not frigging rocket science. It’s airlift.
Idiot.
This is a hair-brained idea thought of by someone who is detached from reality. When the costs spiral and it gets abandoned, what will you be left with? A mess. Ego driven nonsense.
There is nothing hair brained about a safe place to park a vessel in the sister islands
You can look at everything through a negative outlook and forecast the worst, or you could sober-up and put your thinking hat on. How good would a completed marina be for both sister islands and for traffic from Grand. How incredible could this be for future jobs and new businesses as opposed to going back and doing sweet nothing.
Show us the survey data predicting a 1000% increase in Yacht traffic to the Brac from Grand as a result of Zeus. It would take more than that to make it viable but it is a start.
CAYMANIANS DO NOT SELL YOUR LAND
Bush wants 100% Caymanian Business Ownership
https://caymannewsservice.com/2024/06/bush-wants-100-local-ownership-in-range-of-businesses/
What he says is different from what he actually does, fool. Look at his policies. He’s one of the reasons why we’re in this fucking mess.
Your first sentence describes Schilling to a T.
CAYMANIANS DO NOT SELL YOUR LAND
How Egypt’s Tourism Industry Is Promising Growth with Visa-Free Access to 9 Countries Including Gulf Nations of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Malaysia and Hong Kong?
https://www.travelandtourworld.com/news/article/how-egypts-tourism-industry-is-promising-growth-with-visa-free-access-to-9-countries-including-gulf-nations-of-bahrain-saudi-arabia-uae-malaysia-and-hong-kong/
This policy not only simplifies entry procedures but also strengthens international relations and encourages more visitors from these regions, fostering a more interconnected and accessible travel environment.
The Cairo City Break program, heart of Egypt’s strategy to revitalize its capital as a prime destination for extended weekends.
By expanding the tourist experience to include an array of historical and cultural sites from various eras, this initiative is expected to double the hotel capacity in Cairo to 60,000 rooms in a span of five years, catering to the ever expanding demand for luxury tourism.
Statistics of the Worlds Most Visited Countries
https://youtu.be/W_ZbRF1vqJI?si=BY-1hEsyVKjzap1M
Mexico’s ambitious new tourism megaproject
https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20240102-the-train-maya-mexicos-ambitious-new-tourism-megaproject
It’s been dubbed “the greatest construction project in the world”, and will usher in a new way for travellers to experience Mexico’s ancient Maya sites. So why is it so controversial?
The UAE lost city of Tuam
https://arkeonews.net/an-ancient-site-found-in-uae-may-be-sixth-century-lost-city-of-tuam/
I see a lot of NO comments. May I ask what other opportunities are being provided to the Brac youth other than moving to Grand Cayman?
May I ask what other opportunities are being provided to the Brac youth other than moving to Grand Cayman?
Brilliant question. A young Bracka shared their viewpoint about having to move to gcm and got downvoted to oblivion. Brac will get buried with the current generation in charge at this rate.
https://caymannewsservice.com/2024/07/fuel-tanker-runs-aground-on-cayman-bracs-reef/#comment-647167
I see expats in offices all over Cayman Brac,front desk at Hospital, CAL Staff, Shipping agent office, Credit Union, CBC/immigration,Scott Development office etc, its jobs but young people wants the fast life of Grand.Of course most of them are expats with Cayman Status
No. Simply no.
but why????
Major scale, location altering projects like this should require an up front cash bond deposited with CIG and held until the development is successfully completed. Otherwise the community bears the risk of a defaced and destroyed location if the developer fails to complete the project or the project causes adverse effects on the surrounding area.
That will at least clear out the chaff before it is too late.
If this scale of dredging operation is allowed in the Cayman Islands, then there is no stopping the litany of other noxious plans that have been proposed over recent times, either in hushed internal whispers, or out loud via planning applications, and halted. These include dredging the North Sound to DART’s mysterious marina hotel north of the Kimpton, continuing down to the Ritz canals, Camana Bay, the George Town Yacht Club, and over to Harbour House Marina. Then there’s beach rock removal plans, Little Cayman stilt villas, and of course, the PPM’s George Town cruise and cargo port facility in a Marine Park. How do we reasonably let Frank excavate a fully artificial harbour for Zeus and not approve all these others? This is not the Bahamas, or is it? Sorry Frank, but you can barely run a restaurant.
A restaurant? Frank can’t run a bath.
Mr Shilling is a wonderful man and doing so much for Cayman. Madame Premier, ram rod this thru and no environmental review, we need the development badly. You know that and are a true visionary leader.
We need jobs on the Brac even if they are low paid. Better to have low paid jobs than being unemployed.
Sarcasm at its finest
It’s really not very good sarcasm at all and is nauseatingly repetitive as well.
Low paid workers are the beginning and end of all things Caymanian! Sad situation we find ourselves in today where or servants have become or masters! Our children unfortunately are suffering the consequences already.
How about educating your children better????
More betterer
Yeah, cause what the Brac really needs is a Mykonos
The upheaval begins soon the invasion by the so called passive low paid “workers” who surprisingly have already set up shop and a footprint in the Brac. Soon cousin nephew and big brother big sister will turn up changing the once quiet and quaintness of our sister islands into the disaster metropolis of Grand Cayman,Gone are local culture, cuisine ,friendliness and taboos people hope and pray would never change gone like huge wave carry everything thing with it right off the surface of the Sister islands we once enjoyed. Nothing left but the conversations by old men under grape trees which will soon be replaced like them by modern ruthlessness and materialistic desires of the few!
Whereas the status quo, which condemns all young Caymanians on Brac to un/underemployment is perfect. Never change, Cayman…
NO!
Build it and they will come – just like the Field of Dreams movie.
All talk, no action.
We certainly do need one marina on Cayman Brac.
If Cleveland can’t build his, why should a foreigner be allowed?
9:27, Simple, Cleveland does not have the capability to get the financing nor does he have any appetite for the slightest risk.
Because Cleveland would NOT give policiations give backs. so they stopped it.
CNS: Complete and utter nonsense. See DoE: Dilbert marina ‘flawed’, and Dilberts at fault over marina
Or read the full coastal works review.
Over our dead bodies.
That project was turned down.
The irony of who claimed to be freaked out by it was not lost on some.
9:03, But why does Cayman Brac not require one marina? I don’t get it as we are in 2024 not 1924 on Cayman Brac.
I’m no fan of Frank but our government wouldn’t hold a public meeting like this. They do what they want to do and tell us after.
Actually, the National Conservation Act requires this by law. It isn’t out of the goodness of his heart, but from the same law that the government wants to destroy.
Not for long
That would be a hard no from me.
Hell to the no.
This die already cast.
Yes it is. Bid documents already out.
This will provide a thing that Brackers have been asking for, this will jump-start the island’s economy and keep it going for years to come! The number of businesses that will be needed to service this development is a lot! Jobs, jobs, and jobs.
@6.01 You are right, Jobs,Jobs, and Jobs but what you not saying is the inevitable, more Work Permits, Work Permits, and Work Permits!!! Bring yourself back to reality Mr Bodden
Braccer jobs though?
Haha yeah right, they’re already talking about building facilities to house the foreign builders and workers.
11:13, Well, Braccer’s have to apply for the jobs and show up.
The economic spin off impact of a marina on Cayman Brac would be considerable.
Yes. Jobs, jobs, jobs for imported minimum wage workers, who will add to the strain on the infrastructure.
You think Water Authority can even keep up with existing residents?
I’ll take lower paying workers who are actually WORKING as opposed to unemployed Brackers who are living off of CIG funds. Those are the ones straining the infrastructure without contributing anything meaningful.
8:31 am. you are 100 % right. sad , very sad but you are right. facts are facts. Caymanians are not like we older people. we were hard working with pride that only wanted what we work for,DIDNT WANT NO FREE HAND OUT