Intent of EWA road is for more development
(CNS): Minister Kenneth Bryan and opposition independent MP Chis Saunders have made it clear that the basic intent of constructing the East-West Arterial Road extension deep into the Eastern Districts is to access the green space land there for development, not to ease traffic congestion. During a recent debate in parliament on a private member’s motion brought by McKeeva Bush MP (WBW) about protecting certain businesses for locals, including parts of the development sector, Bryan and Saunders said the road would offer an opportunity for Caymanians alone to buy affordable land in the east for development.
Saunders, who had seconded Bush’s motion, said that, given the climate crisis, when the wetlands were opened up for development, it would be very important that it is done very carefully and that only Caymanians should benefit from the profits. In contrast, his close friend on the government benches seemed far less concerned about the impact on the Central Mangrove Wetlands.
Bryan took aim at the local environmental activists in Cayman, who are trying very hard to limit the devasting impact this road could have on this important ecosystem. They believe it is an unnecessary road that will not solve the traffic problem but will destroy the environment.
The minister dismissed the damage that slicing this habitat with the road would have. He appeared to believe there was more than enough wetlands to sacrifice some of it for homes and accommodation for local residents and Caymanian developers and bring down the cost of land.
Drifting far off the topic of debate, the tourism minister even went as far as calling for the development of an entirely new Caymanian town in the Eastern Districts where people could live and work in an area that is still untouched habitat.
Bryan argued that the country needed to address the problem of land banking by foreign investors but appeared to favour developing Cayman’s natural resources rather than introducing any kind of absentee landowner tax to prevent the growing foreign ownership of property across the country, which is pricing people out of the market.
He said opening up the land in the interior would speed up supply and reduce land prices.
Blaming those fighting to preserve the country’s dwindling natural resources for holding up the EWA extension for preventing Caymanians from gaining access to affordable land, he called for even more roads to give access to the wetlands, even after stating that he was aware the discussion about the wetlands was a very sensitive one.
“I am adamant that this pushback is affecting the quality of life on so many levels,” he said about those who have objected to the road. “By the time we get the road done, because of all of this pushback, the house prices are going to have quadrupled.”
The minister added that trying to prevent the road was short-term thinking, apparently not understanding that the environmentalists are looking ahead to long-term issues resulting from rising sea levels and the increase in flooding these islands will experience. He also suggested that being “against common sense development… was silliness”.
As he spoke about development that will harm the environment, Bryan denied that anyone in parliament wanted to harm the environment and said these issues would be part of the next election campaign.
Bryan waved around a map of Cayman for the benefit of his parliamentary colleagues and declared how much green was in the centre of the islands, implying it should all be available for development and deriding those who wish to preserve what is believed to be the Caribbean’s largest, contiguous mangrove habitat. As he yelled at the members in the chamber, he suggested that without opening up the interior for development, the country would be homeless.
The higher and drier areas in the wetlands are currently largely inaccessible. The development of the EWA extension through to Frank Sound will change that significantly, creating access deep into beautiful pristine habitat, including dry forests, which are home to many of Cayman’s rare and endangered endemic species, such as the iconic blue iguana. Fracturing the wetlands with development will also undermine its ability to provide essential future eco-services, from carbon sequestering to protection from flooding.
When Saunders made his argument for development in the areas that will be opened up by the EWA, he warned about the need for caution, as the wetlands should be preserved. However, he still argued that the only remaining green space was east of Boden Town. He said that development would be inevitable once the road goes through, and it was important that such development be in the hands of locals and not overseas investors.
Saunders warned that when development begins in these areas, the country cannot make the same mistakes that were made on the western side of Grand Cayman.
“This is the last large swathe of green space in Cayman,” Saunders said. “We need to make sure that we recognise we do have challenges with climate change… that when we do open this side of the island up in terms of development that we do it very, very, very responsibly,” he said, as he referred to the recent record-breaking hurricane.
The former finance minister also made it clear that this next generation of development should be in the hands of local people only.
See the related CNS report on the substance of the motion in question here.
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Category: development, Land Habitat, Local News, Science & Nature
I have zero trust in this government. I am sorry, but that’s honestly how I feel overall.
They do NOT care about us, or our children, only themselves. Just look at the timeline of things, botched projects etc and the corruption is clear.
ACC: please do more.
For God’s sake leave the wetlands aka bush and trees in the Eastern districts alone. I seldom go to GT for enjoyment because it’s like you are suffocating.
All the rich developers are building on the coast and blocking out the beautiful sea views.
Uno, the government, allowed too much development in George Town to West Bay and now uno want to cut down the rest of the little mangroves. You know how many tourists complain and head straight to East when they arrive? We are losing what made Cayman (the little remaining) and distinguishes Cayman.
I am not against development. But, we need to slow down and ensure resources are best used.
Who remembers South Sound 20 years ago. Lush green spaces and bountiful mangroves!
Someone please organise a protest so we can peacefully demonstrate! We also need to broadcast it widely and internationally to put pressure on the government.
Also, I live in BT West. Any persons of integrity want to run next election? Really in all districts.
@ all voting districts, look at what is happening and think of your kids and grand kids and great grands. Let thunder reign next election.
Bush, Saunders, Bryan, Ebanks, Turner, Rankine, Seymour, & O’Conner Connolly – thank you for what good you have done for these Islands. However, please take a seat for the next election.
Folks we need to pressure on the government to have (1) fitness and propriety standards for elected officials and (2) maximum term limits (unless the majority of the population votes to extend).
This is ecocide. We need to prosecute environmental crimes against humanity.
Thank you. I keep posting the hashtag and link to try and spread the word, and of course there is always the civil route, climate litigation.
#stopecocide
https://www.stopecocide.earth/
#endstupidsoundbites
Deliberate refusal to implement a proper public transportation system is also criminal.
How very sad.
Short-sighted destruction of what little is left.
Have fun in the concrete jungle.
Of course, the greedy morons! Did they take an oath to protect the Cayman Islands? Can we charge them with treason??
All the homes on 7mile strip and south sound should be demolished and turned back into green space.
The names might not be the same and the methods not quite so brazen, but Cayman is likely at the same level of official corruption that lead to the the UK Govt taking control of Turks and Caicos.
The UK cannot continue to turn a blind eye to the blatant self-dealing.
Yeah, we urgently require home rule before our island is totally destroyed.
Home rule? UK citizens (Three little girls under the age of 10, in the latest case) are literally being sliced to death by asylum seeking migrants in their own country. And the UK government labels their own people as thugs who protest against the importation and housing of these people, who clearly are not seeking a “better life”.
fact check before posting you’ll see the person was NOT an asylum seeker.
And there were no protest going on, all of that is called “riots”
The Tourism Minister should stick to tourism, we do not need him leading the way in destroying our country’s remaining natural habitat.This is why we have chickens running wild everywhere because we are a third world country with third world politicians with no respect for the environment
You forgot a ‘third world electorate.’
Wtf did I do to you?
If you would just wait until at least sunup and then only crow for 1/2 hour, we wouldn’t have to make soup out of you. Don’t you know what a [expletive] street light is, slapnuts?
But, you gotta be what you are. You ain’t no easy sounding rooster either. Sounds like you’re strangling. Granted, your plumage is often quite amazing. Still, you’re a constant irritation, and what’s worse is that the majority of the population lacks the fortitude to do what needs to be done. You can’t help what you are.
The Tourism Minister should resign….
Kenneth Bryan slept through Economics 101.
Nonsense – he could not even find the school
They all did
He was busy making deals.
In small amounts of US / CI currency.
i doubt he even studied it. Maybe Andre Ebanks possibly studied it but no one else in the present Cabinet
Where is the outrage? I expected 200 comments by now.
If you want outrage you’ll need to mention a gay cruise ship dock or something like that.
The vast majority of people, in Cayman and elsewhere, simply do not care about the environment they live in.
I don’t think that is true. I think we have been socialised to be passive. My parents believed that to merely question government was “against the Crown”. We grumble among ourselves and shake our heads sadly, and comment here, but where it really counts, we are silent, including me.
I and most of the rest of us are friendly to the faces of the MPs and angry to their backs. We need to be truthful to their faces, although I don’t really think that would change anything either.
Many of us are apathetic, because we have no recourse. Our vote doesn’t matter, and our representation is nonexistant. If we are to live better or even survive, a great grassroots change will have to come, and right soon.
The pool of people who can stand for election is disproportionate small to the population of the Cayman Islands. That is a fundamental problem for years.
In recent years many politicians can only be described and in a nice way, as being incompetent. That is with a population of 80,000.
With a population of 250,000 the ratio will get even worse. There is no way locally eligible politicians will be able to run the island.
Something must give and the UK Government will be fully aware of this problem.
As I have muted on many occasions. “ who are we developing this island for? “
We need answers from the politicians not bullshit.
Non Illegitimi Carborundum
.
Aren’t you the same jackass praising Joey “Who?” on a job well done (re: the Regen contract) in another thread right here on CNS?
If what he “accomplished” aligns with your goals for the island (or perhaps just your property value?), nobody in Cayman should have any interest in what you have to say, especially in regards to who should be eligible to vote/run for office.
Roads and associated activities are the preferred pathway to corruption in Cayman. Making roads to and through private land for the benefit of the land owners is literally how public funds are palmed off to private individuals.
Just think how many illegal billboards you can have along the roadside.
How very backwards.
Let’s build a road so we can add more cars on the road versus let’s build a road to ease traffic congestion.
At least make the beneficiary landowners pay full load for road cost plus flood mitigation and all other infrastructure costs.
OMG, did I really just read that !!?? And to think most of our own people will be deceived by this mendacity.
only poorly educated caymanian mla’s could think that further low rise detached residential developments is the future…..
cayman is doomed.
any comment mrs governor?
8:51, Mrs. Governor cannot comment on areas which are not in her mandate.
I think she could, actually. She can certainly comment, and push her point of view, whatever it may be. But she cannot impose her point of view.
Build tenement blocks idiot
Kenny for Premier!
He shouldn’t even be involved with a movie premiere, much less anything to do with being Premier.
I was wondering where they were going to put those 250,000 people. Dont you just love it when a plan comes together. Now we just need to see who owns this land.
Kenneth Bryan needs to be voted out!
At least the truth is now be told. I cant wait for the next general elections! I hope the voters truly see these guys are not fit for office. They are hell bent on destroying the country all for the almighty dollar!
Most of us knew this. I wonder wonder which relatives of MPs are poised to sell their increasingly valuable plots of wetlands as the plans of the EWA shift this way and that.
It was a no-brainer for most of us; you build the EWA, and get the people driving from the east to the already established traffic choke points quicker. Does nothing for traffic relieve overall.
But, what the hell, it’s just the ecology of the entire island. Nothing to worry about; a few birds and lizards and plants that aren’t found anywhere else on the planet. Nothing to fret about.
Your comment highlights the 3 main problems, you could make it a six lane highway but it will not solve the problem of your “chokepoints”, the profits accruing to “interested parties” and the proliferation of concrete jungles.I suggest the term “no brains”applies to this project.
Leaving aside the environmental issues, did they ask themselves HOW they would restrict land sales – and development – to who they consider Caymanian only? … Yeah, too much thinking there.
Exactly anon @3:11 p.m., except government decides to buy every inch of property that comes up for sale along the east-west corridors, sell it back to Caymanians only, neither government nor
individuals have any control over who buys the land. That is just a talking point to get the populace who are stupid enough to believe that they are doing something for us to continue to vote for the brainless imbeciles. i have said it before and will say it again that we will continue to get these bozos as politicians. The educated, intelligent, articulate, honest among us do not wish to waste their time and talent to run for election because the majority of the electorate do not really appreciate such virtues. Their only demand is that they put hands in their pockets every Friday to give them “couple dollars to buy groceries” and who can call up NAU and demand that they put them on the dole. When we were growing up in the 50s and 60s our parents didn’t have much of anything to give us but they would get up everyday to do whatever they could to provide for us. There was no begging going on then and if there was anyone in the neighbourhood to borrow anything from it was paid back. We were not beggars! We were poor but we had pride and ambition. It appears as if the majority of the politicians encourages laziness to keep the support. If our grandparents could see us now they would be so ashamed of who we have become and it is all our fault because we do not demand much.
Everything you said is true.
However, if they are ‘bozos’, they are no kin of mine.
The corruption in Cayman is so saturated it will be difficult for the masses to gain a stronghold to fight the evil satanic grip that controls The Parliament and The Cabinet. The only answer is removal of some key players and an economy based on need not greed.
Nice sound bites. You could make a good living writing political advertisements and slogans.
Care to add some of your insight?
I don’t often agree with CIG’s silly naming protocols.
But the fact that Government’s public procurement portal is called “Bonfire” is quite telling.
Whether burning it down, dredging it out, paving iit with tar it is all destruction!
Re: “very, very, very responsibly”: 35% of total greenhouse gas emissions comes from Construction. Nearly twice that of the entire transportation sector. This greenspace abutting protected terrestrial habitats, is local carbon sequestering capacity that Saunders would chop, burn, and pave over, if he could.
“when the wetlands were opened up for development, it would be very important that it is done very carefully”. When I last dropped a glass I did it very carefully but it still broke.
Kenneth Bryan made it crystal clear that this Cabinet intends to press ahead with the East-West Arterial Road, and has already decided to approve commencement of precedent-setting dredging at one of the 12 PACI locations, regardless of EIAs. This will smooth the way for FCCA, DART, Schilling, Imperato, and other developers that also seek massive dredging programs. This is not Bahamas. HM the King would have their heads if he knew these plans were afoot.
How does Saunders propose to limit the development of land to locals only? While I agree with the concept, his idea will limit the the available buyers to a relatively small number of buyers. Cayman is caught in some many “catch 22” situations.
Saunders has a funny definition of “locals”. He certainly doesn’t mean Caymanians.
He doesn’t sound “Caymanian either” go figure!
Dart is a Caymanian … for example. As are
some of Cayman’s richest residents. So would they be allowed to buy land around the EWA?
They already have. The route (broadly) has been published for decades. Wise heads looked ahead if there was land along it to purchase. (Unfortunately with more wisdom than money I could only look and not find.) Can’t blame them for that. We can blame the politicians for not having the sense to to not allow building in the swamp.
Its just the plot to catch votes these guys are not doing a damn thing for Cayman or Caymanians period!
He will define “locals” much differently than you or me.
Unrestricted development is always the goal. The developer class and CIG will always conspire in that regard without any consideration of sustainability or the provision of decent jobs for Caymanians. The result is the continued importation of low paid labour swamping a local population that is increasingly a minority. None of that bodes well for the future.