Cruise berthing facility referendum
(CNS): The Cayman Islands Government has set aside $1.2 million for a referendum on cruise berthing facilities, even though it will likely take place four or five months before the general election, which is expected in April. Election officials have said that holding the referendum at the same time as the general election would cut the cost by half.
Tourism and Ports Minister Kenneth Bryan, who filed the government motion to hold the referendum, has not yet presented any information to back up his theory that a continued decline in the number of cruise calls would have a major impact on the economy.
Nor has he explained why the referendum should be held as a separate event rather than at the same time as the general elections.
The motion, expected to be debated when parliament meets next month, does not indicate a proposed date for the public vote but that it would happen before the end of 2024.
The motion proposes to ask Caymanians a very broad question: “Should the Cayman Islands develop cruise berthing infrastructure?” There is currently no specific proposal regarding a cruise port, and the question gives no indication as to where such a dock might be built, how big it would be or anything about its construction.
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Where is the tip of the Iceberg. This government and Minister Bryant are trying to mislead the public. Supporters for the cruise berthing love this idea for the question because they can avoid any of the complications of the project.
The price?
Style and form of the project?
Method of financing?
Delivery date?
Cruise line guarantees?
Environmental impact?
Impact mitigation and interim measures?
Where will thousands of people pouring out of ships at the same time go?
What are the infrastructural enhancements that will be made to accommodate the increases of people?
There are a million and a half questions and Caymanians would have to be fools to approve a project in the form of a Question by this or any government.
“Should the Cayman Islands develop cruise berthing infrastructure?”
WOW Kenneth really thinks he is smarter than the rest of us, doesn’t he?
Does he plan to explain the following questions that his so-called referendum question now mandates that we answer before I vote?
1. What will it cost?
2. Where will it be built?
3. Infrastructure could mean piers, floating piers, multiple piers on multiple islands, which is it?
4. Does infrastructure mean, supporting infrastructure as well? Eg. Shops, restaurants, transportation facilities, onshore attractions to support the passengers?
5. What is the financing model PPP? Financed by increased taxes? Financed by a loan? Financed by a gift from DART?
6. What will be the environmental cost of the “infrastructure”? Will studies be done to confirm this?
7. Are we starting from a clean slate? Are there already designs being considered? Have we consulted with major stakeholders only?
Kenneth needs to be voted out for this freaking joke of a question, it is so vague, we might as well give him a blank check and tell him to just go out an wreak havoc without consequences.
Kenneth you really are not that smart buddy, we see what you are doing and is dishonest, manipulative and disgusting.
Here’s a straw poll for you:
What is Kenny B. so insistent on holding a referendum on a cruise berthing pier when there’s no actual plan to build one?
1) He’s just really dumb
2) He stands to make a boatload of money if the pier gets built
3) He wants to solidify his “Referendum Man” nickname
4) He thinks that by spending government funds to promote a “yes” response to the referendum question, he’ll build enough political capital to become the Premier after the next election.
5) All of the above
He’s just looking for an excuse to get Mac’s buddies CHEC involved.
Any Referendum called by Government is NON binding.
Only a People Led referendum is Binding!
I’d like to counter the claims of Caymanians losing jobs if the cruise visitors were limited or eliminated entirely.
The taxi and bus drivers could pivot to drive in the new public transportation model. The buses used to haul massive numbers of cruise tourists could be repurposed- most are of a similar style and color so branding would be easy. Comfortable, A/C, nice capacity.
Any of the boat operators could pivot to serve the hotel industry. They would be able to carry far fewer passengers at a much higher net per passenger rate. Offer more unique times for guests and wouldn’t have to schedule away from “whem the hoards of cruise shippers” are at the sandbar.
The GeorgeTown retailers would see their clientele change. More stayover visitors would find their way to shops at more convenient times of day instead of playing the same avoidance game as stingray sandbar.
All one has to do is read the various social media pages that answer questions for prospective visitors and note how often the question arises- when is the best time to do (name the activity) and avoid the cruise ship masses? Where can I find the information as to how many cruise ships are in port?
Commute times and frustration would be reduced on cruise ship days. Drivers would find themselves in their car less, overall frustration reduced. It would be a quality of life improvement.
Breaking up is hard to do… but so worth it in the end.
Letting go of what was is even harder, but necessary.
There would be a period of mourning, which they always is when humans experience loss. But that too would pass.
“The taxi and bus drivers could pivot to drive in the new public transportation model”
More difficult for them to steal this way, can’t charge $50 per person for a trip from the airport to SMB. Government will get lobbied as always and cave to this group of votes that seems to have so much power. Taxis and busses will never work here properly until the current cartel is replaced.
You are clearly not in the tourism business. There is not enough stay over visitors for everyone to pivot.
If CI is worried about over crowding for 7 hours maybe we should look at the long term over crowding like population growth.
Isn’t it frightening that we have buffoons like this guy is making multi million dollar spending decisions for Cayman? When the money well goes dry, we’re screwed!
Just have the referendum already. Obviously a lot of differing views. No point in developing plans if the vote comes back as a convincing no (eg 70/30 No). Then the concept is dropped and just focus on the smaller ships going forward and deal with it. Still going to get thousands of people. It’s never going to zero.
PPM, UDP and all others, hear the whisper way down low; tell your developer friends, your time is up you GOTTA GO (CAUSE YOUR PEOPLE SAY SO!)
If you think they will drop the idea is the referendum says no, you are very naive. To much money and vested interests coupled with politicians who are for sale. Why are we even having a referendum after the last campaign?
Meanwhile the Brac could use a CT scan machine. Future generations would benefit from real landfill sites as opposed to the current dumps. Folks love to blow money on fluff!
One has to just look at the 7 mile beach and ask what has the stayover visitor brought to the Cayman Islands ? We have less beach, We have prices soaring for sit down meal, we have people on work permit who now live 2-3 people to a room, we have grocery stores that have grown to 100,000 sq feet but pay under 8.00 per hour, etc, etc
When we have 20,000 people on island from Cruise ships they come off at mostly 8-9:00 am and are leaving from 1:00-4:00pm. They are not here, we don’t have to build much infrastructure just buy busses and taxis, we can offer water taxis also. Life goes back to normal. The man on the street feels hope for the future and the population grows very slowly.
The population is growing because of work permit holders. Mostly construction workers. When their companies have a contract they are working. When they don’t they are looking for work with anyone. These are mostly men 18-30 YO. We are seeing what that means in the world today when men don’t have work. The devil finds work for idle hands.
Do not be fooled by CPR’s claim about the environment, there is no proof of concrete piers causing damage. In fact the environment actually drives because of shade and a place for corals to attach. Corals dont grow on top of sand . It grows on immovable hard like structures. It has nothing to do with sand. If I’m wrong then why doesn’t it grows on the sand at 7 mile beach? It grows where there is a hard bottom.
The cost of goods has gone up on everything because of greed. but salaries are being kept down as companies are buying more businesses, building bigger stores, taller buildings etc. So if they are creating all those new structures isn’t that bringing the prices higher?? Where is the low cost houses? Isn’t that market growing? Where are the houses then?? The population is somewhere between 85,000- 95,000 people . Why no growth in low cost housing? Just people jamming up in a room.
When we ACTUALLY look at the people who don’t want the cruise lines where do they work? What do they do? Who do they hang out? The social economy has to grow for the whole island not just one. Travel to Cayman Brac no cruise ships there, no fast food restaurants, in fact nothing going on. They have stayover hotels and condos. Why the difference?????
True. The Slavery wages in every industry especially Tourism Workers is a shameful bought on Cayman which is in the Top Three Most Expensive Places to Live!!
Imagine when their Gratuities are removed next year in return for a $1 increase only.
Anguila, Dominica, Antigua and other islands attracting smaller cruise ships have something that Cayman distinctly lacks. Island Charm. The romance of the Caribbean. Tradewinds shaped by the mountains that define that land. Cayman is as flat as a pancake and nothing to look at from the sea. Mount trashmore is the sole visible elevation point. The charm here is the fact that we are a bustling economy and safe haven and a liveable place. You should think about your Country as more of an Island in the Caribbean than a Caribbean Island. That’s important because those hoping to attract smaller boutique ships here, are spitting in the wind. Grand Cayman doesn’t have the geography to attract them. Only the Brac and its nearby sister little Cayman could offer boutique tourists something special but we are a full generation of infrastructure away from that dream becoming a reality. If we are serious about cruise we best get busy building a port or get ready to shut it down in the next decade.
Sadly, Island Charm had to emigrate states side about 30 years ago. He became alienated, it was either him or his arch rival, Concrete Urbanisation. Some say the best man didn’t win, he was driven away in the name of false promises and progress.
Many a young man and women, potential followers of Island Charm have have followed suit and fled overseas never to return, they feel alienated too, their homeland is forever changed to resemble metropolises off island, places like where they live now. Ironic isn’t it?
Some that remain in this new paradigm created by Concrete Urbanisation and his staunch followers are conflicted as to their predicament and future as an island state which once attracted visitors from afar with the lure and mystique of Island Charm. Well now he’s gone and his public legacy has almost faded and what hasn’t been sold of it has been rebranded and repackaged, it’s not the same, its his avatar, contrived and artificial.
Those that now visit are lured by the name of his homeland, some hope to find him still here, they depart disillusioned and disappointed. And some that visit now don’t know what they missed because they never ever knew him.
RIP Island Charm
Anguila, Dominica, and Antigua are not ranked anywhere near the top 5 wall diving destinations in the world, consecutively for 40 years. They do not host the biodiversity to “birth the sport of scuba diving” and it’s hall of fame. They do not host a robust financial center with high social livability standards. What we have is superb, but it is not really geared for middle America cruise tourists. That’s also okay.
While it’s true that Cayman doesn’t have the same towering mountains or topographical features as other islands, there’s so much more to its appeal beyond physical geography. The rich marine life, world-renowned diving spots, and commitment to environmental conservation (like protecting our coastal mangroves and the George Town Harbour) are elements that set Cayman apart.
We also have a vibrant community, cultural charm, and a unique mix of nature and urban development that make it an attractive place not just for tourists but also for residents. The idea that only physical landscape determines “island charm” is a narrow perspective.
Grand Cayman’s ability to attract people with a bustling economy, safety, and environmental stewardship isn’t something other islands can boast of. Smaller boutique ships might appreciate the quiet charm of other places, but that doesn’t mean Grand Cayman’s focus should only be on becoming a major cruise port. There’s room to consider how the islands could balance tourism with sustainability, without necessarily “building bigger” to chase the large cruise ship model.
Cayman may not have the Caribbean’s tallest mountains, but its appeal lies in its heart, the community’s spirit, and a commitment to preserving its natural beauty, which we are all a part of- so let’s not forget it!
The disrespect on the name of Mount Trashmore!
The more exclusive expensive small ships like Regent and Silverseas , don’t do 7 days cruises back to back from Miami.
They occasionally stop here to or from wherever they’ve been. We appear to be locked in to the weekly $500/7 days and all you can throw up Carnival cheapies.
Those ones are decent, and there are other luxury operators in that higher-end luxury cruise arena that could move the needle on commerce, if we had things they wanted to buy. Coincidentally many of these are not members of the FCCA lobby group bending our weak politicians at the midpoint. Alas, they face a similar onshore attraction vacuum, amplified by those not dialed-in to a high five star standard. Take for example, there’s no paved sidewalk on the east side of WBR right in the heart of the Hotel Tourism Zone, while Kenny has been licensed by this regime to spend millions on a crackhead park with a $40,000 wishing well. He exemplifies our QC disconnect. Cayman doesn’t have the adult grade leadership necessary for the high end traffic we might prefer. We need to fix that for stayover and resident population! Voters need to care enough to make it a topic.
TBH, the 30-something yuppie Virgin cruise liners might be a better fit for what we have to offer: super expensive bespoke cocktails, crazy good beach selfies, some nibbles, and then scram back to the liner suite, to shower off the champagne sand encrustation.
Each of these Ministers need to actually go onto a ship and see how they have changed. For the big ships, less that a thousand people get off. The ship are designed to keep most people on them when they are in port. The have better shops than we have – a Rolex or Hublot is exactly the same price as Kirk or IC. The cruise industry has changed significantly and not for the better. The ship charges $80 CI for a trip and pays the Cayman vendor $8. We don’t need the negative environmental impact, the garbage, and the traffic of these monstrosities. Say not to a pier – we don’t need it or want it.
Very important point for anyone that hasn’t been on a modern ship lately, or ever. Today’s cruise passengers can shop aboard in name brand duty free luxury boutiques by Bulgari, Cartier, Gucci, Rolex, Panerai, Montblanc, Chanel, and Louis Vuitton, as well as peruse interesting art galleries, live shows, and music. Some of them are paralytically drunk by mid-itinerary, others can’t wait for the ship to depart so the casino tables can deal again. Kenny thinks they’re coming all this way to stroll Scranton Park and grab a selfie by the $40,000 “Wishing Well”. This is the level of cluelessness directing millions in capital spending.
Don’t, please, encourage any our overweight and overpaid ministers to go for any more freebies.
I agree. Most of them spend very little ashore, the Tourism Dept should get off their backsides and conduct exit interviews with the cruisesheep, this will show how little they spend. The attraction of cruises is they are all in so costs are known up front.
Several cruises my family have enjoyed remind passengers over the tannoy as passengers disembark at each port that duty free goods on board are cheaper than duty free goods at each location. Passengers might buy a T shirt or a bangle and the odd meal, but most (including us) buy their jewellery and eat on board. Living in Cayman for over two decades we also know that the cruises have contracts with local tour operators, but there is a massive disparity between what the tourists pay and what it actually costs on-island. I also know this massive profit is pocketed bt the cruises, not the local tour operators who are pressed to offer their services at discounted prices. This is not helpful to our local tourist industry or vendors in any conceivable way. We are battling over scraps and being made to look like fools. Plus, commercial cruise liners are massive polluters. We don’t want or need this. What we should be focusing on is overnighters and if anything, luxury cruises and yachts only.
Maintaining lower cruise ship passenger numbers will ultimately result in increased stayover visitors, as those visitors do not wish to encounter the overwhelming cruisers. The eventual increase in stover visitor will be best for everyone, including those local persons currently involved in the cruise industry.
Vote them all out
Really Kenneth? This makes no sense at all
Why is the government led by Minister Bryan willing to leverage the country for the benefit of a few GT merchants and surrender our financial independence to Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Disney and NCL cruise lines?
Time has come to vote them all out for following such foolish plans and expensive mistakes that will be detrimental to the Cayman Islands.
PPM wants this more than Kenny.
Why frame this as “selling out” to cruise lines? The cruise industry isn’t some evil empire plotting to enslave Cayman—it’s a vital source of revenue for our economy. The so-called “few GT merchants” are just the tip of the iceberg what about the subsidy of the cargo port, the hundreds of Taxi drivers, tour operators, restaurants, and entire local industries benefit. And you want to “protect” our financial independence by blocking these ships? That’s like keeping the door locked when opportunity is knocking. The real “foolish” plan is pretending Cayman can thrive by pushing away its only tourism revenue stream that supports working class Caymanians . Let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater because when the baby grows us we have other problems to deal with .
Kenny and Mac want the piers for votes , we all know that.
But Cayman NEEDS the income from 1.5+Million passengers head tax that feeds $20Million or so pa to government so that they can pay for services and infrastructure that we take for granted.
Most importantly, The benefits of a new pier will spill over to badly needed improvements to our cargo port.
It ain’t just about the few thousand taxi and tour bus drivers, it’s about revenue to government in the absence of direct taxation.
This is a price we all have to live with if we want to live in a successful economy.
No, the money is to give away to their voters that’s why they want the cruise money.
Easy solution VOTE NO in referendum
Or vote yes if you are so inclined. That’s the beauty of democracy.
Numbers don’t lie… The Port website shows about 157K passengers in Dec 2023, 166K for December 2024 and already booked for 170K in 2025…
Note that it is no coincidence that the cruise companies come and shake the tree during the summer months when the numbers are way lower and concerns running rife with the vendors as the experience the slow season.
They will NOT send more ships or passengers during these slow months – they know the cruise industry focuses on Europe and Alaska then.
They may send more in the winter months, but if the schedules are right, they are already meeting the demand with the smaller ships. They just want us to fund their economies of scale larger ships for their convenience.
Believe me, there is NO loyalty or benevolency in the cruise industry…
The reason the referendum is so loosey-goosey in specifics is so that the vote will be meaningless and politicians will be able to disregard it and do whatever they want. Don’t let them get away with this. Insist on a definite proposal. That way, voters can clearly vote FOR or AGAINST. Hopefully, AGAINST, because Cayman should stop trying to attract big cruise ships. Instead, follow the model of Anguilla and cater to smaller, more deluxe ships. (See article in the Compass from a couple days ago, where the strategies of different Caribbean islands were compared.)