Mac claims cruise vote will be on Election Day

(CNS) According to McKeeva Bush MP (WBW), the government may move the proposed referendum asking the public if they want cruise berthing facilities in the Cayman Islands to the day of the 2025 General Election, expected to take place in April, rather than holding a separate vote later this year. Posting in a social media group chat of supporters of a cruise berthing facility, Bush said there would be “no vote” on the issue until the election.

However, the former premier and speaker is no longer in Cabinet. Therefore, in his posts, he went on to state that people should “wait to hear from” Tourism and Ports Minister Kenneth Bryan, who was “having challenges with it”. He said he supported the change of timing, even though he didn’t believe a vote was necessary. 

Bush implied that Cabinet has not yet agreed to move the proposed referendum, and Bryan needed “time to get his ducks in a row” because he “has to go to Cabinet where the gov sits”. He stressed his support for cruise berthing facilities, apparently at any cost, adding that his views are well known and he does “not care” what those who oppose the idea say.

The veteran politician, who appears to have leaked the government’s unconfirmed change of plan, said his post had been sent to the tourism minister, and he had “no apologies to make” as he had done his duty “by making my stand known to the loyal people.”

CNS has contacted Bryan about Bush’s claims that the referendum will be held at the same time as the general elections, and we are awaiting a response. However, sources close to the minister have indicated that he remains open to discussions about the referendum and the proposal for piers.

It is understood that Bryan has signalled that his focus is on how to plug the gap of declining cruise visitors and whether or not it would be possible to do that any other way.

According to a government motion that will be debated in the parliament next month, the proposed referendum will ask the people: “Should the Cayman Islands Develop Cruise Berthing infrastructure?”

However, there is widespread public concern that the vote will take place without an actual project, and people will be voting on an abstract idea with no information about the environmental, economic or social consequences of such development or even where it would be.

Also, the cost of holding the referendum separately from the general election in November has been questioned. Election officials have noted that holding the ballot at the same time as the general election would be around half the cost of a stand-alone vote, estimated to cost around CI$1.2 million.

In a straw poll on CNS last week, 63% of those who took part said there should be no referendum until a specific project is on the table. Among the remaining 37% who support the idea of a vote, 31% said it should take place at the same time as the general election next year. Just 6% supported a stand-alone vote, which, up until now, had been the government’s plan.