Bryan continues to criticise conservation battle

| 18/11/2024 | 74 Comments
Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan at the Chamber Legislative Luncheon

(CNS): The tourism minister’s criticism of efforts by public and private sector entities to protect Cayman’s environment and dismissal of the hard battle to preserve our dwindling natural resources were on display again last week at the Chamber of Commerce Legislative Luncheon, where he implied that the balance is tipped too much in favour of conservation.

Despite all evidence to the contrary and the well-documented public concern about the impact of excessive development, Kenneth Bryan suggested that developers were “struggling” to get things built because of “unreasonable or unrealistic” environmental protection and spoke about the need to better manage Cayman’s population and economic growth.

Bryan, who was recently made deputy premier, stood in for Premier Julianna O’Connor-Connolly at the event on Thursday. Officials said that she had a conflict but did not explain why she did not make the annual address herself.

In his address, Bryan described ambitious plans for the lame duck, minority UPM government but focused heavily on issues of growth and the UPM government’s evident dislike of the National Conservation Act.

He made it clear that regardless of the controversies surrounding the amendments, the government still wants to steer changes to the legislation through parliament and will seek the opposition’s help to do so.

Even though development continues unchecked, with mangroves, primary habitat and unique indigenous species of flora and fauna lost week after week, Bryan suggested that Cayman was “caught between a rock and a hard place regarding the protection of our environment”.

The minister stated that what he called the buzzword of ‘sustainability’ is being misused “to reinforce a perspective that is sometimes unreasonable or unrealistic when it comes to protecting and preserving our environment”.

In an address that will further demoralise Cayman’s developing environmental activism and advocacy, Bryan spoke about the “reasonable sacrifice” of these islands’ precious but threatened, unique natural environment and about “the necessary balance that must be enshrined in our approach when tackling important national issues”.

Cayman’s environmental lobby has argued that until the arrival of the National Conservation Act, the balance was entirely tipped in favour of development. Even now, it is still heavily tipped towards development, with the current protections for our most important habitat still being swept aside whenever landowners are granted planning permission.

The ousting of Wayne Panton as premier last year and the recent resignation of four government members all related to the desire of several members of the UPM to gut the law, stripping it of the very limited powers it confers on the National Conservation Council to protect habitat and species.

Speaking at a public meeting last Wednesday evening, former deputy premier André Ebanks made it clear that the UPM administration’s attempt to amend the NCA was an effort to “promote unfettered development”.

He said that this had played a significant part in the decision by him and the other three MPs to resign from the government and the party. The four included the climate minister, Kathy Ebanks-Wilks, who had refused to make the amendments that other Cabinet members had wanted because of how far the changes went.

However, despite the claims of those four MPs and what Panton has said about the pressure he was under over the NCA, Bryan denied that the changes were significant, describing them as minor amendments.

He said the approach taken over the last three and a half years was “woefully imbalanced” and had not worked “seamlessly with the plans and expectations of the people”. If the situation were left unchecked, it would undermine economic opportunities, employment, neighbourhoods, communities, and any other benefits that are in the best interests of our country.

“We have to examine what is the current weight of things, one way or the other,” Bryan said. “Is it imbalanced towards too much growth and straining our infrastructure? Or is it imbalanced towards too much protectionism, putting hurdles in the way of organic growth within our economy?

“This government intends to have those conversations. As hard as it may be, we do need to talk about it. I mean, let’s be honest, it is a sad indictment for our history books to show one government department suing another, and when you think about the time and the cost and the scope of such things, it’s ludicrous, just ludicrous!” he said.

However, the need for the court battle is because the Central Planning Authority has not followed the law, and although it is politically appointed and takes its direction directly from Cabinet, the planning minister has failed to direct it to do so.

Nevertheless, Bryan claimed that changes to the legislation “will ensure that history will not repeat itself in that respect, and this administration hopes that we can resolve these types of issues more amicably so that the courts become unnecessary as an option in future”.

Bryan repeatedly spoke about the need for rebalance without spelling out exactly what changes he wanted to see, given how limited the NCA’s power already is and the obvious results of excessive development, from the erosion on Seven Mile Beach to the massive and now common flooding.


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Category: development, Land Habitat, Laws, Local News, Politics, Science & Nature

Comments (74)

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  1. Patricia Bryan says:

    More than half of them Cayman Islands has been swamp and mangroves. Look around at most of the heavily developed areas on Grand Cayman; Industrial Park; Newlands; Fairbanks/Dyke Road; NorthSound; the Airport; Windsor Park; along West Bay Road on both sides; many areas in West Bay; many areas in North Side; around the Lion’s Center; areas around the Hurley’s area; just so many different areas of Grand Cayman. I am sorry but we have to consider the environment unless we curb population growth otherwise the islands will have to continue to erode the environment to meet the demand of population growth. I feel we have already done so much damage to our Islands all in the name of development and growth that we have to pay attention to it now. What has happened over the decades with the lack of consideration to the environment, development and growth including population is excessive flooding and water settlement that also needs solutions to control. There truly is much to assess. Through the lens of my daughter studying Environmental Science I truly have gotten to see the other side of the environment and not just being landscape of visuals we see every day on the surface. Through watching her study the mangroves in the ecological system helpes me to see it all in a whole different perspective than what we have always seen as we who were born AND grew up here on Islands. People flock here from all over the world to live amongst us. As we have recently heard one the radio show hey dod not do so, certainly not for our food! We know all too well it does not seem as if it is any longer our people…so it must be the environment; it must be the landscape, it must be the look and feel of the islands. developers tear down and destroy all trees and foliage that are native to the islands and replant most of which are not unique to the Cayman Islands. This disturbs and derail the native local environment; takes away from what people come here to see and experience. Takes away from locals enjoying all we have known with overwhelming familiarity. How we can find the balance is an entirely different question to consider.

    A sad aspect of this is locals indigenous generational Caymanians do not receive the same assessment and consideration as investors or big money property owners. Locals are who run into ‘Chinese walls’ when it comes to property and development especially residential. This is all sad state of affairs.

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  2. Anonymous says:

    Vote this absolute idiot out. I would be happy to never hear about him ever again.

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  3. Anonymous says:

    Sounds like he’s got some projects he wants to profit from.

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  4. Anonymous says:

    The 5 star guests we like to pretend we cater to, will never want to find themselves in Kenny’s 3 star island experience, especially at his 1-2 star grade of vision, oversight, and execution. Get him out of this arena Cayman.

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  5. anonymous says:

    Beach erosion! In his case its brain erosion! VOTE HIM OUT PLEASE BEFORE ITS TOO LATE.

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    • Anonymous2 says:

      agree 100% he needs to be remove! him, dwayne, and julianna. most importantly EVERYONE WHO DISLIKE HIM AND HIS GREEDINESS VOTE HIM OUT YES!!!! ALL IN FAVOR OF MAKING A RIOT EVERYTIME HE MAKES HIS PUBLIC SPEECH!!!!

      HELL NO WE WONT VOTE!!!
      HELL YES WE NEED FRESH POLITIANS!!!!

      HELL NO WE WONT VOTE.

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  6. Anonymous says:

    Ah yes, the four great environmental saviors, one of whom intends to dredge the North Sound, with the support of the then Cabinet
    #selfrighteous
    #virtuesignallers

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  7. Anonymous says:

    Kenny finally got one thing right. The NCA and the NCC are threats to our democracy .

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  8. Anonymous says:

    let’s be honest, it is a sad indictment for our history books to show one government department suing another, and when you think about the time and the cost and the scope of such things, it’s ludicrous, just ludicrous!” he said.

    but its fine to waste $1M plus of the peoples money on a worthless referendum that only imbues more stupidity…

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  9. Anonymous says:

    A clown in a suit is still a clown.

    When your expat wife sells real estate, clearly you’re going to want more real estate. I can’t stand this man.

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    • Anonymous says:

      8.14 you’ve obviously noticed that government have been buying land recently…what a coincidence.

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  10. Anonymous says:

    Quick poll/referendum:

    (1) More conservation,less development,thumbs up.

    (2) More development,less conservation,thumbs down.

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  11. Anonymous says:

    Kenneth, you should not be our Tourism Minister. You had a criminal record that our Deputy Governor removed for you. Did you try to do the same for the hundreds of our young Caymanians whose crimes were less that what you were charged for. You should be ashamed of yourself to thank the Deputy Governor for having your criminal record removed so you could travel to the US.

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    • Anonymous says:

      I really thought the Advisory committee on the prerogative of mercy (ACPM) dealt with this through the Governor’s office….was it..?
      So if you’re well connected having a criminal record not a problem.

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    • Anonymous says:

      5:02. A damn lie. You should be ashamed of yourself. Our rock star DG has no authority to remove a criminal conviction from anyone’s record. Post proof or shut up.

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  12. Anonymous says:

    George Town Central voters, please don’t let his reign of stupidity continue 🙏

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    • Anonymous says:

      I want him gone too, please give me someone else to vote for… Cornwall is not a candidate hes a meat puppet with nothing to say.

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  13. Anonymous says:

    interesting to put these comments from Kenny against his comments about beach erosion..

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  14. Diogenes of Cayman says:

    See the issue with making these sorts of statements Kenneth is that every year for the past 12 years since the NCA was put into force the Government of the day has come out and proclaimed that the construction industry and development was doing great

    So which is it? Has construction been booming meaning the NCA is not hindering development and the real reason you are proposing these changes is just because developers are increasingly greedy and want even fewer restrictions and checks

    Or should people not believe their lying eyes and pretend that the islands are not developing at an explosive pace where every few months a new story emerges about some developer tearing through the environment for some modern convenience or other, proceeding without requisite permission and then getting permission after the fact or arguing that another piece of the natural environment should be sacrificed on the altar of greed so they can make a few bucks

    Despite all the attempts to talk out of both sides of your mouth it can’t be both

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  15. Anonymous says:

    as fa unnah!

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  16. Anonymous says:

    Words cannot describe how much I dislike this fraud! wake up GT!

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  17. Anonymous says:

    What we have that people like is as follows:
    – Diving
    – Safety
    – Easy to get to
    – No higglers on the beach

    – The diving is getting worse each year because the reef keeps dying.

    – Safety is getting worse every day for the roads and criminals. We’ve now had a mass shooting which garnered international press.

    – It’s not as easy to get here as it used to be and getting home without overnight in Miami is increasingly difficult.

    – Salespeople on the damn beaches now.

    Our product even from 2019 until now is vastly inferior to what it was in 2019. In many ways it is becoming inferior to our competitors and will continue to do so.

    Crackhead Kenny is a toxic stain on the Islands. He needs to go.

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  18. Anonymous says:

    Take a cold hard look at the new Cayman. Too expensive, not much to do, town overrun by cheap cruisers, roads jammed with tour buses, unreliable overpriced taxi service, Jamaican higglers on the beach, not a Caymanian in sight, rude Jamaicans, Indian jewellery sales pushers. After one visit, why would they come back? We’ll only have condo owners paying repeat visits.

    As a tourist destination in the Caribbean. Cayman (sorry to say it) has very little to offer. We have one really nice beach – and that’s rapidly vanishing… most island nations have countless really nice beaches. Corrupt MLAs have ruined even that beach with Jamaican higglers. We have no mountains or jungles or waterfalls or any of that stuff. We have very little truly local food or cultural experiences to speak of. We don’t have anything cheap/affordable.

    Tourism also does far more damage to Cayman than good. Covid was a blessing in showing how people should change to a different sector. It is insane to petulantly demand the destruction of Cayman for *everyone* merely to satiate the greed of a tiny minority of politicians taking kickbacks from developers (see Wendy’s superb September 2023 editorial: https://caymannewsservice.com/2023/09/donkeys-developers-and-deaf-ears), and a small number of Caymanians working in the sector. Most people in the sector are the ‘imported poverty’ of comments section fame: primarily Jamaicans.

    Cruise tourists are pests, who further clog up the island, and make life for residents a nightmare. The industry can’t collapse fast enough.

    There’s also no business case for long haul tourist flights from anywhere else to bring in more stay over tourists, because:

    1. Those flights will be more expensive than existing warm weather options, so tourists won’t be interested.

    2. Cayman is already too expensive for most tourists, in large part because a bloated, incompetent and corrupt CIG and civil service/de facto welfare scheme are funded by 20%/22% import taxes on everything entering.

    3. Cayman is now a [far] more expensive version of Miami. If tourists want that, they can go to Miami; if they want undeveloped islands, there are cheaper options. Cayman should forget tourism, and focus on increasing offshore work. The government hasn’t screwed that up yet (but with the increases in fees, beneficial ownership changes, and lack of competitiveness with Dubai, Singapore, etc. it’s on track to do so).

    What would be worthwhile, is reintroducing early and late flights to Miami, therefore enabling people to travel to different destinations in the US in a single day rather than forcing them into multiple days of travel. Obviously, this doesn’t pander to Kenny-the-Moron’s ego or inbred politicians’ desperate desire to buy wotes, and so will never be adopted. Plus ça change…

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  19. Anonymous says:

    This is why our MPs need to be randomly drug screened. What is this guy on?

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  20. Cheese Face says:

    Please go back to dealing and leave the adults to run the country.

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  21. Anonymous says:

    7MB erosion a priority, also the conservation law (which if followed would have massively benefitted 7MB and reduced erosion) is troublesome.

    This guy is a moron. Does absolutely nothing.

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  22. Anonymous says:

    Bryan is totally unqualified and a waste of space! As such, he’s guaranteed a lifetime in Cayman politics!🤮🤮

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  23. Anonymous says:

    Having no family, my current will leaves my estate to the National Trust to buy/preserve land; however, if it’s just going to benefit developers and millionaire residents spoiling our islands and who don’t care about our natural heritage/long-term future, I will have to leave my meager legacy elsewhere.

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  24. Anonymous says:

    Kenneth, Jon Jon, Jay & Julie will be the ultimate downfall of Cayman. Why do you continually fail us to enrich yourselves? You may be high & mighty now.. but don’t forget one day you will have to live as a civilian among very angry & resentful Caymanians and citizens.

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  25. Anonymous says:

    Wow, imagine looking around Grand Cayman and thinking the problem is too much conservation and too many environmental regulations. Incredible.

    People In positions of power are like this because family/school/society failed them in childhood. They were not inspired to appreciate the natural world, never taught basic realities of how nature works and why it all matters to us.

    Sad.

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  26. Anonymous says:

    How on earth is a convicted drug dealer now the deputy premier of Cayman? He shouldn’t be anywhere near politics

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    • Anonymous says:

      The same way, 12:07, a convicted felon and grabber of women’s privates is the next president of the USA.

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  27. Anonymous says:

    I dislike Kenny possibly more than anyone else on earth dislikes him. However he made one very relevant point which is the first time I have ever agreed with him which is: nobody will know or see the proposed changes until they are tabled in parliament.

    I really really dislike him. And Juju and their plans for the NCA. But let’s see them put their money where their mouth is and show their cards. What do they want to do with the Act, exactly…and what do they not.

    In the meantime we’re all yelling at each other over what we THINK they want to do based on rumors and hearsay. Tabling it doesn’t guarantee it passes. Let’s see and then have the debate.

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  28. Anonymous says:

    Conservation, in Grand Cayman? The only thing that is well preserved and thriving is the rubbish dump

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  29. Anonymous says:

    So, in the same presentation where he stated beach erosion is a national emergency, he goes on to say the balance has tipped too far from growth [development] to conservation.

    What’s the saying about better being thought an idiot than opening your mouth…

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  30. Anonymous says:

    George Towners please rid us of this SELL OUT in the next election.

    With all this development ask yourself who are we developing for? The Caymanian people surely aren’t benefiting and have become a second class citizen outnumbered in their own country.

    “It is imbalanced towards too much growth and straining our infrastructure”

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  31. Anonymous says:

    Does anything happen in Cayman anymore where we don’t see Bryan standing on a pedestal?

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  32. Anonymous says:

    Is there no one left to advocate for the environment and the will of the people?

    I think there is nobody left to vote for that will represent us.

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  33. Anonymous says:

    Now that Kenneth is DP will the deputy Premier’s 5K challenge be renamed to the deputy premier’s 5gram challenge?

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  34. Anonymous says:

    Joey and Kenny are the ppm dream team of paid for representation that is owned by dart, shilling, wellon, lund, ncb, stirling financial and others. None of them should ever get real power to lead the country

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  35. Anonymous says:

    The opinions expressed here about Bryan the idiot, will make no difference.
    His dumb and uneducated Jamaican demographic supporters will keep voting him in office, and he will be joined by Mac, Saunders , Seymour and Jay to lead us deeper into the third world, and then into independence.

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  36. Anonymous says:

    You need to look no further than Fin, the concrete tunnel on West Bay Road, the new Hyatt or the hideous plaza on the GT waterfront that replaced the 2 quaint Cayman houses to understand this Deputy Premier is not looking out for the interests of the majority. He wants cruise piers and he speaks of hurdles to development when all evidence indicates the contrary. If the opposition supports his plan Cayman is in trouble.

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    • Anonymous says:

      We would also have clear indication of who not support in April. The opposition needs to move carefully as they’ve lost lots of the support they once had. Effing around with Kenneth, JOCC and crew, will be the final nail in the PPMs coffin.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Rushing through a terrible dump “deal” and also trying to force a cruise berthing facility on us were the final nails for PPM. Their time has long gone.

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        • Anonymous says:

          I agree, as I am not a PPM supporter, but the current leaders make them look like a better option when just comparing the two. Thankfully, it seems as there will be more options this election.

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  37. C#@%$uka's Assoc.Ltd says:

    I wonder if kenneth and bababushka paid Chris Johnson hee $5 dollars for his beach front land on Seaman’s Way yet?

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    • Chris Johnson says:

      Ha ha very funny
      The government promised me an offer which I never asked for. I was told the offer would be made to me on November 5. Nothing happened. KB is full of bullshit.
      McKeeva said he wanted it for fishermen, vendors and Caymanians.
      Meanwhile Bryan wants ir for the extended cruise ship port. Who do you believe.
      It does not matter. IT IS NOT FOR SALE. SEE CIG IN PRIVY COUNSEL IN FIVE YEAR#.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Way to go Chris! Maybe you should throw your hat in the ring? Cayman need some good men and women at the helm.

      • anonymous says:

        Good for you Chris, dont sell. Otherwise there will be another row of shops, or some development.

  38. Anonymous says:

    I would like to post a comment without having first read the article, as I have observed by many who comment here. With no disrespect to CNS, I am sick and tired of having to read anything about that ignoramus Kenneth Bryan. It doesn’t really matter what the subject is, his stupidity reigns supreme. How did we as a country reach this level of ineptitude?

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    • Anonymous says:

      We arrived here thanks in part to the garrison style politics (read: Jamaica) of single-member constituencies, whereby one can be elected, and remain in place, by securing 401 persons ‘yes’ vote. For an electorate that is so small, a National Vote whereby every citizen casts a vote for the 19 seats in parliament (no matter where your primary address is) and those 19 who achieve the majority are your ISLAND representatives. I cannot stand that my one vote cannot oust criminals and those who are not qualified for the post.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Replying to 8:54 am To answer your last question: single member constituencies. Now everything is ‘fair’. Each person now only has one vote, just like EE and NS.

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  39. Anonymous says:

    Why doesn’t this ahole just go and sit in Dart’s lap and spew his crap. The man is a complete waste of space. Where is his assistant at these days?

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  40. Anonymous says:

    He really needs to go, please do the right thing and vote him out.

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    • Anonymous says:

      He has the second largest majority bin parliament for a reason. His constituency demographic doesn’t care about issues like Cayman history and culture or the environment. They will support the MP that promises them jobs, favours and handouts. And the combination of the “political funding” that developers and commercial interests who want a minister in their pockets gives him and the leverage that his ministerial appointment secured by floating his vote to whomever can swing a majority provides lots of ammunition for greasing the squeaky wheel of his constituents. You can hate him or despise him – but he’s going t still be there post election.

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    • Anonymous says:

      He was elected in a constituency where many persons are enamored with politicians such as him, that are only interested in self interest and have no understanding of fiscal prudence.

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  41. Anonymous says:

    Is the guy blind as well as stupid. Look around you and you will see no signs of developers struggling to develop. There is little left of the environment and once it has gone it has gone forever.

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    • Anonymous says:

      And the developers have piles of cash to sway the weak minded politicians and civil servants who will do their bidding!

    • Big Bobo In West Bay says:

      Bryan is delusional or he is in the $$$ pocket of developers here.

      Developers rule in the Cayman Islands and anyone who says differently is either high or totally delusional. Maybe both in the case of Bryan.

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