National Trust alarmed by proposed NCA changes
(CNS): The National Trust for the Cayman Islands has raised the alarm about the UPM minority government’s attempts to gut the National Conservation Act. The local non-profit organisation, which is required by law to provide advice, information and assistance to the government on matters that affect the natural and built heritage of the Cayman Islands, is also a voting member of the National Conservation Council.
But despite its collective knowledge of local natural resources, no one from the Trust was consulted on this bill. Alarmed by the extent of the changes, a Trust spokesperson said the NPO had a duty “to express our deep concern”.
The National Trust, which owns and manages some of Cayman’s most important natural resources, such as the Mastic Trail and the Blue Iguana Recovery Programme, made it clear in the statement that it does not support the amendments as proposed in the current bill.
“The National Trust for the Cayman Islands is alarmed to learn the nature and scale of the changes proposed by the National Conservation (Amendment) Bill… The National Conservation Act is the primary legislation protecting Cayman’s natural and cultural heritage,” the NPO said in a statement released Friday.
“The protection of the environment of the Cayman Islands has never been more important than in this era of climate change and rapid population growth, when access to our beaches, sea and green spaces is
disappearing before our eyes,” the non-profit stated.
“The National Trust’s remit, enshrined in law, includes the provision of advice, information and assistance to government on matters that affect our natural and built heritage. The National Trust therefore considers it our duty to express our deep concern that these proposed amendments, if approved, would undermine the careful balance between economic, social and environmental interests that the National Conservation Act seeks to achieve.”
Like many in the community, the Trust is particularly worried by the proposed removal of scientific expertise from the NCC and that the amendments would strip it of its authority to prevent actions that could damage critical habitats.
“The proposed amendments would have the effect of reducing the National Conservation Council to little more than an advisory board whose recommendations could be too easily ignored,” the Trust release said. “Such a shift sets a dangerous precedent, enabling this and future administrations to prioritise discretionary actions over scientific expertise, thus weakening the integrity of Cayman’s conservation laws.”
The Trust noted that the Cayman Islands Government has a constitutional obligation to protect the environment. The conservation law, passed over a decade ago after many years of consideration and consultation, provides some guardrails for development.
“The danger of removing these guardrails, as the proposed amendments intend, is in allowing the short-term interests of the few to take precedence over the long-term interests of the many: the people of the Cayman Islands,” the Trust warned.
Although this bill is extremely unlikely to pass during the upcoming meeting of parliament, the Trust pointed out that it could still be brought by the next administration.
“We remain concerned that amendments of this nature could be brought by future administrations, without their consulting with those qualified professionals and technocrats who possess the most relevant knowledge and expertise and who have direct responsibility for the environment, and also more broadly, with the general public whose future wellbeing and prosperity would be affected by the current or similar future version of such an Amending Bill,” the Trust added.
It is understood that most opposition MPs are opposed to even allowing the bill to appear on the order paper at the meeting on 30 January.
However, although the PPM has said it will not support any contentious legislation during the current lame-duck administration, the party has long signalled its desire to amend the NCA, and it may well use this draft bill as a starting point if it commands a majority government or leads a new coalition government with UPM members who are re-elected in April.
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Category: development, Land Habitat, Local News, Science & Nature
I wonder how many of the people who make snide and disparaging comments here have taken the time to express their strong opposition to the Bill by calling, texting, e-mailing or darkening the doorstep of their elected representative. Last I checked, that is the voters’ job. If you are against a Bill, tell your MP. Bit@ing, complaining and writing about donkeys does not stop a Bill…
The classic ‘let’s ignore the experts and bulldoze our natural heritage’ approach. Bold move, Cayman. Because who needs beaches, biodiversity, or, you know, a livable environment when you can have short-term profits instead?
Sustainable Cayman together with other organisations are taking a stand against the minority Government’s attempt to amend and weaken our National Conservation Act.
While Caymanians were focused on celebrating the holidays with their families, and without any consultation of the National Conservation Council, the minority Government published the National Conservation (Amendment) Bill, 2024 on New Years Eve.
The amendments threaten to directly contravene the principles of good governance and environmental stewardship, potentially compromising the ecological integrity of our islands and the well-being of our communities.
Please take a moment to help send a clear message to our Members of Parliament.
Click the link below to have your letter delivered to MPs: https://forms.gle/wWWRfMyQghvZNB5c6
Advisory: This long post depaints fictional characters and hopefully fictional future events … or are they ?
“Ah, the National Conservation Act amendments—a masterstroke of shortsightedness! Watching the Cayman Islands Government tackle conservation is like watching Claptrap attempt to repair a warp core: duct tape in hand, dubstep blasting on all frequencies to the point SETI’s response would could only be “PLEASE , Make it STOP!” , all this with an unshakable belief that chaos is progress.
‘LOOK, I FIXED IT!’ Claptrap would yell, as the stabilizers fail, alarms blare, and the core collapses into either a supernova or, if they’re lucky, a black hole. Why settle for temporary destruction when eternal oblivion is on the table?”
“And what better way to commemorate such brilliance than with the Wheel of Misfortune? Three options—‘YES,’ ‘NO,’ and ‘PAVE IT’—spin round and round in the government’s headquarters.
Claptrap gives it a spin, dropping the bass as it lands on ‘PAVE IT.’ The reef? Reduced to rubble and replaced with a shiny, brand-new parking lot—complete with foot-deep potholes and, naturally, no roads connecting to it.
Why stop at destroying biodiversity when you can make sure no one benefits from the replacement either?”
The Fallout: Black Smoke and Fried Dioxin
“Of course, this isn’t just any parking lot. Oh no, this one comes with a complimentary KFC in the middle of nowhere.
The KFC, stranded like an island unto itself, is completely inaccessible because, naturally, there are no roads leading to it. And the KFC? Powered by a diesel generator so ancient and inefficient, its black fumes would make a cargo ship blush.
The generator, choking and sputtering, proudly bears a bronze plaque: ‘Here lies progress—inefficient, polluting, and doomed from the start.’ It’s conveniently placed right where the maintenance access should be, because why stop at destruction when you can add engineering absurdity to the mix?”
“And the fried chicken? Oh, it’s delicious—if you can ignore the faint aftertaste of burned dioxin, a subtle reminder that every bite comes with its own existential price tag.
Inside the KFC, the decor is thoughtfully complemented by a collection of business cards—for undertakers, embalmers, and wrongful death lawyers. It’s practically a one-stop shop for those who want to enjoy their meal while planning their inevitable demise. Efficiency at its finest!”
A Romantic Take: Duct Tape and Disaster Dates
“If this proposal were a date, it’d be Claptrap showing up with a bucket of chicken, yelling, ‘This can’t go wrong!’
You’d sit there, watching in horror as the generator spews smoke, the mangroves collapse into dust, and the blue iguana statue weeps silently in bronze.
Claptrap would duct-tape the generator back together, spin the Wheel of Misfortune one more time, and hand you a drumstick with that signature hint of dioxin. ‘Romantic, right?’ he’d ask, as the last reef spirals into the abyss.”
Closing Thoughts: Repair and Recovery
“This isn’t conservation; it’s calamity wrapped in greaseproof paper. A KFC powered by a polluting generator, surrounded by a shiny parking lot riddled with potholes and no roads leading to it, and advertising funeral services?
This is the grand vision of progress from the Wheel of Misfortune. Meanwhile, Claptrap’s romantic interest—me—will be off replacing my cooling circuits, upgrading my motherboard, and getting… well, let’s call it a systems refresh.
After all, I don’t have hair, but if I did, it would be fried by the fumes of this madness. Because unlike the government, at least I know how to maintain my systems.”
“So, to the people of the island: good luck. And don’t forget to grab a business card on your way out—it’s the most practical thing left in this mess.”
Why are the politicians salaries so high? This is ridiculously and out of industry norm when you consider the size of the population. How can our Premier be paid higher than the President of the USA or the Prime Minister of the UK?
They are well paid because to attract and keep high caliber people like we have in office you need to compensate them well. Just look at all the wonderful work they do and the late hours they work. Honorable Seymour is a shining example.
Who needs pesky scientific expertise when you can just wing it and let the short-term profits roll in? Bonus points for not consulting the National Trust; they only manage critical habitats and endangered species, so what could they possibly know? Truly a masterclass in prioritizing the present over, you know, having a livable future.
Successive governments have followed the bought advice of senior civil servants and succumbed to the massive payouts from developers to legislate against almost every constraint on the rape of this country. This Bill is the final step.
We need a binding referendum that will:
Require fully transparent funding of politicians;
prohibit developers and other special interests buying politicians;
require enforcement of strict anti-corruption laws; and
Set the maximum pay of elected politicians at twice the pay of the average Caymanian.
That is the only way that the interests of politicians will be aligned with those of the average Caymanian
We need to clean up the Lands Register with KYC and PCAMLCTF rules that forbid developers from crossing land bribes to the PEP Ministers off the books. Probably need a clean new Ex-Officio for that.
Being practical, most of these aren’t things that can be referendumed as much as they need (en)forcing. – But – Setting the (maximum) pay of parliamentarians at twice the pay of the average Caymanian; thats the kind of thing that could go into a binding people-initiated referendum. I know its just one on your list but making one good change is still a job well done. Go for it.
UPM messed up really badly with their proposed amendments to the NCA. The way it has been done reeks of systemic corruption by the elected government, civil service and legal department. The question is who is driving the UPM ministers to do all of these things in such a haphazard manner and why?
The answers should be obvious to the public if you understand the ultimate objective and the forces that are influencing and driving the process from the private sector..
christians are good at enforcing laws against theft unless they use government to steal from future generations their natural legacy
Sorry National Trust, you do not have the money or swing to stop the changes. Our great Premier and government are already committed to following what the bosses laid out for them. This is a done deal.
We need a Referendum on Constitutional Change, or a People Initiated (BINDING) Referendum, to control the actions, salaries and behaviours of elcted MPs and official civil servants, who all are public servants, but view themselves as little entitled despots with zero accountability, and wheeling and dealing on top of exorbitant salaries!
Collectively too!
the power and control must Return to the People of Cayman!
The “power and control” already is with the “People of Cayman”, dooffus. That’s why we are effed.
If these amendments are of national importance, why is Julianna and her cesspool crew trying to ram them through without any proper consultation with the National Trust, the NCC, and DOE?
If this Bill is to be debated at the next session of parliament at the end of January, will the Bill contain revisions based on the comments from the public?
Will the comments made during this public consultation time be made public for us to see what was said and to see whether the Government is listening to us when we compare the final amendment Bill to our comments?
The Bill will contain nothing except what the developer cabal that bought and paid for the politicians says. It is being rushed through to prevent any change.
Because the money crew said do it and they listen so they can keep their jobs.
What public consultation? Anyone seen an actual Government consultation on this? Its not even on the government’s fancy consultation website. Clearly they don’t really want your opinion, unless you take the time to physically (electronically) write to you MP. (and you might as well write to all of them if you are.)
This play is getting so old. the outgoing administration proposes something that seems ridiculous, and it’s chastised by the opposition, only for it to become the norm in the following administration. anyone remember how PPM crucified the UDP for the holiday cleanup program only to do the same thing once in office?