Trust backs NCA as development outpaces conservation
(CNS): The National Trust for the Cayman Islands has hit out at those claiming development is being fettered by conservation legislation. The long-established non-profit organisation, which has a permanent seat on the National Conservation Council, has said that it is difficult, if not impossible, to see how the National Conservation Act is stopping development, given that the pace of construction here far is outstripping the pace of conservation.
As the Department of Environment hits back against criticisms from the Central Planning Authority, politicians and the development lobby who claim that development is being curtailed because of the conservation legislation, the National Trust is now weighing in on the debate and pointing out that the Cayman Islands is still a long way from any genuine balance between the environment and the relentless over-development.
“It is difficult, if not impossible, to see how the NCA is seriously impeding development, as some might claim, when we see a skyline filled with cranes and rising buildings, once green spaces cleared to the ground, mangrove forests razed and filled, poorly planned seawalls leading to the disappearance of the peoples’ beaches, and historic structures torn down,” a Trust spokesperson said in a statement. “Currently, the pace of development far outstrips the pace of protection on our islands.”
The Trust said it was “honoured and privileged” to have a seat on the NCC and play a part in the protection of the natural resources that the National Conservation Act provides to the people of Cayman. As a non-governmental organisation, its mandate is to serve the interests of the people of Cayman by protecting the natural and cultural heritage of the islands in perpetuity.
“The National Conservation Act (NCA) established processes to ensure decisions made today do not have a negative impact on our future,” the Trust stated. “As can be seen in other countries and in Cayman’s past, decisions made without careful consideration of the environment can have unintended, unforeseen and irreversible consequences. While development and change are a necessary part of life, Cayman must take a long-term view to ensure that short-term benefits are not outweighed by enduring costs to people’s health and quality of life.”
The Trust added that the “mandate of the NCA is more important now than ever”. Nevertheless, the NPO said it would continue its own efforts to acquire and preserve land that is environmentally valuable to current and future generations of Caymanians. Any such land declared inalienable by the National Trust is protected from development in perpetuity.
The non-profit has asked the community to voice their support for the National Conservation Act and the protections it provides to the natural heritage by contacting their MPs.
For more information, visit the website.
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Category: development, Land Habitat, Local News, Science & Nature
“Development, is being fettered by conservation legislation”. Give us a break! DOE and National Trust Has to continually fight back against Planning Department to try to prevent this over building and destruction of the environment to no avail. Whoever made that comment obviously has lost his/ her mind or just don’t care about this 2X4 ROCK we call home. It’s all about how much money they can collect in the shortest amount of time.
Everyone blaming the foreign developers and investors while casually glossing over the fact that someone sold them the lands and a Caymanian business partner is required.
It is still wrong! We need to pull the brakes on it now before all is gone !
I notice the politicians here don’t care about issues til it affects them personally. Just wait til their kids, nieces, nephews and grand kids can’t afford to get a place of their own or land a decent job, then they’ll stop the over development.
cut 50% of the development projects and send home 50% of their JA and Honduras workforce. That will be a win win for Cayman as it currently stands.
Agree with the sentiment but I suggest that we cut all residential projects for non-residents, send 90% of their JA and Honduras workforce home. That would be a WIN WIN for Cayman.
Just as long as you send home 50% of the expatriates who buy or rent those developments.
Whistling past the graveyard mentality
Exactly what we need, however that sentiment will hold no weight with our MPs. Why? Because it won’t line the government coffers. CIG makes book on JA and Honduranian AND Philipino workforce. They make book on foreign development. They make book on incoming cruise passengers.
Us? We the people, don’t make book on anything, other than the trading that occurs between us all.
It seems long past time to have an sitdown with our MPs and decide how the future will be determined.
Want to help the Caymanian people? Instead of a 50M high school on Cayman Brac’s bluff, build a Medical School. Spend 5M on the high school, and invest in the future of Cayman with a vetted Medical School, such that Caymanians get scholarships and other folks around the Caribbean pay for their tuition. It’s the best of things, folks. We have to DEMAND this. We have to make it happen. CIG doesn’t ever have a forward-thinking point of view. We have to impose our wishes upon them. WHATEVER government is in power.
NO to foreign developer concessions. Let us FINALLY invest in ourselves.
Don’t we already have a medical school? St Mathews
05 @8:20 pm – Isn’t St. Mathews a veterinary school? Medical yes, but for animals. ??
They have a med school (first; academic only and you do residence somewhere else / USA) and a vet school.
The 50 (really 75) million dollar project on the bluff should be our new prison.