Ministers wrongly blame NCC over EWA delays

| 04/04/2024 | 85 Comments
Planning Minister Jay Ebanks

(CNS): Cabinet ministers have once again unjustly criticised the National Conservation Council and the Department of Environment for delays to the start of the East-West Arterial Road extension, and falsly asserted that environmental issues are blocking development and the construction of low-cost housing. Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan attacked the NCC and DoE over both issues on Wednesday, just days after Infrastructure Minister Jay Ebanks had wrongly taken aim at the NCC for similar reasons.

Appearing on Radio Cayman’s morning talk show, For the Record, on Wednesday, Bryan said he believed the housing crisis was caused by the growing population but claimed it was made worse by the planning process.

He further claimed that the process was being hindered by environmental issues and that, in his opinion, the DoE was the biggest hurdle to all development, but offered no evidence for his allegations, which have been debunked a number of times.

“We need to do a better job at developing more houses… but I think it has a lot to do with the bureaucracy that we have within planning,” he said. “It takes so much to go through planning processes and the Department of the Environment, which has become the biggest hurdle, in my humble opinion… within any kind of measured development… or true development for housing. The headache of going through that does not allow us to build fast enough.”

To date, the DoE and the NCC have made directives to planning or required an EIA in only a handful of cases. All of those have involved roads, large developments or condos in marine parks. The department has not made directives of any kind in relation to the government’s own affordable housing projects.

The DoE often makes recommendations to the Central Planning Authority not to allow people to clear subdivisions until planning permission has been granted for the buildings in order to give future homeowners the chance to retain the native landscape in the gardens. However, the department has done nothing at all to slow down, hinder or obstruct any kind of low-cost housing developments.

The DoE submits comments about developments in the same way that the National Roads Authority, the Department of Environmental Health, the Water Authority, the Fire Service, the Department of Tourism and other agencies do when necessary. All of these entities sometimes recommend changes to a project or impact the CPA’s decisions.

Bryan also incorrectly took aim at the DoE for slowing down the EWA extension, claiming that Minister Ebanks had still not been given approval to start this even though the Cabinet had been trying to get it started since the PACT government was elected three years ago.

“Somebody somewhere is hindering… Who’s in the way of what?” he asked, and said politicians needed more constitutional power so they could make hard decisions and get things done.

Bryan’s comments about the road followed inaccurate allegations by the planning minister during his own appearance on the same show on 25 March. Ebanks said that it was “this EIA study that is actually still holding this road up”, and that the hydrology work had been completed and given to the DoE.

Ebanks said he was going to write to the NCC to ask if the NRA could start the work on the first phase from Hurst Road to Lookout Gardens, maintaining that everyone agrees that this leg of the route is in the right place.

However, the environmental impact assessment is not yet complete and therefore no recommendations regarding the route have yet been made, which is one of the basic questions the EIA will seek to answer. The assessment is also a technical advisory document and it will be Cabinet members who will decide, based on the EIA findings, where the road goes. this is not decided by the DoE or the authors of the EIA.

Ebanks also failed to tell the radio audience that the hydrology study is incomplete and cannot adequately supply the required information necessary to design the road.

Speaking at the NCC meeting on Wednesday, DoE Director Gina Ebanks-Petrie explained that the NRA had carved out the hydrology study outside of the EIA process, employing its own separate contractors to undertake that work, even though it is informing the EIA.

“There is a large amount of misunderstanding about the details contained in those hydrology reports,” she noted, explaining that the reports have enough information for the consultants conducting the EIA to do a comparison of the routes of the road but not enough for the NRA to start the design or any engineering of the road, leaving much work still to be done.

“The idea that if there were no EIA, we have enough information now to deign and construct this road is just simply not borne out by the facts,” Ebanks-Petrie stated. “It is not the EIA that is holding up the construction of the road,” she said, describing this as the “refrain that we are all hearing”.

On the radio show, Ebanks said there were others who were trying to block the road project, though he was not clear who he was referring to. However, there has been a considerable opposition to the road, especially the phase that will slice through the Central Mangrove Wetlands, from conservation groups and non-profits, none of which have any power to stop the road.

Nevertheless, Minister Ebanks, who is responsible for roads and transport, continued to incorrectly blame the National Conservation Council for holding up the project.

See the full show on Radio Cayman’s YouTube channel below:


Share your vote!


How do you feel after reading this?
  • Fascinated
  • Happy
  • Sad
  • Angry
  • Bored
  • Afraid

Tags: , , ,

Category: development, Local News

Comments (85)

Trackback URL | Comments RSS Feed

  1. Anonymous says:

    It takes intelligence and strong intent to get something like this done. Ask Dart. If your asking anyone else here they don’t have a clue. Especially CIG. Not gonna get built by fools.

    2
    1
  2. Anonymous says:

    I’m soooo tired of hearing the back and forths and who’s fault it is blah blah blah. The bottom line is this. Firstly Google the Cayman Islands and it’s discovery. You will find that it was all mangroves and swamp!! We have so short of a memory…. what do you think the Esterley Tibbetts By-Pass was/is?? The difference there is where this one is located and who benefits but guess what…. the “locals” have to live somewhere (at least for now) until they are all gone.
    As soon as all of the seaside land going East is sold this road WILL be built with zero questions!! Sounds harsh but it’s reality. We all know that this will not be the end all to the traffic vows creating by the lack of foresight of our so called planning department who continues unchecked, but for now it will help a large number who really have the need.
    Based on current road construction rates this road will probably take about 10-12yrs to complete and by then a walking path would probably suffice.
    Say want you want but I think we need a Trump card to shape up a number of departments and so called, “ministers”….. what a crying shame… I have to say there is a few times that I am reluctant to say I’m Caymanian and this should be the most distant thing to mind.

    Sadden by the BS!!

    13
    4
    • Anonymous says:

      This might be irrelevant but why does the Jaybird always look so confused?

      4
      1
    • Anonymous says:

      His Chief officer should brief him and ensure that the Minister is in full control of the facts before allowing these press releases .
      He may well be right, but factual evidence of his assertions will best support his statements, as well as bring credibility to his ministry.
      Kenny’s CO should also do the same to protect his loose cannon minister.

      1
      1
    • Anonymous says:

      Seems that even after having it fully spelled out in this article you’re STILL missing the point!

      No one is saying don’t build the road. But you don’t just throw some bulldozers out there and go. Engineers need to design it properly first and THAT hasn’t been done yet because they don’t have the right studies complete – which has nothing to do with NCC/DOE. NRA performs these sorts of studies for every road. They were just too inept to acknowledge the complexity of this route I guess because the hydrological report they commissioned is not enough information for them to design it. READ the article!

      The only ones holding up the road are Cabinet not starting the process 10 years ago when they knew they needed an EIA. Building the road without the proper hydrological / social studies to know HOW to build it effectively for the topography and land state of the route would be beyond Neanderthal ignorance.

      Everyone accepts the road will be built. But the proper studies aren’t done to design it yet and that’s probably NRAs fault more than anything for not advising their ministries and Cabinet properly for the last decade+

  3. Anonymous says:

    Build the damn road. If it is left till election time any Eastern district candidate who does not support this road will not get elected. Some of the biggest opponents of the road have their homes built on lots where mangroves were removed, they speak with forked tongues. But because this road will benefit majority poor Caymanians they are fighting against it. I sit in traffic daily for 3 hours and then have to face the wrath of my expat boss who says I get in to work late because I’m lazy! Well sir I cannot drop my kids to school before 7:30 and by then traffic is from prospect to west bay. Meanwhile you can leave your west bay road mansion and get to work in ten minutes. Blah blah build the damn road!

    16
    20
    • Anonymous says:

      Nope, this road will benefit majority rich land-owners who now get to develop their land-locked parcels and stand to make millions.
      Would be nice to see how many politicians (or their family members) own land near the new EWA.

      14
      5
      • Anonymous says:

        But hang on for a cotton picking second. Why is the land locked in the first place? Shouldn’t you have a problem with that? And for anyone who has invested in the land (poor or RICH) should they not benefit from their investment? Just stop the crab in the barrel mentality. No just stop!

        8
        7
    • Anonymous says:

      Truth spoken tbh. The wealthy NIMBY lot may disagree but those lot don’t suffer through it.

      They arrived early enough to secure their land on WBR.

      6
      3
    • Anonymous says:

      why was nothing done from 2013 to 2021?

    • Anonymous says:

      “Build the damn road” without any data showing how not to flood the surrounding neighborhoods? Ya, smart.

      Have they even purchased all the land needed yet?

  4. Anonymous says:

    Those “Filet Minion steaks” in the “Presidential Suite” at the Kimpton is surely showing.

    10
  5. SJames says:

    Whilst we are on the blame game you ministers. Why so long fixing the town centre? Why so long completing the new road from North Church Street to Eastern Avenue going on four years?
    Finally please explain why you have done nothing with the Smatts land on North Church street purchased two and one half years ago for six million. The overground bush looks dreadful . Also how about a North Church Street sidewalk for pedestrians.
    Any danger of getting a meaningful response.

    19
    1
  6. Anonymous says:

    Can some from the DOE check to see if work is going on? Heard a lot of activity going on today (Saturday) at the end of Woodland Drive.

    1
    3
  7. anonymous says:

    OKI. But Mr Jay is 100% correct about the Excessive Expats in the civil service tho! 14% increase recorded vs only 1% increase in locals!!
    They should be subject to the Labor Law and 7year Rollover, just as permit holders.
    They hold on, bring in their family, all on free health and education, then retire, with a drain forever on Cayman Budgets!
    Yes Jay. Roll them out.

    14
    9
  8. Anonymous says:

    They should change the national anthem to Enter the gladiator (circus song). Change there white wigs to rainbow.

  9. Anonymous says:

    Side deals with local developers on proximal land parcels along the EWA route can’t wait forever or at least till next year when Jay’s clock runs out. How dare DoE and NCC put a wrench in plans to line pockets? The sheer gall and audacity is astounding 😉

    15
    2
  10. Annon. says:

    Some blame needs to go the NRA and DOE, as the road has been contemplated for several years
    Now so they could have done their hydrology study or EIA years ago. You see more serious accidents happening on the narrow BT road as not able to handle the large volume of traffic.

    13
    19
    • SSM345 says:

      “as the road has been contemplated for several years”

      Yet Govt did nothing…..

      Dump, Education, Cost of Living…….Vision 2008….42elewenteen Consultant Reports over the last 30yrs+ providing solutions……

      Yet Govt did nothing…..

      And apparently its “Somebody somewhere is hindering… Who’s in the way of what?”

      Our Govt passed the very legislation they are complaining about…no one else did that……makes you wonder if they read it?

      We have all woted for these people time and again…..

      Dah wha we gyet Bobo.

      11
    • Anonymous says:

      More than that, the NCC gave the NRA permission to build the first part of the road years ago but they have steadfastly refused to do so. Why? And why blame NCC & DoE now for holding up completion of a road they apparently can’t even get started.

  11. Anonymous says:

    If construction is being held up I sure as hell dont want to see what happens when it it full speed ahead.

    21
    5
  12. Anonymous says:

    I hope at some point DoE slaps these lying politicians with a deformation law suit. It is completely unacceptable for our elected officials to lie without consequences.

    37
    9
  13. Anonymous says:

    Those 2 ultra-maroons! They have no clue.

    Embarrassing numbnuts!

    35
    5
  14. Anonymous says:

    That they are rehashed this lie on April 3rd, 2024, after all the previous debunking, would be disqualifying anywhere else.

    25
    3
  15. Moi says:

    And he dressed to look like a thug on purpose?

    23
    11
    • Anonymous says:

      Didn’t know that wearing a collared polo shirt is dressing like a thug. Pretty sure your assessment is based on some problematic internal biases.

      20
      5
      • Anonymous says:

        Civil Servants get a lot of flack, but kudos to whomever gets him to wear a shirt every day with a visible reminder of what he is supposed to be in charge of.

  16. Anonymous says:

    a road to nowhere that will only serve to create more huge single lot subdivisions….absolute insanity and recipe for disaster.

    41
    12
    • Anonymous says:

      There is a reason.

      Several folk and families along the ETH path have invested in that land and their funds are tied up awaiting the elevated sale of the properties.

      There are Caymanian fortunes to be made. Why should we hold that up simply because the ETH doesn’t do any of us any good? Why should I be happy about getting from East End to the chokepoint that much quicker?

      Anyway, be your best selves. We must never stop asking pointed questions.

      18
      7
  17. Anonymous says:

    Secret bureaucracy, it’s just a lie
    The devil’s henchmen, in suit and tie
    A sacred brotherhood, an ancient rite
    Politicians and the double lives they hide

    Violate your rights, no more equality
    Surrender freedom, your Social Security
    We the people face unconstitutional lies
    In greed we trust, in revolution we die

    19
    3
  18. Anonymous says:

    What is it with politicians and lying – are they born that way or do they have to go through some type of induction program?

    50
    6
    • Anonymous says:

      Well, become politicians to exploit their natural tendencies – serving the public lol.

      17
      2
    • Anonymous says:

      What’s wrong with the Cayman electorate that continues to elect unqualified Ministers? (This is satire… Elect clowns, you get a circus).

      31
      1
      • Anonymous says:

        ‘Unqualified” voters will wote for their own kind.

        3
        1
      • Big Bobo In West Bay says:

        11:36, Problem is that the Caymanian electorate are not the brightest people, furthermore, the Caymanian political gene pool is very low.

        Sorry to have to admit that Ebanks and Bryan are the best of our gene pool. 😭 😿 😢

        2
        2
  19. Anonymous says:

    Cayman’s own ‘The Big Lie’

    33
    1
  20. Anonymous says:

    I don’t know whether these politicians are totally clueless and just repeat what the development lobby tells them to say or whether they know that they are spouting garbage and they are doing so in the hope that telling a big enough lie often enough will convince enough of the population to keep them in power.

    43
    1
    • Anonymous says:

      They’ve used up all the idiots, who’s left? No one’s left. Is there anybody that is capable, I can’t think of one person. We’re in a political desert. A political class is out of touch, insecure, out of ideas, has weak leaders, they’re becoming increasingly authoritarian.

      16
      1
    • Anonymous says:

      it’s because there is nothing the agenciythey are lying about can do. anyone that speaks out will be removed and replaced with a good little lacky

  21. Anon says:

    The planning process is too slow and woefully outdated. In July 2019, I applied for permission to build a 2000 square foot house and it took until February 2020 to be approved. There were no revisions or amendments required. I have a friend whose plan has been with the department for over a year, and Building Control keeps finding items that need amending. Full approval is taking a very long time for a very small house in an approved housing subdivision.

    41
    4
    • Anonymous says:

      Over the past 25 years the Development and Planning Act (previously Law) and Regulations have been systematically perverted so as to create advantages and opportunities for the development cabal and their massive projects while at the same time making it unnecessarily expensive, complex and time consuming for individuals who want to build or extend their own homes. The object of these changes is to force local people into buying from the developers at massively inflated prices. The only hope for Caymanians and residents is to repeal everything planning and development related that was enacted in the past 25 years and to permanently disband the CPA.

      29
      5
    • Anonymous says:

      Bro your project is too small to benefit the coffers

    • Anonymous says:

      I went through the same process in 2015. It was cumbersome, and rife with references that didn’t apply in any way to my house.

      Once I diligently plowed through all the superfluous paperwork and was working with the building inspector, the process was easy and fluid, because he was a skilled and insightful inspector.

  22. Anonymous says:

    Anyone with common sense know that the problem is not the EIA but the JAY.

    40
    3
  23. Anonymous says:

    Never has the country been led by such a bunch of buffons in my 65 years in Cayman.

    The next election will be not who I want to represent me but who I don’t.

    55
    1
  24. Anonymous says:

    Big hard ass adults can’t sit down with all parties concerned and come to an agreement? Really!?

    34
    1
  25. Anonymous says:

    Doesn’t even attempt to look like minister material.

    35
    2
  26. Anonymous says:

    Why doesn’t the new government just get on with it and declare complete rule and change things to whatever they feel is right and spend the tax money on whatever they feel like. This way Cayman will be the ultimate utopia. This will save us all from listening to all these stupid comments and tirades by the whole bunch of idiots.

    10
    11
  27. Anonymous says:

    Under our current constitutional arrangement politicians cannot actively direct CIG projects.

    Politicians are not allowed to be involved in the day to day project management aspects such as attending meetings with vendors etc. Politicians can only seek status updates from civil service.

    20
    2
  28. Anonymous says:

    Whoever, whatever is holding this up is overthinking a simple expansion from Hirst Road to Lookout Gardens. Not sure how much more studies are needed.

    Why can’t all parties get together in one room, in public, and make a decision?

    (Don’t get me started on the mothballed road from North Church Street to Eastern Avenue. This road won’t affect me personally, I just drive by every day this stalled road project and once in awhile say to myself, what’s up with that?).

    25
    4
    • Anonymous says:

      Yes, why don’t the Ministers & NRA meet in public to discuss this road once the EIA is completed and published? What a wonderful idea. Min. Jay – Make this happen!

  29. Anonymous says:

    Holding a pen as though he can write a complete and literate sentence. Totally shameful and an utter disgrace to have uneducated and incompetent persons running the country.

    34
    4
  30. Orb says:

    In the land of politics, two men did roam,
    Their brains seemed smaller than a garden gnome.
    One couldn’t add, the other couldn’t spell,
    Together they made quite a silly tale to tell.

    They argued all day over matters quite small,
    Like who had the biggest toy truck in the hall.
    They’d bicker and squabble, never finding peace,
    Their debates more chaotic than a flock of geese.

    But in the end, the people had their say,
    They voted them out, sent them on their way.
    And though they were dumb, they left us a lesson,
    To choose our leaders with far greater precision.

    24
    1
  31. Anonymous says:

    The CI Govt has an Anti-Harassment and Anti-Bullying Policy which is the responsibility of the Deputy Governor to enforce.

    There are good Civil Servants working at the DoE, some of them are family members to us, or good friends and best friends.

    The unfounded comments by the two Ministers, without any data or facts to back up what they are spouting, is bullying and an attack on the good people at DoE.

    Will the Deputy Governor do anything to protect the Civil Servants from this bullying?

    Will the Governor do anything to protect the Civil Servants from this bullying?

    I am pretty sure Julianna wont do anything about it.

    41
    6
  32. Anonymous says:

    ….idiots gonna idiot…..

    26
  33. Anonymous says:

    Weird. Doesn’t seem to be any hurdles for the rich building 10 story buildings on the waterfront for millionaires from overseas to launder their money?

    It’s almost like he should shove his most humble opinion where the sun doesn’t shine.

    There is no barrier to development, it happens perfectly fine for those part of the requisite service clubs, church or lodge. The barrier to development only applies to the regular people of these Islands that aren’t rich or connected enough to pay off the disgusting pigs at the trough to put a good word in.

    Bryan needs to shut his mouth along with the rest of the no mark parasites in the parliament building. Has kenneth got his plaque carved out yet for when he names his new terminal after himself? I imagine Ju Ju has for her white elephant of a school!

    Hell, i’m waiting for the completely clueless Governor to start dishing out honours to these charlatans for their “Service to stealing the future from young Caymanians and every Caymanian not yet born”

    45
  34. Anonymous says:

    What are the odds that the politicians don’t actually have a clue and are just saying exactly what the development money is telling them to say

    35
  35. Anonymous says:

    Oh well, where there is smoke there is fire.

    1
    6
  36. Anonymous says:

    The road is not needed but outside of that, they ain’t wrong.

    8
    15
    • Anonymous says:

      Are you an idiot, the road is not needed?? really??? you are a complete fool. do just shut your mouth

      10
      16
      • Anonymous says:

        Ooh, looky what we have here. Someone with a landlocked parcel they want to develop is very upset.

        18
        4
        • Anonymous says:

          Or… it’s someone who has to wake his family up at 5am to get them washed dressed fed and ready for the 2 hour crawl , to get them to school on time and get him and his wife to work.
          Have some sympathy man.

          3
          2
      • Anonymous says:

        More roads won’t help: you’ll tarmac over the entire Islands, and destroy your children’s inheritance, and the traffic will just get worse. You need mass transit. Even Bangladesh has a light rail/monorail system:

        ‘When fortune favours Mozammel Hossain, it takes him around two hours to reach his office at Uttara’s House Building from his residence at Agargaon in the morning (11 miles, so similar to Bodden Town to Camana Bay). He spends another two hours on the way back in the evening. On the days he has no luck, which happens quite often, his time on the road stretches beyond four hours. …

        Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the first-ever electric public transport in Dhaka on Wednesday. And she will be the first to ride it.

        Travellers and commuters like Mozammel will be able to take metro trains from the next day. A metro train is expected to take 20 minutes to reach Uttara’s Diabari from Agargaon, meaning Mozammel will be able to save at least three hours a day.

        More than 50 countries across the world provide metro rail services. China alone has 46 metro systems, while the US and India have 15 each. Now Bangladesh is going to join the metro club.

        “Now I won’t be reaching the office with a dishevelled look; or returning home in a grumpy mood. I’ll be able to spend more time with my family. This is something we can’t buy with money.” – Mozammel Hossain, a resident of Agargaon whose office is in Uttara’

        https://bdnews24.com/metro-rail/xinc4i0jh1 – December 2022.

        Or, for an example of tiny islands (with competent politicians) developing infrastructure, see remarkable the new Faroe Islands (population 55,000) tunnel system: https://youtu.be/EruSZNI4th4

        10
        1
      • Anonymous says:

        Bobo you crying now about prices in the supermarkets. Who you think is gonna pay for this road that will only get us to grand harbor quicker to sit longer at that point.

  37. Anonymous says:

    Classic Political blame game. These past Two governments have been a total joke!

    19
    • Anonymous says:

      Past two being the new UDP under the well meaning Wayne, followed by the recycled UDP led by a Bible bashing fanatic.

      0
      1
  38. Anonymous says:

    Link this story with the poor educational standards and it all makes sense..

    89
    1
    • Anonymous says:

      also link it to the recent viewpoint that our politicians are useless and have no clue. What a sorry state of affairs.

      20

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.