Port poll activists angered by pro-lobby
Cayman cruise ship passengers visit George Town
(CNS): The activists campaigning for a people-initiated referendum to enable a national vote on the government’s plans to embark on a costly and controversial cruise berthing project in George Town were angered this weekend when pro-port enthusiasts labeled the petition for the referendum as a ‘no’ to the project. Although many activists are opposed to the project, they are angered by the fact that those supporting the development are trying to tarnish the principle of a democratic vote. The call for a referendum is simply a call for the people to decide and anyone taking part will be able to vote how they please.
As government plans to hold a public meeting about the project this Wednesday evening, the first for five years, the pro-port groups, as well as the government using public money, have been upping their spending an advertising and working overtime on Facebook and other social media.
But rather than promoting their arguments to justify the project, which has massive implications for the Cayman Islands culturally, economical and, most of all, environmentally, the pro-lobby is taking aim at the request of activists for a national referendum. Pro-port groups are falsely claiming that signing the petition is not just a call for a vote but already a ‘no’ vote.
Speaking on behalf of those calling for a referendum, Johann Moxam, a long-time opponent of the project, told CNS that these claims by the pro-port lobbyists are a deliberate misrepresentation of facts.
“It is a blatant lie which speaks to the desperation of the pro-lobbyists and those who administer their social media and print campaigns. Unfortunately, the government, particularly Minister Moses Kirkconnell, is complicit in advancing the narrative,” Moxam said as he pointed out that those getting paid to run the campaign for the port are fully endorsed by the Ministry of Tourism.
“A referendum will give the politicians the clearest indication of what the voting public thinks and feels about what will be the largest and most expensive capital works project in Cayman’s history,” Moxam said, as he pointed out that the Cayman Port Referendum campaign is for a vote to allow the public to say what they want, but that the petition is clearly not a campaign directly against the port.
“The petition for a people initiated-referendum will drive the government to reveal all the facts and data to help the public become better informed,” he said, pointing to the section of the constitution that allows for a PIR.
The campaign began after government made it clear it was not prepared to put the controversial project to the people in a nationwide vote, as both Premier Alden McLaughlin and his deputy, Kirkconnell, have made it clear they believe they already have a mandate for the project because they were elected to office — a point of dispute for many voters, given the indecisive election result and the fact that the port was not a central focus of the campaign.
But to secure a national vote, the petition for a PIR will need to secure 25% of registered electors’ signatures. If it succeeds, which appears likely as the numbers are growing week on week, government will be obligated to set the poll in motion.
However, the bar for those campaigning directly against the port is very high. Government not only gets to write the referendum question and use all the powers of the state to promote its side of the choice depending on how the question is set, the ‘no’ to the port vote will need to attract, not just a simple majority, but 50% plus one of all registered voters. Regardless of turnout, the vote must attract 10,563 votes to stop the proposed cruise berthing facility.
Nevertheless, activists believe that a majority of people in Cayman are now opposed to this project, or at least want to know a lot more about the long-term consequences before offering their support. Moxam said the decision by government to hold a meeting this week was a direct result of people power.
“The CIG is reacting to the momentum of thousands of Caymanians who are asking pertinent questions, while it and the pro-port lobbyists would prefer to operate in darkness, as they have done for years,” he said. “Sadly, a select few think they can dictate policy while the majority end up paying for it.”
Moxam has persistently pointed to the economics of this project and the conflicts in the outline business case, especially the unsubstantiated predictions about the alleged benefits, and has concerns that the price tag of $200 million that Deputy Premier Kirkconnell, the tourism minister, has suggested for the project falls well short of the what the real cost will be.
“I hope the Minister of Tourism will be more transparent, honest and forthcoming with real facts instead of what is occurring on the social media and print media by pro-port lobbyists who are driving this process,” he said, as he accused government of entering into a corporate welfare programme for a select few who supported the PPM in the 2017 election campaign.
“CIG continues to ignore other pressing national priorities in order to placate their financiers and key supporters that mistakenly believe a cruise berthing port will save their businesses, while they collectively continue to spin the facts to suit their self-serving narrative,” Moxam said.
“Wouldn’t it be better to have a national discussion based on the facts with full disclosure of relevant details, not propaganda from a handful of disingenuous individuals who need a government bail out?” he asked rhetorically.
While Moxam’s concerns have long focused on what he believes are the misleading economic justifications, others are equally concerned about the environmental damage, the detrimental impact on Cayman’s wider infrastructure and on the increasingly successful and more lucrative overnight tourist numbers.
While government has pushed the redesign of the piers as a major factor in mitigating environmental damage, two recent revelations call that into question. The first was news revealed by CNS that the Department of Environment was booted off the steering committee, the second that the re-design will still see significant environmental damage in the immediate footprint and during construction, with further constant threats continuing throughout its lifespan from the docking and departure of the larger cruise ships.
The public is urged to attend the public meeting on Wednesday, 26 September, at the Family Life Centre in George Town, off Walkers Road, starting at 6:30pm.
Category: Business, development, Local News, Tourism
This dock is for the Caymanian people. Only people trying to push against it are tree huggers and expats
It’s funny how government can find $300,000,000 for a new dock we may or may not need but they can’t find that money for new and better equipped school for the children of these islands to grow a better tomorrow.
Keep the masses stupid and dull, makes them more malleable to conform with whatever you desire.
Mr. Moxam you have let the cat out of the bag. I applaud your bravery and wish there were more locals like you that care and are prepared to step forward on issues.
If this was a good idea and value the government would be proud to share the details with the people. Is the Auditor General auditing this project now before it’s too late?
The lack of transparency confirms that Cayman is going to get fleeced in negotiations by Royal Caribbean and Carnival cruise lines, Dart or CHEC in any financing and construction contract when this deal is signed by short sighted politicians who are incapable of thinking long term they worry about monuments, political legacy and getting re-elected. They will have healthy pensions to retire with. SMH
1) the piers are on piles so won’t affect current, sand movement or the beach.
2) cayman won’t have debt and will eventually own the port.
3) ci port authority will manage the port still.
4) thousands of permanent jobs and hundreds of construction jobs will be created
Our parliamentary system, the Westminster model, allows for referendums to be employed only for major decisions of enormous significance affecting the entire population and the future direction that a country will take, the last example in Cayman was on the new constitution. The construction of a piece of infrastructure does not qualify in any respects.
It will have an enormous significance to the entire population of this tiny country of 25-30k people.
Don’t compare the UK infrastructure project to the Cayman islands infrastructure project.
Regular scheduled air service to Grand Cayman was first accomplished by flying boats landing on the North Sound with passengers rowed ashore in an open boat. Thank goodness the “activist movement” didn’t exist at that time – I can just imagine the hullabaloo there would have been at the plans to build Owens Roberts Airport – destruction of the environment, too many people coming to the Island, no financial justification for the outlay of so much money, belief that the airlines would always have flying boats and disbelief in the proposition that the airlines would stop flying to Cayman unless we had an airport.
Vibrant, successful societies embrace change, societies that do not inevitably stagnate and decline. To date Cayman has very much been a member of the first group, but if the Government bends to the wishes of the shrill Luddites, we will quickly become part of the second.
By the way, you already had your referendum, it was called the last General Election.
Having finally researched and reviewed all the reports and plans for the port – it becomes clear why so many are now calling for a referendum.
Granted, I was one of the first to do so here on CNS a while ago (with the link to prove to the naysayers), but an in-depth discovery simply galvanises one’s stance.
This port will prove to be a monumental shift in the Cayman Islands – a true game-changer.
Such a decision should not be left in the hands of 10/11 people.
As for the “pro-port” people; the lies and misinformation put in motion speak volumes about your faith in the proposed model of the Cruise Berthing Facility – which further fuels my wish for a referendum, if I am honest.
I fear we are losing sight of what truly matters in the midst of the deafening social media noise. The guiding principle in this stand-off really ought to be;
“What do we want our tourism product to be?”
That being said, I expect and demand a say on such a major change in my tiny island nation – and want the same for all my fellow Caymanians.
Let us hold a REFERENDUM on the port.
– Whodatis
*For the record, I have interests in a number of companies in Cayman’s tourism industry.
**I implore each and every one of you to research the proposal for yourselves. Shut off the radio, close the web browsers, and ignore the gossip.
Thereafter, conjure up your sincerity, suppress your pride, and say whether or not this project should go to referendum.
***Let the people have the final say; be it Yay or Nay.
They should build the port in camana bay, its’ big and empty enough and close to a dump so all the ships can easily drop off their garbage and there will be less environmental damage by dredging north sound than there will be from building a port in GT
What I am seeing here in this cruise ship pier debacle , is that the Government is agaiant the People in every shape and form . Just to move a head with their agenda and beliefs , which is not always the best for the Islands and the People .
I am not saying that a cargo dock is not needed , it should be studied to really see if it is needed . But the Government hasn’t been talking about cargo dock , they have been pushing the cruise ship pier , and not being honest with the people , and will not be . why ?
YOU People/Citizens of the Islands better wake up today and make the Government understand that government can’t do everything they want to do .
I think that building a pier in George town harbour , would cause so much destruction to the marine environment /diving industry , the Island wouldn’t be able to recover from it . Which diver will come to Cayman and go diving to look at dead coral reefs and no fish/marine life . Do we see how the Government isn’t protecting the environment and isn’t enforcing the marine environment laws . That’s what will happened from all the dredging that will be done to build the pier .
If we look at the Diving Industry vs cruise ship Industry , the diving industry is more beneficial to the Islands than cruise ship . The cruise ships provides for a few stores that the cruise ships will sell , and taxis/tour buses and charter boat companies , and tender company and gov head tax .
The Diving Industry provides for about all the above and CAL and hotels and restaurants and bars too , plus it helps to keep a healthy environment .
I think that if this cruise ship pier was to be built , YOU PEOPLE would be arguing about something else , and that would be NOT GETTING NO BUSINESS FROM THE CRUISE SHIPS . SEE WHO IS MAKING MONEY FROM THE NEWLY IMPROVED AIRPORT .
How long will the FCO let this nonsense continue before they step in like they did the last time the port deal was near the finish line? With the secretive deals behind closed doors and the massive environmental damage this will cause it can only be a matter of time.
Wake up people! Stay over tourism is what we should be attracting not the cruise ships where people spend nearly nothing on island and the cruise companies keep most of the money for booking local tours that are already over capacity.
I agree and hope the FCO are keeping an eye on those who are promoting the Chinese bid like last time.
Forgone conclusion that it won’t matter what is contained in the Bid Docs, it will be DECCO Consortium or CHEC – ie. someone willing to pay the piper(s), even tho it feels like CHEC may already be out of pocket on advances to certain someone(s). ACC needs to be all over this and FCO needs an Order in Council to implement Standards in Public Life Law, retroactive to the beginning of discussions on the Port circa 2009.
CHEC’s activities on Island should be followed by the ACC and FCO .
Come on people, more than a decade now! And we can’t have a voice in this major decision???
Scared are they? I thought the people wanted the pier ?? (Sic). Please sign so everyone can see what the people really wants. Guess all the Kirkbots can’t vote
The only reason the petition people would be angry is because they chad their lie called out. All the people that are the loudest for the referendum are the people that were loudest against the port 3 years ago.
Dear Folks
SIGNING THE REFERENDUM IS NOT –
YEA or NAY!
SIGNING THE REFERENDUM IS GIVING THE PEOPLE TO SAY – YEA or NAY!
Those who oppose this Referendum are scared of the People making that decision. Why? They would rather trust the major decisions made by a House of 19 members? It is either you are for Democracy or against Democracy!
Of course, the big names like DART, FOSTERS, KIRKS, are not allowing the Referendum team to set up booths on their establishments. I believe they are thinking about the money only – not your future! They can always increase cost and pull out of Cayman with their riches whenever they want – you can’t!
So folks, its your choice to oppose a democratic process or support the Referendum! As a civil servant, yes … I work under the PPM government … I love Democracy! So I and the members of my family are signing the Referendum!
And there is NOTHING you can do about it. Peace & love, have a blessed day 🙂
Yeah right, the referendum is a last ditch effort by the Briggs and Boddens to kills the port and continue the tender monopoly.
Your hit the nail on the head
Oh boy, your ignorance is as bad as your grammar.
Lets gwt a referendum we could all use for the holiday off of work.
I won’t stand by and watch my homeland be destroyed by greedy snakes. I want to be able to show my kids and grandkids what my parents and grandparents called Cayman. Surrounded by clear water with pretty coral and abundant marine life. I want to show them what Cayman is for real and not some lone Island layed to the brim with concrete.
“Activists” are angry. They just stagger from one cause to another.
Caymanians, wake the hell up!! Why would you support the construction of a cruise ship port costing hundreds of millions of dollars, when your own public school system is failing to educate your children to the level that allows them to compete and succeed?? Are you kidding? Why are you not outraged that your ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES are even considering this cruise ship port, rather than putting their efforts and YOUR MONEY towards better educating your children?? Have we all lost our minds???? WAKE UP!!!
because one day they could be the port manager
after school you will end up where someone has built.
Does anyone remember all the hullabaloo when Camana Bay first started building? Now there’s hardly a soul on the island that doesn’t go there or bring their kids there to enjoy the fountains. All this fuss about the port will soon fade into distant memory when they are built.
agree 100% including the roads to Camana Bay
a wannabe politician has promise on the talk show to tear down the west bay road tunnel even that has fade already!
So the world is a better place because people go somewhere to look at shiney intoxicating things?
I use Camana Bay for free WiFi when doing errands if needed, I do not shop nor eat there. Are the shops always empty because of the high prices? How are the shops making enough to pay their rents? Ghost town.
So you go there just to get the free wifi? Hmm.
We were against the cargo Port when it was built.
We were against the Ritz
We were against the tunnels
We were against the Kimpton
We were against the new west bay bypass
We were against Caymana bay
Please built the piers …we will all swarm to the opening ceremony saying omg this is amazing. I was always in support of this spectacular project.
Shetty hospital too
well said, say it loud.
yeah man. an we all be wearing a big shiny rolex.
I went there once when I came back home from being gone a few years. Was there maybe 5 minutes, shook my head and left and not been back and that was a year ago.
The cruise port is nothing like CB. We need CB to keep the overnight guests that actually make us money happy! The port will not bring anymore money in, it will only drain money from the caymanian people. The government would be better suited investing in education so the young generation can be equipped to work and afford CB.
And people saying they don’t go to CB is a joke, the movie theater is there and your kids certainly play in the fountain.
Yes once CHEC and Decco get going everyone will be so proud of the great project. Honorable Kirkconnell just get CHEC going on it. This referendum is a waste of time and money.
Not CHEC please not CHEC.
When the PPM we’re all for the one man one vote referendum it was all fine because it was your Democratic right but now that it doesn’t suit them a referendum is not any good.
Wow.
#Caymankind
If you sign the petition CHEC will withdraw and go back to
China taking Mackeeva with them! Please sign the petition.
Anonymous 6:36pm , that could be the best thing for CHEC to. do , Cayman would be happier , and maybe they should take few more with them .
Why are they angry? If people want to sign the petition they will, but it clearly shows more people are for the port than against, its going on a month now and I’m not sure how close they are to 5,288 signatures, if a petition was put out the same time for those that want the port the numbers would be well over 5,288 by now, this is also about the cargo port the life line to our islands, which will definitely pay back for itself in a short period of time, because just about everything is shipped in as we all know we have to keep the economy growing because the population isn’t getting any smaller, and one final note I think the government needs to turn George Town harbour into an industrial zone, not a marine park it’s a accident waiting to happen, it’s a harbor after all not quite a play area
Exactly @5:23am. It was a port and working harbor long before someone decided to turn some of it into a marine park. Remove the marine park status that should never have been granted in the first place. Its not like this is the only marine park area we have. The island is full of them. And we’re full of dive sites too!! Over 365 of them – one for every day of the year – according to http://www.dive365cayman.com/
this is the same area of Grand Cayman that was used for a port by our Great, Great, Great Grand Fathers, and they don’t even realize it.
GT and 7 Mile Beach were open areas then. What’s your point?
my 1 year old great gran knows my point
The reason why they are angry is because the pro-port people are falsely telling people that if they sign the petition then they are automatically voting “no” on the referendum. I don’t know why pro-porters are so afraid of the referendum. If all is on the up and up as CIG claims it is then you have nothing to worry about.
because that is the real truth, the opposers just want to kill or delay the port at any cost.
If you are for this Port you should NOT sign the petition. For once mackeeva bush is spot on correct!
You and Mckeeva obviously don’t understand the simple meaning of a referendum. You either vote for or against. So either side could win it.
If you’re against it, of course you want a referendum.
If you’re for it – why bother signing a petition and help with initiating a referendum?
End of story: if more than half of the voting population was seriously against the port, they would’ve had the amount of signatures needed within a week.
I have no feelings for it or against it. Letting the professionals do the work. If we sink because of this port, they coming with us too.
Except they will be long dead before the full consequences are passed on to our children
when Mr. Burkley Bush built what we are living highly off now
did not somebody have to pay?
@7:45 if you are for it, sign the petition and when the referendum comes to a vote, vote that you are in favor of the port. To everyone else against the referendum, that is how democracy works. If you are for or a against something you vote for it and make it known once and for all.
Either side could indeed win a referendum and if the project were in the early stages, a referendum to decide IF the Country should have piers would make sense. But after 5 years of going down a specific path to build two piers, suddenly jumping up now and wanting a referendum makes no sense at all.
#staywoke? You been sleeping for the past 5 years?
@7:55 The same could be said about after 5 years jumping back up to want the port again when it was stopped once before. #hopingthepublicstaysasleep
But, after 5 years of going down a specific path to build two piers the government has jumped off and are now talking about building a cargo port. Please try to keep up with the jumping of ships here in the harbour.
Obviously @9:53 YOU need to try and keep up because I am jumping up about the CRUISE PIERS the government again after 5 years of jumping and ducking now have jumped up to want to build again. All the proposals and diagrams, petitions, meetings and reports talk about a CRUISE PIER and not a cargo dock. You really need to look before you leap.
I am joining the chorus to not support a referendum if you are “Pro-Port”. As it defaults, CIG will build the Port …so, why help the opposition help derail the process.
Ask David Cameron how “his referendum” served the greater good.
a referendum is not as simple as you think, it will cost to officially count
same as the general election
Or they schedule it at the same time as the next general election. No significant cost increase. The sides can campaign all they want on the issue. And the Election is not mistaken for a referendum on one particular issue in a suite of reasons why one candidate wins and others do not. – And the delay is not a big deal since (1) we’ve waited this long we might as well get it right and (2) it gives the Government time to provide the information people will need to make an informed decision, like the new secret plans they keep talking about (cruise terminals, now with cargo port) but keeping secret, as well as giving them time to work out the financing which is what will convince a lot of people to flip sides.
“Cayman’s Port Cayman’s Future” is literally run by waterfront merchants like Chris Kirkconnell, vice president of Kirk Freeport
(He spoke for the group in last week’s Friday edition of the compass: https://www.caymancompass.com/2018/09/20/community-groups-battle-for-hearts-and-minds-in-port-debate/
Their goal is simple no matter the cost, or potential environmental impacts to get this dock built to corral as many tourists in the central George Town area to get them into duty free stores like Kirk Freeport
While ignoring the facts when it comes to the government’s capital projects which are almost always initially overpriced, late to completion and over budget.
The CIG shot down the Opposition’s motion in hopes that the citizen organizers of the petition fail to reach the 5,200+ signatures needed to start the referendum
Every single one of the pro-port groups are coordinating with the government across social media with paid advertisements on multiple platforms, false statements from members of government and these groups, videos that include clips of people supporting the project
Using assumptions rather than any reasonable facts or logic
The government is wrong on this issue and many others
The focus needs to be on improving the already existing facilities and tourism product not corralling more people into GT
At least Chris Kirkconnell is out in the open speaking up for the port because he supports it. Instead of just bank-rolling the anti-port activists and hiding behind them maybe the tender boat owners should come out in the open and speak up too.
They have already ding bat
Chris Kirkconnell and those like him that need a port to help their business are the beneficiaries of the government provided corporate welfare Moxam is talking about. Why are projects designed to aid duty free retailers like Chris Gerry Kirkconnell Gene Thompson and the others but small or medium size businesses are left to sink or swim?
#Caymankind
I am trying to get the sense of what you people in Cayman really want
you complain when a foreigner comes and spend his millions (claim he is taking the
Island)
you complain about your own locals that been doing business before your grand father was born. What do you really want?
The same as everyone everywhere else in the world.
The referendum is a lie. It is not about wanting a port and asking questions. It’s about the deceit of something will happen to the 7 mile beach and let’s stop the building of a infrastructure that is overdue. I’m sure there would be a lot of tourists who would love to be driven in horse and buggy. But not up and down 7 mile beach.
Don’t forget we need to build a cargo dock. This argument was never done when McKeeva was planning to build it. So why now? 12 million dollars and nothing else.
This was the exact argument used by the PPM against Mckeeva when he was the Premier
Clearly you have no idea what you are talking about
We seem to only focus on cruise tourism. This port will also address the lifeline of our country- Cargo dock for all our Imports. I think we have spent enough money learning about the pros and cons and need to stop spending more of the peoples money. We might run out quicker than we realize.
The evening/night noise in GT is what killed the DT businesses for when the cruise shippers ship out.
Sitting on the deck at Breezes… you can’t even hear your conversation. That port needs to be moved OUT of GT.
So you want the port moved so that you can sit on the Balcony of Breezes at night? How selfish. Is Breezes owned by Moxam?
Really? Where’s the plan for the new cargo dock then? I’ll wait for you to post the link. And wait. And wait.
So you mean to tell me that a cruise ship with 6000 are just going to wait quietly while a cargo ship unloads a hundred or so containers because all the other pier spots are taken? Can you imagine all those containers ,trucks and forklifts rolling back and forth while the tour operators are trying to shuffle tourists back and forth?
Kirkbots gonna go crazy after he just slew them!
The other day I witnessed the petitioners out at Hurleys accosting a man who was obviously not going to sign. One of them was all up in his face and demanding to know who he voted for! Then another one (an MLA, I might add!) was calling after a woman who had said she wanted more information before she signed, saying that she had to sign right now and basically bullying her to the table. this is not democracy – this is bullying and it is ugly. everyone is entitled to an opinion, but this kind of thing by the anti-port group is not acceptable and neither is referring to everything the other side has to say as a ‘lie’, which is a lie in and of itself
Seriously dude, stop your crap. Seriously, you say “basically bullying her to the table. this is not democracy”??? You Sir wouldn’t know democracy if it fell off the roof and clotted you on the top of your head. Alden, Moses and McDweebler are prime examples of those not practicing democracy. With holding information to inform the people and not allowing them to express their concerns on an issue and pushing the public to only see things their way is NOT DEMOCRACY!
Fake news
The ppm and duty free merchants hate Johann because he talks straight and exposes the bullshit games. They cannot buy him. They fear the facts. Stand your ground and thank you for being consistently reliable and holding them all accountable. Many of us standing with you. We know we can trust what you say. You walk it like you talk it. Keep giving solutions keep showing them up for the con men they are. There is good reason they afraid of a referendum. Everyday they selling out our country to CHEC and anybody else it’s so disgusting.
Very interesting calling out the Pro Port Caymanians that depend on the port for a living but not pointing out that the Save Cayman group are simply the tender operators fighting for the monopoly they have owned for over 40 years. $12million a year in monopoly earnings goes a long way to buying favour and burying fact.
Fact 80% of our Tourism is Cruise!
Fact we have not had a major Cargo Port upgrade in 40 Years!!
Fact over $200,000,000 ($200 Million) in revenue is derived from Cruise Tourism annually!!!
83.786% of statistics are made up
Just remember there are 3 types of people in this world, those than count and those that can’t.
4 out of 3 people have trouble with math
And the other 8 have trouble with English.
check your writing I think you are the type that cant count
@12:17 That was a tall joke.. it went over your head.
$200,000,000 huh? So, how much did you get? Where did the $200 million go? Anyone know?
I know where it went! It went to provide infrastructure and services for us all, including you, and to pay salaries for teachers and police and firemen etc.
CIG revenue was $3mln. It paid for jack. Proceeding with a pier moves that administrative haul to zero for decades. Aren’t there any grown ups that want to know the real bankable numbers? If not for your household, then for your kids? Or are we okay to blindly approve a multi-hundred million project that still hasn’t justified itself, just to line the pockets of our redactive leadership (in their last 2.5 years of political life)?
Fact??? 80% of the people is cruise…. 80% of the profit is stay ashore…. 80% of port operations is cruise…. 80% of port income is cargo…..
*FOSTERS
*KIRKS
I understand the activists can’t set up booths at any of these places ** because they want to see the cruise birthing.
The big shots want it.
And they will win it seems.
The PETITION will be AVAILABLE outside HURLEY’S in Grand Harbour TODAY from 5pm.
The process requires 45 SECONDS of your life.
Stop by on your way home and excercise our DEMOCRACY.
This is the ONLY WAY your voice and opinion will actually MATTER.
5:00pm -7:30pm. Hurleys. Today.
Petition is a Façade to stop the port. End of story, stop pretending it is something else
If it’s a petition for a referendum anyone with a brain who wants a say either way should sign it. That way you get your referendum and a say on the matter (your vote, whether it be yes or no).
I don’t get how so many of you find it so difficult to comprehend.
Anyone with a brain should understand that the time to have had a referendum if you wanted one was years ago. Not now after project been going for 5 years? Have you just woken up and realized its actually going to happen?
Oh no.. you’ve jumped up again. There was no need for a referendum 5 years ago because the FCO made that choice for us.
I hear some of you people on the talk show saying ” I am not against the port ” but will go on to name a thousand reasons why it should not be built.
how can that be?
If you are pro port you should never think about signing the petition.
That is what the referendum is for. To see just how many are ‘pro’. What are you afraid of?
^ If you are with any brain cells, you would never pay any heed to eediots like this ^
Let’s waste another day at the polls and millions of the public’s money to satisfy and prolong the cruise tendering monopoly.
I wonder how many shekels the benefactors of this sellout of Caymanians will get.
The utter scumbags running this country don’t believe in democracy!! VOTE THEM OUT!!!
We did…they came back anyway!
“I hope [they] will be more transparent, honest and forthcoming with real facts instead of what is occurring on the social media and print media by pro-port lobbyists who are driving this process,”
Mr. Moxam, you and I both know they won’t be so. They are sniveling, self-absorbed greedy little trolls who care nothing about this country other than what this country can put in their pockets. The fact that they have turned this call for a referendum in to a “signature = no” shows that they have abandoned the democratic process of which we have elected them to uphold for the love of foreign money. Last time I checked, selling your country out to a foreign power was tantamount to treason and is a crime punishable by incarceration.
XXXX
I, as a concerned, NATURAL BORN MULTI-GENERATIONAL CAYMANIAN, are calling on the office of the Ombudsman, OffReg and the ACC to do what your office dictates and step up and stop this sham before it goes any further. I also call for the police and the judicial system to step up and investigate this miscarriage of due process and democracy and I call for the FCO to step in and stop this broken machine from continuing to grind it’s gears against the wishes of those it has sworn to serve.
This has gone from a simple “push it through before anyone notices” to a blatant disregard to our democracy and our constitution. They have betrayed our trust, they have betrayed our country, they have betrayed the laws that bind us and they have betrayed their positions to greed and foreign ownership.
These people have no shame, they openly flaunt their disregard for the people they serve and openly promote their own self interest.
I pray for the deliverance of this country, I pray people fully wake up and see truly the type of people leading us and I pray we as a country do something about them and now.
We want to stop the culture of opaque backroom dealing and that still permeates at least the Cabinet office by seeing a firm date set for enactment of the Standards in Public Life Law. We want to see the business case, engineering feasibility (in particular the bathymetric surveys, temperature and accoustic changes expected, and associated bleaching impact, as well as bedrock testing for piling locations), and EIA for the revised plan, along with undisclosed estimated annual running costs (insurance, dredging, ongoing depth survey costs, tug boats, harbour master fees, and maintenance for associated equipment).
Then we want to know estimated project cost and who is going to pay for it, and on what basis. Then, after a period of public digestion and education, we can put the data out there to the public for a Referendum on the topic, and finally, if all was good, an International RFP process following best industry practice.
This is how it should have happened, because we are supposed to be smart people that follow rules. Since it isn’t happening this way, the entire Cabinet and public officers should be under intensive ACC and FCO review, and the public should think about why we would continue to let these people run anything.
Can you say banana??
I believe that some of the people in the petition genuinely have a concern for the environment but most of the loudest people are only there for ulterior motives
no matter what the article says those that are pushing for the referendum are saying that it is a vote to stop the port project not for the democratic right. and PS only 25% of the voting public to initiate the referendum i believe and at the end of the day you would first need all of those that called for the referendum to vote against the port and then double it to stop the port project.
Nobody in power ever wants to answer questions or be held accountable that is caymankind. Johan demonstrates he is intelligent has courage by doing what many locals are scared to do he’s been doing for years now. He’ll take on McKeeva Moses any politician the kirkbots or anybody anywhere and will talk straight. It offends some on the receiving end but he calls it as he sees it and that drives them crazy.
Fact is government have all the information on the port but refuse to share it with the people yet get offended when people call them out. Johan has been dancing to the beat of his own drum for years and calling BS when he see’s it. Everyone thought he’d run in the last election and the one before that. If you ask him a question you can expect a straight answer whether you like the response is a complete different thing.
I have been at the petition booth when people say ” if you don’t sign you can’t vote” such lies by the anti Port group
Spoken like a pro-porter. Got any other lies to spread? No one can be stupid enough to believe they would say that knowing it is a very easily verifiable thing. But then pro-porters don’t believe in verifying facts. If they did we wouldn’t be in this position.
Well, if they don’t get enough signatures there won’t be a vote, so …..
The referendum is 100% politically driven with no care of the actual project itself and it’s benefit for the islands
The project itself is 100% politically driven with no care for the Islands and it’s accompanying detriment.
Liar!
Moxam for Premier
You don’t need to like him to know he’s 100% correct on this port project. We need more brave locals like Mr. Moxam involved in affairs of state.
When Johann Moxam was president of the C of C he said the Port was economically imperative to the island and now he is saying only God knows how detrimental is is to Cayman.
CNS: Here is what he actually said.
If the cost of the port is not economical say that, but not all the garbage they are saying about the environment and Seven Mile Beach and making allegations of corruption and creating a panic and emotional distress like they are up to. Any group led by Moxam, Miller and Saunders will bring disaster. Try and see the big picture and it is about providing a needed service and creating business opportunities, If that is absent say that not do all the antics these guys are doing and the bullying and saying on Ffacebook Pro port people cant think.
Get the facts and be informed.
Don’t let spin, desperation, deflection or the agenda of a select few get in the way of reality.
https://cnsbusiness.com/2014/07/cruise-port-not-on-chamber-list-of-priorities/
All the best
Johann
The referendum is the real desperation play. Ppm got in twice in a row campaigning on ports. This is nothing but last ditch effort to delay
We need to stop the port and next election, we need to make sure the same gaggle of fools don’t come back in.
Johann for GT North or even Red Bay
Johann fight on brother
The people are behind you and the people are behind the organizers of the petition
and that is why our elected members love to hate you
You have what they pretend to have
To my fellow Caymanians:
Our political apathy will be the death of us, the ratio of persons I know personally who are for this project compared to the number of persons who are skeptical of the government or opposed to the project is astronomically unbalanced
Yet the people who are opposed to the project think that their signature won’t be necessary because someone else will sign or someone else will speak for them
If you are against the project please, I implore you, take 15-20 minutes of your day and sign the petition, there is an online version for persons overseas
They need to reach 5,300 approximately to trigger the process but imagine if they presented the government with a petition with 8-9k signatures
They would almost be at the ratio of making the vote manditory
every single responsible, and aware Caymanian should be signing this petition
No one is going to babysit you, or force you to sign,
If this petition fails, then it fails because of us not despite us
How much longer will we continue to let the CIG disregard us before we put them in their place
The question is what will the public do when the CIG is presented with the petition and all required signatures and they still refuse the referendum?
Revolution
Where is the online version of the petition?
why did so many people vote for those candidates that were supporting a cruise port? In fact were there any candidates saying no to the cruise port that got elected?
Nope! Only Austin Harris and now he is pro!
Nobody voted for the Unity gov’t…neither PPM nor CDP won. They fiendishly formed this cash cult out of their loss. It should have been a recall.
the unity government was form because
the independents was all tails with no head.
your mistake you are begging the people that are against to sign
I thought the petition was for all people
Moxam is certainly not afraid to call a spade a spade. Cayman needs more locals like him in leadership roles.
Well said Johan. Th CBF project has been shambolic from day one. It will be Cayman’s biggest white elephant. Completely unnecessary looking at the data on tourism.
@3:04pm: try not to confuse overnight guests with cruise passengers. overnight guests are up but cruise was going down every single month before the hurricanes hit and we got all the passengers the other Islands couldn’t receive. If it weren’t for that we would have been singing a different story.
Record arrivals all last year. Before tragic hurricanes. Brought in only $3mln in fees according to budget. Facts.
we need a 4 million dollar sidewalk along marina drive? teehee haw haw
This gov’t sneezes out more than what cruise fees brought in to CIG all last year…a paltry $3mln.
El Fuego dropping knowledge and spitting facts call out the BS! We got your back Yohann don’t ease up
Well I guess it is now official, something that has not been so in a while and we all know. Cayman is no longer a democracy. It has began to fall into the realms of dictatorship and as the world knows, there is only one way to deal with dictators. Revolution. It’s time the people brought these self imposed dictators down.
Cayman is very much a democracy. this project is being carried out by a government elected by the people to carry out their will and to do what is right for Cayman now and Cayman in the future
Did you even read the results of the last election?
The PPM bozos were voted out. Their greed compelled them to form a secret alliance with remnants of CDP. Nobody voted for this. There is no mandate!
@4:33 Yes so much a democracy that the due process for a referendum which in itself is one of the prime examples of democracy is being systematically pushed down by the unholy trinity.
The only democracy now is the fact that we voted in these self-fashioned dictators.
No revolution – just sign the petition please.
And what will we do then if we bring the petition forward and they refuse to accept it?
We will vote them out next time
Again…
Revolution
https://www.amazon.com/Saving-Gods-Green-Earth-Responsibility/dp/09748825