Tag: Mario Rankin
Panton $1.6M loan to Turner not connected to election
(CNS): A CI$1.64 million loan made by former premier Wayne Panton to Health Minister Sabrina Turner to enable her to buy a house was not connected to the horsetrading among MPs in the wake of the 2021 election, as the agreement was not made until April of last year. While concerns have been raised that […]
Referendum, what is a referendum?
Mario Rankin writes: As we are all aware, the people of the Cayman Islands were first ignored when they raised obvious concerns about the consequences a cruise berthing facility would have on the environment and quality of our overall tourism industry. The back and forth between the political agenda of the government of the day […]
Make stay-over tourism work for Caymanians
Mario Rankin writes: I am happy to see that more people are willing to publicly express their concerns with the premier on his statements made in a recent press conference. The statements were concerning the tourism industry and how, according to him, stay-over tourism wasn’t any great benefit to the local workforce.
Smith Cove protestors demand halt to bid
(CNS): Hundreds of people turned up to a rally on Saturday at Smith Barcadere (aka Smith Cove) to show their support for the campaign to keep it in its natural state and stop government’s proposed enhancement project. Demanding that the current public tender be withdrawn and the entire project dramatically reduced to just a new […]
Caribbean should unite against new ‘pirates’
Mario Rankin writes: Why do some shipping companies that have their headquarters in one country register their ships in another country? In the maritime industry this is known as “Flags of Convenience”. While this practice is controversial, it became popular 100 years ago when US ships were trying to get around Prohibition (ban of alcohol) […]
Matrimonial vows of UDP and PPM
Mario Rankin writes: The 2005-2009 election cycle resulted in the PPM-led government, the administration that piloted the Cayman Islands headfirst into a global recession, despite being warned by local and foreign consultants that we were not immune or exempt from this potential collapse. In the words of then minister of education, Alden McLaughlin, “only God” […]
Cruise line was ready to tender Oasis ship
(CNS): Documents and emails leaked from the Port Authority of the Cayman Islands indicate that government had come to an arrangement back in 2012 with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines to tender its first Oasis class ship, the Allure of the Seas. The revelation that the UDP administration at the time had invested in related security […]
Activists confident as they launch ‘No’ campaign
(CNS): The Cruise Port Referendum group kicked off their formal ‘No to the Port’ campaign Wednesday night on a confident note. Described as a David versus Goliath story, the volunteers and activists were positive about the road ahead. In four weeks Caymanians will go to the polls to vote for or against the proposed port […]
CPR expects New Year referendum
(CNS): Campaigners for a people-initiated referendum on the question of the proposed cruise dock have formally handed over the fully verified petition document to Cabinet. While no dates have been confirmed for the national ballot, all indications are that it is likely to take place in January next year. On Wednesday three representatives of the […]
What’s in it for the cruise lines?
Mario Rankin writes: As the petition verification process nears to an end, the first ever people-initiated referendum is imminent. Caymanians will make the decision on the largest capital works project in our history and not a political agenda.
Cruise lines suck up passenger spend
Mario Rankin writes: The cruise industry business model has changed radically and aggressively in the last fifteen years, ensuring they attain most of the money passengers spend, and they should no longer be viewed as an ideal “partner” for most countries of the Caribbean, more importantly the Cayman islands.
