Tag: Moses Kirkconnell
Minister fuels further cruise confusion
(CNS): Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell spent more than two hours on Monday morning talking about the tourism industry, but failed to address the questions surrounding the controversial cruise and cargo project. Despite claims that his ministry had been “as open as we can possibly be”, Kirkconnell did not explain the increasingly confusing financing model. He […]
Stay-over spend eclipses cash from cruisers
(CNS): Figures from the Department of Tourism based on exit surveys taken by overnight and cruise guests through 2018 has revealed the money spent by stay-over visitors is, more than ever, eclipsing cruisers’ cash contribution and calling into question, yet again, government’s insistence that without a cruise berthing facility the tourism sector will implode. Last […]
Tourism minister backs out of GT meeting over port
(CNS): Kenneth Bryan, the MLA for George Town Central, whose constituency will be home to the controversial cruise berthing facility if government presses ahead with the project, has cancelled a public meeting he had arranged for this week after Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell said he would not attend. Bryan has been trying to get the […]
CIG cuts deal for port with cruise lines
(CNS): Royal Caribbean Cruises and Carnival Corporation have both made financial commitments towards the Cayman Islands’ controversial cruise berthing project, government has revealed. The tourism ministry said it is now in a position to issue the final tender documents to the shortlisted bidders, only one of which is partnered with the two cruise lines. Officials said that […]
CAL boss insists new planes will save cash
(CNS): The chief executive officer of Cayman Airways Ltd, Fabian Whorms, has defended the airline’s decision to acquire four new planes, despite its significant debt and the need for millions of dollars in cash injections from the public purse to keep the airline going. Whorms told Finance Committee last week that the fleet had to […]
Stay-over guest spend grows as cruise cash falls
(CNS): The tourism minister has revealed more information that demonstrates the increasing value to the economy of overnight tourism, contrasting with a drop in the value of cruise visitors. In a statement to the Legislative Assembly on Friday about the continued record-breaking visitor arrival numbers at both the port and the airport, Moses Kirkconnell said […]
Minister: Cruise lines to provide port cash
(CNS): Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell has suggested that the cruise lines will be financing the development of the proposed cruise pier facility and cargo expansion in George Town, if the project goes ahead, regardless of which of the three groups of bidders is selected to undertake the development. During an exchange of parliamentary questions in […]
Minister avoids cruise issue at tourism showcase
(CNS): Speaking to an audience of industry stakeholders who sell the Cayman Islands tourism brand around the world on Tuesday, Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell promoted the destination’s pristine underwater experience, but avoided mentioning the planned destruction of it with the proposed cruise project. Kirkconnell only referred to the controversial cruise port and cargo project in […]
Premier: Cruise opposition political
(CNS): Premier Alden McLaughlin has said that while there may be a few people genuinely concerned about the environment, the majority of those opposing his government’s proposed cruise berthing project and calling for a referendum are politically motivated — a claim that may soon be tested if there is a referendum. Speaking on Radio Cayman on […]
Absence of DoE stumps minister’s panel
(CNS): Many questions posed by the public at Wednesday night’s meeting about the controversial cruise berthing facility related to the environment, as well as who is bidding and who is paying. But the panel assembled by the tourism ministry were, in many cases, stumped by the questions. In a meeting lasting five hours, dozens of […]
Ministry claims vote will sink cruise port
(CNS): Hours before Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell is set to host a public meeting in George Town about the government’s controversial cruise port project, the ministry is pushing back against the growing public demand for national vote on the proposal, claiming that a referendum, whatever the result, will curtail the entire project. In responses to […]
