Cruise Ship Pier at the Turtle Farm?

[Deac in the Wake]

The larger ships no longer call on Cayman due to the lack of dock facilities. As newer ships come online and other ports are developed Cayman runs the risk of losing market share.

Oddly enough, as cruise arrivals went down the stay-over visitor numbers went up. Coincidence?

Conversely, Cayman risks losing a lot of people like me who do not like the goverment's (especially Bush and the UDP) and pro-development forces who are seemingly intent on economic gains at any cost. As I've said before, I realize my voice in this matter is insignificant as I do not (yet) live in Cayman. However, I know a lot of divers and residents who do not want to see the continued destruction of Cayman's natural resources. Bush lashed out at both Ezzard Miller and Bryan Ebanks as well as the supporters of Save Cayman for their outstanding fight against the dredging of the North Sound. Alden McLaughlin is taking up the fight now against the East End quarry/docking facility. Fortunately, if the responses on CNS' website are any indication, this too will die a quick death.

Major props to Ocean Frontiers for their video documenting exactly what will be destroyed- forever- if that comes to pass.

Dollars at all costs is as foolish as it is unsustainable. So Cayman needs to balance the risk of losing cruise-ship tourists who are concentrated in one location and usually only for a few hours versus people like me and my friends who stay for a week and spend thousands in that time. And I do that at least once a year and usually visit Grand and Brac in the process.

Obviously there's a debate and a balance must be struck. I just fear that Cayman will eventually be no different and the natural resources which make it so unique will be the losers.

 

[ScubaTigress]

Weeeeeeak!!!! I love that dive site

I don't think this could happen any time soon though.... for the 2012/13 money period, the island has been cut off from borrowing any money from the mainland because we're up to the armpits in dept already. Not to mention, it's a BAD and useless idea.

 

[EastEndDiver]

Yes Cayman is up to their necks in debt BUT it seems they are "in bed" with Dart (which I think will own Cayman soon) who seem to have unlimited funds and just struck a major deal with the Government.I could see Dart "lending" the Government money in return for.........?????

 

[ianr33]

Who/what is "Dart"

 

[Cave Diver]

Dart is an extremely wealthy man who has invested a ton into the development of Cayman. That entire Camana Bay project belongs to him. (If you haven't seen it first hand it's hard to appreciate the scope of it, but they call it the "new city")

Here is the latest deal: cayCompass.com :: Dart, government sign mega-deal

 

[Cave Diver]

Weeeeeeak!!!! I love that dive site

I don't think this could happen any time soon though.... for the 2012/13 money period, the island has been cut off from borrowing any money from the mainland because we're up to the armpits in dept already. Not to mention, it's a BAD and useless idea.

The problem with this, is that it may not be "borrowing money." It sounds like it's mostly an investment deal where the Chinese may be fronting the costs in return for management rights and kickbacks in the long run.

Regardless, I'm hard pressed to see how this could be a good thing and not just because of the effect on diving at that site.

 

[Drew Sailbum]

Who/what is "Dart"

The Dart family made their sizable fortune with the family business, Dart Container, a major manufacturer of single use disposable foodservice cups.

The Dart brothers gave up their US citizenship and moved to Cayman. They have invested heavily in developments such as Camana Bay but also in community projects such as the Dart park on South Church Street.

The latest mega-development deal will take some time to evaluate all of the components. Some of the proposals include:

• capping and remediation of the current landfill site in George Town. Dart will then take title to the land which is adjacent to Camana Bay.
• donating land in the Bodden Town district for development of a new landfill.
• relocation of West Bay Road to the rear of the Courtyard by Marriott site.
• extending the Esterley Tibbetts Highway into West Bay, at Dart's expense, to connect at Batabano Road.
• consolidating right of way to one side of the Courtyard proerty site for development of expanded public beach facilities.
• construct at least one more road link between West Bay Road and Esterley Tibbetts Highway, presumably in the new section of highway.
• various land swaps between government and Dart.

From the diver's point of view it should be noted that Dart, through their construction company Decco, was a bidder on the George Town cruise ship dock but that deal broke down. They are not involved in any way with the current proposal by China Harbour Engineering for construction of cruise dock facilities at the Turtle Farm and George Town Hog Sty Bay and expansion of facilities at the Spotts Dock. Dart/Decco is also not involved in the proposed East End Seaport project.

 

[Doctorfish]

This is clearly a case of greed trumping logic and ecology. In yesterday's Cayman Compass, there was an article about a government announcement for construction of an oil refinery on GC. At the end of the day, if you take away tourism from GC, there's not much left.

There will come a time in the not too distant future when GC will no longer be a very desirable tourist destination. My family and I used to vacation there all the time. Now we look for quieter less spoiled spots elsewhere in the Carribean.

 

[ianr33]

This is clearly a case of greed trumping logic and ecology. In yesterday's Cayman Compass, there was an article about a government announcement for construction of an oil refinery on GC. At the end of the day, if you take away tourism from GC, there's not much left.

There will come a time in the not too distant future when GC will no longer be a very desirable tourist destination. My family and I used to vacation there all the time. Now we look for quieter less spoiled spots elsewhere in the Carribean.

How much does Cayman really need tourism? Can it get by happily with the offshore banking industry? (Just asking,don't know the answer to that)

Totally agree it seems to be selling out to development. I doubt I will bother going there again, which is sad as I have had some amazing vacations there.

 

[Testudo]

To put things into perspective, keep in mind the MO of the current Premier. He tends to throw out one seemingly more outlandish proposal after another to apparently create firestorm a of discussion/attention; then sign some form of agreement with a developer regarding one of the various initiaves floated; the agreement eventually falls through for some reason and the process begins anew.

After the process is repeated a good number of times, with more and more seemingly outlandish proposals, suddenly some of the earlier outlandish proposals may no longer look quite as ridiculous in comparison.

Just watch, that proposed floating bar at Sting Ray City will pop back up soon. (just kidding, that was not a CIG initiative)