From Eden Hurlston, Cayman United

Hello All. I truly hope that all is well with you and yours.

Cayman United was not created to replace one politician with another.

We created this group to engage the People, encourage People to inspire each other, encourage critical thought and constructive conversation among the People, give voice to the People, and make politicians realize that they work for the People, to make government FEAR the Power of the People.

“The People” is us, each and every one. And a few years ago, the People changed the political landscape and cultural mindset of this country, through a Facebook Group! I’m still astounded by it….

Numerous issues face us at a crucial time in Cayman’s history: Violence, Educational Standards, Environmental Abuse, Increased Disparagement between rich, Middle Class and Poor, the list goes on….

At all times, remember that the “leaders” work for us. We hire them with our votes and support yet they spend energy, time and money discussing Daylight savings (which we don’t need), $6 minimum wage (which is a horrible joke), and a cruise ship dock (which experts agree will likely ruin the beauty visitors come to see). This is unacceptable.

The ONLY issues they need to concern themselves with is the Safety, Empowerment, Education and Engagement of our People, Young and Old – protecting the rights of the citizenry, which is the fundamental function of government. The talents our political leaders have (and they have many!) need to be refocused on National Human Resource Investment and Sustainability, and nothing else.

Maybe its just me, but doesn’t it seem that the vast majority of decisions made by our employees (politicians) benefit those who don’t really need more benefits, in fact those who funded their run for office in the first place? Right now, a cruise ship port is being discussed that will mostly have benefits for a few (already wealthy) people while risking environmental catastrophe and the future of our tourism industry.

But on another level, we are risking our ability to take part in deciding our future – to have decisions made for us by those who can’t relate to us. Even a child can see this makes no sense. This is why the Youth do not engage with politics – not because they are “lazy” but because politics doesn’t make sense, to them or anyone else.

Free People must make up their own minds. I want to encourage anyone who reads this to learn the facts of the issues and make informed decisions, about the berthing facility and every other issue!

Positive Progress is what we are after, the chief indicator being Gross National Happiness: not how much richer the rich can get, but how much health and wealth can the People cultivate, how much Richer the Culture can get, if you catch my drift. Think, Act, Assess, Adapt, Think, Act, Assess, Adapt…. and somewhere in there Rest, Reflect and Revel with those you Love. And be FREE!

Peace, Love and Prosperity to Each & Every One…

https://www.facebook.com/groups/caymanunited/permalink/621181198020904/

Related story:

Caymans continue to conflict over cruise ship development

“My motivations are not financial gains, and I do not oppose the building of a cruise ship dock. I am against the irrational and blatant disregard for the environment if we put a dock where experts have already established it will have far more negative impacts than positive,” Adrien Briggs, an Owner and Founder of Sunset House.

Cayman Islands, Cruise Ship Development

A Pro Port Development flier from ‘Cayman’s Port / Cayman’s Future’ campaign

We reported in the current issue of X-Ray Magazine (editorial and page 5) that the Cayman Government is currently assessing a ‘proposed cruise berthing facility’ which could boost the country’s economy by allowing more and bigger cruise lines to moor in Georgetown. The public consultation on the draft environmental impact assessment has now closed.

Cayman News Service stated the “the final report from the consultants will soon go before Cabinet for a decision against the backdrop of polarized campaigns in opposition and support.”

The “Pro-port development” campaign – ‘Cayman’s Port / Cayman’s Future’ – has issued a flier stating that “Opinions vary on what lies beneath” and “Let’s investigate & [sic] get the facts.”

The statements do seem quite astonishing when you consider the plethora of PR that the Cayman Islands public relations department has issued over many years. Beautiful images and footage that highlight the water quality and superb reef diving in Grand Cayman.

The “Pro-port development” campaign is also trying to persuade the public that the destruction of the reefs will not be as extensive as the EIA suggests, and that without the piers many local people working with tour operators, or driving taxis will soon be out of work.

The unemployment threat seems to be in conflict with the Environmental Statement that indicates the average visitor arriving by cruise ship spends far less than visitors arriving by air.

Average visitor spend arriving by cruise ship – $CI 82.14

Average visitor spend arriving by air – $CI 1,103.07

Annual Cruise Visitor Spend – $CI 115,000,000.00

Annual Air Visitor Spend – $CI 381,000,000.00

Threat to watersport businesses

The Environmental Impact Assessment has also advised that this development will massively threaten the watersports tourism industry whilst significantly devastating the capital’s marine environment.

Currently the “SaveCayman” campaign (www.facebook.com/SaveCayman) and (www.savecayman.org) has highlighted that two big attractions sold to visiting tourists are both underwater. Stingray City and the George Town dive sites would be irreversibly destroyed.

As I write this almost 400 voters have signed the SaveCayman petition to trigger a referendum on the topic, whilst over 4,000 people have signed an open petition asking government not to go ahead with this project. (The link to the petition is at the top of this article).

“Winners and losers on both sides”

Cayman News Service observed that there were ” winners and losers on both sides” and interviewed “one local businessman who has shares in both a tender operation and one of Cayman’s oldest dive resorts. Adrien Briggs, an owner and founder of Sunset House, said he will be directly affected by whatever decision is made regarding the port and has made it clear he is a 50/50 owner with Attlee Bodden in a local tender business that services the cruise lines. But, he said, they could sell off the fleet tomorrow and his concern is “the irreversible damage this project will cause”, not just to his tender business or resort but for other business owners here and generations to come.

“Sunset House was the sixth hotel on island when it opened and the only one of the six that still operates today, and all because of the precious dive sites situated immediately in front of the hotel,” he said.

Those sites are among a list of dive reefs and wrecks that will either be directly destroyed to make way for the piers or gradual destroyed, during the construction period and after because of turbidity.

In the end, this battle is about the economics of the environment. We are the last Caymanian-owned hotel in Grand Cayman and if this dredging process were to take place it would probably be the end of the last Caymanian hotel. All hotels will lose business.

Adrien Briggs, an owner and founder of Sunset House

SOURCE: http://www.xray-mag.com/content/caymans-continue-conflict-over-cruise-ship-development