Activists plan West Bay rally
Posted on Mon, 03/26/2012 - 06:04 in Local News
(CNS): Updated - Saturday's Rally has now been cancelled as a result of a funeral. The various local groups that are opposed to the closure of the West Bay Road and the relocation of Grand Cayman’s landfill to Bodden Town are not giving up on their campaign and are planning a second motorcade followed by a rally in West Bay next Saturday. In an effort to try and stop government signing the deal with the Dart Group, known as the ForCayman Investment Alliance, activists are stepping up the opposition. Following the success of the first motorcade on 17 March, which attracted considerable support, the activists hope there is still a chance to preserve the road, despite the recent preliminary agreement signed between the NRA, government and Dart.
Activists have persistently raised concerns that the alliance is heavily tipped in favour of the developer and that, despite claims to the contrary, the road closure will limit access to the last remaining open and undeveloped stretch of Seven Mile Beach. The plan to open a new landfill site in Bodden Town instead of dealing with the dump at its current location in George Town, as originally proposed by government, has also raised concerns, not just in the district but among the wider public as well.
Government has not yet moved to a final agreement with Dart on the project, but it has signed the deal for the developer to begin the Easterly Tibbetts Highway extension and eventual closure of around 4,000 feet of the West Bay Road, which included a cash donation to the government of $5 million.
The controversial pre-deal was signed before government completed a value for money study, currently being undertaken by KPMG, or before the legal processes regarding the sale of crown has been completed.
Activists hope that in spite of the pre-deal they can still prevent the ultimate closure of the road and the moving of the dump and are calling on the community to join them this coming weekend. The motorcade will begin at the cricket pitch in George Town at 4pm and travel to West Bay. The main rally will then take place at the lot opposite Foster’s Republix at 7pm.
For more details see flyer posted below.
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| Meeting 31st March 12.doc | 23 KB |
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I would like to see a website
Maybe if the FCIA was more
Maybe if the FCIA was more equitable to the people of the Cayman Islands it would be more widely accepted.
For example, what if DART revised the deal to only move the stretch of road in front of the hotel as well as offered to remediate the George Town landfill at its current location. If the GT landfill was remediated to the point where it was running as a proper "waste management facility", then Caymanians could actually see first hand how such a facility works. Only then should DART/CIG begin to explore the possibility of relocating the "waste management facility".
This would show Caymanians exaclty how committed DART is to the long term.
LET ME REFERE TO POST 15 .14
LET ME REFERE TO POST 15 .14 SUBMITTED BY ISLAND AVE WEST BAY ROAD. You are suggesting that they put the dump in east end or north side since these is a lot of waste land in those two districts. East end or north side do not have any waste land. we do have some undevelope land. for you to put such a post here you must be from the HEART of west bay , and is one of those f##ls that is very near to the f$$#SH leader
I heard the CITN news
I heard the CITN news broadcast this evening where a couple people from the public were asked their opinion on the For Cayman Alliance and the closing of the WB road. Not surprised to hear the responses and noted the Caymanian lady was against the road closure but the man, who is from the Country that McKeeva has the most interest (and that is NOT Cayman), was supporting the road closure - Not surprising!
For God's sake, please don't
For God's sake, please don't name Jim Bodden as an example of positive change! Yes, you're right, these islands would not be where they are now had it not been for Big Jim. It was he who introduced everything negative we're living now - unplanned development, greed, political corruption, political cronyism, persecution of opponents, unjustified rewarding ofsupporters (hence the inept civil service), entitlement culture, expat-bashing and let's not forget his close relationship with the Cocaine Cowboys. And we named him the first national hero!!!??? Says a lot about us doesn't it!!??
We couldn't see past the $$$ that some of us benefitted from while Jim was literally selling our birthright.
Don't forget that Jim Bodden
Don't forget that Jim Bodden also bulldozed Fort George, one of our few historical buildings.
It pisses me off how fool and
It pisses me off how fool and ignorant my own Caymaian people can be. Protest agaisnt Mckeeva and Dart of Course!! if Mckeeva decides to sell anything more we soon aren't even gonna own the clothes on our back!
The time to get up and open our mouths is now!! Stop sitting down complaning about the situation and get up and do something!! All us caymanians do is talk the talk but cant walk the walk thats why every Nationality that comes here takes advantage of us and walks over us in our Own country!! Because we refuse to educate our selves and stand up for what our parents grand parents great grand parents etc. worked for!!! Stop fighting against one another and start fighting for each other!! What happened to Caymans Love and Unity amoung its people? Its gone!!! And we as caymanians need to stand up together and tell Mckeeva NO!!! Enough is enough!!!!
We need to start picking the sense from the non-sense XXXX
Caymanians if we dont wake up and smell the coffee, the Flowers, the pot of Turtle stew and EVERYYYYYYYTHING that has a scent to it? All hope is lost for our home if we do not come together!!
I for one, am very proud of
I for one, am very proud of what Alice Mae Coe and others in West Bay are doing to protect OUR road.
I'm also proud of the Bodden Town group and the One Man, One Vote group.
The old saying is very accurate here - Don't know what you got, till its gone!
More power to those who stand up for what they believe.
Where are the "Smart
Yes we know that the there
Yes we know that the there are unemployed people on the island, but we are so few and can only fight one battle at at time and at this time the fight to not to close the West Bay Road and not to move the dump to Bodden Town. Now if you would join the force for 'Truly4cayman' you can assist with the protest for unemployment...
Anon 15:14 and 16:21 the
Anon 15:14 and 16:21 the alternative the protestors are offering is to let the West Bay Road road remain as is.
The Dart group can proceed with building roads to open up land they already own.
Contrary to your statement, closing a section of the West Bay road will not stop new land from opening up and the country can still benefit from millions of dollars of investment. Dart has already started building roads on his land because no matter what happens with the FORCAYMAN agreement these roads will benefit his development anyway.
So, Dart can build a new road on his property and open the land for investment and the protestors can keep the entire West Bay Road open. Now that's what I call a win win situation!
Regardless of the sentiments
Regardless of the sentiments against the proposed rally, no one can argue against the growing rate of engagement of Caymanians in their political affairs.
"Development" and "investment" have enjoyed an unchallenged run over the past few decades but look at the state of the average Caymanian family today compared to just 20 years ago.
If this is "progress" you can keep it.
This is about more than a road closure and a 'dump' and we all know it. Some just pretend and play dumb in order to have something - anything to say.
Unfortunately, tribalism is rearing its ugly head in Cayman, and due to the reality of our 50/50 situation today I predict much friction coming our way - and friction has NEVER been an element of (native) Caymanian culture. (Although I am certain some will spit those same old misplaced lines of rhetoric in our direction.)
The Caymanian way was obviously good enough to create a host environment perfectly suited to accommodate the 'miracle' that has taken place here. However, it is suddenly being rejected, discouraged and mocked as the very people who created it are speaking out against a clear and evident 'threat' to the fabric of their society and very way of life.
Personally, I am not swayed by 5 million dollar cash injections - that won't mean eff'-all to me / us come 2, 3, 5, 10 years down the road when we look back and realize that this was only the peak of a very steep and slippery downward slide. Nor am I impressed with proposed 'boardwalks' or future parks as neither will feed my grandchildren or act as a form of defense against the disenfranchised 'ghetto' Cayman youth of the future as they crouch in the bushes awaiting their next mugging victim.
This scenario has played out in every single western metropolis and all of them are fighting tooth and nail to reverse its effects - but we seem intent on walking right down that road. Is that smart?
Where is the encouragement from our 'leaders' regarding the absolute necessity for us to diversify our attitudes, respect and remuneration toward a wider spectrum of career choices?
Where are the plans for an identifiable and substantial trade school / institution?
Why are we celebrating the ground-breaking of criminal / reform centers but not even considering the implementation of juxtaposed infrastructure?
What are we doing to show our young Caymanian people that they are acutally worth a damn and they have a place awaiting them in all sectors of our society?
Why are we hell-bound on ripping out the heart and very existence of our once flourishing and MAJORITY middle class? (Do we fully appreciate how rare of a reality that was?)
I am well aware that there are many in our midst today that do not give a damn about any of the above however, the negative effects that are sure to increase / come if we continue to ignore them will touch upon the lives of every single individual intending to call this tiny island-nation 'home'.
I wish us all well and I encourage all of my fellow Caymanians to continue doing whatever feels natural in your heart. We have always been a passive people, and with hindsight have identified eras in our history that proven to be to our disadvantage. We are wiser today than yesterday.
Let us not be afraid to be passionate this time around and follow our instincts. We are not evil, mean or wicked people. Our nature is to expect the best out of people and reward integrity where we see fit. If integrity is not forthcoming then let us not be afraid to call a spade a spade - regardless of the creed, color, or nationality of the source.
Lastly, I am tired of the same old story when it comes to our 'leadership'. I look forward to 2013 and hope to see fresh ideas, new perspectives and broader minds on the campaign trail.
- Whodatis
Although I am not against
Although I am not against this particular project -- and even think it may be good for the island in the long term -- I do agree with you generally. As an expatriate hoping to be naturalized soon, I freely admit that I am still on the island some fifteen years after first landing here because I have enjoyed the lifestyle and the people. However, the years since Ivan have changed things -- a lot. Suddenly the island feels less like Cayman and more like...everywhere else. The infrastructure has changed, and so have the people. Perhaps not irreparably, but the change has begun.
You are right -- we have a distinct advantage, should we choose to see it. We can see the mistakes made in other countries and choose to do something different. Dart is going to develop this piece of land. That much is on the cards. Perhaps what we should be doing is using our influence positively, to ensure that whatever development does take place looks -- and feels -- like the island we want our children (all of our children) to enjoy.
I really enjoyed your post
I really enjoyed your post and agree with most of what you have said.
At the end of the day Cayman will be the 'home' common to individuals from all walks of life.
An onus is on all of us to ensure that Cayman becomes as great as possible, and in my opinion, that requires drawing inspiration and heeding warnings from every possible source.
Political party affiliation, place of birth or level of income is irrelevant to this issue. Unfortunately, there is a lot tribalism going on within our society and tribalism has been the downfall of many a civilization.
I wish you all the best with your naturalization and hope you hang around for at least another 15 years.
Anyone resident on this
Anyone resident on this island with a little common sense knows moving this road will be vast improvement. It will help spur further development and put millions into the local economy for years to come. It’s really not a difficult concept to grasp.
Instead of running yet again another story about some car rally that no one cares about, how about highlighting the multitude of benefits this project will bring to the island?
You may not care about losing
You may not care about losing several rights to access the beach but a lot of people do. The Dart group are always "highlighting the multitude of benefits this project will bring to the island". I guess the only way to make people like you understand is to put a flyer on every car parked between the two "proposed" public beaches stating the fact that YOU WILL NO LONGER BE ABLE TO DRIVE ALONG HERE, PARK HERE OR ACCESS THE BEACH AT THESE POINTS. Maybe you will get the point then.
"your access to the beach" is
"your access to the beach" is actually "trespassing that is not prosecuted".
Dart owns all that land now. You can only legally access the area below the high water mark. He is actually free to fence off his property at anytime just like how you can fence off your house.
You are protesting for a "right" you don't currently have! Don't let folks work you up about something you don't have--Granny sold that land a long time ago to some foreigner. At least a Caymanian (Dart) could finally afford to buy it back.
Dead wrong. Gazetted access
Dead wrong. Gazetted access to beach should be preserved for the people, not sold away by this Government.
Dart..... a Caymanian,lol, he
Dart..... a Caymanian,lol, he is an American who jumped ship because TAX's were a bother to his bottom line! We are but a convenience to his ambitions that he will take full advantage of. Cheers though, to the future of un-employment, un-balanced markets and pretty roads heading nowhere for the Caymanian.
Educate unna selves or dog gah eat unna suppah soon
Have you ever gone to
Have you ever gone to ForCayman.com and looked at the plan for yourself? It doesn’t restrict access to the beach at all. It calls for enhancing the existing public beach (which could use it) and adding another public beach at the north end. Each of these beaches is connected by a bike path/walkway so you can safely travel along the entire stretch instead of trying to cross two lanes of 40mph traffic. While I appreciate that you may like to drive your car onto the beach wherever you like, it doesn’t seem unreasonable to give up that option in return for safety and another public beach now does it? And if you chose to take the 10 minute walk between each beach you may even enjoy the exercise. It’s clear that you don’t appreciate the additional jobs that another hotel creates and in turn the spin off to the restaurants, taxi drivers, watersports operators etc. but since you like driving your car so much take some comfort in how much better the traffic will flow on two roads out of WB instead of just one right now. Go take a walk on the beach tonight and think about it.
Anyone who has been here for
Anyone who has been here for over two decades will KNOW that this road was always planned. The previous local owners of the land had this gazetted. WHY do you think the Governor's Harbour Entrance set back and Yacht Club are located where they are?!? This is not a new plan, but leave it up to our uninformed population to think this is a new and evil greedy plan. (It is not. ) It has been on the books for years before Dart started his plans and it will be a welcomed road. Just ask your grandparents!!!
The new road is not the
The new road is not the issue. Losing rights of way to the beach and the easy access to that beach is the issue.
It was indeed the plan to
It was indeed the plan to have a SECOND rd. but the SMB/West Road closure was NEVER on the table. When was THAT Gazetted? When were we told? After the ink dried XXXXXX.
This political misrepresentation of facts really upset me about The Panel as well; I thought Mark was more straightforward than that! Please stop trying to make it sound like the extension of the bypass rd. is the issue when it is clearly not and has never been the case.
Will 15000 votes ever compete with a billionaire’s political buy in power? How is this democracy?
Everbody loves DARTLAND!
Improvement or not it is not
Improvement or not it is not relevant. This is about the power of essentially one man giving away crown land and value for money, value for Caymanians in the interest of the country. The deal must be subject to scrutiny and transparency as we are such a small island it is a very sginificant change. People have the right to protest and you have the right to support it, so let them protest.
I am curious to know what
I am curious to know what alternative plans the protestors are proposing.
1) The dump. It seems like a perfect case of "not in my backyard". Of course, no one wants a dump in their backyard but also no one wants to reduce, reuse or recyle either it seems. If not in Bodden Town then where? It's one thing to protest but quite another to offer alternative solutions.
2) West Bay Road. I love my drive to and from work every day along that stretch of road. I will miss it when it's gone. However, what is the exact reason everyone wants to "preserve" a road? This is an honest question. I've not been able to figure out just why the protesters are against the development.
"Preserving the road" is
"Preserving the road" is important mainly because it preserves everyones right to access the beach along this stretch of road. You never hear Dart saying that they are taking these away and combining them so that we will only be allowed to access the beach at one point instead of several.
Simlpe, it is being proposed
Simlpe, it is being proposed by Mac Bush and friends.
I think they're just tired of
I think they're just tired of the Govt. acting without representing the people.
"The Govt" being Mac and Mac
"The Govt" being Mac and Mac alone.
Its really very simple.
Its really very simple. Sesveral of the leaders of the protest have plans on running for the LA in the next election. Cayman deserves the leaders we get.
We want to perserve the
We want to perserve the access to the view of this very pristine and beautiful part of 7 Mile Beach which is to the Local/Native Caymanians priceless, the road is not what the protest is over, this strech of beach land is the last of it's kind.
We also want to preserve our
We also want to preserve our right to access this stretch of beach.
Then buy it back and don't
Then buy it back and don't sell it again.
O wait. Bush has all your money. And HE tells you what HE wants and not the other way around. Like it or not you are now takeing responsibility for your past actions.
The only native Caymanian is
The only native Caymanian is the blue iguana.
If that is your true concern
If that is your true concern you should know that the Dart Realty ownes the seaside already and HAS planning permission for 4 or 5 homes on it already. The Tiki bar is only temporary. Further down the road there is planning permission for a condo building that Arch & Godfrey started building some years ago.
In other words we don't own the beach land and it CAN be developed as is, blocking any glimpse you have through the cocoplum trees at 40 mph. It is just better and certainly safer to develop it without tourist trying to cross that road. If you remember one was already killed there crossing from the old Holiday Inn. Bridges don't work as is obvious every day at Hyatt and Ritz where people simply run across the road under the bridge!
The FCIA proposal does not distrub the public beach, in fact it makes it deeper adding several acres to it. Plus there is a new public beach given on the west side of the road closure which is not there now.
I think you have been severely misled about this issue if that is your concern.
You forgot to add that the
You forgot to add that the "new" public beach is really a combination of all of our rights of way over that stretch of beach. We will not be allowed to access the beach along that section of beach now. We lose multiple rights of way to the beach. NO ONE should be able to give them away on our behalf.
This stretch of Beach land
This stretch of Beach land has been sold to Dart. The Government is not giving them beach land, they already own the beach and have permission to develop on it.
Government is giving away the
Government is giving away the land the roadis on. That is not owned by Dart at this time but it soon will when mac gives it to his monied friends..
I agree, with the rest of
I agree, with the rest of Seven Mile Beach obstructed by condominiums and hotels, it's a relief that we can still see the ocean.
Like someone said, some things are priceless.
Did you see the plans? Is the
Did you see the plans?
Is the beach being devloped or is the area behind the beach being made better for the use pof the local people?
15:14 The questions you have
15:14 The questions you have asked, I would like to hear the protesters answer. Of course you will never get a straightanswer, because there is none. This is political motivated, bur I am really glad that it has begun, because it will give people the time to see that it is nothing short of a political upheval. What is the alternative. Give me a very good reason why this group is trying to save a road. Tell the people of Cayman. Same time while you are at it please tell the people where can we put the dump. I would say the best place is Northside or East End, because those two district have a lot of wasted land and no people, so why cannot the dock go there.
Ok now you have the floor and the mike, so talk.
Third world people do not
Third world people do not want to live in a developed country. Having to work for a living is too hard to contemplate. Trying to keep up with the educated, adding and subtracting bills and paycheck, takeing responsibility for your self and family. The premeir dosn't have too. There. Someone finally answered the big question.
wow I hope that this was
wow I hope that this was being sarcastic (but just in case) I am 2000% sure that that third world countries "work” a lot harder for a living than most of those living in first world countries, but you are right they don’t want to spend their lives in fields in hot sun selling cash crops that well ,let’s face it, doesn’t actually make them that much cash. Now first- worlders, who on a day by day basis are figuring out how to "legally" steal from third world countries and some of their own countrymen who don’t have finance degrees and can’t figure that even though a bank gives you a mortgage you cannot afford that they are NOT being “nice” (the bank is going get all of your money right until you forfeit and then they’ll get your house too). Wolves in expensive wool suits. Admit that not all third-worlders are stupid and lazy and I will admit that not all finance/ banking /hedge fund/real estate people and their pesky legal teams (can we agree that ALL lawyers are inherently evil and love getting paid a lot to do very little) are nasty little crooks(well maybe I will LOL)
I don't see it as progress.
I don't see it as progress. I see it as BIG BUCKS being passed around.
Big bucks being passed around
Big bucks being passed around IS progress...it lets us eat and be happy...where do you live???
DON"T GIVE UP and DON'T GIVE
DON"T GIVE UP and DON'T GIVE IN.
Somebody better start listening soon as I'm aware that some in the International community is watching the outcome of this very closely.
We, the Caymanian people, have been quiet for far too long. We have never stood up as one Voice to fight the injustices that I'm sure we all face on our little rock. We will be quiet no more. We will speak up, together and unite against the wrongs. If we don't stand up for and ensure the rights of our future generations then we're as usless as the UDP.
Even though the preliminary agreement has been signed we still have a chance and we will not give up until we have been heard and acknowledged. Our children deserve the best that we can offer them, which includes access to our beaches and public road. Or do you prefer that our future generations will only be able to view the Ocean through pictures and stories of what used to be?
I understand the need for progress but at what price. Dart has done some great things for Cayman but we have to realise this is not one of them. If he is supposedly for the betterment of the Cayman Islands then why praytell, after seeing the opposition against this, does he not go a different route in terms of re-developing the hotel?? I'll tell you why, he thinks that like McKeeva we can all be bought and he realizes that the only way to maximize profit by 200% is to buy and close the road!! DO you think he would be able to do this anywhere else? Not likely, hence he brought the bullshit here for us idiots to take in and we fell for it!
Do not be blinded. Use your common sense. Obviously someone has to as our MLA's aren't worth the air they breathe. We have a right to speak out against this and we will. If you choose not to then so be it but please do not try to discourage the people with backbone from putting them to very good use.
When will these people accept
When will these people accept that they do not have a majority on this issue. If these objectors believed they had a majority they would follow the 1 man - 1 vote petition for a referendum. This is a democracy and the objectors are not a majority. If these objectors stop this project then the tail is wagging the dog.
I wish these fools would just
I wish these fools would just sit down and shut up about this road issue! When has McKeewa ever listened or cared about public opinion SMDH!
If the people of the Cayman
If the people of the Cayman Islands want to keep there good standard of living, they must accept that it implies CHANGES. Look at our history; think about what did our national heroe, Hon. James Manoah Bodden. If a few had protested in the 70's against the opening of the Owens Roberts International Airport because it would have disturbed there tranquility, would this island be where it is now?
That is a very silly
That is a very silly comparison.
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