$9 million shelter for the Brac
(CNS): The UDP government has started a major capital project on Cayman Brac. Work has begun on a hurricane shelter, with a main hall and 80 private rooms, located east and adjacent to the playing field on the Bluff, with access via Major Donald Drive. The planning application gives the total cost of the project as an estimated $9 million, though Deputy Premier Julianna O’Connor Connolly, who is second elected member for the Sister Islands, believes it will cost between $7.5 and $8.5 million to finish. She says it will be completed over a three-year period.
Planning approval has been given to the two-story 36,111 square feet building. Site preparation and purchase of some preliminary resources was achieved with the $500,000 in last year’s budget, and another $900,000 in this year’s budget will almost complete the main hall, O’ConnorConnolly told CNS.
According to the plans, in phase 1 (the main building) the first storey will include the main hall, plus a sick bay, reception area, kitchen and several bathrooms. The second floor will include the command centre, office and conference room. Phase 2 consists of four 2-storey “wings” to the building, each wing with 10 private rooms on each floor, each room with a semi-private bathroom (one for every two rooms).
“One of the lessons of Paloma was that there were too many needs for one hall,” O’Connor Connolly said, noting that the rooms will have individual temperature control. She said that during Hurricane Paloma, some people were too hot and some were too cold, and that there was no privacy for the elderly or disabled.
The main hall will accommodate up to 400 people in a storm and each wing can house an additional 100 adults, so the new building adds another 800 shelter spaces to Cayman Brac.
This will be a multi-purpose building that will be used for inside sports, such as squash, badminton, netball and basketball, and with the rooms it can accommodate visiting teams, as well as for conferences and retreats, O’Connor-Connolly said.
When there is an emergency, the private rooms will be allocated on a ‘first come, first serve’ basis, though the deputy premier said that if a major hurricane was approaching they could allocate one wing for hospital patients.
This new emergency shelter will be the fourth on the island. The Aston Rutty Civic Centre on the Bluff can hold approximately 500 people, while the West End Primary School, which has been structurally upgraded since Paloma, can hold 250, and the Brac Day Care Centre, located next to the civic centre, can hold 155.
The District Administration Building, while not an official emergency centre, also shelters DA staff and their families, and the rebuilt Veteran’s and Seaman’s Center is also an unofficial shelter. In addition, many new homes are being built on the Bluff, where people remain during a storm.
Category: Headline News
Why haven’t we heard anything from Moses on this? Surely he has a little but more common sense than Julie…Oh yeah, I forget he wants to get re-elected too…Better not say nothing against them Brackers!!!
Lord help these three little islands! People are starving and living in cars, desperate for work and can’t put hand to mouth and we are told that $9m dollars of our money will be spent on a luxury hurricane centre, on one of the least populated islands where there is already more hurricane shelter availability than the rest of the districts in the Cayman Islands.
I know I must be dreaming! Somebody, please wake me up and tell me it was all a dream and that we still have good and sensible politicians!
As A Cayman Bracker am gonna say what I have on my mind. Since very few posters are put their name to what is written. Who are you afraid of? Come on people it is about time Caymanians stand up and be counted stick together. You can take the time to go and vote these dummies in but won’t put your name on a simple comment. The Brac does need some investment but come on a 9 million dollar hurricane shelter. What and for what? I agree that the roads should be improved, but the 9 million could have been spent on attracting local buisness to the Brac. Or better yet improved air service or loans for small Caymanian buisness people. Better yet why not improve the schools.
I know Cayman Brackers always say, that the health service provided is horrible. Use that 9 million Ms. Julie and get some more doctors for the Faith Hospital. So that that your people as you call them won’t have to spend wasted time and their money to travel to the big city as Grand Cayman in known. For once can’t you do something for the Brackers that is worth talking about. I for one as a Cayman Bracker come next election won’t even watse my time to go and vote. Saying that The Cayman Islands is even in a position to afford to hold general elections. Do something for the good of the people of the sister islands Julie. Is this the best you can do to watse our tax dollars. Take a good hard look the next time you go to Cayman Brac and find a project that is worthy of my tax dollars instead of wasting them. I know for one your not hurting in these hard economic times.
What Cayman Brac needs is decent honest and some new young blood politicians to come out and run in the next general election. And I for one may just put my name on the ballot come next election. Put theinterest of the people of Cayman Brac and Little Cayman full steam ahead next time Julie instead of taking us back 20 years. We are already the underdogs when it comes to getting anything done on the Brac, but I end by asking this. Does the Brac need a 9 million dolaar hurricane shelter now comeon, what in the world obessed you to get that done. Unless the motive behind it is to name is with a big sign Julie’s house. And one other thing when and what are you cronies gonna stand up and nip this crime wave in the but, or is it that you elected cronies don’t give or even care to address this problem? When one tourist gets injured or killed in one of these robberies maybe then you cronies will act. I am ashamed of all politicians right now because all that is going on is name calling. Stop acting like a bunch of spoiled rude children and do the jobs these citizens of thes beloved Cayman Islands elected you all to do. That is my 3 cents worth, take it or leave it.
God bless the people of The Cayman Islands, worst times are ahead, save your money because many more will leave these beloved islands in the sun.
Julie use some that money to rebuild George Town Primary
Hwo about using some of it for the road works and build PROPER roads with sidewalks and bicycle paths.
This group of islands has the perfect place to reap the benefits of healthy living.
Build them and they WILL COME
This is a complete waste of money!!! Give me the 9 million and i would use it to help brackers who are in need of help with their houses and what not and after i know everyone is helped i would use the rest to help build the brac up. i would use it to build a small theatre for the youth or aracade so the rate of under age drinking will drop because the kids have nothing to do and in the end turn to drinking for fun which is something the island really doesnt need. This will be used as a hotel or some other use instead of its intended purpose for all the higher up people while the average bracka will be left out in the cold. Julie needs to think before she jumps and agrees and ask the people of the brac (her family as she calls us) for opinions because she is there for us to help make our intentions known and not just to do what ever she thinks. She needs to think about what the brac NEEDS not what SHE wants!! we cant even get a simple little burger king trailer like what they had all over Grand Cayman after Ivan in a flash or some fast food place on the brac but we can get this stupid unnecessary shelter. the brac will never prosper until these stupid unecessary decisions stop!!! as a bracka and future member of the community i stand in shame with this decision as yet again the brac gets something it doesnt need. Julie you want to help build us up listen to us before its too late and more stupid and unnecessary decisons such as this ruin the brac.
Well done!!
According to the Economics and Statistics Office (ESO) the estimatedresident population is broken down as follows: George Town: 23,001 West Bay: 16,305 Bodden Town: 13,844 North Side: 2,277 East End: 2,345 Cayman Brac & Little Cayman: 3,797
So the Brac with a population of around 3,797 who already have facilities, get dedicated facilities to house an additional 800 people (including very nice private quarters on first come first serve basis); and BT with a population of around 13,844 gets to use the same old, clearly inadequate Civic Centre (hope the roof don’t blow off again) and to share a church to shelter a further 500 people:
…seems logical to me (not).
Here’s a radical thought. What is the absolute "safest" place to be in the Cayman Islands in the event of a major catastrophe such as a hurricane / surge / flood??? I would imagine it is the center of the bluff in Cayman Brac. How many people migrated over to the Brac from Grand Cayman just before & after Hurricane Ivan? How long did many of them stay? How many have since built a second home / retirement home on the bluff? Perhaps the chosen location of this new shelter is for the ultimate protection of residents on all three islands.
Even more radical thought… It’s already called the Aston Rutty Center!
Your choice hurricane shelter or free houses for family and friends, what would you do with 9 milliondollars?
Are there any Cayman Brackers that want this? Was this a mandate from her people?
Good Lord woman, you are educated and knowledgeable, please get some common sense about you. Nobody wants this! Nobody needs this!
You already have two shelters up on the bluff that can more than accomodate everyone on the island if for some reason every house blew down and every person had to live in the shelters. Why do you need to build one with suites? This is not a hotel! People only want to be in a shelter until the hurricane passes. Not every house is going to blow down! Not everybody is going to need to live in the shelter after the storm! In fact if they want a hotel room there are a lot of empty ones at Alexander and Brac Reef. Rooms that you should be trying to fill with tourists to spend money on the Brac.
Enough nonsense now Julie, this is absolutely ridiculous and if you have these funds you should use it to bring investment to the Brac not to build the Taj Mahal of hurricane shelters.
Here’s a suggestion, if you can’t just hang on to the money for tough times, take the money and do a contest across the US to award free tickets on the empty Cayman Airways jet flights from Miami to get tourists on the island and in fact use it to give them fifty percent of their hotel as well. Can you imagine how much attention this would get and 9 million dollars worth of tourists and potential investors visiting Cayman Brac will be a hell of lot more benefit that building a luxury hurricane shelter that the Brac doesn’t need or want! Of course, that’s thinking outside the box and we know that will be laughed at! Ah well I could give a hundred more suggestions but does anyone think she would listen?
I agree, put some of those passengers on the empty flights to Grand Cayman too..Maybe a two or three island getaway package. Plan activities around investment opportunities. All thee islands are hurting and this would get people here who are just sitting on the fence about a vacation. I can’t imagine what the multiplier figure would be if we could get that many people on the island. Of course we should run this through the CITA and not have the Department of Tourism do it as that are sure to waste the money and we see waht value we get from them now.
It is a complete waste of money to build a $9m luxury monument on the Bluff when it does nothing to improve the economy of any of the three islands.
Then again what do I know, ask Julie she seems to have all the great solutions to kick start the Brac economy.
C’mon Julie, there must be something more needed by your constituants than a 5 star hurricane shelter.
Come clean, who did the land come from? Who designed it? Who is going to build it? Who will mantain and clean it?
After all of you world travels you don’t have any better ideas? At least the road is needed and will be used daily. Why not use the money as seed money to attract some new for of investment in Cayman Brac? Medical school or some other of type of offshore learning center? Build a building and move some of governments filling & clercial work to the Brac? Almost anything but this complete waste of money
Our remarks will just be fodder for some of her up coming speeches I’m sure. She’ll boast how a barefooted brown skin girl for Water Place stood up to everyone so that she could get them their new shelter. Remember it WILL accomplish what she wants it to. That would be for shelter for all of her family and her most faithful followers in the event of a major hurricane. But even more important it will guarantee her re election by all of her "what kin gornmet do fu me" rabid supporters. Of course if one considers the brain trust she surrounds herself these types of ideas should not be a surprise.
Just cant make sense of this. There are approx 1500 ppl in the Brac. This shelter along with existing shelters will be able to accommodate approx 1800 pppl. Are all the houses in the brac totally useless? None of them are able to withstand a hurricane? None? Not even all the new houses recently built on the Bluff? Really? Everyone must go to a shelter? What exactly is going on here?
As a Bracker and a woman I am quite embarrassed. The sad part is that Julie is very smart but surrounds herself with ignorant people hence the results we are getting. Also, very embarrassed about that "wha govt can do for me" mentality. All Brackers don’t feel that way. I have called a few people to task on that subject.
Sounds real nice for the Cayman Brackers. During Ivan at the East End Civic Centre the place was wall to wall people sleeping on the floor, no a/c because the generator was not heavy enough to run the place, one kitchen and two bathrooms. As for the Bodden Town Civic Centre, we all know what happened there but did they get a brand new one or repairs to the old one ? I too am a civil servant who took a pay cut and is living hand to mouth. Seems to me like this government spends, spends ,spends and we the little people suffer the consequences.
See – the problem with handouts in the Brac is that the other "I want one too because I can’t drive 5 miles" scrounger brigades start wanting stuff too.
Did this even go through the Central Tenders Committee as required by law?
Shame and disgrace on a Government who choses to start this project without finishing the schools and other vitally important projects.
CNS: The preliminary work has been done by PWD. The project has not gone to CTC yet.
I listened to Radio Cayman tonight to hear what they had to say about the Bracshelter and the protests on CNS. Not an effin thing. Did I miss it on another occasion? This is a huge issue in Cayman but our "national" (ie government) radio says nothing??? Of course the poor old presenters are all non Caymanian so they have to be very careful. Things are bad here these days. The Government needs to rethink that shelter as it will lose them the next election. Help me Mac. I supported you big time last election but not no more and especially not as long as you have Her Holiness dictating how money is spent on 1500 persons and of course on her and her bodyguard who I have personally seen carrying her things through security with none of the checks on other pasengers because she is the Deputy Premier.
That’s the reason why the Radio Cayman presenters are all non-Caymanian, SO THEY CAN CONTROL WHAT THEY SAY OR
‘GET DEPORTED’!
this IS not for a hurricane shelter this is for the Premier & Deputy Premier Retreat & their Guests in the Brac, if they have already stated 1st come 1st serve…. who do you really think is gonna occupy this place during a hurricane Brackas nah, who unna think, unna foolin, yes the Brac needs protection from any kind of threat that a hurricane may bring, but unfortunately those who need protection wont get it, at least not from this $Million$ dollar shelter. The majority of Cayman Brackers have stated that that money could to many other uses, therefore I suggest you intervene and TELL Ms Mac what & how you want this money spent after all it is yours not HERS!!!! We The People of the CAYMAN ISLANDS are all ONE!!! we have been trodden down too long XXXX and its time to clean house….
Let us bring harmony and peace to the relationship between GC and the Brac.
My proposal is simple: to show the co-operation the new Brac shelter can be built in Grand Cayman.
Easy.
No problem but put the blame where it belongs with Mac daddy. Brackers never asked for it but won’t say anything.
I have been a supporter of McKeeva because I believed he was serious about dealing with the foolishness of over the top spending as was demonstrated in the building of multiple schools at a time of economic uncertainty.
Now when the government is struggling with adding additional taxes and an oversized government with too many civil servants the decision is made to build a 9 million dollar facility on the Brac. Instead of using the money to finish the unfinished assets which are currently under construction the decision is made to start another white elephant after there was no loss of life with a major hurricane striking the Brac.
What insanity is this?
You have on the radio today the MLA representing the East End calling the recent storm wall project, "my wall". Who does he think he is? It is the people’s wall, are all politicians in this country ego maniacs? Which politician will claim the 9 million dollar project as their own?
Pride cometh before the fall.
You should have heard the East End Rep during the last campaign! With every project he talked about he said, "I did that, I did that! Who did that? A**** did that!" Ego maniacs is not the word!
15 new elected members of Parliament is what we need. The hell with UDP and PPM.
That is the nature of politics. No need to focus on the EE rep. Can you name me one politician who does not list what he/she considers his/her accomplishments during their term in office? Worse, must spend their time putting the other guy down.
Well thank God Julie is building a decent building for residents to shelter in during a hurricane. It is impossible to be comfortable during a hurricane if you are in the Ashton Rutty Center
It is really disheartening to see the relationship between the two islands….. Everytime the Government thinks about Cayman Brac everyone is ready to tear their heads off…
Who owns the land that the shelter is to be built on?
It could be that someday, you all will sing a different tone. A hurricane shelter for the Brac and also for the Cayman Islands is a necessity. When another Paloma comes, I want you all to be singing this same song. Wasn’t it during the PPM administration that Paloma hit the Brac real hard and many lost their homes. I don’t have nothing in favor for Julianna, but I sure can detect people on CNS talking nonsense. You would diss the construction of a hurricane shelter that would save lives???!!! I also detect alot of partisan crap on this site! Party politics, UDP/PPM has somehow made us not see the issues without asking which side they came from! Blind bates you all are! A total shame and reason why I am proud to be Independent!
Everyone know whats going here and those who had any dealings with this politician knows the deal. Are you honestly surprise about the grandoise and extravagant and outrageous spending? Our money is being mispent as usual no surprise here either. When this government changed and you saw the installation of ignorant and uneducated cronies and loyal stooges and yes people who sought only power and position and pay scales and named parking lot spots at Glasshouse. Who see government service not a privilage but a right to empire build and settle old scores against others. What ashame Cayman back down the same old road to political Mayhem and government debt. What a shame Cayman no future for our children.
CNS, could you do a FOI to find out who owns the land, or owned it before Government bought it, where the Hurricane shelter is being built.
I think we will all be shocked – NO we won’t as this happens with UDP all the time!
CNS: Broke, you can do the FOI yourself – it is not just a tool for the media; it is for everyone. Read this.
Does it have a special wing to cater for Klingon warriors? That might explain how much it is going to cost.
This money should have been used for schools that would be used almost daily (and could also serve as shelters) rather than a building that will primarily collect dust and require maintenance.
Bad decision especially after declaring that we are "broke".
Another day in Absurdistan.
The old stalwart politicians that built this country that allows us to have what we have today, MUST be rolling over in their graves. People like Ducan Merren, Willy Farrington, Roy McTaggart, Warren Connolly, Craddock Ebanks, Keith Tibbetts (and many others) all would be disgusted at what has transpired in this country over the past 12-18 years. They worked for the good of country and got paid nothing. In recent times, it is work that the elected do for their own gain.
How can this, or any government for that matter ask their employees to take a pay cut yet announce plans to build a $9 million shelter of opulent proportion for under 1500 residents. Now I am by NO means saying that the Brac and its residents are not deserving of a proper hurricane shelter- but is $9 million justifiable??
This is absolute madness!! why doesn’t she do something like give it to Cayman Airways to subsidize the Brac "money losing" jet flights.
The people of Cayman Brac want better airline service or actually what they really want is jet service. They feel that the are lesser class citizens because they have to fly on propeller type planes which are best suited financially for the country. Look at the many Bahamian islands that are far greater in population and operate with even smaller aircraft in certain instances. This is ridiculous for an island of its size and population. If it was such a hot place to go don’t you think some of the big boys like American or Delta wouldn’t have already started flying there yet they expect our struggling airline to do so. Carve out some type of niche that you can promote to tourists and will sell. Going to look at boobies and smelling a stink swamp is certainly not my type of island in the Caribbean vacation. Do like Grand Cayman is doing and promote staycations and try to get some of the local residents tocome over for the week end and for crying out loud find something for them to do while they are there. Bussy’s and Coral Isle are great but then again how much can one drink.
$9m could build a new school that could double as a hurricane shelter, upgrade the airport to accommodate better air service if that is what they want or pay for the new roads they are building now. In fact it could possibly pay for all three if not squandered on lavish buildings like the PPM did. Building that amount of road when we have no money to do so is also ridiculous particularly when I was just over there I could drive for miles without even passing another car. Better yet save the money for a rainy day or to help people if "lord forbid" we have another hurricane that destroys us.
UDP, I voted for you but I have to tell you as of late some of the decisions you are making boggles my mind and frustrates me. I expected better. It’s time to stop politics as usual. Julie you can still get elected without building monuments to yourself. Look at where Alden and Arden are now and that should tell you that buildings and roads don’t get you elected.
Hate to say it but PPM are starting to smell like roses compared to what the UDP is doing now and I thought they were so stink in "do do" that they would never have any credibility ever again. Come on guys, get your head on straight and think productively and not politically. People are getting fed up with the "same old" crap.
to the previous posters comment that roads and buildings – they might not get u elected in GC – but this is CB! Does she get everything she wants because He is afraid of her, is she the only one he cant intimidate or wa? She going be his undoing after all.
LOL! Sure! So will John to Truman and Alden to Kurt!!!
Decent post, but terrible decision making by you at the polls last year.
Pssst. Arden and Alden were re-elected. In fact the entire Cabinet save for Chuckie was re-elected.
And that was because he worked for the entire country-not enough for Bodden Town. Serious lessons to be learned. Julianna will be re-elected and Mose too, if he does not come out agnaist this. Come to think of it… was this a PPM initiative?
We must become a more national country (I know we are not a nation as those who want to keep us quiet point out) where we understand that if we take on $9 million debt forthe Brac we are all going to pay for it.
This selfishness must stop. Oh, what am I saying…
I note a few comments that mention this being a "senseless waste of the people’s money" – am I missing something? "The people" have no money…..having just had a look at the Economics and Statistics site – published for all to see it is worth noting that at the end of 2007 we had a deficit of 39.1 million and 6 months ago at the end of 2009 the deficit was 149.3 million……I cannot recall how much we’ve added to that deficit in the past 6 months but am certain it is not a pretty picture.
It really is obvious that the lunatics have finally taken over the asylum – I think it’s a crying shame and absolutely heartbreaking to see us all raping this country – it’s time we acted responsibly and did the right thing – it is no longer ok to have everything we want when we want it and perhaps we could all do with a read of the biblical story of the famine as told in Genesis 41 – we need a government whose concern is for the people as a whole and not on an individual level – we also need a government who know how to save for a rainy day – sadly the rainy day has come and we have all been caught in the rain without a roof over our heads.
I am considered a first generation Caymanian so some may say my thoughts do not count however I have spoken with Caymanians who are as indigenous as they come, some of whom are looking for alternative retirement destinations – if we can’t keep our own people on these shores how are we to attract others?
Shame on us all.
Time for a rollover in the legislature.
Julie and UDP need to retire and let people with real ideas move this country forward.
Julie stop wasting time calling in to talk shows about whether or not you supported a wall in East End and PLEASE kill this project and put this money on something more useful
People, please tell Julie how stupid of an idea this is. If she doesn’t agree, she must GO!
UDP think they are on an immovable podeum. Small axe, big tree!
Ms. O’Connor-Connolly, If a hurricane should hit Grand Cayman or Cayman Brac, will this shelter in Cayman Brac, be accomodating Government dignitaries and their rich friends or will the common man be allowed to shelter there? Also, What other use will this building serve the people of Cayman Brac? Why not put that money towards finishing the high schools in Cayman, where it is really needed? Why are YOU falling for everything McKeeva and standing up for nothing McKeeva?
what does PPM say about this?
To the post BORN FREE. If you were up to date on da Brac news you would know that the Deputy Premiers stays at her own house when she is in da Brac. Her stay at da hotel in da Brac (which by the way costs no more than the other hotel on da Brac) was while her personal house was being repaired after Hurricane Paloma. Yes – it took that long for her to get her house rebuilt because she had alot of damage and also had to wait her turn to get a builder to do the work.
Stop spreading lies. You know good and well that her damange was minor. Not to forget that her other family members have been able to live in the house all along.
Yes you have got to be a family member! You can’t protect her for long! She has to answer to GOD one day! The Deputy Premier’s house has been repaired long time. and up until June there has been viewings of Julie staying at the hotels on the Brac. Living this high class life. Spending all governments money and they are claiming they broke. This month my salary will be cut by an amount that i can’t even save monthly. I have a half a loaf of bread and two cans of tuna in my house hold today. I am sooo upset about all this unneccessary spending. Those shelters that Julie is building on the bluff are like private quarters – each room has their own bathroom. Which shelter is built like that? You tell me – does this sound like this is for the common man? WAKE UP BRACKERS-don’t make them get away with this one. Don’t make her fool you by hiding behind the church. VOTE HER OUT!
Maybe she’s staying at the hotel to get some rest because she’s too scared of you all to risk sleeping at home. that’s how politicians think, always of their safety before thinking about how you feel or , how you see them.
Yeah right!!!!! We believe you Anon 08:32. Yeah Right! BTW, how’s aunty julie doing?
Well, let’s see if the PPM objects to this project in support of finishing one school with this $9 million, or, if they will be too afraid of the Brackers to object. Let’s see if the socalled statesmen show up now. We need 15 new members in Parliament.
poor Cayman Islands Government they come in like a money pinata UDP croonies beating if for money.. i bet who ever will get the contract has never seen 9 Mill in their life i feel this is a way to give one of their supporters a hunk load of money
what they need to do is build a school for the george town primary students
George Town, the Capital of the Cayman Islands, sad to say but we have no one elected with one ball to stand up for for the people, much less two !
George town Primary School came from very humble and beggarly beginning. It became the creme of the crop. It rose from "the gutter to the sky" during the mid nineties with, Ms.Marie. Martin, the best School Principal in the world, and her staff , second to none. They did "Sir" those primary school students and the community " with Love" along with Ms. Florence Goring Nozza as Chairman of the George Town, PTA, The school was considered a school for the poor, and needy. With Miss Marie Martin, and her very equipped staff and a good PTA President, and Karen Smalldon , best PTA and vocal secretary in the world, government had to deliver ! they all liased with the Minister for Education, former Leader of govt. Business, Mr Truman Bodden, and Ms. Lucile Seymore, of Education Dept.. The accomplishsments were phenominal ! They built the Annex for those kids to enjoy, and provided everything that these group of agressive women requested for those children. George Town Primary school made History. The whole Island was impressed with the change that had taken place!
George Town Primary had been scorned and branded hopeless, but when this brilliant group of women came on the scene, even the caliber of students changed. Instead of being the poor people school only, Suddenly, there were doctors, lawyers, nurses, professionals corporate executives who wanted to put their children’s name on the list to get enrolled at George Town Primary, because the School had been reformed and they offered the best service and academic achievement teaching and coaching known to the Cayman Islands.! George Town Primar produced some brilliant students to be reckoned with.
Now, why is it that none of these elected parties can rebuild this school and bring it back to its original construction and condition? Wy can’t Ms. Juliana Occonnor Conolly, a ‘FORMER TEACHER ! find it in her heart to allocate some of the 9 million dollars to rebuild George Town Primary School,Why can’t you Julie?
It’s pure worthlessness on the part of any government to allow this to happen.
Rolston, I’m watching you. You must do better and stop complaining. Shut your mouth and get to work.
Elio and Mike and kurt and Alden it’s your duty to fight for George Town Primary to have it rebuilt. If you can’t advocate to rebuild an education facility, you’re not capable of anything else. IN 2013 we will remember what you DID NOT DO!
Elio, you should be ashamed of yourself, you grew up in that neighborhood, and Mike Adam, you too a George Towner, and Kurt Tibitts, what are yu all good for? please tell us.
Often I wonder what the difference in philosophy really is between the UDP & the PPM.
It seems the political parties in Cayman are personality driven rather than ideology driven.
In the political party system throughout the world ideology defines the party.
Both parties seem to have an overwhelming desire to build monuments to their greatness.
Please resign Ms Julie. This project is a waste, don’t you see that even if it provides some jobs during construction when complete to only jobs will be for caretakers, cleaners etc? Please use the money to attract some other type of businesses to the Brac.
We don’t hate you but the truth is you have been a MLA for many years and you obiviously don’t know how to change the Brac to provide meaningful jobs to us young people. If you did we so many of us would not have had to move to Grand Cayman to find work. We are so tired of hearing you stories about being a barefoot girl from Watering Place. Most of us had obstacles to over come in our lives. Good for you that you did but thats not really helping Cayman Brac is it?
I know that with your large family you will always get re-elected so please give us a chance at a future in Cayman Brac by retiring.
True at least Mr Moses got UCCI to start in Cayman Brac. Then Ms Julie moved it so now it far out of the way. I hear her new road is cracking up already too. She got to go.
Speaking about the roads….they bought a 1.5 million dollar hot mix plant and brought up NRA to fix the road. We thought we would have smooth roads like grand cayman. Yet, our roads still have dips and valleys and water still settles in the road. After spending all that money to upgrade our roads they didnt even get an automatic paver like grand cayman to perfect the roads, its being done manually. Its just cheap to take away the roads and the cars and bring back donkeys because we still going up and down. XXXXXX
Did all those UDP men really agree to this! This is not a shelter this is a hotel. In a time of emergency people should not expect to have semi-private rooms and baths. The money should be going to something that is truly needed – and there is so much NEED here now. SENSELESS. You got my last X!. What is going to be happening at this shelter all year round? At least Alden was building something that would be used daily and something that was needed – and in case of a hurricane his plan was for the schools to be shelters. This is shocking behaviour at anytime but especially at a time when we have to take pay cuts and suffer other losses. NO more x for you your highness,
Did some of the Brackers feel too hot or too cold in the hall during Paloma? Bless them. Yes, all basic emergency government shelters need private rooms with variable AC so that every little Bracker can get exactly the temperature they want.
Just built and emergency shelter not a hotel.
If they want a $9m shelter they can start paying the same import duties and vehicles duties as everyone else.
UGH!
AGAIN, Insensitive initiative and senseless project. What a waste of people’s money!
Sometimes we need to use our small brain, come on, we are in a recession! Cayman dont need this!!!!
Brain Brain Brain, where is the brain!!!! Can i buy you one?
Well sah, the Government is borrowing $155M just to get thru the year and Julie’s brilliant contributions to our economic survival and recovery are:
1. I need a brand new asphalt plant for Cayman Brac so I can start paving the roads from Spot Bay come down to West End;
2. I need $9M so I can build a shelter so that I can shelter everyone in Cayman Brac and my friends from Grand Cayman too;
3. And of course, since the 6 Nov. 2009, my hand aint supposed to touch steering wheeel againnnn!!!
Dah wah we get!!!!!!!!!!!!
This has all the makings of a great April fools day story ! Please run it again for us then 🙂
"The one thing we learned in Paloma is that we need better AC " nuf said !
Well there goes the dormant accounts money in one hand and out to the Brac in the next hand Awesome financial plan and those of you who think residents of the Brac are going to oppose this I suggest you must not hold your breath. This is a virtual life line for Cayman Brac and those who try to stop or obstruct will feel the wrath of Brac business Mafiya, slow agonising demonisation. You have been warn all you desenters and detractors tread carefully.
I have been shaking my head… but it occurred to me…
Is this a project planned under the PPM Govt. when it was in power and so Mac. and his sister are using the opportunity to rub our faces in it?
Nope… this was on Julie’s platform during her election campaign. Of course, she didn’t say it would be a hotel for her family/friends.
Can someone tell me who paid for the first class seats on Cayman airways that our Deputy Premier and her Bodyguard/ Chauffer to and from Tampa on a recent long weekend and who paid for the hire car & accomodation?
The same people that have been paying for the Attorney General’s over the last couple of years.
SHE DID.
She being a past director of CAL she may be able to fly free
When is this "free seats on Cayman Airways for all directors and past directors" going to stop? This is absolutely ridiculous, particularly in these times and when staff have been asked to take a pay cut. I did not know this was happening until yesterday and it needs to stop IMMEDIATELY.
I know you are wrong. There is no way she would be paying the wages of her Bodyguard who was obviously on overtime!
The question was not who paid her bodyguard’s wages but who paid for the airline ticket and the meals and accommodation …………… and the answer was ………………. SHE DID. No one asked who paid her bodyguards wages.
Ah typical political answer or non answer Only address the parts that make you look good. However I still do not beleive what you say.
This is simply disgraceful and reckless. I am calling on ALL Caymanians, including sensible and likeminded Brackers, to come together as one body with one voice and demand that this project be stopped. In these extremely hard financial times when Civil Servant’s salaries ae being reduced by a whopping 3.2 percent and every imaginable "fee" is being created to raise revenue it is unimaginable that the so called goverment of the day would even consider this or any other new project they could pull from their wish list. Shame on you UDP.
Ok so wait a minute now. The country is broke and has no money to finish schools in grand cayman that have been started and are desperately needed, but we have 9million dollars to build a shelter on the Brac for 1500 hundred people just in case it may be needed. Is it now guaranteed that the Brac will be hit by Hurricanes every year? I didn’t get that memo. Am I missing something here? Schools desperately needed vs shelter that might be needed? I just don’t get it. Is this really the Better Way Forward? HELP!
what a bunch of idiots.. 9 million?? i mean 9 MILLION??????
for 500+ years people have survived elements etc. now a massive world wide resession is on us and we go begging AGAIN cap in hand to our beloved uk and AGAIN they bail us out. and they go and spend spend spend????? 9 MILLION
beam me up scottie.
Has a UDP Government project ever been completed under budget?
If $9M is budgeted and only $7M or $8M is used on this project does the remainder go into the Premier’s slush fund?
The Seamen rebuilt their shelter for $500,000. Go figure.
I just got a pay cut along with all these other fee increases and BIG MAC and his dumb cronies are wasting this amount of money in these hard times!did that moron say a three year plan?England please take us out of this misery,I give up.
Is this building the reason for all of the tax increases and pay cuts? I don’t think that any country has had so many fees/taxes increased all at once. Is this one "shelter" really reason to ruin a country’s economy?
How many other hurricane shelters in the world have private rooms?
Who decides who get to use the private rooms? Will this be like the water tanks, driveways or washing machines at election time?
Who get the contract to build it? Will it be the same person who drew the plans up? Who just happens to be the only builder in Cayman Brac able to cast cement walls?
Can you imagine how large the sign will be on this complex announcing who opened it?
Ms O’Conner Connolly is fantastic at 2 things:
Getting reelected
Useless projects
I cannot believe that the brac is getting such a unnecessary shelter, for the goverment tobuild such a shelter when there is so many shelters on the brac already. why is it that this money is not used to finish the schools here, that is needed, The goverment says the the country is broke, projects are started in cayman that is needed`soon, and this shelter is not needed. Now is it fair that cayman get such a unwanted/needed project now.i am wodering if the whole UDP is not planning to move there. maybe that is why the two last increase fees the udp put in place did not effect the brac. where are the goverment priorities, a bunch of DUDAS
Vote buying Love.
We Brachas nah foo foo, $9 Million divided 1500 wah better value than a fridge, washing machine or dryer. We nah settle for less!
But lot a surprise come 2013, after we got we shelter.
Blessed.
Ok, so what will this building be used for throughout the year? Sitting down waiting for a hurricane? Why not use this money to build a new school on the bluff, whether primary, secondary or an all-through school? Or perhaps, move District Administration there? So it will serve the purpose of a shelter if and when it becomes necessary, but will not be wasted throughout the year. I hope someone will sit down and re-think this proposal? You can’t be blaming one party for spending foolishly then turn around and do exactly the same or even worse. Come on!
80 suites oh yeah I think i want mine furnished by Ethan Allen and could you throw in a Picasso. This is going to be an exquisite centre of opulence for da UDP and oh what a stimulus package for the Brac and who’s land is this fine building is going to be situated on. This will make Alden look like a Choir boy because cost over runs and enhancements are going to take this over 15-17million. With this completed and the nepotism & cronism contracts there is going to be more millionaires on the Brac per capita than in India. Someone is looking for politician for life status and a Political dynasty on the Brac. We need to put the order in now for the Gold and bronze statue of the grand minister for outside the facility we don’t want it to be late for the grand opening now. I going to head over to the Brac to see if i can get my piece of this pie. Dont forget the monorail from Airport and pop a top park now only the best 4 de Brac. Tek dat you ungrateful Grand Caymanians Civil servants need to suck it up and we did forget the PPM we designed 4 special rooms 4 de leader of the opposition and his entourage sound proof and two way mirror and cement bunks and chairs just the way they like them COLD and Hard a communal shower and box TV with VHS tapes all vintage stuff just the way they think Old fashion.
So the Government is planning to spend $9M on a shelter, which by the accounts from the Brac is not really needed at this time, instead of putting it towards the completion of the John Gray & Clifton Hunter centres (high school + adult education + community sports + storm shelter). Facilities which will be used almost every day of every year plus most evenings & weekends. Where is the sense in this?
If the Brac residents do not agree then I hope they will literally stand in the way and let the Government know their wishes.
What will be needed in due course is a similar type of multi-use centre, as has been started on Grand Cayman, built on the bluff to replace the existing old school, etc. Do not do it piece meal with no overall plan for the future. We have had too many of these types of projects in the past.
So will Moses have to complete this project just like the playfield on the bluff
well the playfield isn’t even finished……..i’m from the Brac and I really think Gov’t need to make better use of funds, kids education is much more important so they should try finish the school projects in Cayman first.
Finally Julianna opens her mouth, and what does she do? She vomits all over the people of Cayman and tries to convince us it is "ah-monds blowin outa deh tree"!! What idiocy!! I cant bash the Brac because it is part of Cayman, but I have 2 things to say:
1. 36,111 square feet divided by 800 people??? That is 45 sq. ft. per person in an emergency shelter that sounds like it is going to be built out of marble with a cost like $9 million.
2. I wont go into the private rooms, but I would ask what Mac and Julie think is going to happen to those air conditioning units when the hurricane blows through???
What a joke you people are! I cannot imagine the gaul that it must take for you to go out in public and face the people of this country after the disaster that you are creating!!! I hope I live to see you fall from grace!!!
It is too unbelieve that a minister, the deputy premier, at a time like this (in case anyone has forgotten – people are losing their jobs or having their pay reduced while their living expenses are increasing because of higher government fees) could have the audacity to utter the words “One of the lessons of Paloma was that there were too many needs for one hall,” O’Connor Connolly said, noting that the rooms will have individual temperature control. She said that during Hurricane Paloma, some people were too hot and some were too cold". Does she even realize what world we are living in? Is this supposed to be a temporary shelter or the Ritz Carlton?
There could be no conceivable purpose to committing to this kind of unnecessary expenditure except to get a few more votes to the detriment of the entire country. When are WE going to say "enough is enough"!
So sad that after all of these years she’s still clueless about how to move Cayman Brac forward.
And…………..where is the money going to be coming from?
We don’t have any money remember!
Astun Rutty is big enough to deal with the population!!!
This is total madness, another waste of public funds. Why don’t they just relocate the 1000 plus folks to this island and stop wasting public funds. They don’t want to contribute a dime towards the financial situation, but want everything in that is done here, from direct air service to asphalt plant, now for God sake a 9 million hurricane shelter (better than any shelter on Grand Cayman) What a mess!
Aw boi. Some people in this world are so quick to run their mouths and don’t even once think before they speak. I see all kinds of people trash talking Cayman Brac and for what? What did the Brac do to Grand Cayman? I remember Cayman Brac and Little Cayman as being the red headed step child of Grand Cayman. Sure I may not agree 100% with the building and I believe I can say there are others here on the Brac may even say the same thing. But however inspite of what is taking place or about to take place why is it that Cayman Brac needs to be ran down and slandered?
I remember Hurricane Ivan! Yea! Do you? Do you remember when it was Cayman Brac that opened up for those needing refuge? Well I do because I was here and not only did we provide refuge but we also provided everything else and what did we get, well I’ll tell you. We got nothing but trouble. Our places were broken into, our people were being over taken by rude youths that made nothing but trouble, and we never even got a public Thanks. But you know what… if the was another event like Ivan in Grand Cayman we would do the same thing. Why? Because we are BRACKERS and thats what BRACKERS do.
You talk about Cayman Brac and how we Brackers should come there! Ha! Why in the world would we want to come there? We don’t have crime like you! We don’t have our children and youth being shot! We don’t have guys driving a truck into our stores! We don’t have rude and bad minded people! Our kids have the frredom to play without worries. Tell me when was the last time someone waved hello to you when passing in a car? I am sure, if ever, its been a long time. Here on Cayman Brac I don’t care how many time you pass the same car, you can expect a wave hello! Why!?! Because we have heart and we have respect. You say we should come there… God help us if that becomes a reality.
I will end this comment saying that we are NOT second class citizens, we deserve just as much as the people of Grand Cayman. Yes we may not be able to contribute millions to the govt coffers but you know what … we do our best because we are BRACKERS and PTL that we are!!!! Please stop running us down and treating us like "bastard children".
Can $2m of this come from the money set aside for "nation building"?
The worst thing about pandering even more to Cayman’s most spoilt voters is that it will fire up demands for money to be spent in Bodden Town, East End and North Side (the nothing in, everything out brigade).
I love it when a major development is proposed for GT and someone comes online and screams "but what about Bodden Town". Listen up everyone, this is all just one place – stop being so comically myopic.
This is one time i wish i wasnt a Cayman Brac sojer fat eater!
There was a time when Jim and Haig Bodden and the Unity Team were riding so high that they looked like they were elected for life. Then Jim got the idea – among others – of selling Cayman Status to his Texas buddies. Then he ordered Cayman Airways to turn around and come back to Cayman to pick up Governor John Connolly of Texas who was his guest. Then as the election drew near, they thought they were very smart and hired the late Desmond Seales to organise a TV broadcast to the nation by the only means possible at that time, the big 12 foot dishes. It was a disaster. Jim, Haig Truman and John looked like country bumkins.They lost the election. Their arrogance and contempt for ordinary Caymanians screwed them.
I say this because Caymanians are slow to piss off but determined when they have made up their minds. Mac got in in 2009 and had a lot of goodwill behind him (apart from CNS bloggers). He is doing -like Jim – a magnificent job of throwing it all away. After this Brac disgrace, I will never support him or his cronies again.
As a protest, as a storm approaches, let us all in Grand Cayman get our you know whats across there to take up our taxpayer provided spots in this ridiculously overprovided building that we in Grand Cayman payed for because we all know they can’t pay for Jack – s— over there.
As Peter Finch said in the Movie Network… "I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore."
These "so-called" leaders have totally lost any SENSE of reality, ethics, or shame (they actually had very little of these attributes; they have now lost any SENSE of them).
Can you imagine the audacity it takes for them to even PROPOSE such a waste of money? $9 million could be used so much better to stimulate the Brac economy! We must determine why this is being done? There must be some answer, illogical, illegal or not, but a $9 million hurricane shelter is not logical for 800 people. Please see that this equates to an expenditure of $11,000 for ever person that MAY or MAY NEVER use this facility. This is ridiculous; and this is coming from a Bracker.
Juliana (and Mose too if you support this or say nothing against it) you are giving Brackers a terrible name. We used to have a good reputation.
I have to wonder if the deputy premier has plans to use this new shelter as a replacement for the EXPENSIVE hotel she stays in when she visits the Brac (where she already has a house)? 80 rooms should be enough for her, her bodyguard & chauffeur. It may cut the unnecessary extra costs of staying at an expensive hotel, but I do believe that $9 million is a little too much for a mansion for her & her entourage. What are they thinking? Isn’t our country broke, or was that a lie all along?
Hey Mr Norman Bodden and especially Mr. Dick Arch who proclaimed from the UDP platform that after xx # of years he felt compelled to come out of political retirement because he didnt like the direction the country was going with the leadership we had. Mr. Dick said we needed the leadership of Mckeeva Bush and went on to say that we needed Cline, Eugene, Rolston, Mike, Elio, Mark, Dwayne John John and Juliana to be elected with McKeeva for A Better Way Forward. Yes he called everyone by name. Mr. Norman tried to imply that he was there to support Mike Adam, sorry Mr. Norman, but when you go on a UDP Platform you support the whole party. Now I would like to know if Mr. Norman and Mr. Dick could tell the country if this is The Better Way Forward and if they are happy with the direction that the country is going now because for sure we are going in a very DIFFERENT direction under the leadership of McKeeva Bush. Question is, Is it a Better direction. Sure doesn’t look like it.
Yes Mr. Norman Bodden and Mr. Dick Arch……I could not figure out what da frig unna was doing on that UDP platform….thought I was missing something why I was so hell bent supporting the PPM while you great respected GT gentlemen were hot stepping with the UDP. But no sir, time has proven I was right all along, there was nothing then to convince me to support the UDP and there is nothing now either! But there was much then and there is even more now to convince me NOT to support the UDP. I sure hope unna happy now!
The PPM were roundly criticized by the UDP (and rightly so) for spending too much… to build too much… at a time when the economy was down.
And now the UDP has announced plans to do the same thing.
XXXXXX
Is there an honest politician in the Cayman Islands? If so, please stand up and be counted! Your country needs you!
Wait a minute! Is this the same Government that said PPM spend to much money? Shame on them, but at least the PPM spent money on necessary projects, even though some of the projects could have been put on hold, but this is down right unnecessary spending, 9 Million Dollars, why didn’t they put that in to some of the unfinished projects, such as the School in Frank Sound or even the John Grey High School, which definitely needs to be continued and completed for that matter. All this Government did since being elected is as follows.
Increase duties
Increase the Permit fees
Increased the Gas Price
Take away the 3.2% from the Civil Servants
And much more increase since the last week, putting more pressure on small businesses.
Removed the discount of 20% from C.U.C, which was benefiting the consumers.
And once again, increase the height of buildings from 7 stories to 10 to please the leader (Premier) and his selected few.
And then the leader also been attacking the FOI, the media and the people of Cayman for posting comments, and on top of all this, he even wants to put a dock in the East End district and dredge up the North Sound to 20 feet in order to house mega yachts, and then at same time traveling all over the Globe and spending the peoples money on his personal needs.
This Government made life harder for the people of Cayman in a time of recession, this is the most reckless Government I ever known, who only cares about themselves, but not about the people who elected them, only a selected few. And continues to be dangerous with this very unnecessary project at this time with a cost of 9 Million Dollars.
Can Someone please launch a Referendum of no Confidence for this Government, it’s time for them to go!!! Not 2013! That’s to long of a wait.
I am tired of saying it but "I TOLD YOU SO"!
We were fooled into voting for this bunch XXXX with lies & false promises! Since the elections over a year ago the government has been telling us (& shouting it loud enough & often enough that the whole world heard) that Cayman is bankrupt. If our country was bankrupt then the UDP government would be governing as though we are bankrupt, but despite their claims of bankrupcy all we have seen them do so far is to spend irresponsibly & selfishly, with the premier & his deputy living like queens, wasting our money on unnecessary self gratification (we are even paying his personal bills). Now we hear about $9 million on a shelter on the Brac. Didn’t the Brac just reopen a damaged shelter? At a time when the premier claims that we are bankrupt is it really necessary to spend $9 million on a shelter? I am tired of saying but "THEY HAVE TO GO"!
This is why civil servants salaries were cut – to pay for an expensive hurricane shelter/recreational facility in Cayman Brac.
Ju JU you shud try an take some a dat $9mil and pay them shelta wardens in the brac, dey always whining and complaining say they neva even get a thank you letter much less a lil government cheque from working in paloma, well a guess they na family tho, poor things.
Thank God 9 million is being put in a Hurricane Shelter to protect residence in the Brac who have lost their homes in Paloma when the PPM had put over 20 million on schools in Grand Cayman and were the last ones in before we went into debt!
Thank you, Lord I am an Independent and see the foolish party-politics between the Bush, UDP, and Kurt supporters.
Alternative Solution…. why don’t the government, much like some of the larger employers on the island, arrange for them to be evacuated in the event of major storm? By my calculations you can land a 737 on 1500m of runway (the Brac has 1800m) with a seating capacity of approximately 150 per plane, by my mathematics that would require 10 planes for a total evacuation. Approximate cost I’d imagine would be around $50,000 per plane on short notice… that’s $½m. This could be set aside in an interest bearing account for the Brac. There you go – I’ve just saved you another $8.5m in addition to my other suggestions that relate to the privatization of Cayman Airways ($20m saving on an annual basis) and $6m by closing the turtle farm. That’s $34.m I’ve saved you right there this year alone! Now where’s my 10% commission?
Paloma should serve as a reminder that the shelter is not needed!
How come Grand Cayman didn’t build a huge shelter after Ivan?
That’s right, PPM didn’t waste money because they saw that facilities were adequate!
UDP has outspent the PPM by far and has only hidden them better.
XXXX
and this is really necessary in this kind of "hard times" talk about PPM wasted money?!!?!?!
why is this so costly for such a small island!
While I am all for doing good things for the Brac, on this issue I must side with all those in Grand Cayman who are offended by this extravagance; one that all Caymanians are paying for.
It is my understanding that government intends to build a new high school on the Bluff, no? If so, I must agree with a previous respondent: Why not build the new school to maximum hurricane standards so it can also double as a hurricane shelter?
We are in debt! (Aren’t we?) Certainly there must be more prudent ways to spend this precious (borrowed) $9 million. Government is increasing fees and everyone is suffering. Yet instead of headlines proclaiming a prudent way forward through the current economic crisis, I see this! I simply cannot believe it!
Please be aware that Brackers are not a foolish people. Sure if this thing is actually built you can bet I am gonna be pushing my way up front to be first in line for a comfy private room before the warning flags go up. But the truth is that Cayman Brac does not need a shelter of this extravagance. Regardless of what they might be saying personally to you Ms. Juliana and Mr. Mac, I have yet to run across one single Cayman Bracker who actually agrees that this project is a wise way to spend money, especially in this difficult economic period. Most Brackers are either seriously opposed to the project, shaking their head, or making fun of it. This may well be the big "UDP Mistake Break" Moses K and the PPM have been waiting for. I see very little potential for this project to improve the everyday life of the average Bracker. Such carefree spending might actually hurt the island in the long run as it could divert funds from more needful projects. And it seems to be the source of much negative feelings among Grand Caymanians. With all the priority needs the island has right now, a project like this is not what Brackers were expecting. (Did I just hear someone say "Better airplane service"?
Another question comes to mind: How will it be decided who gets a space in Julie’s "House of Many Mansions"? "First come, first served’, you say? Well then, when the winds starts to rustle the leaves in mi yard I gonna be lining up wid mi toot-brush in mi hand, waiting for a private room!
(Ms. Julie, do not take offense because I truly love ya like rice and peas on a Sunday, but this project is wayyyyy over the top.)
Oh, before I forget: Hmmm? Iunderstand from the article that this shelter thing is to be completed in several phases over several years. This is beginning to sound eerily familiar. Uhhh….What’s happening with the playing field on the Bluff? (Just checking.)
Caymanians aren’t paying for it. That’s part of the problem.
http://centos6-httpd22-php56-mysql55.installer.magneticone.com/o_belozerov/31115drupal622/viewpoint/2010/07/19/real-never-never-land
All the hotel owners on the Brac should shut down now as a protest to Julie taking away their business.
$9 million Dollars… so this is where my pay cut is going? I’m heading for a lawyer right away.
How can they cut my salary to do an non-essential building?
Nevermind… my lawyer will investigate this and hopefully shame Government to do the right thing!
Stop this stupidness!
My friend, you will be dead, and your bones turned to dust before Mac and Juliana EVER feel shame about anything they have done….
Deputy Premier Julianna O’Connor Connolly is taken on a 9 million dollar project on the bluff to build a shelter when she can’t even finish the 1.5 million dollar project (football field) she started years ago. The youths playing on this field had to use a portable toilet for years while practicing football every evening. She just the other day built a temporary wooden toilet area for the field. This field is also referred to as the Sports Complex – HELLO, a Sports Complex is made up of different sports in one area where youths can play football, basket ball, volleyball, track etc. This is just a football field unfinished no proper facilities, no track, no lights. This shelter is being built in the same place this field is located. On the same land she bought from her uncle which she sold to government XXXX! And to top it all off her residence is located just across the road. STEEL DONKEY is one step ahead. Keep informed Brackers wake up and smell the coffee!
CNS: Steel Donkey, use FOI to check the info deleted here. Perhaps send it to the DA ministry. They should have the records.
I can not understand what all the babbling is about.
It is obvious that the UDP will soon have to leave West Bay and head for greener pastures. Is;nt anyone noticing that the criminals are fast taking charge of West Bay.
So! like many sects in the world, they have to prepare their communities. 80 rooms in a fortified building said to be purpose built to withstand hurricanes sound like a cult shelter to me.
So soon the poor Brackers will all have to leave to make way for Aunt Julie and Big Mack who will house their followers under one roof.
Holy Cr@p!!! You are SOOO CORRECT!!!
Ooohhh my Gawd…. People we can’t let these people take our country and use us as the Economic Rats that they see us as.
LETS GET UP AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT ALL THIS MADNESS!!!
Sooooo IRON CLAD.
Really and truly … I can’t take much more a’ dis country.
There is no end to this madness … what next?
Paloma Punished Many(PPM) innocent and poor people in Cayman Brac,some jokers on here that keep running their mouths have no clue or can’t remember the devastation from Paloma…….good job UDP,"Better Way Forward"…….. they just to slow to understand or vision real progress!!!!
Oh please. Be honest this is why the civil service had to take a pay cut. To pay for this type of nonsense and all of the UDPs other extravagant waste. Maybe the UDP slogan should be "Even better at wasting money"
Hey not washing the Benz today I guess.
Are saying that the current crisis was caused by Paloma and not the PPM? If so I would say that the Unimaginative Dictatorial Phonies are more devastating than Paloma or even Ivan.
Another 3 years of this and all of the problems will be solved because eveyone will have left, locals and non locals alike
Yeah well maybe you’re TOO slow to understand how to write!!!
Paloma punished many, what the hell are you talking about, paloma versus Ivan, so what, did cayman get a 9 million shelter? no, this is rabid on behalf of the UDP. Why are we alllowing them to spend what little money the island has for this. When are we going to start a recall, a vote of no confidence, you PPM and you Mr. Miller, Independant ,what are you all going to do, are you all going to allow them to sink this Island, if so, 2013 we will all give each of you an awakening, oust them all.
Anon 15:38 is typical UDP: SELFISH nah raasssss! (thinking about self before country! Typical UDP mindset)
My God the women of Cayman must feel stupid to have their only elected female behave like this!.And as Deputy Premier. Too much power for a Bracker to handle. The woman was quiet, not even speaking in the absence of the premier during emergencies as she is hired to do, now that she opens her mouth, nothing but a pile of B,.S.
You Cayman Brackers are responsible for ruining this country just like we are blaming the West Bayers for ruining it by continuing to elect these two the Premier and the Deputy. You people are prostituting yourselves by accepting gifts in exchange for your vote you will regret it. You can’t even secure a job as a Caymanian because Big Mac do not have any regard for you nor respect you enough to consult you on his plans. He dictates and acts autocratically doing as he pleases with tax payers money! All in the name of Jesus that he claims! I beg to differ.
Stop electing all men to the house, women are needed to steer them in the right direction and ensure soundness in decision making. .The men have let this country down shamefully, but I still believe that the hope of this country lies in the hands of the women who are more responsible and have a greater vision for the people of this country to succeed instead of oppressing them.As far as ?Georgetown is concerned, Mike and Elio are a total loss. They offer no representation as they have proven to have no leadership abilities. How ofen do you hear from them since being elected.?
In 2013 I want to see at least 50% of the candidates as women.
Ms.Florence Goring Nozza, you are a woman with guts, I’ve seen you stand up in a Human Rights symposium to an Old Colonial judge, and if you can handle him, I dare say you can handle Big Mac and his fries as well when they get off track. When it comes to women in politics you are no fool and you know what is expected of women in politics and that is exactly what you are doing daily, letting your voice be heard and calling out government whenever they are in the wrong. Confronting the ministers head on on crucial issues. That’s what we need, we’re tired of these people jumping up when big Mac say jump they ask him ‘HOW HIGH?!
Ms.. Goring-Nozza, as one with politics running in your veins, its time, and we want you to be first on the list to run for office next election in 2013 if not before, if we don’t throw them out on the street where they all need to be.. You got what it takes to run the race and win and its time for you to get back into the race, when you open your mouth you know what you are talking about and you are not afraid of anyone, you are one of the few women that will take on Big Mac and his croonies head on. We have to get you elected because its time. Enough of the BS.
There are 12 or l3 XXXXXX already elected being paid high salaries, refused to take a pay cut while forcing the civil servants to accept a pay cut! This group of unscrupulous you know whats have got to go!
Do you know how much 9 million dollars could have benefited the Brac in other ways? I think it would even had been better to build one massive church and put both herself and Mack in it. The two of those two prayer warriors are all the Cayman Islands’ needs to ward off any hurricane.
For the want of something to talk about… This without a doubt will be on the cover of the next UDP manifesto.
The Brac is and has always been a giant hole that Grand Cayman simply pours money into without getting anything in return. It gets roads and facilities it does not need just to give people work, an airline flying jets with no tourist passengers it was supposed to be carrying, the hospital costs a fortune but has a few non paying patients and lots of underworked staff, same thing with the Government Building and Immigration, Customs and Fire where no one has any real work to do and the District Commissionergets paid $140,000 a year to supervise them doing their no work.
And now this hurricane shelter. Astonishing and digraceful. Julianna should hang her "pious" head in shame at this affront to the rest of the Cayman Islands.I hope we never ever hear another damned complaint from whining Brackers about how overlooked and neglected they are – all 1500 of them.
Well one good thing that I got from your comment is that the Brac seems to be creating jobs for you all, even if there’s no work to do. Which is better than not being employed.
Whining Brackers huh. I guess if we had whined and grumbled when some of you had to go to the Brac after Ivan because you had no place to live and no school for your kids to go to, I wonder where you would be today? I’m probably the 1,600th Bracker that happens to be living and working in hell over here in Grand Cayman so please excuse me while I whine especially about the crime, unfriendly locals and co-workers who are quick to say we are all Caymanians but, yet the two words "Cayman Brac" brings a sour look to their faces, high costs, too much traffic, 100 round-a-bouts, Mount Trashmore, numerous businesses with workers that don’t speak English and I could go on!! I’m assuming the first thing you will say is, why don’t I go back to the Brac? Well, when Julianna decides to look out for us once again and the opportunity is there, I will be on one of those jet flights that we are privileged to have. Until then, I will stay here and continue to whine as loud as I can!
Whining bracka, look at it this way, if there is only 1500 of you there to the 65000 thousand here and we pay a hell of a lot more taxes than you do, be honest dont you think that it will irk the poor people here too. Fair play is good for all of us. So if you all working here making big bucks why not invest in C/B and build/ inward investment to make your Brac less dependant on the tax payers of Cayman. Just a thought, I cant afford to keep paying all these fees and get nothing for it.
We are investing in our islands, like the green iguanas. Nah going no weh!!!!
I hear ya, deh! Spoken like a real tough-back Cayman Bracker!
Well, some of us don’t make big bucks here and we are sure as hell not dependant on the tax payers here. My salary was just cut from Government as well as many other Brackers living in this concrete jungle so give us a break here. We are paying the same d**n fees as you are and getting nothing for it too. We are also suffering in the same manner as you are so please stop judging us wrongly.
Is this is the best that she can come with? Its time for fresh blood in the LA. What next build another post office in Cayman Brac? I seem to remember the first elected from Cayman Brac had better ideas than this. Perhaps Ms O’Connor Connolly could ask him for guideance.
Where oh where has all my money gone? On the bluff across from Julie’s mansion.
Where oh where has all her friends gone? On the bluff across from Julie’s mansion.
Where oh where has all the tourist gone? To another island with a better song!
Will it be named "I’m fresh out of good ideas of what to do with 9 million dollars Julianna O’Connor Connolly Shelter"?
Let’s be honest, if it were a Hurricane Shelter, there would not be 80 private rooms. It is my guess that these rooms have already been promised to UDP cronies as soon as the proverbial stuff hits the fan.
Grand Cayman has been destroyed and they know it. They will be regrouping from their new "command centre" after the riots break out here and we are fighting with hungry Filipinos and Jamaicans for one of those chickens running around.
They will comandeer the first couple of Cayman Airways jets and be on the Brac 20 minutes later. To hell with the rest of us. Well guess what. Don’t come back.
I hope the Brackers don’t fall for this, (except the ones who expect to make money from building it).
Time to wake up and unplug from the "Matrix" where it’s all about money.
LMAO. The last laugh will be on you and your phony religion.
Ok, well being as how I live in the Brac, I have a say!
This is such a waste of money!
Wouldn’t it make more sense to build a high school on the bluff that could be converted to a hurricane shelter?
By creating a place for visiting teams to stay, isn’t that discouraging business for the hotels? How sad!
I also have to agree with the person who made the statement about the temperature thing! How ignorant can some people be! Shouldn’t you be glad that you aren’t outside holding on to a tree for dear life?
Now, If I calculate it right, the last time we used a shelter for more than a day was 30 years ago (Hurricane Alan). Therefore, at a cost of $9 million, divided by 800 people at an average of 1 day a year… This is only costing around $11,250.00 per person each day it is used. How many people could do with an extra $1,000.00 in their pay cheques each month.
Oh well, this is the UDP’s way of trying to buy votes. It is apparent that Julianna thinks people are foolish enough to not see through this.
If she put the $9 million into building the tourism market everyone would have enough money to build their own homes on the bluff and then they could each control their thermostats.
On another note, I wonder who is building this monster? Wonder how many Caymanians will actually get employed to do the work? Unfortunately, this will be just like the roads where only a few Caymanians have employment and I understand they haven’t even been paid yet. The UDP train wreck chugs along!!!
Is this the $10 million that Big mac is robbing the piggy banks of? If so that is so unlike Christ.
What would Jesus do Julie?
Julie, we’re watching you, are you really born again? Are you the saint you project to be? If so why are you not using that 9 million dollars to put Caymanians to work and help out the poor people with homes for them or somthing like some work projects, why does Mr. William Peguero have to get up and beg for investors when we have $9million at our disposal Big Mac gave you to throwaway?. How often is a shelter used?. Whoever heard of building an edifice to put up teams! There is some hidden plan for this and Julie you are not saying.XXXXX
My God the L.A. is doomed… These women of recent years getting elected are way too soft to lead us or even stand up to Big Mac. They are puppets in Big Mac’s hand. What are we electing these people for the women are just as bad as the men! The one woman in the L.A. is letting us down too !
Jesus, Mary and Joseph!.
Women of Cayman if this is what you plan to do too please do not run for office. We have had enough.
Thank God Ms. Florence Goring Nozza refused to let the UDP control her and she did not compromise as a concerned citizen, she refused to be joined to them when invited. We need another Annie Hulda Bodden in the House.
Ms. Florence Goring-Nozza come home and run for office Cayman needs you. You are a fighter and not afraid of Big Mac or anyone else. Come on and join the independents we need your voice and your brains to keep Big Mac in check; We know you did not take any XXXX at the Hospital when you worked there as a Supervisor and you protected Caymanians as well as X-pats from managers and supervisors that tried to abuse the staff. Civil Servants all know what you are capable of. When you stepped into that hospital as a supervisor in l997 the abuse of Hospital staff was ‘OVER" ! come on now run for office, we need you. You keep fighting even if you are not Campaigning that’s real statesmanship.
For many years I have said that any NEW schools,clinics meeting halls whatever MUST be built properly and be able to w/stand the worst hurricane.Look what happened to some of the G/Town schools after Ivan.They were damaged fixed then leaked all over the place when the first rains hit.Band aid approaches should be the thing of the past.Fix these buildings(build)to handle the worst case scenario.I do agree that the Brac is deserving of this new shelter but maybe something more affordable until we bounce back again from our finacial woes?We shall see!!!
You go Sis. Julie you look out for we Brackers, it’s been a long time we never had any one to look out for we. I hope you get it done before any hurricanes come this way, cause them coming sister, too much evil going on in these Islands, and masa God don’t like what him a see. Check it out sister, it all aroun we. People so afraid them have to have body guards, security cameras, dogs, yes them afraid them might get shot down while walking them streets, or jogging or even going to church some folks afraid. Thank you for thinking about we brackers, God bless ya sister.
If you are a Bracker PLEASE keep quite, cuz you making the rest of us look really bad
"on Tue, 07/20/2010 – 13:53.
You go Sis. Julie you look out for we Brackers, it’s been a long time we never had any one to look out for we."
And how many years has this woman been your representative? I guess she only now starting to look out for you! I would question her as to what she was doing all the other consecutive terms that she has been in the House.
"And how many years has this woman been your representative? I guess she only now starting to look out for you! I would question her as to what she was doing all the other consecutive terms that she has been in the House."
You all missed it. This person is making fun of Julie.
800+500+250+155+100 spaces at the new veterans centre=1805 shelter-spaces for a population of 1500.
Don’t confuse politricks with facts please
Is that a fair comment to make? Speaking to: Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 07/20/2010 – 10:48.
The District of Cayman Brac receives the least amount of assistance, and has always been pushed to the back of the line.
I do not agree with this expenditure at the moment, but in the interim until our treasury is no longer drowning in debt, why don’t me make the modifications to the Aston Rutty Centre and that will suffice until we can afford to get this new building built.
I am all for seeing the sister islands get something, but if we can’t afford it then lets wait a little longer.
If we do proceed with building this complex, then I want to know that everyone in Cayman Brac that is unemployed in the construction industry be given the opportunity to work on it. Because history has dictated that imported labour takes precedent when our people are suffering from unemployment and is so easily passed over.
I am checking on the road repairs and would note that there seems to be an outstanding amount of persons whom have applied from Cayman Brac and have not heard a word back as yet. Hope this is addressed very soon.
So those in charge please check into this as you know if I have to do it, it will be publicly addressed. I am giving you all the opportunity to put my Brackers to work versus importing additional workers which will cost the govt. additional expenses such as: travel, food and accommodation when there are dedicated, able and willing persons on Cayman Brac that will not cost us anything extra and can fill the positions available.
Of course I will keep an eye on it for my Brackers and report any unfairness in the employment of sector.
If 9 million dollars were to be spent in Cayman Brac if could have been spent much more wisely than this white elephant. The only purpose of which is to guarantee reelection for the second elected from Cayman Brac.
I really dont care how many of you out there do a thumbs down on my comment, I am speaking freely and I also konw that a number of you are probably UDP supporters, go right ahead as if that’s going to discourage me. Try again!!!
I am in favour of my people getting ahead in this country and personally I DO NOT SUPPORT JULIANNA O’CONONNOR CONNOLLY.
that’s how I see it. Personally, she is looking votes and that’s a crying shame because she has done nothing except for the district of watering place where she lives.
I am not afraid of her wrath, she can bring it on.
One thing for sure she can’t deport my ass!! I am here for good and I will highlight all the foolishness she is doing.
For a Country that is flat broke (as told to us over and over again by the UDP and his croonies) looks like the UDP government can sure come up with millions of dollars when it suits them! I wonder if this was not a project that could be put on hold considering the financial state we are in! I do not recall the people of Cayman Brac demanding a new Hurricane Shelter or suggesting that what was currently in place was not sufficient at least for the short term, until we were in a better financial position maybe!?! Perhaps I’m wrong on this one but somehow I don’t think so….
And the Premier claims we are broke!
9 Million Dollars?
And we are BROKE!
Cha man, give me a break!
I thought the country was broke. Why the hell are we spending money on a hurricane shelter to house more people than are resident in the Brac and at such a vast expense to the tax payers. How do they plan to maintain such a lavish centre. This little Island survived after hurricane Paloma without this extravagant building and all the existing hurricane shelters have been completely redone and nearly everyone in the Brac got a new house especially the brackas who were not even living here and who had shacks that were not even habitable for more than 20 years. Whilst it is really wonderful if the Brac gets this building it is not necessary and a total extravagance.
Sounds great!! I think I’ll head to the Brac when next a Hurricane looms it’s ugly head.
Do you think you will find a seat on CAL with all the politicians rushing there?
A hurricane shelter in the Brac, which already has three other facilities, but the high schools in Grand Cayman languishes. That’s what I call a priority! It has been recognised that the high schools have been long out-grown and in need of replacement, not just refurbishment and they find $9 mil for a project that is no where near as high a priority? Politics is a hell of a game!
I agree with you.
Just to think: The same high schools here in Cayman that the PPM were trying to provide to our Children while at the same time having these school double as hurricane shelters, offcourse no one knew at the time that the financial crisis which took place would effect us so badly. And yet the UDP complain about the PPM putting Cayman in Debt with the new schools and the new Government building, at least even the blind can see where the money went to and all in all that the PPM was looking out for Cayman!! Go figure
omg I simply have no words..
oh, wait, yes I do.
Imagine being too hot or too cold during a hurricane. Holy hell. Were they DRY!!???!?!?!?
I was wet for 36 hours during Ivan and I was one of the lucky ones!!
This is so incredible. No wonder we’re in the shit.
These are the kinds of things that we need taxes for? wow
I can’t read anymore. I am boycotting CNS. What good does is it to know what’s going on after the fact and not be able to do ANYTHING about it except bitch?
Just joking!! I wouldn’t boycott CNS
If I didn’t know what the government was up to because of CNS, I wouldn’t have anything to bitch about!!!
And why do we need this white elephant, can someone tell me this is worth me paying more for gas, electricity and the many other huge fee increases from the government, they can’t finish the schools in cayman and they are going to build this to be used once every few years, the stupidity of us Caymanians are starting to surprise me who the heck give a rip about the temp, they should just be glad they were in a safe shelter for the few hours of the hurricane.
No joke we got to get these people that are in power out now not in four years but today can’t we do a referendum against them or something.
I really hope this article is a Aprils fool joke on all of us because there is no way this can bereal
I’m a proud Bracker, but can we really afford to be doing this sort of project now? come on people think!!!
This has to be a April fools joke!
Why not use that money to finish the school/s over here first? They are also hurricane shelters, which is badly needed and will be used every day.
Because the Brac has to accomodate visitng teams! Ha ha ha , what team would ever go to brac, don’t the brac come here when teams visit?
I think by team they meant to say UDP and associates?
& i thought the government was broke!
Here we go the Brackers get what they want as they demand and let Premier know what will and will not do. The independant from North Side gets nothing, because he disagrees with them, the government punish the whole district of north side. Now you tell me is this a good government, or what? Cant wait for 2013 better yet where is the vote of no confidence.
One small correction. Most Brackers don’t want it
Wow. The electoral district I cant belive you said that! Ihope you dont think this is a foolish project this could save please lives and Brac is in the need of a shelter. What’s next dont help Brac at ALL!
This is a foolish project. Take it from a Cayman Bracker that has lived on the Brac for all of my 56 years…..I can’t blame people in Grand Cayman for being angry about this project.
12.5 million
Pity they couldn’t see fit to build one of these in Bodden Town instead of yet another church (we already have way too many churches and way too little of anything else that ought to be there).
The Church of God being built near the 25 mph sign is a joint project between Government and that church to produce a proper Hurricane Shelter for Bodden Town. Sorry to burst your bubble.
No bubbles burst there I’m afraid – that was just my point, as a Bodden Towner, I am well aware of this joint project. But why do we have to jointly use (yet another) church instead of having dedicated facilities as this, when we barely have any proper facilities at all at the moment, let alone three as I believe is the case in the Brac.
Well I think at the end of the day the way forward is to use facilities that are being used for other purposes to be hurricane shelters.
I guess that this hurricane shelter is built specifically to be a shelter and the large amount of money from a Government that is broke is what is really upsetting people.
I think its a ploy to get more of us in church! And while I believe in God, I donot believe in regligion and politrix as the two of them are the causes of most if not all wars on this earth. So I for one, object to being given no option but being forced into a church instead of dedicated hurricane facilities which have been desperately needed (along with plenty other stuff) for a good long time now. And if I do need to use that shelter, I really hope nobody goes trying to shove their religion down my throat whilst I and others are trying to shelter from the hurricane(s).
Oh and they said PPM did unnecessary spending… what a joke.
Why don’t they put 5 million out the 9 to the recovery of the Brac since Paloma and outher 4 to a shelter.
That makes a little more sense to me.
But then again this government makes no sense half of the time anyway, but hey…. YOU GO JU JU! Look out for your Braca’s You know who voted for you… but in the end you still came second to Moses.
LMAO!
Wasted money. Totally visionless aout what Cayman Brac needs. Cayman Brac already has shelters. The only leader that is worst than Mac
Wow. The electoral district that contributes the least to the Govt revenues gets the first UDP project.
This is very much needed!
NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Protection for people from hurricanes is important. Seems like there are EXTRA facilities now for the population of the Brac. I have a difficult time understanding spend spend spend when the money and income is not there. Can the FOI tell us who owned the property to be used, what was paid for it, who will do the design work and construction managemnet, who will build the facility, who will have access to the spaces during the endless periods of no hurricanes, which company who manages the space, who pays for utilities up keep etc. Just a couple of questions for a project during a period when there is no capital to spend.
Just another white elephant to go along with the "Heritage House" and all of the other bad deals that she has bought over the years.
Land bought for a fire station next to the sea, could only be used as a cemetery.
House bought for a youth centerbut much too small to be of any real use. (Bought from who?)
House bought for a post office. Even closer to the ocean than the last one destroyed by Paloma.
Please retire. Cayman Brac needs fresh representation that can build a future for its youth.
In the United States and developed countries they build SCHOOLS to use for SHELTERS!
Not just build a storm shelter ! That is a waste. The building must serve the community ALL YEAR ROUND. that’s what governments do that have comprehensively sound judgment and good principles and plans for organizing the country and helping their people.
This is playing with the ‘PIGGY BANK"
Yep, I know it wouldn’t be long before some of you jump on the band wagon when it comes to having nothing good to say about anything that happens on the Brac. Such negativity. Wow!
All from the govt. who criticised the previous govt’s spending on infrastructure in a time of recession. I wonder if our people have short memories. This was one of the reasons for the new borrowing. Moody’s says that if we continue to increase public debt our rating may be downgraded.
Is this really a surprise? Barefoot Julie needs something to show her "people" I am working for you too, "even though i am liven it up in the lap of Luxury" i still lookin out you Lil people!!!
and $9 Million WTF? Govt is increasing the Cost Of Living, Govt claims it is tryin to recoverfrom a Deficit? Who is really doing the math here?
Ohhhh LORD help US ALL, the XXXX so called Leaders of this LiL Country of ours and so they call themselves "born again christains are doing to their country" it is a cryin shame.
Now we know why certain members are so silent on many controversial matters. Mac does this so very well; must give him credit for that. Only $9 million to assure two seats for the UDP in the next election.
However, I do support Govt. investing in worthwhile projects in the midst of an economic downturn as it will undoubtedly provide jobs and stimulate the economy of the Brac. So why are we cutting back here in Grand Cayman? The answer is… we will see similar type pet projects for each district before the next election. Mac is a shrewd polictician.
But I hope that the people of the Brac (and Grand Cayman) will see that they will pay a price for this in the future. Those who have followed The Dictator in the past without questioning his motives have learned too late. By the time Mac The Dictator and his deputy finishes with the Brac… the Brackers will be crying fowl just like we here in Grand Cayman are now!
The shelter is very much needed!**