Local activists call meeting to discuss public access
(CNS): A group of concerned people from the premier’s constituency have scheduled a public meeting for Thursday evening in order to discuss the issues relating to beach access and public rights of way to local waterways, among other matters. The West Bay residents, known as the Concerned Citizens Group, are inviting everyone who is legally resident in the Cayman Islands, and not just the district of West Bay, to discuss a number of issues. The recent revelations about the proposed closure of a portion of the Seven Mile Beach-West Bay Road in the Public Beach area following the purchase by the DartGroup of the land formally owned by Stan Thomas will also be on the meeting’s agenda, organisers said.
Dart has said it intends to develop the old Courtyard Marriott site into a new resort but has requested that the road be moved in order to create a beach front area.
Government has said it supports the idea and in exchange for Dart financing the road project it has offered the island’s biggest investor a piece of crown land in return, although the exact lot has not yet been revealed.
The group said it proposes to discuss the specific access issues but also other related matters during the public meeting at the John Gray Memorial Church Hall by the four-way stop in West Bay at 7pm 14 April. The chair of the group urged people to attend as they said these issues affected the present and the future of the Cayman Islands and addressing them was in the hands of the people.
Category: Local News
Very well attended venue and controversial at times. Our Govt. of the day did not show up. why should they?. Just as well. Mr. Alden was there. Mr. John Jefferson sr. made a stong emotional plea. So did Capt. Brian and many others. . Mr. Ken Hydes was there as an informed spectator for Camana Bay and did fill us in on the closed vehiculars right of way in case of emergency due to people stealing sand ? Please go somewhere else for you to steal sand and I wish yo thank the panel for conducting this very informative session to say the least. And Mr. Peter Milburn started the comments after our instructions that were to kept non politica and respecful to the churchl. Well we did our best until Ms.Pillar Bush ah! forget it. Oh! and thank you Lion and all the other ones who shared their worries and frustations. What we learned was a wake up call. God Bless. You will all read about it that I am certain. I stronly suggest you all start taking pictures if you want to keep af least memories of where what used to be like. God Bless
***** I am not a Communist, but the only problem I see with Capitalism, is the idea of "private property" taken to mean anything that one claims can be bought or sold. I personally believe that private property is a combination of 2 things: (1) natural resource plus (2) labor / creativity. Let me explain: Natural resources, such as undeveloped lands, the sea, the bluff, the ironshores, the beaches, the sun, cannot and should not be privately own – because these things were never created by man! It this the communist, certain socialists, and georgists are right! Natural resources were always there before man existed! Hence, you can’t and shouldn’t be able to "own" or "buy" the sea, the beach, the undeveloped lands! Sounds strange at first, but what I am saying, is what John Locke defended: John Locke taught that private property is taking natural resource or a means of production and creatively making something out of that resource or means of production. In other words, once "labor" and "hardwork" was combined with a natural resource or means of production, is when it mysterously transform and becomes a part of that person who worked to make it into something else. Hence, your house which you built, is your private property as well as your car, your personal belongings… all of these things can be and should be within the market, bought and sold. A socialist once said, "just like you can’t buy the moon, how can you buy a piece of land without working and tilling it for your own personal use?" Words of wisdom. I admit that Capitalism today has become predatorial and that you have wealthy individuals, allowed to purchase hundreds of acres of land, own the beautiful and recreational beaches, because they have the monies and power to do so. Like I said this is the only problem I see with the world’s Capitalistic system, the best economic system we got! Perhaps, the world should redefine what "private property" is and should be. But that could cause a Revolution if there is no balance! I fear that Communism (government claiming ownership of all things) may once again dominate the world if a revolution against rich and poor should onceagain ignite. ***** Libertarian
Finally!!! I’m a South Sounder but I will be there with bells on!!!! This is the beach that I always go to and see other Caymanians and their families there too. ALL THE TIME
I used to park up off the road until they put the big poles to block the way. I was wondering how well that was going to go over at Easter. Couldn’t understand why nobody was complaining. But they always say that is the Caymanian way..
What was the point of them anyway? "KEEP OFF THE BEACH"
I figured it was so that we could get used to losing more access little by little.
See you tomorrow night!!
I think the poles have more to do with stopping trucks from backing up to the beach and stealing sand. Why aren’t we angry that people do that?
There is actually a law to control the removal of beach sand (not that it is properly adhered to). You are allowed a certain number of buckets (people typically use 5 gallon buckets).
I can confirm that the police are pretty diligent about monitoring it if the see people taking sand. Sand yards are a cultural tradition in Cayman so no one has the right to get angry if it is being taken for that purpose (you can only put so much in your yard!).
Of course taking it from someone’s private property is a whole other bucket of sand! If people would stop over-fishing the area, we’d have more parrot fish to make our sand and all will be right again!
Good thought..
I have never seen a dump truck loading up from the beach, but I wouldn’t doubt that there are people out here that are ignorant, greedy and selfish enough to do that.
But I highly doubt that is what the poles are for.
Besides, I’ve seen people come with 5GAL buckets to do that. And I don’t think that is illegal.
Mac may want to look for a new spokesperson. You all think he is giving it away for nothing in return? You are sorely mistaken.
Yes siree! McKeeva has sold us out completely to Dart. Caymanians don’t even have their 7MB anymore, especially the Public Beach and North of the Public Beach. The only time you see Caymanianians on the Public Beach is at nights now. During the days, especially on weekends all the foreigners are on the beach and Caymanian famalies cannot even get on Public Beach to enjoy. Too much liquor first of all is being sold right there on Public Beach, where families with young children would go. Dart you have been doing good so far by investing, please leave our Beach alone. That is ALL we got left. You bought up all the land on the NorthSound, please leave the Beach side alone. Mckeeva please save your soul and stop chasing money. Stop destroying what is Caymanian. Its destroying you!!
West Bay concerned Citizens,
You voted for McKeea Bush and his croonies
You continue to keep this man in power
XXXXX
And you West Bayers are owned by Big Mac. He paid for you with refrigerators, microwaves, washing machines, house roofs and much more!
NOW YOU HAVE THE NERVE TO ASK THE REST OF THE COUNTRY TO JOIN YOU IN A CAMPAIGN TO KEEP YOUR BEACH ACCESS?!!!!!!!!
Aren’t you the same group that is causing the rest of the country all these troubles, woes, labor pains and so forth? What about job loss and granting of work permits which your Premier McKeeva Bush yes your WEST BAY legislator, Mr. Dart’s buddy and your ROLSTON ANGLIN the XXXX legislator from West Bay who made derogetive and damaging remarks against CAYMANIANS stating publicly that CAYMANIANS ARE NOT EMPLOYABLE!!!!! making life more miserable and worst for all of us! and Rolston did not evenapologize! he should have been forced to resign and exiled in another country!
What about the work permits the West Bay Premier, cabinet and Chairman of the Work Permit board continue to GRANT keepig CAYMANIANS OUT OF A JOB? WHAT ABOUT jobs for our young people coming out of school who have to turn to drug trade because the Premier and his cabinet are securing jobs for FOREIGNERS, WHILE Caymanians suffer. What about you WESTBAYERS CHANGING THE WAY YOU VOTE inorder to give the people a chance to live free of a dictator and free to WORK FOR A LIVING AND GET A JOB IN THE COUNTRY WHERE THEY WERE BORN?
THE REST OF THE COUNTRY HAVE NO BUSINESS MEETING WITH YOU IF THEY DO THEY SHOULD meet with you to STONE EVERY ONE OF YOU!
You worthless bunch.
JObs for caymanians are not important for you to protest for because it makes your West Bay cabinet and premier look bad, which they all are!
BUT YOU HAVE A NERVE TO ASK SUFFERING HUNGRY JOBLESS CAYMANIAN PEOPLE WHO DO NOT HAVE A LEADER, NOR A LABOR AND EDUCATION MINISTER THAT CARES ABOUT THEM to stop the work permit scam?
GET LOST!
Cayman, DONOT PUT YOUR FOOT TO HELP THESE PEOPLE
They are the real enemies of Cayman and the Cayman Brackers are right on their heels causing us all the trouble empowering this UDP government with their vote election after election
The answer is NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
We will not join you in your stupid beach access nonsense!.Since you are romancing Big Mc and Big Mac is romancing You while you are all peas in a pot.
SOLVE YOUR OWN PROBLEM!
Stupid West Bayers, WE DON’T BUSINESS WITH YOU!
WHOA!!!!! Hold on one cotton-picking minute!!! How DARE you lump EVERY Baya into that ridiculous tirade of yours? Do you THINK (well that was redundant, obviously you DON’T!) that ALL people of a district think and act the same way? Did you not witness the recent elections where many came forward to challenge the WB seats? Need I remind you that persons like the LION and others were VERY vocal about no longer tolerating the WB voter insanity?
There are people in that beautiful district that are SICK AND TIRED of the madness that is going on and are continuously doing what they can to protest it. Do not be so narrow minded (or else I will label you a certain party and district voter as that is what you sound like) to presume that just because one is a resident of a particular district they should automatically be a UDP supporter.
That is like suggesting that ALL Caymanians are criminals because of a few that have been incarcerated in another country.
So for the enlightenment of you who are clearly having a little trouble understanding – it would seem to me that this little committee of concerned people are worried that something is happening that shouldn’t. This affects THE WHOLE COUNTRY – not just WB. It is a precedent that would spell trouble later down the line. This is more than a landscape change.
For you to be so evil as to send out an edict to every non-wb’er to ignore this call to action is nothingshort of unpatriotic. These are your countrymen! THIS is the problem with our country! Everyone stands by and watches nonchalantly as those who are trying to make a difference fall flat from lack of support. THEN you want to step up and kick them in the head. Niiiiice!
Where were you during elections? Did you have the gonads to throw your hat in the ring to make a difference? Did you focus the country’s attention on the district that seemingly holds the power and encourage your friends/family there to place a vote that would do some damage to the status quo?
Clearly not!
And lest we forget…WB is not the only district to get a UDP member into govt. So unless you are from EE or NS, please crawl back into your crab hole and shut your mouth up. Had YOUR district or any of the others been successful with skewing the election odds, there would be MORE opposition to these maddening decisions and less party support from jelly-spined yes men (and woman).
Ugh! You infuriate me with your pettiness. SMB is not only for WB’ers. It is not even only for Caymanians. I’ll best you have set foot on it a time or two.
And Wiset Owl, since you are incapable of understanding the simple written word – the meeting is obviously not JUST about this one issue – I am quite sure they will talk about all of the other problems that this country is facing as you pointed out. But here are my questions to you: What have you done about it? Have you called a meeting? Are you organizing a march? Have you approached your district reps?
You and those like you are SOOOO quick to shoot down concerned citizens and their efforts to preserve their country and yet you yourself do nothing.
I hope you turn up at the meeting to see for yourself what is said. I hope you write about it the next day – under your moniker.
And one final question o wise one: How many licks DOES it take to get to the Tootsie Roll centre of a Tootsie Pop?
@ Power of the People
Thanks for that. As I was reading, I was already formulating my heated reply to the misguided Owl, but you have taken care of half of my gripes.
Owl you are completely misguided if you think work permits are keeping Caymanians out of work.
It’s the education system turning out kids with a lack of knowledge to be able to COMPETE or go for higher education!!! Fix that!!
Not everyone can afford private school tuition. So you better worry about getting yourreligious public schools in order. And Owl, teach them a good work ethic and pride in ANY job they do, not just the financial sector. Help rid the stereotype that Caymanians don’t want to work hard!!
I’m still going to the meeting tomorrow and I’m from GT
Lot of hot air about Dart but in the meantime one end of the Public Beach has been taken over by a bar, and the other end is cluttered by some blow up beach sculptures.
I don’t think McKeeva sold the land to Dart … it was one of us Caymanians. What a shame we didn’t think to put a clause in the purchase agreement requiring that the land we received thousands, if not millions for, be made available to the public at all times.What is sad that the benefit of the original land sale only benefited a handful of Caymanians, what is sadder still is that we want to blame McKeeva, Dart and anybody but ourselves for the state we are in. People – WE CAYMANIANS sold the land and now we want to be angry at the people who purchased it. Cha …
So we can now add to the list of sins of expats that they use the Public beach? Get a life!
@Anonymous 06:35
“During the days, especially on weekends all the foreigners are on the beach and Caymanian famalies cannot even get on Public Beach to enjoy.” Why? Why can’t they get on Public Beach? They may have to be near an expat or a tourist? Or other Caymanians? I see Caymanian families at the beach ALL the time. You wouldn’t know because you must be sitting in church all day.
“Too much liquor first of all is being sold right there on Public Beach, where families with young children would go.”
Wrong again. Liquor is sold at the bar. There are plenty of areas away from the bars. And besides, I saw a Caymanian man with a toddler on his lap helping the baby drink out of a Heinekin bottle. I’m sure it was only water, but he was starting that kid young to like that bottle. This was at public beach in front of a number of people.
People in glass houses…
Well I see chains on one and 4×4 only on the others so far. Maybe he is giving us a breck for Easter. it’s been tried before and thos is our tradition. Many Legal Beach access are now overgrown and impassable. I would suggest to anyone not to playwith our access to the beach, Mr. Dart you have been good to the Cayman Islands and many of us respect you but tell some of your whatever their titles are not to impose on that one. We have very little beach access left and we will not be like the American Indians (God Bless them) and be shoved to where you all may see fit. Many have tried. My son was recently run off the beach by a very festy security guard with no manners whatsoever !
CNS, can you please confirm that you have not made some sort of typo in the above report?
It defies logic that the Government would give a developer Crown property for moving a public road, so the developer could reap the benefits of having a more expansive beach-front property.
I completely agree. This is no deal for anyone besides Dart.
The road should most definitely NOT be moved.
And in hypothetical situation that it was moved – Dart should give the people of the Cayman Islands a piece of pristine 7 Mile Beach land with scenic vistas to replace what he would deprive us of. Not the other way around.
Re-develop the hotel site. Turn 7 mile beach road into a 25 mile per hour road (as it should be anyway – 40 MPH on the by-pass) and hotel guests still have direct access to the beach.
Hey,
I don’;t think the Owl is misguided at all, the owl is making the wisest point ever. Obviously these people not only are stupid but also feel stupid that after throwing so much support behind the premier and his cabinet that pretty much the entire West Bay district apparently have been frightened or scared into voting for them continually. They get the government they deserve. Wise Owl is CORRECT IN telling West Bayers to SOLVE THEIR OWN PROBLEMS, seems like the main point Mr. Wise Owl is making is that THEY ARE DEVEOTED TO BIG MAC BUT BIG MAC IS ‘ NOT’ DEVOTED TO THEM! if he was, WE WOULD NOT ALL BE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION because the problem woul not even exist!
He is a wise ole owl indeed!