Miller: EIA reveals dangers
(CNS): The independent member of the Legislative Assembly for North Side, who has been a vocal critic of the proposed East End commercial sea port, says the environmental impact assessment clearly shows that the project is far too risky given that there is no need for it. Ezzard Miller says the dangers admitted by the authors of the report will not be so easily mitigated as the EIA claims and the potential damage to the marine environment, in particular the reefs, along with the risks or flooding and many other negative impacts are too great when it is clear there is no necessity for a new cargo port in the district of East End.
“There is nothing in this EIA that surprises me as it has identified the same concerns that I have — except how easily the authors seem to think they can mitigate the dangers and risks that they admit the project would pose,” said Miller. “I do not see, for example, how the replacement of a 45 foot natural cliff with a man made 12 foot barrier could possible offer better protection from flooding. I also have concerns about how they could possibly move corals as easily as they claim.”
Miler pointed out that his fundamental objections remained the same, that there is no justification for the proposal and the developer does not have a proper business plan.
“Given the dangers and risk of damage that they admit, despite their claims at mitigation, when there is no justifiable need, how can this project possibly be allowed to go ahead?” he asked.
He noted that as Joseph Imparato has stated on several occasions that it is his intention to create the basic port structure, while government will be expected to complete the full infrastructure and roads. If government was to allow this now demonstrably risky project to go forward it would be the public purse that would have to find the money to compete the cargo port facilities, he said.
With so many commercial ports in the region being re-developed and news of a commercial port in Cuba, Miller said that Imparato’s claims that the country could tap into the transhipment industry are unconvincing. But he noted this was because the commercial port has always been and still is a red herring.
“We have always known that this project is about digging a quarry and then selling fill for other anticipated projects, such as the Shetty hospital or the latest Hon development proposal,” Miller said.
The EIA which was conducted by a private sector firm based in Florida was published by the developer in full on his website yesterday. The document reveals a considerable number of significant impacts on the land and marine environment, to the local community and to the water lens.
In each case, however, the EIA attempts to put forward a mitigating proposition such as collecting seeds and transplanting trees in response to the removal of five hundred acres of mature terrestrial environment, supporting an array of Cayman’s indigenous and endanger flora and fauna. It also speaks about moving live coral heads from the six acres of reef which will be destroyed if the project is given the go ahead by government.
Go to www.eastendseaport.com to see the EIA.
Category: Science and Nature
The sad part about the fact that every time a developer says that jobs will be created for Caymanians, Caymanians are worse off and their uneployment numbers goes up. I rememebr years ago when Michael Ryan came on board he had such rosey promises for Caymanians. Just take a look and see how many Caymanians are on ship with his business. All these developers have done to our country is to destroy the mangroves etc. Of course our Government stand by with eyes wide shut.
You seem to have nailed it on the head. In this economy, the easiest thing someone can do to get you onto his side is promise money and jobs. Everyone is crying out for jobs. But I am very skeptical about how many jobs are actually created for Caymanians.
The other thing is that this moving the reef is complete crap. Of course you probably could move it, but even touching coral can damage or even kill it. How can we possibly move it without harming at least some of it? Also, moving it probably makes it more suspectible to damage from hurricanes.
Sorry but I am completely behind Miller!
Read the latest issue of the Lund Report. Now there's a man who is optimistic about our future.
I agree here with Ezzard completely!
Remember Mr. Ryan was going to also "mitigate the damage" of destroying natural mangroves by re-planting new ones?
Cayman is too small for such a 'hole in the ground' which is all the developer is promising!
The cons (pun intended) far outweigh the pros!
cruise ship home port? All these people will spend a week on island as overnight tourists before they go on their cruise … northside wont be full of for sale boards .. people will start taking pride in having non plastic covered beaches… we will get a big, decent supermarket … east end village can stay just as it is, only people will be more prosperous, busy, employed …
Haha… what a beautiful world you see. Where did you buy your rose tinted glasses?
"With so many commercial ports being developed in the region" …
Have all the other regions ignored their water lenses and environmental issues, or have they mitigated and compensated for them adequately? I suspect the latter.
If everyone else is doing it, its probably a good idea. Or are they all stupid?
I don’t know about you all but the way I see it Mr. Miller says what’s on his mind no matter what people with the ”hidden agenda” say or think.
Mr. Miller defends the interests of our country and its people no matter where the chips fall. To me that is a stand up guy and it is too bad that we don’t have more like him. Captain Bryan and Mr. Clifford are like wise. We would not be stuck in the situation we are now in if more stand up citizens would stand up and fight the total destruction of our country by an arrogant political force that is not what we voted for. If I’m wrong please tell me?
You right with more men like Miller there would be no one in cayman but caymanians. And there would be no development by foriegners. We,d all be living off snapper and turtle meat sales maen would be fishermen an women would be home rasing the kids.
Actually I disagree…I have know Mr. Miller for Donkey years and have found myself on both sides of the agreement fence with him on many, many issues…and I truly believe that being Pro-Caymanian does not automatically make one "Anti-Expat"….
Miller is for Miller…he is not for his poor Caymanians, that is plain to see. It was ok to destroy the enviornment when he wanted to build the Hospital in the midst of our mangrove forest in George Town….politic is a nasty business.
Northsiders and Eastenders…can't you all see what these two gentlemen are telling you. kill all opportunity for you to develop your own property, you are not worthy of becoming entrepreneurs in your own districts.
Do you realise what magnitude of opportunites awaites you? transportation services, barber shops, rental apartments, land sale,stores, office buildings, jobs jobs. You won't have to drive to George Town to get a job, it will be in your back door.
But, that would mean that people would have to get off of their lazy asses and actually work. It's much easier to complain and say that it'll never happen, than to try and see if it will succeed.
The words i would like to use the describe Mr. Miller might get be censored and plunge me into a moral pool of dung…I mean who does he thinks he is? he says "the port is not needed at this time" that is an injuction on the many people in Nortside and EE who are out of work, mortgages on the line, struggling to send their children to school. Your representative is openly saying he does not care whether you starve to death..he is doing no more than playing politics at a time we can ill afford it.
It seems you are already in a moral pool of dung. Mr Miller is obviously depending on a very well paid government to come up with a SENSIBLE plan to keep us from starving to death rather than seeing us all drown to please a few pockets.
CNS: "But he noted this was because the commercial port has always been and still is a red herring. 'We have always known that this project is about digging a quarry and then selling fill for other anticipated projects, such as the Shetty hospital or the latest Hon development proposal,' Miller said."
Does Ezzard Miller believe this or does he know this to be a fact. I think the more people start asking question, is the more they will see Ezzard's fears and mere belief.
I don't understand Miller, if Joe is going to sell rocks and soil, that is his business! Sometimes I think Miller is jealous, because he has not come with any facts, proving that this is Joe's sole intention. You can just merely speculate because the man is wealthy and that's it!
Agreed. Miller just says no to every proposal on the basis that someone will make a profit from their toil. He is against the hospital, against the port, against the environmental law. What is the man for?
He is for Bed & Breakfasts in North Side.
A real future for the Cayman Islands there…
lol… I am assuming all the thumbs down are coming from Indepedents and PPM from the North Side / East End district
Joe needs state that this is a Quarry and stop selling a dock, apparently he is only going to dredge out the material and leave the gaping hole for Government to build the facility later on. We need to take thsi for what it is! a QUARRY APPLICATION. Joe does not appear to be building any dock up there! Can the people of East End afford to have anymore of their landscape quarried and sold? Half of the Interior is already missing thanks to others who have removed the soil, some of that was done on land belonging to others without their permission I might add!
What is being missed here is that there are other commercial ventures slated to be built around the 'port' as well. Not just the cargo port. If govt chooses not to build the rest of the businesses can still be built and can still thrive, create industry and create JOBS. Certainly having the government port there will add to the development, but its evolution is not dependent upon the port. Don't need govt there to build a hotel, a marina, a private transhipment port. Don't even really need govt there for the cruise ship home port ….
See the picture people – it will be a port and the govt cargo port is not the deciding factor, it is just 'one of' the ventures which can benefit…
Ok what is the status on the signatures for petition regarding stopping this dreging etc. Give us an update. who are you giving the signatures to? Hopfully the governor certainly not big Mac since that would be complaining to ceasar about ceasar.
Talk to us Ezzard.
He believes this. He does NOT know this for fact.