BT group steps up campaign against dump move
(CNS): Lawn signs indicating the district’s spreading opposition over the proposal to move the landfill have sprung up around Bodden Town as the Coalition to Keep BT Dump Free steps up its own publicity campaign in what it says is a response to the Dart PR machine. In reply to the recent “ForCayman Investment Alliance” flyer, the coalition has published a rebuttal flyer, which it has distributed through the Bodden Town and Savannah post offices. The campaigners have also launched a website setting out the group’s opposition to the plan to cap and remediate the existing dump and start a new facility in Midlands Acre as part of a controversial major partnership deal between the Dart Group and government.
The coalition said the response to their campaign has been overwhelming and demand for the new lawn signs is outstripping supply.
“Property owners, tenants and business owners have been phoning and emailing us for the yard signs and then calling back for more – for their friends, family, and neighbours,” said Vincent Frederick, one of the coalition leaders. “We’ve been overwhelmed by the response, but we aim to get more signs out to the people of our district as they become available. We expect that they’ll be displayed in Midland Acres, along the main road in Bodden Town and throughout the district.”
The group does not have the funding of the Dart Group, which has also been running a campaign in the district to win the hearts and minds of the residents for the relocation of what they say will be a state-of-the-art modern eco-waste management park
Nevertheless, Gregg Anderson, another coalition leader, stated, “We’re using every means at our disposal, in spite of our limited resources, to counter the misconceptions spread by government and by Dart and to defend our district against this needless assault.”
He denied allegations made by his district representative and environment minister, Mark Scotland, who accused the coalition of suggesting the current location in its current form is acceptable.
“This is an outright lie,” Anderson said. “The George Town dump, as it has been mismanaged by this and by previous governments, is completely unacceptable. But the problem of Mount Trashmore can and must be fixed where it is without contaminating a new site. We fully support the solution chosen by the Central Tenders Committee, favoured by independent engineers and adopted by this very same government before its inexplicable about face – a waste-to-energy facility, proper management of the GT dump, and a concerted recycling programme.”
He said this was the same conclusion of the 2008 APEC Engineering study commissioned by the government, adding that since its inception the coalition has called for a solution of the landfill problem which is in the interest of Grand Cayman as a whole at its current location instead of creating a new Mount Trashmore “with no concern at all for due process, for the well-being of Bodden Towners and for their environment.”
The coalition takes the position that the sudden decision to move the landfill is for “the sole benefit of Dart” as they point to the need to convert the residential/agricultural zoned area into a heavy industrial zone.
Alain Beiner, a Bodden town businessman and a coalition spokesperson, stated that while the activists don’t have the spending power of Dart or even government but with the flyer and the website the group hoped what he called the facts and the opinion of those not on Dart’s payroll would get out to the people of the district and beyond.
“Government has ignored due process and the need for an environmental impact assessment. They have even refused to tell us which government entity decided to move the dump to Bodden Town and on what basis. They have refused to consult the people of our district, apparently preferring the opinion of those with a financial interest in forcing the dump on us,” he said.
The Coalition to Keep BT Dump Free is a non-political, single issue community organization open to everyone, regardless of political affiliation. It supports no political party and condemns equally past and present governments for neglecting their responsibility in regards to proper management of the George Town landfill and the elimination of Mount Trashmore.
Go to coalition website and see flyer below.
Category: Local News
And I still thingk we should adopt Daylight Saving! HAHAHA.
Can someon make a "Dump near Bodden Town" poster so I can put it on my lawn. Bodden Towners are as bad as Brackers when it comes to wanting, wanting, wanting and not being willing to give anything back.
Go Caymankind! Keep the dump where it is. Lots more room on top! Stop ALL development that is not already stopped by our glorious Premeir. Give more raises to our Civil service which is the Backbone of Caymanians. Keep Cayman third world now and forever! Just vote NO! Whatever it is.
More litter to go into a landfill – wherever it is located.
A very simple solution to the NIMBY issue is to have each district have its own dump. That will end this silly conversation. Each district can then determine what level of recycling they want, price it and each district resident can pay for it. The government can then subsidize each district based on population as a percentage of it’s current costs.
This simple solution takes the inefficient government out of waste management and let’s each person be responsible for their waste and cost to process.
We live in the country to enjoy the sound of the ocean, to take in the cool breezes. We live in the country to be away from the popuation and to enjoy our peace and quiet. We purchased our lands and built our homes and guess what, no dump was in our area. You can live up in the country too but you have chosen to live in town, to be closer to work and to be closer to a populated area. And guess what, the dump was already there. So you know, we have to find a solution to fix the dump and mine the trash and finish the work that has already started at the present site. That is what we are saying! Glad the Coalition has our back!
You can hear the ocean from the country??? Hmmm. You must live no where near the proposed landfill.
We contribute to the economy which pays for your roads, your schools, your police, and boy BT has it fair need of police given the criminal types there. So rather than being a complete leach on society, view the moving of the dump as BT at last doing something for the rest of the nation. Put that way, I am sure you can feel quite good and patriotic about it.
The crux of the matter, is that the ministers, Mark and Dwayne is representing Kenneth Dart and not the people of Bodden Town, who voted for them to serve them! That is the real issue here. In 2009, during elections, Mark and Dwayne sang "no dump," all of Bodden Town rallied behind them, believed in them, and voted them into office. Certain people went even as far to defend them when they did not declare their interest on time. Then came this thing called theFor Cayman Investment Alliance, and lo and behold, Mark and Dwayne, makes an abot turn, a flip-flop move where it is all of a sudden a "YES" to a dump in Bodden Town! There was not even any consultation with members of the Bodden Town public about their flip-flopping! They became silent and to date, you dont see them at all. Imagine, we put them in to represent us, and no one else, and here they trying to water down the issue, calling it a mere Waste Management Facility that is not a dump. Ha ha ha… i gotta laugh! You can fool the people sometimes, but not all the time. People this is about our democracy we are talking about! Our MLAs are suppose to represent us and no one else! OPPOSE THIS DUMP LIKE YOU NEVER DID BEFORE! Anything or decision made by the MLAs that does not include the people, but disregard the people for a well-off few, is nothing more but an INSULT! That is why we are so in dire need of constitutional or a government change of system where we can hold our politicians more accountable to no one else but the electorate. Sadly, so far, I don't hear Ezzard and Alden speaking much about our representation. Are they in this for the people, or, are they in this to score political points? I don't know, but I know where I and many other people stand on this issue.
Arden was on the radio last wednesday morning with Mark and Wally, and he defended dealing with the dump in the present location and not moving it to BT. Where were you?
How do I get into the dump so I can remove the trash myself?
My men and I have been shipping trash off this island for over 3 years and can do it for a profit.
I operate a trained crew of collectors ,,,You all may have seen the signs "we buy scrap metal"
Outside the dump there is very little material to be had. We have allready shipped it off island
The collectors service over 100 businesses, we have slowed down the amount of material
going into the landfill but it is not enough.
If my crew was allowed into the dump we could do the job that needs to be done.
Then there wouldnt be a problem.
Furthermore I could employ over 50 men and women.
I have spoken to many people about this
but have yet to find the right person. If you are the right person call me 769-9995
You need to talk to Bush and find out how much it will cost to have him back you up and take care of the red tape.
Why do Caymanians continue to say this slogan incorrectly?
It's not The ForCayman Alliance it's the ForDart Alliance. This is being done to line his pocket to protect the people of the Cayman Islands.
Don’t be silly….if every Caymanian gave Dart $1000 he would not notice that in his travel expended account. Cayman is merely a base for this Caymanian to invest globally from. I seriously doubt he has made one dollar on his investments in Cayman. Just look at the money he spent at Camana Bay…it must have cost $2-3000 per square foot. The Rents will never pay for that!
You guys need to get real and do some research.
I think you'll find they are saying it correctly, and you are an idiot.
The Wednesday past talk radio program about the land fill was most informative and the understanding that I came to from the discussion is that the land fill cannot remain in George Town into the future.
Why do some people personalize decisions made as being disrespectful to them personally or to their district?
A centralized location is the obvious choice and what is the big deal?
Why don't these people fight for recycling? Do something positive.
"Property owners, tenants and business owners have been phoning and emailing us for the yard signs and then calling back for more – for their friends, family, and neighbours,” said Vincent Frederick, one of the coalition leaders. Really Mr. Frederick I am a property owner and I have not contacted you, neither has any of my neighbors. Wouldn't it be better to say "some property owners". But i guess being extravagant gets attention.
My take on this dump issue – it has to go somewhere; from as long as I can remember every politician had concerns about the dump and its present location including some of those who are now opposing it. I am not saying taking it to Bodden Town is wrong or right; i am just asking both the coalition and the government, present the true facts – no extravagant stuff, dont say what you want the people to hear and leave it to the people.
For arguement sake what if the people in George Town decide tomorrow morning to start an uprising demanding that the government move the dump out of George Town, what if they decide to block the entrance to the dump not allowing any more dumping on that site; what would we do? East End and North Side is not an option We need to be realistic the dump situation needs to be addressed; we need to stop playing politics with it and the quicker we can get politician to stop commenting and stop showing their faces in meeting and on platforms and allow the ordinary residents to stand up and take care of this the better it is gonna be for all of us.
if this doesn't go ahead, can we at least keep all of these signs, banners, flyers etc out of the GT dump and leave them in BT – they don't look very biodegradable to me.
Thank god for the Coalition,without them fighting the proposed new landfill in Bodden Town Dart and the present Government would have pushed this through without anyone knowing about it.The Coalition is preserving the dignity and values of all Bodden Town residents.
I live in George Town and invite all members of the Coalition to remember that you don't have any qualms about dumping your garbage in my backyard. Perhaps instead of simply objectiing you put your efforts to developing a realistic alternative to having to dump your garbage in my district.
I believe "Your" district is responsible for producing the most waste is it not? Would it not be better to leave the dump where it is and fix the problem there as the experts who know what they are talking about instructed?
zzzzzzz…….just get an eis done…send everything to planning and let them decide based on the facts……
everything else is just nimby hot air
They haven't moved that thing yet? Get on with it already. Not doing anyone any good in the heart of our tourist district.
Non political organization!!!! Who would say such a thing?? Guys get serious. Of course it’s political.
Ok, maybe use the term "Anti-political" instead of non-political