Miller: CHEC deal won’t pay
(CNS): Despite the claims by the premier that the proposed deal with China Harbour Engineering Company to build the George Town cruise port facilities will bring a better return for the people of the Cayman Islands, the independent member for North Side says the figures just don’tadd up. Ezzard Miller claims that over the roughly fifty year life of the deal government is considering with the Beijing based firm the public purse could lose out by as much as a half a billion dollars. When compared to the previous proposal, Miller says CHEC will be taking money from passenger fees over fifty years, which will see Cayman lose out.
Based on average expected arrival figures, despite giving back 40% in the second 25 year period, public coffers will still be worse off than the deal proposed by GLF Construction, which was a smaller, less costly project where the developer would have covered its costs and return within 25 years.
The premier has claimed, however, that because the cost of the financing the project proposed by CHEC will be much cheaper than the one proposed by GLF and government will begin to reap the benefit sooner. He has said that on top of the amount of work that will be generated by the actual development and the anticipated economic stimulus it will create, the Chinese will begin giving back 40% of the takings to the public purse after the first 25 years.
McKeeva Bush has also stated that Caymanians will be offered an opportunity to own shares in the development and therefore earn a direct profit from the cruise berthing project.
However, Miller says he has spent significant time analysing the figures and says that no matter which way government dresses it up, the public will lose out in the CHEC deal. On top of the immense competition that will be created for existing George Town traders with the proposed 100,000 sqft of retail space on the upland development, the public coffers will also suffer as a result of the length of the deal and the money CHEC will be taking from fees.
The GLF proposal was estimated to cost around $195 million while the CHEC proposal is currently estimated to be around $300 million, though this has not yet been confirmed and could be considerably more. Based on the estimated fee take Miller says, in the first 25 years under the GLF proposal government would receive just over $395M in income from the ports, compared to just over $324M from CHEC.
But it is the second 25 year period where government would lose out most, said Miller. If government had struck a deal with GLF, the developer would have handed over the ownership of the facility, having already covered the costs of financing and a return on its investment, he said.
With the CHEC deal, however, government will continue on in partnership with the firm, and although it will be receiving a 40% share of the profits, the income to government in the second 25 year block with an anticipated arrival figure of 1.6 million passengers per annum, government will receive only $507M, rather than the more than $1B it would have received, the independent member pointed out.
Miller told CNS that government must re-think the CHEC deal. Despite Bush's claims that it is the best proposal for Cayman, it will not only see local retailers suffer from the competition from the upland development but will also significantly reduce the take to the public purse.
Government has still not revealed the finer details of its current discussions with China Harbour and KPMG are currently engaged in a value for money study on the proposal. The premier and his spokesperson on the project, Ellio Solomon, have both indicated that they hope to move to a main agreement with CHEC over the next few weeks.
See proposed CHEC plans for cruise berthing facility here
Category: Politics
Hope YELLIO is watching his calendar – only a few days left for him to finalize the CHEC contract !! What a joke – appointing MOTORMOUTH as your chief negotiator with the Chinese – has Bush never heard the old Wild West maxim – ” no point in taking a knife to a gunfight”.
At 11:51 No, I am a Caymanian living a-far now. There are still more routes for stay over tourism. Just because there is now flights to Panama that doesnt mean the problem is solved. Always need to follow world trends and tap into that tourism market. I have preaching this since 5 years ago. Just look at Jamaica and Cuba and the recession has not hurt there tourism.
Mac should be made to go back to GLF and beg for the Deal GLF presented. Which was the best and most affordable deal. Even Mac's own people advised this.
But no!….he once again knew better than everyone else.
And he should be held personally responsible for the 2+ million dollar settlement!
I just think….its absolutely disgusting that we dont have a dock. Even the poorest countries do. WE NEED ONE. Get over the petty foolishness work together to find the best alternative for these islands. The constant quarrel is becoming more than a bore!!!!
Well, obviously, then we're poorer than the poorest country in this neighbourhood.
And we're getting poorer with each passing day.
That too is obvious.
i would not do a port deal unless the cruise lines are putting up a significant amount of the money to build it. PERIOD.
The least costly solution is to just let the tourists swim ashore.
Unless of course they want to use the tenders that they have been using for the past 30 years…
Or we could bring em in on Mac's yacht.
Don't believe the hype, this will never happen…..This CHEC deal is doomed to fail..I think it's just all smoke and Mirrors..
There is much concern within the population about the current plan and if handled badly this massive project would sink the Cayman Islands Government now and into the future. Everyone including politicians know this and are aware that a mistake could wreck the country. It would make the Alden schools disaster look like small fry. The hole the current government is in after the school spending is that there is no money for this huge project so this really needs to be done correctly.
It's not about what Cayman wants! It's about the cruise customer. More and more ports have piers to accomodate the customer. Oddly enough, most 50-70 yr old folks don't like waiting 90 minutes in the sun to board a little boat. The customer ultimately drives what the cruise lines want installed. It's pathetic to watch thousands wait on the ship or on-shore for hours to board the tenders. We treat these people like cattle. However, these cattle have a huge influence with the cruise lines.
As to Ezzard's of the world….all you need to do is listen to the broken English and poorly constructed sentences, pandering non-sense and you understand the problem of dealing with the so-called big fish in little ponds.
Oddly enough you sir, appear to have No inclination to consider any cure except the huge expensive piers.
If the quality of the tendering process is where the problem lies why not spend alot less money and correct the problems with the tendering experience.
Here is how:
1. Use properly designed tenders that match exactly to the unloading doors of the cruise ship.
2. Aircindition the tenders and use audio visual aids to tell the tourists what to expect from shopping/tours on shore. Proper comfortable seating similar to a bus should be available on the tenders and the enclosed space for airconditioning will keep them dry.
3. Build a sheltered disembarkation dock just for tenders which will unload into an aircinditioned shopping arcade and is airconditioned straight to the road.
4. a similar airconditioned special purpose built sheltered area where the tourists can conveniently board the tender to return to the ship.
All I am saying is listen to the tourists and respond to what their concerns are and try to isolate these and address these only at a much reduced price to the country.
The statistics prove that we already get more cruise ships that any similar place with a cruiseship dock built. Six cruise ships on any given day is more than any country with only one port of entry and a dock are experienceing.
And while you are at it, leave the "Ezzards of the world" alone; at least they are trying to keep the public informed.
It's not the Cayman Islanders that treat cruise shippers as cattle – it's the cruise lines.
Have you ever seen what happens when they board these ships in the USA? 90 minute wait to get on a tender? I saw them held that long in Long Beach (the terminal is next to the Queen Mary was I was staying) in 400 yard queues hauling all their luggage just waiting to go through security.
Didn't the two Costa incidents teach you anything about the mentality of the people who run these ships?
Remember when the premie said that the Ritz Carlton was going to do miricles for Cayman, Look at them today in receivership and still owing Cayman Millions of Dollars to the Cayman People, thank you prmier Idiot. NOW WANTS US TO LISTEM TO HIM ABOUT A NEW PORT.
All the money in the world is usless without the intelligence to use it.
$$$$+Smarts=great things.
$$$$+NO Smarts=less$$$$$.
What does Cayman have?
P.S.: You can pay for intelligence with the money but you must be smart enough to follow the directions or once again it =less $$$$$.
Get Help! Use help. Or continue till the end.
Lets build up stay over tourism and look into new incoming routes and hubs.
Do you not see that being done as well? Are you here with us, or are you posting from afar?
For UDP:I hope that all the persons involved in negotiating this deal (and any of the other rotten deals for Cayman) remember their children also will lie in this same bed with the rest of us when the chips fall to the side and it comes to light that Cayman does not benefit from this deal. Make sure its not your personal greed and short term desires driving to get this done. and dont even try to throw in its in the best interest of this country- we know better.
For Ezzard: Mr. Ezzard, answer this question though- if you are successful in getting this deal blocked- WHATS YOUR PLAN B? What is it? I suggest you take some time on your "super tuesday" next week with Austin & Gilbert and address this. MANY are asking this question! What is your plan if CHEC deal doesnt go through? Do you have an alliance of local engineers and contractors lined up to do this work? Where will the financing come from? What timeline do you forsee before a new deal is on the table with your plan B (if you happen to have one). Remember persons dont climb the corporate ladder by being movers and shakers- they must always have an alternate plan
He doesn't have a plan!
If it wasn’t so sad and true it might actually be funny.
A radio talk show host being the mouthpiece for a person who couldn’t finish public school, negotiating a 300 million dollar (plus, plus, plus) mega deal that will screw the islands forever.
Only here, and no checks in place, because the one in power won’t allow any.
Huh.
Come on Ezzard, how on earth do you expect it to add up if it is Mckeeva Bush doing the adding?
although I am a supporter of most of Macs ideas, I downright hate the idea of bringing Chec in to this…I think Dart would have been the best to do the job because it’s a local company..And he does top grade work..And we all know they have the money. I think if they pushed a better deal could have been made with them…
Dart wanted 99 years lease and Dart too planned a massive upland facility. GLF and local partner Royal presented the best deal of all, that was not only given the nod by the cruise lines, but also by the Port Authority itself and the Government's own project leader at the time (who was later usurped and replaced by the junior chattermouth). GLF / Royal were not planning a massive upland facility that would threaten or compete with the livelihoods of existing merchants downtown and take away business from thesealready struggling businesses. They had the financing to do the project, otherwise the Government would not have had to pay a cool couple million to settle with them. Further, as proof of their honourable intentions, although the Port had indicated they could have as much as 30 years lease, they said they did not need all that time and reduced it by 5 years, thereby cutting it down to 25 years. Compare that to the DARTS AND CHECS who wanted to control things almost a century and half a century respectively. And then ask yourself why they wanted control for that long. All Cayman needs is a 2-finger pier, a proper, comfortable place to process the arriving tourists and organize them into tour bus groups or walk tours for shopping. PLEASE THINK BEFORE YOU JUST AUTOMATICALLY ASSUME THAT DART IS THE BEST FOR EVERYTHING ! The fact that so many locals are now beginning to wake up and join the protest against some of the planned "For Cayman Alliance" aspects i.e. closure of road, relocation of dump, etc. shows that Dart is not always about what is best for Cayman, but rather but what is best for Dart. Stop drinking the coolaid and try to use the little gray cells in the brain to reason on things.
It doesn't have to be done overnight so STOP RUSHING!!! DO IT RIGHT!!!
The port has to be built. There is no dispute about that. But instead of us always trying to import outside contractors, why don't we try to rely on ourselves for once?
Cayman has so many qualified engineers that could design the port and manage the build, multitudes of construction companies that can build it, and dozens of banks who could fund various parts of the construction. So why not rely on them? Why must we always seek outside help for an inside job?
The port should have been started years ago, and it could probably be done in phases if we plan it properly. Look at how quickly the Royal Watler terminal was built.
The best way to go about this is to extend the finger peir first to start attracting the larger cruise ships and to build good will with the cruise companies. The revenue from that venture could go towards funding the rest of the project which could be done over time over several government regimes.
This is a no-brainer and yet these people with no brains are thinking.
It's out of their league and we need to get them out of office before they ruin this country any wors than they already have.
It’s got to be done right now…..it’s elections next year silly!!
Agree. Step back. Get it right. We have this one chance to get it right. NO rush. This is our future in the making.
Most intelligent comment I have read for quite sometime – with a proper solution at that. Why it is our politicians cannot grasp simple concepts, as easily as the rest of us do, is quite astonishing, and these are the ones we have leading this country.
I think Capt Bryan and/or Capt Paul McCoy should bring their proposal to the public again, it truely made more sense.
You have got the names all confused. Capt. Arlen McCoy and Capt PauL Hurlston
Why not just get Dart to build it?
N-O!
Why not get Dart to build Captain McCoy’s port in Red Bay? All Caymanian solution ( now that Dart is Caymanian also). Why not?
Because they are not THAT smart. Obviously.
I wonder if we even need a cruise berthing facility at this time! The tourists still come and manyof them enjoy the adventure of taking the small boats to shore. What?! During the time when the world is in a recession and possibly another one to come, are we going to spend over 200 million dollars or be in debt of 200 million dollars at this time when people will not even have enough money to go on a cruise? I don't know…???
Unison – that's also my take on this. I posted a comment a few weeks ago along the same lines. What do we really NEED? We keep talking about the mega cruise ships passing us by – do we want the mega ships? It has been said that there are no plans to build any more of these maga ships in the near future. Guess they're not as profitable as anticipated. And I also agree that the trip ashore is part of the adventure which is probably quite enjoyable. What we need to do is to improve the landside that they can have a more comfortable experience when waiting in line to return to the ship. I think we have it all wrong!! It has been said so many times that we NEED the cruise berthing facility that the entire populace is now believing this. AND, we need to attend to the experiences that our stayover visitors will have as they are the ones that keeps tourism bouyant.
Does anyone have any idea what it will be like to have multiple ships tied up to the pier(s)? Now they are 'separated' in the harbour and actually it's quite nice to look at. When they are tied up to the pier we won't even be able to see the water along Harbour Drive.
How did Cayman survive when Ezzard was out of government? He seems to know everything.
That's why a lot of stuff went unknown until the new government or the shit hit the fan cause we have so few Ezzard's in Government.
If you think Ezzard is so different from McKeeva then just disagree with Ezzard a few times and see what happens.
Only if you had the sense to understand and take what he is doing as some of the most valuable things ANYof our politicians have done for our little nation, and that is the playthe role of PREVENTING THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN IN THE CAYMAN ISLANDS FROM BECOMING OUR EVERLASTING DICTATOR… if nothing else.
The sense to understand? The fact is, Ezzard is'nt any different from any politician and anyone who does'nt recognise that, is'nt someone I would label as having good sense. With regards to your EVERLASTING DICTATOR comment, we have always had a DICTATOR, the sad thing about that, is that no one,on this blog anyway, seems to have figured out who that DICTATOR is. Some food for thought IRON CLAD!
Two more questions –
Will there still be cruise ships in 50 years time and if so will they even be visiting Grand Cayman?
Will China still be a unified communist state in 50 years (by which time all the current leadership and many of their successors will be dead) or will it have gone the way of the USSR or Yugoslavia and fragmented?
The way this is all be played out no questions are being asked about long-term (or even most short-term) implications. It's like a done deal – build the cruise dock and we will make lots of money.
Sadly, about 99% of the projects in this world that are based on that concept are complete frauds that go belly up and if this goes that way it will take the whole of the Cayman Islands' economy with it.
The Chinese already have extensive semi-legal offshore financial interests in the Cayman Islands and this is nothing more than a move to reinforce their influence. Amongst the CHEC people running the project you will certainly have to deal with a cadre of security service (MSS) and party officials whose role on-island will have nothing to do with the prosperous future of the Cayman Islands and maywell result in almost immeasurable damage to the islands.
China is currently going through what could be a pivotal change in politics that could go in any one of a numbers of ways and getting into bed with them on a long-term project like this right now is dumb. Just bear in mind that the people you are negotiating with could end up against a wall facing a firing squad next week so nothing is certain and pretending it is makes no sense.
Old China Hand semi legal interests what are they ya open ya mouth why u stop ,if they are what you say why don’t you report them, isn’t that the right thing to do ole china hand, instead of joining the nay Sayers this is what you choose to do?. My my you must be silly really ole china hand..
In 50 years from now, half this island will be under water, so what is the sense ?
When the next Democratic US president lifts the embargo on Cuba, the end of Cayman as a tourist destination is a fact.
A simple dock should have been built 10 years ago.
Both are speculations rather than fact. We cannot make decisions based on speculation.
Quite correct.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/christopherbooker/5067351/Rise-of-sea-levels-is-the-greatest-lie-ever-told.html
So here we are………………… still. Bloggers giving thumbs up or thumbs down on a deal that has ALREADY cost us — you and me — $2 MILLION dollars with nothing to show for it. Is this all that we can do to stop what we know is a bad deal for us and a worse deal for the future of our islands and children's future?
What insanity makes anyone believe it is a good idea to sign a deal that obligates us for the next 50 years plus allows a foreign national to get a strong non-Caymanian business toehold in our Capitol?
Then, factoring in how other projects by CHEC have gone in other countries, what makes anyone believe that will improve for us?
We had a sound deal, tendered and approved. That opportunity was lost and we've paid for it. I would rather see no deal than a poor one. We'd better get this right, folks. Stop saying "any port is better than none." Read an analyse the fine print, and follow the money. This is our history in the making — the tipping point.
You know, I feel like "a foolish dog that is barking after a flying bird" – it won't achieve a thing. In fact that is how we all are and that is why Mac and the UDP will continue to abuse us and do as they please, no matter if it is bad for Cayman.
We have to stop barking after flying birds and kick into some real serious action. We can no longer just bark (run-up our mouths) and let things continue as it is. We now have to put a stop to all the abuse that is heaped on us by Mac and the UDP that will affect our childrens future.
Mac and this present UDP Government have emptied the coffers by continual travel and broken contracts aswell as plenty other unnesscessary spending of which we have seen no benefit, yet we just "bark" a little and its all forgotten and they do it over again.
Peoples, we are better than this and deserve better, lets show this Government we are taking control of our destiny and we will tell them what is good for the future of our Country. We can no longer be afraid to let them see us stand up to them, lets all join in with any petition or protest so that our children will have something and that they will be proud of us putting Cayman back on the right track!
Love the Marley quote
The worst possible scenarion has taken place in that the Premier, who has shown no skills in any form of finance in the past has since assumed the self-appointed role of Finance Minister. This deal, and the ones concocted with Dart are prime examples of someone who shoots from the hip. More worrying also is that he is too arrogant to admit he has no clue about the consequences. As everyone is pointing out these decisions are too crucial to the future of Cayman to be left to the wrong headed thinking of one person so disinterested in consultation and consensus. Further, his actions and speeches have left no doubt he is plainly not interested. It is crucial to bring government back to where it is responsible to the people.
Unfortunately, that can't happen under his leadership and Cayman is already under scrutiny. Disguised as a "visit" from m the U.K. Does anyone else see this as something else?
At this rate by the time he is through the democratic process on Cayman will have reverted one hundred years. Assuming Cayman still has control over it's affairs.
REALLY!! Please tell me, when did Cayman have control of it's affairs?
Praise God Almighty for Ezzard Miller.
Please!
Thank you!
If Ezzard could come up with one (just one) idea himself that would help pull Cayman out of its misery then I would be too singing his praises. But the facts are that whilst Ezzard may have some skill in critising others, he does not offer alternative and solutions. Until then, he is just as bad as the rest of them – full of hot wind!
Here's the true kicker in all of this and one which I believe you constantly miss.
It's really hard to invest time into FIXING things when you have to invest so much energy into preventing DISASTER.
How can he actually have time to sit down and say Okay how should we go about doing X. When he sees Big Mac lining up DISASTERS for the country?
– CHEC – 50 Year Contract
– DART – Selling out the countries assets and getting absolutely possitively NOTHING in return
You see I don't think we as Caymanians GET IT yet.
We seems to think and UDP helped us also to think that what PPM did was so much a monumental mess up. Let me say this and make it CLEAR AS CRYSTAL for you.
PPM gave us assets and in theory if we plan properly and not avoid too many NEW PROJECTS we could in 5 – 10 yearsfix the schools issues and bring our government back around. CHEC will be a nightmare for 50 years. This is 10 times worse for us.
They talk about PPM having BIG EYE and doing the schools well what did we just do.We went from a $195M deal to a $300M deal. From a 25 year deal to a 50 year deal. All for what? Upland development? Do we even need it? How will it stand up to a hurricane? As someone put it where will the world be in 50 years tourism wise, China Wise or Cayman wise? How do we plan so far out into the future without any data to back it up?
This is the worse case of BIG EYE we have ever had!!
Now on to DART. Dart is a ruthless businessman. Don't take my word for it just read up on the man. If you think even for one second that he does anything FOR CAYMAN you are sadly mistake. Every move he makes is a strategical play, a gesture that has in time a cost attached to it. The parks he build are an illusion to what is happening elsewhere. Like a magician he gives you something to look at in one hand while he is doing something with the other. This move was of the hotel and the dump has been in the works for sometime now. This is not the sort of man that wakes up one morning and decides to do something.
The dump is a piss poor idea for the people of the Cayman Islands. It makes one problem into two. It does nothing to resolve what we did wrong the first time and prevent it from happening to location #2 and much less whatever could be done could easily be done at the present site. Don't allow yourself to get caught up in all the UDP BS. This is all UTTER GARBAGE to sell the idea that the DUMP HAS TO MOVE. It does not. It's really just DART saying it does and the fact that Mr. Dart is ONLY willing to pay for it to.
What we should do is simply say to Mr. Dart this. Thanks but no thanks. The dump is located where it needs to be for commonsense purposes. If you are willing to help us resolve the dump there and make it less a problem for you by all means we would be greatful BUT only there.
Now Mr. Dartr the West Bay road. Mr. Dart we thank you for your offer but here is ours. The road must remain where it is. It is not in our Countries interest to give up one of it's major attractions to facilitate your business interest. As the Ritz Carlton and the Hyatt Regency before them have done we suggest an overpass for your clients.
I believe when it comes to our countries assets we should have to have a much stronger position as to its disposal. It just seems too easy for a government to do something like this and mess us up for ever. We should be able to label some government assets "Untouchable"
This is my opinion and one I believed shared by many.
JimBob sometimes we need people with hotwind. When you get someone like Big Mac who has the patent on hotwind by the way, the only thing HE understands is someone who knows how to use his HOTWIND also. As far as ideas go. Right now it's far more important to stop all these bad ones than to be preeching new ones which as you might understand will probably get shot down anyway JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE HIS IDEAS!!!
If being fully of hot wind was the worst problem with some of our politicians it wouldn't half so bad. Unfortunately it is much worse than that with some. There are no criminal investigations to prove hot wind.
Ezzards idea to help pull Cayman out of its misery is to keep the fire lit under the UDP's backside. A very, very good idea indeed. It is not Ezzard's job to come up with ideas for the UDP to spurn. It is the UDP who is supposedly running the country and whose responsibility it therefore is to run the country. This has been stated very many times on this website but only those with ears to hear and a desire to hear will ever hear the truth. STOP trying to make Ezzard look wrong for continuing to hack away at the wrongdoings that are having a very negative impact on this country and Its people every single day of our lives. Ezzard is one of the very few people in today's government that is actually earning his pay check. Persevere, Mr. Miller. Goodness and righteousness will prevail, in spite of all those who would not have it so.
Ezzard is a human being. His comments should be evaluatated for what they are worth. I praise him for this contribution to the secular events of today (he is a smart man XXXXX).
Praising something that does not exist is irrelevant and not helpful.
Do you really believe that God Almighty does not exist?
Go and kick god out of your own country not ours if we want to believ in god respect that, what have you done for your fellow man lately? if you dont believe in god keep it to your self dont try to change us so you can use us greedy emoral human.
Red Bay sounds better every day.
Red Bay is cheaper to build, provides valuable fill, creates an all weather port, does not include retail to compete with merchants, does not cause traffic mayhem downtown, can hold more ships, creates a marina, completes the South Sound bypass, does not threaten GT with flooding, actually does less environmental damage than in GT and will take the same time to build. CHEC nor GLF proposals can better that. You may debate all day about which construction company and which deal is better in Town but Red Bay is the clearly the best solution for the Cayman Islands.
See http://www.caymancruiseport.com
But it will cause traffic mayhem in South Sound – Businesses will have to relocate from their premises in GT or passengers ferried to them so causing further congestion.
A Valuable replenishment zone will be destroyed. Many Thousands or Hundreds of Thousands of dollars will have to be paid out by government to compensate home owners due to the falling value of homes due to a destroyed view & surroundings.
See the web site, please….The Red Bay proposal creates a new bypass that is already gazetted–it actually DECREASES traffic through South Sound not increases it. Ask NRA.
The big myth about 'ferrying" is the fact that at present 80-85% of ALL disembarking passengers are "ferrried" immediately OUT of town. They do their stingray, island, hell tours. All that Red Bay does is even out the flow into town making it possible to manage. With 4 Oasis ships in town the cruiselines will require 150 buses PER HOUR just to get the passengers out of GT. Tell me which is worst. No business will have to locate there as there is no retail provision on the facility unlike the 100,000sf plus number currently mooted. That will kill the GT merchants. They have finally figured it out.
The current replenishment zone is not working significantly–there has been no increase in conch or lobster there over the last 25 years. It has merely stabalized. ( two reasons-poaching and hurricanes) The proposed breakwater is actually a better habitat for lobster than the current-swept sandy bottom out there. The inner reefs at GT sees a lot of tourists each day and are relatively healthy- a bigger loss. (everything you now see, all activity- the boats, the kayaks, the pirate ship, the snorkelers etc, between the shore and the current docking location of the cruise ships will be dredged and DESTROYED in GT – crazy, most folks do not realize that fact.
The landowners will not need compensation and they will now be protected from storm events. There is no reason why their property values would go down. The berthing is in Red Bay, east of old crewe road, not down in the middle of south sound. Added to that only 3-4 daysa week, during the day hours, will their view include the cruise ships–the rest of the time they are looking out on a mega-yacht marina and landscaped island surrounded by a truly effective replenishment zone.
Red Bay is actually a superior choice no matter how you look at it.
Cat Boat Captain part of the reason you want to have this cruise ship berthing is so that people can walk on and off the ship when they want to. In GT they walk off and they walk in town and buy things from in town. But you want to put them out in a wilderness or you will have to ask us to build an infrastructure (And I am not talking just roads) that right now does not exist.
My bigest problem with the port project is too much start and stop. Too much personal best interest see money going into somebodies pocket. This country needs this now or are we going to wait like with the constitution.
In Sint Thomas the main bustling downtown is 2 miles from the cruise piers.
Anon 0807 so because another country messed up we should follow suit?
I am not saying I support the Chinese deal. I personally believe we are selling our souls in that deal. But the Red Bay deal is not the way to go. There are too much extra infrastructure we have to build and frankly speaking too many extra hands we have the greese.
At the very least the taxis would be more than happy. The tourist would get a berthing facility to maximise their time but would have to pay extra taxi fees to move up and down.
PS the idea that most tourist go out of George Town anyway is really messing with numbers. Quite a number of those would come back in time to spend time shopping in town especially if they did not have to wait in long lines to get back on the boat. And hey thats how most tourist destinations that target cruise ship works. So to make your case you give one example out of how many?
Funny Looking out of my house at the moment I have a lovely view – one of the key selling points when I purchased it. That view will be obstructed by cruise ships – there go its lost value in the same way that if I build a 10 story house outside your window it'll ruin your view.
Where exactly does the road link finish? Not in GT. So either Businesses will dry up or have to move in the mean time traffic will rise insainly!
Finally yes more busses / transport will be required. Maybe larger properly licenced and trained operators / drivers would be better than the small death traps driving down the road stopping where they please to become mobile chicanes.
The road starts at old crew road and south sound road goes immediately north then west down behind cayman crossing and behind the tennis club ending near the softball fields. It takes all the school traffic from south sound Main road in the morning. It therefore also links into Bobby thompson way and channels traffic around GT as well. Part of the NRAs bypass system.
50% of your “value” will go away at the next hurricane.
and so did the East End Seaport
Oh the CHEC will pay handsomely.
The question we should be asking is "who will get paid"
The CHEC deal is being done for the benefit of a few at the expense of many.
We are indeed a strange people. We criticize the expat attorney who makes a million per annum, but ignore the fact that he brings many millions to the island, which inevitably allows us to live in higher standards.
Yet we praise and protect local politicians who bring nothing to island, give us the minimum while they live and travel like kings and queens. In doing so, they take money from our pockets, thus reducing our standard of living.
Its unfortunate, but it seems the fastest way to wealth and propersity is not through education, capitalisim and hard work, but through politics, parties and schemes.
Another daily political attack by Ezzard Miller which this time is thinly cloaked in very inaccurate figures, which he seems to have pulled from that old place where the sun never shines. The GLF and CHEC projects are very different in their design and overall value to the Cayman Islands. The CHEC project is superior with greater capacity to generate revenues and handle increased passenger numbers and from which the Government will generate close to half a billion in the second 24 year block as well as inherit a Port facility which has cost them nothing.
Just like our $200 million dollar schools.
Here is some free advise for you Adding Machine. The expenses are REAL and UP FRONT. CHEC has a history of doubling up on those figures once projects have started. The income you speak of is ASSUMED and based on original expenses.
The past does not equal the future. When Cuba opens up cruise lines can save millions in fuel going from port to port in one country. Cayman does not have have a monopoly on stingray cities, beautiful beaches, t-shirt shops and rolex stores. Quite the contrary. We have no mountains, no rivers. We hae no waterparks, jungle tours, zip lining, etc. We are expensive, insular and arrogant from being spoilt for so many years. Its no longer a matter of build and they will come. Going forward its about how best to compete with some impressive players in the game. And given your name Adding Machine, you should know one of the best ways to compete is to be as cost effective as possible. Unless, of course, you work for governemnt.
A port facility which has cost them nothing. I like that. An adding machine that still believes in something for nothing. Sorry, the UDP most certainly does not need your help with THAT crap.
Brainwashed they are, all these gullible, cult-like UDP followers who can't think for themselves and see when something is obviously going wrong. Maybe we should do an intervention and rescue them, before it is too late.
Generate greater revenues for whom exactly? Because it certainly is not for the Govt. coffers nor for the locals who live, work and operate businesses here. But it will certainly for CHEC's pockets though. Adding Machine, you need to go back and learn how to add and come to logical, sound conclusions, because your assumptions are totally worthless and useless.
Must be another crony of UDP or CHEC who stands to benefit from part of the sweet deal at the country's expense. No one intelligent could make such a ridiculous comment like this. It is all about being competitive with other countries, and keeping our costs down to make this place attractive and affordable for cruise visitors to stop off here. Following your logic, we build this huge monstrosity that will become a white elephant that will not pay for itself anytime soon. Especially more so when Cuba opens up. And by then we will be eyeballs deep into debt with a communist country. Well, when that day comes, you alone can stay here and repay the loan yourself – how about that?
All thumbs down go and be to Ezzard the King of Spin
Ezzard's analysis showed Govt. making something close to 1/2 billion in the 2nd 25 year block under CHEC, whereas Govt. would be making more than double with GLF's deal because GLF would have handed it fully back to Cayman after 25 years and not be controlling it for another 25 years like CHEC. Instead of Govt only getting a certain portion of the revenue in the 2nd 25-year block, they would getting full returns. Sowho is the idiot here? I don't think its Ezzard. And as for your claim that CHEC has superior greater capacity to handle increased passenger numbers, there exists only 2 of these large vessels, and both would not visit Cayman at the same time. The 2-finger piers that were designed by the former developer, to allow 1 or 2 of these vessels to tie up along with the smaller ships that we now get, is more than sufficient. Why would CHEC design something for an increased number of these larger vessels that do not exist? Or to put it in simpler terms for you – why would you spend money to build a 10-car garage if you only have 2 or 3 at the most? Further, why build a huge upland / retail element when it already exists in George Town? Exactly who are we increasing revenues for – CHEC, or the local businesses and people here? Aren't we supposed to be building this thing to help our existing businesses and merchants and strengthen our domestic economy? Is any of this beginning to sink in yet? No? Read it over and over again if you must, we really want to educate you and enlighten you somehow.
At this point, I don't give a damn who builds it. Just get the #%!&ing construction started.
Kyfan82, ya got sense
You are not from around here, are you?
Or Scrub the whole thing. We have enough ships. We need to focus on stay-over tourism.
Of course we do but we seem to be pinning our hopes for the next fifty years on a few stingrays and a piece of sand.
This is exactly my point, what are we doing to beef up our appeal. We never evolved into a true tourist destination, primarly because we have spent so much time focusing on the finance industry. So what we have is an Island with an identity complex.Our culture, not very interesting fails as a "backbone" for the tourist industry, leaving Govt in a unique position to design the Cayman brand from scratch. What can we do to attract the world?Dependant on global inestors, how do we systematically role out change enhancing infastructures and quality while preserving oppurtunity for all? How do we tackle inflation and its negative effect on our visitors? The port might get them here but what can we do to secure a return visit?If we strive for unforgettable experience we should get it almost to completely right.
Seems to me a very serious meeting has to be held with emphasis to address these matters. After all I'd hate we get our beautiful port and no traffic to justify the cost.
Food for thought: Don't forget, Cuba may soon be available to the U.S. market which could mean less interest by cruise liners to drop anchor here.