BT landfill moving forward
(CNS): Government sources have confirmed that preparatory work is being undertaken at the proposed landfill site in Bodden Town ahead of an Environmental Impact Assessment. Although there are no terms of reference for the EIA in the public domain, it is understood that exploratory work is now underway to establish what are expected to be restricted terms. The proposed landfill is part of government’s deal with the Dart Group to swap land, cap the existing George Town dump and create a new one in Bodden Town. Residents in the area and members of the Coalition to Keep BT Dump Free have raised concerns that the landfill is about to be started despite considerable local opposition, no public consultation and no planning permission.
Documents released under the FOI law some time ago by the Department of the Environment show that government is limiting the EIA to the proposed site belonging to Dart group and will not be allowing the terms of reference to consider any other alternatives for the future of waste management.
It is still not clear exactly what government plans to do about the future of waste management in Grand Cayman, but part of the ForCayman Investment Alliance mega deal between Dart and Government involves the developer being given the crown land adjacent to Camana Bay where the current landfill sits. In exchange Dart has agreed to cap and remediate the old dump (a.k.a. Mount Trashmore) and construct a lined landfill in Bodden Town, then hand that along with land around it to government to allow it to create a new waste management centre.
With the appearance of heavy equipment, trucks and the sound of drilling at the site, residents as well as the activists opposing the proposals were concerned that Dart and government were trying to force a dump on the BT district behind the backs of residents.
Alain Beiner, a Coalition leader, and owner of a small, award-winning hotel in Bodden Town, said, “As far as we know, there has been no Environmental Impact Assessment, and no permission from planning to establish a dump in Bodden Town.“ In addition he noted that the area has not been re-zoned.
Charles Clifford, the former environment minister and MLA for the district in the previous PPM government, said that there has still been no consultation with the people in Bodden town and their agreement has never been solicited. Clifford pointed out that there were environmental concerns which were raised by the Central Tenders Committee (CTC) when it had unequivocally rejected the Dart proposal, expressing "great concern" about the impact of a dump in an environmentally sensitive area.”
The coalition members have pointed out that government rejected the CTC's first choice to solve the problem of Mount Trashmore with a waste-to-energy facility at the present site, with no need to contaminate a pristine residential area. Since then, however, government has embraced the CTC's very last choice.
The members have said that there are very real dangers of capping the GT landfill, the potential for staggering damage and financial claims, and the dangers inherent in establishing a new dump. Clifford asked if Dart would accept legal liability and responsibility for the work it would do at both the George Town dump and at the proposed dump in Bodden Town.
Relocating the dump would transform a pristine residential and agricultural area into heavy industrial use, and the Coalition said it was afraid that the project would be pushed through regardless of their many concerns.
“What exactly does Dart and Government intend to do about the increased truck traffic to be expected, given that around 92% of the island’s waste is generated in the George Town-SMB-West Bay area, far from the proposed site? It’s been months since Minister Mark Scotland promised to report any new developments to the public, but we fear that he has lied to us again,” Beiner added.
The coalition said it continues to press government for answers but so far it has not answered a single question. CNS also submitted a number of questions to the various government departmentsinvolved and to Dart itself but has heard nothing on the record from any of a long list of people contacted regarding the government’s plans for the site.
Last December, Mark Scotland, who is one of the government MLAs for the district as well as the environment minister, asked the Coalition to meet with him, but he turned down suggested dates and said he would meet with them sometime in January. However, the Coalition says that 10 months later they have still not heard from him and persistent requests for him to supply them with information have been ignored.
The Coalition said the people needed to know exactly what is going on and whether Dart had permission for the current drilling. Vowing to continue their campaign, the Bodden Town group said it firmly believes – as did the present government when it initially accepted the CTC’s recommendation – that the problem can and should be resolved where it is and Mount Trashmore can be eliminated and the GT dump properly managed. Moving of the landfill to their or any other district is not in the wider public interest and is being done in the interests of just one developer, the coalition group asserts.
Category: Local News
I live in Midland Acres and we built our homes to live in a quiet and peaceful area. Yes, we do not have Dart money to fight this fight so we welcome the Coalition to speak for us! We are registered voters and Mark and Dwayne must be moving to Caymana Bay because they won’t be re-elected. Trust me how could they ever show their faces in BT. The problem could can be fixed where it is. Why does Dart not pay for that? Is his comfort more important than mine just because he is a billionaire. I don’t think so! And we here in the Cayman Islands have to stand up to him and the Government trying to shove this down our throats!
I heard a person running for LA from Boddentown today on the radio asked about the proposed waste management facility and he sounded very thoughtful in his comments but I was saddened that he never mentioned recycling and a necessary component of a successful waste management facility.
Every politician should know and support mandatory recycling in the Cayman Islands.
Caymanians say "Speak up people, we can not make these things happen on our island…etc" for what? we speak/put in so much hard work and no one in Govt. cares, at the end of the day they going do what ever they feel like doing. I stop givin a dam. Make um do what they want cuz they ask for the peoples opinon and dont care afterwards. sooo…if they get wat they want we gonan have to suck it up and work our way around it att he end of the day. Unitl they change their mind.
Some good news!!! Everyone one knows you cannot have a dumped in the middle of your downtown. Common sense.
Common sense is to deal with the dump where it is, the last four governments thought so. The RFP by the current government asked for a solution to remediate where it is NOT TO CAP AND MOVE IT. The top 6 out of 7 bidders to the RFP provided solutions to solve the problem where it is.
What does your common sense tell you about that?
Common sense would tell you that the last 4 governemnts have been the exact same set of dummies that we currenlty have, apart from very minor changes like Foolio and the useless Bodden Town members.
We all know that but they should had taught about this along time ago, it been there for years
What have the Bodden Towners ever done for us?
They gave us Mark "Captain Planet" Scotland and Dwayne "Clubber Lang" Seymour, not to forget Tony "The Flash" Eden.
What goes through Bodden Towners heads on election day? Do they just put a cross anywhere for a laugh?
Pristine residential and agricultural area my butt. Nothing but swamp with the nearest residences almost a mile away! It may be in the Bodden Town DISTRICT but it is nowhere near Bodden Town TOWN.
And quarries …
I wish they could take a hike around Midland Acres and the Meager Bay reserve, and see the wetlands and the many different types of birds that live in these wetlands. Agouti rabbit, the parrots that fly from tree to tree, the swamp fish that feed all sorts of birds. The area is lush, wet, and provides oxygen to the surrounding area. I was shock the other day to see garbage from a construction site, dumping rubbish off a road in Midland Acres, as if the place was already gazetted to be a dump. No respect at all. I just hope Kenneth Dart and those involved in this deal consider the fine and little things of life that people would pass on by and trample on. These things add up and play a crucial role in our ecosystem. Certain things may look like mere bush and pests, but they were there for a very important reason. Let us not just trample over them and cover them with marl. Let us build with nature along our side with conservation in mind. Remember before we were ever born these wetlands was there for a reason. Money is not everything. There is certain medicinal plants and orchids that can be found in mere bush. PLEASE, LET US PASS GOOD CONSERVATION LAWS SO WE CAN LIVE IN HARMONY WITH OUT ENVIRONMENT.
Hi Unison, i hear ya however blaming DART is the worng path.
The person you need tovent at is Mark Scotland who happens to be from……Bodden Town!……and is also…(drum roll)………The Minister incharge of the environment and conservation!
I have yet to see the plans for this place, but I can tell you this with out a shadow of a doubt, it will be done properly unlike the current dump, and DART is all about the environment and saving trees etc, you only have to look at what he has done thus far and his massive nuseries throughout the island.
If it was anyone else involved other than DART I would be barking for answers.
Do you think the Minister has that much brain/brawn?
Just do it!
Yes Jesus, Please do it! please let us have it before May 2012.
Thats not possible Dufus…….its now October 2012. Stop smoking the McKeeva weed so that you will at least know which year we are in !!!
Government has announced "public consultation" after the fact — as Dart and their Govt puppets already consider a dump in BT to be a "done deal" and are proceeding blind to common sense, social justice, and to the people's concerns and objections. These "public consultations" will be of a "technical nature" to ensure that no one in the district understands a thing, and that the real-life issues involved for residents of BT and of Grand Cayman as a whole will not be dealt with. They'll of course not mention that they outrageously muzzled the Environmental Advisory Board (EAB) in their deliberations and mandate, so as to ensure that the Terms of Reference (TOR) of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) will be severely restricted — and not much more than a joke. They ordered the EAB to focus only on Dart's proposal to move the dump and to needlessly contaminate a second site, and to ignore the issues which the EAB had recommended — a study of the best waste management solution for Grand Cayman, and a through and open site selection process if indeed the dump had to be moved. At the same February 15th meeting, the EAB advised as well that there must be full and ongoing consultation with the public throughout the process. There has so far been no consultation at all, no meetings, no updates, no documents produced. The proposed garbage dump in BT is a monumental threat to the environment and health of the entire island, and is being forced on the people for only one reason: so that Dart can expand Camana Bay with a new residential project after getting the GT dump "out of its backyard"!
Govt signed off, blame Mark Scotland for telling you all absolutely nothing until after the fact. In fact, balme yourselves for voting him in.
The problem is the dump in GT, have you noticed it? You can probaly see it from your rooftop. Its the first thing tourists see when they arrive on the cruise ships and by plane. It is destroying the north sound on a daily basis. It f**king stinks the whole island out depending on the wind direction. IT IS A ENVIRONMENTAL CATAROPHE WAITING TO EXPLODE. It needs to be dealt with.
Our govt chose this site and method. Blame them for selling out and vote the morons out of office in May, simple.
A pissed off South Sounder.
Governement doesn't give a shit about the people that put them in thier seats. Its what's best for their bank accounts. They are all useless.
Bodden Town deserves the dump. That is what you all get for jumping on the promise bandwagon and putting in the those UDP ones. You had honest people like Ozzie who actually cared for BT. So…take dat, and smell it every morning when it comes!!!
Ok now don’t get carried away before we bring out the cow ting that that same man use.
the problem with our law, we don't even have any option like a district being able to vote out an mla out of office before the end of his tenure; or, the premier. i bet if we had that option, they would think twice before playing us a blind eye. why cant the uk ensure we get that respect we need from our politicians….. oh i forget we are not considered like them up there
lol… a democracy is a government for the people and by the people. The Uk has us under a constitutional system that doesn't work. These cowboys get away with anything once they get a little power. I am glad we are seeing alike.
Democracy = The Freedom of electing your own dictator.
There are those who sit in the weeds and wait to attack anything the government does because of personal animosity toward certain politicians.
The country needs a new waste management facility. Why not channel your anger toward something useful like mandatory recycling?
Believe me I have no personal animosity at all – nor do I know many who do. What we object to is the assured destruction of our beautiful island at the hands of politicians who care about nothing except fattening their own bank accounts and furthering their own personal agendas.
Indeed, the most "personal animosity" I witness, comes from the politicians repeatedly pointing the finger, stamping their feet and blaming each other and everyone against them, instead of acting maturely and sitting down together to discuss like adults what is best for Cayman and its people.
I don't believe moving the dump to BT is the best option. Personally I believe the original proposals dealing with the landfill at its current location were much more cost efficient and appropriate.
Now you got what you wanted , now everthing else is destructive…very funny !
12;04
Now you are an expert in waste management. who are you to suggest we should keep the land fill at its present location. Have you been there? have you seen the million tons of marl dump there by the Bodden quarry, which created the mountain? i dont think so. Where were you in 1983 when all caymanians wanted the dump relocated, but not had the money to do so.
If Dart were Jesus Christ, you all would be the next jews, scribes and pharacise. why do people hate this man so?
Yes give and sell Dart the entire islands he will lead you into the promise land and out of debt and this should stop our wonderful Premier from globe trotting and knocking on doors all over the world. He could just go to the Dart headquarters in Camana Bay. Mr. Dart should buy every business and home for sale in Cayman and make it a one stop shop. It would be utopia, we would all be rich. The money would all stay in the islands and he would bring us all prosperity like he has since he began investing in this country. I say thank you to Mr. Dart as he has done so much for these islands he should be given an OBE and a MBE better yet he should be a knight
Why don't you point the same finger at the wealthy Caymanian families that are on the island? The Fosters, Thompsons, Merrens, KirkConnells and the others what about them? No just blame Dart because it is easy and safe.
I appreciated your candid remarks and understand your frustration with the political process which seems a disappointment of late. As you were frank with your opinion I will do the same. I believe the days of the George Town facility are numbered and another site is required. The population within the country is going to continue to grow and the current site is an environmental disaster waiting to happen. Another site central to the country is necessary and only makes sence if mandatory recycling is instituted. That could provide job and services to the BT area. Without recycling this country is going to ultimately choke in its own waste.
10;38
My hat off to you …I couldnt have said it any better.
And I must add, all of these objectors, either do not want anyting to happen in bodden town so they can continue to point fingers at their politition, that is what we Caymanian do best.
Listening to those two gentle men on the radio station last week, telling the Cayman people that their concern with the dump, as they called it are based on them being a group of concerned citezens…hog wash, which one is going to waste his time and energy to protest just for the people's sake?
These men are political connected and aspired. They along with the rest are out in force to brain wash the poor BT people, telling them it is not a good thing for the polititians to bring this 60 Million dollars worth of development, to BT, and at the same time the dudes are telling the same people that their represintitive havent brought anything to BT.
BTers i want to tell you this, open your eyes, its time we stop these people from making a big monkey out of us. Work with what you got, don"t waste time critizing them.
These men worked hard in an atmosphere that many countries are now experiencing..down- turn in their economy, no capital projects on the horizon, austerity measures that caused laying off thousands, cutting wages, no vacation pay, no money to by food, social services cut backs. we are lucky to have the UDP that kept us afloat….of course with the assistance with Dart developments which has created many job.
Let me just tell you what these objectors won't tell you; If they happen to take the government over and lead this country; the first thing these confusious would do is call you all up in a meeting and then let the cat out the bag; the Dart coporation has a signed agreement with our OFFICIAL government ( the Caymanian people )which the Governor is the head of. Which entails the extension of the bypas, the extention and development of the cayman public beach ( added 6.9 acrea) a new beach at the Victoria site. and 5 million in cash, part of, to help home owners from losing their homes.
Then they will say to you…we have to adhere to this contract between Mr. Dart and the Caymanin People, otherwise we will be liable to a law suit for breaching this contract. i hope you understand this, let's move forward with the group that toils to but building blocks in the ground, we need it more than ever.
15:18, you must be smoking some serios sh*t that washed up on the beach in Bodden Town.
Or its Foolio on CNS again.
Im smoking the same shit you are smoking, and yes it did wash up on BT beach.
You cant handle the truth! you guys got to stop the BS, we need to move forward. if you want to give your BTers something, then do it on your own merit, and stoip trying to brain wash them by tearing down what other people are trying to achive. Discusting bunch.
07:08, i can guarantee you I am not smokiing the same sh*t because anyone who states "we are lucky to have the UDP that kept us afloat" are clearly on another planet.
Dart is NOT giving us a new waste management facility. He is digging six holes and lining one of them.
I would like to sincerely thank the Coalition, particularly Mr. Charles Clifford, Mr. Vincent Frederick and Mr. Vanguard Anderson, for standing up for the people of Bodden Town at a time when we have absolutely no elected representation in our beloved district.
May 2013 is accountability time !
And I wish Alden McLaughlin would stand up to Burns Conolly and Emerald Sound Developer in his district Geroge Town! It is not right that Mike Adams had to call on the Courts to place an injunction to stop dump trucks from dumping fill into the sea off South Sound. Not right at all and Alden should have been speaking out support his district.
I just want to continue to set this record straight–Emerald Sound is NOT, I repeat, NOT on the seaside lands. Never has been. It is on the land side only. It was proposed by the same developer as the ongoing works but that is the only connection. We are of course the designers of ES as most know by now.
The works currently under discussion (with the court injuction) has had planning permission as a residential subdivision with seawall all along that coast for over 10 years. The current Objectors are reacting to a recent planning permission which allows the filling out to the current seaside fixed boundary mark and moving the seawall outward.
The Government's deceit about this proposal to move the dump to Bodden Town was never more evident than when Mark Scotland called in to Rooster last Monday when the Chuckster was on the show. The Chuckster grilled him to the nineth degree and had Mark stammering and searching for answers. Mark's responses were incoherent at best and unbelievable at worst !
This will be the determining factor in Bodden Town in this election. The people that live in Breakers, Midland Acres, Pease Bay, Belford Estates, Lookout Gardens, Central Bodden Town and Pedro supported by our friends in Lower Valley, Savannah and Newlands who will also be affected will make a very loud statement in May 2013 !!! The UDP and the PPM have failed their constituents in Bodden Town and a Coalition of people had to get together to fight this thing. Remind me again….why do we pay our MLAs ???? Where is Tony Eden ?????? I guess we'll soon see him……..May 2013 getting close !!!
Ironic isn't it that the Minister of the Environment would support the loss of yet further wetlands of environmental importance? They'll never be satisfied until they've raped all of Cayman of its natural resources.
Gimme a break….let the Environmental Impact Assessment, to be conducted by experts and overseen by the Environmental Advisory Board determine whether the wetlands will be impacted….not a bunch of nay-saying amateurs !!
All people do on this site is complain complain complain…
If you don’t have a better idea STFU!
I read newspapers and form 100% of my opinion based on someone else’s opinion and limited information they provide…
Grow up.
Git-R-Dun!
Pristine residential and agricultural land? Give me a break, what farms? what houses? Have you actually been back there?
Compass explained what this activity is all about a few daysa go. And says there'll be two public consultation meetings … http://www.compasscayman.com/caycompass/2012/10/18/Environmental-impact-assessment-at-proposed-BT-landfill-site/#view_comments
If Dart and Government know best, why wasn't the EIA done and published for us poor "sheep" to read so we would be happier being offered up on the sacrificial alter?
Is it because you all think "sheep" are stupid and unable to understand?
Is it becuase you all think as the "shepards" of Cayman you know best?
Well the last time I checked, I was human, I have a very functional brain and I have been given free will. I will continue to oject to being treated like a "sheep"! That sacrificail lamb thing went out donkey ages ago.
Dear Sheep,
Yes.
Shepard
CNS….how you love to stir it up. Minister Scotland was very clear about the works going on at the BT site. They are works that are necessary to the Environmental Impact Assessment and have been agreed by Government's technical teams (Environment, Water Authority, Planning, Environmental Health) and the draft Terms of Reference for the EIA will be subject to public comment/review in the coming weeks.
Yes, Government can always to a better job of communicating to the public, but so can CNS!
Government does not communicate with the public full stop unless ofcourse it's to pat themselves on the back or curse the PPM, thats the bottom line, plain and simple.
Perhaps if they actually had some sort of Press Officer in place, who gives REGULAR UPDATES there would not be so much speculation surrounding their actions / inactions by all us devil worshipper's out here in the real world while they all live in La La Land and travel around the world at our expense.
Its the current government that is shady to the core, and people need to start lighting a fire under their asses.
Nuff said.
We don't pay CNS, we pay ALL of Governments bills.
I just want to know where and when to create human chain to stop this stupidity.
Come on Chucky let's put an end to this madness.
clean up the dump on Manse Road while you're at it….
It makes tremendous sense to move the dump as planned. We should not be shackled by nimbys, especially nimbys that do not even live near the proposed site.
Hilarious, considering the dump is only being moved because of NIMBYS in the first place.
Anonymous on Tue – 10:02
LMFAO!!! Good one!! HAHAHAHAHAHahahahahaaaa
(I didn't think a thumbs up was enough)
How can they call the site "pristine" when there are two large quarries on either side of it? Makes me wonder about the rest of their claims ….
So you are going to put the dump in Midland Acres, B.T. and dump trucks will be driving through Bodden Town ona daily basis, dripping poisonous liquid along the main road for all to smell… and oh the breeze will just blow to Belford Estates and stick the whole area. I can imagine the flies.. the swamp nearby will be a breeding ground, and I am sorry for my people in Breakers.. the whole surrounding area … this is what you call "spreading the garbage". I thought dwayne and mark campaign against this.