CI losing $millions on road
(CNS): The member for North Side has said government could be losing as much as $40 million over the West Bay Road swap with Dart and the deal must be stopped until there is transparency and accountability on the details. Ezzard Miller said he does not believe the new government is legally bound by the agreement, which was signed over one year ago, as that document contains a number of clauses that the NRA was not in a lawful position to agree to. In addition, he said, it has not gone through a proper process. Once again, the independent MLA has reiterated his commitment to re-opening the road if he is part of a government after the May election but does not believe the Cabinet’s hands are tied yet.
Miller has said that if the government had sold the road, which is crown land, in the proper way at market value, it could have received as much as $40 million, which would beenough for government to reduce the duty on fuel and make the cost of living cheaper for everyone.
“Here is an opportunity for the new government to collect anywhere from $20-40million on the sale of that road and significantly reduce the cost of living for everyone by cutting back fuel duty,” he said. “Instead, as far as we can tell, the public is receiving almost nothing in this deal.”
The outspoken MLA pointed out that, without the proper process and no transparency on the deal, it cannot be allowed to go ahead. He pointed to the failure of government or Dart to reveal the review undertaken by PricewaterhouseCoopers meant to assess if the ForCayman Investment Alliance is a sound deal for the public purse, giving genuine value for money for the tax-payers.
“The government should follow the process as set out in the legislation, which also allows objectors to be heard,” he said. “As a result of the petition, government already knows that at least 4,000 people object to this closure.”
Government said Thursday that the road closure was imminent and the deal signed by the former UDP government and the NRA with the Dart group in December 2011 obligated the current government to go ahead with the road closure regardless.
Dart is moving quickly on the project, well aware of the opposition to the closure and that the real potential for a change of government in just four months that could undermine the plans it has for a new five-star resort on the site of the former Courtyard Marriott and a new ten storey hotel. However, the developer is hoping to have the road closed well before then, presenting a fait accompli to the next administration.
Miller believes that the government is not bound by the NRA deal as it dealt with issues beyond the remit of the NRA Board, including the deal to give dart 50% back on room tax at the new hotel plus duty concessions. The independent member has called on the government to show the questions it sent to legal about this agreement and demonstrate how it is binding.
“I do not believe a court of law would find that agreement was binding,” he said. Miller pointed out that the sheer magnitude of the agreement, the limited consultation and the lack of transparency surrounding it alone would ensure the courts would find it now binding.
Miller also questioned where the reports are about the impact the change of plans at the site will now have as the resort, which was meant to be a redevelopment of a four story property, has become a new ten storey hotel, increasing the impact on the surrounding area.
One of the few MLAs to consistently stand by his opposition to the deal, which he believes is not to the benefit of the local people, Miller promised once again that he will not support any future government that does not agree to keep the road open or moving to re-open it if it is already closed by 23 May. Miller believes there will be no legal issues with that as the agreement was dependent on a favourable finding from the independent review and he believes government must have been attempting to re-balance the deal back in favour of the public over the last eleven months or so since the report was said to have been completed.
However, as no one has seen the report except for government and Dart, Miller said there is no way for anyone to know if the deal has been negotiated to the point where the public purse enjoys value for money. Miller said, “What we do know is that Dart will receive millions of dollars in concessions and is receiving a strip of beach front real estate worth millions in exchange for funding the cost of a new road,” which, he added, fell far short of the land value.
“It is ludicrous that weare giving away millions and millions of dollars to a developer who can well afford to pay at time of intense economic hardship for ordinary Caymanians,” he said. “There are many alternativesthat could be looked at to still facilitate the hotel,” Miller added, insisting that this should not be a fait accompli and government could still stop what many people suspect will be an unfair deal.
Category: Politics
I'm not sure why Mr. Miller keeps beating a dead horse. What's done is done let it go.
If Ezzard was so concerned about the West Bay Road closure why didn't he pony up some of his big MLA bucks to hire an attorney to fight this before the eleventh hour and most of the work was done?
Don't kid yourself foreign investors listening to Ezzard rant and railing about developers and I will reopen the road if I am a member of government type remarks do not help the country.
It seems that Ezzard needs a target at which to vent his wrath be it Dart or the newspapers he is cut from the same cloth as McKeeva.
Well done Ezzard….too slow here pal.
How are you gonna sell the land and how could the land have been sold. It is only ‘worth’ what someone is prepared to pay for it and that wasn’t the figure DART had in mind when the deal was struck and it certainly isn’t a figure heis gonna stump up now either.
The deal is done, get over it and move on, you ain’t gonna get any more money from DART now, imagine if he just said OK then I’ll walk away now and Govt finish up….like that’s going to happen.
Here is on old George Carlin observation. As Dart gets more and more control of cayman we need to fear the same thing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acLW1vFO-2Q
Too late………..the deal is done.
Poor Cayman it has become like the pied piper, here read it , read all about it http://www.storytell.com.au/stories/PiedPiper.html and the moral of the story is the good citizens of the Cayman Islands will pay their debt in full one way of another when the PiedPiper decides to collect. As for me and my house we will pay our taxes to HM government or the USA and to this I'll say God Save the Queen, may he continue to bless the USA.
Too late, you silly lot will curse the hour and damn the day, it can't come soon enough. Let the story of Fiji and George Speight be a lesson to the lot of you but then again greed has made most Natives, blind, dumb and deaf. Close the WB road, move the dump, give concessions and sell or trade all government entities to the highest bidder and the glorious developer that only interest is Cayman. All hail to the great emperor, who has led us from abject povery to unlimitless wealth, from unemployment to full employment. My only desire now is to see anyone that has lived here for 25 years who are now caymanian be able to run for office and if duly elected be able to sit in the LA. If this is not allowed then it should be challenged in court these people too have their human rights. Cayman needs a multicultral and multiracial parliament, with over one hundred nationalities living and working in the Cayman it is only fair that the LA should reflect this. There are many smart men and women who would do a stellar job in politics in Cayman if they are allowed to run for office, there are many in the financial industry that would and could lead Cayman much better and give the country the representation that it now needs locally and internationally. Since all jobs in Cayman are now open to everyone it should be no different for politics. This countryy needs people who will make a difference, elected office should be opened to all not just those that are born here with Caymanian parents or grandparents.
You will be waiting for years and years……….
Where does miller make up this nonsense?! A failed pharmacist who can suddenly evaluate infrastructure projects! He makes a fool of every real Caymanian
Yours for Iron Men/Women like Miller and McLean
Time will tell where Miller make up this nonsense, as for being a failed pharmacist who can suddenly evaluate infrastructure projects, far as the world knows he is stilllicense to practice pharmacology anywhere in the world and can get a job dispensing meds anywhere in the world so much for being a failed pharmacist, thank heavens he can evaluate infrastructure projects because as I see it no one else in the UDP or PPM is able or willing to. Miller and McLean are the only two MLAs in the entire Cayman Islands that shows the world that Real Caymanians are not all fools. As for all the rest of the MLAs clean sweep coming in May 2013.
I am sure I am related to Ezzard, but I hope I am not.
I find it funny how Mr. Miller stated on this morning's talkshow that a lawyer should take on the case for the people against the road pro bono! Does he think that every lawyer on this Island is rolling in dough? They have bills to pay and a family to take care of, just because one group has a view on something doesn't mean that everyone should take their view! This involves a lot of time and dedication and not being able to take on other cases that you are getting paid for! Ridiculous!
I am rolling in dough. I would not waste 5 seconds doing something this man wanted.
Would not want to miss out on some of those Big Corporation dollars now would you.
No I would not. I am here for money. I want money. I want to go back to civilisation with a lovely big pot of money. Closest I ever came to pro bono was once when I quite enjoyed a U2 gig.
16.11 I am actually not a lawyer!
With all the roundabouts this stretch of road is destine to be called "Accident Alley". I predict the accident rate will be at least 5 times higher than on the section of road they are closing.
Then try using them properly, it's not difficult, buy a copy of the roads code and practice.
Only if one is too ignorant to follow the rules of the road and drive in a safe manner.
Only 'cos idiots like you don'y know how to use them
Give away more of your beach property & while your at it sign your house over to keke or dart since you’ll don’t have s brain of your own in WB! How much times do you have to get screwed before you’ll learn in WB????
Braca
Could we use Ezzard's hot air to generate power? It could power most of West Bay.
Ezzard seems the be the only MLA to tackle the subject have a view and fight for a fair deal. Does the ppm have a view or opinion on any of this and the lack of value for money in the deal?
The roads law, possibly section 23, allows the NRA to EXCHANGE lands so this deal is highly likely very legal. That is all that’s happening here- land exchange not land give away. Dart is giving two to three times the land area in exchange of that 40×4000 foot strip of pavement. They are then making/paying for a road on top of that land. I guarantee you that the value-for money report will show we are getting a superb deal. We have to remember that the road only has any value to Dart as he owns both sides of the road now–if you put it on the real estate market it would have a value of around ci$1.00- seriously. This is a win-win for us and we should not be so blinded. Dart will win but we will win also.
Mr. Miller’s calculator is obviously not working or it’s merely politics. Either way I think that this hot air will be all for naught.
Fools have no use for facts. They are just another thing in the way of what they have been educated to belive is the truth. For instance: although it is well known that the government education system dispite all the recent and past "changes" is still failing they still belive that when they went to the same school many years ago that it did not fail them. All the educated (Caymanians and expats alike) can see you are right but that is not the problem is it? So what can be done? My opinion only is do the best you can given the situation. In other worlds Caymanian success is limited by its comprehension of the word. The road job can be accomplished but total agreement can not.
Agreed. My question to Ezzard would be, why don't you put this much energy into the affairs of the majority of the residents, property owners and tourists on NorthSide instead of the few who can actually place a cross in a box for you?
Why is it that he is wanting to open up the beautiful Marine Park at Rum Point and strip it of 25 years protection from (mainly) his crack head constituents who pillage its treasures on a daily basis for their own profit. Why does he think his loser friends on NorthSide/Old Man Bay should destroy an environment which gives so much pleasure to our revenue bringers, (tourists, residents and Caymanians alike)?
I'll tell you why, because he is as bad as them. He thinks that his kind of Caymanian is beyond reproach and that the environment is there to be exploited at will and to hell with the consequences.
Well Mr Miller, Its about time you had a taste of your own vile medicine.
So when you disrespect and dismiss your expat residents as 'foreigners' and accuse them of 'stealing Caymanian jobs' or attempt to destroy the environment for the benefit of your crack head friends, we will do as you do and shout from the highest roof top.
Come on NorthSide, come on the owners of Rum Point, come on all the property owners and residents of Cayman Kai, come on Cayman , this man wants to destroy our fragile Marine Park for his few 'fishermen'. Think about the consequences of his selfish plan and the damage it will do to our environment, marine life and ultimately tourism. Write to the DoE Director and get this plan stopped before it's too late.
You are so right sir. I know you personally and Mr Miller needs to understand that it is "foreigners" like you sir that make North Side what it is today…… not unlearned people loke him. He would not know the difference between a "expat resident" and a foreigner" if one bit him on the a** (there is a huge difference you know ). "Expat residents" are the people who create JOBS in a country and "foreigners" are people living somewhere else. (How dumb is Ezzard anyway that he don't know that simple FACT).
People like Ezzard and all those other North Siders (not the Kaynan Kiers 'expat resident') who did not even know what an enviornment was until 'expat residents' came here and told them what it was…. or they would have destroyed it a long time ago…….. ignorant, uneducated fool crack heads that they all are…… To say nothing about those few 'fishermen' who single handidly ruined anything and everything to do with the enviornment in North Side.
Everyone except Ezzard knows that ALL of the 45,000 JOBS in the Cayman Islands were created by people he refers to as 'expat residents' …. otherwise why would the Island have to give away 25,000 work permits….. It looks more to me like it is Caymanians who are stealing "Expat residents" jobs as the expats or 'foreigners' who great JOBS here in Cayman.
Again Sir, thank you for posting the FACTS about everything in North Side. We need more expat residents like you then North Side will be what it should be and we wont have to look at those unemployed people walking the street and waving at "foreigners cars while they pass.
Remember it is all about JOBS…..JOBS….JOBS.
You need to stop smoking those banana leaves!
Dont believe what they told you that tobacco is made from banana leaves…
It is affecting your thinking – dont you see?
Errrrr….you forgot the Crown land being given away. Not where the road is but the other pieces.You also forgot the huge concessions which will reduce Govt income for DECADES to come.
No crown land is being "given" away. Dart is giving more land to the Cayman Islands government than it is getting.
Also, government is collecting ZERO in concessions on Dart hotels right now. IF Dart invests huge amounts of cash (which will stimulate thelocal economy for years) then Government will start collecting fees, although at a reduced rate. Government doesn't "lose" anything on this deal. Nothing from nothing is nothing and something is better than nothing.
Major hotels are given concessions all over the world. Most countries want to see major hotels develop in their area and give all kinds of tax breaks and other concessions. Yet the malcontents of the Cayman Islands think it's better to collect nothing than to move forward. Where do you nitwits come up with this nonsense?
And you forgot without his investment here in the first place there IS NO Goverment revenue !! 50% of something is a wholelot better than 100% of NOTHING!!! Surely your calculator can figure that one.
Finally, someone with a calculator that works. Your calculator is just like mine. I also took the time to work it out and wish Mr. Miller would get a calculator like mine and yours too.
Everyone knows that 160,000 square feet of filled, compacted, and paved land set back 75 feet from the sea, along Seven Mile Beach, is not worth any more than $1.00 (if that). You cant even plant a mango tree on and eat a mango, and turtles surely can't lay eggs on it so that you can get something to eat.
All you uneducated idiots with uneducated children without JOBS should shut up and go ask Mr. Dart for a JOB. You are not intellegent enough to understand what Mr Dart can do for us ….. talking foolishness about one piece of dirty old road …. you can't eat road you know ……
You fools won't shut up until you you scare away Mr. Dart. How do you think we have all the jobs that we have on Cayman (45,000 jobs) if the Government was not prepared to give away everything ………. in fact the new Government needs to re-look at ALL big corporations in Cayman and show a little appreciation and give them some concessions too for all the JOBS they have created. If we don't do something for them they will pack up and leave, then what will we do for JOBS.
Ezzard needs to realise that it is expats that run things here and have allowed him to get elected ……… thats right, he must be a hypocrite, they created a JOB for him in the LA. He should be more greatfull. If we don't have them BIG corporations we don't need no Government, after all Cayman is not even a speck on a world map ……. unless someone like Mr Dart pays to draw it bigger so we can see it….
I see on CNS where LIME has invested $20 million in this reagon ………. I hope Mr. Miller don't mess with them too if the Government decides to give them a few concessions to help them make back their money ………. Does Ezzaed not realise that Government giving away things is the way to greate JOBS … even JOBS for those ignorant, uneducated children and grand children???????/
JOBS FOR EVERYONE!!!!
Infighting is buried deep in Caymanian culture, so it doesn’t matter is this is a good thing for Cayman or not, people will still find reasons to be for and against it. They will never agree on anything which is why so much of the country is controlled by outsiders who see this as a weakness and play on it.
The inability of Caymanians to get along will eventually be their undoing..
Caymanians can't seem to take joy in the success of even one of their own, so it's not surprising that they abhor the success of any foreigner who might come here, no matter what good he or she might do here.
I don't know what bred this "crabs in a barrel" mentality, but I find the nasty gossip about anyone, Caymanian or expat, who does well for themselves here sad and pathetic.
What I have noticed, and it's something I noticed with another subset of a culture that became wealthy simply because of the circumstances of their birth, is that this sense of superiority/entitlement hinders personal growth and enterprise in many Caymanians. They have this idea that the world should be handed to them on a silver platter simply because they are Caymanians. The big problem is that so few of the politicians do anything to dissuade them from this notion.
There is a bright side. Many younger Caymanians have gone off to get top-rate educations and they see beyond the political morass and they will shape the future. The country has a chance to start that change process in the next election, but I don't think it will. I fear that things will get much, much worse for the Cayman Islands before they can start to become better. I hope I'm wrong because I won't live long enough to see the better days return.
You know most of these posters here on CNS in regards to this deal and are in favour of this deal are foreigners. They cannot see the damage this deal is doing to Cayman, all they can see is Camana Bay. What is Camana Bay? Who does Camana Bay profit? DART!!. Camana Bay does not profit the Caymanians. As a Caymanian responding to some of you bloggers, please stay out of Cayman's Affairs. Mr. Ezzard is correct, he is the only politician keeping the people aware of corruption and happenings in Government. The UDP Government promised transparency and what do we get….nothing!! The UDP and the current 5 has sold us out for a few dollars. They tax us to the gills, because the rich man and the well to do's say "NO" don't tax us, so then who ended up getting taxed? US. The lower paid Caymanians. When the previous UDP were in during the 2000 – 2004 years, were there not talks about moving the Governors House elsewhere and giving the Governor's Beach to DART too? Yes, there were talks about that, but IVAN came and changed everything. Now since they got back in 2009 -2013 they diverted their attention to our Public Beach and our piece of road between Public Beach and Yatch Club. Why does this man want everything Caymanian? Listen we want to remain an Island with Cocoplum trees, Coconut trees, Grape Trees, we do NOT want Southbeach style here on West Bay Road. Leave our properties alone, leave something for u and our Grandchildrens. Giving jobs to few sold out Caymanians for a few month does not suffice. There are alternatives, we survived before without DART, we can do so again. Leave our Road and Beach alone or you will see some bad things happening here in Cayman. Mr. Ezzard please continue to do your job as a legislature. Thank you for letting the voters know the dirt going on. I urge the current Government of 5, do what is right for Cayman…PULL OUT of this deal NOW!!!!! It will not cost you $40million.
You are right Dart is the main one profiting, but put that blame where it belongs. On the Caymanians that sold their family land for the all mighty dollar. Where they thinking of future generations when they did this. There was a time when all this land was owned by Caymanians but those days are gone thanks to your own forefathers as well as some of the people complaining now, not the people who purchased the land.
If you wanted it to stay the same you should have never sold it..
Said it befitted and will say it again, Caymanians owned this land way back in the day but sold and sold out over the years….Mariot, Hyatt, Holiday Inn …and any beachfront condo going forward. Please don’t come crying now……
Hey stupid, its us non Caymanians who earn the damn money and plough it back into the economy . It is us who pay full taxes on everything, no Caymanian discounts, subsidies, lower interest rates, stamp duty etc, etc……
Therefore, we do have a voice and a right to comment if OUR money is being used for the use of all residents.
And the stupid threat at the end of your piece is just hilarious. You can't even turn up for work on time, if at all, how are you going to do 'bad things' when your backsides are welded to your porches or sofas.
DART could not have bought any land if WE CAYMANIANS had not sold it to them.
WE sold our birth-right for silver and gold, and now you want to take it back?
Not today bo-bo!!
Yes, I prefer the Cayman of old, and yes I too do not care for the over-developed SMB road with all of Butler's concrete monstrosities that have turned us into another Caribbean eye-sore, but WHO was it that made all of this possible?
Who was it that allowed multi-story building on the beach?
WE DID !!
Who was it that raised the height cap from 5 to 7, and now to 10 stories?
Who was it that negotiated the "For Cayman Alliance"?
MaKeeva Bush … YOUR West Bay representative.
Who is it that refuses to pass a National Conservation Law in the interest of protecting and prserving our heratige for our children?
US !!
Stop bitching, we reap what we sow.
Pull out now and leave what …… Caymans own road to nowhere? A private dragstrip ? It cannot be pulled out of now and left unfinished…think before posting please.
Mr Miller thank you! We need to get London involved as this isn’t right. This is our country, our road and our right to keep the road if the deal isn’t fair. The next generation of Caymanians needs a fair chance at developing too?
If it means turning this deal inside out or upside down and shaking the transparency out, let’s do it and let’s get on with good governance.
Caymanians, please, for once stand up against this greedy developer and quit pretending. It's YOUR country – darn well fight for it! Ezzard's the only one with the guts to stand up and be counted – for goodness sake give him your full support.
Can some please run some liquor TV ads and distract him?
The biggest tragedy is that they are actually reconnecting the road to West Bay again afterwards.
Regardless of who the developer happens to be – this "deal" stinks to high heaven and is very one-sided. At the very least – it is woefully explained and clarified.
When one considers that the entity receiving the brown end of the stick is an entire country … in my humble opinion, that is something to be taken into serious consideration.
However, such a scenario will be nothing new for you-know-who.
Personally, I don't give a damn about how many "family parks" one constructs in these beloved shores – your true colors are vividly on display the world over … and they ain't very pretty, buddy-boy.
What, you mean its not the UK's fault? You're slipping Whodumbis.
“my humble opinion” – that will be the day W.
Same old song and dance fron Ezzard. If he’s so worried about the country then address the bloated service instead of a non issue like this one. A little harder to get elected on that platform isn’t it…..
Ezzard knows its easier to keep fooling fools than to try and change their minds.
I worked at the Big Four accounting firm that Ezzard was the head of human resources for many years. Lets just say that Mr Miller was ‘walked ‘out of the firm one day. He was just at times a nonsensical opinionated trouble maker that was out of touch with reality. Enough bizarre ideas led to his downfall. He was a nice man with a great sense of humor and I liked him personally, but he tended to come up with strange plans that were rooted not in facts. That is why I chuckle at his made up economics on this.
Lets all enjoy the new beach park, NOT in our cars in a traffic jam, but on foot.
I too, worked with Ezzard at a company when he was in HR. he did NOT stand up for persons married to Caymanians and went whichever way the wind blew. I see nothing has changed and if you ever have worked with him in person, you too , would not have ANY respect for this man
I wish Ezzard would learn a new tune.
North Side is swamped with burglaries and Ezzard is still beating the Dart bad drum or going after the Newspaper.
It will be a treat when Ezzard instead of doing nothing but attacking everything gives the country some answers for the economy and jobs with a government that is close to broke.
His divisiveness really concerns me as he seems tothrive on discord and sound byte.
Is it not interesting that no other candidates other than our independent memebers for NS and East End are prepared to take a stand on this issue and speak up and let the people of our country know how they are thinking. Why has this deal been kept so secretive and non transparent and one can only deduce that the reasons for secretive and non transparency is there is something to hide from the people of this country. The favours, influence, manipulation, obstruction, and horse trading by the DART Group is just pure and unadulterated corruption which all its executives are guilty of implication and involvement over the years. This is what happens when you drink the DART KOOLAID and surrender your ethics, principles and conscience to work for the Dart Group. Really sad that so many previously good people have lost all credibility after joining the Dart Team.
Or he could be a grandstanding idiot interested only in making himself look busy.
Why doesn't flip flopping Ezzard concentrate on the disgusting criminality that's going on in North Side at the moment. Homes are being robbed, marine parks stripped of life, tourists mugged and drug abuse rife and its his constituentsdoing it. Why doesn't he concentrate on repairing Rum Point Drive and resurfacing it so it is not a danger to tourists, residents and Caymanians alike.
Miller is as unprincipled and dishonest as the rest of them and he will say or do anything to garner favour from weak minded Caymanians. Perhaps if he did more for those who actually live, work and play on North Side, instead of defending the local crack head losers, then we may take him more seriously.
I could not agree more. The welcoming committee of zombies and druggies that you have to pass is quite a sight in north side. Mr. Miller please focus your energy on your own district. Maybe if you asked nicely mr. Dart may help you out with the dock project that you tried to start and got no where.
Here, here. Clean up Northside Miller, stop the criminals now, you know them and live amongst them. Now try dealing with them by putting them to work on the filthy beaches up here on Northside, they're a disgrace and not the picture that Cayman should be sending around the world.
Yes, I do refer to both the filthy beaches and the junky drunk losers that live in your district.
Unfortunately the robbers, poachers,muggers,and drug abusers are his only ticket to keeping his (job?), perks, and the little crown on his head. Seriously.
Focus on how much Cayman will GAIN from the land swap which will enable the expenditure of several hundred million dollars of investment.
The trickle down in licence fees, import duties, wages, employment , rental of heavy equipment, spending locally etc.etc. will far exceed small minded opinions of us getting a bad deal.
Only if you focus on how much Cayman will LOSE in income. 50% of room tax for decades, duty concessions, etc… The hotel being built will bring in all the stuff you mention, we don't need to lose our rights of way to the beach for that.
I agree with you Ezzard. It really stinks this whole thing, especially giving up 50% government tax to Dart. UDP has really ruined this country. I hope there are no fools willing to give them a vote this election.
18:10
I have to disagree.
Please explain to the people that it is only Dart's hotel that will get this concession.
Please explan that should the hotel sit there and rotten down, zero government tax would be yeilded from this hotel.
Please explain that should Mr. Dart decide to not invest any more of his money in cayman and do not build any more hotels, zero government tax would be going towards our people. We cant have our cake and eat it too. we have no resources in this little country of ours.
A Caymanian
After giving up a valuable piece of property, namely the West Bay Road that allows the developer to have beach frontage to significantly appreciate the value of his adjacent land and grant him other concessions, you mean to tell me you think it is a good deal to give up half of the government tax for that hotel or any other he builds in the years to come a good idea? That's pillaging the country!
You would have to ask McKeeva Bush to explain why only Darts hotels get this concession. He made the deal. It is so unfair to all the other hotels/condos already in the market. They have to pass on all their room tax and Dart gets to keep half. This includes any hotels he builds or buys for a very long time. The same goes for duty concessions. Do you really believe that is fair? Drink some more KoolAid.
To poster 5:47 signed A Caymanian,your posting is too stupid to be a Native Caymanian, however, I do believe that you are "caymanian" Native no and you will never be… Real Caymanians existed long before Dart and their development and will continue long after he has left, when the going get tough and the tough gets going like the turtles Natives will stay and if they are forced to leave they will always find the shores of home where ever they are to lay down their weary bones. True we have no natural resources, but we are still British, God save our gracious Queen, long live our noble Queen, God save the Queen.
not true , any hotel that he renovates, builds or buys will have the same concessions..Read the contract. He could very well buy the Ritz, Westin and Marriot and could effectively run us into the ground..Believe me he has the money to do it.
The moral of this story……
Never, ever, sign a contract with the Cayman Islands Government. There is a significant risk that the Cayman Islands Government will not keep its side of the deal.
The scariest part of the whole equation is that Ezzard actually believes some of the garbage he spouts.
I like how CNS makes this headline seem like a fact, rather than just one radical politicians opinion.
Take a look at the beautiful Camana Bay development and picture that In place of the derelict holiday inn.
The Holiday Inn was beachside where the Ritz is now, and it was awesome.
Yes, the “old” Holiday Inn was awesome, but when they tore it down and built the Ritz there a new Holiday Inn was built and that eventually became the Courtyard Marriott. mediocre at best! A new Four star hotel there will be great.
The hotel now being demolished was in fact a Holiday Inn when originally constructed.
It eventually became a Courtyard Marriott.
A lot of people commenting here apparently have no idea about architecture, especially if they think the old Holiday Inn reflected the Cayman Islands at all.
The rooms at the old Holiday inn were NASTY! They were small and smelled bad. That was a hotel built in the unimaginative architectural style of 1970s, loaded with tacky American kitsch of the era. It reflected much less of the Cayman Islands than Camana Bay, or even the Ritz.
The only thing "awesome" about the old Holiday Inn was the beach and it's still there. (Ok, the old Wreck of the Ten Sails bar was sort of nice, too, but after Barefoot movedout and the comedy show moved in, I stopped going).
There are reflections of the Caribbean and the Cayman Islands specifically all over Camana Bay. It is without at doubt one of the most intelligently and tastefully done developments I have ever seen (and I must say Cricket Square is beautifully done as well). My clients who come here from all over North American and Europe are continually amazed that such a place like Camana Bay exists on an island as small as the Cayman Islands.
It absolutely amazes me that people here make disparaging remarks about the way Camana Bay looks. Hate Dart if you want, but give credit where credit is due, otherwise you just look like pathetic whiners.
Yes Camana Bay is nice and well maintained – but is has no original charm or identity and looks like many other places you can find all over the world. It looks (like some tourist disappointedlysaid) you are just somwhere in South Florida. In the meantime, George Town has been abandoned and become a ghost town once the cruise ships have left for the day.
Tourists came here because of the endless beaches they could access anywhere and would not be bothered by someone trying to rent them a chair or sell them a drink or a plastic necklace. Now that is all shot to shits between the excessive highrise developments along the beach, the increasingly lacking public beach access and the people who try to push stuff on you while you are relaxing in the sun. Soon, 7 Mile Beach will be just like ANY OTHER beach around the world and people may as well go to Cancun, South Florida or other places in the Caribbean and they can do it likely for a lot less $$$.
For residents it is heartbreaking that the general beach access is all but disappearing. Try to park somewhere in close proximity to the beach and unload your infant and grandmother and drag a couple of chairs and a cooler……..
Soon, this Island will be like many others – where only the very privileged or paying tourists have access to the nice beach spots.
This is why tourist that came to Cayman in the 50s, 60, 70, 80 and 90s many who have kept their family tradition alive by visiting evey year have all disappeared to places like Anguilla, Bermuda, BVI, St. Barts and TCI Cayman Islands are way down the tandem pole for affluent visitors.
The current place holding engorgement should do nothing to move this along. The final decision should be left to the government that will be elected in May. That is unless they have a lot to gain personally by it going forward; then of course the should put their personal greed, deals made with Mac,and the wishes of the developer ahead of the Cayman People. As they have in the past.
I've been sayin' it; if it's such a stellar deal, then why: (a) wasn't it tendered through the proper process? (b) are the terms of the "deal" STILL under wraps?
WE are going to pay for it, and we have a right to know. As it appears now, it's a worse-than-poor deal for the Cayman Islands and a great deal for Dart. I challenge the holders of the paper to display the terms of the deal and prove me wrong.
What is the current Caymanian proper process? What is the current Caymanian Deal? Now… What is your point?
So he knows nothing about the deal at all but he knows that its costing Cayman up to USD40m.
He knows he will not support anyone who wants to shut the road, but he knows nothing about the deal, or what it involves, or if it possibly might even be of benefit to Cayman (or not, as the case may be)
Hell I don't know nothing about the deal either, but I keep dumb on things I know nothing about until such time as I know. Or at least demand full public exposure of the deal, 'cos damn if you don't start to sound like a useless chicken knowing nothing about nothing but commenting on everything.
For once I agree with Ezzard…I had to slap myself in the face to do it.
What the hell was Mckeeva, JuJu and Mark thinking of….Morons!
Does the 40 million include the under the table money?
If this deal is allowed to stand then the government of TCI did nothing wron. A recon, this is some deal. Cayman is going, going, gone to the higest bidder. There is no turning back, only God can help us now.
A ha ha ha ha ha ha ah ha aha aaah……….lol
How can CIG sell Crown land? They can lease it but at the end of the day it belongs to the UK and so is not available for any permanent transfer of title.
I think you will find that it hasn't actually been sold to Dart, they've purchased right of use or some such legal term.
The land still belongs to the Crown so Ezzard's arguments are nonsense.
Ezzard I am 100% behind you on this and if anyone from the Fab 5 is reading this you should note that just because this is WB road it does not mean your candidates from BT are not affected because I am a BT voter and there is no way in hell I am going to give Mark or John John a second look if they do not challenge this contract.
I would like to hear in replies from others from BT and WB regarding their opposition to this road closure also.
COME ON PEOPLE…..
Ezzard just makes these numbers up and you just print it. Not good.
Who knows what its worth! $40m is not impossible.
Thats the whole point, if you spend public money, sell public assets, or do any other thing affecting public money then you are honour bound to show right up front that it is good use of assets/money. The man that did this deal ignored that aspect, deliberately and consistently. The real question is, was he benefitting from the deal and is that why he did it? I hope we may know more and soon!
However, we still have this give away of public assets, can you roll it back? Probably not without great cost. Can you renegotiate? Same thing. You are not dealing with a philanthropist here, he is interested only in making his already considerable wealth even more so. You may have missed the chance to get proper value for your Islands assets, but dont miss the opportunity to chase down the people that gave it away!
Ezzard please keep sleeping !
Trying to add some balance to this article… Does anyone know what the value of the new road that Dart is building is?
You mean the road he had to build anyway to open up his properties?
Yawn, Lizzard back to his old crap talking again.
THIS DEAL MEANS JOBS, JOBS MEAN MONEY.
Quite trying to stop people from working. You just don't get it.
I have believed from the start that Dart is out to make money, even if he had to buy a few politicians. I think he has accomplished this. I have wondered why our legislative assembly members never done anything to stop him. Could some of them have been on the take? It makes you wonder, doesn't it. Will the next government be any different?
No.
You have known all along Dart has been out to make money??? Seriously? Hmmm let’s see a businessman and or group who has not declared themselves to be a not for profit organization or a charity appears to want to make money…wow the profundity of that concept astounds. Here is a clue any business that wants to survive and grow wants to make money. Heck let’s be bold and say most people want to make money, in fact if many of these viewpoints are anything to go by so much so that they will attack anyone and anything as being greedy and only looking out for themselves if they don’t think they are getting the money they think they deserve, in other words envy….
Not to veer off subject but here is how you can assure you can make a tidy sum…study how Indian Gaming Casinos are handled in the States, get our government to allow one on the same principle and every Caymanian will be making money without doing anything but one wonders will that be enough to satisfy the envy so many here display for the Dart Group?
Wake up they did what every other business in these islands tries to do every day make the most advantageous deal they can to ensure profits they just happened to do it with our duly elected leaders that we were silly enough to vote in to place. This time around think before you vote.
And take a look at where the Indians are now, they are all broke and billions of dollars in debt, stipends have ceased and folks are losing their extravagant homes. When you give people free money they will only waste it and end up back in the same situation they started..
In Costa Rica no hotels are on the beaches! But across the street! The beaches are not for sale for outsiders! Only in Cayman they find us fool, & Our own people screw us over!!!!
Caymanian
Caymanians will sell their souls for white people & $$$ & then they will laugh at you all the way to the bank! Open your eyes my people if the deal don’t benefit us, forget about it!!!
Braca
"Caymanians will sell their souls for white people" why would they want to buy white people?
"then they will laugh at you all the way to the bank!" don't let those Caymanians laugh at you.
"if the deal don't benefit us, forget about it" does that inclued the soul selling, laughing all the way to the bank Caymanians – or just the greedy ones?
Racist pig.
And you were complaining about the roads on Cayman Brac deriving the Cayman Islands of its economic wealth? Hmmm.. Interesting indeed.
The new road itself and the vision that has caused it to be built will be of great benefit to the people of the Cayman Islands, as was the extension of the Esterly Tibbetts highway through to Galleria when that was built by Mr. Dart all those years ago (although two lanes would have been better).
It's is a well known fact that 64.35% of all statistics are made up on the spot. Ezzard's $ 40M is one such statistic. Made up to inflame the dumb and dumber in order for them to look a gift horse in the mouth.
Shut up and sit down Ezzard. We well remember you when you were in a position of power.
And I can add that he exaggerates 500% of the time
Time for Progress Ezzard,let's talk about unemployement,how are we going to keep
complaining and stoping everything?
We need foriegn investment we cannot go back to spending and racking up tabs
like the PPM did and not have anything coming in buddy.
I must also remind you that there are not many Darts out there willing to set up shop
here.
Last but not least why is the Dart project so important at this stage?Most of the
sensible people, who got over the last Election and moved on with our lives,see it
as only a good thing,have you seen the plans?
We all know that since the last Election many people are still angry and spent the last
three years tearing down our Island as they spent most of their time trying to bring
down McKeiva and everyone around him,this is clear and if there was a vote for
Premier on the ballotts this coming Elections he would win!
Trucks are moving,cargo is coming, tourist are coming,more people are working,people
are Investing,We have made a turnaround and the only way to defeat him is to charge
him..wow how low can you go.
Time for progress is right. Lets be progressive and admit the truth – how would that alternate road have been connected to the Camana Bay road without the PPM government building the ETH? How would the WBR bypass be in the process of construction without the northern road insfrastructure built by the PPM? How would there have been a four fold improvement in traffic flow to and from WB? Please learn to value honesty and not accept the blatant untruths that McKeeva Bush sells. The restoration of a foundation of honesty and integrity is the only thing that will save this country. Only one team is acknowledged to build that kind of valuable infrastructure of good governance. Furthermore nobody is above the law and if McKeeva has done something wrong then he ought to be charged. In fact he must be charged for all events of possible wrongdoing. If he is convicted he will have self destructed. See the need for a foundation of honesty and integrity in public office!
This man is loco….the market value for that 40 foot strip of asphalt is $0! That what it would fetch on the free market. Dart is giving us twice the land –4 or 6 lanes of HIS land in exchange for those 2 hurricane prone lanes. He is building a needed road we could never afford to build under the FFR which Ezzard supported. What is wrong with this man and every developer that comes here. It is as if he and Arden want to keep us in flour sacks plaiting thatch rope forever. Get over your anger young man and do something to get us jobs…..I know it’s election time but seriously, we need work and stopping Dart only makes it worst. Chill.
Ezzard, hush wid ya noise. If Dart had given $40mm to government you know darn well it would have been spent on the high life and not passed on as a savings to the masses. And you would have been party to that as you have been to the outrageous spending of the past few years. If you had the country at heart you would have been making this much noise about the waste in spending and excess in government, and, god forbid, supported spending cuts and trimming the government fat. But noooo… Just sit right there, keep wid ya going on, and pocket your fat cat salary!!!
I agree with Ezzard: not sure about road reopening but I fully support the continued demand to see these documents!
Find a different saop box Ezzard. The road will improve traffic flow, offer alternate emergency routes,and was gazetted many years ago from Gov Harbour to WBay.
The Dart design is a detour, but new 4 star hotel and if Cbay is any proof of the quality of development, then the deep pockets developer brings more good business to Cayman than any long-winded do nothing politician.
Does this concern Northside? Go do better for your people and stop jumping on every bandwagon to puff yourself up.
Explain how this "offers alternate emergency routes" please! Yes, this road was gazetted years ago but it was ALWAYS intended to be a SECOND road in and out of West Bay. You can see this by looking at how Governors Harbour was designed 40 years ago!
Thank you Mr Miller!
Strange that the PPM are so quiet about this…
Have they pledged allegiance to the Dart group now too?
Give us your position on this Alden.
We already know that the Fab 5 agreed with this when they were a part of the UDP administration…
So lets see which of those trying to get elected intend for Caymanians to be burdened with high import duties, but are willing to give one of the worlds richest men the property that belonged to us from the days of our ancestors…
You obviously know nothing about the PPM.
This guy is just playing politics.
Mr Miller now appears to be for closing and selling the road but just on different terms.
I don't mind the proposed project which will enhance public beach without public money that the government doesn't have anyway….HOWEVER…there was absolutely no reason to give the additional concessions as DART was already receiving enough with the increased size of beachfront property and a road through his inaccessible land. Is it possible the additional hotel fee concession will provide a retirement kitty for a certain politician?
NEWS FLASH !!
The road is not now, and never will be 'Closed' Mr. Miller.
Get your Facts straight and stop misleading people.
The Section of the West Bay Road in question will become a PEDESTRIAN thoroughfare, meaning that it will be closed to motor vehicles, but will remain open and accessable to pedestrians.
This will effectively turn the entire stretch of roadway into a Boardwalk, bicycle / pedestrian path, and Park for ALL Caymanians and visitors to enjoy.
How wonderful it will be for families to be able to take a leisurely stroll along this almost mile-long stretch of PUBLIC SPACE while enjoying the beauty of our island seaside, much like they are able to do now at Camana Bay.
Try doing that now and one will probably end up a 'statistic' in the morge.
Got New Flash for you Richard Wadd the current public beach will cease being the location of the new public beach, the public beach now will be the property of the developer and the public beach will be moved to another location of his choice somewhere else.
UDP is going to screw us and these islands right up until the last minute they are governing.
Thank you Ezzard….It is a blessing we have you to depend on to fight for what is right and just and in the best interest of Cayman and all Caymanians . Thank you Sir. Your efforts are much appreciated by this Caymanian and you have my full support.
Even if that figure is accurate the government would have to use that money to pay for the new road to be put in, the old Marriot would continue to rot away and that portion of SMB still be a wasteland. This way we get rid of an eyesore, get a new tourist destination, a free road and a more accessible beach for everyone to use.
How is the beach more accessible when you can't drive next to it? It will become less accessible unless you can walk up to .75 of a mile to find an empty spot. The second "beach" we were being "given" has fallen by the wayside also.
"and the deal must be stopped"
Seriously? Good fu#$ing grief – it's almost finished!
Why in the hell was it started if it wasn't legal and binding?
I'm call BS and raising a HS – there is no way that project has gone as far as it has without approval. It's been months and months of construction!!
Just who is in charge of the goat roap anyway?
Agree with Mr. Miller here once again.
All needs to be done is a series of road calming (slow down) measures, with proper crosswalks…at this new hotel, and all along west bay rd.
This will then make the area more pedestrian safe, cause more traffic to take the ne by-pass road and leave TWO roads…
Otherwise we canexpect to very likely soon have "The Ritz" and others applying to close off the road in front of or between it's property also.
And the Seven Mile Beach Rd. has needed traffic calming measures now for a long, long time! That is an area the NRA/Govt. has absolutely neglected!
Just look at the serious accident in vicinity of Lone Star last week that has left a visitor seriously injured.
While UDP have sold us out PPM busy having meetings and flip flopping on its position regarding NRA and FCIA agreement, Ezzard is the man trying to keep the us all informed. Wake up Cayman! Ezzard and Arden are proving independents can work together and serve the greater good
All made up numbers as usual with Miller.
Like him or loathe him Ezzard has been right about the dart steal and is the only one who is not afraid to fight for what is fair for Caymanian people.
Ezzard is proving once again why he is the most relevant MLA in the country! Without him bringing this issue to light from day 1 Caymanians would be kept in the dark and distracted by the BS they trying to sell us
no worries ezzy, we will get brand new beach chairs and road… me thinks… what was dat figure again??? 🙁