Clifford calls on PPM to deal with dump on site
(CNS): With almost all of the candidates who supported the relocation of the dump swept from power last Wednesday, the Coalition to Keep Bodden Town Dump Free is calling on the new government to deal with the George Town landfill on site and via the proper channels. The activists said they are hoping that the PPM candidates who made a clean sweep in Bodden Town will stick to their promise of not relocating the dump to their district. With district’s ministers booted from office and the UDP candidates pushed out of the race by the Progressives, Charles Clifford, who came in sixth in last week's election, said dealing with the dump was a priority.
“We fully expect the new government to assume its responsibility of urgently fixing the George Town dump where it is, without ‘exporting’ the problem and contaminating a new site. We’ll continue to demand that the Environmental Advisory Board (EAB) be mandated to find the best waste management solution for Grand Cayman, and that an open call for tendersbe issued after that,” he said.
The PPM made it clear on the campaign trail that they will not put a new landfill in the district as proposed by Dart Realty Cayman in connection with the UDP government’s ForCayman Investment Alliance with the islands’ largest and dominant developer. With a new Progressive administration now in place, the entire FCIA is likely to take on a new shape.
The activists pointed out that the electorate’s rejection of all those associated with the promotion of the landfill move, not just in Bodden Town but across the districts, made it clear that the majority of people in Cayman do not support the proposal to move the landfill to the Midland Acre site.
“The people voted for change,” said Midland Acres resident and coalition leader Arlene Whittaker. “We’ve kicked out virtually every proponent of Dart’s dump deal, and almost every minister of the two previous governments. The people are fed up with corruption and back-room deals. Scotland, Seymour and Walling Whittaker – a key ‘salesman’ for Dart’s dump – all fared miserably.”
With the almost total rout of McKeeva Bush’s UDP, and the breaking of his stranglehold on West Bay by an opponent of the West Bay Road giveaway, Whittaker said it was a clear message.
“Out of the five PNA ministers, all proponents of the WB Road giveaway and of Dart’s dump deal, four have been kicked out,” she said. “These major decisions were made behind our backs, in complete disregard of massive opposition. We expect better from the new government. We expect them to represent the interests of those who elected them, not those of Dart. We expect them to keep their promises to the people they work for. We expect good governance, along with social and environmental justice,” she added.
Category: Politics
Funny how Chuckie and the BT protestors keep ignoring the 3 studies done during 3 different government administrations that recommended the GT site be closed. They also recommended a new site where a new facility wouild be the most feasible, and all 3 studies outlined the same area in Cayman. The Bodden Town area! GT dump has no lining, no lecakage manangement, no storm water runoff, and was never intended to be the dump that it is now. Everyone knows investing in infrastructure at that site is insane, expect for the Midland Acres, BT residents. Fact is, if proper facilities and management measures are put in place at a new facility, it will not become the mountain of trash that exists in GT, hell, they wont even know it is there if managed properly. I bet if the facility was being proposed in North Side or East End, they would be screaming for government to close Mt. Trashmore already but since its going near them, ohhh no, its not in the best interest of the country. What hogwash!!
Sweet Jesus these people cant even wait until they are sworn in.. Cayman they have a lot of problems just give them some time to settle in for God sake WAIT..
So 10.02 sending the dump to Bodden town is going to solve all of your Eco problems? So putting it in the back yards of the natives makes more sense? How much is Dart paying you?
By now everyone know that moving the dump to Bodden town is crazy and it is only on the basis that Dart gets it his way so his properties can appreciate in value. If it stinks in George Town it should stink in Bodden town too?
except in the new facility in bodden town cayman has the opportunity to do something right……
So if there is no money to fix it in GT where is the money to build this state of the art facility when Dart is just paying for 10 to 15% ? It has to go back to the drawing board and let the 58 acre site remain the dump and get someone to do what they are tendered to do! It is not rocket science! You build around a dump you then guess what you have to deal with it as we all do!
Experts say it could be fixed at the current site, then let’s do it!
And I am glad it is a priority for the Coalition, we need this to not be sweep under the way table as was done with the closing of WB Road, Oops, correction like the UDP said the “re-alignment” of WB Road! What a joke!
of course it can be fixed at the current site…with a $100m start up cost and then $25m each year after……
are caymanians going to pay for it?????
Chuckie payin’ for it? Because the Government can’t.
I am sure if Mr. Dart realised it was not going to be moved he would assist in fixing the current site as it is still in his best interest financially.
Let's look at this in a smart way. If the dump problem is fixed his land will appreciate in value and quite substantially. His problem was greed. He wanted to move the problem to someone else so he could make off like a bandit.
Mr. Dart you want better property value WORK WITH US NOT AROUND US!!
Chuckie,
Your political mileage ran out a long time ago; you just haven't seemed to get that. The government isn't sworn in yet, so what is all your noise about? You want it to seem like they are following your advice eh? Sorry, no political mileage for you.
What are we waiting for? Its just a piece of paper. PPM promised lets get it done. We need to start working on problems on this island. These people that we voted for areprofessionals right. Lets get to work.
When they were all politicking ,"We have the solution". That means they already have the solution. What is it they need to physically do to stop the new dump ?
I'll tell you, nothing. All we need to do is not bring garbage to midland acres. Phew !! That was hard done.
Next tender contracts for new cruise ship piers . Are we going to let FCCA build the docks? Will they pay for it? Yes ? Done.
First week PPM are now heroes to the majority of the people. Hip hip hooray!!!
Leaving it creates more questions than answers: Hypothetically, how does one cap the hazardous waste leachate problem underneath the pile, without first removing the overburden to completely seal the porous rock below? Is there any geo engineering group on island qualified to do that work? If so, where do we put the mountain while this complicated and dangerous work is being done? What agency or standards can we apply on the inspection side once/if completed? Who will pick up the tab for the operation and oversight (we're broke)? Meanwhile, what is the environmental cost while we debate and continue to do nothing – or worse, rush ahead with other plans?
The dump is certainly not a priority! What a joker.
What Chuckie should have said is let’s look at this problem now that the silly politics is out of the way. I guarantee that no logical person would come to the conclusion it is in the correct place. And for those that talk about recycling and waste to energy solutions while both can work the existing dump only has about 38-42% that can be recycled or used in that way. Most material in the existing dump is too wet or too old to provide more energy than it takes to mine and burn it. Add to that the leachate going in to the north sound with us having no option to solve or mitigate. Additionally we do not have $60-100M to solve this issue in its current location without a third party – as you know the Cayman Islands budget was set for the next 3 years by the UDP and the UK. Cayman, we seriously need to look at this problem now that the silly season is over. Chuckie seems to be stuck at May 21st.
Where is the money going to come from to deal with this environmental disaster?
Let's once again be clear here, the dump will not be moved, an entirely new up to date well engineered waste Management Facility that incorporates all of the remedies that the current 'dump" is failing to do will need to be constructed, ohh and at no cost to the public by the way.
At 400 tons a day arriving at this monstrosity in GT the clock continues to tick on the environmental nightmare that it is affecting the eco structure of all that surrounds it.
Chuckie, I like you, I respect you, but on this stance you are dead wrong.
Please Chuckie give our new government time to get settled in first na man. Wha ya think they can work magic or wha. Have patience and don't rush matters and I am sure you will get your hearts desire, no dump in BT. ok Chuckster.
Who? Chuckie is even more irrelevant than he was before the election. He was pretty irrelevant before the election.
we can't afford to deal with the dump in gt……. what part of that do you not understand?
What part of "things have changed and the government is no longer a department of Dart Realty Cayman" don't you understand, you joker, you.
There is no evidence whatsoever to suggest that it would be any cheaper to move the dump to BT. In fact the evidence says the opposite, in the long run with the added transport and fuel costs, its going to end up way more expensive.
Chuckie, will you just wait till the government is sworn in first?! Geez!!
Chuckie, most people know that the dump situation is urgent. We also know that it is impossible for a new Government especially not sworn into office deal with at this time. The Progressives will be addressing the dump issue.I suspect that your statment, taking into consideration the timing, maybe suitable for political expediency.