Developer’s claims ‘a worry’
(CNS): Claims being made by a potential developer in the district of North Side have unnerved the local MLA, as he says he has been told nothing about the plans for a 4.5 acre inland saltwater lagoon in the middle of farm land in his constituency as well as alleged plans for an airport in East End. Ezzard Miller told CNS that he has concerns about some of the things set out in a sales brochure from Crown Acquisitions regarding a proposed inland beach and golf resort in his district, which seem at odds with reality but which, if true, could have a serious impact on his constituency
Miller states that claims in the promotion brochure, seen by CNS, that a “new international airport facility” is currently “pending receipt of a formal go ahead” and will be complete by 2020, as well as the creation of a man made salt water lagoon is problematic, either because the developer is making exaggerated claims to promote a development or because government has given the go ahead without informing his constituents.
Concerns about these particular developers were also raised by the UK’s environment committee during its recent audit of the overseas territoriesover possible land banking in Little Cayman, in particular. The developer has bought and cleared a significant amount of land for proposed subdivisions that would, if they were to go ahead, easily overwhelm the smallest of the three islands.
The development in North Side is smaller but would, with a proposed saltwater inland lagoon, still have a serious impact on the environment and, as Miller noted, on the surrounding farmland in the area of Grape Tree Point in his constituency.
Miller said that the developer had also informed him that government has promised him myriad concessions and accommodation tax breaks to create the resort, which would be made from prefabricated buildings that would be shipped in and pieced together on the island.
In the brochure for the potential resort the developers state that they are in talks with the CIG regarding the proposed resort, and although claiming to have the go-ahead for the lagoon, they do not appear to have filed a planning application. In addition, although claiming in the brochure that work is underway at the site, CNS visited the location last week and there is no evidence of any ongoing work, other than the clearance of a short marl access way some time ago, which is now growing over.
CNS has submitted questions to the tourism and environment ministers and is awaiting a response, and Miller says he too hopes to get some answers from government about what is happening. He said either the developer is misrepresenting the situation, which does not bode well for the image of Cayman as the resort is being promoted overseas to potential investors, or significant development is about to being in his constituency for which he and the residents have been given little to no information.
“I have concerns about this either way,” Miller said. “This developer is being either being allowed to be economical with the truth or the government is keeping a lot of information to itself.”
While not opposing appropriate development in his constituency, he said that there were some serious questions about this particular proposal. Miller said he would be looking for answers from government in short order to find out what is really happening at the site and what sort of long term impact, if it is going ahead, it will have on his district.
Category: Local News
This makes for interesting reading…
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmselect/cmenvaud/c332-ii/c33201.htm
Apparently Crown Acquisitions will buy your land back for more than you paid after so many years how on earth is this possible without putting a company out of business??
http://www.semseo.co.uk/doc/index.cfm?id_doc=365
An airport in East end is old news this was proposed in excess of 10 -12years ago at the old Hyatt and attendees included the then government, some civil servants and other players in the market. I think it was Ron Zimmer (Remember the Stan Thomas fiasco) but I guess this got pulled because of that whole thing. I think the architect/master planners name was Duaney? but it seems the Ironwood project in Frank Sound mimics that whole master plan so maybe they sold the rendering and drawings to the Ironwood developers
Do a google search of the principals of Crown and you wont be very impressed to say the least….
Taking advantage of UK laws permitting expenditure on landholding (or house lots) from pensions.
The purchaser is seduced by warm cimate beach and palm tree photos …and unlikely to ever visit to check out the site…and who gets the bad reputation for scamming the good citizens of the UK……? THE cAYMAN iSLANDS OF COURSE.
CIG should step in and stop this NOW.
The developer involved has a history of misleading investors, whilst I cannot give the information here. They are a member of AIPP (www.aipp.org.uk).
If anyone, including the residents of the islands, feels there is misrepresentation then please make a formal complaint against them as well as putting pressure on the local government or authority.
I homeymooned in Grand Cayman, and love the island. I am planning to buy on the islands in order to retire there, and hope that the more reputable contractors will be in place to aid this.
7;43
There are lots of local reputable Building contractors on Islands…been here building for over 40 years, but we are not getting the opportunity to meet people like you. The government and big shots are highjacking you home owners.
This is really old news and will stay that way. Ezzard is only making noise because his house is next door, ha, ha, ha!
You jack ass, thats our problem in this country. Stick to the issue and stop pointing fingers at Ezzard.
Corrupt,corrupt!
Good for you, Mr. Miller. If anyone has seen the video promotion of this specific development, they would be astounded to see the high bluffs of Grand Cayman, the lush sea islands off our shores, the beautiful stretch of beach offered to this facility (not the actual ironshore), the elegant bays with top notch facilities in the background, the beautiful golf course fringed by ocean or lakes, a gated community close to Rums Point Beach (they could not even get the name right). There is absolutely no visual correlation to this beautiful island of ours; they have taken stock photos/videos of other places and purport it to be Grand Cayman. Caveat Emptor ("Buyer Beware") certainly applies, but to my mind there should be some regulations that would prevent this obvious scam…which could end up giving the Cayyman Islands a black eye. Good luck, Ezzard!
Having studied this since the project came up it is obvious to all that it is a scam. Anyone selling this crap, overseas or local should be responsible for their actions. Get the fuzz in their immediately.
The developer involved has a history of misleading investors, whilst I cannot give the information here. They are a member of AIPP (www.aipp.org.uk).
If anyone, including the residents of the islands, feels there is misrepresentation then please make a formal complaint against them as well as putting pressure on the local government or authority.
I homeymooned in Grand Cayman, and love the island. I am planning to buy on the islands in order to retire there, and hope that the more reputable contractors will be in place to aid this.
would love to see the video
Ezzard needs to learn how to use Google for those days when nobody leaves information on his windshield.
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmselect/cmenvaud/c332-ii/c332ii.pdf
Wow, that took place 6 months ago and we're only hearing about it now? Thanks for the link.
Interesting reading.
Good grief they were a bit economical with the truth!
Sorry 15:25 Ezzard showed me this article three months ago and he expressed his concerns about Dubli at one of his monthly public meetings over one year ago when it was a golf course. His real concern now is the chage from golf course to salt water lake with artificial beaches being sold as beach front.
What a charmer Jason Pickthall – one of the two brothers behind this – is
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2062655/Former-multi-millionaire-playboy-friends-Katie-Price-jailed-assaulting-schoolgirl-15-broom.html
Went bankrupt after his UK business wnet bust. Sent to jail 2 years ago for an assault on a 15 year old girl.
Just the type we want promoting the Islands for us. Note the Judge's describing him as 'highly intelligent' and 'selfish' and saying 'you are such a selfish man….and really had no regard for anybody but yourself.'
Exactly why we need to overhaul the Development Plan.
I am sure Ezzard, in his usual thorough research has had a good look at whats available on Google on this company. Perhaps the relevant authorities in Government should be the ones having a second look at this develouper on Google.
More information on Jason Pickthall of Crown Acquisitions
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2062655/Former-multi-millionaire-playboy-friends-Katie-Price-jailed-assaulting-schoolgirl-15-broom.html
I have seen this advertive to British Citizens for about the last 3 to 4 years selling a houslot in their development for 170,000 GBP. So for this to become news now is way overdue.
My goodness! that is almost quarter of a million Cayman dollars per lot. 4 lots would yeild him almost a million dollars.
What a rip off!
Then he has the nerve to seek concessions from the Government, for work permits and to breach planning regulations to import pre-fabricated homes.
I hope the government is not that stupid! There are 700 buliding contractors within these three Islands, paying the government a yearly permit to be in business.
On top of that, we have to pay for pension and health insurance for our workers. Why do i always get thIs feeling, that the Government is alway screwing the contractors?
It is time we contractors stand up and tell the Government to stay the hell out of our business. We are the ones that suffer when government gets in bed with these sort of arrangements…we have to put a stop to it now!!!
I support anything Ezzard opposes.
Therefore you are controlled by Ezzard, Sponge Bob.
"Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect"
–Mark Twain
I love Sponge Bob square pants and ALL his friends!
I am 12 years old and I have to ask the questions, what's the hurry to over develop our little island? Will there be anything left for me when I grow up? It just seems recently veryone is in a rush to bull doze trees, fill swamp land and build a concrete jungle. My father tells me all the time cayman should turn to Eco tourism similar to other countries like Cuba and Costa Rica soon am afraid this will not be an option.
Nah, Costa Rica and Cuba have beautiful areas worth preserving. Grand Cayman can only be enhanced by quality development.
They only say they worry about our future when in fact our elders are, for the most part, short sighted, vain, and greedy. It's for us to tell them to stop their nonsense- if they'd even listen.
Should you not be in school? Why and how are you posting comments on an article that was uploaded after you should be in school!? Maybe your father should have something to say about that.
Or do, I smell a rat??
They have internet in schools as well, smartass.
Good question, another is where will the daily tens of thousands of gallons of water to maintain the course come from..?….The (free) water lens of course, which the East end farmers also need, and where will the thousands of pounds of fertiliser leech to…the water lens of course.
CIG will obviously have the developer provide his own water supply and mitigate poisoning the water lens …right…?
Cayman is not an eco-tourism prospect. So don't worry about losing that option. It is as feasible as Cayman becoming a new ski resort.
Really? Have you heard of CEPTS and the plan to have Little Cayman Green Globe certified? It's Mr. Kirkconnell's Ministry. Also, did anyone catch that Chris who has been coming to the Sister Islands as the forefront of Crowne Acquisitions was also the consultant on the NTMP?
lets take three guesses who the developer is????
Crown Acquisitions
Like it says in the Article? why guess when you can just read past the headline
This is not new. We saw this proposed development at least two years ago (different government then) when we were driving back from Rum Point. We drove the little bit of cleared roadway – but even then, no work was underway. Then went to their website and saw their proposals for a 4 hole golf course, along with the blurb for new airport etc. – a lot of their prospectus was based on then current gossip and not cemented in reality at all. So, please don't blame the current government for any of this.
I live on Little Cayman and Crown have bought land all over the island. I too have seen all the marketing literature and know people from the UK who have bought this land using pension money.
The land has been sold as prime beach land when most of it it probably too thin to build houses on and is on iron shore or rocky shoreline. The sales photo's were of white sand beaches.
People have also been told that services to the land are in place including electricity and phones line which is simply not true. There have been a few roads cut in but there is no sight nor sound of the developers and have not been for more than a years (when they cut a new road in). There is no water. There is no lighting.
Some of the land is not allowed to be cleared by mechanical means, which considering the ironshore underneath would make it impossible to build a house on.
Additionally, so many plots of land have been sold that if people actually tried to build on it in any number the entire infrastructure of the island would collapse.
The sales techniques have been far from truthful. The land is not what people think they have bought. It is hugely costly to actually develop, if it is possible to develop at all. Many of the plots was sold with a buyback guaranteee at prices above what people have paid, but it is unclear that this is actually implementable. Many were sold with architects plans but it is not clear that these have been approved for building code or even meets any form of building code.
Also, these plots have not in the main even been registered in the owners names. The land is most part is yet to be subdivided. It is unclear whether the buyers actually have ownership. From a couple of people whom I know who bought these plots their can not get their registered and have been told that what they bought might not be exactly the plot they get in the end because of issues with subdivision.
This is a time bomb waiting to happen. It strongly suggests fraud, although it may come down to the exact letter of the law. It is also difficult to know under whcih legal jurisdiction any action should come under. I am waiting for the day the English newspapers scream of "Pensioners robbed of live savings in tax haven". The Cayman Islands need this like a hole in the head. The irony of course, is that the promoter is British.
The promoter is British. He will have Caymanian partners then. Look to them and ask them to do the right thing instead of money-grubbing.
Sorry, have to go now. Torn muscles in my groin laughing at my own joke. Bad form i know.Like saying it's a British Promoter without looking at the 60% do-bugger-all hangers on.
Oh I've started laughing again. Oh Oh Stop stop.
From the Caymanian Compass, 12 August 2011,
"Crown has both a Cayman trade and business license, as well as a local companies control licence – exempting it from the 60 per cent Caymanian control requirement".
http://www.compasscayman.com/story.aspx?id=83040
Sorry if the truth puts a damper on your humour.
Personally, I don't find the prospect of retirees being swindled all that funny.
Truthseeker
Read the UK Enviromental Audit Committee link posted – they have a LCCL, so there are no Caymanian partners.
If you were to do the most basic online research you would discover that Crown has an LCCL, ( local companies control licence) – exempting it from the 60 per cent Caymanian control requirement.
Well, the House of Commons transcript did talk about a Cayman architecture firm being involved.
Ezzard. Please be the Big Bad Wolf, and Huff and Puff and blow this straw house down.
Someone needs to do it. I am just surprised that it's taken Ezzard this long to catch on to what has been happening right under his nose for nearly two years!
Obviously I would think that with the new hospital and hotel, potential Arnold Palmer golf course and residental development and now Crown Acquistions project that YES the East End will change. This opportunity for growth and employent being the biggest change and a future for the youth in EE. Sorry Ezzard the Shire is growing and maybe you and your band of hobbits need to change too.
Did he mentioned pre-fabrecated buildings? he got to be kidding!
This developer can afford to pay for conventional type construction. He is selling property to the Russians, the British and to Saudis which has no boundary for cash.
As i get to understand, these lots are sold at a very high price to these people, that never see the state and condition of the land.
Here we go again! the Government giving them what ever they want! I will bet they ( Government) have'nt contacted the Cayman Contrator Association? I dont think so! they are keeping this all a secrete, like all other developments.
If only the builders would come together in this country, and form a strong trade union , it is the only way to stop the Governments and authorities from screwing the local buildng contractors.
Huh?
Construction costs are way too high, it is cheaper to bring Labour and materials in.
You full of shit! thats what got this country in a mess now. Why come here to develop if you cant afford the market cost for construction??
Brian Butler, for 31 years paid contractors the fair price to build his condos on the 7 mile beach.
These late administrators (Governments) have sold us out, the major architect firms, QS, Engineers and builders are all scalling back, because of this mess.
They gave all the developers their own construction firm, thats when the industry went to hell in a hand basket.
how bout you band of trolls find a little bridge somewhere else
So you can join them? Are all trolls unable to use any punctuation or just you?
Michael Ryan No. 2! But this guy seems worse. Remember the swamp land deals in Florida back in the nineteen seventies? This is worse! Does our government even know, or have they checked to find out, how many sales these people have made to unsuspecting overseas buyers? Don't they know what kind of damage this could, [sorry] will do to our reputation as a good place to conduct business?
Where are these people who are supposed to represent us, and look after the protection of our Island? Folks! This Island is corrupt! Let me say that again. This Island is "CORRUPT" to it's core and many of those whose voices we often hear proclaiming their love for Cayman, are the main players in it's corruption. Ooohh, to be united like the Ukraines!
TEK DAT!