Water operators move into new marina at Safehaven

(CNS): Despite some early teething problems at the start of the porject and difficulties over how the new slips will accommodate the array of boats the tourism minister said that the new marina at Safehaven will be operational next week. Boat owners providing the different water tours for visitors in the North Sound and other locations have decided between themselves who will be taking which slips at the renovated site which is on port authority property but that was undertaken by the Ritz Carlton developer, Michael Ryan as part of a previous deal with government over land swaps regarding that hotel’s development.

Moses Kirkconnell, the tourism minister, told a West Bay audience on Monday evening that the complete new facility had been turned over to the port authority and all of the boat operators in temporary slips had been given notice to return to the new dock in what he described as a transparent process.

He said there had been a number of meetings with tour operators and local boat owners to encourage them to sort out amongst themselves the issues about who gets what slips and to discuss the fees that the operators will now be required to pay. As a result of the new facilities that will be on offer which weren’t provided at the old facility owners will have to pay to cover the costs of operating the site.

Kirkconnell described the new site as the type of top notch, first class facility Cayman’s tourism product needed and explained it was about creating opportunities for local people to be more involved with and helping to improve the services in the tourism sector.