Airport denies Canadian deal
(CNS): Officials from the airports authority have denied entering into a contract, agreement or arrangement with Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) regarding the redevelopment of any of the islands' airports. In a short statement released on Friday, Steve McField, the chair of the CIAA's building sub-committee and deputy chair of the authority board, said the authority had no intention of abdicating its legal responsibility for the islands' airports. The statement comes in the wake of an announcement circulated last week by the Paramount Group about the progress of talks between the various stakeholders involved in the development of an expanded airport and runway in George Town by the Canadian group.
The release from Paramount indicated that the CCC proposal was well advanced, with local partners on board and a team of relevant experts already pulled together. Proposing a $200 million investment via a concession deal with the airports authority, the CCC had indicated it would be financing the project via landing and other related fees that would be collected at the airport, as well as the development of major retail facilities and a doubling of passenger capacity in exchange for a forty year concession. It was also offering an immediate injection of $30 million to deal with initial safety and other improvements
However, McField said, “The Cayman Islands Airports Authority (CIAA) has not entered into any contract, agreement or arrangement with Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) to carry out any building works, land side works, or airside works at Owen Roberts International Airport (ORIA), or Charles Kirkconnell International Airport (CKIA).
“The Board of Directors of the CIAA takes this opportunity to restate its declared position that the Board of Directors does not have any intention to abdicate its Legal Responsibility for ORIA or CKIA, and will not relinquish control of ORIA or CKIA to any entity or organization that the CIAA may enter into contract or agreement with to carry out building works, land side works, or airside works at ORIA or CKIA.”
It is not clear if the authority is planning to continue discussions with CCC if other proposals are on the table or whether the planned airport redevelopment project would be subject to a tendering process.
Early this week it emerged that the premier has also signed a memorandum of understanding with the San Miguel Group based in Manila and the major shareholder in Philippines Airlines, which may also include some investment in Cayman's airports.
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Category: Local News
We will have the first airport fully carpeted !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is what it looks like when the Canadians came, looked around, saw what's happening, panicked, grabbed their toques and Labatt Blue, and got the xxxx out of here. Mac's lackey then pops up and says: "Contract? What Contract? There's no contract here, and we didn't even get sued this time. Now where's dat Labatt Blue?"
So, we cant give up legal control of the airports, but we can do so with the cruise dock and port???
What is the difference Steve?
GLF deja vu!!
what to hell is steve macfield even doing in this mess??!!
It is impossible for the CIAA to be in days and days of discussions with a group if the intent was not to sign this deal– no one just sits around wasting time or I hope not at our expence.
Thank God the "Carpet Group" screwed up and issued this press release so we could see what was going on behind those closed airport doors. ( Not even sure what a tile and carpet group knows about airport construction and operation anyhow–weird partner for the Canadian Government in the first place but I'm sure that is another interesting story)
If Mr McField's statement about not giving anyone control of the airports is the rule, the CCC might as well go home now. Also the other proposers that are still on the table-what about them?? heard the board had 6 or 7 over the last couple of years….What is clear is that no one in their right mind will 'give' that particular CIAA management and Board $200M to play manager with–I'm afraid McField just sealed the end of expanding the airport unless they borrow the money themselves—oops forgot the "no borrowing" issue the government has and the FFR…oops–okay another UDP project on the rocks. But not surprised as they do not follow process- not in the playbook of Mac…. "Process is for Donkeyface people"
Unfortunatley its cold in Canada at moment but I think CCC should head back home now.This just seems to be another odd ball process concocted by the UDP and its legal council extrordinaire being now denied like a hot potato.
Now lets see what Premier signed in the Phillipines…..maybe we are going to see more "rebranding" at Sir Turtle!!! I certainly can imagine where the inflight food will come from.
Huh???!
With all these behind closed doors backroom deals, we can be forgiven for thinking that he who pays the piper calls the tunes.
Which may explain the determination to have CHEC build the port.
Please tell the public why they should now belive anything that comes from current government? There is nothing, not one thing that shows evidence of intelligence and or honesty comeing out of there. To lead well one must have respect and you have lost that for all the right reasons. Please resign and allow the airport authority a chance to function well in the future.
We must look like real asses!
The right-hand knoweth not what the left-hand is doing……zzzzzz, wake me up when anything unusual happens, because this is nothing new…..zzzzz
I hope "we" are not paying for this, because really now during this economic downturn, isnt there more important things to spend money on?
Give me a break. There are more red flags here than in the British Navy. Mr McField are you saying you know nothing of negotiations with CCC or not? Your post fails to address what you know which does not impress the public. Your boss has pleaded transparency but is guilty of the lack thereof.
Your obligation is not one of denial but what you know and what the public is entitled to know. May I suggest you resign from your post and let a competent person replace you.
Finally you may wish to advise the public of your qualifications to hold your post in the first place. I suggest you have NONE.
where else could he get work?
Here we go again …Mac stopping one project and proposing more BS instead…
Another shambles in the making!
Trick or Treat – Smoke and Mirrors. does anyone know what's really going on anymore?
Sound slike someone got Spooked into retracting, I wonder how the Paramount group feels now, after teh carpet is yanked from under their feet.
sounds like glf part 2
OMG LOL….
Steve McField??? How much public money do we give to this deeply unimpressive man?
Does the Chewbacca defence work in construction project negotiations?
Apparently the plans make provision for sacred vessels.
He is on a $70000 yearly retainer plus he probably bills us per hour too.
Another last minute replace GLF with CHEC deal?
It says right on their web site, working with CCC can avoid "a lengthy tendering process"…
http://www.ccc.ca/en/industries-and-markets/international-commercial-business
"Avoid lenghthy tendering process" means "I can't bother with all that paperwrk to show everyone we get the best deal."…..Just let me do a deal with my friends who will look after me.
GLF deja vu. A "better" deal on offer?
The Premier himself stated in the press sometime ago that both a Canadian corporation and CHEC were interested in funding the airport expansion. Then Paramount Group issues a statement about a Canadian entity and talks with Government. And Government signs an MOU with Phillipines that, according to the press, may include some investment in Cayman airports. I can see another GT Port fiasco in the making, because certain people talking to certain entities about the airport. Why don't CIG just tender the project publicly, and stop engaging in one on one talks with certain entities? This modus operandi will just continue getting us into trouble, as it has done in the past. It is also very confusing for the public to hear these things in the press and wonder what really is going on !!!