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Manifestos same but different
(CNS): As Cayman goes to the polls tomorrow (20 May) the side shows — of accusations and counter accusations, qualifications and even disqualifications — of this election campaign should prove less important than what is contained in the political manifestos. However, a comparative read of both of the political parties’ manifestoes does not reveal any massive political differences between the two, with both parties promising similar policies in the key areas.
Although both of the political parties produced manifestos late into the campaign, the contents are meant to be the most effective way for them to sell themselves to the voter and reveal their intentions if either the United Democratic Party or the People’s Progressive Movement returns enough candidates to form the next government. With the economy, employment, education and environment taking centre stage in this election, the PPM and the UDP are both making broad promises on all of these issues but there are as many similarities when it comes to policy and intent as there differences, making it a difficult decision for the voter genuinely interested in politics as oppose to personalities.
According to the PPM manifesto, if re-elected it promises to lead a “national effort” to shore up the twin pillars of the local economy: financial services and tourism. The party says it will not raise taxes but take measures to cushion people and businesses from the global crisis, encourage Caymanian entrepreneurship through the Cayman Islands Investment Bureau, and give Caymanians a greater stake in the economy. It will also press on with its government capital projects to help stimulate the domestic construction market and spin off industries.
The UDP has also promised to shore up financial services and tourism but has also said it will simulate the local economy through more private sector development and inward investment. The UDP manifesto says that if the Caymanian people return a UDP government it will conduct an impact assessment of the medium-to-long term implications of the global crisis on the financial services industry to find out what the sector needs. It says it will also review spending to ensure that the tourism dollars are spent primarily to generate business, improve the guest experience and maintain or elevate service standards. The UDP also says it will develop an aggressive plan to identify and attract new industry to diversify the economy. It states, “We will take action to support small businesses and encourage entrepreneurship among Caymanians.”
The PPM also promises to do similar things, saying it will also introduce new labour regulations as well. Although it failed to implement the Labour Law, which was passed during the UDP’s previous administration, it says this term if it is returned it will establish a national minimum wage across all industries, to ensure that mandatory severance pay of one week’s pay for each completed year of service shall be without a maximum, and establish a single tier, independent Labour Tribunal. The PPM says it will also seek to improve the balance of work permits and unemployed with the promised changes to the Immigration Law, which were announced earlier this year. The PPM has also promised, in conjunction with the business community, a review of the “rollover policy” to ensure that it is operating effectively and achieving its objective, but it will not overturn rollover.
Having invested a significant amount of time and resources in completely restructuring Cayman’s education system, from the way it is governed to the National Curriculum, the PPM’s manifesto has a significant chapter on its continued ambitions for overhauling education from top to bottom. The party is promising to follow through with that work should the electorate return them to office tomorrow.
“Educators have indicated that improvements in standards, conditions and the learning environment in which they teach students are as important as increases in remuneration,” the manifesto reads, and goes on to state it will continue the plan that has seen 94% of education professionals engaged in professional development, intensify efforts to increase the recruitment of Caymanian teachers, address overcrowding as the new schools come on line, introduce the post sixteen education and early education plans, convert George Hicks into a vocational college and focus on results now that the Education Law has been passed and policies put in place and implemented. The party also promises to focus on improving literacy standards and special or additional needs education, as well as promoting a culture of life-long learning for all.
Meanwhile, the UDP is also promising to establish an accredited Technical and Vocational Training Institute and a review of teachers’ salaries and working conditions. Although national standards have been introduce already under the new Education Law, the UDP’s manifesto states that it will establish National Standards for primary school leavers and high school graduation, but it does not say how this will differ from the policies already in place. It promises a review of the existing curriculum (which its MLAs just voted for along with the government in March of this year) and the party promises a restructure of the education scholarship programme to ensure that all deserving students benefit from tertiary education here and abroad, it says. It does not say, however, if it plans to increase or reduce the current spending on scholarships, which is currently at $8.3 million annually, or make reductions back to the figure of $2.9 million, which was spent annually under the last UDP government.
TheUDP also promises a National Training Initiative (NTI), which it says would be a tool to centralize all efforts towards long-term humancapital development. “A highly collaborative approach with all stakeholders and economic sectors in the Islands,” the manifesto reads. The UDP is also promising to create a Centre of Excellence for the Treatment and Support for people with Autism.
When it comes to the environment the two parties are making various promises but there is no commitment to the National Conservation Bill in the UDP manifesto, and while the PPM claims it as its first objective if re-elected, it is worth noting that this law has been promised by the minister in question for more than two years.
The PPM goes on to promise cross-ministry collaboration to implement a National Recycling Programme, the development of a National Energy Policy, changes to Planning Laws and Regulations, and facilitate the Climate Change Adaptation strategies, while simultaneously continuing to reduce our carbon footprint. The PPM also says it will approve a new National Development Plan and the National Sustainable Development Policy. If returned to office the party also promises to implement the Darwin Initiative funded action plans for species and habitats and significantly expand the Blue Iguana conservation programme utilizing the Crown property in East End that was recently vested, as well as a commitment to public education of environmental issues.
The UDP says it will also launch an aggressive campaign to encourage consumers to conserve energy and adopt measures to reduce our dependence on imported fossil fuels. The manifesto promises the development of low carbon technologies. The party also promises a long-term strategy to handle Municipal Solid Waste as a priority. “This landfill must be addressed in a manner that will yield the maximum benefit,” the manifesto states. “The UDP will seek to deploy sustainable technology that will allow for the waste to the disposed in a manner that will result in minimum environmental damage. The strategy will also include a Waste to Energy component to allow for the generation of electricity.”
The PPM manifesto also says that a tremendous amount of effort and thought has already gone into developing a Waste Management Strategy for the Cayman Islands. “Additional elements of this strategy will be implemented over the next term,” it reads adding that the reorganization of the George Town land fill will include the Waste to Energy Facility and recycling initiatives.
In the end however, despite their promises and similarities, whether it‘s to be a “better way forward” or “don’t stop the progress” or a rejection of both is down to the 15,000 plus people who have the right to cast their vote tomorrow in the country’s General Election.
Anglin backs constitution
(CNS): The second elected member for the district of West Bay, Rolston Anglin, is the first United Democratic Party candidate to declare his support for the new constitution at the Chamber district forums. So far his colleagues have said that the UDP has taken a conscience position with some of them saying they are voting ‘no’ and others simply refusing to say how they will vote. However, last night Anglin said he would vote ‘yes’ as he believed the proposed constitution was a genuine collaborative effort.
Speaking at the second candidiate forum in West Bay at the John A Cumber Hall last night, (Monday 27 April), where he gave an impressive and articulate performance, Anglin told voters to inquire and question the Constitution but he believed it was advancement on the current document and he was going to support it.
“What is there is truly a compromise document. It is no one’s document in particular. It is the result of a collaborative effort between the government, opposition and the NGOs,” he said adding that the UDP has taken the view internally that all members will exercise a conscience vote but he would be voting for the constitution.
His fellow panellists for the evening were Pauls Rivers and Lana Mae Smith, who are both running for the first time as independent candidates in the district but sharing the same platform on the campaign trail. Smith said she too would be voting yes to the constitution as it was the “bible of the land” and long overdue. Rivers however, said he was still deliberating over it as he had concerns that section 16 in the bill of rights was not a free standing right. Explaining his own situation, he said his own son had disabilities and did not want to see him face enshrined discrimination. However, he said there was room to improve the document at a future date so he was thinking he may in the end support it.
During an evening that saw the candidates discuss crime, unemployment, the failure of Caymanians to share in the economic success of the islands, the failure of the Turtle Farm and the needs of West Bay, Anglin showed the benefit of his experience when it came to understanding the future needs of Cayman’s economy when he noted that there was a need to attract the investment management firms behind the development of the hedge fund sector.
“The movers and players would then be actually located in Cayman,” he said, adding that not only would this generate fees and income directly, it would have a knock on effect to other areas of the economy provide work for lawyers and others as well as more scholarships and opportunities for Caymanians. The other two candidates both cited local produce and developing cottage industries as possible third pillars.
Anglin, however, noted that given the modern global situation it was not sensible for small nations such as Cayman to try and rely on export industries. He explained that around the region sugar and other export and manufacturing industries had been wiped out by the bigger nations and that Cayman should focus on the service sector. He suggested that Cayman was well placed to develop the airport because of the UK aviation regulations which would enable it to become an air gateway for US airlines to link passengers to other South American destinations.
Anglin also noted that it was not that serious that the country was running a deficit when asked about balancing the budget. He said everyone was aware that the United States was currently running a massive deficit, and while he did not advocate anything like that, it was not necessarily bad for government to run a deficit in hard times. He said while government spending was a concern, it was not the time to cut jobs and there was a need to get confidence back in the economy and develop public private partnerships to help deliver services. Smith and Rivers both said they would cut salaries for senior civil servants and MLAS.
When it came to environment Smith said she wanted to see the National Conservation Bill passed and it was the most important piece of legislation which was overlooked during this administration, and she said there was a need to enforce the existing litter law. The dump was described as a major problem by all three and Anglin noted the cross party work that has been done on developing a waste to energy programme as a solution.
Rivers spoke passionately about how development has left Caymanians behind and the very real need to take stock of how Cayman was developing and for whom. Anglin however, noted that not everything foreign was bad and said inward investment into the financial services had resulted in that sector’s economic success. He did, however, note that Caymanians needed to enjoy the opportunities presented by the sectors success. He also agreed with his fellow candidates that it was time for non-Caymanians civil servants to also face a rollover policy.
The three candidates debated in front of another sizeable West Bay crowd which could not resist enthusiastically applauding the candidates for their comments, despite Chamber President Wil Pineau’s request for them to wait until the end before showing their appreciation.
McLeans face off in East End
(CNS): East Enders were givan an opportunity to assess the suitability of their candidates last night when the district’s McLeans opened the Chamber of Commerce’s series of forums. Tackling the question of the Constitution, the younger McLean, John Jr, admitted that he had not read it but from what his advisers had told him he wouldn’t support it. The incumbent said he was sad to hear that his opponent didn’t know about the Constitution but would be telling people to vote no as it was an important decision. “It’s more important than the election,” said Arden McLean.
“MLA’s will come and go and the seats will remain no matter who fills them but the opportunity to shape a new constitution won’t come so easily. People need to understand the Constitution is not ours to modernise, it’s England’s. We can propose what we want, and we did, but in the end it is what England is prepared to give us.” He added that what had come out of the talks, while not perfect was a far cry for the current situation and had faced Cayman in a better direction for the future.
The forum was well attended and proved an informative evening for voters, who were clearly keen to see what the two candidates had to offer. Moderated by Chamber CEO Wil Pineau, the McLeans faced ten questions, which they had not seen, from the Chamber panel (Stuart Bostock and Peter Broadhurst) on behalf of Chamber members, and then a selection of questions directly from the audience.
The candidates were asked questions on the economy, environment and education, all of which proved revealing when it came to the candidates knowledge and understanding of the issues. Asked about strategies to mitigate the current global recession, ideas to stimulate new industry areas and generate more revenue J. McLean suggested developing local crafts. “I would encourage people to make, and businesses to buy, locally made things like straw hats — it sounds trivial but it would generate income.”
The young candidate also suggested taxing the remittances sent overseas by work permit holders, and to lower the cost of doing business, he said work permit holders should pay towards their own permits as they needed the job as much as the employer needed them. Employers shouldn’t have to pay their employee’s pensions either, he said, as they didn’t benefit from it. He also felt government contracts needed to go to local companies and not foreign ones with local people getting the jobs.
Minster McLean noted that all ordinary companies doing business in Cayman are locally owned because of the 60-40% law, and that by spending money on capital projects the government had succeed in keeping the Cayman economy going despite the worldwide recession. He said it was the government’s responsibility to stimulate the economy.
“We have been extremely lucky that we have not had to bail out our financial industry,” he said, adding that, in a way, the government spending and borrowing for capital projects was Cayman’s bail out. “People now recognise that government must spend to ease the impact of the recession.” Even if it meant owing money, he said it was better to pay that back down the line in order to keep the economy buoyant now.
When it came to new areas of business, the minister said that Cayman was well positioned to develop e-commerce. “This is an untapped source for lots of business,” he said. “Because of us being an offshore financial centre, it will be easier to do this type of business and I think we can attract it.” He also said the Film Commission was an important step forward for a new business idea. He said most of all the domestic economy was very dependent on small business and it was important that government continued to encourage entrepreneurs. He said when it came to reducing fees it was important to consider the balance of the treasury’s needs, but government had successfully reduced the cost of electricity by 30%, which had helped business.
The two men both agreed that government should keep spending on education, and while J.McLean seemed to lean towards the campaign mantra that the schools were too expensive, he said he would keep up current levels of spending. Arden McLean offered his full support to his colleague, the Education Minister, and said it was vital the work on education continued. He noted too that the Frank Sound school had been on the cards for 30 years and the Eastern districts needed it and should support it.
Minister McLean gave an emphatic “no” when asked if he supported the draft National Conservation Bill, which his colleague Charles Clifford had promised to bring to the Legislative Assembly before the end of this term. His evident opposition as a cabinet member revealed why Clifford had failed in that endeavour. “I have made it very clear to my cabinet colleagues that I am not supporting it as is,” he said. “There are a number of issues with it. It empowers certain individuals too much… and I cannot support it when the Director of the Environment has almost absolute power.” He said, however, that he did want to see an environmental law developed that was equitable and reasonable.
John McLean said he would support the enactment of the draft bill if elected as it was very important to preserve the natural flora and fauna and native trees. “I would definitely support it. I think it’s a goodthing and it’s not just about supporting it — it’s important to enforce it as well. We all need to preserve the environment.”
The two candidates also discussed the extension of the airport runway or moving it to East End, something J McLean said he wouldn’t support but preferred the idea of extending the existing runway in George Town. A McLean said eventually the airport may well have to be moved to the centre of the island but he supported the plans to develop Owen Roberts. J McLean said he supported cruise berthing and said it should have been done a long time ago. While A McLean said he supported the dock in principle, he said there was a need to ensure the cargo dock remained in government hands.
The desperate need to address the George Town landfill was also raised, with J McLean saying he was prepared to listen to anyone, including foreign companies, on how we address the problem, and there was a desperate need for a proper recycling programme. The dump, he said, needed to be addressed and not get involved in fiascos like the Matrix situation. A McLean said it was his biggest regret that he was unable to get the waste to energy management programme underway before the election, but the plans were in place and had been developed through cross party work with the aim of reducing the dump to zero in less than 2 decades.
Both men recognised the fear of rising serious crime and the need to tackle the problem of drug use in the district. While A McLean said the police needed to focus on the district’s vulnerable and deserted coastline to prevent the entry of drugs and guns, J McLean said it was a bottom up problem and that everyone had their problems, be it drugs or murder, and the community needed to look at ways to help people excel in their own way.
Leaders hint at new policies
(CNS): The much anticipated debate between the country’s two political leaders on Thursday evening offered few surprises. However, the leader of the opposition indicated he would be looking at a new approach to immigration where one size does not fit all, and the leader of government business confirmed the current administration’s desire to start an ambitious $150 million waste to energy programme, as soon as funds permit, to address the George Town dump.
The face-off between McKeeva Bush and Kurt Tibbetts, hosted by Cayman Business Outlook at the Ritz Carlton, turned out not to be a debate in the strictest sense but saw the two leaders asked different questions, which they had not previously seen, on a range of subjects, from the economy to the environment. Speaking without the benefit of prepared speeches, the two were articulate and on occasion humorous, giving some hints at where the campaign between their two parties may head once it gets underway in the coming weeks and months.
The issue of Immigration came up in a number of questions when the men were asked about growing Cayman’s population and how to tackle this crucial subject to enable local business to flourish. Tibbetts defended rollover, saying the system allowed people to come here and move towards settlement and Caymanian status, which increased the population in an orderly fashion and did not make the indigenous people feel like they were being smothered.
However, Bush disagreed and said that rollover had seen jobs lost, especially back office work which had gone to other jurisdictions. He noted that an across the board immigration policy may no longer be suitable and that a new policy was required that treated industries according to their different needs.
“No one in this day and age should expect the financial services industry or the tourism Industry to work with the same policy that construction industry works with. There needs to be some changes. Immigration is not working. We would, must use immigration law to remove glass ceiling but preaching nationalism doesn’t work for us,” he said, adding that financial business in particular needed a policy that could help it recruit and retain the very best people available.
Although moderator Gary Linford commended the government on its infrastructure improvements, he asked why nothing had been done over the infamous George Town dump. Tibbetts said that the scientific data had been collected and as well as a recycling programme the government wanted to launch a waste to energy project.
“The government had planned to begin a recycling programme and then move into a phased effort regarding waste to energy but funds won’t allow us to begin that yet. Conservative estimates suggest it will take $150 million to do it. This issue needs to be addressed, it will have to be done but given the revenue stream we have to prioritise,” the leader of government business said.
The two men both defended the country’s Christian heritage when asked if Cayman should be a secular society with rights for all, which received wide applause, and they both agreed that Cayman’s political landscape was by and large an honest one where politicians followed thecode of ethics.
They disagreed on the economy, and Bush criticised Tibbetts for his failure to address the needs of the financial service sector and to see the recession coming. Tibbetts defended the government’s record and said it had a committee that engaged with the private sector over the economy and what was needed. He said the capital project programme, in which government had invested, was an important injection for the local economy.
Both men were asked to write each other’s obituary, which gave an amusing diversion, but when each was given five minutes to say why they should be elected to office at the next election it was back to the politics. Tibbetts defended the PPM’s record and said the government was being prudent but at the same time keeping the economy active. “In times like these it is a fine balance between spending and doing nothing,” the LoGB said, adding that his administration was getting it right.
However, Bush pointed to the increase in unemployment every year since the PPM came to office and said the country needed to see policy changes and fiscal changes. “We need more than a committee that is monitoring the situation. The immigration framework has resulted in jobs being exported to other country and we need a plan to put the country back on track. This is not just a global crisis, it is a local crisis,” he said.
CUC wins bid with diesel
(CNS): Cayman’s dependency on fossil fuel has been sealed for another 25 years after CUC won the bid to supply itself with the 36MW of extra power the firm needs to meet its future obligations with a new diesel generator. Although CUC was up against two bids from DECCO (Dart Group) and the Louis Berger Group, both of which were based on liquid propane, the CUC bid came in over 22% cheaper. Announcing the decision Friday, the Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) director, Charlie Farrington, and his deputy, Louis Boucher, said the bids had been transparent throughout and had been evaluated by independent energy experts, ICF International. That report is now a public document.
Farrington said that after the evaluation process it was quite clear that the CUC bid was by far the best value for the consumer.
Acknowledging the diesel dependency issue, the two men said that despite requesting renewable energy, no greener bids were received. Farrington said, however, that the ERA would now be focusing on how Cayman can reduced its dependence on diesel and begin to replace the power supply with renewable energy in the future.
But he explained that in this bid the power had to be firm. Given the technological challenges that remain around solar and wind power, he said such green energy cannot yet ensure a 24-hour supply. Nevertheless, he said, as the technology improves Cayman will be looking for a more sustainable power supply and Farrington said he believed the power of the future was solar.
Following past controversies surrounding this bid, the men confirmed that CUC was subject to the same bid conditions as the other parties in this RFP.
Farrington also explained that this bid was different from the previous tender process won by DECCO before allegations of corruption were raised by the former ERAdirector Joey Ebanks (who is currently in jail following his conviction earlier this year for theft from the ERA), which had caused the cancellation of the solicitation.
Boucher added that this latest RFP was more detailed and included the issue of using and recycling the waste heat which comes from the generation of power.
Following the announcement by the ERA, CUC confirmed it will now develop and operate a new 39.7 megawatts diesel power plant on its current site that will include 2.7 MW waste heat recovery steam turbine. The project cost is estimated at US$85 million and the plant will be commissioned no later than June 2016.
“CUC put a significant amount of effort into developing a very competitive proposal and having won we have demonstrated that CUC represents the best value for electricity consumers in Grand Cayman,” said President and CEO Richard Hew. “This project will require a significant, long-term financial undertaking by CUC to deliver the benefits of safe, reliable, and highly efficient production of electricity for consumers in Grand Cayman.”
He added that the firm would be signing agreements with the equipment provider MAN Diesel & Turbo of Augsburg, Germany, and primary construction contractor BWSC of Denmark, to build and commission the new power plant.”
The ERA bosses had said that although the winner was CUC, meaning that the generation of power in Grand Cayman remains in the hands of one supplier, the competitive bid had worked as intended and caused the rate to be pushed down. Farrington said that having two power suppliers is not what creates the competition but the bidding environment, forcing everyone, including CUC, to fight for the contract and to keep costs low.
See the evaluation report here and below along with related press release from the ERA board and CUC.
DoEH begins small battery recycling
(CNS): Although the Cayman Islands is still a long way for a comprehensive recycling programme for the majority of its waste the department of environment along with other NGOs around the island continue to make small steps towards removing some things from the landfill. Small Batteries are the latest items now being collected for recycling. Batteries used in cell-phones, cameras, pagers, two-way radios, calculators, small cordless tools, and other personal digital devices can all be recycled, officials said. While any reduction in waste going to the landfill no matter how small is welcome the main benefit with this latest effort is keeping the metals contained in the batteries from contaminating the environment.
The programme to collect small batteries in special containers located at supermarkets is in addition to the department’s existing programme of collecting lead-acid batteries used in cars, boats, heavy equipment and other large vehicles.
Urging everyone to support this latest and all the existing recycling initiatives the environmental Health, minister said he was pleased to see the department adding another element to the recycling programme. “Recycling is a key component to reduce overall waste volume,” Osbourne Bodden added.
The DEH is now asking the public not to throw the batteries in the household trash, but to bring them to the DEH battery recycling containers located at supermarkets, schools and central points throughout the three islands.
Metals such as lithium, zinc, copper, nickel, and manganese are used in small batteries, while lead is used in larger batteries. All batteries collected through the DEH recycling programme will be shipped off of the Cayman Islands to a recycling facility where they will be melted and recycled into other products.
The other items collected by the DEH recycling programme are aluminium cans, used motor oil, cooking oil, scrap metals, and batteries, as well as natural Christmas trees. In addition, receptacles for plastics, glass and aluminium are provided by private recycling companies and are located throughout Grand Cayman.
“Many residents and visitors are supportive of our current recycling programme,” said DEH Director Roydell Carter who said recycling conserves energy, saves natural resources, keeps the environment cleaner, reduces the country’s carbon foot print and allows the public to play its part in helping save the environment. But above all locally recycling cuts down a little on the stuff taken to the ever-growing George Town dump.
For further information on recycling, contact Tania Johnson at 743-5952 or through email at recycle@gov.ky or visiting the DEH website at www.deh.gov.ky
Customs policy absurd
(CNS): The decision by the customs department to start enforcing a 30-year-old policy to have people register their own electronic items before they travel so they do not get charged duty on them is absurd, the Chamber president has said. Johann Moxam is urging the duty enforcement agency to concentrate on the real crime, such as the recent Operation Spearfish, and stop undermining business with pointless and frustrating layer of bureaucracy. In a statement this week that has wide support, the president of the business body pointed out that in the modern age everyone is traveling with electronic devices and registering them before they leave is a step backwards. Customs bosses, however, claimthat it will "provide a smoother" transition.
The policy, which has been in place for three decades, requires those traveling with electronic devices to register them before leaving to verify on return that they are not new acquisitions by the traveller trying to dodge the tax.
However, the Chamber president said, "We live in the information age and carrying electronic devices is a way of life and a business necessity. Registering electronic devices is a waste of time and money and falls into the category of absurdity. We should be trying to simplify the travel experience rather than complicating it with policies that should have been abolished years ago. The Chamber supports lower duty rates for retailers, which would encourage more residents to purchase these items locally rather than abroad. Policy makers and customs officials are placing the emphasis in the wrong area,” Moxam added.
He said Operation Spearfish was the type of exercise where customs should continue to direct resources, as he commended recent efforts to seize containers that are suspected to be packed with stolen goods. The practice of stealing and shipping the booty off island is believed to be common and has gone on almost undetected for years.
“The enforcement section of customs should be commended for taking this action. Stolen goods and contraband distort the local marketplace and harm both businesses and the consumers who purchase the stolen and illegal items. The Chamber encourages customs to focus more energy in this area so that persons who are involved in this illegal activity are brought to justice, not on wedding dresses and registering electronic goods,” Moxam said.
Although the Chamber says that some advances have been made in creating a more business-friendly environment in Cayman as a result of its partnership with government on the Future of Cayman initiative, Moxam warned that there are still too many antiquated and anti-business policies that are regressive and detract from making the Cayman Islands an attractive place to do business.
The customs department has defended this latest clampdown and said that customs has always encouraged the completion of this form for passengers to help clear up customs queries when travelers return. “Otherwise, the customer could be subject to be paying duties on an item," Samantha Bennett the customs boss stated. “It is the passenger’s responsibility to satisfy the officer that duties are not applicable when bringing the item back into the country."
Import duty is charged at 22 percent for electronics, which could prove very costly for travelers, especially if they already paid duty on those items when they first purchased them.
Long road to dump solution
(CNS): There will be no quick fixes or immediate solutions to the pressing issue of the George Town landfill, despite the recent fact finding mission by the minister responsible and the premier last week. Osbourne Bodden told his parliamentary colleagues Wednesday that the strategic outline case will be going before cabinet shortly. That would be followed in around four to six weeks by an RFP for consultants to deliver a national waste management strategy. The next stage will be an Outline Business Case. After that the project can finally move towards a procurement process. Setting out the long road ahead, Bodden said that Cayman doesn’t have a waste-management policy and until it does it can’t offer a solution to the dump.
Speaking in the Legislative Assembly, the minister said that the technical Steering Committee has been working on the strategic outline case, which he said would be made public once it reviewed and approved by Cabinet. That will form the basis for the first RFP for consultants to deliver services in two stages, he added. Bodden explained the first would be the delivery of the national waste management strategy to identify project options for assessment, and the second stage will be the delivery of the Outline Business Case that will look at the best option for the project itself which in turn will form the basis for the procurement and implementation.
He admitted that the process was going to take time but not, he said an unwarranted delay, as has been suggested
“The process takes time, but I believe it is time well-spent that will help us to ensure we have a project that not only meets our needs, but has identified and considered potential issues, obstacles, and project impediments, and identified ways to address these prior to project implementation,” he said, adding that this would mean, “fewer delays, cost over-runs, and unintended consequences” once the project starts. “It is effectively ‘front loading’ some of the time, but I am confident that we will see the benefits down the road,” the minister added.
In the meantime, the department of environmental health was making improvements to the George Town Landfill, he said, and examining some short-term improvements for the Cayman Brac landfill as well.
“The Department will continue to make every effort to ensure that the service they provide, and the management of their landfill sites on all three islands, are optimised. Obviously we need to make sure that any measures we take in the short-term will not negatively impact our ability to implement the long-term solution once it is identified, so we are carefully assessing the improvements as we go to ensure they meet our short-term objectives without unintended long-term consequences,” Bodden said.
On their recent trip to Tampa both Bodden and the premier, Alden McLaughlin visited four waste-to-energy facilities, two landfills, and one recycling processing centre and saw the waste-to-energy process in action and the different governance structures that he said the government may want to explore as part of the procurement processes. Dismissing comments that the trip was a waste of time he said he was able to see first-hand what a waste-to-energy facility looks like and experience the conditions in its vicinity.
“It was an incredibly informative trip,” he said. “It has given me an enhanced understanding of waste-to-energy technology, and its possible role in the integrated solid waste management solution for the Cayman Islands.”
Excited about waste-to energy, Bodden said he was not necessarily committed to that technology alone as he said it was up to the steering committee to research and advice on the best solution for the country.
“The process which they are undertaking is a requirement under our finance law, and it requires careful assessment and consideration of the various components of a project, including financial, environmental, and legal implications and requirements. The process takes time, but I believe that the approach is well-founded and will result in a better project, with an increased chance of success, for the country,” he added.
The premier justified his reasons for joining the fact finding trip stating that it had given hima much better understanding of the complex issue of solid waste management.
“While I know that some have questioned the utility of the trip and wondered why I went along, I can state without reservation that the trip was very informative and very worthwhile,” he said. “It reinforced my belief in the importance of having an overarching strategy when looking at solid waste management. It is a complex issue with many moving parts, so it is important to take a strategic and rational approach when looking for a solution. We simply cannot afford to take a piece-meal approach to this problem – we need to look no further than the current situation to know that approach will not lead to a sustainable solution.”
He spoke about the need not to repeat past mistakes and said the procurement process for major projects such as the landfill is outlined in the Framework for Fiscal Responsibility. McLaughlin said the processes now in place were in large part because “of the disastrous consequences of the last tendering exercise” as he pointed to the UDP’s efforts at finding a waste management solution. This time around, he said the procurement process would be transparent and accountable.
“While there have been previous tenders, and there are quite a few studies about this subject, the fact is that the previous iterations were not subjected to the level of research, assessment, and scrutiny that the process currently requires,” the premier added.
See both statements delivered in the LA on Wednesday below
Alden & Ozzie US dumps visit
(CNS): The premier will get just a few days at home this weekend when he returns from London before he heads on out again for another overseas trip. This time it is to visit a number of waste-management and recycling centres in Florida with the minister responsible for the George Town landfill. Officials said the men will be assessing modern, efficient waste management systems in the United States as part of what the wider public considers very slow progress towards addressing the island’s most pressing problem. Despite public opinion that the dump is a major priority, the premier still emphasised the need to follow process.
Premier Alden McLaughlin said government will use the processes under the Public Management and Finance Law to find a waste management solution. The processes will ensuretransparency and accountability in the tendering and procurement phases.
“While there have been previous tenders, and there are quite a few studies about this subject, the fact is that the previous iterations were not subjected to the level of research, assessment and scrutiny that the process currently requires,” he said.
As a result McLaughlin and Minister Osbourne Bodden will travel to Tampa next week to visit various relevant facilities in Florida.
One of the first stages in the procurement process is the drafting of a Strategic Outline Case document that will form the basis of an RFP for consultancy services for the delivery of an Outline Business Case. A local steering committee has been working on the SOC and hopes to have it finalised for Cabinet’s approval in the next few weeks. Once approved by Cabinet, it will be released to the public, officials said.
Bodden said he was pleased with the progress the steering committee is making on the procurement process. He also pointed to improvements that the environmental health team has made at the George Town landfill.
“I want to assure the concerned members of the public that we are not waiting on the procurement process to make improvements; we are also working hard to identify and implement interim measures to help improve the situation,” the minister said.
Steps taken to date include the removal of scrap metal through a CTC-tendered contract, the lease of essential equipment to improve operations at the landfill, enhanced fire safety measures, the procurement of much-needed equipment to replace existing non-functioning equipment that is beyond its depreciated life-span, and covering additional surface area of the landfill with soil cover.
According to the premier’s office, the men will start their waste management tour on Monday at the Lee County Solid Waste Resource Recovery Facility, which operates as Covanta Lee Inc. in Fort Meyers, Florida. The facility processes 1,836 tonnes-per-day of solid waste, while generating up to 57.3 megawatts of clean, renewable energy, of which 50 megawatts is sold to Seminole Electric Cooperative.
As a comparison, the Cayman Islands generates approximately 85,345 tonnes of waste in a year or 233 tonnes-per-day.
“This facility in Lee County serves two counties and is considered Florida’s number one facility and model. I am looking forward with great anticipation to learn a lot and see what we can look forward to here in just a couple of years. Cayman deserves no less,” said Bodden.
The facility uses secondary sewage treatment run-off from a nearby county owned treatment plant for the majority of its process water. It is also equipped with steel, tin and copper recovery systems to remove all metals from the residue.
Covanta Lee also has a recycling facility and a public drop-off centre adjacent to the facility, where residents take non-hazardous household items and yard waste for disposal.
The premier and minister are also scheduled to visit waste management facilities in Lake and Hillsborough counties. The Lake County Facility processes 528 tonnes-per-day using two 264-tonnes-per-day water wall furnaces.
Travelling with the premier and minister will be the chief officer for the ministry with responsibility for waste, Jennifer Ahearn, who is also the chair of the Integrated Solid Waste Management System Steering Committee, and the Environmental Health Director Roydell Carter.
The delegation returns to Grand Cayman on Thursday, 3 April.
Dump needs no more research
(CNS): The president of the Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce has taken the minister responsible for rubbish to task over his decision to set up a committee to deal with the country’s pressing waste-management problem. Johann Moxam questioned Osbourne Bodden’s courage to make a decision about the growing George Town dump and said there is already a plethora of information out there on how to address it. The Chamber boss said there is no need for this latest group of people to go off visiting more landfills to find out what is already known. Moxam and the Chamber are not advocating for relocation but believe government could begin the process on site using local expertise without a new round of analysis.
In a letter to Bodden written last month, to which the minister has still not replied, Moxam asked what value there was in more “fact finding missions and exhaustive research” because the islands cannot afford more time wasting, waiting for the latest government administration to decide on a solution for this urgent, public health matter.
“The public sector facts, data, reports and expertise assembled from 2005 to 2009 and again from 2009 and to 2012 are easily available on island or accessible through desktop technology,” he wrote, adding that during the request for proposal (RFP) process in 2010 a wealth of information on best practices and possible solutions for the local challenge were given to government.
“There are several local companies, stakeholder groups and private citizens who continually keep abreast of best practices in solid waste management and practical options for addressing our local problem,” he said, as he urged the minister to tackle the issue now.
Moxam said government lacked not information but clarity about what it is trying to achieve.
“It is lack of courage to make a decision in the best interest of our Islands. On 29th January the (Chamber) Council wrote to the Chief Environmental Health Officer Mr Roydell Carter seeking the government's policy on solid waste management in the Cayman Islands. We await his reply,” he wrote, making it clear that the Chamber does not believe government has an effective policy of any kind in place.
Urging Bodden to set a deadline of September this year for an agreed national solution, he said the minister should use the well-established, credible public-private sector mechanism under the Chamber’s Future of Cayman structure. He said members could help government arrive at a practical, implementable solution to this long standing problem.
Moxam told CNS that he has not received a reply from Bodden to his letter, in which he does not advocate moving the dump. He said that over the past 15 to 20 years the reports and assessments had all indicated that government could tackle the problem of "Mount Trashmore" on the current site.
The solution to the dump which was arrived at during the previous PPM administration, via a cross party committee, was for a waste-to-energy and recycling combination programme at the George Town site. An RFP was conducted through 2010 and at the end of the year in December the Central Tenders Committee announced that the US garbage experts Wheelabrator had won the tender and would begin talks with the Department of Environmental Health in January 2011.
However, even before their first meeting, then premier McKeeva Bush overrode the CTC decision and announced he was going to swap the dump site with Dart for a new lined landfill in Bodden Town. When government began its talks with Dart, Wheelabrator withdrew from the picture and the dump grew.
Significant opposition to the decision to move the dump as well as problems with the talks between Dart and the UDP, and then the interim Cabinet after Bush was ousted from office in December 2012, derailed that plan. With the PPM taking office in May having campaigned against a move, Bodden took the Environmental Health portfolio and promised he would be following the process set out in the fiscal responsibility agreement that Cayman has signed with the UK.
Bodden recently told CNS that he has no option but to follow this process unless the UK gave him permission to move more quickly. He said that government first had to present the business case for the new waste-management solution, something which, despite all of the research and reports, has never been done.
Then, as with any project involving public assets, government must piece together an RFP based on its policy decisions and the justified business case. It will also need to conduct an environmental impact assessment. It is at that point that the request for proposals can be published, which will in turn be considered by the Central Tenders Committee and a contract awarded.
Bodden stated that he believed this process cannot realistically be completed in anything less than two years.
See letters below.