Developer Joseph Imparato is not going to dig a hole and
walk away from it, over 200 people heard at a meeting in East End on Thursday
night.
During a question session about his proposal for a seaport
three miles west of East End, he answered a series of queries from
environmental activist Captain Bryan Ebanks.
Mr. Ebanks asked, “Are you going to build a seaport?”
He replied, “If Government approves it, yes.”
“You’re going to finance it yourself?”
“Yes.”
“You’re going to put your money in the hole and develop it?”
“Yes,” Mr. Imparato said.
Many other concerns were raised during the meeting at the
William Allen McLaughlin Civic Centre, with probably half the audience
remaining until it ended after 11pm.
Foremost was the impact of the project on the East End water
lens, which consultant Richard Meeker said could recede up to 12 feet per year
at its southwest edge, which is nearest the proposed seaport basin. He
sought to reassure people that there are ways to offset that impact, such as
slurry walls or injection wells and hydraulic control.
“We believe most of the adverse impacts can be mitigated
significantly by advance planning,” he said.
Other issues raised included damage to dive sites and the
location of the Maya Cable, which is the telecommunications link laid by Cable
and Wireless.
Mr. Imparato said he knew where the cable is: “It’s not
where we’re putting the channel.” Mr. Jason McLean, who said he had helped
install the cable, pointed to the need for a buffer area and asserted that
someone would have to pay to move the cable.
Questioned by North Side MLA Ezzard Miller, Mr. Imparato
agreed that when he said he would enter into joint ventures for the building of
various segments of the seaport, such as a marina and cruiseship home port, he
was not including a cargo port. That would be built on government land
contiguous to the seaport project. Government could choose to do a joint
venture, he noted.
East End MLA Arden McLean thanked Mr. Imparato for giving
people the opportunity to hear from him directly and ask questions. His own
opposition to the project was well-known, he indicated.
Mr. McLean suggested a show of hands by the people remaining
at 11.05pm. He asked how many supported the project and from the front of the
room, a reporter could not see any hands. He asked how many opposed the project
and a sea of hands went up.
“Mr. Imparato, you’re outnumbered here tonight,” Mr. McLean
said as the meeting drew to a close.
For full report see Monday’s Caymanian Compass.
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At the end of the day 1000’s of people will make lots of money on this project some will not …..It seems that some crabs just want to ensure they pull the other crabs down ….
As far as the water lens goes everyone drinks botteled water anyways …..
Some people want others to fail to ensure they stay in power………………….
I am puzzled by the headline. I was there — I think it is fair to say that people left with more questions and concerns than they came with. I am not at all satisfied that Mr. Imperato’s assurances mean all that the Compass suggests: it seems as though each of the four elements – megayacht port, hotel, container port, and petrol farm — will require recruitment of joint venturers — that means none of these things will be built unless Mr. Imperato attracts outside money. he’ll cash in on in the hole before we know if those joint ventures materialize. He offered not a shred of evidence that he has business partners interested in these.
One example why this might be a boondoggle in the making: The consultants pointed out that there will be 24 hour noise and industrial lighting over the container yard. What rich people will want to dock their megayacht or stay at a hotel with a view of cranes, oil tanks and endless industrial racket?
Yes Cayman needs jobs, but this is shaping up to be an empty crater, a massive monument to one man’s greed, and the willingness of the government to overrule the interests and desires of the overwhelming majority of East Enders.
Cayman deserves better.
I can understand how change is scary to people and the rise in violent crime has already put people on edge but change is the natural order of things.
I would like to see the Save Cayman group take on the relocation of the landfill as part of their agenda for the protection of North Sound. It seems odd to me that they would be focusing on the protection of North Sound yet ignoring the leaching of the current landfill which is the greatest threat to the ecosystem in that area.
One thing is clear:
Joseph Imparato is pressing forward despite heated opposition. Now it is all left in the Premier and UDP’s hands to give Mr. Imparato the green light to go ahead with the massive project.
I was at the meeting and it seems like there are more negatives than positives concerning this project:
1. The Environmental impact
2. Government funding to support the development; and,
3. Human nature of the developer, after making hundreds of millions of dollars to give back such millions to the country in building a sea port.
I personally think the UDP government would make a hugh mistake in giving this man license and participating in this massive project. I think, instead, what government should be focusing on, is public-private partnerships, creating jobs, reducing the size of government operation, and lowering fees and duties.