New road to West Bay under way

Representatives of the government and Dart Realty (Cayman) Ltd. ceremoniously broke ground on the Esterley Tibbetts Highway extension Tuesday after Cabinet approved the new road earlier in the day. 

The road is the first project to get under way under the arrangement of the public/private sector collaboration between the Cayman Islands Government and Dart Realty known as the ForCayman Investment Alliance. It will extend the Esterley Tibbetts Highway from its current terminus at Raleigh Quay Road to Batabano Road in West Bay. 

Speaking at the ceremony, Premier McKeeva Bush said the modern, multilane highway was a very important addition to Cayman’s road infrastructure that the government couldn’t have afforded on its own. 

“The addition of the stretch of the highway will not eliminate all traffic, but it will significantly alleviate it,” he said, adding that the new, limited-access road would increase the capacity for future north and south bound traffic between West Bay and George Town and not be as susceptible to flooding and hurricane damage. 

Mr. Bush said another significant aspect of the deal was that it would put many heavy equipment operators, truckers and local businesses to work. 

“This is because neither Dart Realty nor [Dart’s construction management company] DECCO are not going to do all the work themselves,” he said. “They are going to hire Caymanian companies and then those companies are going to hire labourers, heavy equipment operators and so on, down the line.” 

The Esterley Tibbetts Highway extension project is expected to cost US$33 million, but the Dart Group will pay for it all. The road extension is the first portion of a series of projects planned as part of the ForCayman Investment Alliance. The Dart Group will fund the projects, including the cost of the land, materials, professional expertise and labour. 

“There will be no debt to government, no obligation to repay the value of the series of infrastructure projects that exceeds US$100 million,” he said. “It’s not government money paying for this.” 

Mr. Bush acknowledged that the Dart Group would get something in return. As part of this deal, the Dart Group will eventually obtain about 2,500 feet of West Bay Road, leading to the official closure of that section of road. 

“My mama always told me you never get something for nothing,” Mr. Bush said. 

“But we’re not giving away the country; we’re not giving away the country at all. We’re trying to help people.” 

Mr. Bush said when all was said and done, “the benefits of the completion of this extension will positively impact our lives in multiple ways”. 

The ground breaking occurred before the main agreement for the ‘mega deal’ between the Dart Group and Government – which includes the closure, capping and remediation of the George Town Landfill, the establishment of new solid waste management facility in Bodden Town, various land swaps and a $18 million payment from Dart for community projects – was signed.  

“I pressed to get this ground breaking scheduled as soon as possible,” he said.  

“Dart is obviously committed enough to helping turn around the local economy and get people back to work, and equally prepared to invest on starting work on their own private land until the main agreement is signed,” he said. “We have a partnership where both parties want to see the economy turned around.”  

Mr. Bush said nothing was being done illegally with regard to any part of the deal with Dart.  

“The Main Agreement is still being reviewed and finalised and will, at the appropriate time, go to Cabinet.” 

Mr. Bush said the work to complete the Esterley Tibbetts Highway extension would take 18 to 20 months. 

Dart Realty Chief Operating Officer Jackie Doak said that in addition to creating a new modern highway and alleviating traffic congestion, the project would enhance the pedestrian experience on West Bay Road and create safe bike lanes for recreational use on the Esterley Tibbetts Highway extension. 

“Yes, it will facilitate access to our recently acquired properties,” she acknowledged. 

The closure of the section of West Bay Road will allow for the Dart Group to renovate and expand the former Courtyard Marriott Hotel, which has been closed since sustaining damage from Hurricane Paloma in November 2008. Also as part of the deal, the Dart Group will significantly enhance the facilities of the West Bay Road Public Beach and expand it in depth all the way to Esterley Tibbetts Highways. 

Ms Doak said DECCO would be inviting requests for proposals from local companies for the various bid packages on the roadworks in the coming weeks. 

“However, before the operational work of actually constructing the Esterley Tibbetts 

Highway extension can begin, the less glamorous but equally critical work of clearing the undergrowth and prepping the land must take place,” she said. “In regards to the clearing, site visits have taken place with representatives from [our] nursery and other organisations so that rare or endangered, culturally significant or mature plants and trees can be identified in advance of the clearing and marked for transplanting.” 

Ms. Doak noted that there was some level of risk in the Dart Group proceeding with the road construction without having the main agreement signed. 

“As the premier has indicated, at Dart we are prepared to get started with the preliminary works as a way to help people get back to work and to start engaging local companies,” she said. “We do so in good faith that the main agreement and related, smaller separate agreements will in due course be signed.” 

She said the main agreement calls for having all components of the ForCayman Investment Alliance go through the normal regulatory permitting process. 

“For us this includes, among others, the vesting of lands, coastal works licenses and closure and gazetting of roads,” she said. “These processes often take time, and to some, slow down the activation of our planned investments, but it is important to both Government and Dart that we are able to demonstrate that the appropriate processes are being followed.”