Editorial for 3 February: More Coe Wood groundbreaking

We can tell because shovels of sand were turned once more at Coe Wood Beach in Bodden Town.

The public beach in Bodden Town seems to be a favoured political football of those seeking to retain their elected offices.

Former MLA Charles Clifford announced in August 2007 that Government had spent $225,000 to buy property adjacent to the beach to expand it and that plans were in the works to construct a boat ramp and dock on the property.

Oh, he also promised a small strip mall on the beach back then.

In October 2008 Coe Wood Beach was touted by the then-minister as the first beach to be developed for the Go-East initiative to encourage locals and tourists to become more involved with the tourism products in he districts of Bodden Town, East End and North Side.

In May 2009, just days before the election, the Caymanian Compass reported that work on the development and expansion of the facilities at Coe Wood Beach had begun.

Equipment was brought in and some earth was moved around, but then the election happened.

In June 2009, we reported that new Bodden Town MLA Mark Scotland had put the Coe Wood project on hold and the equipment was removed.

Mr. Scotland agreed the project was needed, but also was aware of the dire financial straits Government was in. He was right to put it on hold.

We hope that work does begin on the boat ramp for Coe Wood Beach, if that is exactly what the people in the Bodden Town community desire.

We will be watching to see the progress of the work, which is slated to be completed by May, a year before the next election is held in 2013.

We have to wonder, though, if building the ramp before proper assessment of a channel and dredging is done is not a case of putting the cart before the horse, as one fisherman said.

We are sure to see many projects taken off the proverbial shelf, dusted off and put back before the public in the lead up to the 2013 General Election.