The Central Planning Authority held a meeting recently to discuss the timeline for completion of the much-anticipated new national development plan.
The plan, which has not been updated since 1997, will set out goals, objectives and guidelines for development and land use on Grand Cayman.
It is being developed by the authority, its Sister Islands counterpart – the Development Control Board – and the Ministry of Planning, Agriculture, Housing and Infrastructure.
Last year, Premier Wayne Panton said the multi-year project was unlikely to be completed before the end of the current government’s term in 2025.
Local environmentalists have expressed concern about the delay and say rapid unregulated development is depleting Cayman’s natural resources.
Project delivery plan
On 21 Sept., planning officer Richard Mileham kicked off the meeting at Governors Square with a presentation on the plan review process and current status.
According to the minutes published online on Friday, 29 Sept., he revealed at that meeting that a joint ministerial team has been helping the Central Planning Authority to progress the plan for the past two months.
Mileham added that prior to the private meeting, authority members were given a ‘Project Delivery Plan’ with details on how and when they should be reaching certain targets.
In response, CPA chair Ian Pairaudeau said the timescale was quite aggressive and the planning team were not rushing to tick a box to complete the process.
“The process has not been completed in 25 years and we must ensure it is done correctly,” he said, according to the minutes.
Mileham also referenced a second document, ‘Terms of Reference for the Planning Statement Committee’, but no details of that were contained in the minutes.
The authority then expressed concern that the Ministry of Sustainability and Climate Resiliency seemed to be taking the lead on the project, according to the minutes.
However, the Development and Planning Act places the responsibility with the planning ministry, the Central Planning Authority and the Development Control Board.
Eric Bush, chief officer at the Ministry of Planning, Agriculture, Housing and Infrastructure, who was in attendance, said he understood this concern.
But he added that while Panton is responsible for policy matters, it is absolutely clear that the planning ministry has the lead on the development plan, the minutes said.
There is a strong desire for technical resources to work hand-in-hand, the minutes described him as saying, but by no means reducing the authority’s responsibility.
Bush recommended that his ministry take the lead in communications plans, and Central Planning Authority members agreed.
Compromise
The authority then spoke of a potential issue with having two ‘executive sponsors’ from different ministries, adding a single line of communication from the planning ministry is preferable.
Bush agreed and suggested that he act as project sponsor with support from Jennifer Ahearn, chief officer in the Ministry of Sustainability and Climate Resiliency.
The authority agreed, but then noted a potential issue with having a single project manager who is not with the planning ministry.
A recommendation was then made that the project be managed jointly by Mileham from the planning ministry and Simon Amos from the sustainability ministry, and members agreed.
The authority and guests, including Troy Jacob, deputy chief officer at the Ministry of Sustainability and Climate Resiliency, carried out a detailed review of the two documents, according to the minutes.
Following the meeting, the documents were updated for the authority’s review at its 27 Sept. meeting. They have not been made available to the Compass for viewing.
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