The Cayman Islands government has agreed to pay the Dart-led consortium $17.7 million for work the group carried out on the ReGen landfill deal prior to the termination of the agreement.
In a statement issued after 6pm Friday, the government confirmed that the ReGen project, also known as the Integrated Solid Waste Management System (ISWMS), had expired on 28 Feb., with “several residual issues remaining unresolved”.
The government stated that, following its termination of the ReGen project in July 2024, it is “required to pay invoices totalling up to $17.7 million for work completed by the Dart Consortium and verified by Government”.
It said the work had been carried out at the consortium’s cost and ahead of financial close, “with the intent to reduce the length of the build programme for the new ISWMS project facilities”.
The project involved unrealised plans to transform the George Town landfill, nicknamed Mount Trashmore, into a waste-to-energy and recycling facility.
Following three years of talks, the PPM government inked a deal with the consortium just weeks prior to the 2021 election. The ReGen deal was abandoned in July last year after repeated efforts to bring the agreement to a financial close failed, and the government decided it had become too expensive after seven years of negotiations.
In December, the government issued a press release announcing a memorandum of understanding to negotiate with Dart on three matters – the ReGen project, the National Roads Authority Agreement and the acquisition of land at Barkers National Park.
The agreement of the $17.7 million figure is part of that memorandum of understanding, and the government acknowledged that discussions are still continuing on the NRA development agreement, as well as on acquisition of land in Barkers “through established appropriate channels”.
The MOU was negotiated by a team of civil servants, led by Deputy Governor Franz Manderson and involving multiple ministry chief officers, according to an earlier press release issued by government on the talks.
A Dart spokesperson said the company had no comment to make.
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I can not express how frustrated I am that proper waste management has not been the first and most important question in the Chamber debates, and on the Marl Road interviews.
In my Opinion our new Govt will need to:
1) develop a full recycling collection and management system. A comprehensive education program needs to be in place ASAP for all Cayman Entities, Residents and Visitors. Ensure compliance by commercial establishments, hotels, restaurants, etc with participation as a precondition of a Trade and Business License. Caymanian Waste Inspectors to have unannounced drop by inspections. Recyclables found in regular garbage stream of commercial collections and in the tips of Strata residences should result in a fine. Expand to household recyclables collection. – Govt can use existing private collectors under contract so that Caymanian Jobs increase and small business development is encouraged.
2)Develop a proper commercial composting program – to manage all those lovely “compostable” cups, cutlery and plates that require commercial computing to break down, as well as all food and landscaping wastes. Develop collection systems first in Hotels and restaurants and expand to other commercial establishments and then multi home and individual residential collection. Again – participation to be mandatory as a precondition to renewing a Trade and Business License.
3) The above two programs will reduce garbage significantly. Govt will then need to build an incinerator or plasma gasification plant (lots of companies out there that will assist). A PG system (from Westinghouse Plasma Company (WPC) for one example) could deal with materials (including haz mats) that can not be recycled or composted. Ensure that whatever technology is adopted that Caymanians are educated and trained to take over the plant operations, maintenance and upgrading.
4) Encourage private enterprise (through grants and stamp tax breaks) to set up an architectural warehouse store for people to purchase items in good safely re-useable condition, salvaged from renovations or tear downs. ( Fans, lights, kitchen sinks, toilets for example that are removed for “style” rather than loss of function.)
Just my 2 Cents
I think there are many voters that would like to know the stance of ALL the candidates vying to form the next government as soon as possible before election day.