Hundreds turned out Thursday night in George Town to hear a number of MLAs, political hopefuls and community activists blast plans to close a section of West Bay Road along Seven Mile Beach and the proposed relocation of the George Town landfill.
The meeting – which lasted a full three hours on the downtown courthouse steps – took on the most vehement tone yet, with most of the speakers heaping abuse on Premier McKeeva Bush and the Dart group of companies. Some speakers at the event threatened to ‘occupy’ the 4,200 foot section of West Bay Road once crews began unearthing it.
Right now, plans to extend the Esterley Tibbetts Highway up to Yacht Drive are well under way. However, the actual closure of West Bay Road between Yacht Drive and the RBS Coutts building has not occurred.
“When it comes time to dig it up, we must step up and occupy the road,” said Paul Rivers, a West Bay resident who ran against the United Democratic Party candidates in the 2009 election. “I’m not going to lay down in front of any bulldozer, but I may lay a few bulldozers down.”
Joining the dozen or so speakers at the podium were Opposition Leader Alden McLaughlin, East End MLA Arden McLean and North Side MLA Ezzard Miller. Bodden Town MLA Anthony Eden watched the proceedings from a seat in the audience.
Calling the proposals to close the section of West Bay Road and move the George Town landfill to Midland Acres in Bodden Town “idiotic”, Mr. McLaughlin tried to turn the focus away from the Dart group and rather place the onus on Premier Bush.
“What we have is a Premier and a government who are completely clueless,” he said. [They] are flailing about, trying to find some magic, some miracle to fix the economic situation in the country.”
Mr. McLaughlin said the only plan the current government had was “to sell the country’s assets and use the money to buy votes”.
“What do you think the $4 million they have given to churches is all about? Is that McKeeva making an offering?”
As the evening wore on, more speakers sought to bash the Dart group of companies who they said were “calling the shots” for the Premier and the government.
“You cannot believe anything they tell you, neither group,” said Mr. Miller, referring to the ruling United Democratic Party and the Dart group. “Their great fear is that if the people of this country get a glimpse of what their total plan is, they are going to get up in arms and throw them out of the country.”
Mr. Miller urged those gathered at the meeting to partake in more public demonstrations until government drops its plan for West Bay Road and the Bodden Town landfill.
“Come out, turn out, march down to the Legislative Assembly,” he said.
No specific dates were set for any public demonstrations.
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An so the 2013 Campaign begins, great Idea to suggest that the people get together and throw Caymans biggest investor off the island and put the idea in people heads the they should take up arms against the Government. I must say this is just what Cayman needs at his crucial point, more division between the people and this is very likely to happen during the upcoming election, things are sure to get ugly, hopefully Cayman will make it through the next year of governmental bickering. I cannot wait to see what the opposing party does to make things better when they take office..
Well done, Caymanians know what they want and don’t want, and are prepared to say so.The investor might well be ‘big’, but not everyone can be bought, especially those who care for that tiny island and hope that some things CAN remain as they always have been.
NJ2Cay – Point well taken. This is another political grandstand to score points for next election. Once these opposition party members get in, dont be surprise they do the same things UDP is doing!
However NJ2Cay, lets not forget the real issue here. It is not only the economy, but our elected representation. An MLA is suppose to represent the people of his district, not ally or affiliate themselves with a private entity or elite person to the point they disregard them altogether. Democracy is a safeguard against political corruption, and for democracy to thrive, there has to be freedom of speech and expression; moreover, MLAs held accountable to the people who voted them into power.
So… of course, you can blast the people for thwarting the development of our economy. But NJ2Cay, this really has to do with RESPECT for those who elected you into office. Do you go to the people first before you go to a developer? Do you at least hold public meeting and take a survey? Do at least represent the people who got you in?
Of course, I see the oppositions plans, but I also see beyond that – a threat to our people-democracy, and the possibility of setting the grounds for corrupt practices in high places.
We have seen in the States (ie bank charges, Susan Komen Center, Planned Parenthood etc.) what happens when the people raise their voices to actually influence change. Hopefully this will happen in Cayman as more and more people feel helpless with what is happening in the island re development.
Time longer than rope they say.. When I first started posting on these sites the saying was; Caymanians are too docile and accommodating.. Their whole country will be over-run and they will just sit and watch it happen like the morning calm.
It must have been on hell of thing to wake up so many people in so short a time.. This proposal for the West Bay road and the dump in Bodden Town, is one hell of a thing..
Cayman has made a big mistake in allowing an economic engine to run so fast that almost 50% of country’s population is imported to run it. We must understand that this is not a new model, but something that is tried and proved to be a detriment to undeveloped regions around the world. Like the Romans of old their lobbying fingers now point their choice, as their leaders legislate forces to remove any obstacles..
Just try to stop work on the road and you will see how much, that is if they dare initiate already approved ordinance.
You absolutely right Bodden, I think you hit it right on the nose.. I myself do not believe that election are about the people. They are all about getting the big Job..
Party against Party, Man Against Man and no one gets anywhere
Time to grow up people. It seems as though we as a community want to protest so we can make a scene. It reminds me of time back in school when the nuisances of the class got their attention they wanted by creating an uproar. Seems we have not changed a lot.
We as the people have the opportunity to tell the government we dont like what they are doing and make them an unemployed species. Each party has the same agenda and if you think there is a difference between parties then its time to take a look closely.
The next governmnet will do similar things as the one we have and we can sit down in the road and be arrested and people will look up to us as if we are heroes standing up for the rights of all. You will be arrested and you will get what you want which is to be known as a martyr and people will admire you that you have such a strong constitution. Think back to the school days and what you thought of the heroes in your class.
@ Bubba – I for one, am not protesting to make a scene. Please dont categorize me! I know there are those within the crowd who are just protesting to see the other party get back in for another four years. And there are those who are protesting because they are well-off and they just envious to see Dart get ahead of them.
But please like myself, there are those who want to see Cayman aspire, but want to be heard and acknowledged by their leaders, they want democracy!
I am not asking for our leaders to bow down at the protestors every demand. All I want is for them to acknowledge us. We don’t want this project! Why cant they understand that? Why cant they meet with us and negotiate with us? Why are they so deafened by our wants, and want like you, to write us off as like we are all vandals and in for destroying the country. Now you very well know that is not true! There is always going to be some in the crowd with bad intentions!
Please dont paint us all the same way!
I am a Caymanian, and I can tell you that I am not going to stay on my grounds to plant casava, do nothing, and watch my little home become a place for these puppet masters to pull the strings of my politicians I elected into office!!
I would feel better about the event without the politicians trying to get some of the spotlight for their reelection. They aren’t even from this West Bay or Boddentown area but they have a lot to say.
An article regarding (big) investors and tax havens was passed on to me. I found it quite an eye opener,and it was enough to make me very concerned for the island. It was Bill Clinton’s daily diary 2005, regarding citizenship and tax havens.Take a look at this and then see how you feel about this ‘threat to ‘occupy’ West Bay Road .
Re the article from Bill Clinton’s Diary,The specific date of the article mentioned below was Saturday February 12th, 2005
Topsy47, Funny you should bring this up. Bill Clinton is one of Darts biggest adversaries so don’t expect him to say anything good about the man. If Dart wants to renounce his US Citizenship to avoid Taxes, there nothing wrong with that, it’s his choice and it’s not illegal. The US Government is just upset that they are no longer riding on the Dart cash cart. He says the he doesn’t want to be around them, yet has no problem taking contributions from them to the Democratic Party ( The US Version of the PPM ). He mentions the business of buying depts and then expecting people to pay what they agreed to pay. The Big banks do it all the time and no one makes a big deal out of it. The Comment that he almost Bankrupted the Brazilian Government sounds unwarranted to me, it sounds more like they almost Bankrupted themselves. If you don’t pay your mortgage, the Bank with foreclose on your house, do you blame them for this do you call them Vultures? And if they do, do they only resale it for what was owed, no they resale it for Market Value even though they got it for pennies on the dollar.
The US and the IRS ( Independent Ripoff Service ) would have no problem with Dart business if they were getting a piece of the pie. They are only upset because they can no longer exploit him themselves, any of you would understand if you were exposed to US Income Tax and Property Tax. And don’t bring up that crap about duty taxes, you cannot compare the taxes you pay at Fosters when you by food to 35 Percent of your paycheck going to the IRS every single week as well as paying 1000 a month just to keep the home you already paid for. Imagine working all week and getting 1000 in pay to realize that after the government takes their part you only have 575 left.
So I am sorry if people don’t agree but I don’t blame Dart one bit for leaving the US to themselves. Kudos to him for being able to control his own destiny.
As far as Cayman is concerned, in my opinion the US lost is Caymans gain. I don’t see where he is doing anything that will have Cayman owing him money. If you don’t like the deal, blame your leaders not him, and not just the UDP, because he here even before Bush took the seat.
If he is taking advantage of Caymans financial situation, that what big businesses do every day to get a stronger hold. West Bay road move Georgetown Dump, these Dart developments wouldn’t even be on the table it Cayman had not found itself in such dire straits. Listening to politicians saying things like the dump doesn’t have to be moved it can be remediated where it is, is most likely true, but who is going to pay for it? What alternatives are they offering, maybe just let if keep growing until Cayman can afford to do something about it themselves or until some rich person is willing to do something about it and ask nothing in return nor expect to make a profit, good luck with that . If Cayman could afford to do it themselves Dart wouldn’t have a chance, it’s called business, no different when you get a sweet deal on that House the Bank foreclosed on, do you feel bad for the people that lost it or do you feel good for your own family.
I’ve said enough, so I guess I’ll just have to take the bashing I get for voicing my opinion.
Interesting read. Now that is dedication..
NJ2CAYay,……methinks he protest too much. Just said it was an interesting read, but I guess it rocked a little boat there somewhere.
NJ2Cay
I like the way you’ve covered most of the bases and given your honest position on the matter;I have a lot of respect for that.
Here are a few facts to ponder over; these are not my opinions, they are verifiable facts that can be proven.
First up; ‘silly season’ or pre-election fever is now beginning to take over in Cayman, with the next election due in 2013, not that long from now.
Next up; the majority of Caymanians do not research and find out the facts on most things for themselves…they believe and repeat what they’re told by their benefactors or political leaders, meaning they are left without a basis on which to form objective, informed opinions, a politician’s dream.
Next; most of the people commenting on Dart’s corporation don’t know the first thing about Ken Dart, his family’s origin and history or how he came to be in the Cayman Islands. They know absolutely nothing about the tax dispute with the IRS in the USA, or Dart’s deals with Argentina, the Eastern European countries or wherever he has loaned money(bought up the debts of their failing economies) and now is being villified for calling in his legitimate markers, again a politician in Cayman’s dream (and that matters not whether you are UDP or PPM).
Next up; If Dart continues to buy up the land and property in Cayman that he is doing, at the rate that he is doing it, with his vast financial resources, he will soon own everyting in Cayman that isn’t battened down.
Next; McKeeva Bush and the UDP Government has overpromised and underdelivered in just about every area on which they won the last election and have earned the legitimate distrust of the majority of Caymanian people; do I need to list all the incidents and situations in which this has happened ? That would make this commentary too long but you know them as well as I do.
And that leads us to where the situation stands regarding the two projects that are causing the majority of controversy and which his political opponents are now jumping on the bandwagon to use to unseat him in the next election.
McKeeva Bush and the UDP has cried ‘wolf’ once too often…or should I say, many times too often for anyone to trust or believe what he and his advisors say about these major projects of closing the West Bay road and relocating Cayman’s waste management facilities to Bodden Town, and with both projects being Dart’s commercial ventures, the distrust deepens.
These are the facts, devoid of political and emotional influences, which you will be getting much of between now and election time, next year.
Topsy47, yeah the topic of Taxes always hit a nerve with me. I like the part about Dart freezing his brain or whatever when he dies so his kids won’t have to pay and inheritance tax. It’s a shame that if you work all your life and earn money that is already taxed. The IRS wants a big chunk of it when you die if you leave it to your children. To the tone of like 30% from what I’ve read. So you bust your butt earn a 1000 dollars, pay 30 percent in taxes to the IRS die and leave it to you kids who have to pay another 30 percent, this means your 1000 dollars was worth 490 Dollars
Okay,
ITS A ROAD. .It’s….A …ROAD….PEOPLE.
What seriously is the difference between keeping the road where it is, and moving it.
Can anyone tell me what is going to be the difference.
What is going to be the impact. What is the problem?
Besides the fact that a road is going to be moved?
The only reason I see a protest here, and the majority of others see it this way too is, you are protesting just to protest. It’s absolutely not about the road at all.
Because moving a road 25 meters from one side to the other cannot be as devastating as all that, to have these protests.
You all have to have better things to worry about. If not, wow……just…..wow…..
BIG BERD. Just a road ? To who ? To you ? So, when the next part of the deveopement comes and your home is in the way, will you say IT WAS JUST A HOME ? It is about keeping SOME of Cayman just the way it was, or one day it will be ‘ Mama, what did a Cayman house look like?
Good god…..I just love the melodrama
So in your opinion, topsy. this road represents all of cayman. That if this one road is moved. Then OH MY GOD CAYMAN IS NEVER GOING TO BE THE SAME?
Well here is something to think about. What about the road that it’s attached to now? their are now two bypass’s. Is that a good thing?
cause I seem to remember 5 years ago, it not even being there.
But it didn’t cause the downfall of cayman, now did it.
give your heads a shake. The ONLY reason you all are protesting it, is because it’s a dart initiative. That’s it, that’s all.
And one final note. The east end is what cayman was. And it’s not going to be developed for another 200 years, and it still won’t be even close to the george town development level.
So there is your slice of old cayman, safe and sound just the way you left it.
All this over a road………seriously…..
Big Bird, I afraid these people are protesting for the wrong reason. I was very very dissappointed when I watched New27 on those attacking the ForCaymanAlliance. The reason for them attacking the Alliance between government and Dart, has nothing to do with promoting Democracy, but attacking one of our largest investor here in Cayman, Mr. Dart.
It seems like they are making this protest against a man’s person, and have drifted from the real reason as to why they should protest.
I am very dissappoint with the leaders of this movement, Alden, Ezzard, and Arden as well. If you are going to protest about something, at least have a good argument. Hello!!! Protesting about a rich man spending his money in Cayman and buying what he can buy, is a dumb reason!
The most valid reason to protest against the Alliance was expressed well with the Bodden Town movement against the Dump where Mark and Dwayne, have shown to the country that they are representing Dart and not their constituency- those who elected them into office. Now that is VALID REASON to protest!
DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATION – that our MLAs are failing to represent, listen to, and acknowledge the citizens of this country! Should be the sole reason for protesting the road movement! Not to get another party in and not to attack capitalism and class warfare, not to attack a business man. All fingers should now be pointed at the MLAs and the UK representative here!
THESE PROTESTORS ARE MAKING IT HARD FOR TRUE AND GUININE PROTESTS!
RATHER, THE REAL ISSUE IS WE NOT BEING REPRESENTED (BUT DART AND WELL-OFF FOLK) BY OUR MLAs. SHAME ON THEM!
Dart couldn’t buy what wasn’t for Sale. Maybe Caymanians should just say no when offered a bunch of money for thier land. You know so Cayman can stay the way it used to be. By the way I’d like someone to explain to me just what it is that Cayman used to like that everyone wants back.
It is regrettable that the politicians are using this issue as a political football to run with as the election approaches. Politicians from all over the island are running to West Bay to offer their sound bytes for the voters. Hopefully Dart realizes that he is the scape goat of the day as a convenient target for the politicians who need to show their machismo.