New Minister for Tourism and Environment Charles Clifford said he believes climate change is an important issue that people need to realise is real.
‘It is something we are taking seriously,’ he said.
The minister said the Department of Environment, which held a special conference for government and a public meeting on the subject earlier this month, is addressing the concerns and the implementation of measures can to stop the threat to the environment.
At a recent Chamber of Commerce luncheon dealing with climate change, leading experts from the UK said there would be a crisis if something was not done to stop global warming, damage to reefs and natural resources in this region.
Mr. Clifford said he would meet the DoE in the next couple of weeks to discuss the issue.
Another topic on the minister’s agenda is the US regulation requiring US citizens visiting the Caribbean to possess a valid US passport to re-enter the US, effective on 1 January 2006.
Mr. Clifford said 78 per cent of visitors from the US visiting Grand Cayman already travel on passports, but a study done by the Caribbean Hotel Association has shown that in the Caribbean, as much as US$2.6 billion of visitor export earnings and more than 188,000 tourism jobs could be at risk because of the new regulation.
Mr. Clifford said he does not think that the passport issue, raised at the recent Caribbean Tourism Organisation’s Board of Directors meeting in New York, will affects cruise tourists, but said he was trying clarify the issue.
The region is advocating a delay for the legislation to match its introductory date for Mexico and Canada, January 1, 2008, in an effort to allow the region’s tourism to prepare better.
Minister Clifford has another meeting with the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association on 29 June in Miami at the Caribbean Hotel Industry Conference to discuss the West Bay cruise-dock project.
The FCCA has raised concerns about navigational issues at the West Bay site, where groundbreaking took place two days before the 11 May elections..
Mr. Clifford will consult merchants, taxi and bus drivers before any conclusions are reached.
He said a decision could be expected in the next three weeks to four weeks.
The possibility of cruise ships visiting Cayman Brac will also be discussed at in Miami meeting.
Another issue, which could depend on the outcome of the West Bay Dock, is the upgrading of the Spotts Landing facility. The Spotts facility may be abandoned in favour of West Bay if the latter project goes ahead.
‘We’re trying to look at the situation from a long-term point of view,’ said the minister.
The ministry and the Department of Tourism are deciding final dates for the second Cayman Jazz Fest. The first took place last year in June at Pageant Beach.
Hurricane Ivan’s September visit disrupted the June schedule for this year.
The new proposed dates are looking like December 1 to 3 and a decision was expected to have been made on this yesterday.
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