MPs voice unanimous support for immediate East-West Arterial extension

Members of Parliament have voiced their overwhelming support to a private member’s motion which asked for the first section of a planned extension to the East-West Arterial to proceed immediately.

The motion, moved by McKeeva Bush, MP for West Bay West, received unanimous approval from 17 members present during the second day of the latest session on Thursday, 27 April.

Bush said in his motion that, compared to other sections of the planned 10-mile extension, the first strip from Hirst Road to Lookout Gardens is less environmentally sensitive so does not need an environmental impact assessment.

The hours-long debate raised temperatures among several members of Parliament, with Minister for Tourism and Ports Kenneth Bryan saying lack of action over the road “could be the demise of the administration”.

“There is a serious issue of trust and commitment to follow through”, he said, referencing the years of delays, adding, “we no longer can hide from that fact”.

There was also more general dissent about the potential for environmental impact assessments to hold up important national projects and calls for changes to conservation legislation.

New Minister for Labour Dwayne Seymour suggested EIA should mean “expedite immediately and aggressively”, not environmental impact assessment, and that laws requiring one should be changed.

Premier Wayne Panton, who is also Minister for Sustainability and Climate Resiliency, defended the EIA process in general but ultimately supported the motion.

In his speech, Panton stressed things have to be done “in the right way”, adding, “We have to support the needs of the people, but of course we have to be responsible as well,” he said.

As a private member’s motion, the decision is advisory, and it is up to Cabinet to take it forward.

People are ‘past frustrated’

Reading the motion, Bush said Cabinet gazetted the road in 2005, but a lack of urgency in the build has led to an increasing number of Caymanians who are “past frustrated”.

Traffic congestion means eastern district residents are at a disadvantage in both sleep and family quality because of the long commute to and from work, he said, suggesting the road would alleviate some of those issues.

They are more prone to accidents and tiredness, the MP said, adding, “These constituents are struggling to maintain a decent lifestyle, desiring just one more hour of sleep.”

In his argument for the motion, Bush explained that there are now 18,593 people living in the eastern districts – 14,845 in Bodden Town, 1,902 in North Side, and 1,846 in East End.

Not only that, he said, tourism creates traffic to and from the east, and Caymanians living on the west of Grand Cayman come over to visit family and property, and to attend events.

He said it is a “national issue”, adding “we feel for what those people on that side of Grand Cayman is experiencing”.

Bernie Bush, Minister for Youth, Sports, Culture and Heritage, spoke next in favour of the motion, saying, “This problem must be addressed, and addressed quickly.”

“If we have to change a law, change a law”, he told his fellow ministers, adding that the government was elected to defend and help the people.

‘Unacceptable’

Independent MP Chris Saunders, who seconded the motion, agreed that traffic is a big problem for residents in the east – especially when there is an accident on the road.

He stressed that air pollution is a danger for those stuck in traffic, causing severe health problems. Jams also increase stress and decrease drivers’ opportunity to exercise, he said.

Jay Ebanks, Minister for Planning, Agriculture, Housing and Infrastructure, in offering his full support, said the commute for residents in the east is “unacceptable”.

“There’s no quality family time in the eastern districts,” he said, adding that the traffic is affecting people’s mental health.

Leader of the Opposition Roy McTaggart, in an effort to move the agenda along, stood simply to say the official Opposition supported the motion.

Risk of accidents

Government backbencher Isaac Rankine, MP for East End, said the alarm goes off at 4:30am for the average person in his district, who will then leave their home at 5:30am.

He also pointed to the effect on quality of life, and the greater risk of accidents.

Rankine concluded that he supported Bush’s motion as long as due consideration is given to environmental impact.

Government backbencher Heather Bodden, MP for Savannah, told the House, “I know the frustration, I feel it, and if I’m stuck in traffic, I know exactly what are people going through,” she said.

A ‘generation of extremists’

Minister of Tourism and Ports Kenneth Bryan, during his 50-minute speech, said if the motion went to referendum that day it would have majority support.

“We all believe the road needs to be done and we all want to protect the environment,” he said, adding that the EIA could be done more quickly.

“One thing I don’t think any of us want to do is break the law… so we have to examine that notion,” he said, referring to the National Conservation Act requiring the EIA.

Addressing the National Conservation Council, he said it needs to re-evaluate its vision and plan to protect the environment or risk creating a “generation of extremists”.

He also hit out at the premier, asking why he had not risen to discuss the topic yet as minister for sustainability and climate resiliency.

Panton, who weighed in as the last speaker in the debate, said he did not blame his colleagues for being upset, but is concerned they think he is not equally committed to addressing the people’s interests.

He said he knows what traffic is like, but stressed that in any developed country there is the need for an EIA which looks at environment, flooding, noise and more.

In his hour-long objection to the motion, he said he supports the road getting done, but “in the right way”, and has repeatedly requested that the EIA be done.

“We have to support the needs of the people, but of course we have to be responsible as well,” he said, concluding, “this country deserves our best efforts and we must deliver”.