GRAND CAYMAN, Cayman Islands – A recent trip to landfills in Tampa, Florida, provided the Premier and Minister of Environmental Health with solid information on which to base key decisions concerning the George Town Landfill on Grand Cayman.

Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin, DEH Minister Hon. Osbourne Bodden, DEH Chief Officer and Chair of the Steering Committee for the Integrated Solid Waste Management System Jennifer Ahearn and DEH Director Roydell Carter were in Tampa 31 March through 3 April, 2014.

The cost of the trip was $6,756 with the following breakdown: airfare, $1,398.28; hotel $2,393.39; transportation, $464.33; and per diems, $2,500.

While in Tampa, the group toured four waste-to-energy plants, two municipal landfill sites and a recycling processing depot. While all four plants embodied similar technology, they each had different financing and governance arrangements.

“I know many people said this trip was not necessary, but I found it to be quite beneficial, not only to myself, but to the people of the Cayman Islands, said the Hon. Premier. “I now know first-hand that it is possible to remediate our landfill. This is an issue of national importance and one that Government is keen to address.

He said the visits to the two landfill sites further reinforced the importance of finding a sustainable solution for the George Town Landfill and that remediation could take place while maintaining it as an operational landfill site.

“Having the opportunity to see the waste-to-energy technology, governance structure and financing arrangements was invaluable and I think all us feel that it will enable us to move forward with the procurement process for our local solution from a better-informed position, said Minister Bodden. “I am encouraged that at the end of the procurement process that we will have the best possible solution for the Cayman Islands.

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