Hon. Chief Justice of the Cayman Islands, Anthony Smellie, ruled on Wednesday (17), that the injunction against Michael Ryan’s Dragon Bay Development Ltd. and the Port Authority should be extended until a possible trial.

The temporary injunction was granted to the boat operators on 20^th September for all work to cease on the new marina until the legalities could be sorted out by the Chief Justice and if he decided the matter should go to a trial. Now he has made his decision in the operator’s favour.

The controversy has been going on for some time when in August both Michael Ryan and the Cayman islands Port Authority had demanded the boat operators at Safe Haven to remove themselves to a temporary mooring. The boat operator’s have used the present mooring for over 25 years.

The reason for ejecting them was for Ryan to develop a marina in a land swap deal when the previous People’s Progressive Movement was in power.

The boat operators’ concerns included the temporary location, the legality of the deal between Ryan and government, as well as the size of the new facility now being constructed. They also said the temporary location was not big enough and the turning circle was too small for some of their vessels.

It is a well known fact that Ryan has financial problems when he lost control of the Ritz-Carlton and it was put recently into Receivership. The operators have pointed this out claiming they have doubts the marina will be built and Ryan needs the fill so he can sell it.

The injunction means that no construction work that would impede operations of the boat operators can take place. It also means they will be allowed access to the site that was previously closed off.

Chief Justice Smellie did advise both parties they should go through mediation and only consider going to trial as a last resort.

Dave Kelly, one of the boat operators said on Wednesday’s CITN/Cayman 27’s evening televised news programme said, “I think the judge gave us the justice we deserved and I’m very pleased about it, even though its a battle and someone has to lose, but I’m just very pleased to know we got the justice we deserved.”

Both parties will be deciding on their next steps.