IEyeNews

iLocal News Archives

    • Cayman Islands government to purchase property near Smith Cove/NT supports government

    Posted on

    Announcement of purchase of property near Smith Barcadere

    By Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin, MBE, JP, MLA

    7 October, 2016

    Madam Speaker,

    I noted yesterday in a statement to this Honourable House that the Government Caucus became concerned last week when we learned that the property next to Smith Barcadere was to be developed. We certainly appreciated that the developer was on record as saying it intended to minimise the development’s impact on the public’s enjoyment of Smith Barcadere. However, it was our view that the presence of any development on this property would forever change the Smith Barcadere experience.

    Of equal importance to this Government is that we seek a balance between the necessity of economic development on the one hand, and an appreciation on the other for maintaining our remaining important environmental, historic, and cultural sites. Smith Barcadere is one such site and has been for several generations.

    And Smith Barcadere is one place where people from all walks of life visit – Caymanians and visitors alike – enjoy the beach and the sea and the jumping rocks just as generations of Caymanians before have done. And it is one of the most popular wedding sites in these Islands. This is a place shared and enjoyed by so many that it seems to prove that, as Shakespeare noted, “One touch of nature makes the whole world kin”.

    And so I announced yesterday that Government was determined to discuss with its owners the possible acquisition of the property next to Smith Barcadere. Indeed, I advised this House that the Minister for Planning, Lands, Agriculture, and Infrastructure had been speaking with the owners and that his efforts were bearing fruit.

    I am therefore pleased today to confirm that Government has indeed reached agreement in principle with Bronte Development Limited to purchase the property adjoining Smith Barcadere for a price that will not exceed the cost that the developer has incurred in the purchase of the property and the costs incurred in the planned development. It should be noted that Lands and Survey will vet the proposed costs to ensure accuracy and value for money.

    Government will seek to fund the purchase, and appropriate development, of the property through the Environmental Protection Fund and will bring a motion to this Honorable House to accomplish this task. I hope we will be able to rely on the votes of all members of the House so that the Country will see us all joining together in a unanimous yes vote to secure this property for public use in perpetuity.

    I was heartened to see news reports that the National Trust of the Cayman Islands supports Government’s efforts to purchase the property next to Smith Barcadere. I was also happy to hear that the National Trust intends to nominate Smith Barcadere to its Heritage Register in recognition of that property’s significance to our history, culture and people.

    Madam Speaker, I expect that once complete we will have an improved Smith Barcadere public park and beach of which this Country can be even more proud and that will form yet another part of the George Town Revitalisation plan.

    And I want to put on record Madam Speaker this Government’s thanks to Bronte Development for agreeing to forgo its plans and to sell the property to Government so that all Caymanians, residents, visitors and future generations will enjoy an enlarged and improved Smith Barcadere.

    Another part of the George Town Revitalisation plan that is moving ahead is the South Sound Seaside Park that I announced a year or so ago. Work on this has already begun and the park will be completed by the end of the year.

    Once done, the park will provide the public with ensured access and enjoyment to a pristine section of South Sound beach for decades to come. It will also include a boardwalk on the beach side that can be used by walkers and joggers in a safer manner than now exists along this popular section of beach and roadway.

    So Madam Speaker, as the public has heard me and members of this Government say many times – we are a Government that gets things done! Whether acquiring the Bronte property for the benefit of our people, or creating a seaside park in South Sound, or improving our airports and roads; all done while shepherding through the many dozens of laws passed in this legislature during our tenure.

    Our detractors may wish to paint a different picture but the facts are that this Government has accomplished much. And whilst we have more work to get done, I am proud of what we have accomplished to date.

    And I am certainly proud that we can now add the acquisition and future enhancements of this property at Smith Barcadere as one of our achievements.

    Thank you Madam Speaker.

    National Trust Statement Smith Cove Development

    The National Trust for the Cayman Islands is a non-governmental organisation whose mandate under Law includes the preservation of the historic, natural and maritime heritage of the Islands and the conservation of lands and features of historic or environmental importance which the Trust may have acquired through gift, bequest, purchase, lease or other means.
    Where a property has been acquired by the Trust, its mandate requires that it be conserved., In instances however where land is privately owned, the Trust is not in a position to ensure its conservation. Similarly, if the Trust is not an adjacent land owner to a property slated for development, it has no legal standing to object and can only comment publicly on the application, and which may or may not be taken into account by the Central Planning Authority when considering an application for planning consent.
    The Trust is aware of the application recently submitted for the development of the North side of Smith Barcadere (also known as Smith Cove). The Trust is also aware of, and sympathetic to, the public outcry regarding the proposed development. Smith Barcadere is a beloved area of great historic and cultural significance. It is one of the few remaining public swimming places in George Town and a true icon of the nation’s capital.
    With the increasing pace of development in the Cayman Islands, it is now ever more important that proper steps be taken to ensure conservation of areas of beauty and historic and/or environmental importance. The sustainable development of our coastline is also of paramount importanceand particularly in the case of Smith Cove, a culturally and environmentally significant site.
    There is a rare plant on the Smith Cove site (Trichilia havanensis), almost extinct on Grand Cayman and considered critically endangered, growing on the wooded section of the lot that is slated for development.  This plant is protected under Schedule 1 Part 2 of the National Conservation Law.  It is common elsewhere in the Caribbean and was probably once quite common in the area south of George Town between Walkers Road and South Church.
    This site is effectively where the Turtle Farm began as Dr. Schroeder and Jim Daly used a shed on land owned by A.L. Thompson (where his current home is now located) to keep turtle eggs before releasing hatchings at Smith Barcadere.
    The sea was an intrinsic part of life for early Caymanians and for two hundred years just about every male was making his living from the sea.  They would have begun their voyages at one barcadere or another and would have returned there to clean or butcher their catch of fish or turtle.  Caymanians became world renowned mariners and shipbuilders, constructing their vessels at barcaderes or ‘landing places’ in order to facilitate an easy launch once completed. Smith Barcadere is one of these public landing places and as such plays an important part in the history of the Cayman Islands.
    For the environmental, cultural and historical reasons outlined above, the National Trust will be nominating Smith Barcadere to its Heritage Register with immediate effect and encourages the Central Planning Authority to consider these important factors when making its final decision so that endangered plants remain protected and that locals and residents continue to enjoy the public access to which they have historically been privy.
    We would ask that any consideration by the CPA of this development application include a discussion on adequate conditions to ensure the protections mentioned above.

    LEAVE A RESPONSE

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    BREAKING NEWS AND PUBLIC NOTICES

    WEATHER