Cayman’s local boat captains, who have defied Cayman’s “much maligned” developer Michael Ryan’s notice ‘to vacate my land now’ have to wait now for a ruling from Cayman’s top judge, Hon Anthony Smellie. The Port Authority had also posted notices on cars and around the site on 24^th Aug ordering all the boats moored there move or face legal action.

Ryan had a deal with the Port Authority to redevelop the marina as a result of an earlier land swap when the People’s Progressive Movement (PPM) was in power. The land swap involved land at Safehaven that had been used for over 25 years by boat captains free of charge and Ryan is going to develop as a new marina.

Whilst the work was being executed the boat owners were required to move to a temporary location and although the large majority of them moved their boats in compliance with Ryan’s order a few said “no”.

The boat owners’ 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.

With Michael Ryan having lost control of the Ritz-Carlton and placed in the hands of receivers the boat owners have doubts the marina will actually be built and Ryan will make use of the fill he will be excavating for his own purposes.

On Thursday 20 Sept. the boat captains were able to obtain a temporary injunction  from Justice Williams for all work to cease on the new marina. However, work did still continue for a few days afterwards.

Last Monday and Tuesday (8 & 9) the whole dispute was aired in front of the chief justice and he promised to deliver his judgment “as soon as possible”.

The earlier temporary injunction will remain in place until Chief Justice Smellie delivers his ruling.