In a small country and where you are elected onto a committee that makes laws and upholds laws, it is inevitable that you won’t have a conflict of interest.

If it is the Planning Board you are on it doesn’t matter one bit, even if the Auditor General, both present and past, raises extreme concerns.

However, local architect Andrew Gibb, was on a different board – The National Trust. Even worse, he was the chairman.

When the proposed development at Beach Bay, next door to a peaceful residential area, where turtles nest and access to the beach was threatened, came before the Planning Board, who do you think agued strongly on behalf of the developers?

A development that comprised an hotel and residency buildings.

Yes, you’ve guessed it. Andrew Gibb.

There was already considerable opposition to the development and the National Trust has preached forcibly against over development, especially along the coast.

One can only question why Gibb was appointed to the board in the first place and even worse, became chairman.

I understand he gave the Trust valuable insight on planning issues but surely somebody else who is now retired, or just a consultant to the Board also with this “valuable insight”, could be found?

Considerable public controversy was stirred up when he argued forcibly in favor of the hotel development being approved. It was he who presented the plans!

How about that for a conflict of interests?

Well, Gibb, has done the noble thing and has tendered his resignation.

After the National Trust’s annual general meeting last week, when members voted for their new board officials, a press release was issued Tuesday saying that during the meeting Gibb “tendered his resignation from the council due to the public controversy surrounding his involvement with the proposed Beach Bay resort development”.

When the Trust holds its next meeting his resignation will be discussed.

However, the the Trust’s executive director, Nadia Hardie is quoted by The Cayman Compass as saying she does not believe Gibb’s professional role as an architect should be a concern.

“All council members have day jobs and working on this small island, conflicts of interest will arise at some point. This is a fact that many boards and statutory authorities have to deal with in Cayman,” she added.

Amen, to that.