It is shockingly no surprise to learn that for a second time in a week Cayman’s favourite ‘weed’, ganga, has been found in staff offices inside Northward prison. Since my editorial, “Prison and rehabilitation,” in last Wednesday’s (15) edition of iNews Cayman I received a ‘tip-off’ that several packets of ganja were recovered from the administrative office in the same building as the prison director’s office. This same information has also been reported in another
news outlet.

Once again, shockingly, there has been no statement forthcoming about the matter from neither the prison director nor the chief officer in the portfolio of internal affairs. Even the RCIPS are silent on the matter. All this has come after the damning report from the Institute of Public Administration of Canada about the complete lack of rehabilitation programmes at the prison.

How can we, the public, have any confidence in our penal system when the very people who are in charge refuse to make a statement about such a terrible statement of affairs? I raised the question how a witness could be ‘high’ from smoking ganga and was serving a sentence just before he gave evidence before the judge during a recent murder trial? Did I hear an explanation about that? Of course not.

It drives me bats!

And talking of which……

There is much talk of the threats to our bats concerning the Crystal Caves developer Christian Soresen’s plans to develop Cayman’s North Side caves into a tourist attraction. We received a call last Wednesday from a very irate lady about the matter who was almost in tears as three species, two very rare, are roosting in one of these large caves. Even though Mr. Sorensen does not have planning permission for the work, heavy equipment is in place and work has started on his “tourist attraction.” His “words of comfort” about the project shown on Wednesday’s CITN-Cayman27 News Bulletin did not ring sincere at all.

The National Trust, quite rightly, are very indignant about the matter and said, “Although at present Environmental Impact Assessments are not legally required for the development of any environmentally sensitive area in the Cayman Islands, such assessments are accepted as best practice in the vast majority of developed countries.  Such an Assessment will objectively rate the value of the unmodified site as compared with the value of proposed enhancements to accurately inform the development process along with the relevant stakeholders.”

There is NO LEGAL REQUIREMENT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENTS. This 
is astonishing.

The Cayman Islands indigenous and native bats are all at risk and none of them are protected in law. Astonishing.

With no national conservation law on the books, the only legal sanction to prevent Mr. Sorensen from developing these caves is the planning
laws. Astonishing.

The Department of Environment (DoE) confirmed they were not consulted about the clearance work that has started. Astonishing.

A representative of the Department of Tourism, who was sitting on the Liquor Licensing Board of Grand Cayman on Friday 14th when Mr. Sorenson’s application for a liquor license on behalf of Crystal Caves came up for consideration, commended him on his planned development saying how good it was for tourism. Astonishing.

Never mind the bats. Who needs them anyway?

The National Trust states, bats are a “keystone species because plants that are dependant upon bats are vital to the survival of birds and other animals.

These, in turn make their own contributions to balanced ecosystems. Most people credit bats with controlling mosquitoes, but insect-eating bats also eat many thousands of harmful beetles, grasshoppers, katydids, cockroaches, and moths and their larva every night.” The Trust confirmed that, “these caves have been recognised as an environmentally
sensitive area.”

Of course we need bats!

And I am waiting for Mr. Sorensen to say, “sorry” after its too late to put the disaster right. Doesn’t the DOE have any clout? It would appear not as the

Planning Authority doesn’t feel fit to consult with them. Already it might be too late as bats are very susceptible to disturbance by the presence of humans.

Yes, it does make me angry and it does drive me bats!!