I write Editorials mostly. Only occasionally do I write articles claiming to be news.

When I do sit down to write an article I point to the facts and, where I can, I give the source.

I NEVER write the word ‘COULD’ in an article.

I had not read the CNS article regarding the Cruise Berthing Facility in George Town that warranted a STATEMENT from Hon. Moses Kirkconnell, Minister for District Administration, Tourism & Transport. We have published the Minister’s Statement today.

The CNS article in their headline sadly carries the word “COULD”. “Cruise port work could start in weeks” is the headline.

In the first paragraph the article has another doubtful word “APPEARS”. “Government appears to be on track to award a contract shortly…”

In another paragraph the article carries the word “MAY” “The public has been kept completely in the dark about the process, despite the new procurement law requiring transparency. But that may be because the massive and costly development has been rapidly losing support in recent years”.

Further down we get this claim preceded by the word “UNDERSTANDS”. “CNS understands that tenants at the Royal Watler Cruise Terminal seeking to renew their leases are being refused new agreements and have been informed by the Port Authority of the Cayman Islands that the tenancies expire this month.”

In fact the whole article is an opinion piece and if it had been so labelled I would not have had a problem with it.

Some of the writer’s opinions I can agree with.

Minister Kirkconnell describes the article as “FAKE NEWS”. He writes:

“It is very disappointing that elements of our own local media are deliberately attempting to derail the ongoing procurement process with outrageous and erroneous claims which have no foundation in reality.”

“Consequently, to state that the public has been ‘kept completely in the dark about the process’ as one media entity claims, is malicious and untrue. So too is the unwarranted charge that ‘the Ministry does not appear to be following the rules set out in the new procurement law.’

“I would also like to take this opportunity to clarify that all of the tenants at the Royal Watler Cruise Terminal whose agreements expired this month were issued with renewals till the end of August 2019. Reports to the contrary are completely untrue.”

Kirkconnell makes it clear in his opening that he “can affirm that the Cayman Islands government has not made any deal or agreement with any company with respect to the piers.”

I cannot blame CNS completely because few government officials are exactly quick in answering questions. And if they do we get the standard gobbledegook. Even my favourite minster,” Rivers” gave me the gobbledegook when I asked her a very simple question. I moved away in disgust.

If they had answered CNS when they called, the article would then have been an article and there would have been no need for the “Fake News” claim. Nor, the additional time it has taken for the minister to have replied.

And that is why I write Editorials and will continue to do so.

Everything I have written is MY opinion. It is not NEWS.

The CNS article can be read at: https://caymannewsservice.com/2018/08/cruise-port-work-weeks/