KPMG accountants yesterday met government officials about the draft report on the George Town port project, completing a several-month value-for-money study, now set for legal scrutiny, prior to final signatures.

UDP officials roughly estimate that the “upland” portion of the two-pier project and associated transport, retail, customs and port operations will create between 1,200 jobs and 1,500 jobs.

“We have got some feedback from KPMG and I figure that, overall, it’s pretty positive,” said Ellio Solomon, charged by Premier McKeeva Bush with talks with developer China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC).

“We have thrown around some rough numbers in discussions and see around 1,200 1,500 jobs, That is a rough figure, but there will be a lot of work,” he said, “These numbers, by the way, are the George Town port, not Spotts Landing”, a relatively modest single pier, customs house and transport area scheduled to start in April or May.

Also included in the final agreement are terms regarding building materials, supplied through Cayman contractors, and local accommodations.

”We have lost between 5,000 people and 8,000 people,” Mr Solomon said, pointing to departing expatriates, leaving a plethora of empty homes. “The numbers of apartments run to the thousands,” he said, leaving vacancies for incoming labourers.

Details of the agreement, he said, including “how to sign up” for rentals and employment roles, will be discussed at this evening’s meeting behind the George Town courthouse at 7:30.

Called by Premier Bush to offer information about the dock “and other matters”, the meeting will also touch on last Thursday’s courthouse-steps gathering by political and social leaders opposed to both Mr Bush and plans by the Dart-government ForCayman Investment Alliance (FCIA) for a $1.5 billion, 30-year programme of infrastructure and
community development.

The three-hour gathering developed into a series of increasingly strident attacks, rejected yesterday by both Mr Bush and Mr Solomon, — and scheduled for discussion this evening.

“We will deal with the financial mess Mr McLaughlin left and we will deal with the misinformation all around they are putting out,” Mr Bush told iNews Cayman yesterday.

“What they are putting out is actually destabilising the country. I know they attacked the FCIA and myself. They are looking,” he said, to instill fear and undermine “his efforts to bring jobs and economic recovery”.

He indicated speakers Alice Mae Coe, boat captain Bryan Ebanks and Paul “The Lion” Rivers, West Bay community activists, had ulterior motives looking toward May 2013 elections.

“Ms Alice Mae has run before and the people rejected her and her ideas. We have an imposter sea captain and a make-believe lion, and other wannabes,” Mr Bush said, pointing at their Thursday-night rhetoric.

“I think they are a very dangerous, vindictive and mixed-up group of people trying to take over the country,” he said.
Mr Solomon, who attended the gathering, said he was surprised by the vituperation.

“I heard a lot of personal attacks against the premier and some of the island’s investors, and thought some of then very ill-mannered. We want to get the right information out about the lies they are telling A lot of it was very harmful to the country. It was unbelievable.

“I mean, all right, forget about the personal feelings. Would you come in here as an investor if you heard that? That kind of attack could be put up against anyone if they get big enough. It doesn’t make any difference who you are, you will get the same venom.

“It’s really destructive, and I did not hear one single solution, a single plan, for our country. Tell me how you would fix the problem? You cannot borrow. You have no money and you want to stop these projects. What is the alternative? In legal terms,” he said of the opposition, “you are deemed to have intended the consequences of your actions.”

Mr Bush said the George Town docks and the FCIA would figure prominently in tonight’s meeting, but said he was still uncertain when the Dart-government pact would be completed.

“I’m not sure still. We are working on it,” he said.