Committee to Assess Beach Erosion in the Cayman Islands
Committee Members are (L-R): Mr. Robert Bodden, Chairman Concerned Citizen Group; Mr. Bob Soto, Mr. Kem Jackson, both of Citizens Beach Committee; Mr. Will Pineau, Chamber of Commerce; Ms. Pat Ulett, Adminsitration Officer for the Ministry of Tourism; Mrs. Gina Ebanks-Petrie, co-chairperson and Director of Environment; Capt. Eugene Ebanks (standing); The Hon. McKeeva Bush, co-chairperson, Minister of Tourism and Leader of Government Business; Capt. Charles Ebanks CITA (standing); Mr. Charles Clifford, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism; Mr. Clarke Buchanan, Director of Lands & Survey; Mr. Kenneth Ebanks, Director of Planning; Mr. Derrington Miller, North Shore Tourism Committee; and Mr. Timothy Austin, Assistant Director of Environment. Not pictured: Mr. Pearse Murphy, CASE and Mr. Bryan Bothwell of the Citizens Beach Committee.
The Beach Assessment and Review Committee met last week to tackle serious issues related to beach erosion, island-wide.
Appointed by the Ministry of Tourism, in consultation with the Department of Environment, the Committee is charged with making recommendations on policies and strategies for long-term management and preservation of Seven Mile Beach, and all beaches of the Cayman Islands.
The Hon. McKeeva Bush, Minister of Tourism, Environment, Development and Commerce, and Mrs. Gina Ebanks-Petrie, Director of the Department of Environment, will serve as co-chairpersons.
At the first meeting, Mr. Bush welcomed the committee members, and thanked them for serving in the capacity of committee members. He said, "Our beaches, as you will agree, represent one of the most important natural and economic resources. Although the beaches are indeed an extremely important economic resource to the tourism industry, they are equally important to the residents of these Islands."
Committee members will look to consider the need for renourishment, development of appropriate coastal setbacks, recommendations on policies for mining and removal of beach sand, protection of native vegatation and redevelopment or repair of damaged coastal structures.
In case of an event of significant erosion on Seven Mile Beach, the group hopes to also develop a Contingency Plan.