Up Front
With plans approved tobeautify downtown and make the area far
more comfortable for cruise ships passengers beginning 10 July...
Streets Will Close
In anticipating a 25 percent increaseof cruise ships planning to visit the Cayman Islands this upcomingtourist season, on 28 May, under the direction of the Leader ofGovernment Business and Minister of Tourism, the Hon. McKeevaBush assembled a Port Improvement and Beatification Committee(PIBC) -- and told them to act fast.
Hon. McKeevaBush, Mr. Robert Hamaty
Since then, the committee has been workingfeverishly with downtown merchants and other private enterprise,including the cruise lines who have agreed to improvement of theGeorge Town docks, as well as an increase in pedestrian accessibilityand beautification.
It has also developed plans to increasepedestrian access, in the very near future.
"What we're trying to do is createa more pleasant visit for the visitor, because right now the facilitiesare inadequate." said Robert Hamaty, owner of Cayman's ownTortuga Rum Co., and chairman of the PIBC.
Bathroom access at the port is near impossibleon a crowded day, he said, and many hazardous and narrow sidewalksforce pedestrian to walk in the street amongst traffic.
In light of such problems, Mr. Hamaty announced,the waterfront will be closed to traffic from the Fort Streettraffic light to Boilers Road on cruise ship days, starting 10July.
Committee members hope that (at least) thenew port for cruise ship tenders at the North Terminal will bein place towards the latter part of this year.
The committee met most recently with theFlorida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) last week Thursday,said Mr. Hamaty, to discuss the FCCA's proposition of lendingthe Cayman Islands Government US$10.5 million to finance the buildingof a new terminal at the present site of the Old Fort building,which is owned by Government.
The five tenants in the building who willbe displaced this fall, have been asked to relocate, and willbe granted first choice of the new shops to be located in theterminal reception building. The committee has also asked merchantsthere to paint their stores "Caribbean colors," andmake improvements on their properties to aid the beautificationprocess.
The renovations of the existing tender portsat the South Fort George Terminal will cost about $400,000 andwill be funded by local merchants, community volunteers and donors- such as nursery owners of plant life - as well as the government.
Nowadays, thousands of cruise ship passengersare spread thickly about the shores of downtown.
Mr. Bush said Thursday that a $10 milliondowntown beautification project could start as early as August.Because the downtown area is what tourists see first upon enteringGrand Cayman, he feels that the area should complement the naturalwonder of the islands, not hinder it.
Acknowledging that this downtown renovationproject is long overdue, Mr. Bush has been working with a committedcomposition of private business owners in the area to get theproject started.
"We cannot any longer cater Grand Caymanas a cruise destination and not improve upon the facilities,"he said.
"Because we are having complaints.We have talked about (renovating the area) for years. Now it istime to move forward."