Friday, June 16, 2006

Honourable Arden McLean Minister of Communications, Works and Infrastructure	Rolston Anglin, UDP MLA, West Bay

Honourable Arden McLean, Minister of Communications, Works and Infrastructure, has invited Opposition Party Members Cline Glidden and Rolston Anglin, to work with him on a fact-finding overseas trip regarding waste management and electricity generation.

Speaking with Cayman Net News on Wednesday 14 June 2006 Mr McLean confirmed the upcoming research exercise - scheduled to start on 18 June 2006.

Mr McLean confirmed that a team would be headed to Boston, Massachusetts, in the United States, to look at "waste-to-energy plants, because we have not seen these things in operation."

News of this trip is one indication that the Minister is already settling down to work on the $1.2 million capital project expenditure for the purchase of equipment to improve the collection and disposal of solid waste in Cayman.

"These gentlemen have always been interested in these things," said Mr McLean about his Opposition partners on the trip.

He added that the two West Bay MLAs have an interest in the field and are elected representatives and the Government wants to show respect to the fact that opportunities should be found for all the people to have a say in national decisions.

"We have a relationship when it comes to working in the interest of the country, even though we may differ politically," he said.

"We will also be looking at ocean terminal electrical conversion in Baltimore. This has been talked about in Cayman for some time now."

Mr McLean said that this part of the trip would also involve looking at mariculture technologies. Currently, the main types of marine organisms being produced through this technology include seaweeds, mussels, oysters, shrimps, prawns, salmon and other species of fish.

Mr McLean said the objective of the trip was to look at options and that, "no decisions whatsoever have been made."

Mr Glidden also confirmed his decision to participate.

"We will be travelling on Sunday 18 June with Minister McLean to look at landfill solutions."
Mr Glidden said he was invited to go along because of the work in the area he has undertaken in the past.

"We have always worked well together and I am going along to offer whatever advice and expertise I can to the exercise," Mr Glidden added.

During Legislative Assembly sessions recently Mr McLean spoke about his intent to begin a recycling and waste-separation education programme.

Item seven on the Government's list of eleven "Outcome Goals and Key Policy Actions," deals with conserving the environment.

There is an increase of $500,000 for the Department of Environment to improve environmental regulation, protection and conservation services.

In addition, the Budget allows more funding for environment-related capital projects in this area such as $1.2 million for the purchase of collection and disposal of solid waste equipment.

There is also an allowance for $200,000 to be spent to construct a facility in Little Cayman to improve its enforcement and conservation activities.

A million dollars is also allocated for the continued acquisition of land for the Barkers National Park.

Government Backbench MLAs for George Town - Lucille Seymour and Alfonso Wright - will also be part of the team travelling on Sunday.

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