Hon. McKeeva Bush Leader of Government Business	Stefan Baraud Port Authority Chairman	Robert ‘Woody’ Foster Port Authority Deputy Chairman

By Kevin Shereves
Kevin@caymannetnews.com

Dart’s construction company DECCO has welcomed the news of having been selected to undertake the George Town Port redevelopment project that will see construction of a cruise berthing facility.

Leader of Government Business Hon. McKeeva Bush confirmed weeklong speculations at press briefing Wednesday 4 November that locally-owned Dart Enterprises’ DECCO construction company has been has been selected for the $150 million port re-development project.

The project is set to change the face of the George Town waterfront.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is to be signed with DECCO in preparation for the negotiation of the contract.

“Dart and our subsidiary DECCO are pleased to have been considered for this project. As a local company, we continue to be committed to the Cayman Islands and to have a long-term view and commitment to the people of this country,” said Dart Communications Manager, Lynn Smith-Moore.

DECCO, an acronym for Dart Enterprises Construction Company was formed last year to service the ongoing construction needs of related company Dart Realty at Camana Bay.

“For this particular project we have assembled an excellent team of experienced professionals, both from around the world and locally, led by Cameron Graham, CEO of DECCO,” Ms Smith-Moore said.

“We anticipate that the next steps will involve negotiations with the cruise lines as they are a key stakeholder in any development such as this,” she added.

Mr Bush explained that DECCO has been selected to enter into an MOU and will work in partnership with government to develop a berthing facility for cruise ships coming to the Cayman Islands.”

He also noted that the project is scheduled for completion in 2012, and that under the MOU, an environmental impact assessment would be conducted.

The project involves developing building two finger piers large enough to accommodate new-generation Oasis/Epic/Genesis-class cruise ships, which have the capacity to carry 6,000 passengers. Mr Bush said that more than an acre of land was created to accommodate the new berthing facility. “The berthing facility will be an 18,000 square foot facility.”

Mr Bush said that the MOU did not go before the Central Tendering Committee (CTC) and that the process did not require it as a contract has not yet been awarded.

The MOU is exactly that,” he said noting that a contract has not yet been signed.

“What we signed was an MOU to negotiate the port contract with DECCO. Cabinet approved DECCO to design the berthing facility,” he said.

The other three companies short listed for tenders were Misner Marine, Nova Port and Royal Construction.

According to Mr Bush, DECCO received the highest score based on a grading system established by the selection committee.

The committee included Port Authority Chairman Stefan Baraud, his deputy Robert ‘Woody’ Foster, and four government backbenchers.