It’s time to draw a line in the sand on unsustainable development in the Cayman Islands.

Unsustainable development is changing the nature of the Cayman Islands and negatively affecting our quality of life. Traffic jams, flooding and beach erosion are just some of the many consequences of unsustainable – and unmanaged – development. 

The National Conservation Act is Cayman’s only piece of legislation that, if followed, can help protect our environment and quality of life. Yet now, the UPM government wants to weaken the only legal protection we have for the environment. They are proposing to exempt government projects such as roads, schools, ports and airports from environmental impact assessments and want to remove those with the technical expertise to understand environmental impacts from the National Conservation Council, amongst other things. No responsible Government would do this.

The UPM would have us believe that the National Conservation Act is hindering the development of projects that would make our lives easier. This is false. Don’t be misled by such misinformation. 

The National Conservation Act doesn’t stop us from building the housing and infrastructure we need; it simply makes sure we do it properly. The National Conservation Council is not the decision-maker on an EIA, nor does it have the power to designate land for protection. The ultimate authority is and has always been Cabinet. The only thing that Cabinet does not control is the requirement for an EIA but an EIA itself is not binding. It helps inform decision-making so that the best results can be achieved.

It is a lie to say that the NCC can stop any development project. It is a lie to say that the Director of Environment has more power than Cabinet. These are lies that the Grand Court, the Court of Appeal and the Privy Council have exposed.  

The truth is the National Conservation Act helps us strike a balance between economic, social and environmental interests in Cayman. The truth is the National Conservation Council’s advice is not based on a single opinion, but on scientific data produced by a committee of eight technical experts.

The amendments proposed by UPM put our future at risk. The consequences of developing without properly considering the environmental impact will affect us all and ultimately make us all poorer in one way or another. The poisonous lies cannot be allowed to win.

We the signatories to this petition are advising you the Government of the Cayman Islands that we support the National Conservation Act and adamantly oppose any amendments to the same at this time. 

(Please use the comment section below to add your views and tell us why you are supporting the Don't Pave Paradise citizens movement.)