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(CNS): Little Cayman residents and the tourism industry are concerned about plans for a new airport and say they will fight the government over it because they believe it will change the island forever, encouraging overdevelopment and a large influx of people, which will have negative impacts pristine marine habitats and stunning natural beauty. The Sister Islands Tourism Association is leading the fight and has launched petition Seek Governor Jane Irwin’s intervention to save Little Cayman’s existing Edward Bodden Airport.
For at least the past quarter-century, successive governments have discussed relocating and upgrading Little Cayman’s airport, citing the same rationale as the current UPM administration: that the airport does not comply with international safety regulations.
The Civil Aviation Authority, chaired by Richard Smith since 1995, has insisted since at least the late 1990s that the airport must now do so, which would require building a new airfield and runway. The authority warned that it would not continue to issue an airworthiness waiver to Cayman Airways so that the company could continue to use the airport.
However, residents of Little Cayman, who argue that islands around the world have similar airports certified by local aviation authorities, have made it clear that they will not accept that the airport must be replaced and are asking the government to take a different approach.
The petition, led by SITA President Peter Quilliam, asks the governor responsible for civil aviation to retain the existing airport and airstrip and not relocate it to a new location. It also asks Irving to hire an independent airport contractor to come up with a proposal that satisfies the Civil Aviation Authority’s concerns, so that the Civil Aviation Authority grants the existing airport more permanent status and fully consults local residents and landowners on any future proposals.
SITA members do not see this as a binary choice and are demanding that every effort be made to ensure airports and airstrips remain in their current locations.
The petition reads: “We believe this is the wish of the vast majority of residents and landowners and is an integral part of Little Cayman’s identity and character. There are other options that have not been considered. Those pushing for this change have attempted to portray it as an inevitable and necessary change, but we do not accept that as such.
“We are aware that other airports around the world, including in our region, are unable to comply with all regulations and are therefore granted certain exemptions or reliefs to ensure that safety is not compromised. In fact, we understand that the current airport has enjoyed such exemptions for many years without any serious incidents and has an excellent safety record,” the group said in the petition.
SITA said that while some changes may be needed to address safety concerns, people need to understand what modifications are needed to allow existing facilities to continue operating in their current locations.
“We also know that the proposed site for the new airport facility will have some Very severe environmental challenges and from a geotechnical perspective,” SITA said. “Moreover, the costs would be so high that they would be beyond any reasonable cost-effectiveness analysis. This misuse of public funds is reckless and short-sighted.”
Following a recent presentation of PlanCayman to residents and landowners in Little Cayman, SITA said it became clear that no development plan could support the need for a new airport.
“We believe that the construction of this new facility is unnecessary and will be a significant waste of government funds while destroying the unique character of Little Cayman and going against the wishes of the majority of residents and landowners. Converting the existing airstrip was never seriously considered. We are deeply concerned that the new proposed facility will change what is unique here, destroy the character of Little Cayman and negatively impact the businesses that rely on this character to attract visitors,” SITA said.
There is a strong feeling across the island that alternatives to a new airport have not been seriously considered, and that a powerful minority are pushing for a larger airport to open up the island to further development, a situation that most residents strongly oppose.
Additionally, Little Cayman’s marine environment is under review by UNESCO World Heritage StatusLocal activists have been calling for the island to be made a full protected area on land and sea for some time because of its unique beauty. However, the chances of achieving this goal would be weakened by the expansion of the airport, bringing more tourists and development.
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