The Cayman Islands’ Government has unanimously voted to go ahead with a cruise berthing referendum, which will be held at the same time as the general election next year.
In Parliament’s first sitting of the 2024/2025 session, 16 MPs voted in favour of the proposal to hold a referendum on whether the Cayman Islands should develop cruise berthing infrastructure, with two members absent.
Politicians on all sides of the political divide approved the motion, which had been proposed by Minister of Tourism and Ports, Kenneth Bryan, local media said.
Introducing the motion, Bryan called it “a matter of national importance that we do not take lightly” warning that “the ripple effects of a decline in cruise tourism would be felt right across our economy.”
Citing the failures of recent ventures, Bryan told the chamber that the Cayman Islands had to “respond to the evolving needs of the cruise industry; [otherwise], we too will be left behind.”
Cayman Islands’ cruise traffic has been in decline for years with a knock-on effect for government revenue, which is projected to drop by an average of 4.3% annually after 2025.
“We cannot afford to ignore this reality any longer without consequences,” Bryan reportedly said.
While a new berthing facility has the support of businesses that rely on the cruise industry, there was also strong opposition to the idea.
Many people voiced concerns about the impact on the environment, adding to traffic congestion in George Town and overloading medical and emergency infrastructure, local media said.
