(CMR) In light of the Cayman Amateur Radio Society expressing disappointment that they were not allowed to use the public beach for rehearsals recently, the Public Land Inspectorate said Non-Profit Organizations are also expected to follow the required procedure, including presenting a Certificate of Good Standing when applying to use public lands.
The Cayman Amateur Society, which uses Amateur or Ham Radio to communicate during disasters, said, “For the past forty (40) years, we have been going to the beach and setting up a station to rehearse for times of disaster. Unfortunately, this year due to constraints from the Public Lands Commission, we are not allowed to operate from the public beach. A true disgrace! What’s next, will we need police clearance to take a swim in the sea?”
The Public Land Inspectorate, in response to a query from Cayman Marl Road, said it did not deny the Cayman Amateur Radio Society access to use the beach but requested additional documents for permission to be granted, but they did not receive these documents.
The Inspectorate, which operates under the Public Land Commission, said it is still open to facilitate the request as soon as the organization “is willing to be guided by the Public Lands Act, the Public Lands Regulations, and the Policies and guidelines set out to govern the use and misuse of public Lands.”
“The Public Lands Inspectorate is aware that there are many NPOs who are flouting the NPO Law, and we will not assist offending NPO or companies to continue to commit crimes against the Cayman Islands Government, hence the reason why the request for companies, including NPOs, to provide a valid Certificate of Good Standing,” Winsome Prendergast Chief Inspector, Public Lands Inspectorate explained.
The Inspectorate said documents required for processing the application include a valid Government issued ID for the responsible person for the company; proof that the company is a Non-Profit Organization; and a Certificate of Good Standing, which, if provided, will cause the associated fee to be waived.
The organization also needs to clarify the intended type of use/events on public facilities/lands by the NPO and the number of persons expected to attend the event.
Meantime, the Public Lands Inspectorate which operates under the Public Lands Commission, is reminding the public that there is a correct process to gain permission for the use of public and/or crown lands.
Last month, Winsome Prendergast explained that, “All persons requesting use of public land are required to book the desired site to be used, and where applicable, obtain the necessary permit (vendor or non-vendor) to operate from the location. It is important to note that where a permit is not required, the public is still required to book the location requested to avoid conflicts, ensure fairness in the booking process, and to prevent abuses of the system. Failure to book your location will result in the site not being reserved for usage.”
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