(CMR) Minister of Tourism Hon Kenneth Bryan has called for a referendum during the next general election to decide on the building of a cruise ship pier in Grand Cayman.
During his contribution to the budget debate on Monday, 11 December, Bryan said, “I am raising this again because I don't want myself or my ministry or this administration to be criticized, without the necessary resources, for not bringing the numbers back to where they were in the record-breaking year of 2019.”
The Minister who noted that without the pier cruise tourism will continue to decline also pointed out that there are advantages and disadvantages to both building and not building the pier. He further stated that the pier does not have to be built in George Town.
Minister Bryan said if the people do not want the pier, the government has to respect that, but they should be given the opportunity to say how they feel through a referendum.
Meantime, Bryan said the Ministry of Tourism has not given up, but was doing all it can to stimulate the cruise sector.
The Cayman Islands welcomed 930,621 cruise visitors between January and September 2023. In 2019, the Cayman Islands welcomed some 1.83 million cruise ship guests.
- Fascinated
- Happy
- Sad
- Angry
- Bored
- Afraid