Moses lauds NCL despite CIG plans to overhaul
(CNS Business): In a message to mark World Tourism Day, Minister Moses Kirkconnell has sung the praises of the National Conservation Law as an important element in Cayman’s commitment to sustainable tourism, which is this year’s theme. The tourism minister said the unanimous passage of the law marked “a significant milestone for the protection of our marine and terrestrial environments”. But his support of this important legislation comes just a month after the premier described the law as “ridiculous” and revealed plans for an overhaul of the legislation to allow more development.
In his address, Kirkconnell states that the National Tourism Plan currently being drafted will complement the National Conservation Law, and he makes the claim that the country is doing all it can to protect the environment because of its importance to tourism. But the minister fails to mention his plans to press on with the cruise berthing facility in George Town, which is going to have a massively detrimental impact on the marine environment in and around the capital and may still pose a threat to Grand Cayman’s prestigious Seven Mile Beach.
In the message, Kirkconnell focuses on the continued growth and success of the overnight tourism business, barely mentioning the cruise sector, which is regarded by many as one of the least sustainable tourism products around the world.
The minister claims, “Against this backdrop of unprecedented growth, this government remains committed to embracing developmental opportunities, while ensuring our natural resources are appropriately conserved …Alongside collaboration and cooperation from stakeholders, significant steps are being taken to ensure that our tourism industry continues to advance in tandem with the economic, social, environmental and cultural requirements of sustainable development.”
Kirkconnell added that “substantial progress has been made in crafting programmes and policies to ensure the industry’s growth remains economically viable over the long-term, is fair and equitable to its host communities, and takes due account of our physical environment and cultural heritage”.
As well as talking about the pride Cayman has in promoting its “natural and cultural resources”, he said government, local people and the tourism fraternity were mindful that “truly embracing sustainable tourism development requires continued effort”.
The minister also spoke about the plight of many regional destinations in the wake of the recent trio of devastating hurricanes. He said it was a “challenging time for our region”, and in the spirit of “Caymankindness” the country was providing support to the Caribbean destinations impacted.
World Tourism Day, Sustainable Tourism Development, Cayman Islands Message September 2017
Category: Sustainable Tourism, Tourism
