The Ministry of Infrastructure has received Cabinet approval to advance an undersea internet cable modernisation project through a request for proposals (RFP) process.
Minister Jay Ebanks said during an interview on Radio Cayman on 12 September that the government will seek private partnerships to deliver the critical infrastructure upgrade.
“Cabinet has just blessed the paper, Cabinet paper, now so that we can move on to the next phase of the sea cable,” Ebanks said.
“Now we’re going to go out to an RFP now to be able to go out to look at and see and test the waters to actually see what this is going to look like and the costing going forward.”
The Cayman Islands currently relies on two cables which are approaching the end of their operational lifespan, the minister said.
They could continue functioning, however there are no guarantees on their longevity, he explained.
The minister said three to four new cables are being constructed through the Caribbean, with several companies already expressing interest in participating in the bidding process.
“There’s definitely some players out there that’s already told us that they will be participating in this and hoping they can be the successful winner in these bids,” he said.
The project aims to maintain the territory’s global connectivity with faster, more reliable and modern network infrastructure.
Ebanks confirmed that changes are planned for the Maya 1 cable currently serving the Cayman Islands.
Only Cayman and Honduras will remain connected while Mexico, Panama and Colombia will be disconnected, he said.
The cable operator has assured continued maintenance for several years, allowing the upgraded Maya 1 to serve as backup infrastructure once new systems are operational.
Plans also include connecting a section of cable to Cayman Brac for enhanced connectivity.
Cayman Independent first reported on Liberty Networks’ plans to double the territory’s internet capacity earlier this year.
The minister said cost details should be available within months as the RFP process advances.
