With the referendum on the issue just days away, Deputy Premier and Minister for Tourism Kenneth Bryan made the case for developing cruise berthing infrastructure, arguing that the future of Cayman’s cruise industry — and the livelihoods it supports — may hang in the balance.
Speaking during a special live panel discussion hosted on 24 April that aired live on Radio Cayman, CIGTV and YouTube, Bryan stressed that the referendum question — “Should the Cayman Islands develop cruise berthing infrastructure?” — was intentionally broad.
“The component to that, why it says ‘cruise infrastructure’ rather than ‘cruise pier,’ is because the government wanted to be flexible,” he said. While most envision a traditional pier, he noted that the aim is to explore the most environmentally and economically viable solutions to meet the demands of larger, modern cruise ships.
Citing figures from the Economics and Statistics Office, Bryan warned of a worrying trend: Cruise arrivals have fallen from nearly two million passengers in 2019 to just over 1 million in 2024. “It’s almost a 50% drop within six years,” he said, adding that projections point to a continued 5.2% annual decline. “At that rate… we can potentially see the loss of our whole industry within less than 10 years.”
In his remarks, Bryan sought to clarify that the proposal is not about expanding the industry.
“This is not about increasing cruise passengers. It’s just about maintaining what we have,” he said.
He also addressed a common concern among critics — environmental damage. Bryan argued that modern engineering allows for infrastructure that minimises harm and called for environmental groups to be part of any future planning process.
“We must prioritise the environment … but there is a reasonable sacrifice line,” he said, suggesting groups like CPR and Sustainable Cayman should have a seat at the table.
The location of a potential pier also surfaced during the discussion. While Bryan personally supported a facility in downtown George Town due to existing infrastructure and investment, he emphasised that the final decision would follow environmental studies, carrying capacity assessments and extensive public input.
A point of contention was the absence of voices opposing the cruise infrastructure proposal. Bryan said that despite repeated invitations, no representatives from opposition groups agreed to appear on the panel. “Unfortunately, the cruise berthing [opponents]… did not want to show up,” he noted. “I want [voters] to compare the two positions and make an informed decision.”
Bryan acknowledged the controversy surrounding cruise port development but reiterated that the purpose of the referendum is to empower voters.
The referendum is advisory in nature, but officials say the results will offer critical guidance for future policy decisions. Voters may choose to cast a ballot on any or all of the three referendum issues, which include cruise infrastructure, the decriminalisation of small amounts of cannabis, and the introduction of a national lottery.
For more information, visit elections.ky or gov.ky/referendum. Replays of the full panel discussion are available on the Cayman Islands Government YouTube channel.
