RE-GEN WASTE-TO-ENERGY DUMP PROJECT ‘DUMPED’

By Staff Writer

An alternative to the abandoned Re-Gen waste to energy project at the George Town landfill site must now be a priority after the United People’s Movement (UPM) government ‘dumped’ the current project proposal.

Giving a long-awaited update on the negotiations with the DART-led consortium, Hon. Minister for Minister of Sustainability and Climate Resiliency, Katherine Ebanks-Wilks, announced the termination of the project.

She was initially responding to a question in Parliament from her predecessor in that  portfolio, ex-Premier Wayne Panton, who currently sits as an independent member for Newlands.

“Can the Hon. Minister update the House on the region project in particular; A - has any decision has been made? B - what are the current project dates,  and C - what is the current long stop date?” the former Premier asked.

Min. Ebanks-Wilks who had already prepared a detailed statement on the matter to be presented to Parliament and the nation during the sitting, confirmed that project, the largest ever planned for Cayman had been shelved. The cost over the estimated lifetime of the project is reported to have ballooned from around an initial half a billion dollars.

“Following a recent meeting of the Cabinet, it was collectively decided the Cayman Islands Government(CIG) will begin taking the necessary steps to exit the project with the Dart-led consortium in respect to the project in an effort to find a more affordable option for our country.”

Prior to her taking on the portfolio responsibility, the ReGen project was handled by former premier Wayne Panton of the then-PACT coalition, which had inherited it from the previous PPM government then headed by current Speaker Sir Alden McLaughlin. The overall project planning dates back to 2017.

Calling the ReGen project “critically important”, ex-Premier Panton who was directly involved with the contact negotiations, said there were “significant cost elements”.

“Given what we have learned, what has led the government to conclude that doing a different procurement for the same or greater outcomes would be cheaper, would cost less?” he queried.

Min. Ebanks-Wilks replied that the Cabinet and the Government came to this decision “based on all of the different factors; the risks, the the financial constraints that the Government was going to find themselves in later down the long term forecast, and as a result of that it did not appear to be the most prudent and responsible decision to continue with the project at this stage.”

She could not share any information on the question of the cost for a new procurement process but stated: “I know that is a very significant cost, and putting it back out to procurement, given all of the concerns that have been raised has given the government the decision to end the project at this stage.”

Former finance minister Chris Saunders, whose exit from the then PACT government was reported to be linked to his concerns over the spiralling cost of the ReGen project, backed the UPM government’s move.

“I just want to thank the Government for such making such a bold decision. I fully support it,” he affirmed. Seeking the release of a report from the Auditor General on whether the project was value for money, Mr Saunders hinted that “the last number I saw was over US $2 billion over 25 years.”

Responding, Min. Ebanks-Wilks advised it isn’t the Cabinet that determines whether that report is released, adding that: “However, value for money was also considered when we looked at the project.”

The issues of the rising costs associated with ReGen project was also the focus of a series of questions by the main Opposition PPM (People’s Progressive Movement) which had initiated it while in office.

One was about the stench from the dump permeating distant neighbourhoods.

(See separate article: PROGRESSIVES SHRED DECISION TO SCRAP RE-GEN PROJECT)