However, Premier Alden McLaughlin has accused the campaigners and the National Trust of not wanting the vote, after the court stayed the vote this week to allow for concerns about the government’s handling of the referendum so far to be aired.

Speaking at a meeting Wednesday with the Cayman Islands Tourism Association and the Verdant Isle Port Partners, the consortium picked to build the berthing facility, the premier said the only thing that was certain was the desire of CPR and the National Trust to stop the vote from going ahead.

Clearly frustrated by the delay to the referendum, which is now unlikely to now go ahead before March or April, the premier suggested that there “would come a day soon when the cruise lines walk away” from what he has continually framed as an incredible deal for Cayman.

But McLaughlin took no responsibility for setting the referendum in the way he did and at the time he did, just six days before Christmas, that gave the courts reason to stay the vote.

Instead, the premier focused his attention on CPR and the Trust, repeatedly suggesting that the long-standing conservation NGO and the grassroots campaign both had the objective of preventing the vote for as long as possible. He said his government could be out of office by the time the vote comes around now and the delay was a significant distraction.

“This is costing people an immense amount of money,” the premier added.

But the CPR have stated on numerous occasions their goal is not the indefinite delay of the vote — far from it — but to ensure the vote is fair. “It is unfair to expect the public to support the project without the full information available,” the activists said this week in a press release following the vote delay.

“The goal of CPR Cayman is and has always been to ensure that any decisions made by our government in relation to the proposed port and cruise berthing facility are well-informed, transparent and serve the best interests of the Caymanian people.

CPR said the court ruling guaranteed that voters would have an opportunity to exercise their rights within a truly democratic process.

Shirley Roulstone, a member of the CPR Cayman executive, is now leading the judicial review application in partnership with the National Trust. The decision to move ahead with the court action was driven by the need to champion participatory democracy that is fair and just in process, the activists have stated.

CPR Cayman member Johann Moxam said this week that the group was “encouraged to see concerned citizens exercising their right to stand up for what they believe in, and as a group we will continue to support those that seek to hold our leaders accountable”.

CPR members plan to continue advocating alongside the National Trust for an updated environmental assessment to ensure that the public can make a fully-informed choice. They also want to see the social and cultural impact assessments, short and long-term infrastructure plans for the management of cargo, traffic, sewage and trash, as well as the plans to transform the capital.

An assessment regarding pollution, sedimentation and water clarity are also needed before the vote, CPR said, adding it remained committed to fight for informed decision-making for the people.

CPR organiser Michelle Lockwood said, “Each Caymanian is a stakeholder, a guardian of the Cayman Islands, and needs to be respected and heard – and so we will continue to educate, empower and engage”.