By Cayman News

Copyright caymannewsservice

(CNS): The Cayman Island Government is moving ahead with the construction of a new subsea cable system, the Ministry of Planning, Lands, Agriculture, Housing and Infrastructure (MPLAHI) announced this week in its latest update about the project.

However, the ministry has still not explained if the CIG is going to parter with a private sector company to finance the project, which company that might be, or how much the cable will cost Cayman.

The CIG appears to be pushing forward with this project, expected to cost many millions, even though earlier this month, Liberty Networks announced that it is undertaking a multi-million dollar upgrade of its MAYA-1 subsea communication cable that connects the Cayman Islands to the United States.

The MAYA-1.2 project will double the capacity of the existing cable, which the regional telecommunications company said will secure Cayman’s digital future for more than a decade. Why the cash-strapped government still plans to finance its own cable in addition to the private sector cable, which will not cost it anything, has not been explained.

“The Cayman Islands currently rely on ageing systems that require upgrading to keep pace with global standards, safeguard against disruption, and provide the connectivity that Cayman’s residents, businesses, and institutions need to thrive,” the release from the ministry said, without reference to the MAYA-1.2 project or how that affects the CIG’s plans.

While the latest update and the accompanying ‘fact sheet’ pushed the idea that the cable is a necessary investment in infrastructure, the lack of transparency over the financing of a project it has apparently commited to remains glaring.

In July 2024, Jay Ebanks, the planning minister in the previous government as well as the current one, told his colleagues in parliament that an undisclosed private sector company had offered to build it and Cabinet was exploring that option. He said at the time that the consultants hired by the government had costed a project plan, and “an interested party” had made an offer “to connect the Cayman Islands to a multinational system”.

Ebanks said that Cambridge Management Consulting was contracted in November 2023 to review previous analyses and assess potential industry partners and stakeholders. “Preliminary recommendations and a costed project plan were presented to caucus in March 2024,” he told MPs in July 2024.

“Caucus then instructed further engagement with potential industry partners and evaluation of alternative partnership and delivery models. An interested party has submitted an offer to connect the Cayman Islands to a multinational system. A cabinet paper is being prepared for consideration.”

Although the minister did not identify the interested party that had made the offer, Seaborn Networks made an unsolicited application to OfReg in 2022 to pay for and connect a marine communications cable. Whether this offer is still on the table or another has emerged is not at all clear.

The release from the ministry said it “continues to work closely with international industry partners and local stakeholders to advance the project. Once completed, the upgraded subsea cable will ensure the Cayman Islands remain globally connected, regionally competitive, and nationally secure.”

Ebanks is quoted as saying, “Modern and resilient connectivity is no longer a luxury — it is a necessity for Cayman. This project is about much more than faster internet. It is about protecting our Islands in times of crisis, supporting our businesses, and ensuring that every Caymanian has access to opportunities in education, technology, and innovation. By modernising our subsea cable infrastructure, we are investing directly in Cayman’s future prosperity and resilience.”

See the full press release below