Judge sparks controversy after fining developer for shocking act on public land: 'Slap on the wrist'

Judge sparks controversy after fining developer for shocking act on public land: 'Slap on the wrist'

Between 2018 and 2023, a real estate developer in the Cayman Islands steadily ripped out a full acre of protected mangroves. For a while, it seemed that the company, Bon Crepe Ltd, and its owner, local attorney James Bergstrom, would never face any consequences. Then, in a surprising move of solidarity with local conservation efforts, a judge handed down a $30,000 fine in June, according to the Cayman News Service.  Mangroves are critical for co…