Can someone please mark my 9 mark question for the 2023 Geography paper 3 exam?

- Cayman Islands pre-release

“The cruise ship and port facility development will create hundreds of new jobs for both skilled and unskilled people and improve the quality of life for many families”
How far do you agree with this statement?


I partly disagree with this statement because although the development of the cruise terminal and port will generate a lot of income, it does come with many environmental costs.

The development of the port will increase the number of tourists visiting the islands which boosts the economy and improves people’s quality of life. This will also be very beneficial for local businesses, as it will generate lots of income. Also, the development will create hundreds of new jobs which will improve people’s standard of living.

However, there are also lots of environmental problems. For example, the new cruise terminal will result in lots of marine wildlife being destroyed which reduces biodiversity and deprives the Cayman Islands of a unique environment. This could potentially discourage tourists from visiting the Islands and reduce the number of stay-over visitors who come to the area because of the distinctive environment. This has a multiplier effect, as this will decrease income and potentially affect local businesses which impacts people’s quality of life. Also, cruise ships produce 70,000 tonnes of wastewater each year which has a negative impact on the environment as the discharge of water from cruises can be detrimental to underwater ecosystems and increase water pollution which makes it dangerous to swim in. It is estimated that around 15 acres of the coral reefs surrounding the Cayman Islands could be destroyed to make room for cruise ship docks which will kill biodiversity and endanger hundreds of species - for example turtles. Also, it cannot be certain that the development of a new cruise terminal will benefit the economy because in the past, similar projects have not always generated extra income.

Thank you!