BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – Opportunities will be created for locals with the construction of a second cruise pier expected to commence in April of this year at Port Zante in Basseterre, St. Kitts.
Speaking at the official loan-signing ceremony for the construction of the second pier at the Port Zante Terminal on Feb. 26, Minister of Public Infrastructure and Transport the Honourable Ian Patches Liburd said that the Team Unity administration has “arranged with and has received a commitment from the [Canadian Commercial Corporation] that as far as possible the people on this new pier construction project would be employed from our local labour pool.” He mentioned that the recruitment of labour for the pier construction project will begin in March.
The commercial construction contract for building the second pier was signed between the St. Christopher Air and Sea Ports Authority (SCASPA) of the government of St. Kitts and Nevis and the Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC), a crown agent of the government of Canada, which is the prime contractor, with JV Driver being the prime subcontractor. SCASPA’s engineer is AdeB Consultants to work alongside the Director of Public Works Cromwell Williams. The lender’s engineer is EF Douglas and Associates, with Principal Consultant Errol Douglas.
According to Minister Liburd, “All contract and construction performance risks are borne by CCC. Therefore, any potential cost or time overruns are managed between CCC and JV Driver, at no risks to SCASPA.”
The minister disclosed that “the passengers’ fees and the interest payments will remain here within our federation. It goes back to SCASPA and to the local players in the finance syndicate. This can only stimulate our local economy.”
The construction of the second pier is being financed under a syndicate arrangement among four local entities to the tune of US$48 million. The St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank (SKNANB) has committed US$34 million; the St. Kitts and Nevis Social Security Board has pledged US$7 million; the St. Kitts and Nevis Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation (SIDF) injected US$5 million and the St. Kitts and Nevis Trading and Development Company (TDC) added another US$2 million.
Liburd underscored the importance of cruise tourism to the development of St. Kitts and Nevis. “Cruise tourism and tourism generally are of economic importance to the development of the federation,” he said. “It provides employment and education opportunities, increases quality of life, (helps with) improvements in infrastructure, and promotes development and economic growth. Construction of the second cruise pier will positively impact the ‘Grass Root Economy’ in particular as passenger expenditure will have a cascading effect on the economy, which begins with tourists spending money with taxi drivers, hair-braiders, craft vendors, and restaurants, which then permeates throughout the rest of the economy.”
The construction of the pier is expected to take 18 months to finish, and when complete, Port Zante will be able to accommodate three Oasis-class vessels.
