Plans to develop a commercial port and cruise ship berth along the coastline of the area designated for the city of New Kingstown have been abandoned.
Finance Minister Camilo Gonsalves said that the administration is developing fresh plans for the waterfront region.
“Originally we were hoping that we could put either the cruise ship berth or the port itself, and we’re thinking about constructing it at the waterfront there at the southern end of the old airport runway. However, it’s not feasible from an engineering standpoint. The water is a lot rougher there, and the harbour is not sheltered or deep enough for cruise ships as is”.
Gonsalves said there would have been a need to construct a breakwater structure. However, that is an expensive proposition. A breakwater is a permanent structure built along the coast to protect against tides, currents, waves, and storm surges. However, that is an expensive proposition.
“What we’d have had to have done is build a breakwater to calm the water. Once you build a breakwater, you can only have cruise ships on one side of it. What we’re trying to do is build a groove out in the sea where cruise ships can be on either side, so you can maximize the number of cruise ships. So it wouldn’t work for cruise ships, and it also wouldn’t work for cargo without significant engineering adjustments. It was just too much money, even though we wanted to do that”, Gonsalves said.
Gonsalves stated that a number of investors plan to visit St. Vincent on October 27 to discuss other potential waterfront ventures.
“We have some investors who are visiting. In fact, on Independence Day. I’ll be working on Independence Day to evaluate whether or not they want to put a hotel and some residential units on the waterfront there”.
Gonsalves stated that these other potential developments would not begin next year.
