Gov’t asked to reconsider cruise pier expansion!
On NDP Radio programme of Monday July 16, 2012, a resident who called into the programme asked Government to reconsider the project and established two reasons, one being to have some amount of local investment in the project.
“First of all the money that is being invested is by Tortola Port Partners, they will get a very handsome return on their investment. But I think we the people, if not the government, would have partnered at least in investing in the project and funding the project,” the resident said.
He further stated that getting funding for locals from the banks should have been explored as he believes Virgin Islanders needed to share in the development of the Territory.
The caller was also concerned and expressed disappointment with international franchises that will be brought in as part of the project, which he said will be competing against local stores.
I am disappointed because I would like for you guys to clearly articulate your position on bringing in foreign entities to compete against local stores and stated that during the Biwater negotiations, “I heard a lot of rhetoric and even during the campaign and even recently, that we brought in BiWater to compete against Ocean Conversion who has all of these local investors. And I am confused how you can speak about the fact that we should not be competed against on one hand and on the other hand we are speaking about we are not ready and we are not able to do certain things or offer the quality and goods that consumers need...we need to build a local private sector, we must be able to do those things.”
In responding to the caller, Minister for Communications and Works Hon. Mark Vanterpool, who was a guest on the programme, said spaces have been secured for locals but there are also spaces for others, whether it’s local or “otherwise” who may have the services to provide that is needed to make the cruise pier operate.
Minister for Health and Social Development, Hon. Ronnie Skelton, who was also a guest on the programme, clarified that the franchises that Government is looking to bring in were not Kentucky or Burger King but jewellery shops such as Diamonds International.
Rymer says Cruise pier expansion driven solely by cruise lines Meanwhile, Lorie Rymer, former 9th district candidate and guest on BVI Forum of July 14, 2012, also had his strong views of the project and proposed that the pier not be extended.“I propose that we do not extend this pier. I propose that we continue the way that we are going now, we have a dock already, let the cruise ship come to the dock that we have.”
In addition, Rymer said the whole thing about the “bigger boats is a myth because sooner or later the various ships will not be able to bring the capacity, it’s not going to happen.”
He also asserted that not all the cruise ships will be going to expand to bigger boats.
His main contention is that he does not believe the expansion of the pier should be driven solely by what the cruise lines are saying. Minister Vanterpool had stated that it was important that the pier be extended within a certain time frame to lock in the cruise lines for 15 years. If that was not done, Hon. Vanterpool explained that the ships would have gone elsewhere.
“… we have an economy that have almost a billion dollars in it and we have almost half a billion in social security and we are going to be forced by outside entity that we must do it right away, we must sign this thing right away,” he charged.
Hon. Vanterpool said he was not going to mince his words about it, but he believes the economy of territory needed to move forward right now and while he believes the VI might be able to raise funds to make it happen, he is not convinced it could have been raised in time to make it happen in light of the situation in the cruise ship industry.
In addition, he said it wasn’t just about raising the money but also it was about who could have established the relationship with the cruise lines and guarantee their presence for the next 15 years, which was a crucial factor in the arrangement.
Tortola Ports Partners Ltd, United Infrastructure Group, Cashmen are the partners that will be working along with the Virgin Islands Government, to realise the $75 million cruise pier project where $25M will be earmarked for pier and excursion dock; $25M is allocated for land side development and $25M for community investment. Included in the development will be the Tortola Pier Park which will include boutiques, arts and crafts, and water front entertainment.
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