Phase two of Kingstown Port Modernization Project is expected to commence soon.
This is according to Minister of Finance, Camillo Gonsalves, who said that the Sea port is a cornerstone of what the country’s economy will look like over the next twenty years.
Speaking on Radio recently, Minister Gonsalves said phase two will involve the relocation of the Grenadines Ferry Terminal to Rose Place.
"Phase two (2) of the Port Project, which we plan to move right into, is to move the Grenadines Ferry Terminal down to that side of town as well, adjacent to the Port Project. Once the Grenadines Terminal moves, the Government now has a blessing. We have sixteen (16) acres of seafront downtown land vacant, and so what we are going to do, we are going to develop that area that is vacated by the Port for multiple expanded touristic reasons. So where one of the cargo boat pulls up right now, that is going to be another Cruise Berth. We are going to have, we have a design in place to have that Port area be an engine for tourism development in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines."
The Finance Minister said a Master Plan has already been done for the development of the entire water front in downtown Kingstown.
"There's going to be an area for yachts, there's an area for cruise ships and then on the land-side we are going to have all the touristic offerings that you will have if you go to a big cruise port in the Bahamas or one of these places. So you going to have shopping, you going to have craft markets but in addition to all of that we are also placing on the Port a new Performing Arts Home. You going to have an area where you can go to concerts and plays and experience the arts in a way that you can't at Peace Mo. So we are going to have an Art Center there, we are going to develop the entire water front in a way that is friendly for Tourism. We have met with a major Port Developer that has developed ports across the Caribbean."
SOURCE: National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC Radio)