New port is on target says PM Gonsalves

THE $458.4 MILLION Port Modernization Project at Rose Place, Kingstown, is on target for its expected completion date in mid 2025.

Assurance of this came from Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves, as he spoke on NBC radio last Wednesday June 7, during which he referred to a recently obtained report from a senior official of Aecon, the Canadian contractors working on the project, which states that the project is on target.

They have recently completed the dredging of material which is used as filling for lands reclaimed at the project site in Kingstown.

The Prime Minister said that the dredging, which began on April 18, was completed one week ahead of the scheduled time.

During this period some 1.17 cubic metres of sand was removed from an area close to Argyle and deposited in Kingstown.

Aecon had offered to pay the government $20 million for the dredged material and on Wednesday, Gonsalves gave the assurance that the necessary studies were carried out before the commencement of this work, and the sand was removed only from the top of the sea floor.

He added that “no coral or plant life” was affected during the dredging, as the dredger did not go deeper than 1.5 metres down.

This he said, will have no negative impact on wave action in the area.

Gonsalves further reported receipt of another $10 million from Aecon, completing the total payment of $20 million for the material dredged.

He told listeners that this money has been put into the Development Account in the Consolidated Fund.

He also gave the undertaking that fisherfolk will receive some sort of financial benefit from what was collected.

Already, he said he has a list of 66 persons from Calliaqua and 23 others from Owia, Shipping Bay, Indian Bay and Great Head.

Some of the funds will also be used to improve facilities for fishers who were relocated from Rose Place to Lowmans Bay.

Gonsalves however made it clear that the fisherfolk have not lost anything.