BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - PRIME Minister Dr. the Hon. Denzil Douglas intimated yesterday (June 23) that work at the long-stagnant development project in the La Valle area may soon restart.
In January, executives of the Landmark Land Company that is currently building the Apes Hill Club development in Barbados visited St. Kitts to survey the La Valle, White Gate and Kittitian Hills areas.
Douglas described the Apes Hill Club as a development similar to what is being planned in St. Kitts with a “golf course surrounded by high-end villas”.
“After we have had the difficulties with La Valle, I have decided that as a government representative that we should go out and find new developers, and we found someone who had an interest in the development out at the La Valle Project,” Douglas said on his weekly radio programme “Ask the PM”.
Speaking to SKNVibes exclusively after his visit to La Valle and the surrounding areas in January, Landmark Land Company Chief Executive Officer Gerald Barton had high praise for the lands.
“I was very impressed with what we saw. I thought it was very pretty and had a lot of diversity. I was afraid it was going to be too flat, but it has a lot of drama to it,” he said at that time.
Douglas stated on his radio programme that Barton and his associates have now expressed some level of commitment to a development in the La Valle area, and have even submitted a new design plan.
“They were here last week and they brought to us a new business design for the La Valle development area. It will continue along the course of a golf course. It will also have a marina. There has been a redesign to some extent of the marina. It will be brought more inland instead of being out at sea.
“It really has the potential for a first class resort just as we had planned it before,” Douglas said.
He added that unlike the previous developers, Barton has shown to have a very reliable track record, and has even worked closely in the past with members of the Christophe Harbour development team.
“We have a developer we believe…a clear developer who we have very much confidence in and who has a track record for development,” Douglas said. “They also have, importantly, a new financing arrangement that is being discussed. I do not want to say too much about that at this time because it is still in the works.”
