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| St. Kitts is fast becoming a preferred cruiseship destination. Four ships in port. |
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS (JUNE 7TH 2004) - Basseterre, the twin island Federation's capital, is in for a facelift, which will see the implementation of the Urban Renewal Project aimed at enhancing the nation's tourism product and an increase in revenue for the private and public sectors.
Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Denzil L. Douglas said the project will see the construction of housing in the central and eastern parts of the capital and a major road enhancement programme.
Speaking recently at his Partys 72nd Anniversary Conference, Dr. Douglas used the opportunity to commend and congratulate the young men and women who have over the last few months taken to the highways and the byways beautifying the green areas of St. Kitts.
We will bring new, modern housing in planned communities to Central and East Basseterre and where relocation is necessary, to improve the quality of life of our people we will do so in areas in close proximity to Basseterre, said Prime Minister Douglas.
He said there will be a massive programme of cleaning up of the city of Basseterre. Work is to begin on a major road enhancement project in Central Basseterre, designed to improve surfaces, drainage and sidewalks along streets stretching from Cunningham Street in the west to Sandown Road in East Basseterre.
Adequate incentives will be provided for the private sector to participate in this sprucing up of Basseterre in the lead up to the celebration of our 21st Anniversary of political Independence on the 19th of September 2004.
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| The town of Basseterre viewed from the top of Bird Rock. |
I want Basseterre to be at its brightest and its best for Independence 2004, said the Prime Minister, who noted that it was in the interest of St. Kitts and Nevis and its own economic development, that residents and visitors will experience an environment in which there is order and efficiency, but yet warm hospitality as well. The Basseterre Plan will unfold in the coming months.
Dr. Douglas said his St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party Government already has in its possession conceptual designs for the redevelopment of the Port Zante area, stretching as far west as Fishermans Wharf.
Our Environmental Programme will also involve a programme of comprehensive development of our beaches. It is no secret that our residents and visitors are disappointed because of the state of our beaches. We will embark on a comprehensive Beach Development Programme in which some of the best beaches anywhere in the world will be built in St. Kitts. This is an integral part of our new thrust in penetrating the market for high-end tourism here as a destination, said Dr. Douglas, who noted that man-made beaches are nothing new to the Caribbean region.
One has merely to visit St. Maarten, Aruba, Curacao or the U.S. Virgin Islands to see the wonders that can result from fertile imaginations and it is useful to note that the seven top beaches in the world are all man made beaches and we will have some here in St. Kitts as well, said Dr. Douglas.
The Prime Minister also disclosed that conceptual designs for the development of the rural east comprising Cayon, the Dale Mountain foothills, Hermitage, Spooners and Ottleys Plantation stretching as far down as Tabernacle through to Black Rocks, are at an advanced stage of readiness and will be outlined to the nation and residents of the areas in the months ahead.
I envisage for Cayon, in particular a transformation involving upscale housing and commercial and industrial parks, with a special embrace of information technology, said Prime Minister Douglas, who also spoke of plans to develop St. Kitts as a major international financial center.
The location of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank in our country as well as the presence of the largest national commercial bank in the entire Eastern Caribbean, the St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank, our own bank, whose assets have now passed $1.5 billion, augur well for the establishment of such a financial center, said Dr. Douglas.
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