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| Four cruise ships in Basseterre; two docked at Port Zante; one at the commericial port and the Radisson Diamond at anchor. Photo by Erasmus Williams |
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS (AUGUST 4TH 2004) – Formal contractual arrangements for the financing and construction of a second finger pier at Port Zante are to be signed in Basseterre on Thursday.
St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Dr. the Hon. Denzil L. Douglas and the Director General of the Kuwaiti Fund for Arab Economic Development, His Excellency Mr. Bader M. Al Humaidhi, will sign the necessary agreements during a signing ceremony.
The Kuwaiti delegation is to arrive at the Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport from Grenada on Thursday morning.
The initial agreement was signed in Basseterre in June last year between Prime Minister Douglas and the Engineering Advisor of the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, Mr. Nabeel J. Abdul Raheem.
The loan facility of 1.5 million Kuwaiti dollars or EC$15 million provided by the Kuwait Fund will assist in financing the continued development of Port Zante.
Prime Minister Douglas said then that tourism – both hotel-based and cruise tourism – has been identified as one of the main vehicles for the twin-island Federation’s economic advancement.
“The new cruise ship pier will compliment the existing cruise ship dock pier and will certainly enhance
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| Three cruise ships dock at the lone pier at Port Zante. Photo/Erasmus Williams |
the tourism product, engendering tangible benefits that will augment the income derived from the industry and bring us closer to finalising the overall development plans for the Basseterre Port Project,” said Prime Minister Douglas.
Minister of Tourism, the Hon. Dwyer Astaphan; Attorney General, the Hon. Delano Bart; Cabinet Secretary, Mr. Joseph Edmeade; Financial Secretary, Mr. Wendell Lawrence; St. Christopher Air and Sea Port Authority, Mr. Peter Jenkins are among officials expected to attend the signing ceremony.
The Kuwaiti delegation will meet with the Chairman and Management of the St. Christopher Air and Sea Port Authority on Thursday afternoon and travel to Charlestown on Friday morning for a meeting with the Premier of Nevis, the Hon. Vance Amory.
