BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, MAY 26TH 2005 (CUOPM) Four leading fine jewelry and electronic stores in the Caribbean and New York are eyeing the growing tourism market in St. Kitts and Nevis.
General Manager of the Urban Development Corporation (UDC), Mr. Jason Kelsick said Thursday that construction of the first of four new buildings has begun on Port Zante, the Federations premier cruise ship berth.
The announcement comes as the Barbados-based Caribbean Development Bank reported a 32 per cent increase in stayover visitors and a 78 per cent increase in cruise ship passengers in 2004, with total visitor arrivals nearing the 400,000 mark.
Mr. Kelsick also disclosed that separate ground breaking ceremonies would be held over the next few weeks for the construction of two more buildings at Port Zante and a fourth is to start within a few months.
Mr. Kelsick told the Communications Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister that the building now under construction will be owned by Kays Fine Jewelry of St. Maarten. The company, established in St. Maarten in 1989, recently opened a jewelry store on Port Zante, in a building purchased from CONTEC.
The 22,000 sq. ft. building will house five large shops on the ground floor and an open air restaurant and bar and space for offices on the top floor, said Kelsick. Kays Fine Jewelry operates branches in St. Maarten, St. Thomas, Curacao, Aruba and Bonaire.
Mr. Kelsick disclosed that construction of a building to house the world famous Boolchands stores, which already opened a store in St. Kitts is to start in a few weeks. Boolchands also operates in Aruba, St. Thomas, Bonaire and Curacao.
The 20,000 sq ft. building will have the Boolchands stores on the ground floor and an open air restaurant and offices on the top floor, said Kelsick.
St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands-based Royal Caribbean - not to be confused with the famous cruise ship line - its a separate entity - will construct a 41,000 sq. ft building on Port Zante.
The facades are expected to be completed in time for the 2005/2006 cruise ship season, said Kelsick.
He said that H.J. Namdar, a United States-based company, which manufactures fine jewelry, will later this year, begin construction of its own 35,000 sq ft building on Port Zante, to lease to international upscale retailers.
Former Minister of Tourism, the Hon. Dwyer Astaphan, last year said that the opening of the world-famous stores would boost the Federations tourism product and attract additional ships to St. Kitts.
