Charlestown, Nevis
September 26, 2007
Premier of Nevis and Minister of Tourism in the Nevis Island Administration Hon. Joseph Parry told Nevisians that they should prepare for a number of tourism related projects slated to commence in 2008 and beyond which would serve to enhance the economy of Nevis.
He said tourism was the premier industry on Nevis and therefore the island should be appealing to residents and visitors alike. The Premier’s comments came while he delivered his Independence Day address at Grove Park on September 19, 2007.
“The Lovers Beach Project is a Nevisian Project”¦on completion [it] will provide over 400 jobs. It will in no way affect the airport or the extension of the airport. It will in no way affect the ecology, we have checked these things out and it will enhance the development of the island of Nevis.
“The Herbert’s Beach Project [in St. James Parish] will be taking place next year. We have to ensure that Herbert’s Beach will remain open to the public and we have told the investors that they have to have public sessions around the island because we want to be transparent,” he said.The Premier also referred to a number of projects in the Parish of St. Thomas at Pinneys. He noted that though the Newfound Project would not commence next year but it was expected that the villa construction component would commence in 2008.
“But there is the major construction on that area [Pinneys] that will not only employ the whole of Nevis but will cause us to bring Kittitians over and look beyond the shores of St. Kitts and Nevis for more labour,” he said.
Tourism development Mr. Parry explained was also planned for the Parish of St. Johns in the Cox area and in the Parish of St. Georges at Indian Castle in Gingerland.
“There is a group which has investments on the island of Nevis that is putting down a 40 room hotel project in the area of Cox along with over 100 villas.
“So the people of Cox and Brown Hill and that area would not have to go too far to work if they do not want to. In other words, we are developing the whole island and to complete the circle, one of the most important hotel chains in the world, I dare say the leading hotel chain in the world, is looking forward to starting work not next year but the following year but here is the open secret “¦ they plan to put down a six star hotel in the Indian Castle area right at the bottom of Hanleys Road in Gingerland,” he said.
Notwithstanding, Mr. Parry noted that with tourism development would also come an element of diversification. He explained that one of the projects slated for Pinneys would entail the development of the sport of football on Nevis.
He said the project intended to integrate cottages with football training and the construction of a stadium.
“One of the projects in Pinneys is about football. An outstanding project will mix cottages with football training. A stadium will be built there for outstanding stars from England but part of the project will train Nevisians in modern football and modern football techniques. That I think is a good thing for us.
“In addition to that, we have a telecommunications project associated with CARINO that will be establishing their headquarters right here on the island of Nevis next year. All these are projects not in any pipeline they will happen,” he said.
Mr. Parry also spoke of the lengthening of the runway at the Vance Amory International Airport by an extra 1000 feet in the direction of the Nisbet Plantation Inn. The upgrade he said would provide additional parking space for private jet owners who would own the increased number of villas and cottages on the island.
He said the project would bring in considerable sums of money to the Nevis Air and Sea Ports Authority (NASPA) and the money should be kept in Nevis. He said the Administration had received the blessings of the Federal Government and the support of certain parties in the Kingdom of Kuwait with the planned project.
Mr. Parry said that he would attend a World Bank meeting in October to finalise the project.
“Next month I will go to a World Bank meeting to firm up that project and by the end of this year everything should be fine. In fact I must say to you that a sum of money of US$12million was assigned to St. Kitts for a project for themselves. That sum of money will be reassigned to the Government of Nevis and to NASPA for development of the Port Project,” he said.
The Premier further said that the ongoing infrastructural projects on the island ““ road construction and water exploration – would lend to the development of the tourism industry.