Basseterre, St. Kitts, December 07, 2017 (SKNIS): Thousands of commuters between St. Kitts and Nevis will have an improved experience at the start of their journeys with the official opening of the Basseterre Ferry Terminal, which took place on Wednesday, December 06.
The completion date of the project was delayed several times as a result of multiple challenges, including the passage of two major hurricanes, according to Mervin James, Facilities Manager at the St. Christopher Air and Sea Ports Authority (SCASPA). However, now open for public use, the facility offers a variety of amenities.
“The structure standing before us [has] a seating capacity of about 75 passengers, two washroom facilities… [which are] also equipped with an automatic hand soap dispenser; an automatic flushing system, a fully air-conditioned ticket booth, wheelchair ramps, monitor-displayed ferry terminal schedule and advertisements, walk-through metal detectors, x-ray machines and, of course, as mentioned before, a waste water treatment plant,” Mr. Lewis said. He added that along with two canopies to provide shelter on the outside, there were also areas for playing dominos and draft.
Mr. James explained that as work progressed on the facility, it was agreed that the building would have a concrete roof to allow for further expansion to accommodate office spaces. He also went on to say that there was a 75-watt generator still to be installed and that SCASPA was embarking on providing 24-hour security surveillance at the terminal.
Minister of Public Infrastructure, Posts, Urban Development and Transport, Honourable Ian Liburd, said that the intention was always to enclose the area at the Ferry Terminal. Minister Liburd said that he was pleased with the facility and noted the importance of the ferry service in St. Kitts and Nevis.
“Imagine what travel between St. Kitts and Nevis would have been like without these sort of operations because this provides a link, a critical link, I should add, in inter-island transportation structure,which serves more than 140,000 passengers annually,” Minister Liburd said. He went on to thank the ferry operators for the service they were providing.
The project, Mr. Lewis said, cost approximately $1.4 million.
