The Ministry of Housing, Works and Utilities and the Department of Engineering and Maintenance Services, (EMS) announces the completion of Salt Cay Breakwater.
It is believed, that this is the first major refurbishment of Salt Cay Breakwater since being built around 1790 by the Royal Navy, to salvage HMS Endimion. The Breakwater was built to modern standards than previously, and now uses technically higher performance materials, such as high strength reinforced concrete to bond the new dock to the seabed.
The level of the top of the Breakwater has also been raised and it is expected that boats will be able to anchor safely in heavier seas than previously. The Breakwater should have been completed before the Christmas holidays; however, due to an unusual number of northwesterly storms the project was delayed.
Also, while in Salt Cay, the team from EMS took the opportunity to upgrade a number of main roads and the Salt Cay Airport, where the airstrip apron were repaired, thus providing the residents there with smoother roads and sufficient landing and parking space for aircrafts, simultaneously. A considerable portion of the costs for the road improvement works and in particularly materials was sponsored by Salt Cay residents and friends, the reminder from EMS maintenance budget.
Acting Permanent Secretary of Housing, Works and Utilities, Mr. Desmond Wilson noted that, Despite the current economic conditions within the Turks and Caicos Islands, the team from EMS was able to complete three projects in Salt Cay and as such, would like to thank the Ministry of Finance and Department of Economic and Planning for the financial assistance received, North Caicos Contracting for the revised works to the Breakwater, Sturrups Contracting for the upgrades to the roads, airstrip and apron, Turks and Caicos Islands Airport Authority and of course, to our hard working team within EMS, for a job well done.
Special thanks to the community of Salt Cay, for their patience and understanding over the years and for partnering with this Ministry and EMS, to bring this project to fruition.
