The St Lucia government Tuesday signed a multimillion-dollar agreement with the United States-based Royal Caribbean International to develop Port Castries into a cruise-ship destination in the southern Caribbean.
The Saint Lucia Air and Sea Port Authority chairman Isaac Anthony said that the US$25-million plan for Port Castries is part of a wider redevelopment project for the capital, Castries, to transform it into a modern and attractive city, which the government is beginning to roll out.
The project may span 10-15 years, Anthony said.
“To those behind the plan for Port Castries, the change is to be done in phases and would involve most of the Castries waterfront. The redevelopment of this prime piece of real estate will include a vendors’ craft market, a waterfront pedestrian zone, a new ferry terminal complete with shops, restaurant and car park,” said Anthony, who is also the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Finance.
He said the plan will be implemented in a manner that did not require any financial outlay by the government.
“I was encouraged by the IMF’s (International Monetray Fund) recently concluded Article 1V consultation on St Lucia that it had endorsed the government’s decision to pursue public-private partnership as a strategy for creating and promoting growth while keeping the national debt within manageable limits,” Anthony said.
– CMC
