A Government minister would like to see a cruise ship terminal in the north of the island.
Acknowledging that there was “a problem with the jetty” in Speightstown, Minister of Rural Development and MP for St Lucy Denis Kellman said it was about time the area be put to good use and a cruise terminal could be the answer.
Kellman was speaking to BARBADOS BUSINESS AUTHORITY following a Small Business Association members’ meeting at Pelican Village last Tuesday.
“These are things that we have to look at under the [Rural Development Commission],”?he said. “We recognize that the jetty must be used and we must add to our tourism product. What we are saying is that we can make that jetty usable where cruise ships can go to Speightstown.”
Kellman said should a cruise facility be constructed in the town it would have spin-off benefits for taxi operators, tour operators and vendors.
“We are also looking to see how we can build out Speightstown and bring the right infrastructure,” he said.
Adding that “large players” in the cruise industry out of Florida wanted to berth in Barbados, Kellman said: “We have to find some way to get them in and the possibility is that Speightstown can be the place.”
In 2012, the Government announced plans to build a massive cruise facility to accommodate some of the world’s biggest ships. The ultra-modern Sugar Point Cruise Facility, which would be constructed in two phases, will be able to berth six to seven large vessels per day.
It would also help in separating cruise and cargo activities at the Bridgetown Port, addressing space concerns. (MM)