Last Updated on May 28, 2020, 12:30 PM AST by Anthony Morris
Cracks have appeared on the surface of St Kitts’ multi-million dollar second cruise ship pier which sources say could render it a “white elephant.”
Photos and video show at least two massive cracks on the surface of the EC$129.6 million pier which was built to accommodate two Oasis-class ships. No Oasis-class ship or larger cruise vessels have docked at the pier since it is in use.
The construction of the controversial pier, which was being micro-managed by Minister of Infrastructure, Hon Ian Patches Liburd, was seized by the government before it was officially handed over to the St Christopher Air and Sea Ports Authority (SCASPA) by the Canadian contractors in December of last year in an effort to dampen severe criticism from the parliamentary opposition which had begun to refer to it as ‘a spoil pier’ during debate on the 2020 Budget. During the same debate, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Premier of Nevis Hon Mark Brantley called the pier “an avocado.”
With the appearance of the cracks on the surface of the second cruise ship, pier taxi men are asking whether it has become a ‘white elephant’ and will have to be abandoned.
In July 2018 reports surfaced that dynamite could be used to blow up the large solid bed of rock at the site of the second cruise ship. Plans to use dynamite was abandoned because to do so could have a severe negative impact on the underwater environment and cause possible damage to the Port Zante bulkhead.
In July 2019 and earlier this year, outside contractors with special equipment were hired to break up the rock on the seabed.
Having seized the pier in December 2019 and the staging of a mock opening ceremony, captains of the visiting OASIS-class ships such as Harmony of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas have refused to dock at the second cruise ship pier. The captains of the Quantum-class Anthem of the Seas and several larger ships have also declined to berth at the pier. Smaller cruise ships have docked.
Estimated to cost EC$86.4 million under the then governing St Kitts-Nevis Labour Party administration on the eastern side of the first pier, the location was changed to the western area and the cost of the second cruise ship pier ballooned to a whopping EC$129.6 million price tag – EC$43.2 million more under the Timothy Harris-led Team Unity Government.
The St Christopher Air and Sea Ports Authority (SCASPA) secured a EC$91.8 million loan from the St Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank; EC$18.9 million from the St. Kitts and Nevis Social Security Board; EC$13.5 million from the St. Kitts and Nevis Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation (SIDF) and EC$5.4 million from the St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla Trading and Development Company (TDC).
The cost of the special equipment brought in from overseas to correct the problem on two separate occasions could carry the final price close to EC$200 million.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
