The space which was occupied by the passenger terminal at the Blowing Point Port still remains empty ground, but the ferry service between Anguilla, French St. Martin and Dutch St. Maarten has virtually returned to normal. The only remaining unfilled service is the operation of the late evening ferry – the last boat in any given day.
There is a much larger tent in place at the entrance to the port where passengers wait for the ferries. Taxi stands and ferry booths are in place and the traffic officers, wearing easily identifiable colours, are often busily directing motorists to the marked out parking spaces for the public, west of the parking area for taxis.
Passengers travelling between the three neighbouring territories are cleared by customs and immigration personnel in the downstairs area of the port building, which houses the police station on the top floor. The checks completed, the departing passengers return to the tent from where they travel to the ferry leaving the port. A newly-constructed stairs at the front of the building provides easy access for the arriving passengers. Near the building is a large generator which was used to supply electricity at the port. Now, with electricity restored the generating set sits idly by and perhaps waiting to be taken away.
Dale Rogers, a long-serving and well-informed senior employee, is the Manager of the Port. “Thankfully we are back on ANGLEC’s power supply so we don’t have to rely on our standby,” he told The Anguillian on Wednesday, January 10. “It costed us a lot of money in terms of fuel [because of its very low generating power].”
He continued: “Now that the New Year has started, we are getting materials to do repairs to our three jetties, our fences; and to improve our lighting. We are also in the process of having a temporary building to house immigration and customs. So, for the first quarter of the year, these are our main projects here at the Blowing Point Port.
“Later on, I believe this year, the Minister of Infrastructure will be tasked with the main project for the new state-of-the-art terminal in terms of the design drawings, securing of some more land, as well as other matters. Hopefully, if everything is in place, and the funds are ready, the building of the terminal may get started before the end of 2018.”
Meanwhile, in the inshore waters of the port, are the remains of the dolphin facility, badly damaged by Hurricane Irma. The dolphins, attractions to large numbers of day trippers from St. Martin/St. Maarten, were taken to St. Kitts shortly after the hurricane.
About the ferry service, the Anguillian Port Manager said: “We are hoping that in the very near future – before the end of the month – that we will be to our normal schedule. We are in negotiations right now with the French authorities to have the very last ferryboat running. Currently, the last ferry leaves Anguilla at about 4.45 pm and St.Martin/St. Maarten 5.30. That last trip we are accustomed to have – will leave Anguilla at 6.15 and St. Martin/St. Maarten at 7 o’clock. That should happen before the end of this January.”
There is a high degree of anxiousness on the part of many persons throughout Anguilla to see the rebuilding of the Blowing Point Port facilities as soon as possible. What is of much encouragement is that the UK Government has provided a substantial amount of money to the Anguilla Government for infrastructural development. The Blowing Point Port is one of the projects to be funded.
