The Government of Anguilla, Owners and General Managers of the larger hotels on the island have been meeting to discuss the best possible ways of addressing the need for the functioning of the Blowing Point Port until the planned new passenger terminal can be built and commissioned.
The Government and the hotel representatives met at Belmond Cap Juluca on Tuesday this week, July 3, to discuss the matter.
The Tuesday’s discussions at Belmond Cap Juluca continued to some extent on Wednesday morning, July 4, at the Blowing Point Port, where the Elected Representative for District 6 and Minister of Infrastructure, Mr. Curtis Richardson, explained his vision for a sizeable and well-managed parking lot which he is initiating. His vision is a substantial part of the eventual new passenger terminal, now waiting to be funded. Along with Mr. Richardson at Wednesday’s meeting was Parliamentary Secretary, Tourism, Mr. Cardigan Connor. Those from the hotels were Mr. Jeffery Goldstein, owner of Zemi Beach and Mr. Roy Shanholtz, VP, Asset Management & Hotel Operations of Starwood Capital, owner of Four Seasons.
Mr. Goldstein told media representatives that he and other hoteliers had met with Mr. Richardson and the other Government Ministers to look at the future plan for Blowing Point and the new passenger terminal. “A lot of General Managers were at Cap Juluca on Tuesday where there was a showing of what the new building looks like,” he reported. “It does look good. Roy and I are here today because we need to deal with this tourist season for the quickest time to get the port back to where it should be and to have at least a comfortable environment to come back to.”
Meanwhile, The Anguillian understands that there are two options pending The new terminal building. One is the erection of a suitable tent located in front the existing port building which houses the police station, immigration and customs offices.
The other option is the remodelling and use of the Big Jim building, located on the left hand side of the road at the approach to the port. That building was formerly used by Dolphin Discovery which closed business there following Hurricane Irma which severely damaged its facilities. The preferred option is the Big Jim building which, among other matters, would be a better representation of Anguilla’s upmarket tourism industry and would involve less expense.
Commenting on the two options stated above, Mr. Goldstein said: “I think [the Big Jim] building is the best for the cost. The tent is just going to be a short term fix for a project that is going to take at least two years to do. I think the removal of the tent – bringing it back and forth – putting bathrooms and air-conditioning in the tent, that the [Big Jim] building is the least expensive way to go and it is already here. We can get it done in two months and get it open before the season.”
Mr Cardigan Connor commented: “I think Government will go in the direction that works best for our visitors – and not just our visitors but Anguillians as well as anybody else using our port facilities here. The key is that we should work together on it. It is not Government’s right or the investors’ right. It is a case of how we can come together to offer the best possible service. Of course it isn’t easy having our finished product but in the meantime we need to look at our options and come up with what is best for all concerned.”
Mr. Curtis Richardson had this to say: “We have been working along with hoteliers. My idea was to bring them in from Tuesday to look at fixing the entire strip and road area, putting in plants, taking out all of the wire fencing and to beautifying the entire road coming into the port. We also looked at the parking lot and the hoteliers have an interest in seeing how they can assist us with getting the parking lot paved. They have also discussed the issue of the terminal building for arrivals and departures in and out of Anguilla.”
Minister Richardson added: “Since the hurricane, my idea was to rent the Big Jim building so I am a little bit annoyed that we are back on this conversation. I do not support the idea of any tent here because it has several negative aspects to a tent. One of them being, that in a hurricane season it always has to be taken down and erected again. That’s a waste of time and resources and also the tent cannot have a proper or best fit because it will be in a construction zone when the building of the new ferry terminal commences.”
