Development of Pinney’s Estate on the cards

Premier of Nevis, Hon. Joseph Parry

Charlestown Nevis (Monday, April16, 2012) — In a tradition started by the first Nevis Reformation Party(NRP) in Government, Premier and Minister of Tourism the Hon. Joseph Parry has announced that his government has finalized an agreement with developers of the Pinney’s Estate that will see the establishment of two new hotels.

“We are dealing directly now with the developers, and I must say that we have an agreement that they will be moving very quickly towards the development of the property,” said Premier Parry on Tuesday, April10.

Speaking on his weekly “In Touch With the Premier” radio programme on Choice 105.3 FM hosted by Press Secretary Deli Caines, Premier Parry said that the developers who did the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) a few years back will be meeting with the Administration early in May to present plans that they have already discussed with the Administration.

According to the Premier, negotiations have gone beyond the planning stage, and despite their having been earlier advised not to pay fees to government, the Nevis Reformation Party-led government negotiated an arrangement, and they have begun to pay those fees to government.

“I can see that Pinney’s will have a great impact on the development of Four Seasons over the next ten, perhaps fifteen years,” observed Parry. “So we look forward to the development of that area and I think the people of Nevis can be proud that in spite of obstacles being put in the way, the government was able to negotiate so that the land could be free and unencumbered with any party.”

Asked by programme host, Deli Caines, as to what type of development Nevisians could expect, Premier Parry said: “They have presented a general plan to us where they have indicated a number of brand names, which I am not free to call, but the plan is to have a hotel on the beach, and to have a green- type hotel on the hills.”

He added that the developers have other interests as well, and Nevisians may see them doing some work on the island before the end of the year, before they get into their big plans for the hotel and the beach, and one up in the hills.

“I am looking forward to the next three years or so to see the whole thing taking form and taking shape, and developing into a lovely, lovely resort with two hotels in the area, alongside the Four Seasons and Deon Daniel,” observed Premier Parry. “Daniel has 24 acres of land which he tells me he intends to start developing in January of next year.”

Development of the land, which had been laid with controversies that had been triggered off by the irregular allocation of part of the land to a Nevisian restaurateur by the previous administration, will be done for the benefit of the developers, and will provide employment and help the development of tourism, and to help to have some more money in the coffers of the Treasury.

While a settlement had been reached to have the said restaurateur vacate the land, Parry said it was a painful experience to be spending money on a matter that was keeping back the progress and development of the island, as the matter dragged on in the court.

“That didn’t help anybody,” said the Premier. “It didn’t help us, and we found ourselves in government with a problem we did not create, and a problem that did not make too much sense. If anybody acquires a property or purchases a property he intends to sell, how can you put somebody on the property, and you do not intend for them to move? I never could understand that.”

Due to the high quality tourism development in the area situated between the Pinney’s Beach Hotel going right to Cliff Dwellers and further across to the Nisbet Plantation Beach Club, the Minister of Tourism said that the area is going to be called ‘the Gold Coast’, as that is the area with most of the employment in tourism on the island of Nevis.

“I think it is great news and let me say, as I have always said, it always takes the Nevis Reformation Party to get these things done,” said the Premier. “If you look at Mount Nevis, Nisbet’s Plantation Beach Club, the Four Seasons Resort, and now you see how we are moving ahead (with this new development).”