PM Douglas says protecting and enhancing St. Kitts and Nevis’ standing as a prime travel destination, remains an absolute priority for his Government

Chairman of Veling Ltd, Mr. Uday Nayak; St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas; Chairman of the St. Christopher Air and Sea Ports (SCASPA), Mr. Carol Evelyn and Contractor Mr. Lennox Warner breaking ground at the Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw International Airport on Friday. (Photo by Erasmus Williams)

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, FEBRUARY 3RD 2012 (CUOPM) – St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas is hailing the joint venture between the St. Christopher Air and Sea Ports Authority (SCASPA) and a Mauritius company for the construction of a first-rate private jet terminal at the Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw International Airport in St. Kitts.

Speaking Friday at the groundbreaking ceremony for the facility that will provide fast track, VIP services, for a fee, for anyone arriving at this airport, whether by private or commercial carrier, Prime Minister Douglas said it is a logical and integral component of his Government’s decision, some six years ago to focus and pursue the superior economic and other opportunities associated with high end tourism.

“If you look at the construction work currently underway to receive mega yachts at Christophe Harbour, on the South East Peninsula, and if you look at the services that will be provided by VELING and SCASPA right here at our international airport, you see that they are parts of an integrated whole, opposite sides of the same well thought out, strategic ‘coin’, said Prime Minister Douglas to the gathering which included Governor General His Excellency Dr. Sir Cuthbert Sebastian, government ministers, airport, travel and tourism officials.

“This SCASPA/VELING joint venture project represents additional opportunities for the people of St. Kitts and Nevis. Scheduled to begin operations in December, it will result in an increase in aircraft arrivals to the Federation and will be the source of employment and entrepreneurial opportunities in the areas of construction, catering, transportation, professional services, maintenance, customer-relations, and so on. These are critically important areas that this facility will be associated with,” said Prime Minister Douglas.

He said nationals have already begun to seek these opportunities and that is good.

“That is what we wanted to see when this development plan, as all development plans are envisaged and that in the final analysis, is the prime motivation behind whatever we do as a government and as a people,” said Dr. Douglas.

He noted that despite the nightmarish global realities, his Government has tried very hard, over the past two years, never ever to allow itself to be cowed by the dire, and indeed frightening, conditions that have been pummeling the globe.

“Instead, we continued to work and to work hard. We continued to plan and plan with a vision. We continued to strive – and to do everything in our power – to protect this country. We have done everything to stabilize the economy. We done everything to ensure that St. Kitts and Nevis would be positioned to rebound whenever world conditions permitted,” said Prime Minister Douglas.

He said his four-term Labour Party administration has done everything to ensure a steady march forward despite the global challenges that St. Kitts and Nevis, the Caribbean and the World are facing.

“We are on a slow, but steady climb and this jet terminal, with its many spin-off opportunities for various sectors of the economy, represents a key component of my Government’s programme of forward movement,” said the Prime Minister.

Pointing out that tourism is a key engine of economic growth for the Federation, Dr. Douglas said that protecting and enhancing St. Kitts and Nevis’ standing as a prime travel destination, remains an absolute priority for his Government.

“This facility, therefore, is clear and incontrovertible evidence of our determination to do so,” he said.