Temporary West End port to reopen by August, says Premier
As major plans continue for the development of a modern facility at the West End Ferry Dock, Premier Andrew Fahie has promised to have an interim structure erected for the port to be reopened for public use by the next couple months.
“The West End Ferry Terminal alone grosses a million dollars for ports [and] we are not even talking about Customs. So, with it being closed, we are losing a million dollars a year, at minimum. We are now pushing to have that opened temporarily by August,” the Premier said.
Fahie, who is the Representative of the First District where the port is located, made the statement during an appearance on the Honestly Speaking with Claude Skelton Cline radio programme on Tuesday, May 28.
August 2019 is the first promised reopening date by his the new VIP government and Premier Fahie said he will not go beyond this deadline, unlike the previous administration who missed all its promised dates to reopen the facility.
“The Managing Director had told me September. I told him I cannot accept that — he has to open that before August 1 and that is something that I strongly recommended and we are working on that,” said Fahie who is also the Minister of Finance.
The West End port has not been operational for public traffic since it was destroyed by Hurricane Irma back in 2017. A public meeting was held just last month to discuss the designs for the new resilient West End port facility.
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That port should have been reopened long ago.
Wow! Thanks for your opinion. What did YOU DO to help it reopen quickly? Besides complain online that is? SMH
This is great news, Premier!
That port is the lifeline link between the US Virgin Islands and Jost Van Dyke!
To be forced to go to Roadtown for clearance and back, and to Jost, reduces the amount of hours one can spend in a day at these hot tourist spots.
And the businesses at West End has suffered from a lack of ferry services activities.
It is time for the port to be reopened!
Finally!
Would have been good to have it open for the up coming show. I understand that they are expecting about 8000 arrivals… would have been good for some business on the west side to benefit instead of everything goin in to town…..that will be a very busy weekend in Road Town port………….
Oh my goodness, people come up with another word other than RESILIENT/RESILIENCE PLEASE
You need this terminal like a carpenter needs a hammer, like an angel needs a harp. The West End should be an elegant foyer opening into the jewel that is the B.V.I., not a worn out old doormat. Enough time has passed since Irma.
I like the positive drive of this Premier. Say what you want about him, he’s a “go getter”.
I say I’m going to stop eating pizza. Still eating. Am I a go getter?