The completion of St. Vincent’s EC$600 million seaport in Kingstown has been pushed back to August 2025, three months later than initially scheduled.
Minister of Seaports, Senator Benarva Browne, attributed the delay to the impact of Hurricane Beryl on July 1, 2024.
While Browne did not comment on the potential consequences of lost reclamation material due to the detachment of metal sheets—a situation Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves has acknowledged—concerns about the project’s progress continue to grow.
Opposition spokesperson on public works, Daniel Cummings, accused the government of attempting to downplay issues at the site. Speaking on the New Democratic Party’s (NDP) radio program, Cummings warned, “No mind the feeble attempt to cover up the catastrophe, the truth will be exposed, and will soon be exposed.”
During Thursday’s parliamentary session, Opposition Leader Godwin Friday raised concerns about the project’s budget, asking for details on costs, spending, and whether the government has sufficient funds to complete construction. Browne stated that active construction began on May 12, 2022, with an original completion target of May 12, 2025, but the deadline was revised due to the hurricane’s impact.
She disclosed that the project’s baseline funding stands at US$247.3 million (EC$666.8 million), with EC$526.5 million already spent by the end of January 2025. An additional EC$92.5 million has been allocated for 2025, and Browne assured Parliament that the government can meet its current financial obligations. However, she acknowledged that construction projects are dynamic, and additional funding may be required.
Further complicating matters, Gonsalves confirmed on Wednesday that some of the reclamation material was lost due to a “declutching” of the sheet piles during dredging near the quay wall. He stated that Aecon, the Canadian firm handling the project, is working on an industry-standard solution, though a timeline for remediation has not been set.
With mounting concerns from the opposition and uncertainty surrounding remedial work, the government will face continued scrutiny as it seeks to deliver the long-awaited seaport.
