Brantley in a radio interview had argued that while many programs had been approved for support on St. Kitts, only one initiative he said was granted a loan on the sister island, Nevis.
However, on Friday 22nd June, 2012, a release from the Nevis Island Administration announced that two tourism related projects have been approved for funding by the SIDF.
Premier, Joseph Parry, speaking to the Department of Information on Wednesday June 20th, revealed that work on the development of the Bath Village area and the Saddle Hill area would be completed before the next tourism season in November/December.
Parry, who also holds the Tourism portfolio in the Nevis Island Administration, was reporting after his return from Zurich, Switzerland, where he had been invited to address the St. Kitts-Nevis Investor Seminar hosted by Henley & Partners and the Consulate-General of St. Kitts-Nevis in Zurich on Friday, 15th June.
Parry said it was very important for him to have gone to the meeting, because Nevis is looking to get a share of the SIDF funds and “If you want to get a share of something you should at least be involved in promoting it.” “While I was there, I received information that two Nevisian projects had been approved, the development of the Bath Village area and the development of the Saddle Hill area.”
However, according to one opposition source, it is somewhat strange that the Premier of Nevis would have to travel to Switzerland to learn of the approval of SIDF funds for projects in Nevis. They have asked why this was not shared directly by the Federal government in Basseterre.
According to Premier Parry, those are two key projects his Nevis Reformation Party-led administration wants done before the next tourism season. When completed, the two areas will be part of the cruise package, he explained.
In addition, the administration is also looking at certain adjustments to Charlestown, which will include flushing the drains, and making sure that when the tourists come off the boats that the security is intact.
“We are also looking at funds to do some adjustments to the pier that the cruise boats use,” reported the Premier. “All those are things I was able to discuss while in Zurich, in terms of accessing SIDF funds and I am satisfied that they will be done and they will be done speedily.”
Premier Parry, as the Minister in charge of the tourism docket, was instrumental in having those projects done. He noted that Kantours, the tourism arm of Delisle Walwyn Co Ltd, who handle most of the cruise ships calling in the Federation, had given conditions under which they would bring cruise passengers to Nevis.
“In fact the Kantours people and the cruise people have said that they will not come unless, 1) Charlestown is presentable; unless we have good facilities, and 2) if the cruise passengers have somewhere to go, because they claim that they get frustrated when they come to Nevis and they have nowhere to go,” noted the Premier. Development of the two areas will occupy the visitors as they get exposed to the Nevisian way of life.
The Premier, along with representatives of Kantours will in September travel to Miami to meet key players in the cruise industry and by then he will have answers for them, as Charlestown will have been spruced up and development work will be in progress at the Bath Village and Saddle Hill areas to give cruise passengers more variety on the island