Glen Bart, MyVueNews.com

Basseterre, St. Kitts, 3rd May, 2018 (MyVueNews.com) – In a statement made in the National Assembly on Thursday, 3rd May, Minister of Infrastructure Ian Patches Liburd accused the previous Labour administration of allowing infrastructure at the airport to “crumble”.

Referring to information from the St. Christopher Air and Sea Ports Authority, he said, “One has to conclude that they sacrificed the maintenance, the upkeep of the infrastructure and the equipment for a healthy-looking balance sheet.”

He said the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority wrote to the Government outlining deficiencies at the Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport. 

“We have been forced to embark on the resurfacing of the runway, which will cost some US$80 million, the reconstruction of the major taxiway Alpha running some US$13 million, and the lighting for the runway. We are going to install brand new runway lighting at a cost of some US$888,000,” Minister Liburd said.

Similarly, said Minister Liburd, the Government has to embark on a Island Main Road rehabilitation, saying the previous government failed to address eroding road infrastructure.

Meanwhile, in a brief update on the cruise ship pier at Port Zante, Liburd said, “I can report to this honourable House and to the nation today that construction of this brand new cruise pier has now begun in ernest. I say so because on Tuesday, at 18:00 hours (6 pm), we saw the arrival of the Ocean Traverse Nord, the dredge, Mr. Speaker, a Canadian flagged, vessel arrived in port, and, according to the schedule, dredging works will commence on Friday, 4th May, and the duration of these works is expected to be 70 days ending on Thursday, 9th August.”