Bel Ombre project to diversify district’s trade |30 November 2005

The development will present many new employment opportunities through commerce and business.
The Minister for Land Use and Habitat, Joel Morgan, said this Tuesday November 29 when he toured the site where heavy work is going on to increase the land area from the current one acre by an extra two.

“From a business point of view, the development is a big plus for the district,” the minister said.

The project started with the deepening of the fishing port basin to make it easier for fishermen to navigate with their boats, but the decision was made to use the resultant landfill that was dug out to create new land to ease congestion within the district.

The additional 8,000 square metres (about two acres) will now accommodate an ice-plant, a refuelling station, a restaurant, shops, video rentals, hair saloons and other commercial concerns.

The improvement will also include recreational facilities, and a wall has been constructed in the place of previously existing rock-armouring, allowing boats to comfortably come along the shore and moor.

Minister Morgan said that work has already started to create a breakwater to make the port safer and more comfortable.

A local fisherman told Nation that with the new jetty, though it is still under construction, the residents are already enjoying the improvements.

Speaking on his way out to sea with a group of tourists, tour operator-cum-fisherman, Gerry Rousseau, said things are already much easier. He said that for fuel and repairs, his boat currently has to sail to Victoria for minor boat maintenance that will be possible to do at Bel Ombre when the project is completed.