Little Bay port development continues despite ‘numerous challenges’

Work on the new multi-million dollar port in Little Bay is progressing despite “numerous challenges”, according to infrastructure minister Veronica Dorsette-Hector.

The project has faced delays due to unresolved claims, equipment breakdowns, adverse weather, and shortages of materials and staff, she explained this week.

Despite this, Dorsette-Hector assured that the project is being prioritised to address these obstacles and meet the revised completion timeline.

The minister was speaking in response to a request for a progress update from opposition member Donaldson Romeo in a meeting of the Montserrat Legislative Assembly on 21 January.

She noted that the contractor had made “significant progress,” completing over 90% of the precast caissons by November, in line with preparations for the arrival of sand and aggregates.

“However, the seasonal sea conditions, typical at this time of the year, pose certain limitations,” she said.

Government action

In December and January, the government held extensive discussions with the contractor to address challenges and outline a clear path forward, Dorsette-Hector said.

“These engagements aimed to resolve the critical issues, ensure continued progress and maintain the momentum of this vital initiative,” she added.

To strengthen the project’s delivery, the government has taken an active role in the governance structures, the minister explained.

She said this took place with the support of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the finance ministry, the infrastructure ministry, the Governor’s Office and a technical team.

“This partnership ensures that robust oversight and strategic guidance are in place to keep to keep the project on track,” Dorsette-Hector said.

She reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the successful completion of the port, describing it as a “cornerstone” of Montserrat’s sustainable development.

Romeo then asked why some workers had not been paid, to which the minister replied that she was unaware of the issue but promised to investigate it “to ensure that our workers are taken care of”.

Two years along

The groundbreaking at the site of the £35.4 million (EC$120 million) Montserrat Port Development Project took place over two and a half years ago in June 2022.

It is being financed jointly by the United Kingdom Caribbean Infrastructure Fund and the European Development Fund.

Planned infrastructure works included the construction of an offshore jetty, new access road, dredging works and slope stabilisation.

In February, last year, former deputy premier Samuel Joseph said, following several extensions to the development timeline, the new completion date would be 9 May. However, that deadline was not met.

In March, the team announced the transport of 320 caissons from the manufacturing site in Piper’s Pond to the site of the new pier in Little Bay.

And in May, the Montserrat Port Development Project team released updated renderings of what the completed port at Little Bay will look like.

The Port Authority was relocated to Little Bay from the former capital Plymouth in June 1997 after volcanic activity destroyed the former port.