Business opportunities expected with Speightstown jetty back in commission

Businesses in Speightstown stand to reap benefits from the restoration of the jetty in the area, Acting Minister of Tourism Kirk Humphrey has indicated.

During the Speightstown Jetty Commissioning Ceremony and launch of the 2022 Sir Charles Williams Barbados International Fishing Tournament on Tuesday, Humphrey said the return of the jetty, which was restored at a cost of $1.2 million, signals possibilities for greater accessibility to Speightstown and the north via water taxis, and holds the potential to bring new life to the community with expanded opportunities for fisherfolk, restaurant, bars, and retail shops.

He said opportunities will also open for leisure and commercial sailing and marine recreation.

“It will bring increased human traffic and will enhance the prospects for economic viability of what exists and what is to come. Just look at the element of vitality it has brought in facilitating the hosting of this week’s upcoming game fishing tournament,” Humphrey said.

“We really do wish the Game Fishing Association a successful event throughout this week. What we are really excited about, though, are the possibilities of a return to Speightstown as a landing site for fish with the rehabilitation of the jetty.”

The Minister explained that the project was a part of the Barbados Port Inc.’s (BPI) commitment to making the necessary investments in infrastructure and maritime conservation.

He said in addition to the jetty, the BPI has completed the refurbishment of the Pile Bay Fish Landing Facility and has also allocated resources for the refurbishment of the Weston Fisheries Complex in neighbouring St James, which is currently at design stage.

Member of Parliament for St Peter Colin Jordan welcomed the return of the jetty and noted that various stakeholders had spent an estimated eight years lobbying to have the infrastructure, which was in a deplorable state, restored.

He said the jetty holds a strong historic value in Speightstown, as it played a pivotal role in business activities in the 17th and 18th century.

The MP said the jetty will now return to creating a hub for business activities, but will also serve as a recreational site for residents and others in Speightstown.

“So, what I am really saying, and I am saying this, particularly as the Member of Parliament, [is that] the Speightstown jetty is for the people of St Peter. The Speightstown jetty is not for any particular group or class, it is for the people of St Peter and the people of Barbados. . . . That needs to be reinforced as far as I am concerned.

“The commercial component will be important for residents and businesses in this town. And, so, we expect that just as the jetties from the 17th and 18th century provided that economic activity that brought benefit to the residents and to the country generally, we expect that the jetty now being recommissioned will also bring business possibilities, business benefits, commercial benefits to all stakeholders who are associated with Speightstown,” Jordan said. (AH)