St. Lucia Unveils Post-Hurricane Infrastructure Plans

St. Lucia Unveils Post-Hurricane Infrastructure Plans

In an update on the island’s tourism infrastructure and attractions following the November hurricane which devastated the island, Sen. Allen Chastanet, St. Lucia’s minister of tourism and civil aviation, said St. Lucia will continue to work on an earlier-announced 25-year economic development plan to improve infrastructure weaknesses highlighted by the storm, including a new terminal at Hewanorra Airport.

Chastanet said a new seven-jetway terminal will be built at the airport, with groundbreaking set for January. The project is expected to be complete in 2013. Chastanet said St. Lucia is planning to establish the revamped airport as a hub for nearby islands including St. Vincent, Grenada, Martinique and Dominica. Chastanet also said St. Lucia will add an additional 500 to 700 hotel rooms by 2012, including the new Hotel Chocolat.

Hurricane Tomas, which killed seven, destroyed several crucial bridges, and shut down electrical power across the entire island, will cost the island $15 million to $20 million in unbudgeted reconstruction funds, said Chastanet, who added that expenditures could reach $200 million after the completion of improvements designed to protect the island from similar storms in the future.

The storm resulted in a 30 percent drop in tourist arrivals in November, said Chastanet, impacting what had been a strong year for the island. Chastanet said that prior to the storm, the island anticipated an increase of 20 percent or November.