Investors outline masterplan for Charlestown in Canouan

With development taking place at the northern and southern ends of the island of Canouan, investors on that island have put forward a proposal for the development of the village of Charlestown.

At a press conference at Cabinet Room yesterday, Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves explained that while the proposal “Towards Charlestown 2021” is not the final draft, he was just putting the country on alert about the development ideas.

He said as part of the process of fine-tuning, discussions would be held by the various stakeholders in the state administration with business people and those in leadership positions in Canouan, so that amendments could be made to the plan before it is taken to the people of Canouan.{{more}}

The Prime Minister noted that with the development of the hotel in the north of the island and the Glossy Bay Marina development in the south, the village could not be left in its present condition.

“The village is in a sense sandwiched between these two big developments. So, the village would feed off of both of those, but we have to make the village itself have its own economic enterprises within that area.”

He said in the past, other projects, such as the police station, the administrative complex, the marine resource centre and the Canouan jet port had been undertaken by the Government, along with investors, as part of the development of the village.

“If it were not for the airport, we wouldn’t be having the extent of the investments we are now having in Canouan,” Gonsalves stated.

The Prime Minister said the “Towards Charlestown 2021” project, which will have six main construction phases, envisages facilities for economic development and social amenities.

Gonsalves explained that the first phase has two dimensions and includes the reconstruction of the Tamarind Beach Hotel, which is built on land owned by the Government, but is leased by the developers.

“The idea is to refresh it, develop it more and to add new villas to it and then to have a sports campus outside of the developed areas.”

The plan also includes the development of a yacht club with some residences; the school complex; the development of the market at the water front; the mangrove park and the clinic; and the fisheries section and an industrial hub.

“The idea is for these six phases to be done in some respects sequentially, but also the same time overlapping,” Gonsalves said.

He said the developers indicated that the social amenities part of the development will cost in excess of US$30 million, but additional money will be required for the economic dimensions.(CM)