Division surrounds alternative docks concept for VI
Advocates though, seem divided on the details of where this should be built and one resident even called for a cap on the number of cruise passengers at a time in the territory.
The resident, a caller on the Open Mic radio programme aired last evening, October 23, 2013 openly questioned how many persons could be accommodated on "small Tortola".
“…nobody seems to be looking at the whole idea of what kind of number we can accommodate. Can this country, small Tortola, I mean how much can we accommodate in one day? It’s like we’re saying bring any amount of tourists in one given time. We must have a cut of point. What is the maximum of persons we can accommodate per day? What can we deal with?”
Host Julio Sam Henry in response said he didn’t want to see the country ‘just sink’, “I don’t want to see ten thousand people on the island.”
He argued that with proper planning, if there were two cruise ship docks, the kind of energy that can be put towards developing new tours and ideas would be great because the other islands would also benefit.
When the environmental study was presented for the cruise pier development by Dr Cassander Titley-O’Neal on August 22, 2013, she said the idea had already been floated to have an alternative dock built but this was not considered by authorities.
Meanwhile, Henry stated that there could also be suggestions to place docks at Anegada, Virgin Gorda and Jost Van Dyke as smaller ships already go there and dock in the harbour.
The talk show host said he would like to see a non-slow season in the territory because there should never be one with the perfect atmosphere of sun, sand and sea available in the VI.
“Anybody that comes to these islands that doesn’t experience sun, sand and sea, they had a terrible day, they’re not happy campers. They aren’t coming here to sit on a beach with clouds over their head…” he reasoned.
There was also an argument that growth and development on other islands were being stifled with the focus being placed on Tortola.
Henry said there were a lot of things here that we want to protect for certain people and this stifles others. “We have people that want to learn the art of diving but they want to go spear [fishing] but that’s being pulled off for whatever reason. Maybe it’s a good idea, maybe not.”
“I think if we get smart enough, we could do a lot more with the little bit that we have,” Mr Henry said.
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18 Responses to “Division surrounds alternative docks concept for VI”
there are no other places for these size ships. Filling in the big ships with small ships arriving on the same day, how much is too much? people will wait in line if they think a place is special enough. But will take for granted those destinations that they can go any time they want because there is no intrigue. I SOOO agree with the caller and "small Tortola". We can't accommodate what we have, can't handle what is wanted and can't protect what we have.
It is wrong wrong to have super crowds and can't handle them.