Over 74k passengers travel from Nevis to St Kitts onboard Water Taxi Pier in first quarter of 2024

Nevis: Over 74,000 passengers from across the globe used the “Water Taxi Pier at Oualie” to travel from Nevis to St Kitts during the period between January and March 2024. The quarterly report was presented by Premier Mark Brantley who expressed delight with the growth and said the the facility has been benefiting everyone.

As per the quarterly report, a total of 24,197 passengers have toured onboard the facility from Nevis to St Kitts in the month of January 2024. While, the number of the passengers for February month stood at 24,075 who chose to travel these beautiful destinations through the facility.

Further, a total of 26,019 passengers have travelled from Nevis to St Kits on Water Taxi in March 2024. The entire report outlined that around 74,291 people used the facility in the first quarter of the new year.

Premier Brantley appreciated the growth and said,”The Water Taxi Pier at Oualie has remained great success in the first quarter of the year. So, Let’s Keep Growing Nevis Together with the Oualie Water Taxi.”

He also mentioned that the success is the result of the quality leadership due to which all in Nevis and St Kitts now benefit from the vision of investing in the water taxi pier. The local hotels, taxis, restaurants, music festival, Culturama, CPL cricket, Sugar Mas, White Sands, Troppixx, Faded, 5in Fete have been benefited with the travel of the passengers through the facility to and from St Kitts and Nevis.

He said, “Everyone uses the facility including those who railed against it. The boats are locally owned and operated. This is why we must focus on the task at hand Ignore the Noise and continue growing Nevis Together.”

Notably, the proposal of the construction of the Water Taxi Pier at Oualie has been introduced by Nevis Island Administration on April 26, 2017, aiming to provide safer facilities for persons travelling to St Kitts from Nevis.

Minister Alexis Jeffers announced the proposal and said that the proposed site for the facility was Oualie Beach where the planning of constructing 100 feet by 10 feet pier has been launched. The port facility and the construction were authorized by the Nevis Air and Sea Ports Authority (NASPA).

The facility had come into action after the problem of the unsafe travelling of the commuters from Nevis to St Kitts had been discovered. The project which cost around $6 million began in June 2018 and is being financed by the Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation (SIDF).

It is the new state-of-the-art water taxi facility is also aimed to provide convenient access into and out of Nevis, enhancing the infrastructure for the island’s continued development. The work had started on the project with the arrival of the barge from the contractors in St Maarten.

In addition to that, Premier Brantley-led NIA also purchased the 9 acres of land from Yearwood family to create the parking facility for the travellers at the pier. In addition to that, the acquisition of the land also aimed to provide attendant services, security, lighting and others for the travellers.

Futher, the new pier has opened with a trail period which has been inaugurated by Premier Mark Brantley who said that the pier has been delivering the additional amenities to the citizens. The passengers also expressed pleasure and extended satisfaction with the service of the facility.

Premier Brantley have been able to use the waiting area and bathrooms inside the terminal ahead of boarding which is great.