EAST LINE BUS TERMINAL OPENS, BRINGS EASE OF TRAFFIC CONGESTION AND RELIEF TO MOTORISTS AND PEDESTRIANS

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, December 12, 2018 (Press Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister) – The people-centered policies and programmes of the Team Unity Administration continue to positively impact the lives of ordinary citizens and residents of St. Kitts and Nevis.

This was further demonstrated on Tuesday, December 11, 2018, when the Government officially opened the gates to the brand-new EC$4 million East Line Bus Terminal on Wellington Road in Basseterre that will significantly reduce traffic congestion in the Baker’s Corner area and bring great relief to the residents of Johnson Street and Branch Street – the streets where the omnibus operators previously plied their trade from.

An opening ceremony was held on the island main road in front of the new bus terminal. The ceremony brought with it much excitement as dozens gathered to witness firsthand the cutting of the ribbon and experience the feel of the spacious and well-lit new facility.

Among those on hand to witness the occasion were His Excellency the Governor General, Sir S.W. Tapley Seaton; the Federation’s only living National Hero, Dr. the Right Excellent and the Right Honourable Sir Kennedy Simmonds; Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris; Deputy Prime Minister, the Honourable Shawn Richards; Minister of Public Infrastructure and Transport, the Honourable Ian Patches Liburd; and other members of the Federal Cabinet, along with representatives of the diplomatic and consular corps, senior government officials, east line bus commuters, and residents of East Basseterre.

Minister Liburd, while delivering remarks, said the delivery of the bus terminal was one of the initial promises he made to the people in the run up to the 2015 General Elections, and noted that he is pleased to see it come to fruition for the benefit of the people.

“No longer will you have to stand on Wellington Road and be exposed to the varying weather – the sunshine and the rain. That is of the past. We have provided you a place to shelter from the rain and the sun, a place to sit in comfort as you await your transport to your various destinations,” the minister said.

The honourable prime minister, who was among those who cut the ribbon that signaled the official opening of the terminal, said the people must marvel at the things his Team Unity-led Government is achieving and delivering on behalf of the people.

“So many of you have come to see before your very eyes what is unfolding in the country, from ships where history is being made to this facility – the nicest bus terminal anywhere in the world,” Dr. Harris said, noting that while St. Kitts and Nevis is one of the smallest countries in the world, “we are ahead of the game and we must keep focused.”

Prime Minister Harris further explained that these developments being pursued by the government are all for the benefit of the people – developments that are not only appreciated by locals, but as well by visitors to our shores.

Recalling an exchange between himself and a passenger onboard the world’s largest cruise ship, Symphony of the Seas, which docked at Port Zante on December 11, the passenger said, ‘‘the country was really moving well, we saw a lot of nice things” and I said “thank you.’’  As she passed the road works in Conaree, she saw the drainage system being set up; she learnt from the people who were taking her that your Team Unity Government budgeted nigh $70 million to do all of the roads in phases,” Dr. Harris added.

The new East Line Bus Terminal features three main sheds with ample seating, one for commuter drop-offs and two for passenger loading; bathroom facilities with accommodation for the differently-abled; parking areas; a security booth; and commercial spaces including a barbershop, among other amenities.