The final scope for Saba’s harbor project was approved during a meeting of the Steering Committee at the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (IenW) last week. Preparation of the tender documents can now start.
On March 22nd, a delegation from Saba, headed by Commissioner of Infrastructure and Finance Bruce Zagers, took part in a meeting of the Steering Committee to discuss the latest developments and next steps of the project to construct a much-needed new harbor for Saba.
With the approval of the final scope, an important step was taken in this project. The final scope consists of developing the new harbor at Black Rocks while upgrading the existing pier at Fort Bay Harbor, making it future-proof for cargo.
The Steering Committee gave the approval to prepare the tender documents for the harbor project and to commence the tender procedure. The harbor project will be tendered in packages. This way, a start can be made with the realization of the harbor project, despite budget constraints.
The harbor project will not only improve the accessibility of Saba but will also have an impact on economic development, tourism, employment, etc. Therefore, the Saba delegation will be meeting with several other ministries to discuss the broader impact of the harbor project this week.
“This is a big moment for the continuation of this project,” stated Commissioner Zagers. “We are all eager to make a start and to see progress. But these are the necessary steps, which can take longer but are necessary to ensure that the execution and the end product is done the right way the first time. A project of this magnitude cannot be rushed, but now that we have an agreement on the scope, the necessary files can be completed to start tendering.”
In the next few months, the harbor project will focus on the preparation of the tender documents, the completion of the Environmental Impact Assessment, and the submission of the permit application. The road works and construction of rock walls will continue, while preparations are made to connect the project area to utilities. Negotiations for a new harbor project manager are ongoing.