The San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) has revealed its plans to continue bringing progress to the island in 2017. One major goal it’s determined to accomplish in the first months of the year is the dredging on the lagoon side of the island. This is necessary to accommodate larger vessels, so the international boat terminal at the Sunset Boardwalk can be put to full use.

The plan to dredge from the southern Marina Area north to the Sunset Boardwalk, located right behind the Honourable Louis Sylvester Sporting Complex has been stalled for over two years now. In 2015, it was announced that dredging would happen in 2016. Clearly, that did not happen, however, local authorities on the island began making preparations in August of 2016, assessing the area to be dredged.

According to Mayor Daniel Guerrero, the dredging must happen this year, and told The San Pedro Sun that the Town Board itself will take responsibility for the funding. “The Town Council will do the dredging,” said Guerrero. “We cannot continue waiting, it needs to be done and if we do not do it then it might never happen.” Guerrero anticipates dredging to start in late January, and have the works done by the ending of March. The total cost of the project was not revealed, however, Guerrero was optimistic, assuring that the SPTC can handle the investment.

Guerrero indicated that when the project is finished, all boat companies must relocate to the terminal by on the lagoon side. Since the terminal was completed in 2014, it has not been used to its full capacity. One of the main reasons is attributed to the low areas on the lagoon which impede the passage of large vessels. The boat companies in town have been very reluctant with the idea of moving their services to the leeward side of the island, stating that the lagoon channel is just not suitable for their big boats. They have additionally complained that the new route is a bit longer and thus will delay arrivals and force them to increase their fares.

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