THE HAGUE/SABA—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 22, 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 the development of 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 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 long, but
are necessary to ensure that the execution and 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.”
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.
- Friday, October 18, 2024
