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Acting Public Works Minister Wayne Furbert on St George's.pdf

More than half the cost of a new superyacht marina in St George will be met by the Government, the acting public works minister told MPs.

Wayne Furbert said the Government would contribute $1.5 million of the $2.7 million needed to reconstruct a wharf in Olde Towne’s Ordnance Island, with an expected opening time in May next year.

He told the House of Assembly yesterday that the Corporation of St George’s would come up with the other $1.2 million for the redevelopment through the Unesco World Heritage Fund.

Mr Furbert said the Corporation would sign a 21-year – less one day – lease with the St George’s Marina Development Company to develop and manage the marina in a public-private partnership.

He added the company would share the gross proceeds from the marina with the Corporation – but did not detail how the money would be shared.

He did not identify the owners of the partner firm, but a search of the Registrar of Companies showed the company was incorporated in 2015 and the sole director listed was Mark Soares, who has run the marina at Ordnance Island for several years.

Mr Soares has been the driving force behind appeals for revitalisation of the marina.

Mr Furbert told MPs: “With the upgrades to the Ordnance Island dock, Ordnance Island will now have the ability to berth yachts up to the superyacht class as well as cruise ships.”

But he said the marina could not go ahead without improvements to the decades-old wharf.

Engineers earlier dashed hopes that the wharf could be refurbished for $2.2 million because existing piles were in a worse state than at first thought and would have to be replaced.

Mr Furbert said work on the new wharf was scheduled to start in February after it had been tendered and was expected to take four months.

He added: “In addition to the wharf upgrades, the marina infrastructure undertaken by St. George’s Marina Development Limited is currently under way and is slated to be completed in conjunction with the wharf.

“These works include internal renovations of the former terminal building on Ordnance Island and a welcome centre complete with shower facilities and laundry facilities.

“The space will be redesigned for an improved decor and to create an outdoor lounge area.”