Dr. Lowell Lewis, former Chief Minister, 2006 – 09 and member of the Legislature from 2001-2014, has long had an interest in developing the ferry service to Montserrat, especially as he proposes below. He sends the following proposal to the Minister of Communications and Works urging him to seek the support of his cabinet colleagues.
He begins his latest proposal below by congratulating the Government for upgrading the ferry facility in Antigua.
Montserrat ferry dock in Antigua
Congratulations to the Government of Montserrat for correcting the unacceptable situation at the Ferry dock in Antigua, which saw handicapped older persons and children crammed, sometimes in pouring rain, within feet of a docking Ferry.
We now also have the opportunity to move ahead with a proposed Inter island sports project, the details of which are shared in the following and attached draft, which is being circulated to potential sponsors and participants.
Let us make this happen, and raise the level of performance of our sportsmen, whilst at the same time giving a boost to our struggling economies.
Lowell Lewis
The proposal:
Antigua Barbuda Montserrat St Kitts and Nevis
Inter Island Sports Project
Objectives
Antigua Barbuda Montserrat St Kitts and Nevis Inter Island Ferry Service
Objective
1 Promote inter island sporting activities
2 Make the ferry service economically sustainable
3 To increase economic activities in the tourism sector. Hotels, Guest, houses, Restaurants, Entertainment and Island tours
4 Justify the provision of ferry terminal facilities in Antigua and to facilitate its financing
5 Introduce an affordable St Kitts Nevis Antigua Barbuda Weekend Ferry Service
6 Facilitate a Five Islands in Five Weeks Multi-destination Tourism package
This project seeks to identify and engage sports teams that take part in the following sports.
Cricket 20/20 50 Over Soft ball Dominoes
Foot ball Cycling Athletics Road Races Yachting
Basket Ball Volley ball Net ball Tennis Table Tennis
All sporting events would be expected to take place between 12 noon and 6 p.m. on Saturday afternoons, but may be at other periods between 9 am Saturday to 6 p.m. Sunday
Travel for participating teams will begin after 5 p.m. on Friday and end before 8 am on Monday, thus ensuring no interference with work or school attendance.
Proposed start date April 1st 2015 and would be coordinated in such a way to permit sporting activities in all the islands every weekend.
Ferry capacity of 100, Minimum project passenger load of 50 persons for each leg of the ferry service, plus 50 seats reserved for use by the general public and tourists.
This proposal is linked to a St Kitts , Nevis , Antigua, Montserrat Barbuda Ferry Service on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of each week.
Sponsors would be asked to provide project funds for the sporting events, the purchase of Ferry tickets and accommodation costs for team members and officials.
Project success would be guaranteed by a ferry service grant that includes the cost of 40 tickets per journey for participants of the sports project and the financing of the ferry service terminal in Antigua.
Special fares for team fans and supporters to be considered and the terminal used as a site for events such as dominoes, table tennis and other fund raising activities.
Montserrat has in place, team accommodations for EC$40 per night per person.
Sponsors subsidy budget estimate $120,000 per month
Proposed Ferry Schedule for Inter Island Sports Project
Week end Ferry schedule St Kitts/Nevis Montserrat Antigua Barbuda
Proposed Ferry Schedule
St Kitts/Nevis Montserrat Antigua Barbuda
Friday
Ferry 1
1 pm Nevis MNI
5 pm MNI ANU
7 pm ANU MNI
10 pm MNI Nevis
Saturday
Ferry 1 Ferry 2
4 am St Kitts/Nevis ANU 4 am Nevis MNI
7 am ANU Barbuda 6 am MNI ANU
10 pm Barbuda ANU 9 am ANU MNI
7 pm MNI ANU
9 pm ANU MNI
Sunday
Ferry 1 Ferry 2
6 am ANU Nevis 6 am MNI to ANU
9 am Nevis Barbuda 9 am ANU MNI
4 pm Barbuda ANU 5 pm MNI ANU
8 pm ANU St Kitts/Nevis 7 pm ANU MNI
10 pm MNI Nevis
Proposed Sporting Schedule
Weekend 1 Montserrat Soft Ball Cricket Football Yachting
Antigua Athletics Basket ball Net ball
Barbuda Soft ball Cricket Foot ball Cycling
St Kitts Tennis 20/20 Cricket Dominoes
Nevis Football Soft ball Cricket
Weekend 2 Montserrat 20/20 Cricket Tennis
Antigua Cycling Volley ball Yachting
Barbuda 20/20 Cricket Tennis
St Kitts Athletics Basket Ball Netball
Nevis Soft ball cricket Tennis Dominoes
Weekend 3 Montserrat Athletics Basket ball Net ball
Antigua Soft ball Cricket Foot ball
Barbuda Soft ball Cricket Foot ball Yachting
St Kitts Soft ball Cricket Foot ball Dominoes
Nevis Foot ball Volley Ball
Weekend 4 Montserrat Cycling Volley Ball Dominoes
Antigua 20/20 Cricket Tennis
Barbuda 20/20 Cricket Basket ball Net ball
St Kitts Soft ball cricket Foot ball Yachting
Nevis Athletics Tennis Yachting
See Facebook for pics of new terminal facility in Antigua: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.441464006012774.1073741852.146846792141165&type=1&pnref=story
