There was standing room only at the packed town hall meeting on the proposed Destiny Special Sustainable Zone which saw many constructive questions from the public. Representatives from the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) including Premier Mark Brantley answered the public’s questions, in many cases dispelling false information.
Premier Brantley reiterated the Destiny project’s significant opportunities for Nevisians and highlighted his positive conversations about what it will mean for them and the island’s infrastructure.
To date more than 1,000 Nevisians have signed up for more information including around employment opportunities with Destiny developers via their official website. The development promises long-term job opportunities with Nevisians prioritised for vacancies and will generate much needed revenue during a period of economic uncertainty which the NIA has pledged to invest across the island.
Residents asked questions pertaining to Zone access, economic opportunity and environmental impacts, all of which were discussed in detail by the NIA panel. On access to the Zone, Brantley made parallels with the existing Four Seasons development, saying that technological measures will ensure that all Nevisians will have easy access.
On economic impacts, the meeting pointed to the Zone’s major benefits for infrastructure projects including the Alexandra Hospital and how developers must invest in their own infrastructure including the supply of water and energy, much of which will be renewable. This ensures no overall burden for local taxpayers.
Brantley also pointed to the significance of developer commitments to sharing their profits with both Nevisians directly (5%) and the NIA (20%), something which has never been done before.
Those present on numerous occasions thanked the panel for ‘clearing the air’ on false narratives which have circulated primarily on online platforms, with the panel advising Nevisians to be wary of misleading headlines around the project and to always follow official channels.
The NIA has pledged to continue public discourse about the project and around significant developments.
Disclaimer
This article was posted in its entirety as received by SKN PULSE. This Curation Network & Social Media Agency does not correct any spelling or grammatical errors within press releases and editorials. Therefore, the views expressed therein are not necessarily those of SKNPULSE or SKN PULSE Social, its sponsors, or advertisers.
