NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (July 17, 2018) —Requests from clients in Guyana to the Nevis Housing and Land Development Corporation (NHLDC) for aggregates mined on Nevis, has paved the way for the first shipment to be exported to that country, expanding the island’s export market.
Hon. Alexis Jeffers, Acting Premier of Nevis and Minister of Natural Resources in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) described the 2,500-tonne shipment as a historic one as he witnessed a barge, docked at the Long Point Port, being loaded on July 17, 2018.
“This morning is a historic day, in my opinion, for the Nevis Island Administration and also the Nevis Housing and Land Development Corporation. The reason why I say that is because we are currently loading 2,500 tonnes of crushed stone to be shipped off to Guyana…
“Over the years we have been receiving resources from Guyana such as rice, sugar, sand, fish products as a matter of fact we also receive jewellery and other resources and most important of all, we have been receiving our brothers and sisters out of Guyana, who bring resources here as well. So today is a reversal of that, in that, we are sending some aggregates back to Guyana which will be used for construction there,” he said.
The shipment which is expected to leave the island on July 17, 2018, is the second largest shipment of aggregate exported to other countries. The first was on February 20, 2018, when 3,000 tonnes was shipped from the government-owned quarry at New River to St. Maarten.
Mr. Jeffers who is also the Chairman of the NHLDC Board of Directors disclosed that as they continue to meet the demands for construction material locally, the corporation is exploring the possibility of making the Guyana shipment a monthly one with another planned export elsewhere shortly.
“We would love to make this a monthly transaction in that every time a boat comes here and they are going back to Guyana empty we would like to be able to provide them with some material to go back to cover their cost in that journey back to Guyana.
“I want to say we are going to have a similar shipment we will be sending off to St. Maarten just after Culturama,” he said.
Mr. Jeffers used the opportunity to commend the four-member staff at the quarry for their effort and dedication to their job which reflects positively on the corporation and by extension all of Nevis.
He stated that the NHLDC has been trying its best to ensure that all of Nevis benefits from its endeavours through the provision of employment and other opportunities, and making the necessary resources available for those involved in construction.
Sourced Information: www.nia.gov.kn
