Chief Executive Officer of the Barbados Port Inc David Jean-Marie has announced plans for the construction of a multimillion-dollar boat repair facility.He said, in keeping with the port’s master plan, approximately 4.5 acres of land along the Mighty Grynner Highway have been allocated for the development of the facility intended to meet the needs of the local boating sector and reduce cost and foreign exchange output as boat owners would not have to take their craft overseas for service and repairs.Following a ceremony for the presentation of the Minister’s Award of Excellence to two outstanding marine students from the Samuel Jackman Prescod Institute of Technology (SJPIT) held at the Ministry of Tourism and International Transport on Friday, Jean-Marie said plans for the new facility are currently before the Town Planning Department.“We are now waiting for the approvals to come through. We have tendered and awarded it already. Right now they are going through the planning process. It will be a multimillion dollar concession,” he said.Jean-Marie said the highly-anticipated facility will also service transient commercial and recreational vessels for short and long-term maintenance, satisfy repair and overhaul needs, including emergency haul-outs.
