A bathymetric study or survey that was undertaken before any dredging could commence south of Argyle Airport for materials to be used in the construction of the modern port in Kingstown is now complete.Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves on Thursday disclosed this at a press conference in Kingstown.“The bathymetric study has been completed of the particular area where Aecon wants to take the fill material from, and the subcommittee of Cabinet with all the technical persons have met as a consequence of the result from the study and other technical analysis.”A bathymetric survey measures the depth of a body of water as well as maps the underwater features of the body. Multiple methods can be used for bathymetric surveys, including multi-beam and single-beam surveys, ADCPs, sub-bottom profilers, and the Ecomapper Autonomous Underwater Vehicle.Gonsalves said technical experts have recommended a conclusion or finalization of the agreement between the government and Aecon.“They have sent all the relevant data that has been gathered to the physical planning authorities.” I’m hopeful that I’ll get a draft copy of that agreement sometime before the end of today so that Cabinet can have a review of it and say whether we approved the terms of it in the manner in which it is drafted so that we can get that particular matter forward and behind us and get on with the things we are agreeing upon.”On Sunday, April 2nd, Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves said on WEFM’s “Issue at Hand” program that the government and Aecon had reached an agreement on environmental issues related to the bathymetric study and the independent scientific confirmation.Gonsalves also stated then that Aecon had agreed to pay $20 million for the material. The original number was $1 million, he said.
