The St Vincent government has confirmed that the new management agreement for the cruise port will mandate that top management positions be filled by Vincentians.
Speaking on the New Times radio program, Junior Minister of Education Lavern King detailed the government’s approach to the highly anticipated port project. She clarified to the public that the recently signed document is a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), not a definitive lease agreement, ensuring that the public is aware of the ongoing conversations. This MOU outlines an unprecedented level of local inclusion and economic integration.
A central pillar of the ongoing negotiations is the strict requirement for local leadership. “The top management of the company has to be Vincentian as well,” the Junior Minister stated. She emphasized that this mandate guarantees that “our people will be upskilled” and provided with invaluable industry expertise that “could never leave them”.
This move is expected to generate significant employment opportunities, allowing locals to change career paths and directly benefit from the large-scale investment. Noting the immense scale of the project, she added, “You can’t have something expected to be 225 million and then no jobs created by it”.
Beyond executive leadership, the government is ensuring that the financial windfalls of the port’s success remain within the country. The MOU clearly stipulates that 30% of the managing company brought in to operate the port must be locally owned by Vincentians.
Describing the deal as “putting Vincentians first,” the Minister noted that this is a first-of-its-kind agreement in the OECS (Organization of Eastern Caribbean States). She actively encouraged locals with the capital to consider investing, pointing out that the managing company already has a highly successful, proven track record operating ports in St. Lucia and the Bahamas. She highlighted that private business is designed to make a profit, and this local ownership stake allows Vincentians to “sit and let your money work for you”.
This strategic public-private partnership aligns directly with the administration’s campaign promises to build the nation through the “four pillars of the economy,” specifically advancing the blue economy and tourism sectors, she stated.