The government is in talks with Disney Cruise Line to “do something” about expanding the territory’s cruise ship pier, Premier Ralph O’Neal announced at a Virgin Islands Party campaign rally Saturday. But he and other government officials offered no details about how a partnership with the firm may work.
“Before campaigning is all over, you will hear more details about it,” he said. “The government is not dragging its feet; the government is working in the interest of the people of the British Virgin Islands.”
Speaking at Little “A” Racetrack for the launch of the re-election campaign of Julian Fraser (R-D3), Mr. O’Neal said the government has been working to expand the pier to accommodate larger ships, but needed to first study the effects of dredging in the area.
“These things had to be done before you get down to hammer and nails; you just can’t jump and say, ‘Well, yes: Go ahead and build the dock,’” the premier said. “You have to do certain investigations and so on, and they take time. Several times I had to get on the telephone and talk with the chairman of Disney lines.”
Mr. O’Neal said that the chairman of Disney Cruise Line, who the company’s website lists as Karl Holz, was in the territory recently to complete an agreement, but this could not be independently verified as of the Beacon’s print deadline yesterday.
See the Oct. 13, 2011 edition for full coverage.