BASSETERRE, St.Kitts (Friday 25th September 2020) -The West Line Bus Association, headed by Nicholson ‘Rambo’ Webster, is being applauded by the government for taking the initiative to share a design idea regarding the upgraded changes to the bus terminal which is now officially opened.
Tuesday 22nd September 2020 saw the ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the occasion of the opening of the West Basseterre Bus Terminal, along the Bay Road, following a two week trial that was implemented from Wednesday 26th August to Wednesday 9th September.
The project construction, which began in October 2019 and completed in August 2020 came at an overall cost of EC$2.7 million covered by the St. Christopher Air and Sea Ports Authority (SCASPA).
Minister of Tourism, Transport and Ports Lindsay Grant, during his remarks, said the new terminal speaks to the government’s “commitment to ensuring the safety and comfort of those who provide and those who rely on our public transport system.”
“What we are witnessing here this morning is the end result of a process that has taken much cooperation, coordination and unity of purpose to achieve a desired outcome. In the final stages of the construction of this facility just over a month ago for example, Mr. Nicholson ‘Rambo’ Webster, President of the West Line Bus Association approached me and the Minister of Transport and Ports with a graphic design and his ideas for the eventual layout of this terminal, and to ensure an inclusive and harmonized approach, discussions ensued between the Ministry and the bus associations using the facility of the Traffic Department, the Ministry of Sustainable Development and SCASPA and following which a decision was taken to do a two- week trial from the Wednesday 26th of August to Wednesday 9th of September 2020. It was agreed that this would test the theory of Rambo’s design and provide the concrete data needed for decision making.”
Grant continued: “I’m happy to report that this report proved to be sound and very useful. Much of what was proposed has been implemented with a few modifications here and there… What we are seeing here today is not just here by chance, it is the result of citizens being proactive, being efficient and being disciplined enough to calculate how often buses leave the terminal at peak times…”
Entities and individuals who collectively worked on the bus terminal project were praised by Grant for their patriotism, patience and commitment.
Speaking with Webster following the ceremony, he had this to say when quizzed by this reporter about the graphic design: “It was an initiative by the West Line Bus Association, We had some folks who had some ideas and we put all our ideas together in one package and we approached the government as to how the terminal should be run and it would be the best way for all drivers and operators.”
Front Page Photo: A look at the West Basseterre Bus Terminal under construction in July 2020 (Spokesman Snap)
Photo: Highlight of the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the official opening of the West Basseterre Bus Terminal on Tuesday 22nd September 2020 featuring government representatives including Prime Minister Dr. Timothy Harris (second from left) and (second from right) Minister of Tourism, Transport and Ports Lindsay Grant (Spokesman Snap)