By Devonne Cornelius
St. Kitts and Nevis (WINN) — On Wednesday, October 07, 2020, the Ministry of Tourism, Transport and Ports, held a media tour of the Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw International Airport on retrofit works ongoing at the airport.
The work, which is being facilitated by the St. Christopher Air and Sea Ports Authority, will be done in two phases. Phase One involves the retrofit of the arrival area and the installation of sneeze guards, while Phase Two will focus on the retrofit of the departure area.
Minister of Tourism, Transport and Ports, Hon. Lindsay Grant gave specific details of the retrofit works taking place at the airport.
“Phase One would include the construction of the welcome center on the ramp of arrivals to house passengers ahead of the medical screening. This involves the erection of a 50 by a 100-foot tent, transparent, on reinforced wood flooring. And bathroom facilities in the containers. The welcome center would be air-conditioned, equipped with seating to accommodate in excess of 140 passengers. A concession stand and tv’s displaying the relevant and pertinent information.”
He added that the centre is being built in a way to be easily dismantled and secured in the event of a storm or a hurricane.
Minister Grant further stated that there will be the construction of a medical center with an isolation unit. He said, “this facility will be used by a medical team, and would also house passengers, deemed by the medical team, to be of high risk”. He also said that there will be a reconfiguration of the immigration hall which will be divided into two, physically separated by a partition.
“One section will be used for the queuing of approximately 40 passengers, physically distanced, awaiting medical screening, and the other section for regular immigration processing. The VIP lounge will be transformed into a medical screening room outfitted with four screening stations and thermal scanning cameras”.
Work is to be completed at a cost of EC$2 million dollars, funded by the government and the project is being done by Brisbane O’Garro Alvaranga Architects and Baley Project Management and Construction Incorporated. The retrofitting commenced on September 28 and is expected to be completed on October 26, 2020.
