The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business

Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

LONG Island businesses have given mixed reactions to the island’s proposed $250m cruise port, with some arguing it lacks the capacity to sustain the project and others asserting it is vital to prevent communities “dying out”.

Gary Ritchie, owner/ operator of the Max Conch Bar & Grill, told Tribune Business there is “no way” Long Island has the population and infrastructure to help build-out the Calypso Cove proposal. He added that it has neither the manpower nor the lodging capacity to house workers brought in to construct the cruise port, planned resort and other amenities.

“The port will be like the rest of them; it’ll never happen,” said Mr Ritchie. “What they are talking about is getting a certain percentage of people on Long Island to do it, but I’ve been looking for a kitchen server or help around here now for three years. There’s nobody here to do that work, and it doesn’t make sense. Then, if you’re talking about giving the other Long Island people who are in the other islands a second chance, well, good luck with that.”

Mr Ritchie said no representative from Calypso Cove had yet taken time out to meet with anyone from the Long Island Association on the project. He added that the only information he possesses came from the presentation given by one of Calypso Cove’s principals, Sherif Assal, at the Long Island Business Outlook.

“There were other developments that were supposed to happen on this island that never happened,” Mr Ritchie said. “Some of them spanning back 20 years; they all fell apart for the same reason. The people on the island know this. I don’t know why the Government believes they can just pop up with new investors like it will all fall into place, when it takes more work than that.

“The island can’t even take additional cruise passengers. There are no venues on the island for them to go to. Long Island only has about 2,000 people spaced over 100 miles. There is no one to guide the people around even if they wanted to see the island, and no proper place to receive them.”

However, Sharon Cartwright, owner/operator of Sunflower Food Mart, backed the Calypso Cove proposal. She said: “We need the jobs and economic stimulus the cruise port will bring. The island needs it.

“The family structure is messed up here, too. Too many of the children leave the island and, in fact, leave the country because there aren’t any opportunities here for them. That, in turn, destroys the small communities on the island because no one is coming back to help build and families are dying out.”

The cruise port is projected to handle up to 12,000 people daily when completed, which will give businesses on the island an opportunity to make money. Long Island is also suffering from a shortage of housing. “As long as we see some type of activity that would spur more people on to build, but if there isn’t anything happening then there is no use,” Ms Cartwright said.