Published 29 November 2017
Buckie Got It, St. Kitts and Nevis News Source Ross University students to return to USA
By: Jermine Abel, SKNVibes.com
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – MINISTER of Tourism, Hon. Lindsay Grant has explained that the Government had challenges accommodating the Ross University students from Dominica who were relocated to St. Kitts following the passage of Hurricane Maria.
The students are currently living and attending classes onboard a ship docked at St. Kitts’s Port Zante.
However, their time here has been a challenging one, as very often the vessel has to sail further out in the Caribbean Sea so that visiting vessels can safely dock in St. Kitts.
According to Minister Grant, the challenge is owing to the bumper period over the next several months.
“The real issue is that we have challenges in accommodating them because of the bumper cruise season. And so I believe that it is better for them to shift their resources elsewhere…”
He noted that the impact on the local economy from the ship was very significant during the tenure of the student’s presence on the island.
“…they have been a significant contributor to the economy since they have been here, and we continue to be grateful for that.”
Reports surfaced recently that the students were leaving St. Kitts due to the poor conditions under which they were operating.
Further, there were complaints that officials made an agreement for the vessel to be docked at Port Zante, but they were made to venture out to sea whenever a number of cruise vessels make calls to St. Kitts.
They are expected to return to the United States and operate until Dominica returns to a position of normalcy.
But the Minister told reporters that they would continue to “cooperate and collaborate and accommodate them”.
Grant indicated that they had looked at all possibilities including accommodating the students in Nevis, but that is not possible at the moment.
Though he did not provide specifics in relation to the full impact the students would have had on the Federation while being here, Minister Grant however stated that there would have been significant purchases at various supermarkets, rental of vehicles and a flourishing St. Kitts night life on Port Zante.
“The impact has been significant, but we wouldn’t be able to determine that unless we would have seen the numbers.”
