Anegada Terminal Upgrades Put on Hold Pending
Plans to upgrade the Anegada passenger terminal — including a 40-foot container office, perimeter fencing, covered waiting areas and upgraded restrooms — were widely reported as underway, but the Anegada Land Advisory Committee has confirmed the project is temporarily paused pending local input. A meeting between the community and BVI Port Authority representatives is scheduled for October 30 to discuss next steps ahead of the 2025 Lobster Festival.
Construction activity at Setting Point that had been reported this week as the start of upgrades to Anegada’s passenger terminal is now on hold while local leaders seek a greater say in the project, the Anegada Land Advisory Committee (ALAC) confirmed in a recent announcement to Jahphix Television (JTV).
Just two days earlier, media reports had described work accelerating at the dock to prepare for the 2025 Anegada Lobster Festival. Those reports said the programme included a 40-foot container office to house Her Majesty’s Customs, Immigration, ferry agents and BVIPA staff, perimeter fencing to boost security, covered waiting areas, upgraded restrooms and the addition of main and secondary gates to regulate dock access to international standards (reported by Jahphix Television).
Residents and regular travellers have long complained about limited shelter and ageing facilities at the dock, especially during the annual Lobster Festival when hundreds of visitors arrive. Local sources welcomed the proposed improvements, saying they would offer greater comfort, safety and convenience for passengers and market vendors.
But the ALAC chairman told JTV that, following a productive discussion with BVIPA Managing Director Akeem Pickering on October 24, both parties agreed to pause the project so Anegadians could provide input. The chairman emphasised local concerns about basic services such as water and power availability for landowners and argued the community should not be presented with a “bare minimum” solution without the opportunity to contribute. “Why should we accept the bare minimum handed to us without the opportunity to input?
Right is right and wrong is wrong!” he said. The committee confirmed a meeting with members of the BVI Port Authority is scheduled for Thursday, October 30, to discuss the project and next steps; a press release updating the public is expected shortly, according to JTV. That meeting is intended to ensure local voices are included in decisions about the terminal’s design and implementation.
BVIPA leadership had previously publicly committed to improvements. During the 2023 Lobster Festival, Managing Director Akeem Pickering told JTV News that upgrades were planned and that some work on the bulkhead had already been completed, with further improvements originally targeted for completion by 2024.
Government leaders — including Premier Dr. Natalio Wheatley — have framed the investment as part of wider efforts to strengthen sister-island infrastructure and meet international standards for ports of entry. While the pause could delay parts of the planned works, officials and community leaders say the consultation process may produce a more sustainable and broadly supported outcome.
The 2025 Anegada Lobster Festival, scheduled for November 28–30, remains a key milestone for testing the terminal’s new capabilities if the timeline can be preserved. For now, residents and visitors should expect the proposed improvements to be subject to community discussions before construction proceeds further; JTV is reporting developments and a public update is anticipated after the October 30 meeting.
Primary source: JTV