Above: Clarkes Court Bay

By the Caribbean Journal staff

A New Zealand-based developer is investing $30 million in the expansion of the Clarkes Court Bay Marina in Grenada.

Developer Kelly Glass was on hand for the groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday, marking the start of official work on the project.

“The expansion and further development of the Clarkes Court Bay Marina therefore means an increase in the levels of employment and an increase in very needed jobs,” said Grenada Tourism Minister Alexandra Otway-Noel.

According to Connor Holmes, general manager of the Clarkes Court Bay Marina, the project team had to go through a “rigorous process” to ensure protection of the local marine environment during construction.

“It was not easy to take a site like this,” he said. “This is Mt Hartman Bay. We have the Grenada Dove Sanctuary, we have the Marine Protected Area, we have the mangroves over there. These are very important things that need to be guarded, safeguarded, looked after and managed.”

According to Glass, the first phase of the project is anticipated to open in May of 2015. The plan, he said, is to build a “world-class marina.”

“In this day of high speed communications and growth, private sector investors that have money must be dealt with in a professional and expeditious manner as there are many countries with development opportunities looking for investors,” he said. “My experience in Grenada has been excellent.”