The Bahamas
The long-delayed West End ferry terminal is headed back to tender — but only after the government downsized the project following bids that blew past the budget by tens of millions of dollars.
The Ministry of Communications and Works announced this week that the facility has been redesigned after the two bids opened in February 2025 came in at about $64 million and $94 million, roughly four and six times the $15.5 million budgeted by the Recovery and Development Agency, which is overseeing the project.
Communications and Works Minister Kye Rymer said the ministry had little choice but to go back to the drawing board.
“These figures were not feasible, and, simply put, the original scope was more than could be afforded,” Mr. Rymer said in a statement posted May 19. “This required the ministry to seek the necessary permissions from the Caribbean Development Bank to pause and revisit the design phase entirely. The ministry has now completed that work.”
He added that engineering reports had shown that some reclamation work is still needed because the current footprint is “not stable enough.” As a result, he said, the building plans have been downsized.
“The ministry recognises that this is not the outcome anyone had hoped for, but the redesign was necessary to keep the project moving forward within available resources,” he said.
The new design, led by the international consulting firm INROS Lackner SE, reduces the building footprint from the previously planned 42,000 square feet while keeping “essential amenities” intended to improve travel for residents and visitors, according to the ministry.
“The ministry understands that people are disappointed with the pace of this project,” Mr. Rymer stated. “That frustration is felt keenly.”
He added that the new tender process is expected to open later this year. The ministry also released renderings of the revised design for public viewing.
Specs not released
However, specifics are not yet available.
Asked for the planned square footage and other details, the ministry told the Beacon on May 19 that the “preliminary designs are still being worked on” and promised to provide the information once they are completed.
No timeline was available for that process, the ministry said.
Image: pexels-shotkit