MP Leacock Urges Commercial Ownership to Ease Taxpayer Burden for port repayment

An image from Lance Neverson of the newly opened Kingstown Port and an image of Vice President of the New Democratic Party (NDP) St. Clair Leacock (right).

By Admin. Updated 9:22 p.m., Friday, November 7, 2025, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).

Opposition Member of Parliament Major St. Clair Leacock has intensified his critique of the Government’s financing strategy for the newly constructed Kingstown Port, warning that taxpayers may be forced to “dig deeper into their pockets” to repay the EC$750 million investment.

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Speaking at a recent political meeting, Mr Leacock questioned the economic logic behind building a port “7 times the size” of the existing facility, which he noted generates only EC$2 million in annual profit. “Just because you build a bigger port doesn’t mean you’ll make seven times the profit,” he argued. “The same amount of goods will be imported; the same people will consume, and if the port has to be paid for who is going to pay for, it’s you.”

Leacock proposed a shared ownership model, suggesting that private entities be offered stakes in the port. “If they want shares in the port, give it to them,” he said. “If you commercialize the port, you lower the cost of keeping it going and reduce what the public has to pay. “This is what happens the world over,” Leacock added, referencing international examples where ports are operated through public private partnerships.

The EC$750 million price tag represents one of the largest infrastructure investments in the country’s history. While government officials have touted the port as a transformative asset to boosting trade, Leacock warned that without a clear revenue model, the burden would fall on ordinary Vincentians.

The Government has maintained that the port will pay for itself through increased trade, improved cargo handling, and expanded export capacity through various sectors.

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