PM Douglas visits Caribbean Cinemas’ multiplex
By Terresa McCall
Reporter-SKNVibes.com
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - A progress report on the construction of what is expected to be a “state-of the art” facility was given to Prime Minister of the Federation Dr. Denzil Douglas and Minister of State with responsibility for Tourism, Richard “Ricki” Skerrit earlier today during a “walk-through” at the construction site of Caribbean Cinemas’ multiplex, Buckley’s, St. Kitts.
Sometime after 9:00 this morning Dr. Douglas and Skerrit, along with President of Caribbean Cinemas Robert Carrady and other Caribbean Cinema officials, took a brief tour of the facility of which construction began some eight months ago.
Carrady explained that the cinema, following its construction and opening, would provide a modern facility and comfortable environment in which to view the latest
movies.
“We have other similar cinemas. We opened one last June in St. Lucia; we opened in St. Maarten four years ago. The first stadium we ever did was a stadium in Puerto Rico back in 1998.
This (in St. Kitts) is the latest design, whether in the United States, Europe, Asia, everywhere. This is the latest design! The chairs will be high-back rockers where you can actually rock back and forth. All of St. Kitts will be very pleased.”
Carrady also gave an idea of what services would be offered at the seven-theater facility.
“The schedule will be Monday through Friday…two shows per day. Somewhere between 6:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. will be the first show and the second show will be between 9:00 p.m. and 9:15 p.m.
On Saturdays and Sundays we will open from 2:00 p.m. So we will have four shows; one around 2:00 (p.m.), one around 4:00 (p.m.), 7:00 (.p.m) and somewhere around 9:00 (p.m.). We are very tuned in with family entertainment and we always try to have at least one programme for the families, for the kids.” ~~Adz:Left~~
Presently, the construction of the facility employs some 35 individuals, and according to Carrady, “the cinema will probably hire about 50 people” following its completion.
“…The retail establishments infront; we have a coffee shop going in. We’ll have an ice-cream parlor, a pizza place; those will also generate additional employment. Caribbean Cinemas will be 100 percent owner, operator, everything to do with the cinema. What we will lease out will be the establishments like the coffee, the ice-cream, the pizza. We’ll give that to those guys who specialise in that type of thing. We will also be having a 1000-square foot game room. We’ll have a supervisor flying in on occasion, but we expect the theater manager and everyone else to be local.”
Both PM Douglas and Minister Skerritt applauded Caribbean Cinemas, which is locally represented by Sherwin White, for the investment it made to the Federation.
Construction of the 1,200 capacity facility is scheduled to conclude in August of this year.
