The introduction of a “port fee” for Dockyard tour operators is being contemplated, as the West End Development Corporation seeks extra revenue to cover sweeping renovations of its historic buildings.

The news was met with dismay by Shadow Transport Minister Lawrence Scott, who called it “an odious fee which could end up killing the little trade they are currently competing against great odds to obtain”.

Hitting back at detractors of Wedco’s new transport arrangement for tourists at Dockyard, chairman Ray Charlton said the possible new charge was merely under consideration by the board.

Mr Charlton also confirmed that the quango receives $1.50 for each beach shuttle trip taken by cruise visitors, under a scheme implemented last week that the Opposition has branded unacceptable “market interference”.

In the switch to using minibuses from having public buses transport cruise visitors to Horseshoe Bay Beach, $2 is taken off the $16 round trip ticket, with 50¢ going to the minibus association and the rest taken by Wedco.

Calling it a facilitation charge, Mr Charlton told The Royal Gazette: “In order to get this system operating, Wedco has had to put staff in booths to sell and collect tickets and administrate the system.”

He added that it was “ludicrous” for detractors to accuse Wedco of reaping the benefits of the new arrangement.

“It’s not a huge profit. Most of it covers basic costs. Yes, there is some left over, but shouldn’t Wedco get some? We just spent more than $600,000 repaving the main grounds in the Dockyard. To hear people calling it a kickback is absolutely ludicrous — statements like that, I feel, are only designed to cause dissent and conflict.”

Long criticised for allowing old buildings to become rundown, the organisation now faces steep bills for repairs.

“Wedco doesn’t receive a Government grant, and there is a great deal of maintenance that has to be done on old buildings,” Mr Charlton said.

“One building will have to be wind and water tightened over the winter — replacing the roof and fixing the windows and putting in new steps — which will cost in the region of $600,000 to $700,000. We need new revenues to get this work done. Right now we survive on the rent charged to commercial and residential tenants. This year the Wedco board has voted to spend more than $2 million on infrastructure, on irrigation and the re-tarmacking of roads, the revamping of buildings that have fallen into disrepair. Over the last winter we had 18 different contractors working in the Dockyard.”

As well as saving “national treasures”, he said the aim was to make Dockyard “a world-class facility, and provide a little money stimulus to people that could use the work in the slow season”.

A port fee, if implemented, could be imposed on “tour operators and taxi drivers” in Dockyard to raise money.

“We don’t have details yet like how much would be charged,” Mr Charlton said. “We don’t anticipate that money would come out of the pockets of the supplier. The cost would be passed on to the person going on the tour. This type of arrangement is common in places like St Maarten and the Turks and Caicos Islands. For any person looking to go on a tour, there is a head tax. That’s what’s under discussion.”

He continued: “Wedco is providing a facility, so why should Wedco not receive a portion to maintain it? Wedco pays for people to keep the restrooms clean. If someone backs into a light pole in Dockyard, those things are not cheap — it costs $5,000. Labelling charges as kickbacks is absurd.”

His remarks came after Wedco came under fire on social media and talk radio, after photographs were circulated of visitors queuing up for transport.

Both Mr Charlton and Wedco General Manager Andrew Dias told The Royal Gazette that no mass delays had been reported, and Transport Minister Shawn Crockwell maintained that the average wait was 20 minutes.

“We sometimes have 300 or 400 people queuing for the ferry to get to St George’s, and as soon as the gates open they are all aboard in very short time,” Mr Charlton said.

Charging that there were “many people out there who don’t want this to succeed”, the Wedco chairman said “mischief making e-mails” had been sent to a popular talk radio show.

“Right now this is being made into a political football,” he said, accusing Shadow Tourism Minister Zane DeSilva, along with Mr Scott, of milking the problematic launch of the transport scheme for political gain.

“The main hiccup that started the problems last week was that there were private ventures selling bus tickets and they were not informing our guests of the beach shuttle option.”

While Mr Charlton said taxi drivers had reported an increase in fares, he admitted that some had complained.

“They’re still not altogether happy, and we are listening to their concerns regarding having a dedicated area at Horseshoe Beach and competition bringing guests back from the beach. It’s not a perfect system yet and we’re working to make it better. But there’s a difference between having an open, honest dialogue, and people purposely putting out misinformation to try and sabotage this endeavour.”

Once a strident critic of Wedco, Mr Charlton admitted his view had changed since his appointment as chairman — and said he was prepared to take flak over Wedco’s attempts to raise revenue.

“Just to give people an idea of the magnitude of the work, there are more than 100 windows in the Clock Tower Mall, and it can cost $400 to $800 each to get them scraped, primed and repainted.”