Government is in the process of purchasing the old Geddes Grant Building on Whitepark Road, St Michael, to convert into offices for the Barbados Police Service.
This was confirmed recently by Senior Minister Dr William Duguid, who is in charge of infrastructural projects.
Responding to reports which suggested that Government had forcibly acquired the property from its owners, Duguid said that was not true and the purchase was negotiated by him.
“It was a normal sale. We have negotiated the sale. The owners agreed and the deposit has been paid,” he said while denying there was a compulsory acquisition.
He said the plan is to build a police station on the spot but he declined to reveal how much was being paid for the property.
However, a Nation team was reliably informed that it was in the region of $10 million.
“We have reached an agreement with the owners and the Government is in the process of purchasing the building to refurbish it to house the police,” Duguid reiterated.
He reminded that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), which was previously located on Redman Drive, St Michael, was closed due to environmental issues, forcing police officers to be housed in different areas. He added that the Black Rock Police Station was also recently closed.
“So we’ve got to find somewhere to house them because it has been a constant thing. So our intention is to refurbish the building and house a section of the Police Service.”
During her presentation of the Financial Statement and Budgetary Proposals back in March, Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley announced that the Geddes Grant Building would be purchased to house all of the CID officers who were displaced all over Barbados after the building on Redman Drive was deemed environmentally unfit.
At the time, president of the Barbados Police Association, Sergeant Mervin Grace, welcomed the move.
“I understand that it is a viable solution for the CID. So far we have seen the Geddes Grant Complex and we like what we are seeing. We know it is going to take a little time to do all the due diligence but we are willing to hold out. Hopefully, it won’t be for too long,” he said then, adding that CID personnel had been scattered in different buildings.
“That is an untenable situation . . . . Let us hope that they move with some speed to put them all in one place so that he can manage the entire CID properly.”
