Some workers and commuters in Holetown, St James, are not in favour of Government’s plan to relocate the historic area’s Civic Centre to make way for tourism development.
Recently in the House of Assembly, Senior Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Dr William Duguid revealed that a new civic centre will be built at nearby Trents to cost in the range of $40 million, while a $172 million, 80-room hotel will be constructed.
The almost 75 000 square metres of land to be acquired at Trents will house the police station, courts, Barbados Revenue Authority, post office, library and other services within the Holetown Complex.
Recently, some upset people in Holetown – which is celebrated as the landing spot of the first European settlers – told the DAILY NATION they wanted the centre to stay where it was, while complaining that the country was heading towards a path where locals were being denied further access to coastal areas.
“Years ago you could walk down this whole beach here,” said a taxi driver who gave his name as Tyrone. “Mark my words, before you die you’re going to realise you can’t even walk down the beach.”
Fellow taxi-man Derek Greenidge felt the relocation was unnecessary, adding there were already enough tourism developments restricting beach access along the area.
“One of the things the people would want is for things to be transparent and make sure that a greater number of people benefit from it. In my view, I don’t think it is necessary right now because we got a lot of hotels on the beach. So if you move it (the civic centre), it has to be for the betterment of the locals, not just a few and not just for the tourists,” he said.
Judy Welcome-Brenes, a commuter, reckoned that the relocation will be an inconvenience noting that the central nature of the centre, near the bus stop and supermarket, was invaluable.
“I prefer it out here because out here is central where everybody is shopping and the hotels and everything. From the time I was small, this post office was where I went with my grandmother to collect her pension, and go to the library.
“The police station and different things we need are around here so if you need anything, they are right there,” she said.
Tyson, who was waiting outside the Barbados Revenue Authority, said both Trents and Holetown needed improvements to the drainage system before anything could be built.
“You get so much water coming down St James into Holetown and they don’t have proper drainage in this area yet, so if they gonna think about hotels, first thing they have to consider is proper drainage.
“I would hope they don’t have these tourism developments at ground level because in a half-hour rain you have a foot and a half of brown water in this area,” he said.
Highlighting some of the benefits of the project, Duguid told the House that the inland relocation was a safer alternative to safeguard the facilities from the constant flooding in the area. He also noted that the centre was constrained by its lack of space and thus limited in its expansion.
He maintained that Government’s strategy prioritised economic growth essential for overcoming the country’s financial challenges.
Opposition Leader Ralph Thorne called for greater transparency on the development plans for the Holetown area. He stressed that Government must ensure the public was fully aware of any deals involving public land and urged it to provide assurances that public access to the beach would remain unimpeded, even if the land was sold or leased to private entities.
