DESPITE BEING owed millions of dollars in rent, the Barbados Investment and Development Corporation (BIDC) is being advised by Minister of Industry Donville Inniss not to act as a landlord.
“I believe the BIDC is owed close to $10 million in rent by tenants from the industrial estate which is not a little bit of money but I have always argued that agencies like the BIDC must not function as landlords – they are business development agencies.
“Where an analysis is done which shows a particular sector is delinquent then we have a duty to ascertain why that is the case and see what can be done from a business development perspective,” he said.
Inniss was speaking after a tour of River Bay Trading, Wildey Industrial Park, St Michael.
As for those who could pay rent but refused to he said his view was to “lock the doors and keep them out” but said most entrepreneurs were willing to make a contribution, adding it was a give and take situation as there may be tenants waiting on some Government refund. (CA)
