Opposition Leader Ralph Thorne has called for greater transparency and public accountability as the Government pushes forward with ambitious development plans for Holetown, St James.
He was speaking in the House of Assembly Friday during the Resolution Of Section 5 Land Acquisition Act, Cap 228, Trents, St James.
The proposal, piloted by Dr William Duguid, Minister of Planning and Development, includes relocating critical public services to a new site outside the flood-prone zone by constructing a new modern civic centre, police station, court facility and other essential infrastructure on the 18.5 acres of land on the border of the constituency of St James North.
The beachfront land which currently houses the civic centre in St James remains in the possession of the Barbados Tourism Investment Inc. (BTII) and is going to be transformed into an 80-room hotel at the cost of $172 million, which will then be sold to a new owner.
Clarity
Thorne questioned the transparency surrounding the transaction, particularly the identity of the new tenant for the beachfront land.
“The people of Barbados would want to know whether that tenant is local or foreign and that is important within the tourism industry,” he said.
He stressed the need for public disclosure of any financial transactions or land swaps involved, urging clarity on whether the beachfront land would be sold, leased or exchanged.
“If it is a swap, certainly the beachfront land has higher market value than the landside land. The people of Barbados expect that this country, this treasury, will benefit financially,” Thorne asserted. He emphasised that the Government must ensure the public was fully informed of any deals involving public land.
Thorne also voiced concerns about the potential impact on public beach access, citing examples such as Oistins in Christ Church where Government
ownership ensured unrestricted access.
“Will the people of St James still be able to guarantee access to the beach? And that’s an important question,” he said. He urged Government to provide assurances that public access to the beach would remain unimpeded, even if the land was sold or leased to private entities.
Earlier, Duguid highlighted the benefits of relocating public services to a safer inland location, stating the current civic centre, which is prone to flooding, was also constrained by its lack of space and thus limited room for expansion.
“This acquisition will not only facilitate a new and improved police station, a new and improved civic centre on the Hull, a new and improved court, a new and improved Barbados Revenue Authority, a new and improved Barbados Licencing Authority, a new and improved welfare facility, but it will also give an opportunity for new and improved parking for all of Hull Town,” Duguid explained.
He underscored the rapid pace of development in the area, pointing to the construction of hotels, which, he said, would drive demand for improved infrastructure. “Barbados is abuzz with building activity . . . people have confidence in Barbados and this administration,” Duguid declared.
The senior minister maintained that the Government’s strategy prioritised economic growth, which he described as essential for overcoming the island’s financial challenges.
“The only way you can get yourself out of the economic problem is by growth and what we have shown is the way to get it done is to get it done through growth.”
(JC)
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