Prime Minister Mia Mottley has announced that she will be meeting with the developers of every major development in Barbados, including the Hyatt Project, over the next week.
The purpose of the meetings, she disclosed, was to get a clear understanding of where the projects were; to identify any obstacles in their way; and to establish the things that needed to be addressed in order to facilitate the kind of growth necessary to propel the Barbados economy.
Noting that some conversations would be easy and others more difficult, the Prime Minister said no-one would be excluded. “We’re going to address all the issues because Barbados must be a place where development can take place but at the same time the rules of fairness and transparency will be respected.”
Speaking last Thursday evening at a ceremony to announce the Harmony Hall Green condominium project at St Lawrence, Christ Church, Mottley stressed the need for the laws related to development in Barbados to be brought into the 21st century.
She said she had mandated a review of legislation related to town and country planning as well as water zoning.
“We have to determine whether the same rules that apply to large investors ought to be the same rules that apply to a single dwelling house. We are going to have discussions as to whether we can continue to build flat roof houses, knowing that they are going to be the most vulnerable in a hurricane or whether we must not return to houses with gable roofs and hip roofs to be able to withstand hurricane and high gale force winds.”
Another important discussion, she said, would surround the height of buildings along the coast, as well as in and outside of Bridgetown. The Prime Minister stressed that this type of discussion and consultation, which would take place over the next six to eight weeks, was necessary to avoid ad hoc decision-making.
She encouraged the Barbadian public to become involved in the discussions, which will also be streamed on social media. “I think Barbadians have a right to hear those discussions that will be taking place between the public planners, the private planners, allied stakeholders in the construction industry and of course, ordinary Barbadians who are the persons who have to use the system,” she maintained.
She also addressed the issue of water zoning, noting that the current regulations were “a remnant of the 1960s”.
Mottley informed that while the Cabinet of that time had determined how land would be zoned for development based on the potential for biological contamination of water, no consideration was given in those days to chemical contamination. Therefore, what was currently in place, she said, was a system that did not take into account environmental, engineering and technological developments over the last 50 years.
As a result, she stated, Barbados’ development since that time has been premised on “things that may no longer be relevant, or, if relevant, may be capable of resolution because of technological and engineering developments”.
The Prime Minister said that a Cabinet paper was prepared in 2007 to deal with this issue and 11 years later the matter remained unresolved.
She told her audience: “I’ve asked Minister Abrahams to bring that report to Cabinet as a matter of urgency so that as we review the issues pertaining to town and country planning legislation, we will also be reviewing the issues pertaining to water zoning in this country.”
Shouldn’t she? That’s called leadership, something that was missing in this country for 8 long years.
Go ahead and meet with the developers but remember one thing, that Hyatt project should only go ahead if the Hotel is constructed on the land side with over road bridges giving guest access to the beach.
The beautiful beaches of Barbados must always be there for Barbadians to enjoy.
WAIT ‘that is donavan in the background standing up ‘ he gives the DEAR LOVING PEOPLE hell for years for those people.i all ways get the impression he owns ST LAWERENCE.
OR THINK HE OWNS St Lawerence ‘ he didn’t go down to give ‘the minister of water works A helping hand or stand behind him.
Folks the question has to be ask. When will the construction of the HYATT hotel commence?. It is all an illusion. The DLP did a fantastic job under very trying times. We will all see this as time go on.
The DLP did a fantastic job under very trying times. .?????? you ARE one of the 22% of DEM that continue to tell yourself so and I will continue to tell people like you and tell myself too that 72% DID NOT THINK SO and another 56% wouldn’t even leave their homes to vote for wunna cause they all knew that wunna din worth wha patty shot at…or even sh8 when de gully out.
PATTY…FISH PATTY CAKE and BAKE or whatever,I doan mean you
There is a good reason why the 72% believe they didn’t do a good job, and 56% didn’t even bother to vote, it is because they didn’t do a good job in managing the affairs of the country.
The Hyatt will be build when all the conditions are met. No one is above the law
Please don’t section off the beaches to the hotels. Nothing like it to good for a long walk on the beaches of Barbados
Lol the Hyatt will be nuilt when Comissiong say so
Phase 1 for the construction was revealed coming right out of the slimy mouth of Commisiong
Phase 2 will get underway after Mottley meets with developers
If you doubt me ask Commisiong
Tennyson Drakes my dear, which country were you living in? I wouldn’t be too hard on him as he obviously now arrived in Barbados, cause for sure you damn well couldn’t be living in the same Barbados as the rest of we and experiencing hell under the Dlp, damn political yard fowl, some people could really shut their stink mouth. idiot. what good job Dem was doing?
@Annie: I don’t agree with Tennyson but has anything changed so far?
Only way Barbados going to get out this hole is if people with real money invest .not by long talk.people like mark Maloney.
Lord have mercy! ya cuss if you don’t agree with these BLP supporters, so damn aggressive and disrespectful’ Apparently you are not entitled to your own opinion on these chats. I hope the Hyatt build with only 5 storeys.
Annie: First thing I do use abusive language to express myself. Secondly: I am a born and bread BAJAN. I have live all of my life in Barbados. I am not a young person. I have also live under both administrations in good times and in bad times. only the very blind persons would believe the last ten years were not difficult. Let me remind you: 1) $200,000,000.00 Canadian dollars (that was being earned through the Off Shore Banking sector) came to an end. It was difficult to replace it. 2) The entire world went into recession. 3) People stopped travelling (that effected our vital Tourist Industry). 4) Our debt increased because the government tried their best to keep people employed. 5) All of the government projects that would have earned foreign exchange became tied up in the law courts. I can go on and on. The only mistake that was made is that not enough meaningful dialogue was done.