MP urges Gov’t to improve facilities at Oistins Bay Garden

By Sheria Brathwaite

Another call is being made for the Government to upgrade the Oistins Bay Garden facilities.

Member of Parliament for Christ Church South Ralph Thorne SC repeated the appeal on Tuesday during a press conference at the tourist attraction located in his constituency.

He said a lot more could be done to enhance the area that was highly regarded in the media in the United States and Europe.

Urging the Government not to let the attraction fall below standard, Thorne said: “If you read tourism magazines from all the source markets – the United States, Britain, Europe – they all speak of the Oistins Bay Garden. This is an important facility and this is a message at this point to remind the Government of the need to constantly upgrade this facility. A lot more can be done. We are not being greedy but a lot more can be done. It rests on one of the most beautiful beaches in Barbados.”

The MP said the area needed a facelift.

“The people who come here don’t have as much access to the beach as they should have because they don’t know it opens to the side on which the beach is located. Most Barbadians tend to look at the road but there’s a very beautiful beach behind here and I am concerned about the reputation of this facility.

“I want to send a message to the Government and a very serious message to continue to upgrade this facility. It must never fall below the standards that we expect because people are coming to Barbados and apart from Harrison’s Cave they come to Oistins, so please pay some attention to Oistins,” he pleaded.

Earlier in the year, the immediate past president of the Bridgetown Port Taxi Co-op Society Adrian Bayley also called for a major overhaul of Oistins as an attraction.

He said Barbados was not realising the full potential of the weekend liming area known for its fish fry and entertainment, adding that there were several issues that needed urgent attention to improve the area’s offerings. He called on the relevant authorities to address the situation.

Bayley said more needed to be done to promote the area other than on Friday nights, the facilities needed an upgrade, and the Government needed to implement a system to ease the traffic congestion during peak hours.

sheriabrathwaite@barbadostoday.bb