PM highlights need for investment in Barbados amidst hotel project debate

Prime Minister Mia Mottley pledged to balance preservation with the need for tourism-driven economic growth amid public push back about the proposed construction of a multi-million-dollar high-rise hotel in Holetown that would lead to the demolition of the civic centre and police station.

Addressing residents of St Peter and surrounding areas at the second instalment of the Ideas Forum at Haymans Market as part of the We Gatherin’ celebrations, Prime Minister Mottley explained that while her administration “must meet the expectations of residents” seeking jobs in the industry, it “will continue to have the conversations” on the issue.

“If this country does not invite the investment to be able to build up what we have, we will not be able to sustain our quality of life. I, as minister of culture, am sensitive to heritage; that is why the first time the government has undertaken any major heritage projects is because I’ve pushed it as prime minister,” said Mottley, who stated that “the reality is that the buildings at that site in Holetown are not historic, it is the site that is historic, and the government will do nothing to take away from the historic nature of the site”.

In addressing concerns about the relocation of the civic centre, the prime minister confirmed that all current jobs will be preserved while new jobs will also be created in the process.

“The question, therefore, is how best do we treat that site and how best do we create new jobs? Because most of the people who are speaking, we have the benefit of jobs, but the reality is when it goes through St Lucy and when it goes through St Peter, there are still people looking for jobs in the tourism sector, and that is why the development at Beaches is a game changer.”

Mottley added: “It’s a game changer, and that is why the other developments at Royalton and at Pendry, whether we like it or not, we have to be able to create jobs to give people purpose and to give people belonging.

“By the same token, we have to be sensitive to the heritage that we have, and we have to be sensitive to the things that we must do to keep a level playing field. So, I’m more than willing to listen to some of you and to meet with you and to meet with the developers, but at the end of the day, the country has to have progress. How do we achieve progress while maintaining aspects of our heritage? The buildings in town at the Pierhead, a number of them have gone, but equally, what is being built back is going to have the heritage component in it.”

During the Ideas Forum, residents put forward proposals on health, sports, education, technology, water, transport and coastal zone management as they shared their thoughts on how to improve the quality of life in the area.

Another proposal was that of governance in towns.

“We will be appointing some town managers,” Mottley announced in response. “We have one for Bridgetown already; we’re gonna have to do it for Oistins, Holetown and Speightstown…and Six Roads. Then we’ll be looking at Belleplaine as well, and The Glebe eventually.”

The prime minister continued: “The reality is that in the absence of a local government structure, these are the things that you may need to put in place to ensure that there is a coherent response to the development of services in towns.

“This is without prejudice to parish assemblies, which we are looking at in terms of implementing, and I really do hope that in the course of next year those alongside what has been recommended in the Constitutional Review Commission and Parliamentary Reform Commission—that we take all those commissions—and we should be seeing rollout of recommendations during next fiscal year.”