Lights out in the Gap

Nine months after St Lawrence Gap received a much needed lighting upgrade, residents say several of the lights are not working and are calling for them to be repaired.

In fact, spokesman for the St Lawrence, Dover and Maxwell Association, Adrian Donovan told Barbados TODAY the lights stopped working after the freak storm hit the island on June 17 last year.

The lighting project, which was completed in April 2021, was a collaborative effort between the Barbados Tourism Investment Inc (BTMI) and Simmons Electrical and saw over 140 LED lights installed along the island’s top entertainment stretch, making it brighter and safer for residents, businesses and visitors alike.

The project had an estimated cost of around $80, 000 and was the first time in over a decade that the area had received a lighting upgrade.

However, in an interview with Barbados TODAY, Donovan estimated that around 25 lights suddenly stopped working after the storm.

He said the majority of lights close to the Dover playing field and Dover beach were not coming on and as a result those areas were left in darkness during the night.

“We were very grateful for the lights but now a lot of them are not working. It is especially bad down by the playing field and in the area of the beach and it is a cause for concern,” Donovan said.

“And because of the T20 cricket series which is going on at Kensington Oval between England and the West Indies the Barmy Army’s presence is heavy in the Gap. We felt extremely safe with the new lighting but now we are worried that because of those areas which are not well lit, residents and especially tourists will not feel safe at night.”

When contacted, owner of Simmons Electrical, Allan Simmons, who facilitated the installation of the lights, told Barbados TODAY he was not responsible for their maintenance.

He explained that he had been contracted to do the project and had done so successfully.

“I was just responsible for installing the lights. I had a quote that was submitted and we did what we had to do. After the hurricane there were some losses to lighting in the area and as a result they have not been attended to by the authorities. I don’t know who is in charge of the Gap. At the time I was working for the BTMI and I did what I had to do,” Simmons maintained.

“After we had the passing of the hurricane last year a number of the lights became damaged and inoperable but they have not been addressed since then, but I don’t have a maintenance contract on them.” randybennett@barbadostoday.bb