Details needed, says Opposition MP

The Opposition wants to know exactly what the property known as Fort Denmark in Speightstown will be used for once the National Housing Corporation (NHC) takes possession of it.

The question was raised by Member of Parliament for the City of Bridgetown, Lt. Col. Jeffrey Bostic, as he contributed to the debate in the House of Assembly yesterday morning on the resolution to vest the property in the NHC.

Bostic argued that Minister of Housing, Lands and Rural Development, Denis Kellman failed to provide those details, charging that it is imperative that the details be made known.

“I am also concerned, like I said, about who or what is the intent of the development of this area and the Honourable Minister has not said anything about that. We don’t want it to be a case where, as some people call them, the usual suspects are going to be given the opportunity to develop the area, when there are several other people within Barbados who could be given that opportunity,” Bostic added.

He therefore called on Minister Kellman in his wrap-up of the debate to make the plans for the area, which has tremendous potential, known to the House and the public.

“This vesting is important and it is very important because first of all, it is prime beach land; and secondly, it has great revenue earning potential and certainly as a military man you would forgive me if I say to you it also has serious heritage possibilities, as part of the military landscape of this country,” he said.

He made that point as he lamented that enough has not been done to exploit the heritage component of the island’s tourism product. He pointed out that there is research which suggests heritage tourists have the greatest spend in terms of tourism. To that end, he said more concerted efforts have to be made to promote all the heritage sites in the country along with the UNESCO site. Doing such, he maintained, would help to generate more revenue and help to develop the country.

Moreover, lamenting that Speightstown is losing some of its historical characteristics, the MP suggested that more also needs to be done in terms of restoring lost features and enhancing existing ones.
(JRT)