Residents want concerns addressed

Many residents were not in agreement with the proposed redevelopment; however a few persons noted that should some vital concerns be addressed, they would have no problem with the redevelopment.

This was made clear during Thursday night’s Town Hall Information Session for the proposed redevelopment of the Blue Horizon Hotel property that took place at Accra Beach Hotel and Spa.

Barney Gibbs noted that he had some strong legal and moral objections to certain aspects of the project, especially regarding the land that the public currently used as parking opposite the south coast hotel, among others.

He was of the view that should the developers genuinely considered the concerns, they would have the opportunity to build a hotel that would attract more tourists and have the support of the residents.

“Right now you have a golden opportunity to do something different, you have the opportunity to embrace a more sustainable approach and an approach that will resonate with the very visitors you want to attract,” he said.

“The most popular spots on the south coast are Oistins Fish Festival and the boardwalk.”

Additionally, he highlighted that if he were to stay on the proposed property, he would much rather, like he supposes the tourists would as well, look out onto a green space and not a beach bar.

“Don’t do it because we say so, or Town and Planning say so, do it because it is the moral thing to do,” he said.

Political and social activist David Comissiong, agreed with Gibbs, and added that he believed persons came to Barbados for the beauty of the beaches and the beauty of our people.

“I am certain that the visitors who would wish to come to Blue Horizon would love to look out the hotel room and see a natural beautiful beach full of greenery and vegetation, rather than some concrete built up structure,” he said.

“Make the beach a beautiful natural beach that Bajans and tourists alike can enjoy. We say that tourism is our industry, but we are in danger of killing the goose that lays the golden egg. We are in danger of destroying what is truly precious, beautiful special and unique about the Barbadian tourist product.”