Work to upgrade terminal almost complete

If all goes well, work on the Constitution River Terminal, estimated to cost in the region of $3.5 million, will be completed by early February 2018.

That is according to Minister of Transport and Works, Michael Lashley, who added that concerted efforts are however being made to see if the project can finish before February.

He made the comments yesterday morning following a tour of the terminal, as he pointed out that some years ago the Ministry of Health indicated in a report that the terminal needed upgrading, citing the unsanitary conditions that existed. Lashley admitted that the area has been plagued with problems for some time, including inadequate drainage, poor lighting, a lack of security and improper toilet facilities, and he noted that the upgrades are in keeping with efforts to revitalise the urban area. With that in mind, he said to ensure the safety and security of all who use the terminal, cameras will be installed to provide monitoring on a 24-hour basis.

“I am pleased with the progress of this work. This terminal has been in existence for over 25 years and we have had numerous complaints, particularly from the PSV [public service vehicle] operators [and] the travelling public in relation to the conditions of this terminal… As Minister responsible for Transport, I believe it is necessary to improve the conditions out here, given the fact that the PSV operators are very important to the transport sector in Barbados and they really need a very comfortable work environment.”

The ongoing work, which is said to be currently under budget, will see commuters who utilise PSVs having a safe and modern terminal in which to wait for that mode of public transportation.

“We have seating space here for the first time. Even as it is now; it is in a better condition that what exists out there. And yes they were neglected for some time, for years now they have been neglected, and so we have come to answer their pleadings and we’ve answered the pleadings of the travelling public too. It is really the man in the street that waits on the minibus, and it is really the working class people that take the minibus, the majority of the working class people, to get home on evenings, to get to work, so why should we neglect them? Why should we leave them in the rain, the hot sun [and with] improper toilet facilities? We are basically going to provide these proper facilities for them,” he said.

Lashley also noted that the vendors have been taken into consideration in the upgrading of the terminal. He said some vendors will be affected, but gave the assurance that there will be discussions with the vendors’ representatives on the matter going forward.

“We will not be moving all of the vendors, and when it comes to the moving of vendors we will provide proper notice, proper consultation and there will be ample time for them to move, and of course MTW will help them to move. We are also looking to provide better facilities for the vendors out here, because they also provide a service too and we want to keep them employed,” he said.

The Minister added, “But with this terminal, hopefully it will attract more passengers and the vendors will have a bigger market. So it is a win-win situation for everybody.
Meanwhile, Director of the Barbados Transport Authority, Alex Linton, said that in addition to an automated call up system to inform passengers of the buses available and which gates to board those units, the terminal will be equipped with Wi-Fi and there will also be charging stations.

Lauding the MTW and JADA Construction for the work done thus far, he said the Authority is looking forward to seeing the terminal in operation.
(JRT)