The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

THE Downtown Nassau Partnership, consisting of key private sector stakeholders in the downtown area, asserted Thursday they have “been fully engaged and at the table without interruption,” as development talks for the tourist hub continue to take shape.

DNP Managing Director Ed Fields, in a statement to The Tribune, said the group has long-held the belief that to succeed with plans, both sides of the equation - the government and the DNP - have to be “committed to bring about change.”

His statement came in response to comments made by Tourism Director General Joy Jibrilu, who on Wednesday insinuated that talks had slowed down between the two sides, and private sector shareholders were now being encouraged to return to negotiations.

Mrs Jibrilu, specifying the section of downtown Nassau east of East Street, said it is nothing short of “disheartening” to see the state of an area that could, if revamped, play a vital role in the country’s tourism product.

Mrs Jibrilu said ideas were on the table for some time and now is the time for them to move from ideas to action.

“I think it has to be a time when we say, collectively, ‘enough is enough, let’s do something,’” she said.

Asked to clarify what held up potential development in the past, Mrs Jibrilu added: “The fact that you are dealing with stakeholders.”

However, Mr Fields told The Tribune yesterday that for years DNP stakeholders, specifically those east of East Street, have engaged with government to advance redevelopment plans.

He added that other plans that have been forwarded include improvement of the downtown transportation system, parking logistics and the cleaning up of Woodes Rogers Wharf.

He stated: “I am happy to report that we have had several extremely productive meetings with the relevant ministries and we anticipate the implementation of many of these ideas over the next 12 months.”

Mr Fields added: “The DNP recently convened a board/stakeholders meeting and has been restructured so as to more efficiently activate the initiatives required for the redevelopment of downtown to commence in earnest and we are confident that we have the full support of the government.”

Earlier this summer, Financial Services and Immigration Minister Brent Symonette, owner of a property in the downtown area, indicated that property owners have provided the government with various options for a proposed boardwalk.

However, he warned that downtown Nassau’s major property owners, his family among them, would not invest in the redevelopment of their landholdings until the government gave them “the rules of the game.”

Additionally, China Construction America, following its acquisition of the British Colonial Hilton, submitted to the government a ‘master-plan’ for the wider redevelopment of downtown Nassau - from Arawak Cay to Potter’s Cay.