The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

TOURISM Minister Chester Cooper said yesterday officials are working actively on the Downtown Revitalisation Project as developments are on the way and some dilapidated structures have already been demolished.

Mr Cooper spoke to The Tribune yesterday about the efforts of revamping the downtown area, noting that there is great interest in investments on Bay Street.

He stressed that the addition of an incubation centre would help facilitate Bahamian businesses, as he said the initial spending on the centre will be in the region of $1.5m.

“We are almost ready to launch our incubation centre, this is going to be an incubation centre for authentic Bahamian businesses. Shortly you will see the reopening of the new Prince George Wharf,” Mr Cooper said.

“A signature business is going to be the Incubation Centre where we are going to have an authentically Bahamian market. Unlike the Straw Market that now exists only Bahamian products and services are going to be here.

“We’re also going to have an incubation centre for the creative arts, where young artists and musicians can also be there and participate and benefit as a result of the increasing arrival of tourists to the area.”

During his time in office Mr Cooper has expressed his displeasure with the state of downtown, adding that the area desperately needs to be transformed.

The deteriorating state of the buildings downtown has been called an “eyesore”.

In March, Mr Cooper said downtown must “become the calling card of The Bahamas, not continue to be a point of national shame.”

“As deputy prime minister, I am daily confronted with the issues: maintaining the infrastructure, cleaning streets and sidewalks, improved signage, addressing poor lighting, the enhancement and enforcement of the Penal Code as they relate to loitering, solicitation, illegal vendors and illicit activities,” Mr Cooper said in March.

When asked yesterday what was the main idea behind the project, Mr Cooper said: “Well, we want to clean it up. There are some short-term things that we need to do. The Ministry of Tourism is taking charge of a lot of it. We want to ensure that beautification is done and we want to ensure that it’s cleaned up for the arrival of our guests.

“Then we want to start rebuilding. We’ve met with the property owners and we’ve asked them to repair their buildings. We’ve demolished many buildings already. I believe five buildings we’ve demolished in the downtown area. We’re going to continue this process, where people don’t repair their buildings, we hope they do, but if they don’t the law must take its course.”

Mr Cooper added that action is being taken to address the management issues downtown.

“We have some new legislation that’s coming to Parliament soon. One that will address many of the management issues that there are for downtown. As well as the attorney general is looking to see how we can better manage some other issues like vagrancy, for example.

“But we’re working along with the police, the attorney general, the Ministry of Works, we have a task force really to push forward.”