The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

The Deputy Prime Minister yesterday said the road adjacent to the Straw Market, which connects Woodes Rogers Wharf to Bay Street, is being targeted for the first in a series of "quick wins" for downtown Nassau.

Chester Cooper, also minister for tourism, investments and aviation, speaking ahead of the weekly Cabinet meeting said the Government is focused on making more of downtown's side streets accessible to pedestrians only.

“We are looking at some streets downtown to be made pedestrian and, in the short-term, Market Slope - that is a road between Woodes Rogers Wharf and Bay Street, right beside the Straw Market - we've identified that as a first opportunity," he explained.

"There will be additional vendor opportunities that will be fully pedestrianised. I believe all stakeholders are on board with that so far. We're not going to pedestrianise streets to the detriment of traffic flow. So this requires careful consideration. We believe some of the side streets would be quick wins, and we're targeting those first.”

Making downtown Nassau pedestrian-only has been proposed for decades as a way to increase tourist traffic, improve the flow of pedestrians between businesses and make the city's overall environment more attractive. Several side streets have been pedestrianised to-date, and the Davis administration is seeking to expand this initiative to other avenues.

Mr Cooper, meanwhile, said the Government is proceeding with the demolition of derelict, dilapidated buildings in downtown Nassau whose owners have no interest in reviving such eyesores. “We’ve given notice to the owners of the structures. There is dialogue between the Government, Ministry of Works in particular, and the owners,” the deputy prime minister added.

“There are varying responses. Some of them are interested in repairing, some of them are supportive of demolitions. There is some support for redevelopment of some of the structures. Suffice to say we're getting co-operation from the stakeholders. This was the point of the exercise, really, to give notice, to engage, to have all of the stakeholders on board with our overall plan for the development of Bay Street for the benefit of the Bahamian people.”

Mr Cooper said his ministry is also working with the Department of Agriculture, the Ministry of Works, the Ministry of the Environment and the Attorney General’s Office to deal with downtown Nassau's stray dog population. “We’ve taken surveillance at various times, day and night, and there are very interesting photos of what we see. Particularly as it relates to the stray dog issue, it is being addressed along with all of the other issues," he added.