The Mia Mottley-led administration has no intention of relocating Government Headquarters from Bay Street to make way for any tourism project.
“This could not be further from the truth,” assured Senior Minister with responsibility for Planning and Infrastructure Dr William Duguid in a statement to the media on Tuesday.
He explained that plans for the area included modernising several buildings and expanding parking facilities.
“The fact is that the Government is looking to further develop the site at Bay Street to improve and modernise the Government offices on that site by adding another two buildings to this facility and making more floor space available for Government offices,” Minister Duguid said.
“This, together with better parking facilities and improved office space for the Prime Minister’s Office and Ministry of Finance, will not only offer better working conditions for the staff but also reduce Government’s rental bill, which has been a focus of this Government from the time we came to office in 2018.”
His comments came in response to statements by former Prime Minister Freundel Stuart who told a public meeting in Baxter’s Road on Sunday night that he would not support any plan to relocate Government Headquarters to make way for tourism development.
After touching on the administration’s decision to move the Geriatric Hospital to the National Botanical Gardens “to release the land in Beckles Road to private investment”, Stuart recalled: “When I was Prime Minister, some people came to Barbados telling me that where Government Headquarters is would be good for tourism development and that the Prime Minister’s Office should be moved up to Ilaro Court.
“I said ‘I don’t have any problem with that suggestion, just come back and tell me when the White House is going to be moved in the United States; come back and tell me when Number 10 Downing Street is going to be moved and when 28 Sussex Drive In Canada will be moved and where’. I haven’t heard from any of them since.” (JB)
