The issue of abandoned or unused buildings in the capital proving to be an extreme eye sore for both residents and tourists will be addressed as early as this week, according to Minister of Works Desmond Bannister.
Mr. Bannister announced last Friday that tenders will go out to contractors this week for the demolition of the Clarence A. Bain building on Thompson Blvd.
He said, “we anticipate that, in short order, that building will only be a memory, and that we will be able to turn the site over to the University of The Bahamas to facilitate their expansion plans.”
The minister also said that plans are underway for other large-scale infrastructural improvements.
He said, “I want to go through a few of them. The repurposing of the Independence Shopping Center at the intersection of Balliou Hill Road and Tonique Williams Darling Highway that was gutted in a woeful attempt to construct a general post office.”
He added these other initiatives: “the possible sale of the Rodney Bain Building and other unused government structures; construction of the new Central Bank and the new American Embassy downtown, the demolition of the old general post office to make way for construction of critical public infrastructure, the redevelopment of the Southern Recreation Grounds into a modern, upscale, safe park filled with amenities; the redevelopment of Clifford Park as a safe, user friendly, family-centered recreation site, and the construction of a new school in Carmichael Road which is the first step in addressing educational needs.”
Mr. Bannister also shared the government’s plans about urban renewal and the Over-The-Hill communities.
He said, “the recently passed Economic Empowerment Zone Act will provide economic incentives for investment in our Over-The-Hill communities.
“The Prime Minister has spoken to his vision that the investment of persons like yourself will be made into a special person’s entity that will provide investment opportunities for those who want better returns than the banks are willing to pay,” he said.
At the same time, the government will be working on the enhancement of a few touristic facilities across the country.
Mr. Bannister says that the Minister of Tourism is especially excited for this initiative.
