Some Bay Street merchants have complained about the length of time it is taking for the government to begin the much talked about redevelopment and renewal of the city of Nassau, but others have said that they expect a project of this magnitude to take time to get off the ground.
Many Bay Street merchants appear anxious to see the promised downtown redevelopment get underway.
The government appointed the Nassau Economic Development Commission to oversee the transformation of downtown, including the waterfront area.
The government also hired EDAW, one of the world’s leading land-based planning and design firms comprising of over 1,100 professionals in 25 offices worldwide, to advise it on how best to go about the redevelopment.
But downtown merchants like Rochielle Bevans, the proprietor of Bevans of London, said recently that at least some aspects of the project should have been completed by now.
He said that increased competition from other island destinations demands the government’s immediate attention in this matter.
“I do not think that it should take as long as it is taking. When you have increased competition, you must move quickly to be competitive with other shopping destinations, not only here in The Bahamas, but worldwide,” Mr. Bevans said.
“To bring it close to home, when you look at Atlantis’ Marina Village, that was completed in a relatively short period of time. I was concerned when I saw the Marina Village – the good job done in such a short period of time and the environment created. I felt that this area could be transformed similarly in a more speedy fashion.
“We must realize that visitors come here every day, and they spread information through word of mouth. If they decide that one place looks better than the other, the place that looks good would get the business.”
Zenobia Rolle, a manager at The Colombian jewelry store, also believes the government is taking too long to start the redevelopment of downtown Nassau.
“I think that we should have at least seen something by now,” Ms. Rolle said. “-We haven’t seen the first stone turned over as yet. If I were in charge of this project I would have at least cleaned up the streets and [gotten] some of the vagrants out of downtown. Get the place cleaned up at least; there is plenty of dirt on the road.”
But she added, “I do not agree with moving parliament. Those are historic buildings. [They’ve] been there for years.”
Other merchants appear more patient.
“Quite frankly, I am not surprised that there are no visible changes as yet because projects of such magnitude when and if they are implemented, you would expect for them to take a considerable amount of time,” said Edward Robinson, proprietor of Bonneville Bones, a men’s clothing store on Bay Street.
“To implement a change of that magnitude, apart from the planning stage, would call for monumental costs and consideration from the government and the private sector. I would prefer that when they are implemented they are done properly so that the least amount of disruption would be incurred at least by the private sector.”
Reggie Munroe, proprietor of The Bay, another downtown clothing store, agreed.
“To be honest I am not surprised [by the time it is taking],” Mr. Munroe said. “I know that things here in The Bahamas take a lot of time so I am not too worried about when it will happen.
“I am pretty optimistic about the change. I think that it will do well for The Bahamas and bring more people downtown and allow for there to be more to offer tourists.”
Prime Minister Perry Christie, who has spoken a lot about the planned redevelopment, believes that it will be an important achievement during his government’s first term in office.
The plan, he said, would also involve the transformation of the Straw Market, East Bay Street and Arawak Cay.
The consultants have already recommended that the commercial shipping companies be relocated to southern New Providence.
Prime Minister Christie has also said that the government is minded to implode the historic Adderley and Churchill Buildings and relocate the parliament buildings from Rawson Square to possibly the nearby Royal Victoria Gardens.
“As it stands now, Nassau is the most visited port of call in the entire Caribbean,” the prime minister noted in one of his speeches on the planned redevelopment. “Tourists, however, are forever complaining about having too little to do. They also complain that the city is drab, dirty and unattractive.
“And let’s be honest about it, they are dead right. Indeed, it should be a source of shame for all of us that every year we invite millions of visitors to a city that is so visually unappealing.”
Speaking nearly two years ago, Mr. Christie said, “We have to change that and we must do so without delay.”
But some downtown merchants believe that there has been too much of a delay in putting such talk into action.
By: Perez Clarke, The Bahama Journal
