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05th January 2010
January Ground-Breaking for Castries Waterfront?
M. G. George

The Castries Waterfront Re-development Project is still on with the possibility of a ground breaking ceremony taking place this month.
This newspaper has been informed that Prime Minister Stephenson King wants to see the project kick off this month.
The Voice has also been informed that it is the government who is holding back commencement work on the project and that Royal Caribbean International, with whom the Saint Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority (SLASPA) and the Castries City Council (CCC) are holding talks regarding the re-development project, is more than ready to move forward.
But government is not keen on rushing into any deal that could be tantamount to selling Saint Lucia’s birthright, according to a source close to negotiations, who noted that very soon a deal will be reached.
SLASPA is the one leading the talks with Royal Caribbean International. The cruise company, SLASPA and the CCC are the three entities known to be in discussions concerning that aspect of the overall re-development of the City of Castries.
It is a re-development that will include the removal of the government printery and other buildings on that same city block leading all the way down to the Cathedral. The first casualty of the Castries re-development project will be the vendors arcade situated at the corner of John Compton Highway/Jeremie Street.
The Council yesterday confirmed that it has begun sensitizing vendors of their pending relocation.
Officials from the Council have already started sites visits within the Castries city in the hope of finding a suitable spot to relocate most if not all vendors.
 
 

The vendors arcade is said to have outlived its usefulness, an eyesore in the city and sitting on prime commercial land within the City of Castries.
The vendors association is not taking the matter of their relocation lightly. Peter ‘Ras Ipa’ Isaac, President of the Craft and Dry Goods Vendors Association, better known as the vendors association last month spoke of his association being left in the dark regarding the government’s plan to relocate them.
He spoke of an air of uncertainty concerning the future of tenants at the vendor’s arcade some of whom have had their queries channeled to the Council for clarification.
According to Isaac, vendors feel they are being excluded from deliberations and their concerns are of no consequence to SLASPA or the CCC
Isaac, last month told The VOICE the association’s main concern is the situation regarding the relocation of vendors coupled with the re-development of Port Castries, adding that the association’s concerns stemmed from the talk making the rounds including the demolition of the arcade.
According to Deputy Town Clerk Vaughn Louis-Fernand preliminary discussions were held with vendors over a year ago and they were informed then they would be relocated at some point.
Meanwhile the Council is getting prepared to open its newest structure later this month located at the bottom of Darling Road/Jeremie Street junction.

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