Barbados is embarking on a $185 million investment drive to revitalise urban communities and upgrade critical healthcare facilities, in what Minister in the Ministry of Finance Ryan Straughn has described as a transformative plan to improve the quality of life for citizens.
Straughn on Tuesday led off debate in the House of Assembly on two related resolutions under the Special Loans Act that will see the administration borrowing $68.4 million from the Saudi Fund for Development to support the urban renewal project, and $117 million for the polyclinic upgrades.
He said the urban programme represents the revival of an US$80 million (BDS$160 million) Inter‑American Development Bank (IDB) loan agreement, which was cancelled some 17 years ago by the former Democratic Labour Party (DLP) government, to finance “an exact same” venture in Bridgetown without any alternative scheme in place.
Straughn told the Lower Chamber that once concluded, the new loan will fund phase one of the urban renewal project in the water, housing and infrastructure sectors. The loan will span 20 years, with a five-year grace period and an interest rate of 3.5 per cent per annum, and includes natural disaster clauses.
“This Parliament, in approving this resolution, will allow us to unlock roughly US$38 million (BDS$76 million) in respect of this particular project,” Straughn stated.
“[The purpose is] to improve and revitalise housing and neighbourhood conditions for low‑income communities in the Bridgetown area as part of how we will be able to build greater climate resilience in the community. It will also contribute to providing additional affordable housing solutions for those families. And there is a third component that speaks to how you strengthen the rural and urban development commission so that the work it is already doing can actually be delivered in a much more efficient and seamless manner, allowing them to execute and respond to our citizens.”
The finance minister said the first phase will provide appropriate infrastructure and social facilities in the Chapman Lane area and its suburbs, which lie between President Kennedy Drive, Westbury Road, Baxters Road, Tudor Street, Princess Alice Highway and Prescod Boulevard.
As part of residential housing development, government expects there will be construction and connection to the sewage treatment system in Bridgetown, the building of sewage tanks connected to the local sewage system, and upgrades to lower‑ and middle‑income homes.
This, Straughn said, will include retrofitting homes that can withstand hurricanes and other climate adaptation solutions that may be warranted, and the building of sanitary facilities.
He stated that there were still areas within urban Barbados where residents continued to utilise pit toilets, and indicated that part of the anticipated upgrades would aim to finally eliminate the use of pit toilets across the country. He added that the initiative would also include the installation of personal water tanks equipped with small pumps and battery backups for power outages.
“Given that you are seeing a lot of development on the commercial side, government has invested heavily in some of the public spaces. This particular intervention is now intended to address residents of the greater Bridgetown area, and also help them upgrade their homes, such that it isn’t just commercial interest that is being served, but that the government is ensuring that there is an opportunity for people to access better, climate‑resilient homes in order to improve their circumstances,” Minister Straughn said.
He told Parliament that had the previous loan not been cancelled under the DLP administration, “we would have been talking about phases two and three of the same project”.
However, Straughn said the government needs to initiate the process, as it will focus on those most vulnerable outside this particular area, to ensure that people can have the same opportunity to upgrade, while official phases two and three may start at some point later with the Saudi Fund for Development.
“It is our intention to ensure that once these loan agreements are signed, we get to work building resilience with the assistance of the Saudi Fund for Development. I urge the stakeholders—not just within government, but also the private sector… the landlords, the landowners, the residents—that there will be disruption in these neighbourhoods as the improvements set in,” he pointed out.
Straughn also cautioned that there will be traffic issues as these developments take place.
“You cannot get the improved quality of life without some level of disruption… positive disruption in this case. Therefore, I urge from the outset, patience … and, of course, there will be a lot of dust… but at the end of it, we hope to see not just climate‑resilient communities across Barbados, but also more financially resilient communities, and communities that are closer‑knit with access to better facilities for social activities as well as more comfortable housing,” the minister told the House. “This is critically important as we address some of the long‑standing sanitary issues that arise.”
The other resolution, which pertains to the polyclinic upgrades and refurbishment of the primary health‑care system, will see the construction of two new specialist primary-care clinics—one at Eunice Gibson in Warrens, St Michael, and Randal Phillips in Christ Church.
Additionally, seven polyclinics will be refurbished: Winston Scott Polyclinic, which currently operates 24 hours; Maurice Byer Polyclinic; St Philip Polyclinic; Frederick Miller Polyclinic; Edgar Cochrane Polyclinic; Branford Taitt Polyclinic; and the David Thompson Health and Social Services Complex in St John.
emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb
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