A relocation plan for some Beckles Hill residents is once again under discussion, with government officials expected to meet the community after the general election to outline how planned developments in the Bay Street area could affect their homes.
The residents of Beckles Hill #1 and #2, in the shadow of Government Headquarters and the soon-to-be-vacated Geriatric Hospital, face relocation as the government moves to repurpose the hospital and possibly expand the Bay Street seat of cabinet government.
Barbados Labour Party candidate and incumbent Member of Parliament for St Michael South, Kirk Humphrey, raised the issue during a spot meeting on Sunday night.
Humphrey said he did not want to mislead residents by assuring them that no movement would occur if circumstances later changed. But he sought to give an assurance that they would not be disadvantaged if relocation became necessary.
He said: “What we determined at the time was that no one would get disadvantaged if they were to move, in the sense that persons who were either owning the house or renting the house would have access to housing that is as good as or better than the current housing conditions.”
Government officials had already surveyed and identified available government-owned lots within St Michael South for residents who wished to remain in the area, he added.
“We’d already identified different places. We drove all through St Michael South. We identified all the government lots, with the potential that if persons determined that they wanted to move, they could move close by if they had to.”
He continued: “No decision will be made without your input, without your consultation, and without your say so, and that is one of the issues we will resolve early in our next administration, if the people will it so.”
While earlier plans avoided displacement, relocation remains a possibility in some sections of the area.
“We’ve always been trying not to displace persons,” he said. “The final plans did not involve any moving at all, but I did not want to come to Beckles Hill and say nobody is going to have to move, when realistically it is still possible.”
Humphrey also pledged that within one month of his likely re-election, government officials would meet with residents to continue consultations on the way forward.
“People who live out here for a long time will tell you that this conversation has been going on for decades,” he declared. “I promise you a meeting within the first month if you return me to office.”
He further revealed that several residents have already expressed interest in government-provided accommodation, particularly those who do not own the land or houses they occupy.
“A number of persons from Beckles Hill said that they were interested if the government was going to provide accommodation.”
He said the unresolved relocation issue has also delayed the full resurfacing of Beckles Hill #1 and #2 roads.
“My first two roads were Beckles Hill 1 and 2. The only reason that I couldn’t get them done is because this matter was outstanding.”
In the meantime, he said, temporary patching work continues.
But Humphrey declined to elaborate further on the proposed plans when contacted by Barbados TODAY.
Residents said they have been hearing about possible relocation for more than 50 years, with no concrete action until Sunday night’s meeting. Some also expressed concern about the scale of the exercise, noting that many residents own their properties and have lived in the area for decades.
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