Not a cent more!
Publication: Daily Nation
Paper Section And Page: 1
Paper Date: Thu, Apr 5, 2001
Byline: Anthony Blackman
Developers of Mullins Bay have vowed not to spend another cent here because
of "frustration and bureaucracy" encountered in establishing the West Coast
property.
The announcement from Keystone Developments Ltd., of England, came 24 hours
after the company lost a High Court battle to keep a beach garden at the St.
Peter property which had provoked the anger of residents.
It also came hours after heavy earth-moving equipment from the National
Conservation Commission, on the orders of the Chief Town Planner, bulldozed
the concrete enclosure and garden constructed a year ago.
Workers rushed to rescue freshly planted palms and other plants. They saved
some but others were shredded by a bobcat.
Robert Parkin, project director with Keystone Development, said it was "too
time consuming and money consuming" to pursue any further developments here.
He said the company had planned to inject millions into the economy by way
of investments, including a joint venture development with the Barbados
Tourism Investment Inc. planned for Fort Denmark, St Peter.
That project would have seen the area converted into a multi-million-dollar
cruise ship and tourist destination with shops, vendors stalls, market,
bars, restaurants and a beach facility for a water taxi service between
Speightstown and Bridgetown.
"We have been so frustrated by the petty bureaucracy shown over our Mullins
development that we feel it is just not worth the bother to do any more in
Barbados and we will now look to invest in other Caribbean islands,"
Keystone said.
It complained that despite investing several million US dollars and creating
employment for hundreds, directly and indirectly at Mullins, "we have not
had one word of encouragement from Government or the other agencies".
"Government seems to want to encourage development on one hand and to take
it away on the other," Parkin said.
He added that Keystone spent millions "in beautifying areas at Mullins only
to have it taken away and constrained by Government".
Parkin said the company would "honour its obligations at Mullins" and stay
with the project.
Nell Jonas, of the Mullins residents' association, welcomed the court
victory and demolition of the garden.
"Justice has taken place, justice reigns supreme," she declared.