It must be just me because I do not understand how and when all these plans were discussed and presented to the public for input. There I go again, thinking we (the people) should have some input before a final decision and public proclamation. I certainly should have learned by now that public participation is not necessarily required for government-funded public projects. The Planning Department should facilitate a citizen participation process on all government-funded projects. It must become the norm.
Because I don’t know, I am asking for some assistance in understanding the plan for Kingstown. I have long advocated for the Windward bus terminal to be relocated somewhere on the east side of Kingstown. My personal preference is where we currently house the Ministry of Agriculture. I wrote a couple of articles about what I think we should consider and why, some time ago.
I fully support the government’s position that the lawn at the Courthouse/Parliament building should not be used for parking. Oh wait, that’s not what was said. The PM said the area would be reserved for a selected group of employees associated with the business of the building: another positive move and a way to lead by example. I fully believe that all businesses should be required to have adequate parking for employees and customers. Recent reports, however, that a jury member was not allowed to park at the courthouse are unacceptable.
I agree that they should not park on the lawn, and I strongly suggest we do not remove the grassy open space during the remodel. While we are at it, could we also remove the H.M. Prisons Kingstown? If we do, we will find a perfect location for a multilevel parking garage for Central Kingstown, and adequate parking for all those doing business with the courts. I am confident that our Planning Department could provide the government with the parking standards for a building that size and the anticipated level of activity.
Look, as long as we are going to continue to import hundreds of cars each year, we are going to have to begin to think about where we are going to park them. So why don’t we build a multilevel parking garage in the space that once occupied the treasury? If planned correctly, we could create some retail space on the ground level, parking a few stories up, and maybe an open-air vendors’ market on the top for the selected day when the parking need is not as great. Speaking from experience, I have coordinated a farmer’s market with a Lions Club on Saturdays in a major hardware store parking lot for the last five years. We effectively used over one hundred parking spaces on every occasion and did not infringe on the business traffic.
Since we seem to have evolved into a nation of vendors, we must find ways to improve and expand this business class. In conjunction with the Tourism Department, the government should build an “Arts and Crafts” market in Kingstown, in order to capture more of that disposable tourist income during their visit. In that case, we must have a safe, easily accessible place to sell authentic Vincentian Crafts to tourists. I do not consider myself a cruiser, but I have visited several places, and usually, I leave with my money still in my pocket because I saw nothing unique from that place being offered for sale. My wife usually buys a T-shirt, keychains, and shot glasses mass-produced in Southeast Asia for grandkids and friends. You know the souvenir you see on every island; the only thing different is the island’s name. If we are going to be different, let’s work at it. It will not happen by default.
Improvements like this that “cater to the tourists’ needs” will also benefit us as a nation of consumers. So, I will not join the lamentation of those who say let’s focus on the native needs instead of catering to the tourist. Put another way, if the AIA was built to attract and bring tourists, I am ok with that because now I can get home in a day. So, Mr. PM, build a vendors’ market to cater to the tourists because if you do, a few of my family members and friends will have a safe place to sell their Craft Work and other produce.
Horatio
