Waterfront project gets green light

The Ministry of Planning and Development announced the project’s approval in a media statement yesterday.

The project also includes the upgrade of the Plaza San Carlos historical district for commercial and heritage activities and will feature high quality public spaces as well as revitalisation and re-purposing of buildings located within the plaza. The Public Transport Service Corporation maintenance facility at Lady Hailes Avenue, which services operations in South Trinidad is also scheduled for relocation as lands have already been identified at Tarouba. The plan also calls for the relocation of approximately 64 households along the water front and which would be managed by the Land Settlement Agency. The selected projects are based on the 2014 Integrated Feasibility Assessment Report that assessed the practicability of redeveloping the San Fernando waterfront, the Ministry stated.

The report is credited by a series of consultations with stakeholders during the period of March 24, 2014 and August 13, 2014 and included the San Fernando Fishermen Association, the San Fernando Business Association, (SBA) and a presentation of a demand assessment report to the Mayor and Councillors of the San Fernando City Corporation. Contacted for comment, SBA president Daphne Bartlett said no one in the ministry had contacted the association and they were made aware of what was taking place after it had appeared in the newspapers. The ministry said the phase one projects are “within a trajectory of eight to 12 months for completion from start date.

With its success, a multi-story car park, recreational fishing, a modern public fish market and a waterfront boardwalk are some attractions of interest.”