Work to start soon on $1.3b Sando waterfront.
By Reshma Ragoonath (Guardian).Work is set to begin on the long-awaited $1.37 billion San Fernando Waterfront project, regarding which citizens will see things moving ahead before the 2015 general election, says Planning and Sustainability Minister Dr Bhoe Tewarie.
Tewarie, in an interview said he was excited about taking steps to deliver the project to the people of San Fernando which would start reshaping the city into a tropical version of the costal city of San Franciso.
“We could really do something with the waterfront there that turns San Fernando into a very delightful place to be and that would raise its quality of life potential, its commercial and business prospects, and it would increase its tourism attractiveness,” Tewarie said.
The project, which will entail coastline construction and reclamation, encompasses the San Fernando waterfront from Embacadere to the San Fernando Yacht Club, Vistabella. It includes a boardwalk, construction of a Plaza (Plaza San Carlos,) a transit hub, multi-storey car park and fishing facilities.
He said the project was timely, especially in the light of construction of the San Fernando to Point Fortin and Mayaro to San Fernando highways.
“The growth potential is very significant, but one of the opportunities in San Fernando is to develop the seafront potential and then develop the potential on the ocean itself by reclamation,” Tewarie explained.
The project, he said, was not entirely government funded, but would be a private/public partnership arrangement.
“Where the Government has land, and the Government has a lot of land in that area, we will make the land available for private sector investment. We would encourage private sector people to invest; we encourage people in the south to invest, to be part of their own development. But where the money required is significantly large and you need international partners we will encourage international partnership as well,” he said.
Tewarie gave the assurance that the entire process would be open and transparent and the land distribution would be fair.
“We are making the lands available as part of an equity participation process to make development happen. That is how development happens” he said.
“What we are trying to do is to use the seafront as equity to get other people to take the risk and put their money and we are going to do that more and more because T&T needs more private sector development. We need to use the money that is in the banks, that is just sitting there,” Tewarie added.
Relocation of squatters, water taxi part of phase one
He said the Deloitte feasibility study had been approved and a San Fernando Waterfront Development Committee established to oversee the phased project which was projected to be completed over a ten-year period.
He said work had already begun with the Land Settlement Agency taking control of the 30 families of “informal settlers” (squatters) residing along the waterfront.
Design work has already been done for the fishing facility based at the San Fernando Wharf.
“Fisheries have gone to the fishermen to do the design work to make sure the fishermen are happy,” he said.
The fishing facility, as well as a multi-storey carpark facility, will form part of the parcel of short-term projects for the first phase of the waterfront project.
The water taxi terminal, he said, would have to be relocated to facilitate construction of the waterfront project.
He said talks were ongoing with Transport Minister Stephen Cadiz for the relocation of the water taxis and the Public Transportation Services Corporation (PTSC) terminal and garage, to make way for the development plans envisioned for the waterfront.
“We are trying to resolve the issue of a park and ride involving the water taxi and the construction of a parking facility which may mean relocation of the water taxi. Wherever we relocate we will build parking close to that to facilitate that process,” he explained.
Marie Hinds, deputy chair of the waterfront development committee, said that all the elements needed for the waterfront would be there.
“The objective of this plan, as well, was to minimise disruptions as well so everything that needs to be there will be there. Maybe where they (the water taxis and PTSC) are now is not the best place for them. There is a zone (which is) most of the area from Embacadere to the yacht club. Who needs to be there will be there. We will need to do some ground work in the first phase,” Hinds added.
The first step, she said, was to declare the area a development zone and put up the appropriate signage.
Tewarie said at this point the ministry was dealing with the people issues: the informal settlers, the fishermen and the transportation aspect.
The next part of the plan, he said, was to develop a people-centered area where “we could perhaps put a boardwalk, where we could have outdoor restaurants, indigenous food and local small and micro-enterprises.”
