Call for Hyatt appraisal first

FORMER DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER Dame Billie Miller has called for an impact assessment to be done before the green light is given for the Hyatt Hotel in Bridgetown.

After weeks of uncertainty surrounding the downtown project, Prime Minister Freundel Stuart last Wednesday announced that the Hyatt Hotel would receive the go-ahead for construction this week.

He also revealed that he expected the project to begin within the first six months of the year.

But speaking on the radio programme Down To Brass Tacks yesterday, Dame Billie, who is a former parliamentary representative for The City, said the project should not begin until the study was completed.

“I am hoping that Prime Minister Stuart would have taken into consideration all of these things. I think in fairness to the Barbadian community we ought to see an impact assessment and there ought to be at least one or two town hall meetings which will allow people to speak to various interests,” she said.

The construction of the 15-storey luxury property on Bay Street has met with some objection, especially from political activist David Comissiong and the Barbados National Trust.(RB)