Former Prime Minister Sir John Compton, in the swearing- in ceremony of the last administration he led, indicated that a “girdle of slums which surrounds our city is a veritable incubator for crime that threatens our daily lives.” He went on to inform the nation that The Ministry of Housing, Urban Renewal and Local Government had been given the challenge “to tackle the problem with determination and imagination”. Seven years after his death, his desire for that change has not occurred.
As a La Tocian ( resident of La Toc), I drive from to Castries with great sadness as I look at how a strip of land from Tapion to Manoel Street has been left in total decay. SLASPA has virtually abandoned their responsibility. Yet this is the entrance to Castries, our capital.
When Sir John shared his thoughts seven years ago, as a former Chief Engineer who had worked with him, I felt led to put together my thoughts and forward them for his consideration. The rest is history, however the ideas are still valid and are now presented to the people of St. Lucia for consideration.
The following is a summary of the proposed approaches shared seven years ago with Sir John:
- Paving of Castries Streets / Sidewalk rehabilitation
- Castries Drainage project
- Container/Trailer park – Cul de sac
- Crash barrier/ Fencing La Toc Rd along coastline
- Rehabilitation of King George V Park
- Public Toilets – operated by Mini bus associations
- Establishment of movable food stalls
- Improved street lighting
- Closed – circuit surveillance
PAVING OF CASTRIES CITY STREETS / SIDEWALK REHABILITATION
The city at this stage is dysfunctional. The streets need rehabilitation and the drainage systems need to be improved. The Jeremie St – Chausee Rd – Riverside – Brazil St – Mongiraud St grid is to be considered. The sidewalk project being executed by the Castries City Council will be examined and enhanced.
CASTRIES DRAINAGE PROJECT
The completion of this project must be achieved in the shortest timeframe. The paving of the Jn Baptiste St and the Darling Rd will also be required. The design will also be reviewed to determine whether any modifications are required.
KING GEORGE V PARK REHABILITATION
This is an important green space with significant history that has been destroyed. The rehabilitation of this green space will breathe new life to this area of Castries. There should be improved lighting and park benches placed within the area.
PUBLIC FACILITY- BUS TERMINI
The relocated Bus Termini should be maintained and improved, with a mini- mall for small entrepreneurs with public toilet facilities. The public facilities will be managed by the mini-bus association.
ESTABLISHMENT OF PORTABLE FOOD STALLS
There exists a plethora of informal structures as food stalls, proving an unsightly feature of the city. The plan is to develop a prefabricated food stall on wheels that is fully furnished with kitchen facilities and electricity connections. These stalls will be position at strategic locations and a lease to own arrangement implemented
CRASH BARRIERS – FENCING – LA TOC COASTLINE
The area of open space from the port compound to Tapion along the coast line is now a parking lot for trailers and containers. The intent is to relocate this activity to Cul de Sac and restrict the usage of this land space. The area close to the port will require crash barriers to improve the traffic safety in this section. The other area along the route should be fenced to prevent the unauthorized use of this space.
CONTAINER / TRAILER PARK
There is need to create a Parking lot for containers and trailers in Cul de Sac. This will remove some of the congestion in Castries and provide the impetus for the relocation of the Port. The location will be strategic to the development of the Cul de Sac Cargo port.
IMPROVED STREET LIGHTING
Discussions will be held with LUCELEC on increasing the luminosity of the street lighting within the city. The illumination of the commercial areas will be a deterrent to crime.
CLOSED CIRCUIT SURVEILLANCE
The implementation of this technology has created huge success in crime fighting. The size of the city lends itself to successful implementation. The business community will be encouraged to participate.
SUPPLEMENTARY SUGGESTIONS
- The need for public housing has grown. The Government’s approach should be intervention at the high end market and using the surplus to cross subsidize low income housing. An interesting possible project could be the development of high-end townhouses at Tapion on lands owned by HUDC and the State. These lands are located at the existing Golden Hope and the land below to the Castries Harbour. The road to Tapion will be relocated to the back of the existing buildings. The surplus from this project can be injected in a public housing project.
- The city should be pressure washed daily to improve on the cleanliness of the city. The CCC may wish to utilize their work force to implement this project.
Just a bit of history of our beloved Castries as we celebrate Emancipation Day. Jeremie Street is named after a former Chief Justice of St. Lucia – Sir John Jeremie. While little is spoken about Sir Jeremie, he however played a significant role in the Emancipation of black people.
In a book written by Sir John Jeremie and John Reddie and entitled ” Recent Events at Mauritius”. There is a section which records that John Jeremie wrote to the Colonial Secretary at the time, one Sir George Murray and made the case that it was wrong to have legal distinction between the free classes because of the distinction of colour. The policy was that the fairer ones were to be treated differently. What was amazing was that his abhorrence to this policy was formed during his stay in St. Lucia and that St Lucia was chosen as the first island in the West Indies to remove that law. Below is an excerpt of the book, a most fascinating work.
” Ten years ago a legal distinction, broad and galling, existed between the free classes throughout our negro colonies, the distinction of colour. It was said to be interwoven with the whole framework of society, and inexpugnable. It seemed to him a fertile source of weakness and should it continue to endure until emancipation were granted, likely to shake to its foundation that part of our empire : as a grievance it was politically more pregnant with danger than slavery itself, yet had it drawn comparatively less attention, and though a voice has been raised against it, nothing has been practically effected.
It was after four years experience and having weighed and witnessed the consequences, that Mr. Jeremie drew up and submitted to Sir George Murray an argument in which this grave colonial question was treated in all its bearings. This at once caught the clear and quick eye of that eminent statesman. It met with his approbation, and without a struggle or a murmur the curse of Ham disappeared from the Western World.
Sir George Murray commenced with St. Lucia and within six months not one British West Indian colony persisted in this mistaken and outrageous policy. Deep-rooted as it was said to be, it met its desired fate, and men only wonder , and continue to wonder, how for two centuries, their prejudices could have rendered them so blind to their true interest.”
– Excerpt – Recent Events in Mauritius – Sir John Jeremie/John Reddie – 1835