The actual construction of new housing units in East Port-of-Spain is tentatively scheduled to begin in August, once the design plans for these units are approved.  This was the word yesterday from the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) as demolition and clearing works continued on lands at South Quay as part of the East PoS development project.

However, East PoS residents said they are still in the dark about these and other details of one of the largest urban development projects in the city’s history

HDC communications manager Lesley John told Newsday yesterday that the HDC is continuing to clear lands on private properties it has acquired in South Quay. John said the HDC’s acquisitions of these properties were done by private treaty and were completely above board.  She said the construction of new houses planned for the area has not yet begun because the design plans for those houses are still being reviewed.

John was optimistic that these plans would be approved soon and HDC was looking tentatively at beginning construction of some of the new housing units sometime in August.  She added that HDC has not done any work on residential or commercial properties located further inside East PoS.

President of the East PoS Business Association, Hayden Roberts, yesterday said neither residents nor business owners have received any clear directive from either the Government or the HDC about the current status of the project date.  Roberts said he was aware that HDC had reached agreement with residents and business persons in South Quay to acquire their properties and that clearing works were taking place there.  Those works commenced in April.  Roberts confirmed that no development work has taken place within the inner boundaries of East PoS but residents and business persons there remain “on guard” for whenever those works commence.

He said all the people of East PoS want is proper consultation with Government and the relevant agencies involved in the project to ensure that people’s lives are not disrupted and that everyone benefits when it is completed.

“We are not fools. We are educated and we are skilled,” Roberts said. Noting that many businesses in the area were skill-intensive, Roberts said the people had lots of ideas about how to develop East PoS.

The entire project will cover the area bordered by the Beetham Flyover, the East Dry River, the Old St. Joseph Road and the Priority Bus Route.  In April, Housing Minister Dr Keith Rowley said Cabinet had authorized the project to proceed and this will happen in three phases.  Rowley dismissed threats by former attorney general Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj to take legal action to stop the project.

Asked yesterday if any of the residents of East PoS were still contemplating taking legal action to halt the project, Roberts said this option remains on the table but no decision has been taken on it as yet.