New terminal for Leeward buses

The new parking facility on the reclamation site in capital Kingstown to accommodate minibus operators from the Leeward end of the island will be ready in about a week’s time.
This information was revealed by Julian Francis, Minister of Transport Works and Housing on Tuesday.{{more}}
Francis told SEARCHLIGHT the torrential rains a few weeks ago prevented the workers from meeting the deadline.
“But it looks pretty good,” said the Minister giving his view on the new facility.
The new bus terminal will have sheds to shelter commuters along with three female and male washrooms. He disclosed that the washroom areas will take a bit longer to be completed. The type of finish being given to the facility gives the impression this may well become a permanent facility in the long term.
Francis also said that he had just made a request to Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves for additional funding to fix the road leading to the new facility.
This parking facility was at the centre of attention when on Monday, April 19, minibus operators across the country led by the National Omnibus Association (NOBA) staged protest actions against the state of the temporary arrangements made for them.
The temporary parking area had been occasioned by work being done on the remodelling of the Kingstown Fish Market, adjacent the Little Tokyo bus stand where it is proposed to construct a new two-storey structure.
The construction work meant that a portion of the regular bus stand had to be cordoned off with alternative parking arrangements made for buses from the leeward end of mainland St. Vincent.
The new area allocated for the temporary park was unpaved and this became one of their main points of contention.
When contacted Wednesday, Herman Preddie, president of NOBA, said the facility will go a long way toward easing up the congestion currently experienced.
“We welcome the extra space because Tokyo was always congested,” Preddie said.
Preddie disclosed that representatives of NOBA met with Minister Francis on Tuesday and expressed a few concerns to him in regard to the new terminal.
The new facility has an area designated for plants, Preddie said NOBA is concerned that this will take up space that can be used for parking. He said NOBA felt that there should be a seating area for the elderly and the shed presently constructed could have been a bit larger.
However, he was of the opinion that his members are anxiously awaiting the opening of the new facility