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Contact:
John Emmanuel
Monday, May 05, 2003 - With the demolition of Block CS of the CDC
apartments in downtown Castries having been completed, officials of the St.
Lucia Housing Corporation which is overseeing the project, say plans are moving
along smoothly towards the demolition of block GS in coming days.
Chief Technical Officer of the Housing Corporation, Christopher Edward says
public safety and the need to minimize disruptions within the city-circuit
remain top priorities. “One of the things we have insisted on is that no work
should go on without cordoning off of the site to prevent falling debris or
people straying into the line of the demolition works,” said Edward. He
explained that with the demolition of Block CS, “One can see that we are in the
process of shifting the barricades from off the edge of the road to allow for
the re-opening of the sidewalk along the northern side of Jeremie Street, so as
to give pedestrians somewhere to walk before we go off cordoning the other side.
If that is not done you may find both sidewalks cordoned off and persons forced
to walk in the streets and this is not in the interest of public safety.”
Edward noted that once the various safety procedures have been adequately met,
demolition work on Block GS which is directly opposite Block CS will commence.
“We’re going to take off the roof and the balcony railings first, which are made
up of asbestos and has to be removed very quickly in the interest of public
safety. This also has to be done very methodically to prevent the release of
asbestos fibres into the atmosphere. This would make way for the mass demolition
of the physical shell of the building. The hope is that we will get this done
before the end of this week to make ready for demolition by early next week.”
Officials of the Housing Corporation along with the Ministry of Physical
Development are appealing to both motorists and pedestrians to co-operate by
heeding appropriate signs and warnings posted in the vicinity.
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