The wall that once joined M.G. Tucker and the Liquidation Centre has only partially been taken down.
A view of the back of the building from the Carlisle Bay beach.
After being earmarked to be turned into a pile of rubble to make way
for the heavily-touted Hyatt Ziva project in the City, the Liquidation
Centre is still standing.
The local landmark, which has stood as one of the tallest buildings on
Bay Street for decades, was expected to be demolished as work for the
project was finally given the green light. However, two weeks after
the go-ahead was given, very little has changed.
During a tour and media briefing held exactly two weeks ago from
yesterday, Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley stated that she had been
advised by the developers that the demolition work, which started on
that very day, was projected to last about two weeks. However, two
weeks later the building and the adjoining structure of the old M.G.
Tucker structure on the northern side look untouched from the outside.
During the tour, heavy equipment could be seen smashing into the
adjoining wall between the two properties, but almost all activity has
disappeared from the outside. The Barbados Advocate was unable to
venture onto the property, but crews remain onsite as what appears to
be preparation and interior works take place.
Speaking during the media briefing on behalf of Vision Development
Inc., Mark Maloney, explained that after the previously quoted two
weeks of demolition, the next step would be for eight weeks of
enabling and foundation works, which would see 150 persons able to
take home a paycheque, with a further 350 expected on the site for the
following six months. A total of 2,000 jobs are expected to be created
during the two-year construction process.
With the property being legally procured by the Government of Barbados
through the Land Acquisition Act, Attorney General Dale Marshall
explained that they were forced to relocate, at their own expense,
merchandise which was left in the building by the Merchandani family
before the demolition work could commence. However, reports reaching
The Barbados Advocate were that there was still some merchandise in
the building, but these could not be confirmed.
Efforts to reach the developers proved fruitless.