Barbados Secures US$75 Million Loan for Performing Arts Centres Development

Performing centres at two of Barbados’ major sites, the historic Newton Slave Burial Ground and the National Botanical Gardens, are set to go under construction that will eventually provide opportunities for artistes.

This after a signing on Friday between Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley and Sergio Diaz-Granados Guida, executive director of the Development Bank of Latin American and the Caribbean (CAF) for a US$75 million loan. The agreement was signed at the three-day 48th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM, which started on Wednesday and ended yesterday at the Wyndham Grand Barbados Sam Lord’s Castle.

A National Performing Arts Centre is in the works for the Newton Slave Burial Ground in Christ Church and an amphitheatre at the National Botanical Gardens in Waterford, St Michael, plus there will be a modernising of the air navigational equipment at Grantley Adams International Airport, all to be done with the use of the loan.

Munro-Knight explained that normally money is borrowed for infrastructural development but in this case it is being used for culture, as it is to finance the Sector Wide Approach Programme (SWAP) in support of Roots From Cultural Heritage to Innovation in Barbados.

Greater spaces

“So that loan would allow us to be able to build out for the creative sector, greater spaces. We will

be building out an amphitheatre at Botanical Gardens. That’s just one, but then also as well, on the Newton site. We will also then have an amphitheatre for the performing arts again, and this adds to what Prime Minister would have done when we opened the Marcus Garvey Amphitheatre in November . . . .

“I hope that those in the sector will be happy with this investment. I think one of the things that the Prime Minister said as well is . . . it is a loan. It is something that we have to be able to pay back but it’s an investment as well,” the minister stated.

“It’s an investment in growth of the sector. It’s an aggressive investment in space and opportunities for people to be able to grow their craft and I think that is important in the whole equation.”

She also said that in May, to mark the 400th anniversary of the first landing at Holetown, St James by English settlers, there will be an unveiling of a plaque at Newton.

In relation to the airport, Munro-Knight stated Government has piloted a number of pieces of legislation connected to air navigation, “just to make sure that Barbados meets all of the international standards”.