The Tribune

THE managing director of the Downtown Nassau Partnership, Ed Fields, called on the private sector to get behind the police in their efforts to clean up the Bay Street area.

“A large part of the effort has to be the creation of legislation that prohibits consumption of alcoholic beverages in public areas, vagrancy, panhandling and loitering”, said Mr Fields.

He confirmed that the DNP will research and lobby aggressively to get these laws enacted and enforced.

Mr Fields and several directors of the DNP met with Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade and his senior executive team to relay the concerns of retailers and property owners over the recent increase in criminal activity downtown.

The commissioner and his team were receptive to the talks, and Mr Fields said the DNP was told of some of the immediate tactics that will be implemented including a significantly higher visible presence of police throughout downtown, including the areas between Nassau Street and Market Street.

Mr Fields recognised the challenges that the police force is facing, but impressed upon the commissioner that the challenges will only get bigger if our economic engine, tourism, is further tarnished by the criminal element.

“While we have the commissioner and his team’s assurance that all efforts will be made to clean up the streets of undesirables, he asked for our assistance in helping to create an environment that would further empower the police force to take the actions required to permanently address these issues,” Mr Fields said.

“I was shocked to learn that it is actually not against the law to consume alcoholic drinks in public and to drink and drive. No wonder things are out of control.”

He and his fellow directors firmly believe that if drinking were not allowed on Bay Street, a significant number of problems would instantly vanish.

The law would of course apply to visitor and resident alike, Mr Fields said.

“We are long overdue when it comes to getting these laws on the books.

“There is absolutely no reason to allow drinking on our sidewalks, unless it is at a designated sidewalk caf� or within the confines of an event. If we don’t take control of the street in a simple way such as this, we cannot begin to put a dent into our problems.”

Mr Fields went on to say that the absence or weakness of laws prohibiting drinking, vagrancy and loitering render the police powerless to remove unwanted elements from Bay Street.

The DNP is spending, along with government, millions of dollars to spruce up downtown.

Pompey Square, the former site of the temporary straw market, is expected to open in late June.

Marlborough Street has been pedestrianised and resurfaced and the Ministry of Works is resurfacing sidewalks all the way to Elizabeth Avenue.

Further improvements will include the “flowerfication” of property balconies, and the installation of garbage receptacles and benches.