Downtown Basseterre not accessible to the physically challenged?
By Joyette Mills-Ward
Business Reporter -SKNVibes.com
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Fort Street Entrance at Royal Bank
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BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE issue of second-floor access to two-storey buildings is fast becoming a ‘sore spot’ for disabled, physically challenged and elderly persons residing in St. Kitts and those visiting.
SKNVibes.com contacted Randolph Edmeade, Director of Physical Planning to ascertain what if any measures were in place to accommodate persons physically unable to climb stairs. He informed that the issue of wheelchair access and elevators in buildings was “something that exists in the local Building Code although at present it is not being strictly enforced”.
Edmeade informed, “Most buildings in downtown Basseterre are very old and the spacing between buildings and layout of the capital city does not lend itself to the retro-fitting or modifying of these buildings to fall within present day Building Code standards.”
Edmeade explained that he was not aware of anything that was being done by the government, the St. Kitts & Nevis Chamber of Industry & Commerce or any private enterprise to address the issue of access for the physically challenged to public and private 
buildings.
He however, referred to a gesture made within recent times by the St. Kitts Lions Club, which modified sidewalks to allow wheelchair access in certain areas of downtown Basseterre.
On a separate issue, Edmeade said that there is something in place in the Laws (Planning Act No.14 of 2000) which speaks to the requirement for Fire Escapes or alternate exits to be a feature in any new building presently being constructed.
SKNVibes.com approached several business owners for comment on the issue and was told by most that they were merely renting their business space and could not themselves make major modifications to the properties.
Some also admitted that financial restraint was a mitigating factor since the installation of elevators or escalators were a huge undertaking that were not realistic especially for smaller businesses. ~~Adz:Left~~
“Our hands are tied; we cannot modify a property we do not own. Besides, the installation of elevators or escalators is too costly and the space available is too limited,” one person commented.
An individual who manages one of the federation’s larger business entities also implied that “there is a lack of qualified engineers on-island to service and repair elevators and escalators once installed”.
The St. Kitts Marriott Resort, the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank Headquarters and the Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport are three commercial institutions known to have operational elevators and or escalators in St. Kitts.
