Preserving history while taking the community into the future.
The historic site at Number 43 Independence Square, Port of Spain, will be transformed into a state-of-the-art modern mall which will serve as an incubator for small businesses.
On Wednesday, the sod was turned at the site, heralding a new beginning.
Formerly known as the Drag Brothers Mall, the site, destroyed by fire, is now under the jurisdiction of the Port of Spain Shopping Complex Limited, Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.
That historic spot in East Port of Spain will now write a new chapter in its history with the construction of a new five-storey modern building that will house 22 spaces for well-deserving entrepreneurs.
Minister in the Ministry of National Security, Keith Scotland, said this building will be a safe space for all of Trinidad and Tobago and will play a vital role in reinvigorating the city’s landscape.
“At a time where businesses seem to be moving and taking root elsewhere, the addition of this new Port of Spain Shopping Complex at Number 43 Independence Square is an exciting development for the city’s urban regeneration and revitalisation.”
He also encouraged prospective business owners to be diverse in their offerings.
“Let it not be a place where every store you go, you see clothes. Let’s think outside of the box. Let’s have some AI. Let’s have a games world. Let’s have a nice cafe where people could, a bistro, where we can sit down and have a coffee. Let’s think outside of the box, not for us, but for our children, and our children’s future.”
Minister of Housing, Adrian Leonce, said this new construction is part of the Ministry’s Urban Upgrading and Revitalisation Programme. He revealed that construction will begin on 14th April and is expected to be completed by November 2025.
“When completed, the facility will house and support business that in turn will create even more employment opportunities. This new facility will accommodate 22 tenants, each operating with designated booth spaces. However, this initiative extends far beyond mere occupancy. The Port of Spain Shopping Complex will serve as business incubators designed to foster entrepreneurship by providing small businesses with affordable, structured environment in which to grow.”
The 22 spaces for entrepreneurs will be available for rent as low as $500 per month. It will take on the incubator model where entrepreneurs are expected to transition to the open market, thus making way for other entrepreneurs to utilise the space.