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Speaking to us today from Miami he told us, quote, "what is happening in (the) city council is unbelievable: they don't notify, don't listen don't (respond to) our inquiries…" Bhojwani explained that those bandstands were donated by the Hans and Nandini Bhojwani Foundation which requires that they account for their donations. He says that since this one has been demolished without even a word of notice, he thinks the foundation should be refunded. We asked the Mayor about it today.

Jules Vasquez
"He said that he should have been written and should have been told as a courtesy. He thinks as a principle that his foundation should get back its money because they invested in that in good faith."

Mayor Darrell Bradley - explains Bhojwani Bandstand Demolition
"First of all, I want to thank all persons who contribute to the city. We have been communicated with representatives from Mr. Bhojwani and we are again having discussions with the plans we want to do with certain artifacts that bear his name. Because none of this has anything to do with him. But there are plans that have been in place for several years. The battlefield park project is a plan which has been in place for two years. What we are saying is that we wanted to restore that to its original state, which is a place for public gatherings and meetings. It shouldn't have a very large bandstand. What we are doing is setting up a meeting with stakeholders in the downtown community and also people who have given to the city to just outlay exactly what we want to do. There are a lot of plans that the City Council, BTB and NICH has in relation to the restoration of downtown. I think these things will only work if we have consultation and participation. I'm admitting that that's been failing of this council and it is something that we want to get right. The plans and project that we have can only be sustained if there is buy-in from the general public. In relation to Hans Bhojwani we are in dialogue with his representatives."

Jules Vasquez
"You are in dialogue with his attorneys over the promenade but you all have rubbished his bandstand, the bandstand that his foundation donated. He wants a refund or compensation."

Darrell Bradley
"Well his attorneys and representatives did not indicate that that was his position. The issue with BTL Park; the location of the bandstand was a poor location and this had nothing to do with them or their contribution. The bandstand itself is a good thing and the new BTL park will have a bandstand. In order to accommodate larger type functions the bandstand cannot be at the center of the park. It has to be at least three quarters of the way to allow larger kinds of concerts."

Bhojwani also lamented that the sign on the Bhojwani Promenade on Marine Parade has been removed and has hired an attorney to inquire into that one.