Tuesday February 9th, 2010
- Last update:6 hours 18 min ago
Construction apace at PM’s house
Published: 1 Nov 2009
Chinese labourers feverishly at work on the three storey addition going up on the northern side of the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s.
Photo: Keith Matthews
Chinese labourers were working feverishly on the construction of a massive three storey building on the compound of the Prime Minister’s official residence and Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s, last week. The building was being built on the northern side of the Diplomatic Centre. A few weeks ago, the area which the new building occupies, was a carpet of lush green lawn with a smattering of ornamentals. Last Thursday, during the post Cabinet press briefing, work was continuing apace on the facility. Scores of Chinese workers, dressed in blue overalls, were perched on scaffoldings as they plastered the outer walls. The boom of a crane hovered overhead.
Attempts at getting answers on the purpose of the structure have proven futile. Yesterday, when asked to shed some light on the building, Information Minister Neil Parsanlal responded: “That would have to come from the Office of the Prime Minister. I am not in a position, at this time as we speak, to provide the information that you require.” Communications Specialist in the office of the Prime Minister Paige de Leon she could not respond on the issue last Thursday. “Unfortunately I can’t.”
Pressed further for answers, de Leon replied: “I can’t because I am not in a position to do that, because I honestly don’t have the accurate information to give you. “I would hate to tell you something wrong to print.” De Leon promised that she would be able to provide some answers. However, calls to her cell phone went unanswered last Friday and yesterday. Last September, Minister in the Ministry of Finance Mariano Browne admitted that the cost of the Prime Minister’s residence and Diplomatic Centre had increased from $148 million to $175.3 million.
This shouldnt be a surprise
This shouldnt be a surprise - they said they were going to build highway to princestown, mayaro and pt fortin - thats three stories right there.
Kram - Bright and chipper
Kram - Bright and chipper today I see.
With all the secrecy surrounding this Prime Minister and his goings-on, we are left to wonder who really is in charge of this country:- the people or the 'chosen few' at the top who are feeding off the Treasury, like piggies at the trough at feeding time.
Is T&T a true democracy or are we hallucinating?
Gardenia
LOL Thanks for a bright
LOL Thanks for a bright Sunday morning chuckle.
Assuming that plans for this
Assuming that plans for this construction were submitted to Town & Country for approval, maybe Guardian can check them out to see whether it is legal to start with.
That apart, why all the secrecy? Is this private land and personal funds being expended?
What is the initial or projected cost of this structure? What purpose is it to serve? Was it's design, construction etc put out to tender? Who gave out the contract and to whom? What gives this project priority over a decent water supply for those citizens who have to rely on contaminated stagnant pools for their supply of water? Why could this money not be spent on desilting/clearing water courses, re-planting instead of destroying a green space, to help relieve perennial flooding? Could this money not be spent on building and equipping a health facility where this is lacking? I 'll stop here as I think you get the picture of these upside-down priorities of this caring Dear Leader and Dear Megalofather of the Nation.
Remember the (true) story of Nicolae and Elena Ceausescu and their Palace?
Mr Reginald Dumas has said
Mr Reginald Dumas has said it best.
" This is the worst PNM administration in 50 years ".
How true. But what he forgot to say, is that this is also the worst PNM Prime Minister in all time.
PNM_TILL_I_DIE
Well, the PM did budget $11m
Well, the PM did budget $11m for the upgrade of his palace. Although I feel that this is just the starting figure, the real story in time will be the true cost of this upgrade. I can just imagine Minister Gary on the media: "No cost is too much for our hard working, high flying Prime Minister, its this country void of national pride or do we want our PM living in squalor?"
Already budgeting for an
Already budgeting for an upgrade, and the foundations not quite settled at the PM's residence !!
By the way (as an aside) - the caption is misleading. This is not the PM's 'house'; he does not have title to it (we hope). It is simply his official residence, provided by the Republic of T&T.
One can hardly imagine putting up a 3-storey structure in TnT in such a short space of time. No doubt the PM is getting ready to host various events for the C-HOG Meeting here shortly. I am also curious as to what sort of dialogue our beloved leader will have with HM,the Queen..
The public has every right to question why there is such secrecy involved with this project. It goes to the core of what people have been blogging about all along - lack of transparency and accountability. Before any work was started, this project should have been made public (scope & cost), as it goes far beyond the concept of 'upgrades'.
One final point - since the Chinese workers are so efficient, perhaps we should consider 'outsourcing' the processing of the MR passports to them ?
I'm not sure of the true
I'm not sure of the true cost of Manning's Palace. Some say $150 million, others say $250 million. Maybe that figure includes furniture and drapes etc. So if either of those figures is the cost of the main palace, I doubt very much that this additional building would cost a mere $11 million, unless it's US$.
As for it's use, we can only speculate. Housing friends and family? Housing visiting fellow Emperors? Housing Security Detail and serving staff such as butlers, foot men, courtiers etc? A private Hospital manned by Cuban doctors? We'll have to wait and see; it will all be revealed in good time.
THAT IS OUR PROBLEM
THAT IS OUR PROBLEM -
As citizens we do not know what is true. There is no accountability to the citizens. Questions laid by the opposition are answered in a manner to deceive, delayed or not at all. As a country we deserve better and should demand it. This is important to all be the PNM, UNC or COP and we should not split hairs on this issue.
OPPOSITION CONTRIBUTION
OPPOSITION CONTRIBUTION UNHERALDED NEGATIVES SENSATIONALIZED -
The contribution of the opposition in trying to get answers for John Public goes unheralded. Despite all the ole talk from COP if you are not in parliament you do not have this weapon in your arsenal. The Government with its built in majority has used every trick in the book to frustrate the opposition.
1) Expelling the Leader.
2) Denying Members Speaking Day,
3) Refusal to or answer question on the order paper.
4) Inordinately long delays in answering questions on the order paper.
5) Sending Members to the Privileges Committee
6) Using Standing Orders to disrupt presentations.
7) Using Standing Orders to block Motions.
8) Divide and conquer the opposition.
It is only with the assistance of an outraged Independent Bench has the Opposition been able to bring the Government to any semblance of accountability.
What else is new. This is
What else is new. This is just another one of the many examples that the emperor is no better than Robert Mugabe. I trust that the Guardian will follow this one through and seek out this information under the Freedom of Information Act.
But hear nah! Gadaffi lives
But hear nah! Gadaffi lives in a 5star tent in the desert and he entertains, meets the foreign diplomats here. so why a multi million $ addition, 3 storey to boot, is this for hotel?, so we dont need the cruise liner next year for the next conferences? but its the people's money and no one can tell us what is going on? Is Hart Udecott on this with Sunway? I dont know and scared to think. It's the worse PNM govt in near 50 years and worst PM in 50 years. lets celebrate, Maybe Hunt will spend 2MM TT$ on another flag here? as it deserves the best, windproof, UV proof and waterproof. Hey PNM why you dont finish ALL de money then we dont have to worry about it?
Anybody notice if there were
Anybody notice if there were armed policemen guarding the chinese???
I wish I were a fly!
I wish I were a fly!
Would be interesting to see/hear Queen Elizabeth's private reaction/comments to the residence et al. Of late, it seems she is keen on 'cost reduction' and not appearing to be a burden on her subjects, particularly in this financial climate. I wonder what she will make of the displays of 'grandeur'.
Prince Phillip's comments too ought to be worthy of $2,000,000 at least.
La Diva
The smarter the journalists are, the better off society is. For to a degree, people read the press to inform themselves-and the better the teacher, the better the student body. Warren Buffet
You can't be feline and fly
You can't be feline and fly at the same time. So, make your choice.