Former First Lady against Red House move

Zalayhar Hassanali, wife of former President Noor Hassanali is among a group of prominent citizens who are calling on Prime Minister Patrick Manning not to move Parliament out of the Red House.

The collection of signatures which is being organised by Independent Senator Prof Ken Ramchand is part of the developing protest against the Government’s stated intentions of moving Parliament from the Red House to a new building to be constructed in the block between St Vincent and Abercromby, Knox and Duke Streets. The list of names is attached to a letter which Prof Ramchand has sent to Prime Minister Manning.Signatories include academics, artists, conservationists and historians. In the letter to Prime Minister Patrick Manning, the group of 46 petitioners have criticised the decision of the Cabinet to move the Parliament without public consultation. “Law may permit and Parliament may sanction but there are certain decisions that neither Law nor Parliament should carry out without direct consultation with the people,” the letter stated.

Although no formal decision has yet been taken, both Prime Minister Manning and Public Administration Minister Dr Lenny Saith confirmed that Government is considering using the Red House as the Office of the Prime Minister.On the list of names are: Bridget Brereton, Brinsley Samaroo, K O Laurence, Rhoda Reddock, Fr Anthony de Verteuil, Michael Anthony, John Spence, Harry Phelps, Kenneth Ramchand, Peter Minshall, Meiling, Selby Wooding, Leroi Clarke, Pearl Eintou Springer, Brother Resistance, Ravi Ji, Molly Gaskin, Rudyn Roberts/heritage architect, Gaylord Kelshall/retired coast guard lieutenant who founded the Military Museum in Chaguaramas, Val Ramcharan, Gerry Besson, Julien Kenny and Eden Shand. The list also includes former head of the public service Reginald Dumas, social activist Hazel Brown, chief librarian Pamela Benson, businessman Joseph Hernandes and Clive Pantin. The petitioners are asking the Government to reconsider the decision “to break the organic and historical connection between the Parliament and the Red House”.

In the letter which details some of the history associated with the Red House, the petitioners said that Government’s stated rationale for the decision to relocate — that more space may be needed in future for an expanded Parliament — was “unconvincing”. The letter also stated that the petitioners have no known political affiliations but were addressing the Prime Minister as patriots who have a right and duty to speak on national issues. The letter stated that copies of the petition were being delivered to the press to give the reading public an opportunity to follow “our” reasoning.The letter said that the signatories were a spontaneous gathering and were prepared to meet with the Prime Minister to discuss the issue. In yet another letter to the Prime Minister the group’s objections are stated more forcibly Prime Minister Manning said last week that the plan to move Parliament to larger accommodation was stated more than eleven years ago and he mentioned the need for greater space for the Parliament.

When Saith made the announcement at a post-Cabinet press briefing last week, he also indicated that there was need for Cabinet Committee rooms, public gallery and better Press facilities which could not be accommodated in the Red House. However, it was felt that the interior of the Red House could be easily redesigned to accommodate all the needs of Parliament.  Questions have also been asked about the need to move the Prime Minister’s office from Whitehall which has recently undergone expensive renovations. The construction of a new Parliament building on the block earmarked by Government will mean the removal of the existing Magistrates' Court, the Ministry of National Security, headquarters of the Defence Force and a number of lawyers’ chambers.