UNC Leader says Parliament eviction ‘an immense tragedy’

OPPOSITION LEADER Basdeo Panday yesterday declared it would be a “tragedy of immense proportions” if the PNM was able to evict Parliament from the Red House. Newsday yesterday learnt that a firm decision was taken by Government to move Parliament from the Red House and place the Office of the Prime Minister there.

Meanwhile, Parliament should begin the search for a temporary building to house its operations. Government sources have indicated that a permanent site for the Parliament would be constructed in the heart of Port-of-Spain in the area currently occupied by the National Security Ministry, Temple Court, the National Lotteries Control Board and the Magistrates’ Court. Assurances have been given that the plan would not involve tearing down the Magistrates’ Court, on which $38 million was spent in refurbishment work under the former UNC government.

Panday told Newsday while the Opposition was not officially informed of this decision, word reached him about it. “It would be a tragedy of course. It (the Red House) has always been the seat of Parliament,” the UNC leader stated.  Government sources said it was felt that once Parliament remains in the Red House while restoration work is ongoing, work would be prolonged and become more costly. Panday said if that was the case, Parliament should be temporarily relocated to the nearby National Library building in order to complete restoration work on the Red House but return to the Red House once work was finished.

As a member of the House Committee in 1992, Prime Minister Patrick Manning said there was a strong case for a new structure for the Parliament and was supported at that time by current Opposition Chief Whip Ganga Singh. However in February 2003, Manning’s announcement to move Parliament from the Red House evoked a hue and cry from several prominent persons, and Independent Senator, Prof Ken Ramchand sent a petition signed by 46 individuals (including former First Lady Zalayhar Hassanali) urging Government to rethink their position.

Ramchand’s senatorial colleague Prof Ramesh Deosaran even suggested that in addition to finding a new site for Parliament, the functions of Parliament itself should be decentralised. Deosaran also said the headquarters of Parliament could be in Central Trinidad. Panday declared there was no reason why the Office of the PM should be based at the Red House and found Manning’s remarks about “dodging” water at Whitehall whenever it rains to be “very stupid.” 

The Prime Minister accused the former UNC regime of spending at least $30 million to refurbish Whitehall and leaving the job undone. Panday said Manning was trying to blame public servants at the Works Ministry for the current status of Whitehall because the UNC never contracted out the refurbishment works and those works were all done “in house.” He added with a degree of amusement that “tragedy seems to follow him (Manning).”