Govt asks for designs

Government is pressing ahead with plans to relocate the Red House.

Sources said last week that Government will be holding the  competition for local architects to design the new Parliament building. It will also be taking the issue to the House committee of the Parliament.  A source said that after these two things are done, Government will then consult with the people to find out what their views on the matter are.  “We want to take all opinions on board. Let’s hear what the people have to say,” the Government source said.

But Newsday understands that the mobilisation against the relocation of the Red House is continuing apace. A petition of thousands of signatures appealing to Government to reconsider its decision is being prepared. Representatives from different regions of the country are being selected to work on getting signatures. It is understood that the Public Services Association wrote to the Prime Minister saying that the Association was unhappy with the decision to move the Parliament out of the Red House.

The PSA, in the letter, was very firm that the relationship between Woodford Square, the people’s Parliament and the official Parliament should not be severed. The PSA asked for a meeting with the Prime Minister on the matter. The Association is awaiting a response from Prime Minister Patrick Manning to its request. But, depending on what that response is, the PSA may join the effort to collect signatures. Prime Minister Patrick Manning said recently that Government was continuing its discussions with Chief Justice, Sat Sharma, on plans to relocate the Magistrates’ courts. He said those talks which are being held with Public Administration Minister Dr Lenny Saith, Attorney General Glenda Morean and Sharma, were “very cordial”.

Sharma had criticised Government’s intention to move the Magistrate’s courts in order to construct the new Parliament building. Government has earmarked the entire block for the building.