$3B to develop Port-of-Spain

GOVERNMENT will spend $3 billion to make Port-of-Spain the metropolis of Trinidad and Tobago according to Minister in the Ministry of Finance Christine Sahadeo. Delivering the feature address on behalf of Prime Minister Patrick Manning at the Port-of-Spain Corporation’s 90th Anniversary “City Day Reception” at City Hall, Knox Street in Port-of-Spain last Wednesday evening, Senator Sahadeo outlined Government’s vision for the capital. It includes comprehensive plans that would “revitalise” the already “progressive” and “dynamic, cultural,” capital city. Prime Minister Manning could not attend the function because he was in Parliament participating in the debate on the Police Reform Bills. Present at the ceremony were Local Government Minister Rennie Dumas, Port-of-Spain Mayor Murchison Brown, as well as officials of other Corporations/Boroughs, members of the diplomatic corps and specially invited guests.

Minister Sahadeo said Government’s vision for the city included construction of a Centre of Government, a Centre of Administration, a Centre of Commerce alongside an easily accessible and facilitating transportation hub, making Port-of-Spain a favourable environment in which to live safely and securely. However, the Red House will continue as the seat of government and will have a central position in the “city centre.” Minister Sahadeo said a five-acre parcel of prime land located between Richmond, Ajax and London Streets, which the State owns “will become the campus of government office buildings, providing approximately one million square feet of government space. The entire campus is expected to be completed by January 2007.” “She added: “Here shall be housed the Customs and Excise Division and several Ministries along with government departments that serve the public in every direct way.”

Other complementary structures to be built include:

The Centre for the Performing Arts at Princess Building Grounds

The new Ministry of Health Building at Queen’s Park East

The Administrative Headquarters for the Ministry of Public Administration and Information in St Clair

A New Inland Revenue Building on St Vincent Street, north of Trinidad House

Trinidad House is to be renovated.

Green Corner at Park and St Vincent Streets is to be acquired and developed.

Development work at Invaders Bay for residential and commercial activity continues.

Sea Lots Cove Industrial Estate is to be developed.

Government is also contemplating the erection of a five-storey building to house the National Archives, while it examines its options on what to do with Salvatori Building located on Independence Square and NBS 610 Building on Abercromby Street. But even with this level of development, Government is concerned with two things: The city’s declining population and traffic congestion. In an effort to reverse the trend of population movement away from the city to suburban areas, Government will move to encourage the construction of medium density housing in the city, introduce residences into the Port-of-Spain Conference Centre Project and acquire sites in lower Woodbrook, through UDeCOTT, and reconvert them into essentially residential districts. On the issue of traffic, Minister Sahadeo said, “We have commissioned a transportation plan for the future. But we already have a pretty clear idea of what needs to be done to facilitate the smooth and easy flow of traffic in and around the city. There is no need to elaborate.”