London moves to restore THA Building

London told Newsday that unfortunately the THA Legislature – under whose portfolio the THA Building falls – does not possess the necessary expertise and capacity to effect restoration works to the building because of its ancient architecture/design.

Neither does the Division of Infrastructure/Public Utilities (DIPU), which has oversight capacity and responsibility for all such projects on behalf of the Assembly, have the expertise to undertake restoration of the building which stands out as a historical landmark in Tobago, he noted.

He stressed that preservation of the original architectural design of the building was of paramount importance, and this required a specialist firm in this field of work. "They (DIPU) don’t have the expertise to do the job!" London acknowledged.

This, he explained, was the rationale behind the THA putting out an advertisement seeking such a firm. In an advertisement on Page 12 (Section C) of the Newsday, DIPU requested "expressions of interest" for the "design review, finance and construction of the proposed restoration and addition of the THA (Building)." The advertisement also noted that "interested firms should be willing to partner with Tobago construction firms." "This (the invitation for expressions of interest) is something that would have happened under normal circumstances," London asserted.

He said that DIPU will oversee and manage the project. "In other words, they (DIPU) manage the process", he explained. He asserted that while the THA Legislature, or Secretariat as it is commonly referred to, has responsibility for the THA Building, it "was not set up for that kind of activity (restoration project)."

London assured that all steps would be taken to retain the original architectural design of the building.