GRAND STAND STILL STANDING

At the office of the National Carnival Committee (NCC), not a box had been packed, and the same applied for the National Carnival Bands Association (NCBA). Secretary at the latter organisation, Renwick Brown said apart from a verbal notice that they would have to move soon they have not yet identified alternative accommodation to run their operations. He stated: “Right now it’s business as usual.” A check with contractors the Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago (Udecott), confirmed that no written correspondence has been forwarded to the office holders in the Savannah, including the Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation (TUCO), requesting them to vacate the premises. Demolition of the Grand Stand was scheduled to take place to make way for the NCEC that was air-marked to be completed in 30 months. Culture Minister Joan Yuille-Williams, under pressure in the last few months to make things happen could only state recently that the Independence parade might be the last event to take place in the Savannah.

When Newsday visited the Savannah yesterday there were some policemen on motorbikes testing the ground for their drive past on Thursday and the army was seen setting up a podium for the President, Prime Minister and the Chief Justice, putting up flags and buntings to decorate the Savannah and varnishing the wooden cubicles just inside of the Grand Stand. A call to the Culture Minister’s office met with a response that she was meeting with both her permanent secretaries at the time, and her secretary was unable to state how long the meeting would last.

When contacted yesterday about the commencement of physical work to be done on the Grand Stand, Corporate Communication Manager at Udecott, Danielle Jones said she did not have that information but promised to give an answer as soon as she got it.