Manning silent on Parliament relocation

PRIME Minister Patrick Manning had no comment yesterday on Cabinet’s decision to relocate Parliament from the Red House, nor on the report that the House Committee of the House of Representatives has stated that finding an alternative place for Parliament was impossible. Manning’s lack of a comment on the issue was made known yesterday when approached by reporters following the PNM’s General Council meeting at Balisier House, Port-of-Spain. Asked about the matter, the Prime Minister quickly responded, “I have no comment” before leaving. Manning, who returned from Nigeria on Saturday, leaves for Washington DC this morning.

Chairman of the PNM and Works Minister Franklyn Khan also said he could not comment on the reports, and referred reporters to the Leader of Government Business Ken Valley, who is out of the country. Asked for an update on the restoration works at the Red House, Khan said he didn’t have the details, but pointed out that as Minister responsible for the project, “work was going apace based on the original design.” He said that almost 50 percent of the work was completed but quickly stated that he needed to get an update from the Quantity Surveyor on the project. Newsday reported two weeks ago that by Cabinet minute 2,739 dated October 23, 2003, the Manning Cabinet agreed that the restored Red House will be allocated for the housing of the Prime Minister’s office, with certain other areas being designated for public access.

At the time that the Newsday report was published Manning was in Nigeria attending a Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting. Yesterday Newsday reported that the House Committee of the House of Representatives has found that sourcing an alternative site for Parliament was impossible, and as a result Parliament should be “relocated internally” as the restoration works continue. Investigations revealed that Government and the Committee, on which Government has a majority membership, are at odds over two fundamental issues of the project. These are the question of the temporary relocation of Parliament and the matter of searching for a permanent home for Parliament. The Committee is chaired by Minister of Trade and Industry Ken Valley and includes as members Colm Imbert, Anthony Roberts, Eudine Job-Davis, Adesh Nanan and Manohar Ramsaran.

The Committee has also expressed dissatisfaction with the designated site for the new Parliament building; that is the block north of the Red House, bounded by Knox, Abercromby, Duke and St Vincent Streets. As a result, the Committee reportedly suggested alternative sites to UdeCOTT Chairman Calder Hart, which included the Princess Building Grounds, or the area where the Emperor Valley Zoo is now located. Other locations proposed, but deemed unsuitable are the Cyril Duprey Building, the Chaguaramas Hotel and Convention Centre, and an unoccupied building on Cipriani Boulevard. Several other MPs have voiced their objections to the proposed relocation of Parliament, and the Opposition UNC has stated categorically that it would not support the relocation plans.