Shand writes EMA on savannah carnival

Shand made the statement in a second letter he recently sent to the EMA, in which he noted that he has received no reply from CEO, Dr Dave McIntosh, whom he wrote since March 8.

Shand said he understood that McIntosh is to present a report on the Grand Stand matter at the next EMA board meeting on April 20, and he conveyed some concerns of the general public to McIntosh to address in his report.

He said the public is concerned about the absence of due diligence on the part of the EMA, in that it failed to take into account consultants’ advice to Udecott that there should be a moratorium on all new development in the Savannah pending a public consultation on its future.

Shand said the EMA also failed to take into account the lack of consultation with the Cabinet-appointed Savannah Management Committee as suggested by the EMA itself, and on which the EMA is represented.

The EMA, he continued, failed to consider the impact of the development on the aquifer on which it would stand and which is the source of potable water for the Port of Spain Hospital.

The EMA failed to consider the cumulative impact of the development on downtown flooding and on uptown traffic congestion in light of another major development announced for the Princes Building Grounds across the road from the Savannah.