By NALINEE SEELAL Thursday, March 11 2010

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BEFORE AND AFTER: The file photo at left shows Chinese labourers hard at work on the church construction site in February. The other photo, taken yest...

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CHINESE labourers from the Shanghai Construction Company, assigned the task of building a multi-million dollar church at the Heights of Guanapo in East Trinidad have packed up and left that site, with construction of the church coming to a halt.

The workers have been sent to the multi-million dollar Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba which is overdue and over budget. This move follows a “show cause” notice served on the occupier of the church compound by Building Inspector of the Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation, Larry Seecharan.

The workers were moved last week but are expected to return to resume construction on the church after certain documents are sorted out and presented to the corporation.

During a physical infrastructure meeting at the corporation offices two weeks ago, which was chaired by Maracas/St Joseph councillor Chrysanta Joseph, it was announced that Seecharan was in the process of serving the “show cause” notice to the owner or occupier of the Lighthouse of the Lord Jesus Christ church.

The church is owned by Julianna Pena, who is reported to be the spiritual adviser of Prime Minister Patrick Manning. When Newsday visited the church site at 2.30 pm yesterday, it was a virtual ghost-town with no sign of activity and no Chinese workers seen anywhere on the compound.

On February 25, then corporation Chief Executive Officer Winifred David revealed that no permission was given by Town and Country Planning for construction of the church. She added that the corporation also had no knowledge of the church being constructed and it too had not given permission to the owner and occupier of the church. David was subsequently transferred to the Port-of-Spain Corporation.

A “show cause” notice means that a person involved in the construction of a building or house must show cause for what is being done. Efforts to reach Chairman of the Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation Patricia Mejias proved futile. Calls to her cell- phone went unanswered and she was reported to be on a site visit yesterday.

Attorney General John Jeremie yesterday downplayed concerns over the church, arguing that in his view there was no need for the project to be investigated. At a press conference at Cabildo Chambers, St Vincent Street, Port-of-Spain, Jeremie was asked if he would probe the project. “The church is as far as I am aware a private institution. I cannot at this time see the need to investigate a private entity in respect of the use of private contractors,” Jeremie said. “I don’t think there is sufficient (evidence). Of course there are other investigatory agencies.”

Asked if links between the Prime Minister and the church did not warrant further investigation, he said, “I have heard of no links between the Prime Minister and the church. The Prime Minister I think is on record as saying he owns no church and I think that amounts to a denial of a link between the Prime Minister and the church.” When it was pointed out that the church was being built in the name of a woman said to be the Prime Minister’s spiritual adviser, Jeremie asked,

“What is the significance of that?”