Mystery pavilion on President’s Grounds

Residents are up in arms over a pavilion being constructed on the President’s Grounds in St Ann’s.

Disgruntled users of the grounds took to social media, saying the construction of the pavilion was encroaching on the playing area.

A residents’ group complained the pavilion was being constructed “behind a smoke-screen of ‘community consultation’” and, as well as encroaching on the playing area, the pavilion seemed extravagant at a time when public funds were limited.

In addition, residents are aggrieved because after meeting the local government councillor on November 29, they were told work on the project would be stopped until after a meeting at the site with the chief engineer of the San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation, the contractor, the councillor and other committee representatives.

However, they said, when the commuity group representative went to the meeting, work on the pavilion had already begun and no one else turned up.

When Newsday visited the grounds yesterday there was no construction taking place, but a large concrete slab had already been laid and part of the ground was dug up.

People in the area said the San Juan/Laventille Regional Corporation was responsible for constructing the pavilion. But at the corporation, Newsday was told the Horticultural Division was in charge of the President’s Grounds and the corporation had no clue a pavilion was being built.

After several visits to different government agencies, Newsday was told the Port of Spain Corporation maintained the grounds.

But Port of Spain Mayor Joel Martinez said, “Normally the Ministry of Agriculture assists in the maintenance of the grounds, but it is under the Botanical Gardens.”

In 2007, Newsday reported on a squabble between St Ann’s/Cascade and Mt Hololo residents and late prime minister Patrick Manning over the planned use of part of President’s Grounds as part of the $148 million Prime Minister’s residence and diplomatic centre.