Red House restoration on track

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley is satisfied that the Parliament should be able to return to the Red House by October or November next year. He is also satisfied that the Urban Development Corporation of TT (Udecott) is sticking to the $441 million budget for the restoration work at the Red House. He said once Parliament returns to the Red House, Tower D of the Port of Spain International Waterfront Centre will revert to its original intention as the location for an international financial centre (IFC).

Speaking with reporters after a tour of the Red House, Rowley said he was pleased that the restoration work was on schedule. He reminded reporters that he chairs a Cabinet sub-committee which is overseeing the restoration. On some Amerindian remains and artefacts which were discovered there, Rowley said, “The only thing is the final resting place of the bones.” He said this matter is being finalised and will not cause any delay to the restoration.

The prime minister reminded reporters that plans by the former People’s Partnership government to build a $600 million administrative complex were scrapped after the People’s National Movement assumed office. Rowley said Cabildo Chambers, formerly used by the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs, will house the parliamentary support staff. He said once two departments at Cabildo Chambers transfer to the Legal Affairs Tower at Government Campus Plaza, the empty building will be handed over to Udecott. “The architects are already on the job,” Rowley said.

He said once Parliament signs off on the conceptual designs for Cabildo Chambers, work will start on it. Rowley was confident this building will be completed at the same as the Red House. He said he felt nostalgic touring the Red House while restoration works were ongoing. He said he was not exactly sure where he was until he reached the rotunda.

“This building is huge. It’s probably the only building in the country that takes up a whole block.” The prime minister added, “It is only now that the real work is going on there.”

He said the Red House’s restoration was approached many years ago as “a must do,” and a lot of money was spent on it. “A lot of people got rich, promising to build this building.” He said there are 14 contractors working on the building and there are arrangements in their contracts that indicate they will suffer penalties if they do not complete their work within a scheduled time. “Nothing gets a contractor working better than that.” Rowley said while there is no potential commercial tenant now looking to rent a space in Tower D, that space for commercial activity will be necessary, once the Parliament returns to the Red House.

During the tour, Udecott personnel explained to Rowley the work being done on different parts. Finance Minister Colm Imbert, Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi, Planning Minister Camille Robinson-Regis, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Stuart Young and Clerk of the House of Representatives Jacqui Sampson, joined Rowley on the tour.