US$400m to build new embassy at Country Club in Maraval

UNITED States Ambassador to TT Candace Bond said the US is TT's "best partner and friend in the world."

Bond made this comment after signing an agreement on Wednesday to acquire the Trinidad Country Club in Maraval as the site of the new US Embassy in TT. The US government will invest more than US$400 million to plan, build and design its new embassy.

In a video posted on the embassy's Facebook page, Bond said, "While it will take a few years before we relocate to the new site, we are really looking forward to this new chapter and our new home."

No construction has begun at the country club's location at 137 Long Circular Road, Maraval as yet.

The embassy will continue to operate at its current location at Marli Street in Port of Spain until the new embassy is built and officially commissioned. The US government’s decision to relocate the embassy from Marli Street was first announced last April.

No details were provided at the time about the embassy's new location. The embassy has been at Marli Street since 1962. At that time, the US State Department underscored the robust ties that exist between the US and TT.

Bond said the decision by the US government to build a new embassy in TT is "solid, tangible evidence of the robust relationship between our two great countries."

She added, "It will be a permanent symbol of our unbreakable bond." Bond described the construction of the new embassy as a project which will benefit the people of TT in many ways.

Bond said, "In addition to providing scores of jobs during the new embassy's construction, the project will showcase state-of-the-art and eco-friendly designs and materials."

She was confident that the improved facilities which will come with the construction of the new US embassy will help it "to better serve our constituents, improve the experience for visa applicants, and provide new and improved facilities and services, for those conducting business with the US government."

Bond reiterated that the US government commitment to build the new embassy "is a powerful indicator of the longstanding, robust relationship between the people and government of the US and the people and government of TT."

A statement issued by the embassy on Wednesday, said Bond signed the agreement to acquire the 11-acre property in Maraval (which includes the club) with Joseph Fernandes, a representative of Champs Elysees Ltd, the former owner of the property.

Also present for the signing was US State Department Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations realty specialist Christin Martinelli.

The country club is listed by the National Trust as a cultural heritage site and its ownership is private.

Public accessibility to the property is limited. The property comprises a main club house and some other buildings.

Information provided by the trust is that the buildings at the property "have little built heritage significance."

The property was referred to in Spanish colonial times as as St Xavier. It was owned by Dons Miguel and Francesco Lezama before being purchased by Philippe Rose Roume de Saint-Laurent, for his mother, Rosa, in 1782 to build an estate there.

The main house of the estate (the country club) was rebuilt three times, with the last time being around 1870.

In that time, it was used as "a retreat for visiting royalty as well as for the crème de la crème of local society to fraternise, play sports, and enjoy tea parties."

These activities continued into the 20th century.

The property was bought in 1932 by Huggins and Company, owners of the then Queen's Park Hotel in Port of Spain. The main house was converted into a club for use by the hotel's guests.

A large dance hall, tennis courts and a swimming pool were built at the property, for their convenience.

The hotel and club were acquired in 1953 by JB Fernandes.

Around this period, PNM founder Dr Eric Williams and other people criticised the exclusivity of the club's membership as they sought to expose inequities in TT before it gained independence in 1962.