PanTrinbago gets Skinner Park office

THE South Central Division of Pan Trinbago has been given an office space in Skinner Park, San Fernando, which was recently refurbished at a cost of $131 million.

Speaking at a brief handover ceremony on Tuesday, the division's chairman Phillip Barker said the branch has been renting office spaces since its inception and is pleased it is now calling the Skinner Park office home. Though it has occupied the space, he said work there will only begin from Ash Wednesday, after this year's Carnival festivities. With access to the gym and other facilities on the compound, he said, the staff are looking forward to using the site for the rest of the year at the very least. Apart from the facilities, the division's vice chairman Urslin Blackett said the location's biggest benefit is access to other stakeholders.

The Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation and the National Carnival Commission are also expected to be given accommodation at the site. "It gives us a sense of belonging, because all the interest groups will be under one... roof," she said. "So there will be a collaboration. It will be easier for us to collaborate with each other, in the sense that if there is anything that is happening where Carnival is concerned, you don't have to call or come down, just walk across, because all the offices will be close to each other."

Barker said this was made possible through an offer by San Fernando mayor Robert Parris to Pan Trinbago's president, Beverly Ramsey-Moore. At the handing-over, Parris said having Carnival interest and sports groups offices at Skinner Park has been a dream of his since he took up office.

He said San Fernando is just replicating the formula already used in Port of Spain.

Describing Skinner Park as a "cash cow," Parris said these interest groups will be charged rent, but chose not to divulge how much.