Queen’s Hall adds 2 to management team

The board and management of Queen’s Hall, the premier centre for the performing arts in St Ann's, have announced that Mary Lou Parboo-Ramsumair and Kalisha Clement-Skeete are now supervisor of public procurement and legal officer I, respectively.

In a media release Queen’s Hall general manager Garfield George said, “These appointments are part of our strategic plan to ensure that we have the capacity to remain compliant to all government regulations and provide quality service to the national community. In particular, the office of procurement regulation. Mary Lou and Kalisha came on board specifically for this purpose.”

The Office of Procurement Regulation’s (OPR) mandate is to regulate public procurement, retention, and disposal of public property through monitoring and enforcement to promote best practices. All state entities must adhere to OPR regulations. Queen’s Hall is no exception since it is a statutory state board, the release said.

“We are getting closer to full compliance with the OPR Act, which was proclaimed in April 2023. So far, we are 75 per cent accomplished. We have registered with the OPR and we are also prequalified as a vendor. Now, with Mary Lou and Kalisha on the team we are closer to completion," George said.

Parboo-Ramsumair, who has more than five years’ experience in the field, is also Queen’s Hall’s “named procurement officer.” In her capacity, she will ensure the organisation is aligned with procurement regulation – the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property 2015 as amended. The law tells all public bodies how the monies should be used, the release said.

“My role carries preparation of daily purchases as well as preparing for tender high risk, high value items,” Parboo-Ramsumair said, in the release.

An alumna of Pleasantville Senior Comprehensive, Parboo-Ramsumair holds a bachelor of law degree (LLB) from the University of London. She also has Level 4 certification from the international body CITS. She is a post graduate from the University of Bedfordshire with an MBA in logistics and supply chain management.

As the legal advisor I, Clement-Skeete provides support in drafting legal documents or interpreting the law or providing advice for Queen’s Hall. She is also positioned as part of the Procurement Disposal Advisory Committee (PDAC), which ensures that Queen’s Hall adheres to the OPR’s regulations.

Clement-Skeete has an LLB from the University of London and an LPC from BPP University, Birmingham. She was called to the bar in 2019.

The release said she relishes the opportunity to balance her strong artistic background with her legal expertise. She attended Naparima Girl’s High School where she won the award for theatre arts when she was in form five. A former member of the South choir, Jeunes Agape, Clement-Skeete also participated in music and drama festivals.

“I do have a soft spot for the arts. But I have to strike a balance between being strictly legal and the challenges faced in producing a play or a show. With that understanding, not everything is black or white,” she said.