Soca Warriors Online Discussion Forum
General => General Discussion => Topic started by: zuluwarrior on May 18, 2010, 04:59:43 AM
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Collapse a national disgrace
Today's editorial
Published: 18 May 2010
Today's editorial
The fact that part of the roof of President’s House, one of this country’s most magnificent heritage buildings, has been allowed to collapse must be a source of huge embarrassment for the Government.
President’s House is, after all, the official residence of this country’s head of state, it’s highest official. There is no getting away from the fact that what has transpired with President’s House over several decades of neglect is a national disgrace on at least three counts. Firstly, it cannot be argued that in the period 2001 to 2009 that money was a problem. It is estimated that in that nine-year period, the Government collected, spent and saved $256 billion—a considerable amount of money, some of which could have been spent renovating and maintaining all of the country’s heritage buildings.
Secondly, during the nine-year period, the Government had enough resources to embark on an ambitious programme of construction of state buildings. This includes the construction of a magnificent National Academy for the Performing Arts, a huge waterfront complex which includes a five-star hotel, several high-rise government buildings in downtown Port-of- Spain, a brand new university campus complex in east Trinidad and last, but by no means least, a palatial diplomatic centre and official residence of the Prime Minister. The point here is that the Government seemed anxious to spend billions of dollars constructing new buildings but was less willing to allocate a few million to renovate some of the stately houses that circle the Queen’s Park Savannah, including the most stately of them all, President’s House.
That the Government has chosen to construct a new official residence for the head of government, the Prime Minister, while leaving the complex of buildings that comprise President’s House to collapse literally remains one of the mysteries of the current administration. Thirdly, it is not as though the Government does not appreciate that some of these houses around the Savannah, which have been called the Magnificent Seven, are in need of renovation. In an interview with three journalists on Sunday, the Prime Minister revealed that Cabinet had allocated $2 million as a contribution toward the renovation of Archbishop’s Palace. While this sum will certainly be welcomed by the country’s Roman Catholics and those interested in our heritage, why is the Government allocating funds for the upgrade of the residence of the head of a denomination before it allocates funds for the upgrade of the residence and office of the head of state? Part of the problem is that the Government has a well-defined policy toward the construction of new buildings but such a policy is absent when it comes to heritage buildings.
In other countries that have achieved developed country status or are aspiring toward developed country status, heritage buildings are treated with reverence as being part of the country’s history. Such attitudes are tied in to a sense of pride, a sense of worth, and a sense of belonging, which some will argue are all in short supply in this country. We recommend, therefore, that whichever political party forms the government after the May 24 general election commit itself and the nation to ensuring that all of the heritage buildings identified by the National Trust, the statutory body with the mandate to preserve such structures, are brought up to the appropriate standard of repair.
The next administration should also ensure that a concrete purpose be given to three of the Magnificent Seven—Mille Fleurs, Whitehall and Stollmeyer’s Castle—that are owned by the State but for which there does not seem to be any rationale. And the administration must ensure that enough money is allocated to transform President’s House into something that reflects the country’s 2020 aspirations.
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Is this a sign of the times ? it makes me wonder wats next .
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no use for the presidents house once an executive president takes over and can rule form the presidential palace.
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no use for the presidents house once an executive president takes over and can rule form the presidential palace.
cosign
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no use for the presidents house once an executive president takes over and can rule form the presidential palace.
I figure that out since the day the palace was built and the Prez was still sleeping in the annex in the back....
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but aye aye.... the prez house falling down yet they turning sod all over the place to start new projects...
Great is the PNM.. We shall prevail... :beermug:
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anyhow forget manning for now....wheres the respect for national treasures?
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(http://www.islandmix.com/backchat/attachment.php?attachmentid=60613&stc=1&d=1274215131)
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If Kamla wins, There will be no executive president. But more important than exec president, Is term limits. 2 terms and out. But it is a national disgrace that the President house should be in such disrepair.
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Build it and forget it
The Palace and de "Kaiso Opera House" next :devil:
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All the talk about Manning is a dictator who wants to force an Executive Presidency on the nation and nothing could take place without a two thirds majority in the parliament and no party getting that. As I recall both Panday and the people from "Principles of Fairness" proposed Executive Presidency. I guess it just real easy to give Manning any tag because he real shit it up.
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Thank you jah Gol, is dem who sart the talk on constitutional reform and the need for exec president.
That apart, ever notice the Government buildings in T&T in de greatest state of disrepair happen to be Min of works bldgs.?
Shame and scandal
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Why do we have a President?? The person holding this position can't do anything (almost) on his own anyway. So what's the point?
I don't mind having an Exec Pres but that position have to have plenty checks and balances......
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Why do we have a President?? The person holding this position can't do anything (almost) on his own anyway. So what's the point?
I don't mind having an Exec Pres but that position have to have plenty checks and balances......
All yuh 4get is d Prez dat brk d tie in 01. He does have some power
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Why do we have a President?? The person holding this position can't do anything (almost) on his own anyway. So what's the point?
I don't mind having an Exec Pres but that position have to have plenty checks and balances......
All yuh 4get is d Prez dat brk d tie in 01. He does have some power
True, true....
Overall there is need for constitutional reform cuz it had nothing in the constitution to guide him as to what to do about a tie.....now when that reform will happen is anybody's guess cuz no party is going to win that 2/3rd majority any time soon.....
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Why do we have a President?? The person holding this position can't do anything (almost) on his own anyway. So what's the point?
I don't mind having an Exec Pres but that position have to have plenty checks and balances......
Historically, becoming a republic, but keeping the westminster system you need to replace the monarch as the acting head of state with someone like a president. The president has about as much power politically as the queen did.
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Why do we have a President?? The person holding this position can't do anything (almost) on his own anyway. So what's the point?
I don't mind having an Exec Pres but that position have to have plenty checks and balances......
Historically, becoming a republic, but keeping the westminster system you need to replace the monarch as the acting head of state with someone like a president. The president has about as much power politically as the queen did.
we really need reform: get some meaningful separation between the executive and the legislature.
@brownsugar: right now we have a Project Manager who chooses half the senators and is by definition the person who commands the support of the most members of the lower house. one could argue that we need more checks and balances as is.
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Why do we have a President?? The person holding this position can't do anything (almost) on his own anyway. So what's the point?
I don't mind having an Exec Pres but that position have to have plenty checks and balances......
Yep checks and balances.That is why we probably still need a president, to check and balance they backside. But 2 terms and out should be the way to go.
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All the talk about Manning is a dictator who wants to force an Executive Presidency on the nation and nothing could take place without a two thirds majority in the parliament and no party getting that. As I recall both Panday and the people from "Principles of Fairness" proposed Executive Presidency. I guess it just real easy to give Manning any tag because he real shit it up.
This!
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link http://guardian.co.tt/commentary/letters/2010/05/20/no-respect-head-state
No respect for head of state[/size]
Published: 20 May 2010
T&T is a poorer country than Haiti politically, in spite of all the money we have. It took an 8.4 earthquake to bring down the Presidential Palace in Port-au-Prince, but only a rain shower to bring down the roof of President’s House in Port-of-Spain.
Our Prime Minister and his Government should be ashamed of this. To think that we have skyscrapers and oil wealth, this is unimaginable. To think that the President was sleeping in a house at the back of this building is demeaning to say the least. What if the President was hosting some foreign or local dignatories, as he usually does in the building, and the roof came tumbling down?
Imagine the mad scamper it would have caused. People would have been injured in their jackets and ties and fancy dresses. It has now finally dawned on the President that he does not enjoy the respect from the Government as the head of state of this country and has moved out of that dilapidated presidential complex. Colm Imbert, take a bow, great job.
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link http://guardian.co.tt/commentary/letters/2010/05/20/no-respect-head-state
No respect for head of state
Published: 20 May 2010
T&T is a poorer country than Haiti politically, in spite of all the money we have. It took an 8.4 earthquake to bring down the Presidential Palace in Port-au-Prince, but only a rain shower to bring down the roof of President’s House in Port-of-Spain.
Our Prime Minister and his Government should be ashamed of this. To think that we have skyscrapers and oil wealth, this is unimaginable. To think that the President was sleeping in a house at the back of this building is demeaning to say the least. What if the President was hosting some foreign or local dignatories, as he usually does in the building, and the roof came tumbling down?
Imagine the mad scamper it would have caused. People would have been injured in their jackets and ties and fancy dresses. It has now finally dawned on the President that he does not enjoy the respect from the Government as the head of state of this country and has moved out of that dilapidated presidential complex. Colm Imbert, take a bow, great job.