Brian Lara academy cost soars...
From $275m to 558m
By Gail Alexander
Trinidad Guardian
Friday 11th May, 2007The cost of the Brian Lara Cricket Academy—part of the controversial Tarouba Sport Complex—has risen from the initial estimate of $275 million to approximately $558 million, Sports Minister Roger Boynes has confirmed.
Speaking at yesterday’s weekly Whitehall briefing, Boynes acknowledged the initial cost of the Tarouba Sport Complex had been an estimated $850 million.
He said the $558 million estimated cost of the cricket academy, which is part of the complex, would take into consideration other infrastructure that “will speak to the rest of the complex (sic).”
Boynes said the original $275 million price of the academy was an estimate.
“As the overall plan has been completed, the completed cost is now approximately $558 million,” he added.
Boynes said the academy should be completed towards the end of 2007.
He said he intended to make a submission to Parliament on this “by about next week so (sic).”
Boynes said he was not happy the work “took so long in coming.”
He said there had been some challenges.
“The original site was close to the Manny Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella and was later relocated to the Tarouba Sport Complex,” he said.
“More infrastructure had to be gone into in that particular site (sic), more piling, that sort of thing.
“And the cost of material and labour, that sort of thing (sic). The prices would have increased.”
Boynes said one had to expect that the cost of material and labour for instance would increase.
He said in the type of preparations for the cricket academy, some infrastructural work would have been done “to speak to the whole (Tarouba) complex.”
“We’d have catered for some level of infrastructure that would speak to the rest of the development taking place,” Boynes added.
He said the Government had not reached to the point of assessing whether the entire Tarouba Sporting Complex would surpass the initially estimated cost of $850 million.
“We’re not at that particular level yet,” Boynes said.
“We’re only working on conceptual designs and we pulled out the Brian Lara Cricket Academy and that is all we’re focusing on at this time as we want to ensure it is the premier training centre...we’re focused on ensuring we complete that.
“At the end of the day we’ll assess the whole situation as related to the Brian Lara Cricket Academy—that one facility—out of several facilities that will make up the whole sporting complex.
“We’ll look at all work done and increased costs and we’ll learn from it that time.”
Govt role for Lara
Boynes said when the place was completed, it would be one of the most premier academies in the world “and that is what we’re going to be doing with Brian Charles Lara: we’re going to be asking Brian to assist us in ensuring we establish it as a premier training venue and we’re going to make it available to the West Indies cricket team to train there.
“God knows, they need the training,” Boynes added.
Asked if a government post was in the offing for Lara, Boynes said: “Let me put it on record: I have not discussed that with Brian Charles Lara.”
Since Lara met with Prime Minister Patrick Manning last Tuesday to reportedly discuss retirement plans, there has been speculation that Lara might be offered a political post or even replace Boynes as Sports Minister.
Boynes is not contesting his Toco seat due to a healing spinal problem.
Yesterday, Boynes said the Cabinet, in recognition of what Lara means to T&T and in recognising his achievements on his retirement from international cricket, had deliberated on this.
“And within a short period of time an annoucement will be made on what Cabinet decided,” Boynes added.
“Cabinet also deliberated on other matters and within a period of time I would come back to you and announce what some of these other things are.
“Needless to say, we will be hosting a commemorative function and there are other aspects also.
“Brian Lara will continue playing the role of Sports Ambassador for T&T.
“This is a very important role in ensuring the Brian Lara Cricket Academy is established as one of the most premier training academies in
the world.”
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