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Offline ironman

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Re: Here is another white elephant
« Reply #60 on: April 05, 2010, 10:31:56 PM »
Could not help,to begin with the stadium is part of an Australian model of High PERFORMANCE CENTERS to be feed by schools and other less formal systems,Anil Roberts talk about unpopulated.....what is Gasparillo,Reform,Palmayra,St.Clements,Coceyea,St.Madeline,Toruba Housing District,Vistabella,Marabella,Iere Village,Brasil Squatters,Thompson Gardens,Corinth,Golconda to start with?Fellas is clown with hole in dey face!!!! and getting on thinking people nerves with frigging misinformation and alternate MOs.....seriously.
The cricket Center in Balmain is for now is not a stadium it is more of an academy with a pavilion.
All de talk about white elephant......who does go to the present stadia inthe evening?where neon trackers,simplex,silver bullet,phoenix,eagles does train?Not disputing finances but what let the youth go back to VOS ground or any patch of grass to train?then hope for gold?BTW how many stadia in Guadeloupe?fellas does bump dey gum ahh lawd.
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Online maxg

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Re: Here is another white elephant
« Reply #61 on: September 16, 2010, 09:19:21 AM »
Warning: this is a Repost of an old topic

So what a good poltician tries to do, is talk some sense and sneak some nonsense past yuh, till ppl cyah tell, which is which, they know they definately heard some truths, but as time passes, when one reflects on what was said, yuh accept the whole presentation/speech/match as the truth.....

ah keep reposting this, so ppl will hopefully learn, to distinguish the truth from the nonsense right away, as it is being said, and thus won't have to defend issues based on failing memories...

For guys like ironman,
It is usually best to read a whole post/ look at the whole picture, before commenting on parts...

for ppl who knew better and tried to do something about it (like Anil didn't do) enjoy, you tried...for the rest of us, we could only shake our heads and do the zombie dance

Anil: I knew of Tarouba mess since 2003
...slams Opposition for 'defending' wrongdoing
from 'The Trinidad Express"
By Anna Ramdass anna.ramdass@trinidadexpress.com   


Story Created: Sep 15, 2010 at 11:42 PM ECT

Story Updated: Sep 15, 2010 at 11:42 PM ECT

Sport Minister Anil Roberts disclosed yesterday he was aware the billion-dollar Tarouba Sporting Complex was a recipe for controversy since 2003.

In his contribution to the 2010/2011 budget debate at the Parliament sitting, at the Red House, Port of Spain, Roberts said this was one of the reasons why he did not renew his contract with the Sport Ministry, under the People's National Movement (PNM) administration, for the period January 2002 to 2004.

Roberts, a former swimming coach, said he did not renew the contract because in 2003, he saw a document on the desk of former sport minister Roger Boynes which detailed all the plans for the Tarouba Sporting Complex.

"I looked at the former minister, Roger Boynes, and told him, 'Sir, when you going to jail, I not following you!''' Roberts said.

He said now, eight years later, the project stands at $1.1 billion, and the People's Partnership Government will have to pay $54 million over six years to repay a $497 million loan the PNM government took to complete project.

Roberts also took to task Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley's statement the PNM will defend no wrongdoing.

"Where is Calder Hart, Uthara Rao, Ken Julien?" asked Roberts as he reminded the House billions were drained from the treasury under the PNM administration by these men.

Roberts said Hart, the former executive chairman of the Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago (UDeCOTT), milked the Treasury, got $200,000 a month for himself and had the ability to ensure whenever there were cost overruns on mega projects, UDeCOTT's fees would also increase.

He said former prime minister Patrick Manning "defended Calder Hart on 45 occasions, saying he was the bastion of intelligence and implementation".

Roberts said Rowley and the present Opposition have no right to talk about morality and trust when the Hart scandal happened under their tenure.

"So the PNM will not defend wrongdoing, but the entire Cabinet sat quietly as people like Calder Hart overspent on Tarouba, Ministry of Legal Affairs building, every single project, NAPA (National Academy for the Performing Arts)...all of them, and they come here and say they do not defend wrongdoing?" Roberts asked.

He said Rowley had raised concern about Hart, yet when the general election was called, "the very said member went up on a platform and said forget all of that, time for election; let we go down the road together and now, he stands here, three months later, begging the population to believe that the PNM will not defend wrongdoing".

Roberts also trained his guns on former finance minister Karen Nunez-Tesheira. He recalled Nunez-Tesheira, who presided over the PNM government's bailout of CLICO, made moves to ensure her money was secure before she negotiated on behalf of policy-holders.

The minister also criticised former PNM minister Gary Hunt for wasting two million dollars on a national flag at the Hasely Crawford Stadium.

He questioned whether the PNM MPs had forgotten Rao, "the former chairman of EMBD, who was given charge of 13,000 acres of Caroni land but it somehow morphed to 33,000. Who was renting cars to a ghost company that did not exist, that's the EMBD Rao".


Offline Touches

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Re: Here is another white elephant
« Reply #62 on: September 16, 2010, 09:30:06 AM »
Max yuh gorn and bring up this bad news vexation thread.  :devil: :devil:

Everytime I reach down south and see dat on the highway I does steupes.

Damn ting reach a billion and yet to schedule a game in it.




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Online maxg

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Re: Here is another white elephant
« Reply #63 on: January 14, 2011, 03:32:12 PM »
Max yuh gorn and bring up this bad news vexation thread.  :devil: :devil:

Everytime I reach down south and see dat on the highway I does steupes.

Damn ting reach a billion and yet to schedule a game in it.



We going for a double bill for vision 2020, man...once the cricket pitch finish, then we could go for gold
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Brian_Lara_Stadium_surpasses__1b-113541264.html


WARNING: OLD POST
« Last Edit: January 14, 2011, 03:33:49 PM by maxg »

Offline just cool

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Re: Here is another white elephant
« Reply #64 on: January 14, 2011, 04:35:56 PM »
Could someone post a picture or vid of the present state of the site?  porfavor.
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Offline Deeks

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Re: Here is another white elephant
« Reply #65 on: January 14, 2011, 04:41:32 PM »
Of all the things Patrick is accused of, this one does make me shake meh head. I was for the cricket stadium. South needed an international cricket stadium. Patos allowed this to become an albatross around his neck. Brian Lara cricket stadium. He go take he lumps on this one. No excuse. Well I am sure he has one.

Offline Tallman

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Re: Here is another white elephant
« Reply #66 on: January 14, 2011, 05:01:24 PM »
Could someone post a picture or vid of the present state of the site?  porfavor.

Here is a video from last September

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Offline MEP

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Re: Here is another white elephant
« Reply #67 on: January 14, 2011, 07:22:07 PM »
wow dat man full ah heself

Offline just cool

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Re: Here is another white elephant
« Reply #68 on: January 14, 2011, 08:09:43 PM »
Could someone post a picture or vid of the present state of the site?  porfavor.

Here is a video from last September

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Thanx tallman. so what's the verdict on this complex, are they going to finish it or condemn it to a loss?
BTW, this fella scandalous eh ?? damn! the man have ah real fish market style boy.
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Online maxg

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Re: Here is another white elephant
« Reply #69 on: January 20, 2011, 09:43:18 AM »
I will like to retract a statement I made where I said the present minister, then advisor did nothing to halt this madness(with all respect-sensible to many). Based on this evidence, that he did advise against it....

 http://www.stabroeknews.com/2011/news/breaking/01/14/lara-stadium-now-budgeted-at-tt1-07b/       


         Hope he accepts my sincerest apologies, which I hope to deliver in person along with my current ideas for which he is seeking....Continue with construction, add walls and turn into exclusive condos (aproxx 50- a la those 1mill/westmoorings projects ) or an exclusive out of the way Hotel/resort (to the stars), whereby either way,  the ppl in the surronding environs could at least get some employment in a service/maintenance/security/entertainment/management capacity and/or sell the whole project for 800 million to a private investor (wish socawarriors fans had money - 2mill ah we, $400 each, except a choice few like ...well too many names to call, will donate none, cause the ppl of south and athletes won't get a stade) , pay of yuh 497 million loan, pay off the associated expense, and write off the loss...do not sue the members of the previous government, like the previous throw away venture of the Abu Bakar court and "re-coup" fiasco...move on..Total cost 2 bill, total loss 1.2 bill, - trini poltics priceless - however employment generated in what could become a growing and secure Tarouba community

Then hire Maxg & friends- ah bringing meh own staff - at a nominal fee of no more than 50 Mill (consultant & staff included) who will organize a construction project of building in a more suitable environ or refurbish an present and existing park/recreational area(add: in the southland) and thus much smaller scale project, complete with swimming pool, cricket and football complex, at a gauranteed projected cost of 200 Mill...Any cost over-runs, cost to be withstood by Maxg & Co. Any uncompleted contract by either party, will lead to forfiet of all that party assets internationally. Total cost : 2.3 Bill, Total loss: 1.2 bill (doesn't change - as you now have a functioning self supporting employed community, and a functioning sports complex and training facilty)



ps:  ;) for those math wunderkids, you know who you are, there are other unforseen expenses, eg. lodging, room and board, and other unforseen expense..etc... maxg doh move so
« Last Edit: January 20, 2011, 09:45:16 AM by maxg »

Offline Jah Gol

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Re: Here is another white elephant
« Reply #70 on: January 20, 2011, 11:25:40 AM »
Charges should have been laid for this.

Offline Deeks

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Re: Here is another white elephant
« Reply #71 on: January 20, 2011, 04:23:17 PM »
Patos can't run from this one!!!!!!!

Online maxg

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Re: Here is another white elephant
« Reply #72 on: January 20, 2011, 04:29:18 PM »
Charges should have been laid for this.
and waste more tax payers money ?

Offline grskywalker

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Re: Here is another white elephant
« Reply #73 on: January 20, 2011, 08:22:31 PM »
wait wait we cah pay footballers but we have 850 million to build stadium where nobody going to really use.

Offline weary1969

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Re: Here is another white elephant
« Reply #74 on: January 20, 2011, 10:03:46 PM »
wait wait we cah pay footballers but we have 850 million to build stadium where nobody going to really use.

1 eh have nutten 2 do wit each other.
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Re: Here is another white elephant
« Reply #75 on: January 20, 2011, 10:28:05 PM »
wow dat man full ah heself

Has always been. I used the radio station to market himself
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Offline elan

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Re: Here is another white elephant
« Reply #76 on: January 20, 2011, 10:44:01 PM »
I hope they finish this facility.
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Re: Here is another white elephant
« Reply #77 on: January 21, 2011, 02:19:11 AM »
I hope they finish this facility.
I hope plenty ppl actually use it...with 1.8 billion thrown in the hole it is a gamble to throw more knowing when you start seeing something, means yuh still have to throw plenty more over a extended period of time. The biggest gamble however IMO , will the sports men & women actually benefit from it. Will they bother to give up where they traditionally and currently train to make this non-commercial, nouveau detour from the routine of what was their normal lives. when it is finished, if many ppl don't make use of it, we wouldn't be able to showcase it as a unique expensive mantel piece, cause they would have seen quite a few of these around the country already. Unless, unless, ppl go for " but have you ever seen one in the bush, overrun by bush" . If they ask "like Indy, temple of doom sorta?" Sell it to dem for what yuh get, doh bother to hold yuh head and ball...yeah ah hope, we use it, maybe run Canadian/US winter camps out of them, in prep for Southern hemispheres olympics , world cups, and maybe an exclusive British cricket club or two, all those big money generating sports we operate here in the so big ,vast and just plain far to go anywhere land of the humming bird  :-*. Shim ah did see a few in this city the other day, cyan even claim that....Island of the underused stadiums, except for carnival..now there yuh go..Seriously, ah hope it doh come to that!
« Last Edit: January 21, 2011, 02:22:28 AM by maxg »

Offline weary1969

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Re: Here is another white elephant
« Reply #78 on: January 21, 2011, 06:57:23 AM »
wow dat man full ah heself

Has always been. I used the radio station to market himself

The man betta than Kottler because it work.
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Online maxg

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Re: Here is another white elephant
« Reply #79 on: February 09, 2011, 10:03:59 AM »

Offline elan

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Re: Here is another white elephant
« Reply #80 on: February 09, 2011, 10:05:32 AM »
Latest Update

http://guardian.co.tt/news/2011/02/07/tarouba-stadium-falling-apart tarouba stadium


The Guardian cyah print nutten about the SIA, but they making sure to keep the past governement in de spotlight.
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Re: Here is another white elephant
« Reply #81 on: February 09, 2011, 10:29:31 AM »
Latest Update

http://guardian.co.tt/news/2011/02/07/tarouba-stadium-falling-apart tarouba stadium


The Guardian cyah print nutten about the SIA, but they making sure to keep the past governement in de spotlight.
Not to digress to much, but the Past Government Leaders, seemed intent on being in the spotlight.(See National arts center, See Summits, see Vision 2020).

 IMO, it was their priority job one, but I personally not about party, I about a majority of ppl & leading by common sense, especially when I know for a fact there are way smarter people than me in leadership roles, thus when they make certain decisions, I see it as being intentional, thus my question. Why they feel they must do people that.

One can plaster the SIA fiasco however one wants, the effect on the majority of ppl in TT is minimal.. Wheter if, 4 ppl doh know nothing getting paid for doing some secret work, or another 4 who know everything for getting paid for doing some secret work, I didn't see the difference before, when everything was working good, and I wheter is you, me or James Bond have the job, I'm not sure I would be able to discern the difference, as the results are secret, matters of National security nah ! Yet, when ah read how about ppl living in bush, getting electrocuted becasue they trying to thief electricity, flooding yearly and losing everything they have, cannot get running water, youths who feel they have to assault & kill, as a way of life..It make me wonder if 200+180 acres & Billions of dollars could have been used differently.(Tarouba+circuit+entertainment/sport area- how many of the population would afford it, and for how long)
Which I think should be the normal thought processes before the decisions are made..Don't do it, and then wonder how after...Look at every angle, pros and cons, alternatives, and number of people effected, for now and future, reference past and historical outcomes, and then decide....Don't build ah house in the middle of a dry river, and the 1st time it rains, cry another river ...buh is just my thoughts

Offline elan

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Re: Here is another white elephant
« Reply #82 on: February 09, 2011, 10:43:57 AM »
Latest Update

http://guardian.co.tt/news/2011/02/07/tarouba-stadium-falling-apart tarouba stadium


The Guardian cyah print nutten about the SIA, but they making sure to keep the past governement in de spotlight.
Not to digress to much, but the Past Government Leaders, seemed intent on being in the spotlight.(See National arts center, See Summits, see Vision 2020).

 IMO, it was their priority job one, but I personally not about party, I about a majority of ppl & leading by common sense, especially when I know for a fact there are way smarter people than me in leadership roles, thus when they make certain decisions, I see it as being intentional, thus my question. Why they feel they must do people that.

One can plaster the SIA fiasco however one wants, the effect on the majority of ppl in TT is minimal.. Wheter if, 4 ppl doh know nothing getting paid for doing some secret work, or another 4 who know everything for getting paid for doing some secret work, I didn't see the difference before, when everything was working good, and I wheter is you, me or James Bond have the job, I'm not sure I would be able to discern the difference, as the results are secret, matters of National security nah ! Yet, when ah read how about ppl living in bush, getting electrocuted becasue they trying to thief electricity, flooding yearly and losing everything they have, cannot get running water, youths who feel they have to assault & kill, as a way of life..It make me wonder if 200+180 acres & Billions of dollars could have been used differently.(Tarouba+circuit+entertainment/sport area- how many of the population would afford it, and for how long)
Which I think should be the normal thought processes before the decisions are made..Don't do it, and then wonder how after...Look at every angle, pros and cons, alternatives, and number of people effected, for now and future, reference past and historical outcomes, and then decide....Don't build ah house in the middle of a dry river, and the 1st time it rains, cry another river ...buh is just my thoughts

I get you. Maybe the intent was good, but the dark side of the politicians get the better of them. I think this was a good idea. Look how athletes (all sports), cannot use the HCS to train or compete. The current MoS turn the one major facility into fete central. What should athletes do now? With the Toruba baccahnal facilty done, maybe ALL athletes can feel confident in having a facilty that they can go to where they can train and compete at a high level.

The over run in cost, low quality of work and lack of accountability is shocking. However, to say that maybe this can take precedence over the SIA debacle, i'm not to sure. See right now in T&T the major problem is crime and the SIA is a major if not the most essential part of dealing with the criminal elements in our communities. The SIA is literally dealing with life and death. Therefore, the focus right now should be on the proper appointments, implimentation of policies, procedures and strategies that will impact the entire country.

Now coupled with this is the part that a facility such as the Tourba bacchanal facilty can play in bringing young people of the streets into a positive environment. As such, all people should be pushing to get this facility up and running.


My 2 cents.
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Online maxg

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Re: Here is another white elephant
« Reply #83 on: February 09, 2011, 11:12:56 AM »
I'm at work, so i can't get into to much now...but remember the HCS & other stadiums were for similar justifiable reasons, when they were built, years later, what will therefore make the Tarouba facilty different..see suggestion earlyon in post...as far as upkeep and maintenance rather than build new stuff to be maintaind..etc..
"Therefore, the focus right now should be on the proper appointments, implimentation of policies, procedures and strategies that will impact the entire country.

Now coupled with this is the part that a facility such as the Tourba bacchanal facilty can play in bringing young people of the streets into a positive environment. As such, all people should be pushing to get this facility up and running. "

ah good wish, but ah wish all the same, wasn't the SIA operating before, so if they weren't what ? TT woulda be in Civil war now ?..just making light of a serious matter, don't get me wrong, I think "proper appointments, implimentation of policies, procedures and strategies that will impact the entire country." starts at the Heads of the country, not a secret organization, people sometime need to see leaders leading by accountabilty and example, not by title or appointment...I hoping this government, regardless of their mistakes are more aware of this, but certain members have meh skeptical...but I won't dare judge, without trial..
The reason why young people would not get off the streets for such items like the tarouba etc...Location, Location, Location...The minimum would benefit, it is sometimes better to upgrade, maintain, what ppl presently utilize than build something where no one will tread, wheater it be due ot distance to travel, personal security or some other.. some will go, most won't...

Like I tell meh bud...when ah youthman rev he Beast(car- he might have to steal one) to ah nex youth(who borrow he fadda own), and another rev he own, yuh think, they go make appointment to head up to Freeport to starighten who could car baddest...yuh think some bandits who like small goal and taking ah lil sweatm, go say, hyo, lewwe organize we self into ah league and hit the park where we could do this thing right nah man...me doh think so, buh is just ah opinion based on my experiences living here, in a so-called devloped country..you will notice I reference my growing here a lot, cause that's all I really know, as said before, I can't actually talk about the real life situations there, as I don't live there...better go..later



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Re: Here is another white elephant
« Reply #84 on: June 08, 2011, 01:08:14 PM »
Almost there, almost there

Compliments The Trinidad Express
$200m more to finish Brian Lara Stadium
By Susan Mohammed South Bureau
Story Created: Jun 7, 2011 at 11:44 PM ECT
Story Updated: Jun 7, 2011 at 11:44 PM ECT



http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/_200m_more_to_finish_Brian_Lara_Stadium-123434054.html

Offline Deeks

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Re: Here is another white elephant
« Reply #85 on: June 08, 2011, 04:25:02 PM »
The gov't should either finish it or tear it down. Patos has to take the blame for this. He allowed Udecott and Karamath to screw this up big time. He should have stepped in and demand changes when this was getting out of hand. This is his albatross.
« Last Edit: June 08, 2011, 05:21:11 PM by Deeks »

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Re: Here is another white elephant
« Reply #86 on: September 12, 2013, 01:55:01 PM »
apps we downgrade from Intl cricket to Secondary school cricket now..maybe ah next 2 years, Windball cricket, and by 5 years, a watermelon patch...we will have gone from producing sugar, laying off ppl, developing the land, back to argiculture for the people by the people....nah, this project, producing solid Gold for some ppl, but not the youhs everyone was so concerned about.
Let see some more.
http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2013-09-11/moonilal-eager-finish-tarouba-stadium-185m-fix-issues

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Re: Here is another white elephant
« Reply #87 on: September 12, 2013, 02:02:53 PM »
The gov't should either finish it or tear it down. Patos has to take the blame for this. He allowed Udecott and Karamath to screw this up big time. He should have stepped in and demand changes when this was getting out of hand. This is his albatross.

Hunte ha to take some blame too.
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Re: Here is another white elephant
« Reply #88 on: September 12, 2013, 02:16:23 PM »
Warning..it's an old post...i'm sure many people have changed their stance on this project, if not the idea base don which it was sold

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Re: Here is another white elephant
« Reply #89 on: January 24, 2016, 10:09:02 AM »


...Finish it now, it’s an eyesore—King

TRINIDAD GUARDIAN
Shaliza Hassanali
Published: Sunday, January 24, 2016

Economist Indera Sagewan-Alli is urging Government to hold its hand on completing the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba, since it could put a drain on the Treasury, given the country’s economic situation.

Sagewan-Alli said the $90 million the Urban Development Corporation of T&T is projected to spend on the stadium to get the sporting facility operational could be invested in agriculture to generate revenue and help reduce the country’s growing food import bill.

She said the stadium “should not be priority” at this time.

While restarting work on the stadium would create jobs, Sagewan-Alli said: “When you look at the medium to long term, it is going to create a further drain on the Treasury and with maintenance...”

For years, Sagewan-Alli said, stadiums in T&T have not been revenue generating, “so if there is such a plan for this stadium to generate money then the Government needs to share it with us. You are spending this amount of money when the country is challenged with revenue and foreign exchange.”

Capital expenditure must relate to income generation, Sagewan-Alli said.

She said the country’s food import bill, which stands at $4 billion, was creating a foreign exchange crisis.

“We don’t have foreign exchange but we have the capacity to produce food to feed ourselves. The agriculture sector should be a priority not just in producing food, but also in value added and manufacturing.”

She believes there is no quick-fix solution to the stadium’s problem.

‘Put Children’s

Hospital in private healthcare system’

On the issue of the Children’s Hospital, she questioned whether we were going to add another institution into a network of inefficiency.

“While people have been calling for the Children’s Hospital to be opened, the reality is that our healthcare system is extremely inefficient. Are we going to add another institution into the network of inefficiency? There is nothing to lead us to believe it would be different.”

Sagewan-Alli said every year the Government pumped billions of dollars into the healthcare system while measures were not put in place to prevent non-communicable diseases such as heart conditions, strokes, diabetes and cancers among citizens.

The economist suggested that the Government should retain the services of an international agency or strategic partner “who can put the Children’s Hospital in the private healthcare system because of its size and volume.

“By doing this, we could see the price of private health care going down.”

But, according to economist Mary King, to spend $90 million on a $1 billion project, “I don’t think you could complain about that.”

King said the stadium needed to be completed.

“It has obviously deteriorated. So six years ago it would have cost $40 million to finish it. Now, given what is happening in the world, I don’t think $90 million should be a problem for us.

“I think we need to finish the damn stadium. It has not only been an eyesore, it has been a waste of a facility for years...sitting doing nothing.”

Once completed, King said, the stadium would have many uses.



 



TRINIDAD GUARDIAN
Shaliza Hassanali
Published: Sunday, January 24, 2016
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Under the noses of security guards, hundreds of thousands of dollars worth in fittings and fixtures at the controversial Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba have been carted away by bandits.

Among the items stolen were gallons of paint, air condition units, rolls of electrical wires, amplifiers, lengths of copper pipe lines and lighting fixtures.

The thieves operated at night by gaining entry at the back of the pitch-black academy, which is surrounded by tall trees and towering grass.

The Sunday Guardian team learnt of the theft from anonymous sources, after the team was allowed to enter the stadium by lax security guards of Paragon Protection Consultants Ltd without being questioned or asked to show any identification.

But Yashmid Ellis Karamath, executive chairman of Hafeez Karamath Ltd (HKL), the main contractor of the sporting facility, is refusing to accept blame for the wanton theft.

“I am not responsible for the stolen items,” Karamath insisted yesterday.

In 2005, HKL was awarded the contract for the stadium by the Urban Development Corporation of T&T (Udecott), which was scheduled to be completed by 2007 in time for the ICC Cricket World Cup at an initial cost estimate of $275 million.

However, the cost of the stadium ballooned to $885 million with several delays, which resulted in the project being halted in 2010 by Udecott.

Up to that time, Karamath said, he had two security firms—Thor Security Services Ltd and a canine unit called Man Stoppers that secured the sites and its materials.

Karamath: I am not responsible

But when he was asked to vacate the premises, “I told them (Udecott) if I do that I would no longer be responsible for anything,” Karamath said.

Karamath said it was difficult to quantify the losses incurred.

“I have no idea what was stolen,” Karamath said, refusing to elaborate further on the issue.

The fixtures and fittings, purchased by HKL, were placed in several rooms inside the facility, which were targeted by thieves.

The locks on many of the steel-plated doors where the items were stored were cut open.

Two roomfuls of electrical wires were pilfered of copper strands, while lengths of wires attached to several electrical panel boxes were snipped and removed.

Yesterday, chairman of Udecott Noel Garcia confirmed the theft had occurred from 2010 to 2015, but he could not put a value on the fixtures and fittings.

“I don’t know. I know the copper wire would be pretty expensive. Vandalism of copper wire is throughout...they vandalised a lot of TSTT and T&TEC’s lines. It’s almost like some kind of organised ring,” Garcia said.

He said due to poor security at the cricket academy “people say it was a free for all. I have put a stop to all the Carnival fetes that were held in the car park and the drag racing. Once you have people on the stadium anything could happen. You would open the flood gates.”

Garcia: It was just craziness

When Garcia toured the stadium with batting star Brian Lara last November, he said he heard “there was a fair amount of vandalism...that people had stolen fixtures and electrical wires and so forth.

“Yes, you are right, people did in fact vandalise and steal fixtures from the Brian Lara Stadium. It was just craziness. They stole the wires and air condition equipment.

“When people say that we should leave the stadium and not fix it they have to be crazy because what would eventually happen, people...would steal out everything.”

Under the new board at Udecott, Garcia said, security measures were put in place “to ensure that there is no reoccurrence of what happened in the past with the stealing. Since November we have not had one incident of theft.”

Among the measures were the beefing up of security guards, an increase in mobile patrols and illuminating a portion of the stadium.

He said for years the stadium remained in darkness.

Next month, Garcia said, refurbishment work on the stadium would resume, which was expected to cost taxpayers $90 million.

“The work will go on.”

Garcia said for the Sunday Guardian to gain entry into the stadium without producing an identification showed that “security was lax. I would take steps to investigate this.”

Asked if the contractor or Udecott would be held accountable for the stolen items, Garcia said: “To be frank, I really don’t know that.”

Garcia said Udecott and HKL were now locked in a legal battle over the project and so he preferred not to comment further.

A security officer who identified herself as Geohajan at Paragon Protection Consultants Ltd said the owner of the establishment “Mr Rezendie” was not in office and she would pass on our concerns to him.

However, up to press time Rezendie had not returned our call.

MORE INFO

‘Project scandalous,

out of control’

In 2009, the structural steelwork on the stadium was condemned according to a report into the Udecott project prepared by Gerry McCaffrey, the construction expert hired by the Uff Commission of Enquiry.

McCaffrey’s initial report into the project revealed that HKL ignored 300 “stop orders” for work on the project.

Chairman of the commission of enquiry into Udecott, Professor John Uff, QC, described the Brian Lara project as “nothing short of scandalous” and “out of control.”


 

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