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Offline trinindian

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NAPA Thread.
« on: March 15, 2010, 06:37:56 AM »
80 million to correct flaws in the design of the National Academy

IT COULD TAKE as much as $80 million to correct flaws in the design of the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA), Port-of-Spain, the interim President of the Artists Coalition of Trinidad and Tobago (ACTT) Rubadiri Victor, estimated yesterday.

While Prime Minister Patrick Manning last week praised the NAPA as being “world class,” Victor yesterday begged to differ, saying the facility is plagued with technical problems and argued that it does not compare in any form with Queen’s Hall, St Ann’s.

Discussing a dossier on the NAPA prepared by the ACTT which has been circulating on the internet this month, Victor, a multi-media artist, said, “$80 million is a realistic estimate of the costs that would be involved to correct the defects.”

“It appears as though the firm which built and designed the facility (Shanghai Construction Group) may not have been experienced in building facilities of this kind,” he said.

The ACTT in their dossier, entitled, “The Tragedy and Hidden History of the NAPA”, the coalition of artists also estimate that maintenance of the building like the NAPA, which has an estimated budget of about $500 million, can approach as much as ten per cent of building cost. Architects, though, noted that maintenance costs are difficult to estimate due to the variables involved, such as the quality of original materials used.

Among the defects noted in the ACTT dossier are:

There is no loading area for the main stage;

The stage is “ill-matched” to the 1,500 seating capacity of the hall;

The orchestra pit is defective;

The light and sound boards are analogue and not digital (the industry standard for the last decade);

There are “hundreds of problems with lighting and sound fixtures and equipment” The stage floor is “ribbed and is not a sprung floor so is ill-suited for dancing and thus will damage dancers”.

Dance studios are flawed;

There are “no costume rooms, no set construction rooms and no warehousing rooms”;

One architect not involved in the ACTT report, who has been inside the NAPA yesterday confirmed the flaws identified in the report and added, “the floors are laminated and they have begun to chip already. Because of materials used, there are also creases on the stage, which will be a challenge for dancer.”

“A loading area’s dimensions are normally about 16 feet x 10 feet- NAPA has a normal door! This means that sets, costumes of a certain size, certain musical instruments (hint- one of them is our national one) cannot fit through NAPA’s doors to get backstage!” the report, compiled from a site visit and other sources, notes.

“The two rooms that have been trumpeted as the two smaller theatres are in fact just two rooms. Flat rooms with no seats. It would cost tens of millions of dollars to convert these rooms into theatres.”

“All the light and sound boards are analogue not digital. They are also mid-standard and not high-end,” the report continues. “Most of the fixtures are completely wrong: There are literally hundreds of problems with lighting and sound fixtures and equipment. Some may sound small to laypeople but they mean everything to the technicians entrusted to make sure shows go on.”

“For instance: the bars that the hundreds of light fixtures are on are square and not round. This means that lights can only be pointed in four directions (two of them up to the roof!) and not in gradated choice as on a round bar.”

Tellingly, signage for technical parts of the building is in Chinese, an indication that the design—heavily trumped as being inspired by the Chaconia flower—may not have been original to Trinidad and Tobago.

Additionally, “There are no dressing rooms within reach of the backstage, and no clothing racks, showers and a host of other amenities in the dressing rooms that do exist. This probably can be rectified but it will cost.”

“There are no monitors for backstage and for the stage manager. This probably too can be rectified — but it will cost.”

“The stage-floor is ribbed and is not a sprung floor so is ill-suited for dancing and thus will damage dancers. Theatrical floors are ‘rigged’ so that dancers can dance on then — they have a bounce to absorb and cushion dancers — otherwise it’s like you are dancing on concrete.”

“The dance studios are completely unsuited for dance. The dance-rooms have concrete and terrazzo floors; have dance bars too high; and have mirrors on both walls creating a circus infinite-mirror effect. This means there are effectively no dance studio spaces in NAPA. New properly constructed dance floors will have to be built, one mirrored wall will have to come down and all the dance bars taken down and re-hung.

To add to the litany of complaints, “there are no costume rooms, no set construction rooms and no warehousing rooms.”

Members of the ACTT include Fabien Alphonso, president of the Recording Industry Association of Trinidad and Tobago (RIATT) and Andre Reyes, president of the Artist Teachers Association.

“I don’t know how it could be that the firm that got the contract has a competency in building a performing arts centre,” Victor, who appeared before the Uff Commission of Inquiry into Udecott, the state corporation that built the facility, said. “This is a tragedy of an immense proportion.”

President of the Joint Consultative Council of the local construction industry Winston Riley yesterday noted that aside from functional problems, there have been concerns about the construction materials used for the project.

“There are serious concerns about it as an academy,” he noted, “but we have been concerned about the use of mild steel in the building which we believe would put the building under risk.”

The NAPA was reportedly built pursuant to a Government to Government agreement between Trinidad and Tobago and China, at an estimated budget of about $500 million. There was no competitive tender for the project which was handed to the Shanghai Construction Group, the same company that built the Prime Minister’s Residence and Diplomatic Centre. Efforts to contact SCG were unsuccessful.

When Manning, who had come under fire for his constant defence of Udecott in the face of compelling evidence of corruption at the state enterprise, opened the building last November, he called it, “a masterpiece owned by the people of Trinidad and Tobago.”

At a press briefing last week in London for Commonwealth observances, Manning, the chairman of the Commonwealth, noted that the opening ceremony for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) took place at NAPA. “All in all my dear friends, I think that we were pleased with the outcome. Of course, we were able to expose to the international community a new facility in Port-of-Spain: a National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA) which as everybody saw, we believe is acknowledged to be a world class facility in a small developing country, seeking and striving to take its place among the great countries of the world,” Manning said. Udecott has blocked attempts to have an open media tour of the project.

“Taxpayers are going to have to live with this,” Victor said yesterday.

http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,117279.html

I really hope this article is more sensationalism, but I highly doubt it .

« Last Edit: January 24, 2015, 05:35:16 AM by Flex »
 

Offline WestCoast

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Re: 80 million to correct flaws in the design of the National Academy
« Reply #1 on: March 15, 2010, 07:13:47 AM »
Babol is KING
Whatever you do, do it to the purpose; do it thoroughly, not superficially. Go to the bottom of things. Any thing half done, or half known, is in my mind, neither done nor known at all. Nay, worse, for it often misleads.
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Offline D.H.W

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Re: 80 million to correct flaws in the design of the National Academy
« Reply #2 on: March 15, 2010, 07:16:02 AM »
lol this rel funny.  :-\ stueps
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Offline Bitter

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Re: 80 million to correct flaws in the design of the National Academy
« Reply #3 on: March 15, 2010, 09:46:38 AM »
Most of this stuff is fixable. Yes it will cost, yes it should have been done correctly in the first place. No, I'm not giving the Gov't a free pass. They eff it up.

What I would like to know is if the ACTT had any input into the design and construction. Did they ask? Or did they wait on the sidelines and grumble. Were they proactive and try to get into the picture to make sure things would be up to standard?

What I'm saying is, regardless of how good or bad things go with this type of thing, since you already know you in sweet t&T and this outcome is more than likely, maybe you should try to get in early and head off the craziness.  If they blank you, you have legitimate beef and a ready-made platform to stand on with your grievances.

If you just wait around while someone else does something on your behalf, then you're partly compliant in producing the final result.

What T&T needs sometimes is true advocacy. Get your hands dirty, piss people off, make some noise, work to get a proper result. The complaints now are too late.

Likewise, instead of talk about boycotting the savannah and prize money disputes, the Carnival people and ACTT and TUCO should be involved in the design of the National Carnival Centre. NOW.
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Offline Tallman

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Re: 80 million to correct flaws in the design of the National Academy
« Reply #4 on: March 15, 2010, 10:02:30 AM »
What I would like to know is if the ACTT had any input into the design and construction. Did they ask? Or did they wait on the sidelines and grumble. Were they proactive and try to get into the picture to make sure things would be up to standard?

What I'm saying is, regardless of how good or bad things go with this type of thing, since you already know you in sweet t&T and this outcome is more than likely, maybe you should try to get in early and head off the craziness.  If they blank you, you have legitimate beef and a ready-made platform to stand on with your grievances.
NAPA: Boss or boo?
By Lisa-allen Agostini (T&T Guardian)


Before I start this thing, let me make something very clear: I is a theatre person. Theatre, the thing where real live people standing up on some kind of stage and acting in front of a real live audience. I start writing as a child and one of the first things I ever write was a skit. I does write plays, I act with the Trinidad Theatre Workshop (TTW) and I study directing and stage management at UWI in my undergrad days. All that is to tell you I’s not no kicksy theatre person. I like it bad and I like it long time. So when I hear we was getting a big new national theatre building, I had mixed feelings. Yes, mixed feelings, because as far as I hear and see in this country, theatre people don’t need a big hall like that. What I personally hear them ask for was purpose-built theatres (not multi-use halls or auditoriums, but theatres) in North, South, Tobago and Central, and to fix the theatres we done have. Just as Queen’s Hall get a whole renovation the other day, Little Carib Theatre and Naparima Bowl could do with a overhaul, too. (Carib getting one all now… I wish they coulda get a few million from the Napa budget to finish the thing, yes.)

I is not no construction expert. I never lay a brick myself, so you could take this how you want: I sure sure sure the budget for them buildings the theatre fraternity did ask for wasn’t going and cost half a billion dollars. And is half a billion dollars, give or take a couple million, that Government spend on the Napa. I never went inside, but I hear people like caisonians, rapso people and the opera singer Anne Fridal real like it. Give Jack he jacket, it very shiny and impressive from the outside, and I know plenty people find it glamorous and exciting and pretty. And then it have the other side of the penny. In a press conference in Marlborough House in London, as part of the Commonwealth Day commemoration on March 8, the PM stand up and say the Napa building is boss. Newsday quote him as saying that, at the CHOGM last year when Napa open, “…we were able to expose to the international community a new facility in Port-of-Spain: a National Academy for the Performing Arts which, as everybody saw, we believe is acknowledged to be a world class facility in a small developing country, seeking and striving to take its place among the great countries of the world.”

The goodly PM is many things but I never hear he have no theatre credentials yet. Every theatre person I talk to, including some who was watching the specs for the building as it was going up, say Napa is boo. Rubadiri Victor, a fella I act with at TTW and who does write and direct for stage, write a 39-page report on behalf of the Artists Coalition of T&T (ACTT). I read it Monday, the same day as the PM was giving he speech. The report name “The Tragedy & the Hidden History of Napa.” In short, he say the Napa the PM so talking up is a complete waste. I go give you the Cliff Notes version:
n “Having seen Napa from the inside now, and having visited dozens of rooms, I now conclude that it will cost a further $80 million to convert a handful of rooms to academy and performing arts specifications. This would still leave dozens of rooms untouched and unusable. Because of this I am now prepared to concede that it may be more feasible to give the entire Napa facility over to being a hotel and that another site be sought to construct a proper school for the arts and a national performing arts centre.

Napa is completely unsuited for either function and will cost too much to convert it into such.” n “Artists… politely requested stakeholder consultation (on Napa’s design). A letter was drafted with the signatures of more than ten representative group leaders, an ex-deputy permanent secretary of culture, Sat Balkaransingh, ex-Directors of Culture Mungal Patasar, Chalkdust, and Eugene Joseph, and the three senior artists of the country—Leroy Clarke, Peter Minshall, and Earl Lovelace. It was a historic document. It was ignored.”

1. It have no loading bay for the stage.
2. The stage too big.
3. The orchestra pit too deep.
4. The black box theatres is just empty rooms with no dressing rooms, rigging for lights, or even seats.
5. The light and sound mixing boards is analog, whereas state-of-the-art mixers is mostly digital. The Napa boards is mid- level, not top of the line.
6. It have “hundreds of problems with lighting and sound fixtures and equipment.”
7.“Everything is written in Chinese. …The technical boards control every single outlet and plug in the whole building from central switching. And no one can say what switch is for what on hundreds of switches. So you then have to manually go through each one to find the corresponding switch. And then label it with masking tape.”

Theatre don’t need a stage or a building to happen. It could happen in the road, under a tree, in a church or a classroom or a latrine if you could figure out how to get the audience inside with you. We theatre people accustom to hard times and making do. Napa might be a national disgrace, but it wouldn’t kill we. But to boast that the silver elephant at the top of Frederick Street is a national treasure? That is insult on top of injury. The theatre community—and all the rest of the arts community of T&T—deserve a proper, functional, well-designed facility they could use, not just a useless but shiny trinket to gallery with.
The Conquering Lion of Judah shall break every chain.

Offline Bitter

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Re: 80 million to correct flaws in the design of the National Academy
« Reply #5 on: March 15, 2010, 10:10:23 AM »
Well then Flame on!  :flamethrower:

I was thinking of something more than a polite letter though. Polite letters do not equal strong advocacy. As I said, get your hands dirty. Leadership isn't about becoming the head of some organization.

p.s.

:flamethrower:
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truetrini

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Re: 80 million to correct flaws in the design of the National Academy
« Reply #6 on: March 15, 2010, 10:23:08 AM »
Well apparently ALL the theater people are also construction experts, as the can summarily give an estimate on how much it will cost to fix the so-called errors.

T&T is rel kicks yes...fyah bun!

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Offline Swima

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Re: 80 million to correct flaws in the design of the National Academy
« Reply #7 on: March 15, 2010, 10:30:22 AM »

What I would like to know is if the ACTT had any input into the design and construction. Did they ask? Or did they wait on the sidelines and grumble. Were they proactive and try to get into the picture to make sure things would be up to standard?


I could tell you this... the article a few months ago for new stadia for swimming, cycling and tennis has led to bids for tenders and not one coach in the swimming fraternity has seen the design for the aquatic centre as yet. I personally have asked for it through our administrative reps, but am yet to see it. Same way they went and build a 50m pool down at UTT marine campus in Chag and it only have 4 lanes but they also put a massive set of concrete bleachers like they going to host something in there.

STEUPS!
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Offline E-man

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Re: 80 million to correct flaws in the design of the National Academy
« Reply #8 on: March 15, 2010, 11:06:54 AM »
Law needs to change to require public review and comment meetings. Can't believe the gov't is allowed to build all this w/o a public review process.

Offline Jumbie

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Re: 80 million to correct flaws in the design of the National Academy
« Reply #9 on: March 15, 2010, 11:13:48 AM »
so goes it in "sweet" T&T... build it and they will come so we can boast we have. who cares about the final product.

Offline Bitter

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Re: 80 million to correct flaws in the design of the National Academy
« Reply #10 on: March 15, 2010, 11:16:06 AM »

What I would like to know is if the ACTT had any input into the design and construction. Did they ask? Or did they wait on the sidelines and grumble. Were they proactive and try to get into the picture to make sure things would be up to standard?


I could tell you this... the article a few months ago for new stadia for swimming, cycling and tennis has led to bids for tenders and not one coach in the swimming fraternity has seen the design for the aquatic centre as yet. I personally have asked for it through our administrative reps, but am yet to see it. Same way they went and build a 50m pool down at UTT marine campus in Chag and it only have 4 lanes but they also put a massive set of concrete bleachers like they going to host something in there.

STEUPS!

I guess what I saying is that these situations are tailor made for some political theatre. "Not one coach has seen the designs" suggests a passive approach. You know they about to eff it up. Jump in and stir up some mud!
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Offline Disgruntled_Trini

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Re: 80 million to correct flaws in the design of the National Academy
« Reply #11 on: March 15, 2010, 11:31:24 AM »
My cousin is a dancer, teaches dance and is currently finishing her degree in some stage/dance thing of the other in UWI. From jumpstreet she has said she wants nothing to do with NAPA. The stage apparently is built with solid concrete and from what she has explained to me, theater stages need to be build from wood, so that it has some give from the constant jumping up and down which prevents the dancers from damaging their feet. Further to that, the stage has grooves in it so it cannot have a dance show whatsoever because they will fall.

Aside from that though, what NAPA doing that Queens Hall cannot do?

9 times out of 10 events that are thrown at Queen's Hall do not sell out, save and except music festival and 3 canal's carnival show. So was it needed that badly?



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Offline Swima

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Re: 80 million to correct flaws in the design of the National Academy
« Reply #12 on: March 15, 2010, 11:52:57 AM »

What I would like to know is if the ACTT had any input into the design and construction. Did they ask? Or did they wait on the sidelines and grumble. Were they proactive and try to get into the picture to make sure things would be up to standard?


I could tell you this... the article a few months ago for new stadia for swimming, cycling and tennis has led to bids for tenders and not one coach in the swimming fraternity has seen the design for the aquatic centre as yet. I personally have asked for it through our administrative reps, but am yet to see it. Same way they went and build a 50m pool down at UTT marine campus in Chag and it only have 4 lanes but they also put a massive set of concrete bleachers like they going to host something in there.

STEUPS!

I guess what I saying is that these situations are tailor made for some political theatre. "Not one coach has seen the designs" suggests a passive approach. You know they about to eff it up. Jump in and stir up some mud!

You feel is now come people it have in swimming? Why you feel I get home after 11o'clock  from a 6:30 meeting with Swim Committee? Arguing takes energy, and my job is development. We all try to 'stir up the mud' as you say, but in the end dem fellas do what they want. It's been 30 years since the first design for the aqautic centre was drawn. It supposed to be right where the current training field for HCS is. Nearly 3 years ago they announced Mt. Hope was around the corner. The earth circle the sun twice, how long this corner is?
Success will never take you by surprise.

Offline sammy

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Re: 80 million to correct flaws in the design of the National Academy
« Reply #13 on: March 15, 2010, 11:58:28 AM »
Stueps....alll dem actors/artists/media people are UNC! and dey pushing their political agendas - so what if the door/and seating areas too small? it have ways to work around that.

Great is the d pnm and it shall prevail damn it!
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Offline Blue

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Re: 80 million to correct flaws in the design of the National Academy
« Reply #14 on: March 15, 2010, 12:06:26 PM »
Too much emigration...Trinidad has been left with a shortage of intelligence. This simply could not happen in the developed world. We soundin more and more like Nigeria. 

Offline Sando prince

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Re: 80 million to correct flaws in the design of the National Academy
« Reply #15 on: March 15, 2010, 12:07:21 PM »
Stueps....alll dem actors/artists/media people are UNC! and dey pushing their political agendas - so what if the door/and seating areas too small? it have ways to work around that.

Great is the d pnm and it shall prevail damn it!

 :rotfl: :rotfl: I could care less who is UNC and how great some people think PNM is, yes...I want to be sure my tax paying money is being spent wisely on any frigin project..

Offline Jah Gol

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Re: 80 million to correct flaws in the design of the National Academy
« Reply #16 on: March 15, 2010, 12:11:39 PM »
Too much emigration...Trinidad has been left with a shortage of intelligence. This simply could not happen in the developed world. We soundin more and more like Nigeria. 
Typical condescending crap. 

Offline Blue

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Re: 80 million to correct flaws in the design of the National Academy
« Reply #17 on: March 15, 2010, 12:29:51 PM »
Too much emigration...Trinidad has been left with a shortage of intelligence. This simply could not happen in the developed world. We soundin more and more like Nigeria. 
Typical condescending crap. 

I wish there was a better reason. That sh!t is embarrasing.

truetrini

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Re: 80 million to correct flaws in the design of the National Academy
« Reply #18 on: March 15, 2010, 12:38:26 PM »
Too much emigration...Trinidad has been left with a shortage of intelligence. This simply could not happen in the developed world. We soundin more and more like Nigeria. 

More shit talk..so what about the trillions spent on wars?  Who does do dat?  Dey have all the so-called intelligence too ent?

US does waste 60 billion a year on health care issues alone.

The US DOD routinely hands out no-bid and cost-plus contracts, under which contractors get reimbursed for their costs plus a certain percentage of the contract figure. Such deals don't help hold down spending in the annual military budget of about $500 billion.

US farm subsidy program, part of which pays farmers not to grow crops, has become a giant welfare program for the rich, one that cost taxpayers nearly $20 billion last year.

Again MUCH worse happening in the DEVELOPED NATIONS..UK does real waste too....

Dat said, it doh absolve the T&T Government from wastage and gross mismanagement.

Jes doh come here making my little T&T sound like it all alone and we is some 3rd world dunces...dayt is a master quantity ah shit talk!

Offline Bitter

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Re: 80 million to correct flaws in the design of the National Academy
« Reply #19 on: March 15, 2010, 12:39:15 PM »

What I would like to know is if the ACTT had any input into the design and construction. Did they ask? Or did they wait on the sidelines and grumble. Were they proactive and try to get into the picture to make sure things would be up to standard?


I could tell you this... the article a few months ago for new stadia for swimming, cycling and tennis has led to bids for tenders and not one coach in the swimming fraternity has seen the design for the aquatic centre as yet. I personally have asked for it through our administrative reps, but am yet to see it. Same way they went and build a 50m pool down at UTT marine campus in Chag and it only have 4 lanes but they also put a massive set of concrete bleachers like they going to host something in there.

STEUPS!

I guess what I saying is that these situations are tailor made for some political theatre. "Not one coach has seen the designs" suggests a passive approach. You know they about to eff it up. Jump in and stir up some mud!

You feel is now come people it have in swimming? Why you feel I get home after 11o'clock  from a 6:30 meeting with Swim Committee? Arguing takes energy, and my job is development. We all try to 'stir up the mud' as you say, but in the end dem fellas do what they want. It's been 30 years since the first design for the aqautic centre was drawn. It supposed to be right where the current training field for HCS is. Nearly 3 years ago they announced Mt. Hope was around the corner. The earth circle the sun twice, how long this corner is?

OK, I will try again.
Sometimes (most?) you have to act like a jackass to get the requisite attention. That takes somebody who doh mind acting like a jackass as long as the goal is achieved. What you guys need is a designated jackass. Spalk is a good candidate for that, and has filled the role. Still, I talking about planning and construction phases. If you can't get the first shovel in the ground, then it's a different story.  When they start digging a hole in the ground, that is when you show up with the press and act the fool if you have no input. That is the opportunity I'm talking about. Until then it's talk about some abstract thing that might get built.

I implied earlier that the people who run these organizations aren't competent. I apologise. What I meant to convey is that they need to go in a different direction or this story will repeat. Yes, being an official jackass is a tough job, but being polite isn't getting you anything right now except frustrated.
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Offline Swima

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Re: 80 million to correct flaws in the design of the National Academy
« Reply #20 on: March 15, 2010, 12:56:22 PM »

What I would like to know is if the ACTT had any input into the design and construction. Did they ask? Or did they wait on the sidelines and grumble. Were they proactive and try to get into the picture to make sure things would be up to standard?


I could tell you this... the article a few months ago for new stadia for swimming, cycling and tennis has led to bids for tenders and not one coach in the swimming fraternity has seen the design for the aquatic centre as yet. I personally have asked for it through our administrative reps, but am yet to see it. Same way they went and build a 50m pool down at UTT marine campus in Chag and it only have 4 lanes but they also put a massive set of concrete bleachers like they going to host something in there.

STEUPS!

I guess what I saying is that these situations are tailor made for some political theatre. "Not one coach has seen the designs" suggests a passive approach. You know they about to eff it up. Jump in and stir up some mud!

You feel is now come people it have in swimming? Why you feel I get home after 11o'clock  from a 6:30 meeting with Swim Committee? Arguing takes energy, and my job is development. We all try to 'stir up the mud' as you say, but in the end dem fellas do what they want. It's been 30 years since the first design for the aqautic centre was drawn. It supposed to be right where the current training field for HCS is. Nearly 3 years ago they announced Mt. Hope was around the corner. The earth circle the sun twice, how long this corner is?

OK, I will try again.
Sometimes (most?) you have to act like a jackass to get the requisite attention. That takes somebody who doh mind acting like a jackass as long as the goal is achieved. What you guys need is a designated jackass. Spalk is a good candidate for that, and has filled the role. Still, I talking about planning and construction phases. If you can't get the first shovel in the ground, then it's a different story.  When they start digging a hole in the ground, that is when you show up with the press and act the fool if you have no input. That is the opportunity I'm talking about. Until then it's talk about some abstract thing that might get built.

I implied earlier that the people who run these organizations aren't competent. I apologise. What I meant to convey is that they need to go in a different direction or this story will repeat. Yes, being an official jackass is a tough job, but being polite isn't getting you anything right now except frustrated.


I glad you mentioned Spalk, because they offered to build him his own pool at the entrance to Diego Martin, and he act like a Jackass and embarass them and he was in the Ministry, Junior Minister of Sport to be accurate. You should see the place now... three big apartment buildings. That is what acting a fool gets you. You feel is joke with dem fellas oui! Bredda I hear everything you saying and having spent my high school and college years away from here I believe in what you saying. However, things don't always work so even in developed nations, much less for here where everyone who falls out of line must be made an example of.
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Offline Blue

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Re: 80 million to correct flaws in the design of the National Academy
« Reply #21 on: March 15, 2010, 01:09:27 PM »
Too much emigration...Trinidad has been left with a shortage of intelligence. This simply could not happen in the developed world. We soundin more and more like Nigeria. 

More shit talk..so what about the trillions spent on wars?  Who does do dat?  Dey have all the so-called intelligence too ent?

US does waste 60 billion a year on health care issues alone.

The US DOD routinely hands out no-bid and cost-plus contracts, under which contractors get reimbursed for their costs plus a certain percentage of the contract figure. Such deals don't help hold down spending in the annual military budget of about $500 billion.

US farm subsidy program, part of which pays farmers not to grow crops, has become a giant welfare program for the rich, one that cost taxpayers nearly $20 billion last year.

Again MUCH worse happening in the DEVELOPED NATIONS..UK does real waste too....

Dat said, it doh absolve the T&T Government from wastage and gross mismanagement.

Jes doh come here making my little T&T sound like it all alone and we is some 3rd world dunces...dayt is a master quantity ah shit talk!


I hear yuh, but to not put the project out to tender, and then accept such a ridiculous design and then boast about it like some African dictator....

I am not even alleging corruption.....just stupidity  :-\

Offline Touches

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Re: 80 million to correct flaws in the design of the National Academy
« Reply #22 on: March 15, 2010, 01:42:13 PM »
Relax nah,

The NAPA facility is to go and pose up on the steps and take pichar.

 :rotfl:




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Offline Bitter

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Re: 80 million to correct flaws in the design of the National Academy
« Reply #23 on: March 15, 2010, 02:02:07 PM »
Relax nah,

The NAPA facility is to go and pose up on the steps and take pichar.

 :rotfl:


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Offline ann3boys

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Re: 80 million to correct flaws in the design of the National Academy
« Reply #24 on: March 15, 2010, 02:58:52 PM »
What I would like to know is if the ACTT had any input into the design and construction. Did they ask? Or did they wait on the sidelines and grumble. Were they proactive and try to get into the picture to make sure things would be up to standard?

the answer is yes- they did write and ask to be in the meetings- yes they did submit their comments before the building was started
however the definition of 'consultation' with our ministers etc. means 'we will tell you what we are doing and you could comment- but we are not obliged to take any of your comments into consideration. we are just letting you know'
« Last Edit: March 15, 2010, 03:05:11 PM by Tallman »

Offline Bitter

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Re: 80 million to correct flaws in the design of the National Academy
« Reply #25 on: March 15, 2010, 03:35:22 PM »
Thanks for the good info.
Wasting money for hubris. White elephants for everyone!

The only thing left to do is see if you can't get a piece of an $80m upgrade contract.

I still find we should make more noise before the concrete pour though.
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Offline ann3boys

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Re: 80 million to correct flaws in the design of the National Academy
« Reply #26 on: March 15, 2010, 04:12:25 PM »
if the chinese are doing it no locals getting anything...
when they were building the 'palace' they imported everything down to nails and hammers in containers ...
their money- their economy benefitted...
 :-X

Offline WestCoast

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Re: 80 million to correct flaws in the design of the National Academy
« Reply #27 on: March 15, 2010, 05:31:14 PM »

What I would like to know is if the ACTT had any input into the design and construction. Did they ask? Or did they wait on the sidelines and grumble. Were they proactive and try to get into the picture to make sure things would be up to standard?


I could tell you this... the article a few months ago for new stadia for swimming, cycling and tennis has led to bids for tenders and not one coach in the swimming fraternity has seen the design for the aquatic centre as yet. I personally have asked for it through our administrative reps, but am yet to see it. Same way they went and build a 50m pool down at UTT marine campus in Chag and it only have 4 lanes but they also put a massive set of concrete bleachers like they going to host something in there.

STEUPS!
4 Lanes ??? is 4 Lanes ya write there man ???
lawd  :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:
day 4 Cup

Stueps....alll dem actors/artists/media people are UNC! and dey pushing their political agendas - so what if the door/and seating areas too small? it have ways to work around that.

Great is the d pnm and it shall prevail damn it!
:rotfl:

oh shit man :devil:
Whatever you do, do it to the purpose; do it thoroughly, not superficially. Go to the bottom of things. Any thing half done, or half known, is in my mind, neither done nor known at all. Nay, worse, for it often misleads.
Lord Chesterfield
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AirMan

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Re: 80 million to correct flaws in the design of the National Academy
« Reply #28 on: March 15, 2010, 05:40:17 PM »
Stueps....alll dem actors/artists/media people are UNC! and dey pushing their political agendas - so what if the door/and seating areas too small? it have ways to work around that.

Great is the d pnm and it shall prevail damn it!

This man say "Great is the PNM" like him reading some type ah Shakespare novel yes..allyuh go brave oui lol
« Last Edit: March 15, 2010, 05:42:13 PM by AirMan »

truetrini

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Re: 80 million to correct flaws in the design of the National Academy
« Reply #29 on: March 15, 2010, 05:45:49 PM »
Stueps....alll dem actors/artists/media people are UNC! and dey pushing their political agendas - so what if the door/and seating areas too small? it have ways to work around that.

Great is the d pnm and it shall prevail damn it!

This man say "Great is the PNM" like him reading some type ah Shakespare novel yes..allyuh go brave oui lol

Breds are you in the US Navy?  I am only asking cuz yuh sound like yuh should be in the Salvation army...like yuh doh understand sarcasm?

 

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