Devant: Govt seeks investors for $b light transit

[Bourbon]

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Devant__Govt_seeks_investors_for__b_light_transit-138274109.html

GOVERNMENT is seeking an investment of possibly $1 billion to construct and operate a light transit system from Port of Spain to Arima, which will not be funded from the Treasury but from investors, Transport Minister Devant Maharaj has said.

"Government's only obligation to the enterprise is that of a facilitator," he said.

Maharaj was speaking to the Sunday Express yesterday in a telephone interview and responding to a definite matter of urgent public importance raised by Diego Martin North-East MP Colm Imbert, during the sitting of the Lower House on Friday, held at Tower D, International Waterfront Centre, Port of Spain.

Imbert had expressed concerns about a print advertisement on Thursday, in which the Transport Ministry invited expressions of interest for the design, financing, construction, operation and maintenance of a light transit system from Port of Spain to Arima to be constructed approximately 4.2 metres above the Bus Route.

He noted the deadline is February 23, only four weeks to submit expressions of interest for this "complex project", with offices closed for the two days of Carnival.

He said one month was too short a time for this process, and it may be in breach of the Central Tenders Board ordinance as Government ministries are only permitted by law to initiate procurement of goods and services to a maximum value of $1 million while this project will likely cost billions of dollars.

Yesterday, Maharaj said Imbert was "fundamentally wrong", and he was "accustomed to PNM (People's National Movement) squandermania and assumes that all others follow the same level of reckless spending that is the watermark of the PNM".

He said the expression of interest was for the first phase for securing the particular project and will be followed up by detailed requests for proposals that will carry the entire process, "well beyond two months".

He added it was "regrettable" Imbert appeared to make misleading statements about a breach of the Central Tenders Board Act, explaining that in this project, Government was not putting out expenditure for goods, machinery, equipment or other items, but the operator was solely responsible for all these things.

"The Government of Trinidad and Tobago is not purchasing any article of work or any service," Maharaj stressed.

He said Government was awaiting the various expressions of interest, but there was no obligation to enterprise, such as a guarantee to a foreign investor coming into this country, and they were not tendering for anything but acting as a facilitator.

"Imbert's reckless, uninformed statement is fundamentally flawed in the interpretation of the nature, extent and purport of the Central Tenders Board Act," he added.

Maharaj said the project followed the P3 model (public, private, partnership) which was popular in India and pointed out if the venture fails, it is the commercial entity that fails, and Government or taxpayers' money are not at risk. He further explained that the entity would recoup their investment by the fees it would charge for people to use the system though the fee structure is subject to review by the Government to prevent exploitation.

He compared the project to the Rapid Rail project by the previous administration, noting a US$75 million pre-feasibility study was currently "in some boxes in the Ministry of Works".

[Jah Gol]

Devant is actually right here that is no breach of the law. I tend to favour this type of arrangement . Hopefully we could execute this much needed project.

[Bourbon]

Swear this is deja-vu doh.

"the Transport Ministry invited expressions of interest for the design, financing, construction, operation and maintenance of a light transit system from Port of Spain to Arima to be constructed approximately 4.2 metres above the Bus Route."


Oh well.

[g]

Not exactly sure what the original rapid rail network was expected to be but if the strategy was to target vehicle owners as a viable alternative transit method, then such a route, or at least it's stations stops should be close to the highway network, with all the necessary park and ride real estate available to maximize the attractiveness of the service.

However, building on top of the PBR will obviously help, especially with some of the craziness during rush hour and overnight periods when reliable Bus and Maxi service is hampered.

As a daily driver on the east west corridor i was optimistic when the previous govt indicated its intention to introduce a mass transit system. Again i am interested to hear more about this. I don't mind parking 3 days  a week and riding into town, once the service is timely and reliable.

Again i would want to know what the strategy is before i agree or disagree with the initiative.

[Deeks]

I am all for the rapid rail lite or whatever. From what Patos and them envisioned, I think the RR was going up the highway to Arima and eventually Grande. I can't remember the stops pper se. But I think UWI, Macoya, Piarco, Malabar were included. Then one of the stop would connect to the central line thru Enterprise/Chaguanas/Couva. That was the old railway line. And would probably run along this old railway path to Sando. In some ways Patos is vindicated, but as far as I was concern, the 75 million for the study was highway molestation. I could imagine what the final cost would have  been. Half of it would have been kickbacks fulling the bloodsuckers pockets. Faith had it the they lost the elections.

NOw this so-called P3!!! I will wait and see. I will reserve comments. I don't know of any major infrastucture projects where the gov't is not involed in a substantial way. All the highways, metros, rail in the US have major fed. backings and subsidies. I want to know who will have final control? Will the government sudsidies fares. Anyhow we take it, the tax payers will pay.

I may want to believe is an Indian company will be building this thing. What are their background and experience in this kind of work. I know either Chennai or Kolkata is building one.  will check and let you guys know.
But hooray for Rapid Rail!!!!

[Deeks]

by the way is Jack still building the tunnel? Or the new aeropuerto in central

[Deeks]

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=591102&page=274

Here is a link to Chennai metro currently under construction. Parts of it is above ground like the govt is currently proposing.

[fishs]

Devant is actually right here that is no breach of the law. I tend to favour this type of arrangement . Hopefully we could execute this much needed project.

Breds nobody investing in this thing unless there is money to be made, so even in this kind off arrangement there has to be a fair and transparent procurement process. Jus saying that the government not spending any money on the project is taking us for fools.
The rail has to be built on state property, probably run on state subsidised power and used by citizens of TT.
If you don't see the possibility for bobol in that well.............

[Jah Gol]

Devant is actually right here that is no breach of the law. I tend to favour this type of arrangement . Hopefully we could execute this much needed project.

Breds nobody investing in this thing unless there is money to be made, so even in this kind off arrangement there has to be a fair and transparent procurement process. Jus saying that the government not spending any money on the project is taking us for fools.
The rail has to be built on state property, probably run on state subsidised power and used by citizens of TT.
If you don't see the possibility for bobol in that well.............

Surely there is always the prospect of bobol taking place with massive projects. I am not naive about that . What I said is that I favour this sort of arrangement particularly with a service like transportation where the private sector does a much job than the government.

Obviously the government will facilitate investor and will grant concessions to make the deal  mutually beneficial. I am aware of the potential pitfalls especially with characters like Devant lurking around . But the greater good is the success of a project like this that could significantly improve the competitiveness of our economy and the lives of our citizens.

A big PNM like me could support this as I did under the last government because its just a good idea.

[fishs]

Devant is actually right here that is no breach of the law. I tend to favour this type of arrangement . Hopefully we could execute this much needed project.

Breds nobody investing in this thing unless there is money to be made, so even in this kind off arrangement there has to be a fair and transparent procurement process. Jus saying that the government not spending any money on the project is taking us for fools.
The rail has to be built on state property, probably run on state subsidised power and used by citizens of TT.
If you don't see the possibility for bobol in that well.............

Surely there is always the prospect of bobol taking place with massive projects. I am not naive about that . What I said is that I favour this sort of arrangement particularly with a service like transportation where the private sector does a much job than the government.

Obviously the government will facilitate investor and will grant concessions to make the deal  mutually beneficial. I am aware of the potential pitfalls especially with characters like Devant lurking around . But the greater good is the success of a project like this that could significantly improve the competitiveness of our economy and the lives of our citizens.

A big PNM like me could support this as I did under the last government because its just a good idea.

I hear yuh.
The thing with this is that for it to be profitable more than likely the rates will be unattractive to the normal man who uses a bus or maxi to travel and even with the fuel subsidies the Goverment will have as you say to give concessions and right here the bobol start.
This goverment has really disappointed me with it's lack of originality, failure to deal with crime in a meaningful way (actually it now comes across as clueless) and all the allegations of corruption that you are hearing and reading about.
For this guy to explain away the fact that less than 2 months were given for the tendering of the expression of interest is too little time and then talk about the government not spending any money is a dead give away to me that there is more in the plot.
Who will build the following and where?
Stations.
Car parks
The electrical substations
Bus route diversions.
Maintenance yards
Etc.
Bobol in everything if we don't look sharp.

[lefty]

Devant is actually right here that is no breach of the law. I tend to favour this type of arrangement . Hopefully we could execute this much needed project.

Breds nobody investing in this thing unless there is money to be made, so even in this kind off arrangement there has to be a fair and transparent procurement process. Jus saying that the government not spending any money on the project is taking us for fools.
The rail has to be built on state property, probably run on state subsidised power and used by citizens of TT.
If you don't see the possibility for bobol in that well.............

Surely there is always the prospect of bobol taking place with massive projects. I am not naive about that . What I said is that I favour this sort of arrangement particularly with a service like transportation where the private sector does a much job than the government.

Obviously the government will facilitate investor and will grant concessions to make the deal  mutually beneficial. I am aware of the potential pitfalls especially with characters like Devant lurking around . But the greater good is the success of a project like this that could significantly improve the competitiveness of our economy and the lives of our citizens.

A big PNM like me could support this as I did under the last government because its just a good idea.

I hear yuh.
The thing with this is that for it to be profitable more than likely the rates will be unattractive to the normal man who uses a bus or maxi to travel and even with the fuel subsidies the Goverment will have as you say to give concessions and right here the bobol start.
This goverment has really disappointed me with it's lack of originality, failure to deal with crime in a meaningful way (actually it now comes across as clueless) and all the allegations of corruption that you are hearing and reading about.
For this guy to explain away the fact that less than 2 months were given for the tendering of the expression of interest is too little time and then talk about the government not spending any money is a dead give away to me that there is more in the plot.
Who will build the following and where?
Stations.
Car parks
The electrical substations
Bus route diversions.
Maintenance yards
Etc.
Bobol in everything if we don't look sharp.

I think dat part bolded there was always obvious to anybody not completely caught up  in the hype or disgust for Manning, I mean there tag lines ,campaign strategy and aesthetics were completely ripped off from the Obama  campaign ............wait it was d Obama campaign trini style......well not quite ....we had to put up with the ridiculous accent, which still pops up to annoy us...well me anyway from time to time

[Deeks]

This was the plan by Patos.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1068563


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinidad_Rapid_Railway

[Deeks]

We are supposedly "richer' than DR. But they have almost completed building a subway system.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1457678&page=57

[Football supporter]

We are supposedly "richer' than DR. But they have almost completed building a subway system.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1457678&page=57

I ain't travelling on that....if the engineers can't even plant trees properly, God knows whats keeping the buildings upright!!