Shifts for PNM, UNC

The Red House may have been proposed as the ultimate location for the office of the Prime Minister (OPM), but until the dust settles on that contentious issue, PM Patrick Manning is moving instead to the new government building on St Clair Avenue, which is to be completed by September.

That was the word from Public Administration Minister Dr Lenny Saith on Thursday, confirming that Manning’s next office location may only be a stone’s throw away from the current Whitehall site, rather than all the way downtown.

The Government’s proposed plan for the Red House in terms of an OPM space has never fared well since it broke in 2002 after Cabinet agreed to the proposal and to find a new spacious location for the Parliament.

Opposition and independent senators such as Professor Ken Ramchand are firm that the matter should be decided by Parliament and that the Red House should remain the seat of Parliament.

Parliamentarians’ views on the issue—including the Government’s—will be aired at Tuesday’s Senate session via a motion by Independent Senator Eastlyn McKenzie.

This seeks to assess the adequacy of the Red House as the venue for Parliament and to appoint a joint select committee to examine this and report within six months.

However, Minister Saith on Thursday made it clear that any move of the OPM to the Red House is unlikely to come in the current term and also that the “final office for the Prime Minister is still to be decided,” he said.

Current focus, instead, is shifting the OPM from Whitehall to accommodate the repairs as Manning has often complained is needed (complete with media tour of worn areas).

“Whitehall isn’t large and it houses the PM’s staff, plus cabinet’s secretariat and other units. Additional staff and space are required and repairs can’t be done overnight,” Saith said, adding any plan for the Red House to house OPM was a long way off.

“The intention is until we find accommodation for the OPM—until a final office site is determined for this—and while repairs are done on Whitehall, in the interim the PM’s office will move to the new government building being constructed on St Clair Avenue.”

That block-long four-storey building designed by architect Mark Raymond was initially meant to house the Public Administration Ministry and the Information Division, Saith added.

The Ministry of Public Administration is currently at Nalis Building on St Vincent Street.

The Ministry of Information, divided after the move from St Clair, can be found at St James (radio unit), AVM compound, Morvant (television) and upper St Vincent Street and the Nalis building (administration).

Saith said Public Administration can remain at Nalis and alternate arrangements are being sought for Information. The Morvant TV unit, for instance, can remain where it is, he said.

Meanwhile, the St Clair Avenue building soon to house PM Manning is coming in within budget. It’s a modern structure designed to high standards—including ergonomic principles—and enabling data and communication capabilities, architect Raymond said.

Incorporating the use of natural light, it features an atrium, public plaza and forecourt. The building’s design breaks down the stereotypical image of government buildings as officious with closed doors:

“It’s the opposite—transparent with open doors,” Raymond added yesterday.

The OPM’s new location is a block away from the Maraval Road offices of the former NBN, under renovation to accommodate its successor Caribbean New Media Group (CNMG). CNMG/TV is expected on stream by July, Saith indicated.

As for the ultimate site for a new Parliament, Saith said, Canadian consultants are assessing the Red House.

Parliament sources said consultants formulated a preliminary design for a new building and estimated a required space of 20 acres. Senior government officials are firm, however, that any new Parliament must be located in Port-of-Spain.

Meanwhile, decisions in other quarters next week could also cause some shifts in the Opposition UNC.

It wasn’t a point which was being shouted from the rooftops among the Opposition this week, but Monday’s court verdict for UNC chairman Basdeo Panday may determine not only Panday’s fate, but possibly that of his party in the long run.

Several frontline MPs said Tuesday they expect Panday may resign as chairman and Opposition leader if the verdict goes against him.

At the same time they noted: “An MP doesn’t have to vacate a Parliament seat until all appeals in a legal matter are exhausted.”

MP Manohar Ramsaran said Thursday: “He should have done the honourable thing a long time ago and resigned both posts since charges were filed. Win or lose, there’ll be questions still after Monday.

“Mr Panday’s UNC chairman and Opposition leader. If he was an ordinary MP, it wouldn’t matter so much but he’s supposed to carry us forward in Parliament.”

MP Roodal Moonilal—once a supporter of Dookeran for the leadership—said Thursday:

“Instead of preparing to pressure Mr Panday on any court matter, we should be pressuring WASA to give us water or the police to curb crime. The court will decide, the party will continue rebuilding and Mr Panday will continue playing his role. There’s nothing useful in talking about pressuring him to go.”

Official party position yesterday was that no decisions are being taken until after Monday’s judgment.

Among decisions at Wednesday’s executive meeting, the group agreed to hold a special session Monday after the verdict, “win, lose or draw.” Panday is expected to speak at a 6 pm media briefing after the executive session.

The executive, meantime, began initiating action on Wednesday against so-called “dissenters” including leader Dookeran, chief whip Ganga Singh and MP Manohar Ramsaran.

The executive removed Ramsaran as central representative on the team citing his absence from meetings, scheduled start of action to remove Singh as chief whip and arranged moves to call Dookeran to book by Monday about his public utterances about the party.

With the elimination of Ramsaran, Dookeran’s support on the executive has been reduced, leaving the Panday team in control.

The team’s decision to ask Dookeran to explain his statements about the party at Monday’s special executive meeting—coinciding with the Panday verdict—could bring to a head, matters simmering in the party since last year.

An executive source said of the perceived “bloodletting”:

“It was felt everyone’s waited long enough for people to put the past behind. But efforts are still being made to undermine the party to the point of planning meetings after the court matter when they believe Mr Panday’s demise will ensue.

“The action may be tough but it’s inevitable all things considered. To make wine, one has to crush grapes,” he added.

Meanwhile, Independent MP Gerry Yetming will chair today’s presentation of the DNA party to business, labour and NGO groups at La Joya auditorium.

Noting that smaller entities—MND/NAR/DPTT are also stepping up consolidation of support, Yetming said yesterday: “DNA was indeed formed to bring about a unified approach by all the parties. We’re all taking different paths, hopefully we’ll meet at a fork in the road sooner rather than later.

“Once Winston (Dookeran) resolves his issues in the UNC we expect he’ll also be on board. We’ll only elect a leader when all the parties come together,” Yetming added when asked who will lead the final “super party.”