By Gail Alexander
www.guardian.co.tt
The cost of the Prime Minister’s official residence and diplomatic centre in St Ann’s has increased from $148 million to $175.3 million, due to additional external works outside the original scope of the project.
And that may not be the full and final cost, according to signals from Minister in the Ministry of Finance Mariano Browne yesterday.
Browne finally replied on the cost issue in the Senate, after a six-month delay on that matter.
The Upper House resumed yesterday after vacation.
Browne confirmed the additional cost of $27.3 million has brought the total cost of the residence/diplomatic centre facility to $175.3 million.
While he said this was not a cost overrun, Browne could not categorically confirm if the $175.3 million was the full and final cost of the facility.
Browne projected “certain things” could come up in future. But he could not give costs at this point.
When the St Ann’s facility was announced last year—and when it was handed over earlier this year—the final cost was given by the Government as $148 million.
Construction was done by the Shanghai Construction Group International (T&T Ltd). The Guardian exclusively reported on June 10 that additions—including an administration centre and security features—were subsequently being done to the residence.
This was confirmed by Udecott at the time. However, Udecott declined to answer queries on how much the additions would cost or who undertook that work.
Yesterday, Browne said the final cost of the official residence was $41, 952,091 million and $63,478,403 million for the diplomatic centre.
Other costs of $42,584,639 million were also incurred for design of the facilities plus construction of external structures including security, a pool and “additional water features.”
All of those costs totalled $148,015,133—the cost of the facility which had been originally given.
Browne said the cost of the building works for the residence and centre in the original scope of works remained the same.
But, he said, “Additional external works outside the original scope of the project were undertaken.”
“These additions amounted to the sum of approximately $27.3 million,” he said.
Browne confirmed the additional facilities included an administration building, a multi-vehicle garage, a drivers’ lounge for drivers of visiting dignitaries and additional public washrooms.
He said all of this brought the total cost of the project to $175.3 million but did not say when the additions were done or who handled it.
Browne was asked by UNC Senator Wade Mark if he agreed there was an almost $28 million cost overrun on the project.
Browne said it was not an overrun, since the building was completed on budget. He said the additional works were not anticipated at the time of design.
Mark asked if the $175.3 million was the full and final cost for the facility or if more could be expected.
Browne said, “As far as I know, that is the final construction cost, but as you’re aware when one moves into a place and when one undertakes functions, certain things come up from time to time and it is certain that is likely to happen in the future.”
“If Mr Mark is asking what are the likely costs of those changes, I cannot, at this time, say,” Browne added.
Browne also said payments of taxes by the Shanghai Construction Group during construction were a total of $13,406,343 million.
http://www.guardian.co.tt/news5.html
$27.3M MORE
By Juhel Browne
trinidadexpress.com
Originally priced at $148 million, the new Prime Minister’s residence and Diplomatic Centre at La Fantasie, St Ann’s, actually cost taxpayers $175.3 million.
However, Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Mariano Browne, who made the disclosure during yesterday’s sitting of the Senate at the Red House, Port of Spain, says the additional $27.3 million does not mean that the cost of both facilities was overbudget, as the additional work was not a part of the original scope of works.
He noted, however, that the price could go up again in the future, in response to a question raised by Leader of Opposition Business in the Senate Wade Mark.
Full Article : trinidadexpress.com
A waste of money, says Panday
Opposition Leader BasdeoPanday yesterday slammed the expenditure of $175.3 million on the official residence of the Prime Minister.
One hopes that it will not become a fortress of any one person.
Time for a ban on the bane on any person serving more than 2 terms.
They should have a cap on the PM team – just like the use
He has money to spend on the house but not on the medical system.
People have to wait 3-4 weeks to get radiation because they don’t have enough facilaties for cancer patients. They brake ground on the new facilities sice February to impress prince charles, but nothing donece since then.
That’s excellent! the PM is sure having fun and living the dream at the tax payers expense, while they, the tax payer continue to suffer beyond repair. The great thing is, those very taxpayers who are suffering and don’t even have food on some days, will still vot PNM. Understanding this Phenom is above my pay grade, i hope those whose pay grade is at par can explain away the correctness of this pilfering by the PNM government.
Not hard to figure out why they will still vote PNM and if that is above your pay grade then you must be lacking vision. The alternative to the PNM must present themselves as the ‘alternative’ (positive) to their governance but we are yet to see such an alternative with the credibility to do so. I agree that NO Prime Minister should serve more than two terms in office. I also agree that the Prime Minister’s residence should not be adorned with or changed with religious adulations that would require building murtis and stations of the cross. Strange, those who opposed the T&T Cross award did not oppose the building of jhandi’s in the PM’s residence.
Point taken Logan!And No, I don’t lack vision I do lack Insight into the minds of my people and what they need, want and why they are not demanding it. It’s difficult to see them suffer emotionally, mentally, physically and financially and still cling to those that inflict the suffering on them. I hear Panday, Ramesh, Mark and other self proclaimed politicians and leaders making a lot of noise and yet saying nothing. They lack the leadership to invigorate the people in getting up and off their lazy asses and take back their country.
This is an obnoxious expenditure born out of Prime Minister Patrick Manning’s desire to have the fantastical lifestyle of a monarch. Manning’s contention that this residence is for whosoever is the Prime Minister of this country and is not his personal residence is no consolation for his ongoing desire to rival the extravagance of ‘Middle Eastern’ and Western world leaders. He is still pursuing a private jet to add to his ostentatious delusion of grandeur. Manning is setting a bad example in the light of this ‘bling bling’ culture where a show of excesses if the order of the day.
I hope a future Prime Minister dedicates this building to some national developmental purpose while securing a modest accommodation for the Prime Minister.
Heru, sadly, your last paragraph will never happen. The same way the PNM bashed the UNC for the misuse of funds at the airport and even going so far as to call it a “cow shed” up to recently I say Mr Manning and his entourage relaxing and enjoying the facilities in the first class lounge.
The same way, whoever is the next PM (If is it possible for someone else to become leader seeing how Manning has firmly entrenched himself (all by legal means mind you – ethical is another question) they will enjoy that residence as well.
According to Logan ,“The alternative to the PNM must present themselves as the ‘alternative’ (positive) to their governance but we are yet to see such an alternative with the credibility to do so. I agree that NO Prime Minister should serve more than two terms in office.”
So finally someone is beginning to fully appreciate the dilemma that we are under. My Grand mother the philosopher use to say that “when better can’t be done, let the worst continue.” She is long dead and gone, and her attitudes might be perceived as defeatist to many today, but the reality is that this view represents a common feeling amongst many of the simple minded folks that make up a large percentage of our population.
It is important that our Opposition find a logical and pragmatic way to remove the PNM via the polls, by presenting themselves as a viable alternative, and not simply phantom calls of electoral corruptions and the like. If this mean doing a methodical study to find new leaders that are not still prepared to operate as a Trade Union lobby group in Parliament, then so be it. Mind you I am not talking about Daddy’s fresh face angel straight out of Oxford that cannot even defend a pickpocket criminal from Oropouche West, even if she got the deed for the 50 acres of land along with a million dollars in payment.
That is the way a country can flourish when the Opposition behaves like the government in waiting, and not agents and prophets of doom, gloom and blame. No one in our country – unless they are no older than three years- needs convincing at this stage of the game that the PNM has been a colossal failure politically, especially if all it can boast about for the many years in power, is the introduction of free education, 10 days and similar ghost gangs, creation of new national awards, and lofty pointless Afro centric festivals geared to titillate and distract.
However our Opposition folks cannot seriously expect to win hearts and mind again as a political party, if once they assumed power, the mantra that became vogue in the past was that “ it is now our time.” As Tom Jones said in song “ memories don’t leave like people do, they always stay with you”-good or bad. http://music.aol.com/album/memories-dont-leave-like-people-do/20395
I love my country-TRINIDAD.WAKEUP people.You have put your heads in a place where the sun don’t shine.While you all arerobbing&killing one anotherManning is building a PALACE&THRONE with tax payers money.The same tax payers who can’t afford to buy food or see a doctor.TAKE BACK YOUR MONEY&YOUR LIVES.YOU THE PEOPLE HAVE PUT HIM THERE.TIME TO GET HIM OUT!!!
I thank God 4 Mr Manning and i hope he can be our PM 4 ever i knw some Trinidad people dislike him and some people like him but i jsut want u 2 knw that no mater wat u do Mr Manning i am thankflu 4 u and i hope that God will blessed u.
175.3M for the PM’s temporary home, Who cares? We all need incentives to give up six figure jobs in London, New York ,Paris, Geneva , OWTU , and board of directors lofty local business enterprises, as we aspire to be the ‘First Amongst Equal,’and prepare to replace the Sando Kid when he eventually decides to retire in 2050, correct?
I for one with all my pretensive outrage is staying close to Mikela if she coud do it , why so can I. Just find me an equally safe seat.
Let’s sing the old time kaiso together if you can remember. “If the Priest could play, who is me?” “Ah man from Darbadie.” “If the Priest could play , who is me?” “Ah don’t care who see.”
Oh what a magnificent country mine is ! I won’t trade it even if Obama gave me the bunk bed next to Mitchelle in the White House on Pennsylvania Avenue, or cousin Queen Elizabeth abdicate and gave me Buckingham Palace.