By Prior Beharry
DR Keith Rowley says that Opposition MPs Dr Roodal Moonilal and Rodney Charles are trying to tarnish the accomplishment of the construction of a headquarters for the People’s National Movement (PNM).
He made the comment after Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal and Naparima MP Rodney Charles raised questions about how the new five-storey Balisier House at Tranquility Street in Port of Spain was being built and funded.
Speaking at a Monday Night Forum of the United National Congress on April 3, Dr Moonilal alleged that the reason why the Central Block of the Port of Spain General Hospital cannot be completed is because money is being pumped into the construction of Balisier House. Universal Structurers won the tender to complete the Central Block after Shanghai Construction Group (SCG) withdrew from the project earlier last year year.
The Oropouche East MP called on Dr Rowley to name all the large-scale contractors whom he alleged were providing funding for the construction of the multi-million dollar PNM headquarters that is in close proximity to the Central Block.
And on April 1, Charles had called for Dr Rowley to list the donors funding the renovation of Balisier House.
In a response to AZP News Dr Rowley said, “As usual Roodal Moonilal is lying. He hopes that by this lie he, like Rodney Charles, is hoping to tarnish our phenomenal accomplishment of building a new Head Office after 67 years of existence.”
He said, “We have had this project going actively for 13 years as we systematically built up the resources before we started (on land that was purchased decades ago by our visionary founders. Have you asked Moonilal for his EVIDENCE to support his jealous slander?
“Have you asked the contractors on that project who have been so accused.
“If you are not prepared to do that please don’t come back to me to respond to any of the perpetual lies of the shameless, homeless corrupt UNC.”
The Site Safety Notice outside Balisier House is done by Soar Construction Services Limited of Arima.
When AZP News contacted a Soar official on Friday, he said he was not commenting on the matter. AZP News sent questions via WhatsApp and is awaiting a response.
AZP News also contacted Universal Structurers of O’Meara Industrial Estate in Arima and the receptionist said she will relay the message to the relevant official to get a response.
PNM started fundraising for the construction of its new headquarters years ago through party activities that included a buy-a-brick project, a ten-car raffle and a Balisier House jewellery collection.
A car raffle took place in 2018 with nine Honda City CNG cars and a first prize of a BMW 3CD.
The original headquarters of the PNM was at 67 Queen Street in Port of Spain where the party was founded in 1956 and it bought Balisier House in 1961 and moved into it in 1962. Between 1968 and 1971, the PNM bought the house next door that was demolished and turned into a car park.
Instead of being jealous of Balisier House, after 34 years, the UNC should also build their party headquarters next to the University in Debe and name it the House of the Rising Sun. Cutting a yellow cake after 34 years just won’t cut it.
The PM must be fully aware that all TT citizens are also jealous of the O’halloran twin towers that was also funded by TT taxpayers monies