By Joan Rampersad Tuesday, September 8 2009

Since the demolishing of the Grand Stand in the Queen’s Park Savannah in 2006, construction work on a National Carnival and Entertainment Centre (NCEC) has been promised to commence each year.

During Finance Minister, Karen Nunez-Tesheira’s presentation of the Budget for 2010, yet another promise was made for work to begin on the NCEC. She said: “Work on the National Cultural Centre will begin shortly. This centre will replace the existing ‘Grand Stand’ and will seat between 14,000 and 18,000 persons. It will also hold a number of administrative offices and a variety of additional support facilities to promote cultural shows and programmes.”

When Newsday spoke with Carnival stakeholders, namely the National Carnival Commission (NCC), the National Carnival Bands Association (NCBA), Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation (TUCO) and Pan Trinbago yesterday, none of them had any inkling as to the definite start of construction.

NCC Chairman, Howard Chin Lee, advised Newsday to talk to the Minister, and NCBA PRO David Cameron said: “I will have to wait for more to be said, but I’m glad to hear it is back on stream. The Mas people will welcome going back to the savannah with a proper stage.”

TUCO president Eric Taylor (Pink Panther) stated: “I am optimistic that this time it will happen, because it was shelved when the hard times hit. So I’m happy to hear that work will start on it soon.” Meantime, Patrick Arnold, Pan Trinbago president said: “We were told that we will have it (NCEC) for 2009, but 2009 came and went, so I’m waiting to hear Minister Mc Donald’s contribution because I think she will have more to say.”

Meanwhile work will continue on the construction of the Academies for the Performing Arts, with the North Academy expected to be completed in time to host the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, and the South Academy schedule for completion before the end of the new fiscal year.

The academies are intended to provide high quality state-of-the-art facilities for artistes and would be used mainly for performances, as well as teaching and training of persons in the performing arts.

Also work which began in 2005 on the refurbishment of Queen’s Hall will be completed in the new fiscal year. In the less than three minutes donated for culture Minister Nunez-Tesheira stated that the government will also continue construction of community centres that began in 2005, as well as to continue with the refurbishment of export centres to revitalise the craft industry in TT.