By NALINEE SEELAL Wednesday, March 10 2010

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Ten days after she threatened to shut down work on the controversial church under construction in the Heights of Guanapo, chief executive officer of the Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation Winifred David has been transferred to the Port-of-Spain City Corporation and took up duties there on Monday. Marva Carter is the new CEO at the Tunapuna/ Piarco Regional Corporation.

On February 25, David said notice was served on the owners of the Lighthouse of the Lord Jesus Christ church since the Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation did not grant approval for the construction of the church on State lands. David has previously said that seven days after notice is served, the corporation would seek an order for demolition if the owners did not stop construction.

“The usual procedure is to give them notice, asking them why the development is continuing after that there is a process of seven days, if they do not stop the work, we then come back to council and get an order for demolition,” David had said. “It kind of helps them to stop from going ahead with development unless they get the necessary approval.”

Sources said David was expected to be disciplined for making public comments on the church, which has been linked to Prime Minister Patrick Manning and its owner reported to be Reverend Juliana Pena, Manning’s spiritual adviser.

David, who was said to be in a meeting at the Port-of-Spain City Corporation, did not return any calls to Newsday yesterday and her secretary insisted that she was not available.

Congress of the People political leader Winston Dookeran expressed concern over the transfer of David and said, “This is a troubling and disturbing occurrence, as public servants are unable to engage in their duties and are working in fear.”

However, Port-of-Spain Mayor Murchinson Brown told Newsday he wanted to make it clear that David was not transferred because of any alleged comments she made on the Heights of Guanapo church.

He said, “David was earmarked for transfer to the Port-of-Spain City Corporation since January, and when the CEO of this corporation went on pre-retirement leave a vacancy existed and David was moved here to fill that vacancy.”

In a statement to the House of Representatives on February 26, Manning confirmed Cabinet approved the allocation of State lands to the owners of the church in 2005, although a previous release from his office gave 2006 as the year Cabinet agreed to the transaction.

He explained that on December 7, 2006, Cabinet withdrew a decision to lease 0.3 hectares for the church and to instead grant three acres, to have a survey order issued by the Director of Surveys and for the receipt of the survey to be passed to the Valuation Division to determine the rental fee.

Newsday understands no permission was granted by the Town and Country Planning Division for construction of the church. Work is continuing and nothing has been done by the Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation to halt construction at the site. Sources reveal the Tunapuna /Piarco Regional Corporation is being allegedly blocked from proceeding with any legal move to stop work on the project.