so after all that money spent on the Performing Arts..(NAPA)

[foss]

NAPA tragedy

By Andre Bagoo Sunday, March 14 2010

IT COULD TAKE as much as $80 million to correct flaws in the design of the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA), Port-of-Spain, the interim President of the Artists Coalition of Trinidad and Tobago (ACTT) Rubadiri Victor, estimated yesterday.

While Prime Minister Patrick Manning last week praised the NAPA as being “world class,â€

[JoKeR1980]

*sigh*

[Rooki3]

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

seriously they come AFTER everything done to state these defects?

[Rooki3]

EH?

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

is like the govt build a racetrack and then the racers form a coalition and start to complain bout how the pit area to small, the lights too dim etc etc

its either yuh build it the way you want your damn self OR get your coalition into action during the planning and development process so that your ideas are considered.

complaining about it after that it don't suit your ideals is just plain dotish

and then the press and journalist, in their relentless pursuit of sensationalism to boost sales, will title this a TRAGEDY

the tragedy IMO is that the ACTT and it's interim president Mr. Victor did not offer their services during the construction.

[Terran]

Duane 3NE 2NR, that may be so, but were the key people involved during the NAPA's construction?

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

Duane 3NE 2NR, that may be so, but were the key people involved during the NAPA's construction?

you mean where? it doh matter where they are, whatever was done they did because that is what they thought was required, the coalition, as strong and vocal as they are, should have gotten involved sooner!

[TriniVdub]

^^^maybe they weren't allowed access at the time of construction?

[Terran]

Yeah, but you know it doesn't work like that in Trinidad. The Ministry of Works will fix roads for a summit, and then along comes WASA to dig it up once more and replace pipes. No co-ordination, you might say, but the contractor to repair the roads ends up getting paid TWICE for the same job.

[Picasso]

Yuh cyah please trini people yes.. All the time we didn't have one.. Now we get NAPA and they wah complain.. People have a funny way of saying thanks

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

^^^maybe they weren't allowed access at the time of construction?

no where was that said; you are supposing.

and even if your supposition is correct, then what is the use of such an ARTS coalition if they have no say in such a distinct national ARTS center while it is being built

then the coalition is the tragedy - I doubt that was the case

Yeah, but you know it doesn't work like that in Trinidad. The Ministry of Works will fix roads for a summit, and then along comes WASA to dig it up once more and replace pipes. No co-ordination, you might say, but the contractor to repair the roads ends up getting paid TWICE for the same job.

breds if the govt decides to build a race track there will be people with real interests lending their ideas to the project.

If you have been following the back and forth in motorsport between the ministry and see the amount of inclusion, dialog and meetings with those involved about just the motorsport NSO then I cannot possibly imagine that the ACTT was turned away for the entire development process of NAPA. If this is true then you might as well believe that they will not even be able to use the facility either!

Either which way this is a moot point.

[DTAC]

The construction of the National Academy for the Performing Arts had nothing to do with artists and everything to do with ego stoking and providing a nice revenue stream for those involved. The people that it was supposed to be built for had no say in the matter. Anything to actually make it function how it is supposed to was an after thought after construction of the main building (spending).

[Terran]

Duane 3NE 2NR, given the information that is before the public on the award of contracts by UDeCOTT, it would be no surprise if ACTT was not involved or shut out during the construction of the NAPA.

NAPA, like several other UDeCOTT projects, I am sure, wreak with shoddy work, poor consultation and established without feasibility studies.

You mean to tell me that the government spent half a billion dollars on this place, and nobody can use it? That it can only accommodate 1500 people? When the hell is that place supposed to pay back for itself? Since it's opening, the place has been resting like a jewel or mood ring of sorts - changing colours every night.

How about if I remind you of the Piarco airport construction? How much more millions was pumped into bringing it to what it is now (excluding maintenance)? The shoddy ceiling tiles and runway that had to be repaved, for example.

This new motorsport facility - is it an undertaking of the government or Ministry of Sport? If this is a private undertaking, then it is likely that the stakeholders have a vested interest in this project to attract other groups and realise a common dream.

[TK!]

duane going up for pnm nx election

[Shango_13]

question. did they even held one carnival or calypso event in this space ship during the carnival season? or was the queen the only one this was built for ?

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

Duane 3NE 2NR, given the information that is before the public on the award of contracts by UDeCOTT, it would be no surprise if ACTT was not involved or shut out during the construction of the NAPA.

NAPA, like several other UDeCOTT projects, I am sure, wreak with shoddy work, poor consultation and established without feasibility studies.

You mean to tell me that the government spent half a billion dollars on this place, and nobody can use it? That it can only accommodate 1500 people? When the hell is that place supposed to pay back for itself? Since it's opening, the place has been resting like a jewel or mood ring of sorts - changing colours every night.

How about if I remind you of the Piarco airport construction? How much more millions was pumped into bringing it to what it is now (excluding maintenance)? The shoddy ceiling tiles and runway that had to be repaved, for example.

This new motorsport facility - is it an undertaking of the government or Ministry of Sport? If this is a private undertaking, then it is likely that the stakeholders have a vested interest in this project to attract other groups and realise a common dream.

I am not saying no - however if you are shunned out of the development of something then why bother to use it when it is finished?

ACTT should have been making noise from the time their ideas were rejected early on in the NAPA development

did they?

[web_phantom]

Just a point of note: That ACTT had actually been lobbying the GORTT for the past twenty years before for a facility of this nature. Then all after the PM return from his tour of either Singapore or CHina, he said that he saw the need for a Centre for the Performing ARts, and not only that the contract was singn and sealed via this Design and Build GOVT to GOVT contract. No Local input in the design or develop was allowed, as the design is actually of one that is already built in China.

The ACTT has actually been lobbying during the constrrcution but has been sidelined by local media houses as every press release issued was not printed and some release blessing the greatness of the building was issued...

Contact the group and get the correct information....

Don't play like yuh dont know how this government operates

[Maserati]

There was no competitive tender for the project which was handed to the Shanghai Construction Group, the same company that built the Prime Minister’s Residence and Diplomatic Centre.

Is that even legal?
One would think there would be a competitive bidding process

Long story short is they failed to consult with the stakeholders in this project and in the end to repair the shoddy work done will cost the tax payers a nice sum of $.

[ingalook]

Duane 3NE 2NR, given the information that is before the public on the award of contracts by UDeCOTT, it would be no surprise if ACTT was not involved or shut out during the construction of the NAPA.

NAPA, like several other UDeCOTT projects, I am sure, wreak with shoddy work, poor consultation and established without feasibility studies.

You mean to tell me that the government spent half a billion dollars on this place, and nobody can use it? That it can only accommodate 1500 people? When the hell is that place supposed to pay back for itself? Since it's opening, the place has been resting like a jewel or mood ring of sorts - changing colours every night.

How about if I remind you of the Piarco airport construction? How much more millions was pumped into bringing it to what it is now (excluding maintenance)? The shoddy ceiling tiles and runway that had to be repaved, for example.

This new motorsport facility - is it an undertaking of the government or Ministry of Sport? If this is a private undertaking, then it is likely that the stakeholders have a vested interest in this project to attract other groups and realise a common dream.

I am not saying no - however if you are shunned out of the development of something then why bother to use it when it is finished?

ACTT should have been making noise from the time their ideas were rejected early on in the NAPA development

did they?

They making noise long time Duane, They testify in the Uff inquiry and thing and pointed out these design flaws even then, about 6 months before it was completed

International consultants pointed out the flaws to Government as well... but they wanted it ready for joe-gum so they eh business

Our tax dollars hard at work... i think i pointed out these flaws way back when it was just completed and everybody was bawling "it so preeety" on this forum as well...

[ingalook]

Yup... found my old post (Nov 9 09) in this thread:

http://forums.trinituner.com/forums/vie ... e&&start=0

They could have made a building with the exact same functionality for a fraction of the cost. But it alright because everyone in Trinidad is rich.

WTF? so they should just build a big square building without any artistic component?

I endorse this building AND the flag. I know it is unpopular to do so at this time, but they are both are aestheticly pleasing to the landscape of Port-of-Spain. There are some cars on the road that cost more than 2 mill.

Perhaps a Square building would have been preferable

It was designed to look nice, but from my friends in the performing arts it is acoustically unsuitable to, and laid out badly for:

Dance
Drama
Singing
Instruments

What on earth was it buit for then? Other than to be another example of how trinis have so much money we don't know what to do with it

I can't believe allyuh praising the government on this one... trinis easy to fool yes, just make it shiny and allyuh proud

[Notorious Scullman]

I know that a number of locals involved in the arts as well as architects, designers, stage managers, technicians etc who managed to glance drawings during the construction of this facility, voiced opposition to many of these design flaws. They even made a the local news a couple years ago when they were making it known that the acoustics were wrong for the reproduction of pan etc, and they were laid out to pasture by the govt.

A lot has been said and going on during the construction, and I know that access was heavily restricted during construction, and even in the period leading up to CHOGM.

So it's not that they waited till afterwards to mention it. It's that they were silenced and neglected earlier on.

[pete]

Yuh gonna give evostik a heart attack Scully.

[Damien]

pnm mites all up in this

[Maserati]

:shock:

Yuh gonna give evostik a heart attack Scully.

he may print out that quote frame it and hang it on his wall

[teems1]

:shock:

Yuh gonna give evostik a heart attack Scully.

he may print out that quote frame it and hang it on his wall

all while masturbating... furiously...

[Chemical]

Very true..I passed there today around 2.30pm to show my wife as she never say it & it was like a ghost town. Leaves everywhere, just some security guards.

Where is the car park ?

Wasn't it TA the project managers for UDECOTT ?

Didn't Keith get fired for the way UDECOTT was conducting its business ?

Is the hotel completed @ NAPA ?

Who got the maintenance contract for that building presently.

Finally NAPA SOUTH..what stage is this at ?

[ingalook]

Construction on the structure in south is moving fast and furious

They add on a big piece the other day... its massive now

Nice looking too... lets hope this one works

[evo-STI-k]

BIG FUGLY looking ting!

besides everyonbe whos smart knows that NAPA is the biggest WHITE elephant that the pnm has ever erected!

[ek4ever]

is like the govt build a racetrack and then the racers form a coalition and start to complain bout how the pit area to small, the lights too dim etc etc

its either yuh build it the way you want your damn self OR get your coalition into action during the planning and development process so that your ideas are considered.

complaining about it after that it don't suit your ideals is just plain dotish

and then the press and journalist, in their relentless pursuit of sensationalism to boost sales, will title this a TRAGEDY

the tragedy IMO is that the ACTT and it's interim president Mr. Victor did not offer their services during the construction.

Do you really think the Government consulted any1 or would've listened to any group concerning this??? Didn't you read...it was done by a Gov't to Gov't agreement and with this govt that means we don't care what any1 else have to say we will have it built how we feel to.....just look at the new education ministry building....thinkg now built and the Ministry indicates that the building will not be suitable for them...