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

[Cjruckus]

netsket, do you parents let you read papers? just asking.

[ingalook]

Dude... don't you understand?

De damn think not even safe for the students! How you will teach dance if the floor laminated and it cutting up de students foot?

[ingalook]

Its not like they built a school auditorium at the cost of 2 mill here... we talking 500 Million!

That is the equivalent of taking $500 from EACH person of working age in TnT and building this thing

Now, someone from the government actually came to my house and asked if they could spend $500 of my hard earned money on this building

I told them:

"Go ahead, just make sure that I get value for my money, and make sure that it is exactly what is needed for the purpose it is being built"

but the fcuker aint listen!

[Cjruckus]

Dude... don't you understand?

De damn think not even safe for the students! How you will teach dance if the floor laminated and it cutting up de students foot?

Place the same portable dance mat that they carry to every stage they perform on. Like they do at other places that have huge stages but when dancing is the main focus of the show they re-floor with a temporary option.

Music comes first, and the sprung floor would be a performers nightmare to play on. Especially with a stringed instrument like a cello that is anchored on the floor. Last thing you want is reverb coming from the springs. Thats why the floor is slate and not sprung.

[Cjruckus]

Its not like they built a school auditorium at the cost of 2 mill here... we talking 500 Million!

That is the equivalent of taking $500 from EACH person of working age in TnT and building this thing

Now, someone from the government actually came to my house and asked if they could spend $500 of my hard earned money on this building

I told them:

"Go ahead, just make sure that I get value for my money, and make sure that it is exactly what is needed for the purpose it is being built"

but the fcuker aint listen!

Well if UTT was privatized im sure they could have had some famous alumnus donate to build the center. But the school is still young and they are workin on their infrastructure with the help of the government. Its already free so the government has to put out money to make sure people use the program.

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

Its not like they built a school auditorium at the cost of 2 mill here... we talking 500 Million!

That is the equivalent of taking $500 from EACH person of working age in TnT and building this thing

Now, someone from the government actually came to my house and asked if they could spend $500 of my hard earned money on this building

I told them:

"Go ahead, just make sure that I get value for my money, and make sure that it is exactly what is needed for the purpose it is being built"

but the fcuker aint listen!

Now if you put it like THAT, I got more than $500 worth already and I havent even been inside the compound!!!

It thrills me that this great looking building is in Trinidad. I drive around the Savannah for spite sometimes just to see it. I saw it featured on international architectural websites and that gives me great pride. I would love to attend an event in there and would even pay to get a tour.

So YES, if you put it like that then I did already get more than my $500 worth!

Could the Gov't have better spent $500 million?? Yes I would agree with that too. But I DOUBT our roads would be better, our hospitals would be better, our water supply would be better etc etc if they hadn't built it cause the money would have gone somewhere else. At least I have something nice to watch and talk and feel proud about.

[ingalook]

^^^

Hoss I eh know how to respond to that one nah... you win with that one dey Duane

[ingalook]

Dude... don't you understand?

De damn think not even safe for the students! How you will teach dance if the floor laminated and it cutting up de students foot?

Place the same portable dance mat that they carry to every stage they perform on. Like they do at other places that have huge stages but when dancing is the main focus of the show they re-floor with a temporary option.

Music comes first, and the sprung floor would be a performers nightmare to play on. Especially with a stringed instrument like a cello that is anchored on the floor. Last thing you want is reverb coming from the springs. Thats why the floor is slate and not sprung.

That was one out of about 10 concerns people had with the place

To go back to my motorsports facility comparison is like saying - all the lightpoles next to the dirt track will be covered in pillows so the drivers will not get hurt too bad when they hit them

You finding solutions (which is good) but you finding solutions to problems that should not be there in the first place and could have easily been avoided

We are both pretending to know our arses from holes in the ground when it comes to the performing arts... so it is pointless for US to argue about these things

The bottom line is:

YUH HAVE FLICKIN LOCAL EXPERTS IN THE FIELD>>> CONSULT DE FACKING PEOPLE IF YUH BUILDING SOMETHING FOR DE PERFORMING ARTS NAH!

Oh gorm man, it eh rocket science... yuh spending a crapload of the country's money on something... how hard is that?

[AllTrac]

: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...

[crazybalhead]

seriously they come AFTER everything done to state these defects?

Duane come nah man. You really think somebody didn't raise these issues and more???

[evo-STI-k]

Now exactly WHY do we need to be wasting more money on MORE THAN ONE NAPA?

whats next- WIll the PM find jusice on a 3rd Golden PALACE thats in the works?

[netsket]

Its not like they built a school auditorium at the cost of 2 mill here... we talking 500 Million!

That is the equivalent of taking $500 from EACH person of working age in TnT and building this thing

Now, someone from the government actually came to my house and asked if they could spend $500 of my hard earned money on this building

I told them:

"Go ahead, just make sure that I get value for my money, and make sure that it is exactly what is needed for the purpose it is being built"

but the fcuker aint listen!

Well if UTT was privatized im sure they could have had some famous alumnus donate to build the center. But the school is still young and they are workin on their infrastructure with the help of the government. Its already free so the government has to put out money to make sure people use the program.

who in their right mind wud suport that sheit schoool?!!

ppl working in utt said tha utt like ah secondary school.....the entry requirements are very low...getting unintelligent studetns....AND when the class does badly they lower the pass rate.....that instituion will crumble in itself...because after a few years...companies who took "graduates" will realize how unintelligent these students are and wud stop hiring them.

they tried doing the same at costaatt by trying t lower the entry requirement by entering students based on race and not qualification....i guess das how u get jobs now..by race and not qualifications......they were beaten to a frazzle when it was exposed and terminated the idea....so they established their own school to educate the lower qualified.

btw I was also told that utt has a programme where students can enter the university programme stragiht out of secondary school...it is a simple easy prerequisite exam that has to be written to enter......the person said they failed so badly that they jokingly said they shud do a preliminary exam to th the preliminary exam.....btw they still take them into the programmes

[ingalook]

Duane, you'll be happy to know that all government computers now going to be outfitted with this:



Only cost taxpayes $5000 a pop, but boy they sexy

[SmokeyGTi]

I cold probably overlook all the defects/misgivings except the one where they quote that NAPA was built using mild steel.

for a building that size? i ain't no civil engineer but that ain't sounding right.

[crazybalhead]

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.

Absolutely correct!

[ingalook]

Dude... don't you understand?

De damn think not even safe for the students! How you will teach dance if the floor laminated and it cutting up de students foot?

Place the same portable dance mat that they carry to every stage they perform on. Like they do at other places that have huge stages but when dancing is the main focus of the show they re-floor with a temporary option.

Music comes first, and the sprung floor would be a performers nightmare to play on. Especially with a stringed instrument like a cello that is anchored on the floor. Last thing you want is reverb coming from the springs. Thats why the floor is slate and not sprung.

You obviously didn't read the article... the complaint was the DANCE ROOMS had terrazzo/concrete floors

How is a cello coming into that argument?

[RBphoto]

netsket, do you parents let you read papers? just asking.

From his juvenile post about UTT, I think they give him ample amount to line his cage to make cleanup easier.

Ok, so first off, if you are not an expert in the field, don't comment on the finer points. Mild steel is used extensively in construction, once it meets the specificatoion and calculated design loads.

Secondly, I understand that this is a school. It is an Academy. It is a home for the arts, not a concert hall. I think that most of the rooms/ stage should be multipurpouse, which would lead to some compromises.

That said, listening to the stakeholders and getting expert oppinion is part of any project. This is where UDECOTT failed. There is no point asking stakeholders what they think needs changing, and ignoring them. If designs and plans are too far along to make changes, there is the need to document what has to be put in place to mittigate the impacts and probably some compromises that would make the deliverable accptable to the stakeholdres, if not the perfect solution.

[ingalook]

BTW Duane you still have $5 for me from that whole swine flu debacle eh

[noobie]

The complaints were raised long before now.

There is more than one letter lodged with the Government concerning NAPA.

All complaints were disregarded, suggestions were also disregarded.

It is a Performing Arts center which does not support our local performing arts, and it was built at the cost of some 500 million dollars.

Government is now going to spend millions of dollars more attempting to fix the flaws in the building.

Some of you may be satisfied to have an edifice in the middle of port of spain for 500 million dollars. This may make you feel good.

The rest of us would have preferred a Performing Arts Center that could actually be used by this country's artists.

In contrast, the performing arts center in Tobago has none of these complaints, and isn't costing 500 million dollars.

[RBphoto]

Um, just a small backtrack...Did this get built by the chineese government? I seem to remember some time ago the Chinese government giving us money for this.

[noobie]

Um, just a small backtrack...Did this get built by the chineese government? I seem to remember some time ago the Chinese government giving us money for this.

Yes.
And our government has to start paying back this loan.Sorry..WE have to start paying back this loan.

And that's the other problem.

if the facility had been properly designed Trinidad could have become the Performing Arts center for the Caribbean.

Bring down big time acts, Caribbean Shows etc. and host them at NAPA.

But since NAPA cannot be used for what it was intended, we don't even have this option. So the money is really going to come from us to pay this back. Not from Tourists or other countries.

[foss]

on new this week, the woman (cant remember where she from) said nothing is wrong, and that media is to blame for spreading this "talk" .. the building is fine and concerts would be coming soon (in april i think)

and then this guy (cant remember where he from) said it have things wrong with it.. etc..

[noobie]

on new this week, the woman (cant remember where she from) said nothing is wrong, and that media is to blame for spreading this "talk" .. the building is fine and concerts would be coming soon (in april i think)

and then this guy (cant remember where he from) said it have things wrong with it.. etc..

The Minister of Culture said that nothing was wrong.
Yet they fail to specifically refute the flaws that are noted in the Artist's Coalition release.

It's so easy to respond to a document that is so very specific.

For example:

1) The lighting rods are SQUARE.

If the Lighting rods are NOT square, then say so. That's easy to prove.

2) The additional rooms for theatre have no seating.

If the rooms for theatre have seating and are properly fitted out...PUT a Picture in the Papers! Talk done!
Document discredited.

3) The Artists claim that a document was sent to the Ministry with suggestions.

Government needs to produce the document from the Artists, and show how their suggestions and concerns were addressed. Simple...Artists' protest discredited.

But Government is not doing that are they.

Those of you that are defending the Center and the expenditure of 500m of our tax payer's money...can you tell me why Government isn't even making this simple effort to assure the public?

Oh and..
*chuckle*
I almost forgot...

Nothing is Wrong...but there is some additional work and fixes that need to be done. But it will not cost 80 Million...it will just cost about 8 Million..so far.
The Minister of Culture said this as well.

If Nothing is Wrong...why do they need to do additional work and fixes? What are the nature of these works...what are these fixes?
Are they fixes to the same flaws that are mentioned in the Artist Coalition's document?

[zaxxon1]

^^^ but they could make a TV ad stating how good it is, and all the pics in the same place, (outside and main hall).