Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley says the Government is being “cavalier” about concerns raised by seismologists and scientists over the proximity of the $1.5 billion Couva Children’s Hospital to the earthquake-active Central Range Fault in Preysal. Rowley, speaking with reporters during a walkabout at Fanny Village, Point Fortin on Thursday afternoon, expressed concern over the Government’s response to the arguments put forward by scientists about the hospital’s location.
On Monday Lloyd Lynch, a research fellow in instrumentation at the UWI Seismic Research Centre, in an exclusive T&T Guardian article, expressed reservations about the earthquake parameters (the earthquake magnitude a building could withstand) being used in the hospital’s design. Health Minister Dr Fuad Khan and Dr Roodal Moonilal, after discussing the matter with government technocrats, said the design is structurally sound.
Shanghai Construction, a Chinese firm, has been given the green light to continue construction of the hospital. However, Rowley is not satisfied with the government’s approach. The Opposition Leader, who is a geologist, said, “The Government is being very cavalier. I have filed a question in the Parliament asking specific information about who is taking responsibility to ensure the designs meet the potential earthquake hazards as indicated by scientific work.”
He said he knows one of the scientists who did the work and “there is evidence that should serve as cause for caution. “But government doesn’t care. That is not the approach we need,” he said. Lynch’s comments followed similar concerns raised last month by seismologist Dr Joan Latchman. A group of engineers, calling themselves Engineers Anonymous, also expressed concerns. They are contending that the fault line poses a significant seismic threat to T&T and the hospital.
Rowley said it is possible to build on an earthquake zone as they do all over the world, “but your designs have to meet certain standards and what we want to know is that the designs meet the earthquake standards.” He stressed that hospitals are supposed to be designed “up to the highest standards and therfore we asked the questions in the Parliament and we await the answers.”
The Association of Professional Engineers (APETT) will host a seminar next week with Udecott officials and Dr Derek Gay, who did the geotechnical tests on the site. Engineers Anonymous, in a statement, maintained that the geotechnical report is not enough to guide designers and urged government to do a seismic hazard analysis.