Chairman of the Sangre Grande Regional Corporation Terry Rondon says he has no intention of apologising for the demolition of four historic buildings, which he claimed were encouraging crime, being used as a dumping ground and haven for street dwellers.
The buildings—the old Warden’s Office, Fire Station, Magistrate’s Court and the Manzanilla Post Office which were blocked off with galvanise sheetings months ago—were demolished on Saturday during the corporation’s national clean-up campaign spearheaded by the Ministry of Local and Rural Development Kazim Hosein.
Hosein posted images to his Facebook page in which he is seen operating an excavator to begin demolition of one of the buildings.
However, Rondon warned if in two months’ time no restoration work is undertaken on the old Post Office building, located in the heart of Sangre Grande, that too will be flattened.
In defending his decision, Rondon said he has no regrets of ripping down the antiquated buildings which were over a century old and had become a health and safety hazard to burgesses.
Rondon said for 17 years talks have been ongoing to restore the historic buildings which never got off the ground.
As a result, he said council along with the corporation’s building and health inspectors and building engineers took the decision to have them demolished since last year, even though the National Trust of T&T and social group Friends of Sangre Grande had pleaded with the corporation since 2015 to preserve the sites.
He said the corporation published in the newspapers its intention to tear down the buildings.
“On a regular basis we received reports that those buildings smelt of human filth left there by homeless people. What was most disturbing was that rape had been committed in these buildings as well. The dilapidated structures encouraged vagrancy and posed as a health and safety hazard to pedestrians and motorists. Many times the vagrants lit things in the buildings, which threatened other buildings. I could not sit down when we have a clean up campaign in the corporation and allow this one to pass by. I have no regrets of demolishing the buildings, nor would I apologise.”
In removing the debris from the old warden’s office, Rondon said they discovered human bones.
Rondon said TTPost gave the corporation permission to destroy the old Manzanilla Post Office since the building was no longer structurally sound.
“When we did what we had to do now everybody objecting. But I know we are within our rights to do the demolition. I am not here to destroy... but these buildings had to go. It was a disaster waiting to happen,” Rondon said.
By June, Rondon said if no restoration is undertaken on “the old Post Office Building that too will be demolished as well. I am serious about that.”
SADDENED BY DECISION
Chairman of the National Trust of T&T Margaret Mc Dowall in a statement yesterday expressed sadness that yet another demolition had taken place, ostensibly with the blessing of the State.
She said the Warden’s Office, built in 1909 signalled of rise of prominence of the town of Sangre Grande as a major service centre.
“Despite neglect the building was sound and could have continued to play a significant role in serving and enhancing the town centre for another century. A clean-up campaign as this was billed to be, would have only needed to remove a tree, which had been allowed to grow into one side of the building,” the release said.
Having met Rondon in 2015, after the Concerned Citizens of Sangre Grande were warned of threats to demolish the old Post Office, Mc Dowall stated a tour was conducted and they outlined the process that needed to be followed regarding these buildings.
Since then, the National Trust continued to communicate with the corporation informing Rondon that its organisation had published its intention to list the Post Office and the Warden’s Office in the Gazette.
Mc Dowall applauded TTPost who is working with the community to revitalise the old Post Office building which has been found to be structurally sound.
“Demolishing buildings to make up for wanton neglect and disinterest is not a logical solution,” the release stated.
In a telephone interview, Mc Dowall said while she understood Rondon’s concerns, “At the same time the residents felt connected to the buildings, especially the old Post Office.”
