National Diversity Minister Rodger Samuel says he has not yet received any proposals relating to the future of the historic Greyfriars Church, Frederick Street, Port-of-Spain.
He said if the owner of the property, Alfred Galy, had any proposals to do with the sale or lease of the building, it was the owner’s responsibility to inform the ministry.
Samuel, in a phone interview yesterday, said his ministry was working on saving the building and had contacted the owner to state its intent of making a Greyfriars an historic site.
The rest of the process includes having professionals compile a dossier on the sit e, a legal process, then publishing the information for public perusal. “Few people in Trinidad are trained in preparing dossiers and it is a tedious process,” said Samuel.
He believed the issues were being worked out with the owner in good faith.
Samuel also said he had received a petition with 2,000 signatures calling on him to ensure the church was saved. “I was surprised at the amount. We might not have recognised that so many people were interested in this country’s history,” he added.
Earlier this month a contractor removed the roof of the church hall in what appeared to be the start of demolition.
Galy later said a health and safety assessment of the property was being done and the roof was removed because it was filled with asbestos.
The city corporation ordered Galy to stop work and he has since applied for the required demolition notice.
Chief inspector in the city engineer’s office, Deoraj Ramtahal, said yesterday the notice was on hold as the corporation was in discussions with Galy and the Town and Country Planning Division.