PNM: Is someone interested in BLCA?

Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba. - File photo

Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles said the party is waiting patiently to see if a foreign entity would shortly express interest in the Brian Lara Cricket Academy (BLCA). She questioned the timing of the decision to ban fetes at the venue.

Speaking at a media conference at the Office of the Opposition Leader, Charles Street, Port of Spain, on November 13, Beckles referenced a statement by Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo in the 2025/2026 budget debate regarding the creation of a state-sponsored real estate investment trust (REIT).

Tancoo said the measure was a landmark initiative to democratise state-owned assets, strengthen and diversify TT’s capital market and broaden public participation in national wealth creation. He said high-value income-generating properties such as land, office buildings and commercial infrastructure will be transferred into the professionally managed REIT. He said shares would be listed on the TT Stock Exchange, allowing both ordinary and institutional investors to earn regular dividends from real estate.

Beckles questioned whether the BLCA was one of the high-value income-generating properties the minister was speaking of.

“Let us see whether or not this is one of the projects that is going to fall under this REIT and whether we will soon see some organisation, institution, coming from abroad with an interest in cricket or an interest in something else for which the government has already discussed. Let us wait and see.”

Beckles said the issue of noise pollution is not exclusive to BLCA. Beckles said there was no member of the TT public who was not concerned with noise pollution.

“It doesn’t have to be Carnival or the BLCA. I’m sure if I take a poll here, there are people who may be living on streets with bars and activities who have to deal with this. Noise pollution is not just a matter here but in almost every part of the world. Some countries have dealt with it differently.”

She said an app had been developed while she was planning and environment minister to monitor noise levels in Woodbrook, with the involvement of the police and residents. She said the plan had been to share the results and data with other communities.

Beckles said the impression is being given that the area at BLCA that is used for cricket is being used and destroyed.

“We know the area used is the carpark. If you look at the contract document for anyone who uses the stadium, it is very specific as it relates to restoring the facility to basically how it was met when you initially got the facility. There is a fee you would have to pay and if you don’t meet those requirements, then they withhold that fee.”

She said several promoters would have made downpayments for state-controlled venues.

“If I remember specifically, according to the document from Udecott, it is not only going to be BLCA, but also other facilities for which Udecott has responsibility. So we have to assume that the Hyatt, Invader’s Bay and any other facility managed by Udecott will no longer have any fetes.”

Beckles noted the issue was not raised earlier in the year when Culture and Community Development Minister Michelle Benjamin met with promoters to discuss the way forward.

She questioned why the Prime Minister was not willing to consult with the promoters on use of these state-run facilities.

“These are facilities owned by the state, basically owned by the public. Yes you feel strongly about it, but why would the Prime Minister say that she will not have a meeting with the promoters? I quote ‘There will be no meeting between myself and the TTPA. The decision stands and will not be reversed.’

“That is democracy for you, that as a Prime Minister, you’re not even willing to have consultations, even if you feel very strongly about the position, because BLCA is not the personal property of the Prime Minister. But we will wait very patiently to see whether or not there is somebody who has an interest in the stadium.”

Beckles said in 2023, Udecott would have said that the BLCA was not exclusively for cricket.

Asked whether she thought Carnival 2026 might be in jeopardy, especially after the cancellation of the Independence Day parade, she said,

“Well it must be a concern, because you are seeing this gradually... if you link these to the state of emergency (SoE) that has been extended and will end I think two weeks before Carnival. The concern is if you go back to Independence, the link was there was a concern about a security issue in relation to ministers, in relation to conspiracies, targeting members of the judiciary. If you extend the SoE and say crime is down and you know the SoE is going to end two weeks before Carnival, clearly there must be a concern.

“I don’t say they might stop the two-day festival, but think about what promoters are saying at this time. BLCA is the facility where any number of fetes are held, and there was no consultation and you have stopped. You say absolutely no meeting, no alternative, no discussion.”

Beckles said there were concerns about whether there could be a loss of revenue.

“We all know for the average member of the public, Carnival is revenue-generating, although I’m seeing people saying it doesn't earn revenue, but that is not so. The UWI has done studies on this.”

Former rural development and local government minister Faris Al-Rawi said other policies recently instituted by the government had left some stakeholders in difficulty.

“Fete promoters are bawling, Carnival bands that launched their tickets in pre-sale with drinks included, the drinks have doubled in price.”

Former foreign and Caricom affairs minister Dr Amery Browne said people outside TT, especially those in the diaspora and regionally, were paying attention to what was going on in TT, especially rumours of war and the split with Caricom, and so might not be inclined to attend Carnival in TT.