THE $M PNM HQ THAT BAR-B-QUE BUILT

THE ruling People’s National Movement (PNM), which was $4 million in the red in 2015, is currently building a massive, modern party headquarters in upper Port of Spain.

Construction experts speculate that the cost of the structure at Tranquility Street, with underground parking, could be as much as $100 million.

The PNM said the huge five-storey building would replace the longstanding cramped Balisier House, which stands nearby and which would be converted into a party museum.

In a country without campaign finance legislation, there has been only a general comment from the party’s top brass about the source of the construction funds.

When the sod was turned four years ago, the party’s leadership said there were ongoing been fund-raising ventures.

In Trinidad and Tobago, public fund-raising is generally centred around bar-b-ques and other nominal meals, raffles and various other measures.

“We have been having fund-raising activities, like boat cruises and other efforts, for the past two years for this project,” Rohan Sinanan, Deputy Leader and Works Minister, said then.

Sinanan added: “Fund-raising efforts will continue until the building is completed.”

He said he was “confident that the membership will be able to fund this new building…’

The party also had a car raffle.

Construction of the state-of-the-art building is a giant leap for the PNM, which, according to leader Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley, was financially broke in 2015.

In 2018, Rowley admitted that mere years before, the PNM was “fighting to pay its bills, fighting to pay its staff.”

He said his first task as party leader was to save Balisier House.

He admitted that the party had debts with Public Transport Service Corporation, the State-owned electronic media company, and other service providers.

Rowley said the party had since liquidated its debts.

The political opposition has alleged that certain large contractors in the State sector have contributed money and building material to the sprawling project.   

The PNM has not responded to that claim.

In 2015, the PNM promised in its general election manifesto to introduce campaign finance reform “as an urgent priority.”

In contending for national office, the party said such reform would “put an end to the pernicious scourge of ‘political investors’ once and for all.”

The manifesto added: “The PNM will draft, enact and implement appropriate campaign finance legislation, drawing upon the models successfully in use in developed countries, such as the UK, and USA, before the next general election.”

That commitment has not been kept.

In the meantime, the majesty new Balisier House is taking shape on more than 25,000 square feet of land and in close proximity to existing structures.

Completion is overdue, but the final version, according to the PNM, would be a testimony to what could be constructed through simple fund-raising projects, like bar-b-ques.