There is no plan to sell Riverside Plaza Carpark in Port-of-Spain after the Ministry of Social Development and Family Services completes the relocation of the socially displaced persons currently housed there.
This was the word from general manager at the National Insurance Property Development Company Limited (Nipdec) Raymond Hackett yesterday, as speculation about the future of the site once the relocation of residents from the Centre for Displaced Persons was completed began online. Some persons felt the building would be put up for sale.
However, Hackett said there is no plan for the building, as it was only recently that Nipdec was notified of the ministry’s intention to relocate the residents.
“The notifications through Cabinet that the intention was for Ministry of Social Development to cease utilising the location for socially displaced persons, and we have only received that recently, and from our understanding, they intend to have that exercise completed by end of September,” Hackett said.
“So given that we have only received the notification from Cabinet, our commercial team who supervises our carparks is now in the process of determining what alternative use we will put the facility to.”
Hackett further explained that at present, the building still functions as a multi-storey carpark.
“It is just part of the site was converted for residents, so the TTPS actually leases a significant portion of the building for use as their carpark,” he said.
“Carparks are part of our core business. We actually operate carparks all over the country—three in Port-of-Spain, which Riverside is just one of those locations, so we will make a determination with how we will move forward with that one.”
On Tuesday, Minister of Social Development and Family Services Donna Cox confirmed that the ministry was making arrangements to relocate over 80 residents currently housed at the Riverside Plaza.
Cox assured that the Socially Displaced Unit at the ministry was attempting to locate available space at respective homes to place the residents, whether it be in senior citizens’ homes, community care programmes, rehabilitation centres and homes or institutions that will enable employment opportunities for the employable residents.
Asked if the building, which was initially a multi-storey carpark, is earmarked for any other particular use, Cox said “No.”
Cox said since the building belongs to Nipdec, it would be handed back to them.