Manning says Carnival Centre is next mega project

Prime Minister Patrick Manning held a media briefing Saturday at the new National Academy for the Performing Arts to announce the next mega project - the Queen’s Park Savannah Carnival Centre, which would be able to hold 15,000 people.

Manning told journalists he wants to silence his "detractors”.

Manning is under fire from fete and concert promoters for his reufsal to let them use the nation's major sporting centres for their events.

He told reporters last week that they are intent only on making a profit and they could build their own cultural centres.

He said they have abused the sporting facilities in the past and they cannot be permitted to do it again.

Manning pointed out that the Academy for the Performing Arts and Carnival Centre were both only “a part of development in Trinidad and Tobago.”

The government had put the Carnival Centre project on hold because of the global economic crisis. Manning didn't say when it would get back on track or what it would cost.