Letter shows connection between architect and Manning's spiritual adviser

One of the documents released Saturday by the leader of the UNC was a signed letter by architect Stephen Mendes in which he revealed that former UDeCOTT chairman Calder Hart had introduced him to Prime Minister Patrick Manning’s spiritual adviser, Juliana Pena.

And another letter from Mendes connects Manning directly to the project.

Mendes said Pena convinced him to prepare the design for the Guanapo church. The letter is dated February 26, 2010. It was sent to Calder Hart at UDeCOTT’s office at Sackville Street, Port of Spain.

Kamla Persad-Bissessar pointed out that in that letter Mendes wrote clearly that he had not made any application for planning permission but the rejection letter for the project from the Town and Country authorities was sent in Mendes’ name.

"It appears then that somebody fraudulently placed Mr Mendes’ name on the application form and submitted it to the Town and Country Planning Division for approval.

"That is fraud, another illegal act in Trinidad and Tobago," the UNC leader said.

Mendes had written to Hart to clarify his role and position in the project after receiving a phone call from Town and Country Planning Division for information on the application that was made in his name without his knowledge.

According to the letter Mendes reminded Hart that in November 2005, after completing a meeting with him at the Home Mortgage Bank offices, Hart asked him to meet a lady who required his assistance.

The letter stated, "You then introduced me to a Rev Juliana Pena, following which you departed the meeting leaving me to face an impassioned plea from this lady, to assist her in respect of preparing a design for a church to be situated on a site close to Arima.

"She was extremely persuasive and after some consideration I agreed to help her prepare a design on a pro bono basis, as a charitable donation to her church, as she had requested I do."

In another letter dated May 2, 2006, Mendes handed over documents related to the church project, in which there is an unambiguous connection to Manning.

Persad-Bissessar read the letter to Hart, a copy of which she provided to the media, in which Mendes wrote:

"I now enclose some of the architectural/engineering drawings that have been prepared to date. I should point out:

1. The structural drawings developed to date are not in accordance with the recent changes made to the architectural drawings as a result of the recent PM’s requests. Additionally, they need to be developed in far greater detail.

2. Additionally the consultants need to develop and finalise their general arrangement drawings due to the recent changes called for by the PM including those relating to the residential component appended to the church.”

Persad-Bissessar clarified the reference to PM, stating that it meant Prime Minister.

Despite all this UDeCOTT continues to deny that it was involved in the church project. In a media release Saturday night it stated that UDeCOTT did not have any involvement in the development, financing, construction, design or engineering of the church at the Heights of Guanapo.

What the opposition leader made clear at her news conference is:

• that the Prime Minister was involved in the initial design of the Church for The Lighthouse of Our Lord Jesus Christ, being built by his spiritual adviser, Ms Juliana Pena.
• the then Chairman of UDeCOTT, Calder Hart, was directly involved in the design of the Church
• no prior approval had been received and that the Town and Country approval for development of the property was awarded on the date that Manning announced the date for the general election

She also pointed out that the design is exactly the same as the building designed by Architectural Design and Research Institute of Tongii University (Group) Co., and captioned "Outdoor stage project of Prime Minister’s House" in which the contractor is listed as Shanghai Construction Group.