Government to decide if to invest $100M more in Brian Lara stadium: Moonilal

The government of Trinidad and Tobago would have to find at least another $100 million to complete the controversial Brian Lara Stadium at Tarouba, South Trinidad.

And Housing Minister Roodal Moonilal, who toured the site on Tuesday, said the government would have decide if make sense to invest so much more into the facility.

He admitted that it presents a major dilemma for the government. "The Brian Lara is a headache at this time because if you go forward, you expend enormous resources, if you stop it, you have wasted enormous resources. So that is the decision."

The stadium was started under the previous Manning PNM administration and was supposed to cost $375 million.

Construction began in May 2005 and the stadium was supposed to be ready in time for the 2006 cricket world cup. However, the project, which was being handled by UDeCOTT, suffered immense problems, delays and cost overruns. To date it has cost nearly $1billion.

Moonilal said the next step in the project is for UDeCOTT to compile a report on the issues and then submit a report to cabinet to seek approval on the way forward for the stadium.

He said a scientific team will have to conduct tests on the soil to confirm or deny if the stadium was built on shifting clay. "If that is so that would run up the cost much further than $100 million. It could take us to $150 or $200 million." He said "the final cost at this stage, we are looking at $1.1 billion for the cricket facility".

Moonilal added, "The big decision for us is do we park it up and leave it as an eyesore in Tarouba or do we try to finish it and have some type of utility value in terms of international sport? And if we do that then we have to take a decision to spend a significant amount of money. And it is a matter really that Cabinet must consider."

The structure can hold 17,000 people. However Moonilal noted that there is inadequate protection for spectators who will get wet if it rains during an event.

"There is probably no way you can escape being drenched in rain at this site because of the way it was designed and built. We will look and see what we can do because it is not feasible to put 17,000 people in a sports arena and have the majority getting wet if it rains," the minister said.

Moonilal said there are many problems ranging from large-scale ones such as infrastructure and design, to smaller ones such as replacement of doors, water-logged carpets and cupboards.