$67.3m earmarked for education

The People’s Partnership Government yesterday announced a $67.3 million educational development plan for the Chaguanas area.
Speaking at the post-Cabinet press conference at the Office of the Prime Minister in St Clair, Minister of Tertiary Education and Skills Training, Fazal Karim, said the aim was to transform Central Trinidad into the Central education city of the country. He said this was to ensure the equitable distribution of the nation’s resources so that “development is not only concentrated in one part of the island.”
Karim’s announcement comes in the wake of last Monday’s defeat of United National Congress (UNC’s) candidate Khadijah Ameen in the by-election for the Chaguanas West constituency.
Former UNC MP, Jack Warner, who contested the election under the banner of his own Independent Liberal Party (ILP), was re-elected to the seat.
Karim said Cabinet had approved the multi-million-dollar development of a technology and training centre at the former Caroni 1975 Ltd Transport and Field Engineering Department at Woodford Lodge in Chaguanas.
He said this would include the construction of three buildings on some ten acres of land.
Karim said in its first budget presentation in the House, the People’s Partnership Government had earmarked Chaguanas as one of its development centres, referred to as growth poles.
“One such growth pole was described as the four Cs, comprising Charlieville, Chaguanas, Carapichaima and Couva. In addition to that, you would recognise that those of us who are familiar with Chaguanas know that it is rapidly expanding and...the most recent population census figures at 2011, puts the Borough of Chaguanas at some 83,500 persons,” he said.
Karim said it was important to understand the impact of such an investment on the lives of the people of Central Trinidad and the young people who are “exiting” the education system. Young people between the ages of 15 and 34 comprise 33 per cent of the population in Chaguanas, he added.
He explained the facility at Woodford Lodge would be the home of the National Energy Skills Centre (NESC), the Metal Industries Company (MIC) Ltd and YTEPP, and will have a capacity for 1,000 students when fully operational.
Karim said some 15 dormitories will also be built, adding, “It may be small but significant in the context that this state-of-the-art facility will be a regional centre of excellence for training in vocational areas.
“Another thing we are embarking upon and expect to be concluded by December 31, 2013, is a state-of-the-art automotive technology centre, which is being done in conjunction with the Automotive Dealers Association,” he said.
Karim pointed out too that persons will be trained in the handling of heavy equipment since a caterpillar heavy equipment facility will be constructed in conjunction with Tracmac.
“I want you to understand this investment of the Government for the citizens of the entire country and more particularly in context of Chaguanas. I am saying this because we have just launched the education city at St Augustine and as you are aware under the Minister of Tertiary Education we are currently building the UWI south campus in Penal, Debe,” he added.
Other educational campuses include the construction of the COSTAATT main campus on 30 acres of land on Connector Road, the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT),Charlieville and Point Lisas campuses, the NESC Point Lisas Campus at Brechin Castle and the YTEPP full-time Centre in Point Lisas.
Karim said the Government recently launched the Aviation Institute in Campden in Couva which comprises a consortium of Caribbean Airlines, National Helicopter Service Ltd, the Civil Aviation Authority, the Trinidad Air Guard, the UWI and the MIC.
Additionally, the National Training Agency and YTEPP are headquartered in Chaguanas, while the Ministry of Tertiary Education will also have its headquarters in Chaguanas, he said.