Tobago’s Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and the Arts announced the development of Pan Trinbago’s new headquarters, which is set to be constructed at the former General Post Office on Wrightson Road, Port of Spain. The projected cost for this new facility is estimated at TT$120 million (approx. Can$24M).

The planned headquarters will be a six-storey, multi-purpose building incorporating a range of features. It will house Pan Trinbago’s offices, as well as spaces for the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and the Arts, Tourism Trinidad Ltd, and the National Carnival Commission. Additionally, the building will include a theatre/auditorium with a 300-seat capacity, a pan museum and interpretive centre, conference and meeting rooms, a rooftop entertainment area, a gift shop, a cafeteria, and parking facilities.

State entities located within the building will be exempt from paying rent to Pan Trinbago for up to 50 years. This arrangement is expected to generate additional revenue for Pan Trinbago from the theatre/auditorium, pan museum, gift shop, rooftop area, and cafeteria.

Prime Minister Keith Rowley, in a speech delivered on August 24 at the Pan is More Beautiful orchestra finals, confirmed that a design agreement had been reached for the headquarters.

The building will occupy approximately 44,347 square feet, with the current structure, previously used by the Surveys and Mapping Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Land, and Fisheries, slated for demolition. Pan Trinbago will own both the land and the new building, which will be managed by a special-purpose company responsible for its administration, maintenance, rental, and other logistical tasks.

Pan Trinbago President Beverley Ramsey-Moore highlighted the organization’s successful negotiations with the government regarding the land swap. Originally planned for a location in Trincity, the previous site was abandoned and unfinished. Ramsey-Moore stated that the new headquarters would not only provide a central location for Pan Trinbago but also help diversify its revenue streams through commercial activities such as selling steel drums, offering tourist merchandise, and operating a recording studio.

Ramsey-Moore also addressed criticisms from former Pan Trinbago members about the design and use of the new headquarters. She asserted that the previous plans for the Trincity site were unrealistic and that the new facility would provide tangible benefits. She emphasized that the organization’s focus is on using the headquarters to foster community development, support youth programs, and enhance social transformation.

Historically, Pan Trinbago was allocated land by previous administrations, including a two-acre parcel in Chaguaramas in 1974 and an eight-acre parcel in Trincity in 2011. However, the Trincity project faced numerous delays and criticism for its incomplete state. This year’s development marks a significant step towards realizing a long-standing promise to provide Pan Trinbago with a functional and strategic headquarters.

The ministry’s release concludes that the new building will enhance synergies among related entities and advance national projects, strengthening the connection between tourism, Carnival, and steelpan events in Trinidad and Tobago.