Save Boissiere House

March 12 2008 - Newsday | AG tackles Gingerbread House

admin — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 17:54:28 +0000

“THE fate of the historic “Gingerbread House”, lies in the hands of Attorney General Bridgid Annisette-George whose legal opinion is being sought by Government.

Speaking to Newsday at the Red House yesterday, Minister of Culture, Youth and Gender Affairs Marlene Mc Donald said: “The procedure to adopt for the listing of properties has gone to the Attorney General for legal opinion and then goes to Cabinet. The first step is to list the properties, which the National Trust never did….” [Read original article]

March 9 2008 - Trinidad Express | This Old House

admin — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 16:58:39 +0000

“The house was built in a cocoa economy, its roots further recessed in time. To retrofit would inevitably change the essential character and reasons for preservation in the first place and probably contravene essential design and structural elements to do with a preservation order, perhaps the most obvious being that a library/museum must incorporate air conditioning and temperature controlled spaces, involving the sealing up of vents, windows, and other original, essential natural air conditioning or temperature maintenance factors, that were and still are part of the form and function of the structure….” [Read original article]

March 6 2008 - Trinicenter.com | Gingerbread Houses

admin — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 16:01:57 +0000

“In 1980 when Peter Minshall was about to bring out Danse Macabre, David Picou, a good friend of Ken Morris, took Morris a sketch from Minshall and asked him to see what he could do with it. That suggestion led to the production a section in Minshall’s band that reflected Morris’s artistry as a copper worker. These sections which never exceeded sixteen pieces became a significant part of Minshall’s carnival productions during the 1980s including Danse Macabre (1980), Jungle Fever (1981); River (1983); River Gods (1984) and Golden Calalbash (1985)….” [Read original article]

March 2 2008 - Newsday | TT behind in landmark preservation

admin — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 16:00:19 +0000

“WHILE steps were taken this week to see the historic Boissiere House possibly listed as a “property of interest” under National Trust Legislation, the fact remains that Trinidad and Tobago still lags far behind its Caribbean neighbours in how it protects its landmarks, according to conservationists and architects….” [Read original article]

March 2 2008 - Trinidad Express | Eric Williams’ claim to Boissiere House

admin — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 17:27:41 +0000

“Current debate over the future of the Boissiere House, or as its popularly called “The Gingerbread House,” at 26 Queen’s Park West, Port of Spain should include the possibility of using it as the new home for the writings and works of Dr Eric Williams, Father of the Nation. It is large enough to house the Eric Williams Collection which is now on display at the University of the West Indies in St. Augustine. ”More people would be able to see the collection in a spacious and historical environment,” said one conservationist of this idea. Williams’s daughter, Erica Williams-Connell, also finds merit in the idea of using the Boissiere House for the collection, providing the arrangements were satisfactory in every respect….” [Read original article]

Feb 28 2008 - Newsday | Gingerbread fate in the balance

admin — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 18:26:04 +0000

“GOVERNMENT has assured it will attempt to “iron out” the legislative process under which a landmark property can be listed on a protected properties register, as soon as possible. But no specific undertaking has reportedly been given as to when the procedure could be finalised, leaving the fate of the Gingerbread House, which has been short-listed for protection under National Trust legislation, hanging in the balance…..” [Read original article]

Feb 27 2008 - Newsday | Minister meets on Gingerbread House

admin — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 17:02:34 +0000

“CULTURE MINISTER Marlene McDonald will today meet with Vel Lewis, chairman of the National Trust, to discuss legislative procedures which could see the historic Boissiere “Gingerbread” House being listed as a national property of interest….” [Read original post]

Feb 26 2008 - Newsday | Gingerbread House cost$ high

admin — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 17:01:21 +0000

“WHILE THEY are reluctant to see the historic Gingerbread House leave their family, the owners say they have no choice but to put the centuries old property on the market because it has become increasingly difficult for them to maintain….” [Read original article]

Feb 24 2008 - Newsday | Red House unprotected

admin — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 17:50:29 +0000

“THE RED HOUSE and the Magnificent Seven are among a list of this country’s most important architectural landmarks currently left legally unprotected despite attempts to have them listed as “properties of interest” under National Trust Legislation.

In fact, since the introduction of special legislation to deal with protecting landmarks was passed in Parliament in 1991, not a single property has been listed as a “property of interest” for the purposes of protection under the National Trust Act of Trinidad and Tobago, according to Rudylynn Roberts, Secretary of the National Trust….” [Read original article

Feb 24 2008 - Trinidad Guardian | Boissere House in Danger

admin — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 15:15:06 +0000

“Real estate agent Annmarie Aboud, whose job is to sell the gingerbread house for a cool $45 million wants to know what is all the fuss about the building being a national architectural treasure.

Since the building, formally known as the Boissiere house at 12 Queen’s Park West went up for sale, a national furore has erupted from activists who see a slice of T&T’s history as being under real and present danger.

Those who want to preserve Boissiere house were being backed up by the National Trust of T&T, according to chairman Vel Lewis, who is curator of the National Museum. (See story below.)

Lewis confirmed last week, that the National Trust was moving swiftly to have the Boissiere house declared a heritage property….” [Read full article]