The National Academy for the Performing Arts-which will be used for the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM)-is expected to be officially opened next week.

Sources close to the Express say that Government is planning a grand opening of the $378 million facility on November 9.

When contacted yesterday, Junia Regrello, Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs, said the details for the opening are being finalised and that an official date would be released some time today.

Calder Hart, chairman of the Urban Development Company of Trinidad and Tobago (UDeCOTT), and Chinese Embassy officials were seen touring the building yesterday.

Work was feverishly underway on both the interior and exterior of the compound by Chinese workers of China-based Shanghai Construction Group (SCG).

Employees of Magic Mist Services Ltd were seen shining the glass windows, while Terra Forma Design and Construction Ltd workers were busy completing the landscaping. Jusamco Pavers employees were seen spreading tar outside the building in preparation for the paving which was expected to take place last night.

The Port of Spain National Academy for the Performing Arts is one of two such facilities to be built as part of a Government-to-Government, two per cent concessional loan from the People’s Republic of China to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. The other building is another Academy which will be located in San Fernando.

A performance and teaching academy, the Academy will feature a vast array of open vistas for the enjoyment of the performance arts as well as contemporary classrooms, teaching halls and other practice spaces for the cultivation of the performance artistes.

The 429,093 square foot facility includes:

- a 1,500 seat acoustically designed performance hall

- two practice halls

- teaching rooms

- state of the art lighting and sound features

- stages designed to showcase pannists and other performance artistes

- a hotel (for visiting performers).