00:00Most unexpected. That's how tenants of Movie Town described the actions of
00:05bailiffs this afternoon. Part of the incident caught on this eyewitness
00:10camera shows a not-too-pleasant interaction at Invaders Bay. The Port
00:15of Spain infrastructure company Pocenco issued a statement as the news started
00:21to spread across social media platforms like Wildfire, explaining that it
00:26exercised its right of re-entry and has taken possession of the premises leased
00:31to Trinidad and Tobago Commercial Development Company Limited, known as
00:36Movie Town. The statement reads, quote, the re-entry exercise was undertaken as a
00:40consequence of breaches of the terms and conditions of the existing deed of lease
00:46between Pocenco and the TCDC, end quote. Without going into details on the
00:54breaches, it says discussions had been ongoing for several years in a quote
00:59unquote effort to avoid today's outcome. But those discussions, it says, did not
01:05see any resolve. The company says it sought to conduct today's exercise in a
01:10peaceful manner which would have been least disruptive to tenants. It also
01:15gives an assurance to all concerned that the matter will receive the sensitivity
01:20required. TV6 acquired a copy of the notice sent out to tenants. It informs
01:25them that the Port of Spain Infrastructure Company Limited is the
01:29owner of the premises they occupy. The lease with the TCDC, it explains, has
01:35come to an end and, quote, any arrangements which you had with TCDC has
01:41also come to an end. It is therefore necessary that new arrangements should
01:46be made out to ensure that you continue an occupation of the premises without
01:51any interruption, end quote. The statement further informs tenants that all rent is
01:57now to be remitted to Pocenco with immediate effect. We contacted the
02:03chairman of Movietown, Derek Chin, who explained that he's out of the country.
02:07He directed us to his attorney, Andre Rutter, who declined comment. In May, the
02:13media reported that Chin owes the Board of Inland Revenue some 93 million
02:18dollars. Movietown, a major cinema chain and TNT, has established an outlet in
02:23Guyana and in June, Chin told media he had his eyes set on a Jamaica location
02:29by year's end. And in case you are wondering about the Port of Spain
02:35Infrastructure Company, according to the Port Authority's website, the company
02:39plays a strategic role of port landlord, managing the Port Authority's 151 hectares
02:47of real estate and creating opportunities through port infrastructure
02:51development and maintenance to boost cargo activity and the inter-island ferry
02:57service, which is operated on behalf of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
03:02Additionally, the company provides ancillary services of towage, harbor
03:06management and cruise ship terminal operations. The company falls under the
03:12Ministry of Works and Transport. Minister Rohan Sinhanan would only say the
03:15matter is being handled between the landlord and tenant and the ministry is
03:21not getting involved at this time. Patrons, meanwhile, used online platforms
03:26to raise concern about the timing of the incident, close to the reopening of
03:30schools and if that means an all-out closure. They also wondered about the
03:35future of the place where they created many memories and holds a space in their
03:40hearts. Movietown on its social media page announced to all that they are open
03:46and that all the mall stores are open.
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