Out in South...
fun alternatives to screen time over the holidays
fun alternatives to screen time over the holidays Out in South...
fun alternatives to screen time over the holidays Out in South...
Out in South…fun alternatives to screen time this vacation
During the July/August vacation (or ‘JAVA’), many parents struggle with how to entertain their kids. While some time on phones/tablets/TV is unavoidable, here are some ideas for getting kids o the screen and out of the house:
Palmiste Park. The Palmiste National Park is a former sugarcane estate, which is now a public park. It contains trees and
shrubs from all over the world, a heart-shaped pond, open green spaces, a play park, and the Tales and Trails mini-library.
Water Parks – Fun Splash/Harry’s. A short drive to Debe will get you to Fun Splash Water Park, on the M2 ring road. Open daily from 10-6pm, huts can be booked for cooking or liming. General entry is $50 for kids under 11, and $80 for those 12 years and over. Call 706-8880 for more details. A little further away, but still very accessible, is Harry’s Water Park, at #160 Tabaquite Road, Rio Claro. Open from 9am-6pm, sheds of varying sizes can be booked. General entry is $100 for kids under 10, and $150 for those 11 years and over. Call 798-0049 for more details.
The Pitch Lake. Head to La Brea to visit the largest natural deposit of bitumen in the world, estimated to contain 10 million tons. Tour guides (very reasonably priced) are available on site, and will take you for a walk on the surface of the lake,
explaining its geological history and many other interesting facts. In addition to various viscosities of pitch, the lake in rainy season also contains small pools of rainwater, which visitors have the option of swimming in. Remember to bring an umbrella to protect against both rain and sun.
Malls – C3, Gulf City, South Park. South Trinidad is full of mall options, all featuring shopping, restaurants and entertainment. At C3, kids will enjoy MovieTowne, Beyond Games and a rock-climbing wall. Gulf City features a play park as well as two food courts. At South Park, families can visit Caribbean Cinemas and even an escape room.
Knolly’s Tunnel. Hidden in Tabaquite is “Knollys Tunnel”, the largest man-made tunnel in the Caribbean. Named after Sir Clement Courtenay Knollys, it was built in 1898 entirely out of concrete, and its purpose was to expand access for the growing cocoa industry in Tabaquite via
the Trinidad Government Railways (TGR). It took 200 workers almost two years to carve the tunnel through a hill in the Central Range. Although it has not been used as a train tunnel in decades, the structure remains solid, and a drive through will elicit thrills from the kids due to the vast quantity of bats who now call the tunnel home.
Mud volcanoes – Erin Bou e and L’eau Michel. South Trinidad is home to many mud volcanoes, but Erin Bou e (Los Iros) and L’eau Michel (Bunsee Trace, Penal) are notable for o ering a full immersive experience, where families can literally swim in the volcano before walking to nearby beaches to wash o .
The Southerner is a community newspaper, distributed free of charge throughout residential areas in and around San Fernando, including Gopaul Lands, St. Joseph Village, Bay View, Bel Air, Bryan’s Gate, Coconut Drive, Gulf View, Palmiste.
For 2025, 4 issues are planned: April, July, September, November.
For information on placing advertisements or articles in future issues of The Southerner, please email thesoutherner.tt@gmail.com
For online versions of each issue, check us out on issuu.com or facebook.
UWI south campus set to open 15 years a er being built
The management of the UWI, St Augustine campus announced the start of classes at its south campus in Debe in August.
In a statement on Monday May 19, UWI said during the last two years, a comprehensive review was done on operations, re-calibrating and systematically implementing the south campus’ focus and key goals.
"The campus will be the home of the newly launched Global School of Medicine (GSM) leveraging the world-ranked reputation of the UWI and especially the UWI’s Faculty of Medicine (FMS), to serve primarily international students pursuing the Doctor of Medicine (MD) programme."
The campus will also host several other traditional programmes from other faculties (such as Food & Agriculture, Humanities and Education) and the FMS "in blended formats."
UWI said the campus has a full, sophisticated information technology network, complete with state of the art "smart" classrooms. One hall of residence has been completed at the campus.
The south campus was built under the UNC-led People's Partnership coalition government in the 2010 period but was never opened.
The campus was completed for use in 2019, save for one building structure and it was made available to the State as a step-down medical facility during the COVID-19 pandemic.
It was returned to the UWI in May 2022. An assessment between May and July of that year found that urgent restoration was required.
Following comments in May 2025 by Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal that suggested that the campus was derelict, the university identi ed that there was natural deterioration which has also a ected the St Augustine campus.
“A phased restoration is planned and will be implemented as funding becomes available, therefore repair to non-academic spaces such as the tennis & multi-purpose courts, cricket pavilion, and swimming pool will come after the initial reopening phase. While key areas have been landscaped, an ongoing landscape contract is at the tender stage.
Importantly, these challenges are not unique to the South Campus. The UWI St
Augustine Campus itself is also managing the realities of an aging infrastructure, with several longstanding facilities now requiring further investment,” the university explained.
The UWI has submitted requests for government funding to support repairs identi ed.
It detailed the works it was able to accomplish:
Key restoration to the main buildings –the Academic Building (3-story main teaching and learning facility), Students’ Union, Auditorium/Moot Court, Health Facility, Cafeteria and Gymnasium have already been made to a high standard and they are ready for occupation.
Furniture and computer equipment are already tted in the academic spaces and Students’ Union. Further ongoing restorative works are planned for the Faculty Building, which will not be immediately needed.
The Faculty of Law was originally intended to be the agship faculty of the Penal-Debe campus, but the newly established self- nancing and sustainable Global School of Medicine (GSM) will take its place. The GSM will serve primarily international students and will allow the University to meet the growing demand for medical education.
The South Campus is also intended to support delivery of selected programmes across multiple faculties. This is intended to increase access to persons from the South and Central who would not ordinarily be in a position to attend the St Augustine Campus.
The UWI ROYTEC will also be housed at the
Palmiste Park pond restored
On Saturday June 7, 400 shes were released into the heart-shaped Palmiste Park pond and a morocoy named Pablo was also given a new home.
It all occurred in tandem with World Environmental Day which was observed on June 5.
Terrence Honore, the chairman of advocate group Palmiste Historical Society, said that the committee is seeking to address the condition of the park and elevate it to international status, making it the botanic gardens of the South.
Honore explained that for the past four to ve years, the pond had been dry, with only dried and caked mud. The restoration
project involved using heavy equipment to excavate the dirt. The pond is now 20 by 80 feet.
Members of the Sustainable Climate Resilience Initiative (SCRI) and its president, Edward Moodie, released river brochet, coscarob, sardines and tilapia into the pond.
Also involved in the project were members of the Palmiste Residents Association, 4-H T&T, the Naparima and South West Scout District, the Lion’s Club, Soroptimist International of T&T, Miss Universe delegate for Palmiste Farah Mohammed, and Miss Teen India Worldwide Jayda Ramjattan.
Controversial Warao statue still standing
Months after a call by the First Peoples Warao community in San Fernando for the removal of or alteration to the golden statue intended as a tribute to the indigenous community, the statue remains standing near the San Fernando Waterfront Redevelopment Project, along Lady Hailes Avenue.
The statue became the subject of criticism from the First Peoples Warao community after it was unveiled earlier this year, being described as an 'inaccurate representation' of indigenous people by Warao shaman Raould Simon.
Warao statue on Lady Hailes Avenue
In February, Simon called for the structure to be altered or removed by its installer, referring to the installation as 'desecration' of space considered sacred by the Warao people.
He said the gure was rife with inaccuracies and that the group had
not been consulted prior to its creation. He referenced the statue’s locks, its structure, its skirt/wrap, its inscription and its headdress as all being inaccurate representations of the community.
The gure was commissioned years ago and installed by the Ministry of Works and Transport's Programme for Upgrading Roads E ciency Unit (PURE).
Volunteers restore the Palmiste Park pond. Photo from Palmiste Historical Society facebook page.
The computer labs at the UWI Penal/Debe campus. Photo from UWI St. Augustine facebook page.
Viewpoints
Problem may be bad design
On May 31, an accident on the Solomon Hochoy Highway near Claxton Bay claimed the lives of ve people.
Over the past three decades we would have observed a signi cant increase in serious accidents and road fatalities – and an increasing number of drivers on the roads.
The Hochoy Highway sees more than its fair share of these accidents. Along this highway, however, there are two speci c areas which stand out as “accident-prone.” They are Claxton Bay and Gasparillo.
For several years, as someone living in the east and working in the south, I found myself caught in several tra c jams which follow from these accidents. Many involved the loss of life. The two areas mentioned were the most likely spots where such accidents have occurred; and for all intents, will continue to occur, unless addressed.
Along this 51.2 km highway I would guesstimate that over 75 per cent of the accidents take place in these two areas. That should have generated serious concern from the Works and Transport Ministry. That it has not suggests that none of the engineers at the ministry understands highway
design.
The loss of several lives, in any one incident or accident, tends to capture the nation’s attention. It becomes a discussion piece for a couple days until replaced by some other incident or accident, equally horri c.
Sadly, we have grown used to such stories. We usually just blame the drivers and move on. In cases where the drivers survive, they usually blame a “bad drive” from another driver. And while many throw their hands in the air with the “what we go do, boy?” attitude, I tend to delve deeper into the “why?"
Over the years, one of the recurring explanations o ered is that of seeing a “ghost” of a young woman who was buried at the top of a hill in the Claxton Bay vicinity. The story also adds that she crosses the highway, usually wearing a white dress. That such narrative could make sense to a signi cant percentage of our population, in 2025, is tremendous cause for concern. Some people even argue that loss of life was all part of “God’s plan.” Many of these people mean well.
That short stretch heading south, from around the bend at the top of the decline, to the bend at the bottom of the incline, and to the yover, has been responsible for more
lives lost than one would care to admit.
Factor in the decline, the crosswinds coming from the direction of the dump, the bend, windows up with ACs pumping, and sometimes loud music and alcohol, and what you have is a recipe for death.
Then at Gasparillo we see several bends, an exit ramp, a bridge, and entrance ramp, the narrowing of the surface road over the overpass, and another bend. And if those weren’t enough factors to establish poor design, a little further we see a “taxi stop” under the yover. And as taxis seek to merge, we see a recently added highway exit.
When a signi cant number of accidents happen in a particular area, if common sense does not dictate, then science should, that they be looked at objectively and scienti cally to ascertain a causal relationship. Scienti cally those two short sections along the 51.2 km highway cannot be responsible for “bad drives" or bad drivers by themselves. Similarly, when we eliminate the ghost/jumbie/obeah/jadoo component we would realise that many of the drivers who crashed would have driven safely for long distances.
Perhaps the problem is not with the drivers, but with a highway designed for vehicles of an earlier era, and needs to be redesigned.
Rudy Chato Paul, Sr (Newsday, 7/6/25)
Viewpoints continued on page 6...
Viewpoints
Why South and Central are thriving
This is my personal opinion. If you are like me just scrolling through social media platforms, especially TikTok, you will realise very quickly that South and Central are more developed in terms of new businesses being opened and more international-type properties coming on the market.
I was shocked to see the types of properties that are looking more like buildings seen in the US or Europe in South and Central Trinidad. The size of the properties shown on social media re ects wealthier living, especially in Central and South, while those in the North can’t hold a candle to those people living in Central and South with what is being shown.
What is more shocking is that businesses down South and Central are driven to attract more businesses, while in the northern part of my country it’s the opposite. Commercial and residential developments are constantly increasing, seemingly to drive potential customers away in the northern part of Trinidad. No wonder more employment for many people can be found in the other parts, but not in the northern part.
The type of businesses you only see internationally. Plus technology being implemented, but not in the northern part for convenience.
I am just assuming that more businesses buy more in bulk in the southern part, as compared to the northern part, to provide a ordable items, while the northern part is chasing away businesses and potential employment because of how they do things.
Don’t get me started on the types of foreign-used vehicles down South and Central that we don’t see in the North. Plus the type of quali ed people who are in South and Central. More construction and development is taking place in these places.
No wonder people don’t want to develop the northern part of Trinidad. You can do almost anything down South, while North is the opposite. If you do nd it, you might not be able to buy because retail mark-up is too high.
I hope someday the northern part of Trinidad gets that type of development seen so far on social media, as compared to people’s lifestyles in the southern part of the country. There are tourist spots in the southern part not seen by those in the north. Wow.
Ron Hill
(Express, 18/6/25)
Debe campus – the way forward
The debate over what should be done with the Debe UWI campus continues with no end apparently in sight. I think cool heads should prevail and constructive discussions between the government and UWI senior personnel are paramount.
The position of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar in respect of the purpose for which the campus was built must gure prominently in any discussion. The main one of course being to facilitate students from south and central Trinidad attending various UWI faculties, including the Faculty of Law.
People who say otherwise have not had to experience the hardship and cost of travelling from south/central on a daily basis or have to bear the additional cost of renting housing in and around St Augustine. Persad-Bissessar has consistently stated her vision, ie, to lessen the burden on south and central UWI students.
My concerns lie with the proposed Global School of Medicine (GSM).
If the UWI Council agreed in 2017 to go the way of the GSM, why has it taken eight years to commence?
The principal has stated that the rst batch of medical students is expected to start classes in August. If so, the number of students admitted and the forex (foreign exchange) derived therefrom must be made public so as to appreciate the income to be derived vs expenditure.
Where are these foreign students to be housed when student accommodation facilities do not appear to be ready?
What is the state of readiness of classrooms to teach preclinical medical students, which require more than just the four walls of a regular classroom?
Has a full complement of sta for preclinical instruction and other ancillary sta been hired? And where will the funding for this come from?
When the students have graduated from the preclinical component, where do they complete their two-year-plus clinical training?
I have read where former principal Brian Copeland has said that the clinical training was expected to take place at the Couva Hospital and Multi-Training Facility and the San Fernando Teaching Hospital.
With due respect to Prof Copeland, it seems that he has not taken into consideration that clinical medical training needs a fully functional “general” hospital, ie, o ering emergency medical/surgical services, inpatient medical and surgical wards, operating rooms/theatres, out-patient clinics, to begin with. And as far as I am aware, the previous administration had no plans to open such services at Couva and it would require a signi cant supply of funding for the government to provide such services any time soon.
The teaching hospital is hardly a teaching hospital and is more a service hospital. When I visited that facility after it had just been commissioned, there was hardly if any teaching taking place there. Has that changed since?
Even if all of the above needs are met, who will be the clinical tutors? The UWI Medical Faculty sta , both preclinical and clinical, mostly work at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex. There are a few clinical sta /lecturers at the Port of Spain General Hospital and even less at the San Fernando General.
The regional health authority (RHA) sta , both consultants and registrars, have no obligation to teach medical students and many have said so, except for a few who were appointed associate lecturers. It would be asking a lot of the present UWI preclinical and clinical sta to teach students of the GSM as well.
And what about the curriculum? As I understand it, the only reason foreign students will attend medical school in Trinidad is to gain admittance to medical residency programmes in the US. So the curriculum would have to be specially designed to facilitate this. Has this been done?
I think initially, priority must be given to facilitate local students from south, central and any other part of Trinidad to access tertiary education at least cost and disruption to them and their families’ lives by opening the Debe campus.
This does not close the door on the GSM, but much more planning and preparation need to go into it to make it a reality.
Beni N Balkaran
Retired Senior Lecturer Faculty
of Medical Sciences, UWI, St Augustine (Newsday, 6/6/25)
“We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.”
- Anaïs Nin
e History of Princes Town e History of Princes Town The Way it Was…
After Columbus claimed the island of Trinidad for Spain in 1498, it took some time for the Spanish to form settlements, with much resistance from the native Amerindian population. After some failed attempts by various orders of Catholic missionaries, the Catalan Capuchin friars arrived in 1687. The friars organised missions at Aricagua (San Juan), Tacarigua and Arouca. In October of that year, they ventured south, establishing missions at Naparima Hill and Savana Grande, now known as Princes Town.
A painting of a Capuchin friar giving alms. The Capuchins established the town of “Mission”, which became Princes Town.
The mission at Savana Grande would have been essentially agricultural. Vegetables were grown, livestock kept. The people living in the missions were engaged in weaving and plaiting, making useful things, such as hammocks and sieves, and in growing cassava, which was their staple diet.
When the British arrived in 1797, the map below shows that the mission was still going, over 100 years after its founding.
Map of Trinidad, showing the mission at Savana Grande, at the time of British colonization in 1797.
However, life would soon change in the sleepy mission village. The British brought a new religion, Anglicanism, and the St. Stephen’s Church was built. Sugar plantations mulitiplied, and the advent of indentured labour in1845 brought a whole new population to the area. Trinidad’s rst railway, the Cipero Tramway, started in Mission in 1859.
In 1866, the tramway even started the rst postal service between San Fernando and Mission. In 1870, when noted English author Charles Kingsley visited Trinidad, he journeyed by tram from Harris Promenade to Mission. At this point the tramway was still the only railway in Trinidad and it was thus something of a tourist attraction.
In Mission, Kingsley stayed at the home of Harry Bourne Darling, the proprietor of Lothian’s estate. The Irish-born Darling was considered the “town squire”, known for his charity as well as his wealth. He was known to dine with both the poor and privileged, and he opened a school for the children of indentured labourers.
The home of Harry Bourne Darling, proprietor of Lothian’s estate in the 1800s. The house, now in ruins, was located near Hope Road.
The
Kingsley wrote of the view from the house:
“To the left, again, began at once the rich cultivation of the rolling cane- elds, among which the Squire had left standing, somewhat against the public opinion of his less tasteful neighbours, tall Carats, carrying their heads of fan-leaves on smooth stalks from 50 to 80 feet high, and Ceibas some of them the hugest I had ever seen.”
name
Darling would also play host a decade later to the princes who would forever change the name of “Mission”. On January 21 1880, English princes Albert, 16, and George, 14, as part of their world tour aboard the warship HMS Bacchante, found themselves travelling through the Mission of Savana Grande, on their way to the Devil's Woodyard mud volcanoes. Albert and George already knew much about left, elds, Ceibas I
the place, since they carried with them a copy of Charles Kingsley's book “At Last: A Christmas in the West Indies”.
Albert and George would follow the same route taken by Kingsley, anchoring o San Fernando, and travelling, by mule drawn carriage, to the Mission after a tour of the Usine/Ste Madeleine sugar factory.
Princes Albert and George, who gave Princes Town its name in 1880
They would later record that day in the book “The cruise of Her Majesty's ship "Bacchante" 1879-1882”, writing:
“Then got on to the trucks again and were run up ve miles further to the mission village … (which consists of two broad streets of stores and cottages), and is to be called from this day forward Princes Town. Here we planted two trees by the side of the church, and then mounted ponies and rode to the mud volcanoes…”
Sign at the poui tree planted by Prince Albert.
Sadly Prince Albert, who was in line to become king, died just 12 years later of pneumonia, at the age of 28, after contracting in uenza during a pandemic.
His bride-to-be, Mary of Teck, married his younger brother Prince George, who would go on to be crowned King George V in 1910. George V ruled until his death in 1936. He is the great-grandfather of the current King Charles III.
Prince George, one of the princes after whom Princes Town was named, would grow up to become King George V. in
The poui trees mentioned still stand today, and their planting was due to the e orts of the rector of St Stephen's Church, Reverend J.G Knight. On the day of the princes’ visit, he pushed his way to the front of the crowd that greeted the Princes, and convinced them to plant the Poui trees in the churchyard.
Sources: ptrc.gov.tt, from an article by Richard Charan in the Trinidad Express, 21/01/21 age to article
The poui trees planted by Princes Albert and George at St. Stephen’s Church, which still stand today. Photo from Princes Town Regional Corporation facebook page.
Princes Town
San Fernando launches first phase of Harris Promenade beautification project
The city of San Fernando celebrated a major milestone on Saturday June 7th, with the o cial opening of the new Fruit Court and Leather Craft Vending Area, the rst phase of the Harris Promenade Beauti cation Project.
In a statement, the o ce of San Fernando Mayor Robert Parris said that the project marks the start of a bold and forward-looking transformation of the city’s well-known public space.
“With a focus on heritage, safety, and family-centered development, the project sets the foundation for San Fernando’s broader commitment to becoming a child-friendly city… Strategically located at the historic site of San Fernando’s last train, the newly developed space o ers a unique blend of tradition and innovation.”
Key features include a fruit court showcasing local produce and a leather
craft vending zone that supports small entrepreneurs.
The space also features an outdoor virtual museum where visitors can scan QR codes to explore the rich history and heritage of San Fernando. The statement from the mayor’s o ce noted that, “The virtual museum component invites both locals and tourists to rediscover San Fernando through a digital lens - merging education and innovation while fostering civic pride.”
The area is equipped with electricity, water, public washrooms and Wi-Fi access, providing comfort and accessibility for all.
The project has been o cially endorsed by the TT National Commission for UNESCO under the prestigious Memory of the World Programme, which promotes re ection, peacebuilding, and inclusive education through cultural preservation.
Palmiste’s own Kees Die enthaller, known to all and sundry as “Kes”, achieved a milestone on June 14th, when he and his band sold out one of Canada’s most iconic concert venues, Budweiser Stage, performing for over 16,000 fans.
Kes The Band delivered a two-hour and 45-minute set. They shared their spotlight with a genre-spanning Caribbean cast that included T&T calypso icon David Rudder, three-time International Soca Monarch Voice (Aaron St Louis), King of Steam Yung Bredda (Akhenaton Lewis), St Lucian jazzy groovy soca man Teddyson John and Jamaican reggae crossover singer Tessanne Chin.
Teaming up with Live Nation - one of the world’s largest live entertainment companies - to bring soca to Budweiser Stage wasn’t just a career move. It was a calculated campaign, built on smaller venue sell-outs across North America, to prove the demand for soca could ll a stadium.
Kees also recently received a Cultural Impact Award from Trinidad and Tobago’s Consul General in Toronto, Simone Young.
The space is designed to encourage learning, leisure and community building, such as school tours and family visits.
The San Fernando City Corporation (SFCC) acknowledged the work of the people and organisations who contributed to the project. These include Deborah Hutchinson of Inventions and Creativity Through the
Arts (ICTA), musician Darren Sheppard, SFCC workers, UNESCO, Davidson Safety Garments Industrial Supplies Ltd, students, scouts, vendors, TECU Credit Union, Rattans Clothing Store and Blue Waters.
The project aims to bring families back to the city, revitalise tourism and foster meaningful entrepreneurship.
Naps Girls celebrate World
In commemoration of World Environment Day on June 5th, the students of Naparima Girls’ High School took meaningful steps to care for the environment. They carried out maintenance and upkeep of their hydroponic and aquaponics systems, reinforcing their commitment to sustainable practices.
The class of 3N launched a dedicated recycling box initiative to promote proper waste disposal and foster eco-conscious habits among their peers. Through this small yet impactful initiative, the class continues to show that everyday actions can contribute to a greener, cleaner school environment.
Mayor Robert Parris and supporters o cially open the San Fernando Fruit Court, Outdoor Virtual Museum, and Leather, Craft and Clothing Vending Area at Harris Promenade. Photo from San Fernando City Corporation facebook page.
Toronto’s Budweiser Stage
Students of Naparima Girls’ maintain their hydroponic and aquaponics systems. Photo from Environmental Management Authority facebook page
Solar panels installed at Pointe-a-Pierre Wild Fowl Trust
The Pointe-a-Pierre Wild Fowl Trust has received support from the European Union in Trinidad and Tobago, in collaboration with UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) Trinidad and Tobago for the installation of solar panels.
The community project was made possible by the Global Climate Change Alliance Plus Initiative (GCCA+). Under the GCCA+, 12 sites have been identi ed for the installation of solar panels throughout Trinidad and Tobago – the project is valued at US$2.66 million.
The purpose of the installations, which were launched in 2023, is to promote public awareness about renewable energy by demonstrating the use of solar energy as a renewable energy alternative to fossil fuel-based electricity.
Celeste Mohammed releases her second novel
Lawyer-turned-writer Celeste Mohammed, a self-proclaimed “south girl”, recently launched her second novel-in-stories, “Ever Since We Small”.
Her rst novel, “Pleasantview” won the 2022 OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature, the 2022 CLMP Firecracker Award for Fiction, and was a nalist for the UK Society of Authors McKitterick Prize for Fiction.
“Ever Since We Small” is a family saga which covers a sweeping landscape from the days of the British Raj in India, to multicultural modern Trinidad.
Written in a blend of Standard English and several avours of Trinidad kriol, the book follows the bloodline of a young woman, Jayanti, after her decision to become a girmitiya, an indentured labourer in the Caribbean.
Jayanti’s grandson, Lall Gopaul, seeks to escape the rural village where he was born, but becomes seduced and corrupted by urban life. His son, Shiva, is forced to take a child-bride, Salma, but never recovers from the guilt.
Heartache follows for their three childrenAnand, Nadya and Abby - who must each nd a way to accept and yet move past their parents' failed example.
Along the journey of these ten interconnected stories, the alchemy necessary to turn the Gopauls’ inheritance of pain into a “generation of gold” requires intervention by the living and dead, the “real” and the mythical, the mundane and the magical, the secular and the sacred.
The Caribbean Edition of “Ever Since We Small” was released in May 2025, and is available at bookstores throughout Trinidad.
International editions of the book are forthcoming in October 2025.
A commemorative ceremony was held on Wednesday June 25th to mark the launch of the solar panel installation at the Wildfowl
Plaque marking the
“Pearl Harbour” - San Fernando’s first pan side
The rst organized steelband in San Fernando, in the 1940s, was called “Pearl Harbour”, after the American base which was attacked by the Japanese in World War II. This was to match the “ ghting names” of the bands in Port of Spain, such as “Red Army” and “Hell Yard”.
The members of Pearl Harbour lived in the vicinity of Mucurapo Street, near the panyard, and their captain was called “Meadow”.
In those early days a steelband was comprised of twelve to fteen members. The instruments were two biscuit drums, called ‘bombs’, three ‘bomb-kettles’, two ‘ping pongs’, two iron men, two buglers, a agman and the Captain in control.
Pearl Harbour was organised by a man called “Billy”, originally from John John in Port of Spain, an area known for pan. It is unknown why Billy moved south –possibly for work, possibly to evade prosecution for a crime – but either way, he pioneered pan in San Fernando. Sadly, Billy was killed by a blow to the head from a rival steelbandsman in 1955.
Other members of Pearl Harbour were “Dollar”, “Tall Boy”, “Cross Eye”, “Black Fred”, “Preddie”, “Panther”, “Spence”; and Vida, who was the rst panwoman of the Southland.
Source: https://whensteeltalks.ning.com/forum/topics /the- rst-organized-san-fernando-steelband
The solar panels at the Pointe-a-Pierre Wildfowl Trust. Photo from the Facebook page of the European Union in Trinidad & Tobago.
date of the solar panel installation. Photo from the Facebook page of the European Union in Trinidad & Tobago.
Photo from mittcott.com
Esperance Soroptimists Support Education
Trinidad Soroptimists had the honour of welcoming Soroptimist Federation President (SIGBI) Ruth Healey and Programme Director Lindsay Green to our shores earlier this year. The Esperance Soroptimists were pleased to showcase their prize-winning solar-powered hydroponic EPIC Sustainable Harvest Programme, which The Digicel Foundation and Shell funded. It was formally launched at ASJA Girls’ College, Barrackpore, last year.
The overseas visitors were aware of the project, as it had won the Best Practice Award for Education at the 2024 Soroptimist Conference, but were still both captivated by the students as they detailed their hands-on experiences and knowledge gained from participating in the project.
Afterwards, the group gathered for the o cial launch of the Soroptimist Esperance Audio Visual Room. SIGBI President Ruth Healey unveiled a plaque which marked the occasion. Soroptimist International Esperance was responsible for nancing the refurbishment of this room; painting the walls and ceiling; removing old and installing new aluminum louvres; drapery; and the purchase of a smart T.V. While there, the overseas Soroptimists had the opportunity to interact with visiting members of the Soroptimist International Parvati Girls' Hindu College Club, the rst School Club of its kind in the English-speaking Caribbean, which was launched and mentored by SI Esperance.
Another signi cant education project was at the Ramai Trace Hindu Primary School. The school had recently moved into a new building but lacked the funds to develop a library. SI Esperance established a functional library by donating shelving, furniture and providing books through an extensive book drive. The Club aims to develop a renewed interest in reading and the use of the library by holding monthly reading sessions with the students.
Another education-themed project was the ‘Be A Buddy, Not A Bully’ Campaign, empowering the next generation to stand together against bullying! Soroptimist International Esperance, in collaboration with Daren Dhoray of Cybersafett, held an engaging and impactful session on bullying with Standard 5 students at Picton Presbyterian Primary School. The project continued with Form 1 students at Debe Secondary School. Coinciding with World Kindness Day, the session focused on the importance of empathy and understanding and raised awareness of the problem of bullying.
The third session was held in Woodland Hindu Primary School, where students learned about the dangers of cyberbullying, how to protect their digital footprint, and practical tips for staying safe online. All the students’ enthusiasm and curiosity were a true delight! Together, we’re building a generation of responsible, respectful, and cyber-smart digital citizens.
In partnership with the United Nations O ce on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Soroptimist International Esperance presented an interactive workshop on the Rights and Protection of the Girl Child at ASJA Girls College, Barrackpore, dealing with online dangers.
Soroptimist-designed posters were presented to the schools to continue to inspire and empower our youth to lead with kindness both online and o ine.
Also addressing the online world, SI Esperance, in partnership with the United Nations O ce on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), presented an interactive workshop on the Rights and Protection of the Girl Child at ASJA Girls College, Barrackpore. It was stressed to the Form One students that gender-based violence comes in many forms for girls. The focus was on cybercrime, online child sexual abuse and exploitation, such as grooming, sexting, sextortion, cyberbullying and online safety and gaming. The workshop was informative and greatly appreciated by the students.
The teachers in the education system were not forgotten, as Soroptimist International Esperance Potential Members hosted a Teacher Wellness Workshop at ASJA Girls’ College, Barrackpore, o ering a full day of activities focused on physical, nutritional, and emotional well-being. The event featured engaging sessions, including "The Balanced Educator" led by yoga instructor Khyma Lutchman; a practical talk on easy and nutritious meal prep with dietitian Taryn Phillip; and a deeply insightful mental health awareness session facilitated by trauma therapist Michelle Padmore-Byam.
The workshop provided a meaningful space for educators to re ect, recharge, and
reinforce self-care practices.
‘Educate, Enable and Empower’ are the Soroptimist watchwords. Soroptimist International Esperance has not only been working within schools, but the club has also been educating and inducting new members to continue the work of Soroptimism. Esperance member Denyse Ewe, Extension O cer of Soroptimist International Caribbean Network, continued the work of her predecessor Rowena Wattley to form a new club in St Lucia. The new club, Soroptimist International Sent Lisi (French for St. Lucia), was privileged to be chartered by SIGBI Federation President Ruth Healey, with SIGBI Programme Director Lindsay Green in attendance. SI Esperance is mentoring the 28 Sent Lisi members. At their recent AGM, SI Esperance also inducted 4 of 5 new members of its own. The work to educate, enable and empower women and girls continues…..
"Helping one person might not change the whole world, but it could change the world for one person."
Visiting Soroptimist Federation President (SIGBI) President Ruth Healey unveiled a plaque for the o cial launch of the refurbished Soroptimist Esperance Audio Visual Room at ASJA Girls’ College, Barrackpore. (L-R) Fadia Muradali-Kumar, President Rowena Wattley, Rabbia Khan, Federation President (SIGBI) Ruth Healey, Candyce Labban, Sheila Hassanali.
Remembering… Wendy Kalicharan
Kalicharan Mas co-founder Wendy Kalicharan, 76, passed away on May 8, after a long battle with ovarian cancer.
The Kalicharan Carnival enterprise was formally established in 1983 by the husband-and-wife team of Ivan and Wendy Kalicharan, but the roots of their contribution date back to the 1970s. The couple’s love for the city of San Fernando led to their decision to make their mas in the southern city rather than migrating to Port of Spain.
Former San Fernando Mayor Junia Regrello credited Kalicharan and her husband with saving San Fernando carnival in their early days, by picking up where bandleader Irwin Hinds left o after his passing.
Ivan and Wendy established their band-house in the heart of San Fernando, Harris Street. In 2010, they re-branded the Carnival enterprise from Ivan Kalicharan Masqueraders Band to Kalicharan Carnival. Under both banners, they dominated mas in south Trinidad, winning 31 Band of the Year titles, including 2025’s with a presentation titled “Aroma”. Mrs Kalicharan won San Fernando Queen of the Bands 14 times and was T&T’s Queen of Carnival twice, including in 1997 when she portrayed “Caribbean Blue”, designed and made by the Carenage-based designer duo Gregory Medina and Christopher Santos.
Regrello officially in the record books
Trinidad and Tobago's Joshua Regrello now o cially holds the Guinness World Record for the longest marathon playing steel drums.
This was con rmed in late May on the Guinness World Records website.
Kalicharan Carnival performed for the Fifth Summit of the Americas and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM); the French and Brazilian Embassies; the Presidents of India and Zambia; the Carifesta Games
Did you know?
The Guinness Book of World Records originated from a conversation in a pub about the fastest game bird, prompting Sir Hugh Beaver, then the Managing Director of Guinness Brewery, to create a book to settle such arguments.
Published in 1955 as the Guinness Book of Records, it became a global
and Sport Aid. They have also out tted T&T queens in Carnival ensembles for Miss Universe and Miss World pageants.
The Kalicharan husband-and-wife team mirrored the early Carnival tradition of family-owned and designed mas bands like those of Lil and Edmond Hart and Stephen and Elsie Lee Heung. For the past two years, when Mrs Kalicharan was being treated for cancer, her husband and children - Aaron, Andrew and Ayanna, continued the family’s cultural and commercial dedication to mas-making.
Aaron said his mother set the benchmark of love, kindness and dedication for his family. Her friend Jacqui Koon How remembered her life as one of generous service, rst as a nurse who provided service to San Fernandians at no cost and then as a maswoman, providing costumes, assistance and advice to countless others.
Less than a month after Wendy’s passing, the San Fernando City Corporation approved the naming of a Skinner Park stand after the Kalicharans. Mayor Robert Parris said the stand will be o cially renamed in November during City Month.
phenomenon, initially as a promotional item for the Guinness brewery.
The book evolved to cover a vast array of records, from sports and science to the bizarre and unusual, becoming a best-selling annual publication.
Guinness World Records has become a globally recognized brand, with o ces worldwide and a vast database of records.
“The longest marathon playing steel drums is 31 hours, and was achieved by Joshua Regrello (Trinidad and Tobago), in San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago, on 27 December 2024. Joshua Regrello is a talented steelpan musician from Trinidad and Tobago and has been performing steel pan drums for 24 years,” the website stated.
Twenty-eight-year-old Regrello undertook the e ort at the Wack Radio 90.1 FM building in San Fernando.
He was supported by family, government ministers, police and re representatives, and cheered by many on social media.
He had said the attempt would bring international recognition to the steel pan.
Joshua Regrello
The Hosay massacre of 1884
of 1884.
caribbeanmuslims.com
With Hosay falling in July this year, let’s take a moment to remember that Hosay celebrations were not always freely able to take place in Trinidad.
The Hosay massacre (also known as the Hosay riots or the Jahaji massacre) took place on 30 October 1884 in San Fernando, when the British colonial authorities red on participants in the annual Hosay procession, who had been banned from entering the town.
Hosay celebrations in Trinidad were recorded as far back as 1847, in San Fernando, just two years after the arrival of indentured labourers. For decades, indentured labourers would celebrate Hosay by proceeding from their various estates, such as Ste Madeline, Bien Venue, Corinth, and Jordan Hill, to drown their tadjahs at King’s Wharf, San Fernando.
By the 1880s, however, the British colonial authorities had started to crack down on public gatherings. In 1883, met with restrictions on the use of torches, the African community celebrating ‘Canboulay’ reacted and this resulted in violence.
In 1884, the authorities decided to prohibit the indentured labourers from entering the towns with their processions. This was regarded by the Indians as an ‘arbitrary and unjust measure’, and they protested with a petition led by the Hindu Sookhoo and 31 others.
On 26 October, Administrator John Bushe consulted the Executive Council on "the nal arrangements to be made for preserving order during the Hosea." Acting Colonial Secretary, Mr. Pyne, informed the
Inspector Commandant of Police, Captain Baker, instructing him on the "deployment of police, marines, from the HMS Dido, and a volunteer force." On 27 October Captain Baker personally monitored the situation.
The next day Baker reported that the Indians would make no attempt to enter San Fernando. In a series of telegrams Baker attempted to avoid an armed confrontation with the Indians; however Mr. Pyne appeared bent on such a confrontation to show the Indians who was in charge.
At midday on 30 October 1884, the rst procession of 6,000 was sighted approaching San Fernando. They reached Cross Crossing at about 2:30 pm and proceeded along to the entrance of Cipero Street. There the crowd was met by British troops under Major Bowles of the First North Sta ordshire Regiment. The local magistrate, a Mr. Child, read the Riot Act and when the crowd failed to disperse, Child ordered the police to re upon them. Two volleys were red into the crowd.
At the Mon Repos Junction of the Princes Town and Circular roads the Indian crowd was also red upon. The procession was in sight about 3:30 pm. Captain Baker gave the order to re a single volley of bullets after the Riot Act was read.
Historian Michael Anthony reports that nine people were killed and 100 wounded at Toll Gate (on the south side of the town), while others were injured at Mon Repos (on the eastern side of the town) and at Pointe-à-Pierre Road on the north. Indian historian Prabhu P. Mohapatra suggests a higher gure of 22 dead, and over a hundred injured.
Marabella’s Hailey Jeffers earns partial scholarship to Howard University
Hailey Je ers, an 18-year-old Naparima Girls’ High School student, has earned a partial scholarship to Howard University in the US, before even receiving all of her CAPE results.
In 2023, she earned 11 grade ones in CSEC exams in physics, chemistry, biology, English A, English B, additional mathematics, mathematics, music, Spanish, French and social studies.
In her CAPE unit one exams, she achieved grade ones in pure mathematics, physics, biology, chemistry and communication studies. Her CAPE unit two results will be out in August, at which point she will already be starting her bachelor’s degree in biology at Howard.
Je ers said that while her rst love was music – she sang and played steelpan, piano, guitar in primary school – she became intrigued by sciences, particularly biology, in secondary school.
Her decision to do eleven CSEC subjects, as opposed to the usual seven or eight, meant
a lot of hard work and sacri ces. She praised her family, especially her mother, Wendy Je ers, for her support, which kept her grounded even during the toughest times.
She said both she and her mother had looked at possible universities even before she entered secondary school. One such consideration was Howard University, which her brother attended.
She said the application process was a lengthy one as she had to write “several essays” for both Howard and at least three other schools she also applied to.
The family got the good news about her Howard acceptance on Christmas Eve 2024.
The biology programme will serve as a gateway to study medicine, a eld she said she has always been interested in, particularly paediatric neurology. This stems from having had a relative who died from birth defects at ve years old. She plans to make a big impact in the eld in Trinidad & Tobago, where there is scope for further development.
Notable alumni of Howard University
• Kamala Harris, 49th vice president of the United States
• Toni Morrison, Pulitzer Prize and Nobel Prize-winning novelist
• Thurgood Marshall, United States Supreme Court Justice
• David Dinkins, 106th mayor of New York City
• Chadwick Boseman, actor (Black Panther)
• Phylicia Rashad, actress (The Cosby Show)
• Anthony Anderson, actor (Black-ish)
• Taraji P. Henson, actress (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)
Palmiste Estate in the days prior to the Hosay Massacre
Photo from
Howard University in Washington D.C.
Brian Lara stadium to host all T&T CPL matches
The Trinbago Knight Riders are set to play all ve of their home xtures in the 2025 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba.
The announcement was made in a CPL media release on June 16.
It is the rst time in CPL history that no matches will be held at the Queen’s Park Oval.
A CPL spokesperson said that apart from the Tarouba venue being bigger, logistically it makes more sense to have all of the matches at one venue, given the tight schedule of ve matches in eight days.
In 2024, the Queen’s Park Oval was also snubbed by the International Cricket Council in favour of the Brian Lara Cricket Academy owing to the logistics of
transporting equipment back and forth from Port of Spain to Tarouba.
The Knight Riders will face o against all ve rival franchises between August 27 and September 3.
The 2025 Trinbago Knight Riders home xtures:
August 27: TKR vs Antigua and Barbuda Falcons (7pm)
August 29: TKR vs Barbados Royals (8pm)
August 30: TKR vs Guyana Amazon Warriors (7pm)
September 1: TKR vs St Kitts and Nevis Patriots (11 am)
September 3: TKR vs St Lucia Kings (7pm)
CPL champions 2013-2024
Of the teams that have played in the Caribbean Premier League, one team has won the competition four times, one team has won thrice, one team has won the competition twice and three teams have won the competition once.
Trinbago Knight Riders are the most successful team in the history of
Caribbean Premier League, with four wins. They are followed by the Jamaica Tallawahs who won thrice, and the Barbados Tridents who have won twice.
The teams which have one title each are the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, the Guyana Amazon Warriors, and current champions the St. Lucia Kings.
Youngsters shine at Primary Schools Cricket Festival
Students from dozens of schools participated in the Primary Schools Cricket Festival, held at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, on June 23-24.
The two-day event, hosted by the Sports Company of TT (SporTT), provided some impressive batting, bowling and elding performances. The festival is the culmination of the Primary Schools Cricket Coaching programme, which was delivered across all seven education districts by SporTT’s community sports department.
The programme introduced students to cricket fundamentals, while promoting teamwork, participation and physical activity.
At the opening ceremony, the Ministry of
Sport and Youth A airs was represented by permanent secretary Beverly Reid-Samuel, who noted that “Sport, and in this particular context, cricket, helps prepare us for life far beyond the boundary, teaching and reinforcing critical social characteristics such as discipline, teamwork, resilience, and respect.”
SporTT CEO Jason Williams said the festival was the reward for the students’ e orts in the programme during recent months.
Each participating school elded a team of 15 students, and throughout the friendly ten-over matches, most outstanding students were selected from each school in the boys and girls categories for their performance, e ort and sportsmanship.
The Brian Lara Cricket Academy
