The Cultural Soul of the South
SEE PAGE 2
The Cultural Soul of the South... Naparima Bowl
Cover photo - the auditorium of the Naparima Bowl. From the Naparima Bowl facebook page.
The Naparima Bowl, San Fernando’s original concert hall, has just celebrated 62 years of existence, having been o cially opened on August 27, 1962. It was an independence gift
from T&T’s new government to the people of San Fernando.
The movement to establish a concert hall in the southland was started in the 1950s, by a group of cultural activists and businesspeople. A few years after this group rst approached the government, a steering committee was appointed. The committee included Robert Montano, Denis Carr, Ken Galt, Raymond Die enthaller and Grace Abdool, who would later become the Bowl’s rst manager.
The land on which the Bowl now stands was originally part of the Paradise sugar cane estate, owned by the Ste Madeleine Sugar Company. The area was already known as “the bowl”, because of the contour of the land, which resembles a bowl. The government gifted this land, in addition to a parcel of land known as the "Tray", an old building called the Drill Hall, and $138,000 for construction of the concert hall.
Kevin Barcant was commissioned to design
the concert hall and, on April 22, 1959, the sod was turned.
The original design included an open amphitheatre to accommodate 2,500 patrons, an auditorium to seat 600 people, a stage 80 feet by 40 feet, rehearsal and make-up rooms and a 2,500-square-feet all-purpose room.
The facilities were estimated to cost $370,000, but that rose to $450,000 by the time of completion.
Fifteen years after the opening of the Bowl, in 1977, disaster struck. A large portion of the auditorium was damaged, and the stage was destroyed by a re caused by a defective electrical system. Concert hall activities in the South came to a standstill.
Eventually, when the National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR) came into power, the government agreed to repair the building at a cost of $10 million. Restoration included the erection of a reproof curtain, air-conditioning of the auditorium, computerized lighting and sound systems, and enhancement of the surroundings.
The concrete sculpture in the courtyard was
a gift from one of San Fernando's leading sculptors, Dr Ralph Baney.
The refurbished Bowl was reopened on October 20, 1990.
Over the years, the Naparima Bowl has hosted countless performances, in addition to events including weddings, school parties, boxing tournaments, gala estas and even funerals. The annual Carnival Calypso Fiesta (National Monarch semi- nals) was held there until it became too small to accommodate the thousands who patronized the competition.
In March 2020, the recently deceased Marlon de Bique became CEO of Naparima Bowl. Although he was immediately confronted with the global COVID-19 pandemic, he used the opportunity to revitalize the use of the facility's open-air amphitheatre. His foresight and creative energy injected new life into Naparima Bowl, raising its pro le once again as the cultural soul of the South.
Sources include “Naparima Bowl, a treasured venue” by Louis B. Homer, Daily Express, 15/10/11
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 2024, 4 issues are planned: March, June, 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.
The amphitheatre of the Naparima Bowl. Photo by Navindra Harbukhan.
Dengue Symptoms
Fever with any of the following:
Dengue Fever is spread by the bite of an infected Aedes aegypti mosquito.
Symptoms appear within 5-6 days of being bitten and last for 1-2 weeks.
As of August 24, 2024, T&T has recorded 911 lab-con rmed dengue cases and 11 deaths.
Solomon Hochoy Highway widening delayed
In late August, Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan con rmed that the widening of the Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway between the Chaguanas Flyover and Chase Village would not be completed on schedule.
Sinanan said several factors were to be blamed for the $65 million project not being completed by the scheduled date of August 24.
One issue was quality control of the materials being used. The contractor on the Chaguanas to Endeavour leg of the project, Junior Sammy Contractors Limited, had to redo some works because the materials used failed to meet the required standard.
Sinanan also blamed the weather, claiming
that the 2024 dry season was shortened as the rainy season started early.
The main purpose of the project, according to Sinanan, is to ease tra c for southerners, particularly those commuting to Port-of-Spain in the morning and then back home in the evening.
Programme for Upgrading Roads E ciency Unit (PURE) director Hayden Phillips noted that, despite the setbacks to the project, motorists should see a reduction in the current tra c by September, as work on two bridges in the area was almost complete.
It is now hoped that the project will be completed by the end of the year.
Former NCIC president passes away
Dr Deokinanan Sharma, former president of the National Council of Indian Culture (NCIC), passed away in late August at the age of 87. Sharma served the NCIC for over 30 years in the posts of president of the organization and chairman of the Divali Nagar. He was a pivotal gure in establishing today’s Divali Nagar site, which was previously sugarcane elds.
Sharma was born in Debe in 1937, the son of Pundit Janki Persad Sharma, who had emigrated from India. The young Sharma
attended the Debe Canadian Mission School, San Fernando Government Primary School and Naparima College, before going on to study engineering at India’s Birla Institute of Technology. He later returned to Trinidad and practiced as a civil engineer.
Sharma was also involved in Divali celebrations at both Gopaul Lands in Marabella and at Harris Promenade in San Fernando.
e Year in San Fernando (c. 1941) The Way it Was…
In Michael Anthony’s seminal novel “The Year in San Fernando”, a young boy named Francis leaves his hometown of Mayaro to spend a year in San Fernando as a servant-companion to an elderly lady. The novel is semi-autobiographical, as Anthony himself had a similar experience, being sent to San Fernando for a year in a similar capacity, when he was just ten or eleven. Anthony’s real-life San Fernando sojourn took place in the early 1940s, most likely 1941, and the novel is set in the same time period. “The Year in San Fernando” contains many vivid descriptions of life in the city at that time, and we explore those here.
Mr.
After his arrival at the bus depot, Francis is walked by Mr. Chandles to the home of his elderly mother, Mrs. Chandles, with whom Francis will be spending the year. The home is on Romaine Street (presumably today’s Romain Street) and the street is described as such:
Cover of “The Year in San Fernando”, showing the young Francis arriving at the home of Mrs. Chandles on Romain Street.
semi-autobiographical, as Anthony he Rio Claro, then one from Rio Claro to Princes Town, and nally from Princes
When Francis rst journeys to San Fernando, he takes a bus from Mayaro to Rio Claro, then one from Rio Claro to Princes Town, and nally from Princes Town to San Fernando. One of the rst things he notices as the bus pulls into San Fernando that night is a “Drink Pepsi Cola” sign:
“…there was the ‘Drink Pepsi Cola’ sign again. How many Pepsi Cola signs were there in the world? The thought came into my head. That sign was one of the rst things I had noticed at Rio Claro. There was one even at Mayaro. In my jaded mind I thought of that girl drinking Pepsi Cola all over the world.”
Cola’ at my jaded mind I thought of that girl drinking Pepsi Cola all over the world.”
“We walked down Romaine Street and I watched the brightly lit houses on either side. There were coloured curtains hanging before the windows and the light that came from within took on the glow of the curtains. This made the street look very quaint.”
light that came from within took on the glow of the curtains. This made the street look very quaint.”
On his rst morning in San Fernando, Francis sets out from Romaine Street to go to the market. On his way he sees some boys selling Guardian newspapers:
On his rst morning in San Fernando, Francis sets out from Romaine Street to go to the market. On his way he sees some boys selling Guardian and had large bundles of newspapers under their arms. They approached everyone
“…I heard the voices of small boys – young singing voices – crying, ‘Guardian! Guardian Papers!’ Now and again they came into view and they had large bundles of newspapers under their arms. They approached everyone in sight.”
A Trinidad Guardian newspaper from the 1940s. Photo from Angelo Bissessarsingh’s Virtual Museum of Trinidad and Tobago.
A Pepsi Cola advert from the 1940s, similar to what might have been seen by the author at the San Fernando bus station.
Map showing Romain St today, just below San Fernando Hill
On this same trip to the market, Francis notices San Fernando Hill for the rst time, as it had been shrouded in darkness the night before:
“I was taken aback at the Mount Naparima of which we had all learnt at school. It stood towering like a great giant over the town, and I wondered how I did not look that way before.”
A view of San Fernando Hill from Cipero Street in the 1930s. Photo from Angelo Bissessarsingh’s Virtual Museum of Trinidad and Tobago.
Francis spends a lot of time at the market during the course of the novel, and he o ers observations like these:
On this same trip to the market, Francis notices San Fernando Hill for the growers
“The vendors came from the surrounding countryside, and among them were lots of Indian women with saris and Indian men with loin-cloths, and these, according to Brinetta, were mainly the melon growers from Penal.”
An East Indian woman selling fruit at the San Fernando market
Another memorable image from the novel is that of the sugar cane elds during
Another memorable image from the novel is that of the sugar cane elds during crop season:
“The Usine Ste Madeleine was only a few miles away, across Navet. Its three giant chimneys were always pu ng smoke now…Before the cane was cut they set re to the eld to chase out the vermin, and the dry trash would make beautiful ares
Sugar cane elds in the vicinity of Usine Ste Madeleine, with San Fernando Hill in the background. Photo from Angelo Bissessarsingh’s Virtual Museum of Trinidad and Tobago.
In the latter part of the novel, Francis makes a diversion during an errand so that he can nally see the Gulf of Paria and the famous King’s Wharf:
“Before the front part of the railway station and on the other side of the railway lines, was the jetty…at the end of it was a building which I supposed was the famous Boat House. If this was the Boat House I was very surprised for I had not expected anything as tumbling-down as this. The Boat House had a reputation for holiday fairs and dances and also for swimming clubs, and people said that the swimming clubs’ regatta held on New Year’s Day was the biggest show in the town.” he can nally see the Gulf of Paria and the famous King’s Wharf:
King’s Wharf c. 1950. Photo from Angelo Bissessarsingh’s Virtual Museum of Trinidad and Tobago.
Viewpoints
“Cricket for Good?”
I thought it extremely important to share the following.
On Wednesday 26th June 2024, the organizers of a major international sporting event held at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy objected to my entry to the event, due to my support for the cause of the Palestinian people. I wore a pocket-sized Palestinian ag, within which was superimposed a cross, on my T-shirt.
Enormously interesting, I thought, as the Republic of South Africa (one of the teams participating in the event) is today the leading international voice of concern on the cause of the Palestinian people.
It seems then quite logical to suggest that the organizers should have moved to debar the South African team from any further participation in the tournament.
Is it possible that focused consideration is given by those who may wish to speak from pulpits on this issue, yet somehow remain alarmingly timid, afraid and cowered and who, through such silence, heaven forbid, appear quite complicit?
PEACE IS: The presence of Christ in the midst of con ict.
In Peace and in Love, David Mowlah Baksh Vistabella
A country in need of ‘whisperers’
A few months ago, I read an article in one of the daily newspapers titled, “Promenade overrun; homeless cause problems”. It claimed that there is a growing population of displaced persons on Harris Promenade, San Fernando, who were described as being a menace to society.
I read on, thinking that I was going to learn how they were going to help these people, but the other two subheadings in the article stopped me in my tracks. They read: “Fear of being harassed” and “Stop feeding the homeless”.
Now, I am no great Samaritan, but shouldn’t we have a more humane approach to this situation? I mean, Mother Teresa said, “If you can’t feed 100, feed one”. And if the people in San Fernando have not noticed, poverty is permeating the entire country. More and more people are begging in the streets - and what are we doing as a nation to alleviate the situation?
And it does not stop with the homeless. The list goes on with the poor, the battered women, the migrants, and then it boils down lastly, but not least, to the children of our nation, especially the orphaned.
In my opinion, the children of the nation have it the toughest.
What we need are some “whisperers” in our society. There was a 1998 movie called The Horse Whisperer with Robert Redford - the rst time I’d heard of the term. A horse whisperer is a horse trainer who is very good at communicating with horses. To e ectively communicate with a horse, you have to understand how a horse thinks and how they communicate with other horses.
Kathy Roberts from South Dakota, an author (I Am the Great Horse) and owner of horses, among other pets, says that they need to feel connected and safe. The norm, as many of us knew in the days of Bonanza and High Chaparral, was to “break” the horse! Many cowboys had quite a tumble trying to “break in” the horse.
Roberts said that even the term made her skin crawl, “Horses are sensitive, smart animals. They do not need to be broken.” She claims they try to communicate with us all the time - all we have to do is pay attention.
When I was growing up, we did not have all these social problems as we do now, especially crime. Unemployed people nd it very tough, and the homeless go rummaging in dustbins throughout the country for food.
Our country has quite a few institutions that are geared towards helping the underprivileged. One that comes to mind is the Children’s Authority. That is quite active, but I am not sure how e ective it is. It has signi cant limitations and obstacles. Our Social Welfare Division assists in empowering the vulnerable to enjoy a better quality of life via a long list of grants for the young and not so young.
Homelessness is a global issue a ecting major cities. Things are being done, albeit not at the needed pace, because it is a huge challenge. The Ministry of Social Development and Family Services gets about 8% of the national budget, or approximately $5.5 billion annually; the question is: how much of it is used?
A colleague of mine was talking politics recently, and he asked my opinion on what I would like to see in the manifesto of our political parties. My response was, “I would focus on the social ills of our country, the underprivileged, and most importantly, the children and improving their standard of living.”
His response was the obvious: “Crime, boy, crime!”
Of course, crime is a major issue, but it is easier to sort out the other ills of our society and have e ective programmes assisting our citizens and rebuilding our country. This would also address some elements of crime from the root of the issue. Children are our future.
It is my fervent opinion that our religious institutions need to step up to the plate. Many of our churches, temples and mosques have both primary and secondary schools annexed to them. Signi cant e orts should be
made to have Sunday schools and youth groups in our Presbyterian churches and other places of worship. We need to inculcate religious teachings as one of the pillars of our schools and our society.
We also need to instill a sense of giving. Our country needs to lend a hand to the poor, literally - by preparing meals and distributing them to the homeless.
And please do not forget the animals - the Trinidad and Tobago Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (TTSPCA) recently made a plea for donations to save their animals. So the country is in need of “homeless whisperers”, “children whisperers”, “battered women whisperers” and “animal whisperers”, among others.
Last but not least, we need “political whisperers” - not careless whisperers.
And remember, if you can’t feed 100 - feed one!
Terrence Kalloo (Express, 02/08/24)
Unbearable noise
Please grant me a corner of your newspaper to vent about a troubling issue in my community. Last Saturday evening, there was a fete at a private residence in Marabella. The event began around 9 p.m. and continued well into the next morning. I know this because the volume of the music was reminiscent of one of the grand Carnival fetes, and it never once diminished.
Many residents of Marabella had a sleepless night due to the intolerable noise level. Despite several calls to the Marabella police station, there was no relief. The o cers explained that there was nothing they could do; apparently some of their colleagues were “working” the fete on extra duty. Consequently, many hard-working citizens, senior citizens, ailing citizens, and little children were forced to endure a night of unbearable noise so that a few inconsiderate individuals could party until 10 a.m. on Sunday morning.
As I re ect on this situation, it seems like a microcosm of our lawless society. Once again, citizens are left helpless and without recourse. If we can’t regulate something as simple as noise pollution and enforce the laws, is it any wonder that we’re losing the battle against crime?
To quote an old saying, “The sh rots from the head down.” When the enforcers of the law are part of the problem, how can we expect order? Let’s hope we can turn this ship around before it’s too late, or we might just nd ourselves drowning in the noise of our own making.
Krishen Bedase Marabella (Express, 05/08/24)
Esperance Soroptimists Empower Rural College Girls
Soroptimist International Esperance, in partnership with the Trinidad & Tobago Association of Energy Engineers, was awarded $100,000TT after a rigorous selection process among hundreds of participants. Their proposal was submitted to The Digicel Foundation and Shell Trinidad Ltd EPIC programme, the acronym for Extraordinary Projects Impacting Communities. Through their Sustainable Harvest Programme at ASJA Girls’ College, Barrackpore, they aimed to develop a working farm utilizing solar power and hydroponics to transform how young women perceive agriculture and entrepreneurship and to expose them to the same modern technology as their urban counterparts.
ASJA Girls’ College is located in an underserved farming community and food security is critical. However, the community is ood-prone, so to mitigate against the huge loss of crops, introducing hydroponics was seen as a viable alternative. The girls
now see agriculture as a possible career option and better understand its entrepreneurial bene ts. The garden now yields some 500 crops of six varieties.
Students preparing for exams can conduct improved experiments and produce enhanced research for School-Based Assessment submissions. Sta and students have received the requisite training to operate and maintain the system which the community is keen to replicate.
Continuing to uplift these girls, Soroptimist Esperance addressed a critical issue impacting school attendance with its Period Positivity Project. ASJA Girls’ College is one of the three rural schools which shared TT$124,200 worth of pads over 3 years through SI Esperance’s Period Positivity Project. A Parliamentary Committee has ascertained that 50% of women in this country struggle to purchase sanitary products every month. SI Esperance’s provision of sanitary products to 150 needy
girls has increased school attendance considerably during their menses. After evaluating this three-year project, the Club considers it a resounding success!
Pads were purchased in bulk at a discounted price using funds from well-wishers. Members approached shoppers in JTA Supermarket during their promotional specials on pads, for donations towards their Period Positivity Project and shoppers deposited the items into labelled Soroptimist bins. The Club members educated the public about period poverty which causes frequent absences from school. Corporate sponsors also supported the cause - the sta of JTA Supermarkets contributed 204 packets of pads, and the sta of the Digicel Trinidad and Tobago Foundation gifted $10,000 worth of feminine products. Members sorted and bagged pads for quarterly school distribution and provided lectures on menstruation, health and well-being.
Taking advocacy a step further, Esperance Soroptimists championed the cause before a Parliamentary Joint Select Committee on Human Rights Equality and Diversity, by submitting comments on the e ects of period poverty on the human rights of women and girls in Trinidad & Tobago. They continue to advocate for lowering/removing import duties on feminine sanitary products. VAT has already been removed. Because of the awareness created through the media, another major supplier of sanitary products has written to the Club o ering to partner with it to provide ongoing supplies. The Club welcomes all support!
In another milestone, SI Esperance is proud to have sponsored the rst Soroptimist School Club in the English-speaking Caribbean at Parvati Girls’ Hindu College. Fascinated by the
Soroptimists’ projects at their school, the girls expressed an interest in forming a school club. The Charter ceremony took place on the school’s compound and was performed by Christine Cole, President of Soroptimist International of Trinidad and Tobago, with supporting Esperance members. Thirty- ve students will now and forever be classi ed as Charter Members of the PGHC Soroptimist School Club.
The journey to this historic day was not simple, as the girls were required to engage in a fundraiser, and a Programme Action Project aligned with the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Their project entitled 'Spread the Smile' encouraged girls to seek help for their struggles and become advocates of change in the perception and discussion of mental health problems.
The School Club’s Executive has expanded its charter project in collaboration with the Student Council and Guidance Counsellor. Together they engage girls in daily activities during the lunch break via their 'Empowerment Express’. The work of the Club’s members was recognized at the school’s graduation where they were given awards for their outstanding
of their Sustainable Harvest Programme
A celebratory cake was cut at the Charter Ceremony of the rst Soroptimist School Club in the English-speaking Caribbean, at Parvati Girls’ Hindu College
South school keeps on shining through the years
"Education is not the lling of a pail, but the lighting of a re." - William Butler Yeats. This quote by Yeats emphasizes that education is not merely about acquiring knowledge, but about igniting a passion for learning that lasts a lifetime. It is a tting sentiment to inspire re ection and celebration at a 40th graduation anniversary, reminding everyone of the enduring value and impact of education.
The year was 1984, July 4th to be precise, when we left the hallowed walls of the school then known as San Fernando East Junior Secondary School (SFEJSS), fondly known as Pleasantville Junior Sec. Forty years have passed since we last walked the quadrangle together, since we laughed over recess breaks and studied to achieve our goals at the 14 Plus Examinations.
The 40th anniversary reunion was the brainchild of Curt, one of the students of the graduating class, and he was supported by Lorraine Rojas Harvey. Meetings were held via social media and casual discussions were conducted whenever the group met during the year at many gatherings, prior to the actual reunion celebrations.
The decision was made to rst commence with a Thanksgiving Service at Our Lady of
Perpetual Help Roman Catholic Church on July 4th. This was followed by a Meet and Greet in the evening at Steel Restaurant and Lounge at South Park Mall.
On Friday July 5th, the celebrations continued with a dinner party at C3’s 519 restaurant.
The weekend was supposed to culminate with a picnic at Palmiste Park. However, due to the inclement weather, we were o ered instead the home of our English Language teacher Ms Janet Soobrattee. Here we commemorated four decades of shared memories. Laughter echoed as we reminisced about our youthful escapades and celebrated the journeys that have shaped us into who we are today.
The reunion’s activities were more than just an event; they were a testament to enduring friendships and the profound impact of our educators. We exchanged stories of triumphs and challenges, marvelling at how time had woven our lives together in unexpected ways and at di erent points we remembered our two fallen classmates. Clearly they are gone but not forgotten.
We honoured those unforgettable teachers who guided us with wisdom and patience
and helped to shape us. We celebrated the memories of those teachers who have since transitioned and embraced those who joined us to share in the celebrations. Ms Ann Marie Allen, Ms Norma James (Form 2 Form Teacher), Ms Inez Riley, Mr Leslie Sirjue (Form 3 Form Teacher) and our gracious host Ms Janet Soobrattee, your wisdom and encouragement echoed in our conversations, reminding us of the lessons that extended far beyond textbooks.
Testimonials from former students included this statement from Lorraine Rojas Harvey: “The school has helped me to set goals and taught me to remain focused to achieve success”, and this one from Sha na Ghouralal: “San Fernando East Junior Secondary played a vital role in shaping me into the well-rounded individual that I am today. I am able to appreciate and work with persons of various di erent backgrounds whether it be religious, ethnic, economic or social di erences. It is because of SFEJS, that I have developed into the person that I am.”
We even had Moira Rojas, who made the trip from California, USA just for the reunion stating, “The school has developed me into the well-rounded person I am today to deal with corporate America”. Kerwyn Curt Turnbull resonated this when he mentioned
“San Fernando East Junior Secondary School, has had such a positive impact on shaping me. I have gained valuable experiences and skills there that have contributed to my growth both as an individual and as a teacher. The teachers have all in uenced my philosophy of education and life itself by their style of curriculum delivery and they made learning e ective, sound and fun.”
As the weekend drew to a close, we parted with promises to keep in touch, made plans for the next reunion and for creating ties with the school’s administration to help in whatever little way we can, knowing that the bonds forged over forty years ago, remain as strong as ever.
Let us lift our glasses to forty years of growth, friendship, and the enduring legacy of our alma mater, as we daily live our motto Ful lment Through Enlightenment. Cheers to the past and to the future ahead. Here's to the memories we have made and the ones still to come.
Here’s to the present sta and students. Here's to the class of 1984, forever united in our hearts!
Submitted by Kerwyn Curt Turnbull N.B. Edited for length
