Chaguanas
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| Chaguanas | |
 |
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| Coordinates | 10°30′ N 61°23′ W |
| Jurisdiction | Borough of Chaguanas |
| Area | 59.65 km² |
| Time zone | (UTC-4) |
| Population 2000 Density |
67,433 (1) 1,130/km² |
| Government Governing body Mayor |
Chaguanas Borough Corporation Surujrattan Rambachan |
The Borough of Chaguanas is the largest (67,433, 2000 census) and fastest-growing[1][2] town in Trinidad and Tobago. Located in Central Trinidad about 18 km (11 miles) south of Port of Spain, Chaguanas began life as a Convict Depot. It grew in size due to its proximity to the Woodford Lodge sugar refinery. It remained a minor town until the 1980s when it began to grow rapidly. Although it originally drew people for bargain shopping and moderately-priced housing, the growth of the town has seen property values increase dramatically.[1]
Chaguanas became a borough in 1990; prior to that it was part of the County of Caroni. The current mayor is Surujrattan Rambachan and the Borough Council is dominated by the United National Congress.
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[edit] History
Chaguanas was named for the Chaguanes Amerindian tribe[3]. The area was settled by the time of the British conquest of Trinidad in 1797 (see History of Trinidad and Tobago). The town originated on what was then H.E. Robinson's sugar estate adjacent to the Woodford Lodge sugar refinery and the De Verteuil coconut and cocoa estate to the north and east. Construction of the Trinidad Government Railway helped the town grow.
The Princess Margaret Highway, built by the US military during World War II, joined the Southern Main Road at Chaguanas. Construction of the Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway extended the highway south to San Fernando.
In the later twentieth century Chaguanas grew rapidly as a bazaar town. Construction of Lange Park in the early 1980s attracted a middle-class community moving south from Port of Spain and the East-West Corridor and north from San Fernando. Its central location made it attractive to southerners working in north Trinidad and northerners looking for more affordable homes. Edinburgh Gardens and Edinburgh 500 was built by the National Housing Authority. Like many such government-built housing developments, these neighbourhoods added a new Afro-Trinidadian element to Chaguanas' mostly Indo-Trinidadian population. Orchard Gardens was constructed as an upper middle class community. Lange Park gentrified, becoming an increasingly upscale neighbourhood.
In October of 1990 Chaguanas was elevated to the status of borough under the provisions of the Municipal Corporations Act No. 21 of 1990.[2]
[edit] Geography
Chaguanas is low-lying and is just upstream from the Caroni Swamp. The Caparo River runs through the town.
[edit] Climate
Chaguanas has a lowland seasonal tropical climate with a wet season lasting from June to December and a dry season lasting from January to May.
[edit] Urban structure
Chaguanas is bounded to the north by Munroe Road, to the east by the Gandia River, to the south by the Honda River and to the west by the Gulf of Paria.
The town is bisected by the Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway and Uriah Butler Highway.
Chaguanas consists of the following main population centres
- Downtown Chaguanas - the original core town of Chaguanas and modern central business district; lies west of the Solomon Hochoy Highway.
- Montrose - primarily commercial district east of the Solomon Hochoy Highway.
- Edinburgh Gardens - south of Montrose.
- Lange Park - north of Montrose and south of Endeavour.
- Felicity - lies north and west of the downtown, east and south of the Caroni Swamp.
- Orchard Gardens - north of the downtown
- Endeavour - northeast of Orchard Gardens, north of Lange Park.
- Enterprise - east of Endeavour and north of Longdenville
- Longdenville - east of Montrose.
- Cunupia - population centre to the northeast Chaguanas, north of Enterprise.
- Carlsen Field - a former U.S. airbase to the south of Chaguanas, this area of the town is still predominantly agricultural.
[edit] Governance
The Chaguanas Borough Council consists of 8 elected councillors and two aldermen. The electoral districts are as follows:
| District |
|---|
| Felicity/Endeavour |
| Enterprise South |
| Edinburgh/Longdenville |
| Enterprise North |
| Charlieville |
| Montrose |
| Monroe Road/Caroni Savannah Road |
| Cunupia |
[edit] Economy
Chaguanas developed as a market town and still attracts bargain shoppers. Retail development expanded with the construction of three malls in the downtown in the 1980s (Mid-Centre Mall, Centre City and Centre Pointe Mall). More recently, construction of Price Plaza in Endeavour expanded upscale retail opportunities. Price Plaza includes the Costco-Price Club warehouse-style store Price Smart, plus TGIFridays restaurant, SuperPharm (a very large drug store by Trinidad standards), and many other retail outlets.
Chaguanas has developed into a financial centre. The Hindu Credit Union, one of the major credit unions in Trinidad and Tobago, is based in Chaguanas. In addition, the Unit Trust Corporation, Sagicor and Republic Bank of Trinidad and Tobago all have major corporate offices in Chaguanas.
The dissolution of the state-owned sugar company, Caroni (1975) Limited, had a profound effect on Chaguanas, since this company was a major employer.
[edit] Demographics
Chaguanas has grown rapidly from a small village to the largest town in Trinidad and Tobago. Chaguanas has historically been considered an Indo-Trinidadian town, but as it has grown it has become more multi-racial. Longdenville is a historically Afro-Trinidadian village which has been absorbed into the growing town of Chaguanas. Edinburgh Gardens and associated residential developments are also largely Afro-Trinidadian.
[edit] Education
There are several secondary schools in Chaguanas. Presentation College Chaguanas, which serves a large catchment over central Trinidad, ranks among the top boys' secondary schools in the country. Also among one of the prestigious primary schools in Trinidad is the Chaguanas Government Primary School, which consistently ranks in the top three schools every year.
Several private technical and secretarial schools operate in Chaguanas. These include Trinizuela Secretarial and Technical College, Upper Level Educational Institute and Omardeen School of Accounting.
[edit] Culture and entertainment
Chaguanas hosts the Divali Nagar site. The Nobel Prize-winning author, V. S. Naipaul was born in Chaguanas.
[edit] Scenery/attractions
The Lion House, birthplace of Nobel-prize winning author V.S. Naipaul is located in Chaguanas. This is generally assumed to be the model for Hanuman House in Naipaul's A House for Mr Biswas, with Chaguanas as the model for Aruacas.
The Caroni Swamp, the largest mangrove wetland in Trinidad and Tobago, is located just north and west of the town. The swamp is a popular tourist attraction and roosting ground for the Scarlet Ibis, national bird of Trinidad and Tobago.
The Divali Nagar site, located in northern Chaguanas, is a major attraction in the period just before Divali. The village of Felicity, on the eastern end of Chaguanas, is famous for its elaborate Divali celebrations.
[edit] Media
HCU Communications Limited is based in Chaguanas. It operates a radio station (Bollywood Masala 101.1 FM), and plans to launch a television station (WIN TV) in late 2006 or early 2007. As HCU Publications, it also publishes three weekly newspapers, The Probe, Uhuru and Bollywood Today.
[edit] Sports
The main sporting venue in Chaguanas is the Central Regional Indoor Sport Arena Hall at Saith Park. Smaller recreation grounds and cricket pitches are scattered around the Chaguanas area, but no larger sporting venues are located within the town. Chaguanas cemented its place in cricket when Ramlal Bajnath, founder of Bajnath's Sports Centre setup formal cricket leagues in the region to draw attention to the area's talent.
[edit] Infrastructure
[edit] Health
The Chaguanas District Hospital is located in downtown Chaguanas. A private hospital, Health Net Limited, is located in Endeavour, and Sajeevan Medical Complex on Ramsaran Street.
[edit] Transport
Chaguanas is an important transportation hub. Buses, taxis and maxi-taxis connect Chaguanas with Port of Spain, San Fernando, Curepe and Couva, and smaller settlements around central Trinidad.
As a village which grew spontaneously into a large town, Chaguanas is plagued by traffic problems.
[edit] Utilities
Electric generation is handled by Powergen, while electrical distribution is handled by the Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission (T&TEC). Powergen has one natural gas fired generation plants at Point Lisas, Penal and Wrightson Road in Port of Spain. Additional power can be supplied from power generation facilities controlled by Inncogen at Point Lisas.
Telecommunications are regulated by the Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT). It has been working to de-monopolise the industry, granting several new licenses in 2005. Fixed-line telephone service is a monopoly controlled by Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT). Licenses have been granted for competition in this area, but start-up is a while away. Wireless telephony is currently controlled by TSTT, but licenses have been granted for two private companies, Digicel and Laqtel to offer wireless service in competition with TSTT.
Water and sewerage are under the purview of the Water and Sewerage Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (WASA).
[edit] References
- ^ a b Chaguanas – Trinidad’s fastest growing town - Afra Raymond, July 29, 2004.
- ^ a b The Borough of Chaguanas - the Fastest Growing Commercial Centre - Trinidad Guardian, October 1, 1998
- ^ Nobel Lecture - V.S. Naipaul, 2001
- Chaguanas.com
- Chaguanas Local Area Plan - Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago Limited.
- Anthony, Michael (2001). Historical Dictionary of Trinidad and Tobago. Scarecrow Press, Inc. Lanham, Md., and London. ISBN 0-8108-3173-2.
- Lange Park Residents Association
| Local Government in Trinidad and Tobago |  |
|
| Regional Corporations - Couva-Tabaquite-Talparo - Diego Martin - Penal-Debe - Princes Town - Rio Claro-Mayaro - San Juan-Laventille - Sangre Grande - Siparia - Tunapuna-Piarco | ||
|---|---|---|
| Boroughs and Cities - Borough of Arima - Borough of Chaguanas - City of Port of Spain - Borough of Point Fortin - City of San Fernando | ||
| Tobago House of Assembly | ||
| Counties (historic) - Caroni - Mayaro - Nariva - Saint Andrew - Saint David - Saint George - Saint Patrick - Victoria | ||
