Princes Town
| Princes Town | |
|---|---|
| Town | |
| Corporation | Princes Town Regional Corporation |
| Country | Trinidad and Tobago |
| Ranked | |
| Time zone | AST (UTC−4) |
| Area code(s) | 654, 655, 656 |
Princes Town is a town in south Trinidad (generally pronounced by Trinidadians as if it were spelled "Princess Town").
Originally founded as the Amerindian Mission of Savana Grande, the town was renamed after the 1880 visit by Queen Victoria's grandsons, Prince Albert and Prince George (later King George V). The Princes each planted a poui tree at the Anglican church in the area, which still survives to this day. The population of the town itself is roughly estimated at 10,000.
Princes Town is located in south-central Trinidad, east of San Fernando, west of Rio Claro and north of Moruga. Consequently, it serves as the major administrative centre for a substantial area of south Trinidad, and has developed a reputation as a major shopping town for the southern region. Princes Town is also known for the famous Ali family, who set up many established "doubles" institutes, a famed local delicacy.
The town of Princes Town is one of the 36 seats that are contested for the General Elections in Trinidad and Tobago. The Current Member of Parliament for this seat is Ms Nela Khan (2010). The growth of the town has since caused it to be one of the constituencies that were split in 2007 to make 41 constituencies for the next General Election. Princes Town is also the seat of government for the Princes Town Regional Corporation (local elections), and was formerly the seat of the County of Victoria.
One of the schools in the area is St. Stephen's College, which is administered jointly by the Ministry of Education and the Anglican Board. The school was started in the late 50's and was known then as Bishop Anstey. St. Stephen's College has the distinction of having an Amphi-theatre style Auditorium, which is fringed at the rear by the main school block in a semi circle fashion.
Princes Town is also known to have the highest number of alcohol users per capita in Trinidad and Tobago. This is also associated with a high occurrence of spousal abuse.
Major landmarks: Yolande Pompey Recreation Ground
Coordinates: 10°16′N 61°23′W / 10.267°N 61.383°W