The Borough of Chaguanas is the largest municipality (67,433) 2000 census) and fastest-growing 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.

Chaguanas became a borough in 1990; prior to that it was part of the County of Caroni. The current mayor is Natasha Navas and the Borough Council is dominated by the United National Congress.

History

Chaguanas was named for the Chaguanes Amerindian tribe. 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 1990 Chaguanas was elevated to the status of borough under the provisions of the Municipal Corporations Act No. 21 of 1990.

Geography

Chaguanas is low-lying and is just upstream from the Caroni Swamp. The Caparo River runs through the town.

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.

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.
• Edinburgh Village - south of downtown Chaguanas Area. There are two villages between downtown Chaguanas and Bagna Trace/Carlsen Field triangle roundabout - Edinburgh Village and Perserverance Village. Boundary is defined by the Edinburgh Hindu Temple and Perseverance Village.
• Lange Park - north of Montrose and south of Endeavour, east of Orchard Gardens and the Uriah Butler Highway.
• Orchard Gardens - immediately north of the downtown and west of the Uriah Butler Highway.
• Charlieville - lies on both sides of the Uriah Butler Highway,northeast of Felicity.
• Felicity - lies further north and west of the downtown, east and south of the Caroni Swamp.
• 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.

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

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 (Centre City, Mid Centre and Ramsaran Plaza, later to become Centre Pointe Mall). Centre City Mall is in the process of expansion to become the largest mall in the Caribbean. It will feature two major buildings, one near to the Uriah Butler Highway and another close to the centre of Chaguanas, joined by an enclosed walkover above the Mulchan Seuchan Link Road.

More recently, construction of Price Plaza in Endeavour expanded upscale retail opportunities. Price Plaza includes a warehouse-style store PriceSmart, TGI Friday's and Ruby Tuesday restaurants, a food court, SuperPharm, as well as many other retail outlets.

The third location of Movietowne, the largest cinema business in the country, is undergoing construction nearby Price Plaza and is expecting completion in November 2009.

Chaguanas has developed into a financial centre. The Unit Trust Corporation, Sagicor, Republic Bank of Trinidad and Tobago, Scotiabank and RBTT 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.

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.

Culture and entertainment

Chaguanas hosts the Divali Nagar site. The Nobel Prize-winning author, V. S. Naipaul was born in Chaguanas.

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 western end of Chaguanas, is famous for its elaborate Divali celebrations.

Media

HCU Communications Limited (now defunct) is based in Chaguanas. It operates a radio station (Bollywood Masala 101.1 FM), and launched a television station (WIN TV) in early 2007. As HCU Publications, it also publishes three weekly newspapers, The Probe, Uhuru and Bollywood Today.

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.

Infrastructure

Health

The Chaguanas District Hospital is located in downtown Chaguanas. A private hospital, HealthNet Limited, is located in Endeavour, and Sajeevan Medical Complex on Ramsaran Street.

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.

Utilities

Electric generation is handled by Powergen, while electrical distribution is handled by the Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission (T&TEC). Powergen has 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 as well as Digicel which came later, but licenses have been granted for a private company, Laqtel to offer wireless service in competition with TSTT and Digicel. However, Laqtel has had its license revoked and is undergoing severe financial difficulties.

Cable television is provided by Flow. The service is currently analogue, but digital service will be offered in Chaguanas in September 2009. The arrival of digital service introduces packages such as high speed internet service up to 15 Mbit/s, digital landline telephone service and the digital cable service.

Water and sewerage are under the purview of the Water and Sewerage Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (WASA).

Sister Cities

Chaguanas is a sister city with some of the following cities:

• Lauderhill, Florida, USA

References

1. Table from 2000 Census on Central Statistical Office of Trinidad and Tobago website[1]
2. Chaguanas – Trinidad’s fastest growing town - Afra Raymond, July 29, 2004.
3. The Borough of Chaguanas - the Fastest Growing Commercial Centre - Trinidad Guardian, October 1, 1998
4. Nobel Lecture - V.S. Naipaul, 2001

External links

• Chaguanas.com
• Chaguanas Local Area Plan - Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago Limited.
• Lange Park Residents Association