News Archives -Massive Clean up of Chaguaramas February 2011
CDA performs Massive Clean up of Chaguaramas Saturday 12th February 2011
The Chaguaramas peninsula has been described by many as a local gem, providing attractions for every taste; the nature lover, land and sea adventurers, fitness enthusiasts, partygoers, beach lovers and the avid “limer”. It is an Eden for the animals living among the lush and diverse forests and plants. Its serene beauty continues to attract many nationals and foreigners alike. Unfortunately, the visitors who are attracted to Chaguaramas also threaten it due to land and marine pollution, illegal poaching and forest fires. In response, the Chaguaramas Development Authority (CDA) continues to employ a number of initiatives aimed at combating the forces that threaten the area’s ecosystem. On Saturday 12th February, 2011, the CDA embarked on a massive clean up drive to deal with the pollution problem.
The area-wide clean up campaign attracted NGOs, Government agencies, business organizations, schools and private citizens who all physically chipped in to rid the surroundings of unsightly and unhealthy litter and debris. The overall objective of the diverse collaboration is to increase community and stakeholder involvement in understanding and addressing environmental challenges and identifying solutions. The CDA also launched its waste recycling and educational programme.
Chaguaramas Development Authority, stated that “this programme is aimed at enlightening the visiting public on proper methods of waste disposal, not only in Chaguaramas, but throughout the country”.
The successful participation met the goal of the CDA which was to highlight the importance of keeping this area of historical significance clean and pristine for all to enjoy.
News Archives - CDA MARINE CLEAN UP CAMPAIGN APRIL 9, 2011
April 9th 2011
The Chaguaramas Development Authority and several stakeholders have once again hosted a successful clean up initiative. Our Marine Clean Up Campaign held on Saturday April 9, 2011 focused on the mainland, Scotland Bay and Chacachacare Island.
The Chaguaramas area is a premier location for nature lovers, land and sea adventurers, fitness enthusiasts and partygoers. However, the peninsula faces grave destruction due to land and marine pollution. The Chaguaramas Development Authority (CDA) continues to employ a number of initiatives to address this issue.
Once again volunteers and key stakeholders such as Rhino Garbage Bags, The CEPEP Co. Limited, Diego Martin Regional Corporation, Blue Waters Products Limited and The Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard have partnered with the Authority in this initiative; which is aimed at bring together NGOs, government agencies, schools, community groups, tenants, private groups and the general public in taking a collaborative approach in preserving the environment.
The Marine Clean Up Campaign met with the CDA’s goal and demonstrated the commitment in environmental preservation and making Chaguaramas the place to be through a model of collaboration.
According to the CDA “the island of Chacachacare is a natural treasure. This CDA initiative is a continuation of the Prime Minister’s Clean and Beautify Campaign. The amount of garbage removed during this clean up clearly demonstrates the need to educate visitors on the importance of preserving the environment. It is our hope the persons using these areas can appreciate the results of the clean up initiative and join us in keeping a clean environment”.
News Archives - Chaggie Delivers Environmental Message- POS
CDA's Chaggie in Port of Spain Friday 16 July 2010
The Chaguaramas Development Authority (CDA), as part of its environmental outreach educational programme took its environmental mascot “Chaggie” into the streets of Port of Spain on Friday July 16, 2010. Chaggie’s visit to the capital city was done to heighten public awareness of the need for environmental conservation and preservation and serve as a reminder that the environment is crucial to our development and survival.
In Port of Spain, Chaggie’s message on reducing waste, reuse and recycle was well appreciated. Fliers were also distributed on environmental preservation and tours offered by the CDA.
News Archives - CDA National Park at Tourism Park 2007
August 16th 2007
Since its inception in 2004, Tourism Park has provided patrons with tourism-focused, interactive experiences designed to create positive awareness of Trinidad & Tobago’s tourism product.
Hosted jointly by the Ministry of Tourism and the Tourism Development Company Limited, Tourism Park 2007 is aimed at educating the public about the many wonders waiting to be discovered in Trinidad and Tobago.
Chaguaramas National Park was one of the many attractions at the Tourism Park. Just one part of the many tourist attractions in Trinidad and Tobago, the Park rubbed shoulders with exhibits such as the temple in the sea in waterloo, the Knolly's tunnel of Tabaquite, Argyle Waterfalls of Tobago, A mystic volcano, a underwater wildlife, an Animal Kingdom exhibit by the emperor valley zoo and much more at the Tourism Park. Somewhere in the hundred thousand of visitors pass through the Tourism Park.
The Chaguaramas National Heritage Park had a thriving promotion at Tourism Park 2007. Approximately 75,000 persons visited the booth and in the region of 400 persons were booked for tours in Chaguaramas. Over 2000 flyers where distributed, over 400 school book covers and 30 memorial historic walk to Chaguaramas given away. Around 300 Table place mats and 150 posters both featuring scenic images of Chaguaramas were sold.
National Park Souvenir gift bags with lanyards and hands towels were given to the visiting public.
News Archives - Movies in Chaguaramas 2001 - 2006
Movies Magic in Chaguaramas
From its lush green forests, cobalt blue sea and scenic landscape -just off the beaten path from the hustle and bustle of the capital city of Port-of-Spain, the Chaguaramas Peninsula is fast becoming the location for film making. In the past two years three films have been shot there – Mystic Masseur, Herman’s Tales, Backlash and Contract Killers. The fact that filmmakers are coming to realize the value of Chaguaramas as a backdrop for quality movies is due in no small part to the efforts of the Trinidad and Tobago Film Company (TTFC). Established in 2006, the TTFC’s mandate is to expand the film industry in Trinidad and Tobago by, among other things, promoting the country as a premier film location to local and international filmmakers. As such, the TTFC has been working tirelessly marketing Chaguaramas as an ideal filmscape. Carla Foderingham, CEO of TTFC commented on the company’s commitment to the development of the film industry locally: “Trinidad and Tobago is probably the best kept secret in the Caribbean,” she stated. “There are so many advantages to filming here, but we need to continue to spread awareness of this country’s benefits to filmmakers.
Places like Chaguaramas, for example, with its wide-ranging scenery, well developed infrastructure and close proximity to the city will certainly appeal to filmmakers, and we will continue to promote the region in our brochures, our video filmscape guide and on our website. With all that this area has going for it, we have no doubt that many more filmmakers will want to use Chaguaramas for location shoots in the future.” Many aspects of the Chaguaramas Peninsula make it ideal for filmmaking. The area possesses a diversity of landscapes within a small geographic area: an expansive coastline with numerous bays and beaches, mountains and forests, waterfalls and rivers – not to mention a variety of flora and fauna. In addition, well developed infrastructure fully supports the production process – access roads leading into and out of the area and nearby ports and jetties for access via the sea. There is even a heliport. The peninsula also boasts numerous high-end restaurants and entertainment facilities, a golf course and numerous sites and attractions of historical significance. The smaller islands offshore, each one unique in beauty and character, lend even greater diversity.
Here are some of the films that were filmed in Chaguaramas
Mystic’ Masseur (2001)
The main set used within the film - a shop – is still standing in the area near opposite the old church on the road to Macqueripe. This Merchant Ivory Production was based on the novel The Mystic Masseur by V. S. Naipaul. The film is about a frustrated writer of Indian descent who rises from an impoverished background to become a successful politician on the back of his dubious talent as a ‘mystic’ masseur – a masseur who can cure illnesses.
Herman’s Tales (2006)
Herman’s Tales is a six-episode comedic series. It is a Caribbean comedy featuring both puppets and humans. The show mixes crime, gang violence, a superhero, kidnapping and romance and focuses on themes such as inefficiency of the police service and gaining respect in the army. One of those episodes, Herman’s Tales: Banana Robber (2006) premiered at the first Trinidad & Tobago Film Festival 2006 and was later screened on the local TV channel CMNG and at both Carifesta 2006 Film Festival and UNESCO Film Festival 2006. The fourth episode, Herman’s Tales: Kidnapped was premiered at Trinidad & Tobago Film Festival 2007, where it won a People’s Choice Award for the Best
Backlash (2006)
In this explosive, action packed thriller, beautiful- but deadly - CIA operative Skye Gold is sent to Trinidad to hide out after breaking up a large illegal arms smuggling operation. Soon after she arrives on the island, Skye discovers that her superiors at the CIA are not the only ones who know her whereabouts. It’s a deadly race against time as Skye must stay one step ahead of two hired assassins and rogue agents while running through the island’s hypnotic streets during Carnival. Danielle Burgio, Kevin Levrone, Lauren Kim, Bas Rutten star.
Contract Killers(2006)
The film features young Swedish actress Frida Farrell in the role of Jane. The movie takes viewers on a roller-coaster ride as Jane is on the run from the company she once worked for as she has evidence of them being involved in fraud. The company, knowing their secret is out, tries to frame Jane who ends up on the popular and prosperous Caribbean island called Trinidad. They later hire a highly-trained contract killer from the island, to eliminate her. Contract Killers is written, directed and edited by debut director Justin Rhodes and produced by G. Anthony Joseph.
Archives-Setting for a Fortune 500 telemarketing operations
Chaguaramas to be setting for Fortune 500 telemarketing operations Silicone Valley, T&T May 2 2000
THE Gillette group of companies is putting the infrastructure in place to dominate certain key aspects of the telecommunications market when it is liberalised later this year as stated by Implementation Minister Lindsay Gillette last Friday. The Gillette Empire, which is already on the cutting edge of local Internet, wireless paging, cable television and computer and software retailing is set to add cellular, telemarketing and enhanced paging facilities to its suite of services.
Starting here Assistant Business Editor, TERRYANN BROWNE, looks at the family's move into a multimillion dollar telemarketing venture, while Business Editor, ANTHONY WILSON sets the scene for the Government's announcement on the issue of three cellular licences. On age 4, Business Reporter, JUHEL BROWN looks at the group's joint venture with an international paging giant.
IMAGINE, you are sitting in your living room, anywhere in the United States, watching Jay Leno and the telephone rings; it's a sales agent selling subscriptions to the New York Times. Or maybe you're watching Leno, and you see an ad for a hot new computer and there is an 800 number to call. Both the call that you receive or the person that you reach when you call that 800 number could be a sales representative sitting in a call centre in Chaguaramas, Trinidad.
As part of its vision to see the northwestern peninsula of Trinidad and Tobago become the Caribbean Silicon Valley, the Gillette group of companies is spending $35 million to set up a call centre in Chaguaramas. Lindsay's younger brother, group chairman, Peter Gillette explained that the call centre, which he expects to open in July on the first floor of the Chaguaramas Convention Centre, will employ about 700 people.
Call centres come in two types, in bound and out bound. In bound refers to whether the calls come into the centre, for example, if someone calls an 800 number they saw on television. Outbound refers to calls made from the centre. A call centre is made up of a bank of telephone sales representatives who either sell products for companies, or answer calls from customers ordering various products. "The call centre that we are setting up," said Gillette, "is an out bound call centre. Typically out bound call centres are involved in what is called telemarketing."
The Gillette Group has joint ventured with a Canadian Communications Company, Connect One Management Group, a subsidiary of Omega Direct Response Inc. The Canadian Company has contractually agreed to provide the work for the call centre.
Gillette said: "We believe that this call centre, as it expands, will create another Silicon Valley in the Caribbean. A hub of knowledge based industry and technology. Our vision is; larger than just putting in call centres, it actually speaks to being the first in a series of successes of IT related and knowledgebased industries.' He added, "This call centre is being set up for t the out sourcing of financial institutions, For tune 100, Fortune 500 type companies, that do not want to engage full time telemarketing agents to sell their products." These products can range from credit cards to long distance services, and loans, to pay per view movies or other services. Companies in the US typically out source the sale of these types of products. All the products pitched by the local call centre will be directed at US customers.
Gillette said, "The call centre we are setting up in Trinidad will have 288 seats and will run two shifts. Each shift will have 288 agents. With all the management, information technology and communication people we estimate it will come close to 700 people that will be employed in the first instance."
The first newspaper ad to recruit personnel for the centre appeared on Tuesday.
He continued, "In six months time we plan to put in another 288 seats which will then take our employment levels from about 700 to around 1,200." "We don't have to go looking for customers to fill it. Our responsibility will be to basically employ the people and train them," said Gillette. The Gillette group will invest $8,000 in training in IT related skills and operation for each of its sales representatives.
ConnectOne made contact with the Gillette group through Pricewaterhouse Coopers. The Canadian Company hired the consultancy firm to help find a Caribbean joint venture partner to set up a call centre. "Trinidad is an ideal location for locating a call centre for two reasons," said Gillette. "One is the large, literate work force that we have with the prerequisite skills to work in a call centre. Secondly, through the advent of new technology the ability to drive our telecommunications cost down to be competitive." The Gillette group is not the only local Company that believes that Trinidad would be an ideal location for this type of industry.
A few years ago Citibank had the same idea. The bank set up its own inhouse call centre to sell its VISA card. The project proved so successful that Citibank decided to expand the facility and joint ventured with a Venezuelan firm. Telecommunications expert, Simon Fraser explained that, at the time, everything seemed to be in place to make the project successful. The labour costs were low, the market was there telemarketing representatives here will have access to markets in the former British-speaking islands, North America and Canada. But, the telecommunication costs killed the project.
"Everything that was saved in labour was lost in telecommunications," said Fraser. He added that even 800 numbers, which are free to US callers had a cost attached when called through TSTT. Eventually the project was scrapped. "The telecommunications was critical," he said, "if one was able to route by satellite it would be cheaper than buying from TSTT." The current regulations prohibit routing by satellite for telephone calls. TSTT still has a monopoly in the local telecommunications market but government plans to de-monopolise the telecommunications market. The Canadian Company which has joint ventured with the Gillette group has a proven track record in the telemarketing industry.
"ConnectOne owns and operates four call centres in Canada employing well over 2,000 people," said Gillette. "They have a track record, and they already have located customers interested in locating their business in our call centre. We are estimating that we will be going live in the July time frame and fully online with all 288 seats at the end of July."
ConnectOne is contractually guaranteeing the Gillette group US based companies large banks, large insurance based companies and large cable companies in the United States of America.
News Archives - Chaguaramas host Miss Universe 1999
Wednesday 26th May 1999
Chaguaramas was the host of the Miss Universe 1999 competition. There were delegates from 84 countries including Trinidad and Tobago.
One of the US military buildings — a large hangar set beside the ocean — is being completely refurbished and will make an ideal space for the 1999 Miss Universe Pageant. It’s about 20 minutes from Port of Spain, the Capital City , along a winding coastal road.
One of the most successful and sophisticated Carnival designers, Peter Minshall, added his creative genius to the show by choreographing the stage performance. While another Carnival and Designer Genius, Wayne Barkley designed the stage for the gala event.
The coronation ball which was to be held at Pier 1 Club Chaguaramas was unable to host the event due to unforeseen circumstances. The Prestigious Coronation Ball was held at the Chaguaramas Hotel and Convention Center, where some of the best designers put there creative minds together and the event was Wonderful.
The Pageant Results were as follows:
Miss Universe 1999
Mpule Kwelagobe - BOTSWANA
1st runner-up - Miriam Quiambao
PHILIPPINES
2nd runner-up -Diana Nogueria SPAIN
FINALISTS:
Sonia Raciti SOUTH AFRICA
Lucbel Carolina Indriago Pinto VENEZUELA
SEMI-FINALISTS:
Akuba Cudjoe GHANA
Gul Panag INDIA
Nicole Haughton JAMAICA
Silvia Salgado Cavazos MEXICO
Brenda Liz Lopez Ramos PUERTO RICO
News Archives - Venezuela Takes Possession of Patos Trinidad
Trinidad Guardian, September 30, 1942
The Venezuelan Tricolour now flies over the strategic island outpost of Patos situated within three miles from the mainland.
It was hoisted there by a sergeant of the Venezuelan police, in the presence of His Excellency the Governor, Sir Bede Clifford, and His Excellency Dr. C. Parra Perez, the Foreign Minister of Venezuela, shortly after 11 o'clock yesterday morning.
Five minutes before the Union Jack had been lowered for the last time, and a moment of tense stillness prevailed as the Trinidad Police Band played "Retreat". Detachments of Trinidad Volunteers and steel -helmeted Venezuelan soldiers stood at "Present Arms" and officials saluted as slowly a sergeant of the Trinidad Police lowered the British flag from the staff where it had floated for the past 38 years.
As the tricolour was hoisted a Venezuelan in the gathering was heard to remark in his native tongue "Bandera Linda" which means beautiful flag.
Patos, which has been the subject of a dispute between the Government of Trinidad and Venezuela for the past two centuries was formally handed over to the neighbouring republic by His Excellency on behalf of Great Britain to Dr. Parra Perez.
In the course of his speech His Excellency remarked that while the territory was small indeed the occasion was great and symbolic
Later in his speech His Excellency remarked that the handing over of Patos which was concluded without any hard bargaining or keen negotiations, was an example to the world which showed that had it been followed by Hitler in 1939 Germany could have settled amicably her relations with neighbours and saved humanity from the seas of blood and tears in which it was plunged today.
News Archives - Errol Flynn falls in love with Macqueripe
Trinidad Guardian, June 5, 1940
Errol Flynn likes Trinidad; in fact he thinks that the island has a more than average quota of attractions to offer the traveller in search of something new in the way of general surroundings and picturesque scenery combined with every modern convenience.
When the dashing Hollywood screen star visited Port of Spain for an overnight stop on Monday, he elected to spend his afternoon doing something that appeals to him more than everything else fishing. Accompanied by his manager Mr. John Meyer, Errol Flynn left for the Macqueripe Beach Hotel, where a fishing party was arranged for him by Mr. Dan MacInerney manager of the hotel.
Mr. Flynn was shown over the hotel and part of the 6000 acre estate and was more than impressed with all that he saw. He compared the hotel to the Del Mar Club, famous resort of movie stars just outside of Hollywood and the Arrowhead Hotel another exclusive exclusive mountain resort in California.
News Archives - ROYAL COUPLE GOES SHARK HUNTING 1935
Trinidad Guardian, February 12, 1935
Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Kent enjoyed the thrills of a shark hunt. But they did not catch any sharks.
Prince George and Princes Marina left their hotel early and the Duke drove down to the Marine Club, Stauble's Bay, where the usual Sunday morning bathers had a pleasant surprise when they saw the Royal couple set off for their day's sport accompanied by major Humphrey Butler M.V.O., the Equerry Col. The Hon'ble A.S. Mavrogordato, O.B.E., The Inspector-General of Constabulary and Inspector G. Liddelow.
Two sharks were sighted, but neither were captured, one had a narrow escape when Inspector Liddelow attempted to harpoon it.
The Duke and Duchess thoroughly enjoyed their experiences and did not seem to care when they were drenched by flying spray when the launch was crossing the Bocas. They went ashore at Huevas (Huevos) and, while there amused themselves by swimming and aquaplaning, a fast and thrilling water sport which is not much seen in Trinidad.
After dinning in their private suite for the first time since the visit began, the young Royal couple decided that they would like to go to the pictures.
It was immediately arranged for them to pay a secret and unheralded visit to the Roxy Theatre on Sunday night. The programme they saw included a newsreel in which H.M. the King is seen and heard launching the new Cunarder Queen Mary, the wedding of the Duke and Duchess themselves, a comedy and "Manhattan Melodrama".
Their Royal Highnesses remained until the end of the programme, and slipped quietly out but a big crowd had gathered outside the cinema as word had got around that the Royal couple were inside.
