About our islands  

  • About Trinidad & Tobago
  • We highlight some of the nationals well-known in London and internationally

About Trinidad & Tobago

Christopher Columbus discovered Trinidad & Tobago in 1498. The then inhabitants on the island were the aboriginal people, the Caribs and Arawaks who still have descendants living in Trinidad. The first serious attempt to colonize and develop the islands was in 1777 when the King of Spain invited Frenchmen of the Roman Catholic Faith from the other West Indian islands to come to this beautiful twin islands. The French came in thousands bringing with them their captured slaves from the West Africa coast to cultivate sugar and cocoa plantations.

The last of the Spanish Governors Don Jose Maria Chacon put a great deal of energy into the colonies economic and social life and by the end of his rule in 1797 Trinidad and Tobago became one of the wealthiest islands in the West Indies. In February of that year a strong British fleet with instructions to take the island, sailed in and took possession without a shot being fired as the Spanish Navy consisting of five ships were set on fire by the Commander in the peaceful waters of Chaguaramas Bay.

With the abolishment of Slavery in 1834 Trinidad underwent a major change, with the slaves moving off the plantations a new source of labour had to be found. Indentured labour was the solution. This resulted in the arrival of a large population of East Indians to work the land, also a large number of Chinese who quickly found a niche in the business field as shopkeepers and merchants.

The British ruled the islands and remained in control until the islands gained independence in 1962. Our first prime Minister was Doctor Eric Williams. Trinidad & Tobago became Republic on 1st August 1976 and is currently Governed by our Prime Minister The Honourable Mr Patrick Manning and President His Excellency Sir Maxwell Richards.

In 2006 our country qualified for the World Cup with a strong team-The Soca Warriors who made our country proud and brought us worldwide recognition.

Today Trinidad & Tobago is an oil rich country with a multicultural mix of people who celebrate their different religions, backgrounds and culture as a nation in harmony.

Trinidad & Tobago's annual celebrations include:

Spiritual Shouter Baptist Liberation Day – March 28th
Indian Arrival Day – May 30th
Labour Day – June 19
Emancipation Day – August 1st
Independence Day – August 31st
Eid-ul-Fitr
Divali
Chinese Day

 

Some of the Trinidadians or Tobagonians well-known in London and internationally 

 


Dounne Alexander-Walker MBE
Award winning entrepreneur and model  

Lt Col Sharon Alfonso-Farrell
Currently based in London, she is the highest ranking female in the Trinidad & Tobago Regiment

Nina Baden-Semper
Actress

Dame Jocelyn Barrow DBE
Former Governor of the BBC and Founder and Deputy Chair of the Broadcasting Standards Council, equal opportunities and education expert, to name a few

Dr Floella Benjamin OBE
Broadcaster, writer, actress and producer.  Partner and co-founder of Floella Benjamin Productions

Dr Pat Bishop
Musician, artist and educator.  Was awarded The Trinity Cross (Trinidad & Tobago's highest award) in 1994.  She is also “one of the most respected, influential and celebrated women in the steelpan movement”

Janelle Penny Commissiong-Chow
Miss Universe 1977, Miss Photogenic 1997, Businesswoman

Wendy Fitzwilliam
Miss Universe 1998, UNAIDS and UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador, management

Heather Jones
International Fashion Designer, Fall 2002 Fashion Week of the Americas “Pret-a-Porter” Award winner

Martina Laird
Actress

Giselle Laronde-West
Miss World 1986, Corporate Communications Manager

McArtha Lewis aka “Calypso Rose”
Award winning Calypsonian

Her Excellency Glenda Morean Phillip QC
Former High Commissioner of the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago London, 2004-2008.  She became our ambassador to the United States on June 6, 2008, serving concurrently as Trinidad & Tobago's ambassador to Mexico and permanent representative to the Organization of American States

Denise Plumber
Award winning calypso singer

Joan Wilson
President of The Horticultural Society of Trinidad &Tobago.  Her designs at both the Chelsea and Hampton Court Flower Shows have resulted in Trinidad & Tobago receiving 12 Gold medals over the years, two of which were in 2008

Ato Boldon
World champion sprinter, 4x Olympic medalist

Slinger Francisco aka “The Mighty Sparrow”
Award winning Calypsonian, “Calypso King of the World”

Russ Henderson MBE
An accomplished steel pan player, pianist (jazz) and one of the founders of the Notting Hill Carnival

Shaka Hislop
Professional footballer goalkeeper, starting goalkeeper for Trinidad & Tobago’s “Soca Warriors” in the 2006 World Cup

Boscoe Holder
Designer and visual artist, dancer, choreographer and musician

Geoffrey Holder
Actor, choreographer, dancer, designer, singer and voice-over artist

Sir Brian Lara
Cricketer, former captain of the West Indies team

Sir Trevor McDonald
Broadcaster and author

Peter Minshall
Carnival artist, designed the opening ceremonies for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, amongst others

Machel Montano
Award winning Soca singer, record producer and songwriter

Ashton Moore aka “The Mighty Tiger”
President of the Association of British Calypsonians, Board member of The London Notting Hill Carnival Ltd

Sir V S Naipaul
Author, Nobel Prize Laureate for Literature 2001

Professor Andrew Ramroop
Bespoke tailor, owner of Savile Row’s “Maurice Sedwell Ltd”

Rudolph Walker OBE
Actor

Ansel Wong
Founding member of the UK’s Black History Month, director

Dwight Yorke
Professional footballer, captained Trinidad & Tobago’s “Soca Warriors” in the 2006 World Cup

 
 

A raffle will be drawn in aid of our affiliated Trinidad & Tobago charity, Kids In Need of Direction (K.I.N.D) (www.kindkids.net) which provides assistance in education, nutrition, medical assistance, vocational training, emotional counselling and sport to disadvantaged children in Trinidad & Tobago.

 

 

 

 

 
presented by Carivog International