Laventille

Laventille is a ward of Trinidad and Tobago.

Etymology[]

The name Laventille hearkens back to colonial times, especially when the French dominated the cultural traditions of the island.^[1] One etymological derivation of the name is because the northeast trade winds come to this part of the island of Trinidad before reaching any other part of colonial Port of Spain – hence the metaphorical name La Ventaille ("The Vent"). Geographically, it is the source of Orographic precipitation for the capital city.

Arts and culture[]

Laventille is the place where steel pan was born, and it is the birthplace of innovators and world-renowned tuners like the late Rudolph Charles, Bertie Marshall and Roland Harrigin. It is the heart of the steelpan world, where pioneer Winston "Spree" Simon lived and created one of the century’s new acoustical musical instruments. It is home to Desperadoes Steel Orchestra, one of the world's oldest steelbands, still in existence today. It also houses several other bands such as Laventille Hilanders, Courts Laventille Sound Specialists, Tokyo, etc.

Laventille is also the birthplace of many people including Soca artist Destra Garcia. Laventille is probably the oldest Community in East Port of Spain. It has been said, whenever the enslaved peoples escaped from man's inhumanity to man, they headed to the Hills of Laventille.

The name has also been used as a general term for the neighbourhoods of eastern Port of Spain, including not only Laventille "proper" (, , ) but also ,Saint Joseph Road, Saint Paul Street, Piccadilly Street, Hill View/Block 8, Beverly Hills, Canada, Afrika, South Quay, Parsley Street, Picton, Plaisance Road, Essex Road, Lodge Place, San Juan, Success, Pump Trace, Sogren Trace, annisette Street, Bath Place, Foster Road, Eastern Main Road, , , , Sea Lots, Beetham Estate Gardens, Caledonia, , and .

Events[]

Coopers trained at Angostura[]

In 2015, over a three (3) week period young persons were trained in the art of coopering at Angostura. This training involved the making of barrels from scratch. These barrel which can be used to store the "work in progress of rum" are an intrinsic part of the creation of the rum product.^[2]

Economy[]

The world famous Angostura Bitters is currently produced at the Angostura compound^[3] which is located off the Eastern Main Road in Laventille. This product is one of the older products of Trinidad and Tobago which has won many awards and which has been exported to many countries. The bitters forms an essential element in many drinks and dishes.

Many of the rums which are produced in Trinidad are made at the Angostura Compound. These rums are exported to many countries and earn valuable foreign exchange for the country. These rums are also used in ponche a creme, the local equivalent of egg nog.

For many years, MacFoods Meat processors was one of the larger employers in the area, as their factory produced top quality pork hams, marketed under the label "Blue Ribbon" hams.

Places of interest[]

Angostura Museum and Barcant Butterfly Collection[]

The Angostura Museum and Barcant Butterfly Collection are located in the Angostura compound, Eastern Main Road, Laventille.^[4] The compound is located on 20 acres of land at Trinity Avenue and Eastern Main Road. This compound is located just on the outskirts of Port of Spain, heading towards Morvant. Access is obtained through the Eastern Main Road entrance. In addition to the Museum, there are several buildings which are located on the compound, such as the Distillery, the Administration Offices and the Special Events Buildings for which bookings can be placed.

Fernandes Industrial Centre (FIC)[]

The Fernandes Industrial Centre (FIC) is located along the Eastern Main Road, close to the Morvant Junction. The FIC stretches from the Main Road, is intersected by the Priority Bus Route and continues to the Churchill Roosevelt Highway (CRH). However the Compound is not accessible from the CRH. The Centre offers warehousing, distribution and operating space for several different types of businesses, some of these are: Foundation for the Enhancement and Enrichment of Life.^[5] This Non Governmental Organization (NGO) was founded by Mr. Clive Pantin, brother of the late Archbishop Anthony Pantin of the R.C. Archdiocese of Port of Spain, former principal of Fatima College. The organization is engaged in the collection, distribution of food items to those in need and other social services. Peter Sheppard Studio ~ Peter Sheppard has produced artwork which recreate historical scenes of Trinidad and Tobago.

References[]

Coordinates: 10°39′N 61°29′W / 10.650°N 61.483°W / 10.650; -61.483