Straight to Guayaguayare

Zorina Shah

I was meeting Claire Watson for the first time, unlike all those Naps girls who had read Shakespeare and er, I really do not know what else is on the booklist, with her. Claire has a simple alternative to a printed road map of Trinidad and Tobago and Google Maps.

“It’s a straight road.” 

It was indeed. We headed towards Princes Town on the Naparima Mayaro Road which gives a clear view of the Central Range, rainy day or not. The other route from San Fernando to Princes Town is along the Manahambre Road which passes by St. Clement's Anglican Church, the Ste. Madeleine pond and the old sugar factory.

I glimpsed a Nagee Trace just after Iere Village Branch Road and wondered if it was named after the in-laws of Yvonne Stulec. The flaming poinciana flowers of one of our national songs were plentiful and other trees were laden with birds’ nests. We by passed the Presbyterian Church and an Anglican Church on the corner of Lothians Road on our way to the town centre, then left behind villages of St Julien, Hindustan, New Grant, Tableland on the way to Rio Claro, a busy built-up town.

Our interests in this trip were varied. Claire was looking for signs along the roadside, the kind that when you see them, you know they are from Trinidad. Allison stepped out in the rain and through some puddles in Poole, of all places, to capture a classic. 

Allison wanted to observe what was taking place in villages leading to coastal areas, away from the centres of activity. How did people earn an income? What social activities did they engage in? Were they affected by changes in the energy sector and the pandemic? 

As per usual, I have no agenda. Have chauffeur, will travel. Not quite what they call gas-brains, but pretty close. We stopped by a church that Allison had visited before. The corbeaux, perched atop the cross, served as the weather vane, not a foreboding of the role of the Church in society. When we reached Mayaro, I wanted to tell Claire to go straight ahead to the beach, but she made a right turn on the “straight road” and we were on the way to Guayaguayare with dreams of stepping on the point at Galeota. Allison had taught at Mayaro Composite School for one year, Claire had campaigned in every village in Trinidad where there is a school, for an elected post on the executive of the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers’ Association (TTUTA). Me, I had been to most villages for the simple pleasure of sitting in a rum shop and chatting with men already slurring from the effects of Forres Park puncheon rum.

Allison Wong Wai photo

The 25 kilometres of coastline between Mayaro and Galeota was mainly stormy, but we met some patches of sunlight and a fair amount of rain. The fishing port looked untidy with its numerous shacks, but showed that the industry was alive. During the Lenten period there is greater demand for fresh fish.

The Petrotrin oilfield road was closed because of “work going on”, the guard told us although she did not know what kind of work. BHP Billiton and British Petroleum announced themselves in huge letters, as did some local contractors like Damus. Just to dreevay a bit, Damus was formed by the Sumadh family. They dropped the ‘h’ and reversed the spelling. In the 1970s, I interviewed Lynne Sumadh at the company’s head office which was at Circular Road, the building which is now occupied by Great Wall Restaurant.

We had lunch in Mayaro on the way back. I ate curried duck, dhal, two scoops of rice and fresh salad. I passed on the Johnny Walker as it was Jumaah Friday, like it has been Jumaah Friday every day for a long time.

Claire was not tired, so guess what! We went through Petit Cafe on the road to Moruga, through the six companies named after slave villages. There was a lot of work going on here, major work that may have started before the elections last year.  I asked for directions from a work crew and the guy answered in Spanish. Down at the point where the fisherman’s fete is held and where they once celebrated Discovery Day, the statue of St. Peter leant away from the road. I took a pic of the Church and although it stood straight, that too was leaning in my pic. 

Allison - done visiting St. Peter

Not a leaning church

Claire knew this village well, having spent many holidays here. She took us into La Lune Road and showed us a house she knew. My friend Helena Allum’s family is from La Lune and one of her brothers still lives there. In 1986 during the elections campaign I had gone to Marac, the end of the road where Selwyn Richardson was holding a public meeting. 

On the way out we stopped at Chan Wah shop where Claire also knew the family. The guys were sitting outside drinking beers and rum. Now that is my style, how I spent many days in villages around the country.

I offered to find an obeah woman so we could come back and interview her, but the response was not so helpful.

Allison Wong Wai photo

My favourite spot

I am telling this story mainly about the journey as both Allison and Claire will be using some other information in different ways.

I am yet to know where the next destination is, but that should be this coming weekend.