Couva
Encyclopedia
Couva is a town in west-central Trinidad
, south of Chaguanas
and north of Claxton Bay
and San Fernando
. The Greater Couva area includes the Point Lisas
Industrial Estate and the Port of Point Lisas. Couva's southern boundary is at the town of California, and to the north Couva stretches to McBean (both on the Trinidad Southern Main Road). To the east of Couva is Balmain. To the west of Couva is the road to Waterloo and Carli Bay, which are located on the Gulf Of Paria.
, suggested the existence of a river in the area now known as Couva called "Rio de Cuba". Over time, perhaps due to the Spanish "B" having a sound similar to that of the letter "V" in English, the river became known as "Rio de Couva" which was eventually translated as "Couva River". British settlement of what is now referred to as Couva began a little to the north of the mouth of this river.
For many years, the village was little more than a clearing in a sugarcane field. The population was mainly indentured workers of Indian origin with a smaller number of former African slaves and numbered no more than a few hundred. This all changed with the arrival of the railway to Couva in 1880. By 1921, it had grown to a population of 2,667 but, in the decade leading up to 1931, this number fell to 1,895.
, only eight miles away. Additionally, others have found jobs at the industrial estate located in Point Lisas.
The busiest intersection in Couva is Isaac Junction, which is home to the popular nightclub Backstage and the Couva Shopping Complex, which includes the JTA Supermarket, and the local library. Couva has become a major commercial centre, serving as the administrative centre of the Couva-Tabaquite-Talparo Regional Corporation
, but it has declined in importance as the borough of Chaguanas has boomed. Culturally, the town is the home of Couva Joylanders Steel Orchestra, a group well-known for its varied repertoire and community projects. It is also the setting of Derek Walcott
's play Beef, No Chicken
.
. It handles helicopters as well as light aircraft and has a 4000 ft x 50 ft, paved runway. It is the main operating base of both National Helicopter Services Limited and Briko Air Services.
Deo, rajiv being its best mechanic,my brisco batch .
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
, south of Chaguanas
Chaguanas
The Borough of Chaguanas is the largest municipality 2000 census) and fastest-growing town in Trinidad and Tobago. Located in Central Trinidad about south of Port of Spain. It grew in size due to its proximity to the Woodford Lodge sugar refinery. It remained a minor town until the 1980s when it...
and north of Claxton Bay
Claxton Bay
Claxton Bay is a community in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. It is located in west-central Trinidad, and is administered by the Couva-Tabaquite-Talparo Regional Corporation.-References:...
and San Fernando
San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago
The City of San Fernando with a population of 55,419 according to the 2000 census, is the larger of Trinidad and Tobago's two cities and the second largest municipality after Chaguanas. It occupies 18 km² and is located in the southwestern part of the island of Trinidad...
. The Greater Couva area includes the Point Lisas
Point Lisas
Point Lisas is the site of the Point Lisas Industrial Estate and the Port of Point Lisas, both of which are managed by Plipdeco...
Industrial Estate and the Port of Point Lisas. Couva's southern boundary is at the town of California, and to the north Couva stretches to McBean (both on the Trinidad Southern Main Road). To the east of Couva is Balmain. To the west of Couva is the road to Waterloo and Carli Bay, which are located on the Gulf Of Paria.
History
The first British map of Trinidad, made in 1797 after the island was surrendered by SpainJosé Maria Chacón
Don José María Chacón was the last Spanish Governor of Trinidad. He was responsible for signing the Cedula of Population in 1783 , moved the capital from San José de Oruña to Puerto de España in 1783, founded the city of San Fernando in 1784 and surrendered the island of Trinidad to a British...
, suggested the existence of a river in the area now known as Couva called "Rio de Cuba". Over time, perhaps due to the Spanish "B" having a sound similar to that of the letter "V" in English, the river became known as "Rio de Couva" which was eventually translated as "Couva River". British settlement of what is now referred to as Couva began a little to the north of the mouth of this river.
For many years, the village was little more than a clearing in a sugarcane field. The population was mainly indentured workers of Indian origin with a smaller number of former African slaves and numbered no more than a few hundred. This all changed with the arrival of the railway to Couva in 1880. By 1921, it had grown to a population of 2,667 but, in the decade leading up to 1931, this number fell to 1,895.
Present Status
Couva has continued to grow in size with the national census recording a figure of 3,572 persons in 1980. Historically, the majority of its people have worked on the nearby sugar estates but, recently, many residents have found employment with the oil refinery at Pointe-a-PierrePointe-à-Pierre
Pointe-à-Pierre is a town in Trinidad and Tobago. It lies north of San Fernando and south of Claxton Bay. It is most famous as the site of the country's largest oil refinery which is run by Petrotrin, the state-owned oil company....
, only eight miles away. Additionally, others have found jobs at the industrial estate located in Point Lisas.
The busiest intersection in Couva is Isaac Junction, which is home to the popular nightclub Backstage and the Couva Shopping Complex, which includes the JTA Supermarket, and the local library. Couva has become a major commercial centre, serving as the administrative centre of the Couva-Tabaquite-Talparo Regional Corporation
Couva-Tabaquite-Talparo Regional Corporation
Couva-Tabaquite-Talparo Regional Corporation is a Regional Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago. It has a land area of 719.64 km². Urban areas within Couva-Tabaquite-Talparo Regional Corporation include Claxton Bay, Couva, Point Lisas, St...
, but it has declined in importance as the borough of Chaguanas has boomed. Culturally, the town is the home of Couva Joylanders Steel Orchestra, a group well-known for its varied repertoire and community projects. It is also the setting of Derek Walcott
Derek Walcott
Derek Alton Walcott, OBE OCC is a Saint Lucian poet, playwright, writer and visual artist who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1992 and the T. S. Eliot Prize in 2011 for White Egrets. His works include the Homeric epic Omeros...
's play Beef, No Chicken
Beef, No Chicken
Beef, No Chicken is a two-act play by Caribbean playwright Derek Walcott, written in 1981. The play is set in the Trinidadian town of Couva...
.
Air Services
There is also an airstrip located on the outskirts of the town called the Camden BaseCamden Airstrip
The Camden Airstrip is a small airstrip in Couva, Trinidad. Crop dusting planes use this airstrip; also drag racing takes place on the airstrip....
. It handles helicopters as well as light aircraft and has a 4000 ft x 50 ft, paved runway. It is the main operating base of both National Helicopter Services Limited and Briko Air Services.
Deo, rajiv being its best mechanic,my brisco batch .