Point Fortin

Coordinates: 10°10′N 61°40′W / 10.167°N 61.667°W / 10.167; -61.667
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Point Fortin
UTC-4 (AST)
Postal Code
64xxxx, 70xxxx[3]
Area code(s)+1 (868) 648, 651, 690
ISO 3166 codeTT-PTF
Websitepointfortinborough.com

Point Fortin, officially the Republic Borough of Point Fortin, the smallest

Liquefied Natural Gas plant by Atlantic LNG
in late 1990s boosted the economy.

History and development

At the beginning of the 20th century (before the discovery of oil), Point Fortin was an agricultural community with three distinct and separately owned cocoa and coconut estates.

These estates were sparsely populated. Employment was provided for a small number of workers who depended on the estates for their living accommodation as well as their food and other supplies. Travel in and out of Point Fortin was by coastal steamers as there was no road into or out of the area. The inhabited area was located along the seacoast.

In 1907, the Trinidad Oilfields moved into Point Fortin on an expedition for the exploration of oil and sank its first oil well on the La Fortunee Estates. That company turned out to be the only one that survived successfully, although there had been several similar expeditions by other oil companies.

The company later changed its name to the United British Oilfields of Trinidad then became Shell Trinidad Limited. In 1974 it was acquired by the Government and named TRINTOC or the Trinidad and Tobago Oil Company, today known as Petrotrin.

The change from an agricultural to an oil based economy made a significant impact in Point Fortin. There was rapid development in the construction of dwelling houses, plant, pipelines and oil tanks in the area. Point Fortin was booming and labour, particularly skilled labour for the new technology, was scarce and posed a major problem. Trinidadians did not seem to be attracted to the area.

Although people migrated from all over the country, the population in 1931 was less than 500. There were very few houses, no schools, and recreational and other facilities. As a result, Trinidadians who went to work in Point Fortin never took their families with them.

However, this changed when the company realised that in order to attract and retain workers, they needed to develop the area. This encouraged families to settle in the area, and coupled with a growth in the commercial sector, brought about such facilities as a post office, police station as well as other governmental agencies and banks.

In the 1960s the town began to see a decline due to massive retrenchment. The Government tried to revive the economic activity and eventually succeeded in establishing the Dunlop Tyre Factory. However the economic revival was only achieved in the early 1970s as a result of the Oil boom and the acquisition of Shell Trinidad Limited by the government. Point Fortin's Mayor is Saleema McCree Thomas (PNM).[4] The MP for Point Fortin is Kennedy Richards Jr. (PNM).

Demographics

Ancestry

Historical populations
YearPop.±%
1980 16,710—    
1990 18,622+11.4%
2000 17,755−4.7%
2011 20,161+13.6%
Borough of Point Fortin racial breakdown
Racial composition 2011[5]
Black (Afro-Trinidadian/Tobagonian) 59.5%
South Asian (Indo-Trinidadian) 11.5%
Multiracial
 9.1%
Dougla (South Asian and Black)
 8.9%
White Trinidadian
 0.4%
West Asian (Chinese)
 0.12%
Native American (Amerindian) 0.09%
Arab (Syrian/Lebanese) -
Other 0.1%
Not stated 10.4%

Notable natives

Culture

  • Fay-Ann Lyons Alvarez
    – Soca Artiste
  • Austin Lyons (Superblue) – Calypsonian / Soca artist/ father of Fay-Ann Lyons and her sister Terri Lyons
  • Kelvin Pope (The Mighty Duke) – Calypsonian
  • Keegan Taylor Soca artist/Stick Fighter
  • Lady Tiny- Calypsonian
  • Iwer George - Calypsonian/ Soca artist
  • Naya George - Soca artiste

Sports

Public service

  • Lionel Blake – first mayor
  • Victor Chin Kit – past mayor
  • Cyril Rogers – longest-serving MP
  • John Cupid – cultural researcher
  • Francis Bertrand – longest-serving mayor (Boro Day Pioneer)

Others

  • Arthur Joseph -
    Deal or No Deal (US game show)
    winner
  • Manchand Teeluck - professional wrestler Ring of Honor and New Japan Pro-Wrestling
  • Kailash Seemegona - color commentator Ring of Honor and New Japan Pro-Wrestling
  • Keston Jones - special effects assistant (Ash vs Evil Dead)
  • Blake Ramires - radio co-host pirate radio podcast (US Internet radio/podcast show)
  • Phillip Mitchell - radio host Univ of Hartford. CT.USA (West Indian Rhythms)WWUH
  • Lance Knight - Video Game Developer/Programmer and Program Development Coordinator for Waseda University Waseda University

Education

Primary schools

  • Point Fortin Roman Catholic Primary School
  • Point Fortin S.D.A Primary School
  • Egypt Village Government Primary School
  • Point Fortin Anglican Primary School
  • Point Fortin A.S.J.A Primary School
  • Cap-de-Ville Government Primary School
  • Fanny Village Government Primary School

Secondary schools

  • Point Fortin East Secondary School (formally known as PFC)
  • Point Fortin West Secondary School (formally known as the Junior Secondary)
  • Holy Name Convent'

Other Educational/Training Institutions

  • Manchand Teeluck's Squared Circle Grappling Academy - Professional Wrestling Academy
  • Lu-Wong Dance Academy
  • Com Sa Choi - Asian Culinary Institute
  • Club Malibu - Pole Dancing Academy

Electoral districts

  • Egypt Village
  • Techier/Guapo Village
  • Mahaica/New Lands Village
  • Cap-De-Ville/Fanny Village
  • New Village
  • Hollywood Village

References

  1. ^ "Act1980_12.pdf". DIGITAL LEGISLATIVE LIBRARY. Government of Trinidad and Tobago. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  2. ^ "Elevation of Point Fortin, Trinidad and Tobago Elevation Map, Topo, Contour". floodmap.net. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
  3. ^ "List of Postal Districts". TTPOST. 29 July 2018. Retrieved 29 July 2018.[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ "Councils of the PFBC". PointFortinBorough.com. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  5. ^ Central Statistical Office. "NON-INSTITUTIONAL POPULATION BY SEX, AGE GROUP, ETHNIC GROUP AND MUNICIPALITY" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 6 December 2017.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Point Fortin.
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