Dr Hilary Bernard, President, Arima Community Council
Oh Joy, this day you visit us, when once again we gather at our Arima Community Center. Oh happy Joy, how you shine on the faces of those who fondly and proudly remember when this very spot accommodated so many of us, in so many activities. We are here and happy to make our acquaintance again with this ground that is sacredly knitted into the fibre of our lives.
Arima is one of the earliest settlements in Trinidad. It sprang up on the banks of the Arima river; home of the native Amerindians; even its name is an Amerindian word meaning ‘water’. For more than a century, there was no settlement in Trinidad, east of Arima. Founded around 1757, Spanish rule preserved Arima as a place for our Caribs or First Peoples, perpetuated by the British Governor Ralph Woodford in 1797, when he reiterated to the French settlers who wanted to buy up Arima, that the First Peoples were the Gens d’Arime, and therefore could choose to sell or rent their lands at whatever rate they decided. How things have changed since then. With the abolition of slavery in 1838, few cared about preserving any Spanish founded missions.
Arima was very much in the limelight the previous year, when the giant African Daaga, led the first black insurrection in Trinidad. They mutinied in St. Joseph; it was not successful, so they fled to Arima where they were captured in high drama; almost leading to widespread bloodshed.
Because of its strategic location, Arima was considered a key village in Trinidad around the mid 1800’s. Postal service was inaugurated in Arima in 1851, the first year that Trinidad saw such service. One of the earliest ward schools was established here in 1851.
By 1870, with bustling cocoa trade, Arima was the hub of industrial activity as all produce grown east of Arima, had to be transported here for further transport into Port of Spain. It was on Santa Rosa day in 1876 that Arima saw the inauguration of the first railway line for passengers and freight.
By 1881, wards schools had given way to Government schools and Arima Girls’ Government and Arima Boys Government were two of the earliest Primary Schools in Trinidad. In 1888, Arima had one of its most proud moments, being granted status as a Royal Borough, the first and only town in the Colonies, that Queen Victoria so honoured. That same year, we received the gift of our Dial from the Wallen family. In 1898, Arima again was the place of action as the railway from Arima struck out to the village of Sangre Grande. No more trekking to Grande on foot, and the calypsonian could sing out “ Arima tonight, Sangre Grande tomorrow night; come go”
Arima has remained a hub for market trade and communication. When the age of motorization came about, Arima had the Arima Bus Company. We were never behind in any advancement that this country saw.
During the last century with its World Wars, there was a serious slump in the Trinidad economy during the 1930’s, but by 1941, when the American forces came to Trinidad and set up camps in Wallerfield and Cumuto, a bright and giddy prosperity seized our town and for sure it was “Trouble in Arima….” It was chaos and a major crisis to the moral fibre of our town.
Throughout the 1960’s and 70’s, Arima’s population continued to grow, even whilst we transformed from an agriculture-based economy to an industrial economy with the building up of the O’Meara Industrial Estate factories.
Arima was also an amazing sports destination, where the nation’s best contests in Track & Field, cycling and Football took place under the bright night lights of the Arima Municipal Stadium, the Velodrome.
In Arima, Track & Field was dominated by the Abilene Wildcats whose national excellence continues today as three out of the World Champion 4x400meters national squad hail from Abilene. Ex-track star Charlie Joseph is now the star coach. Cliff Bertrand, Ainsley Armstrong, Anthony Husbands, Laura Pierre, Andrew Bruce, Ronald Affoon, Michael Paul, Neil De Silva, Carlyle Bernard and even I had a time as a national headliner in Track & Field, all under the coaching at Abilene.
Peter de Silva, Leslie King, Quincy Alexander represent generations of Arima cycling excellence.
Fulham Sports Club, Glensdale and Hot Spurs are clubs that dominated football and their names still elicit glorious memories. Fulham also led in Cricket, along with the East Indians and Eclipse Clubs.
Larry and Sheldon Gomes were my neighbours. unbelievably humble and regular guys; huge stars back in the day. Phil Simmons grew up at what is now the car park behind the new RBC.
We cannot forget our international table tennis champion Lionel Darceuil, and weightlifting champion Brandon Bailey.
Indeed, the Caribs danced here, the sportsmen played here or met here for administrative gatherings, Wedding receptions took place here. Civil Society groups presented many excellent shows here; fashion shows, tea parties, Queen shows and Bingo games. The Lions Club, the Kiwanies, the Coterie, The Rotary Club. So many vocational skills were taught here; from electrical wiring to cake baking and icing to mother craft. That was what they called lessons in taking care of a baby.
And we the neighborhood children understood well what playing on swings, seesaws and merry go rounds that we read about in our Enid Blyton story books were all about, because we had them right here at our Community Center.
The spirits of our Arima ancestors must be smiling this day, for one thing you could say about Arima, is that it was truly a close knit Community. Everybody knew everybody, and that's not because we were few, it was because we knew we had to look out for our neighbours and our neighbours’ children. It was our duty as fellow Arimians, to grow with proper respect for one another. That dignity was afforded to everyone in our community. Conducting one’s affairs the Arima way, meant doing it right and doing it well. We look forward to rebuilding our community; engaging one another in happier experiences of life than what is trying to be the norm out there. We will rekindle our unique Arima spirit; that very spirit that makes us proud to be Arimian.
Sharkie, we are back. (Everybody’s favourite street character with a record breaking hyper-elongated tongue and ever-present wheelbarrow)
Nurse Tidd, we are back. (Midwife at Arima Hospital for decades; purported to have delivered half of Arima and was God-mother to so many of them. Received the keys to the Borough in 1975)
Holly B, we are back. (Holly Beteaudier; cultural icon, the famous Arima Kid)
Dr. Laurent and Dr. Boyd, we are back. (Long serving Medical doctors)
Ms. Vero, we are back. (Most welcoming Municipal Market spice vendor)
Breakfast Shed Tom, we are back. (Mentally challenged helper at the Old Community Center Breakfast shed)
Brandon Bailey, we are back! (World-ranked weight-lifter)
Leroy Morris, we are back. (Popular and Colourful past Mayor, grand father to our last Mayor, now MP for D’Abadie O’Meara)
Lord Kitchener, we are back. (Arimian and National Icon)
Raymond ChooKong, we are back! (Arimian and National Icon)
Arima! Arima! we are back!
(ALL OF THE ABOVE ARE WELL-KNOWN and WELL-LOVED DECEASED from our catchment area, who all used the old Community Center in one way or another))
But it’s not just about the old time days: we look to the future: we look forward to our young people speaking out, for we want to know more about them and how best we can all share this world. All are welcome to share new expressions of progress.
Elderly, we will never disown; we want to see you dance, we want to hear you sing and we want to know what made your day, in your day.
It will be a new expression and new zeal for the new Arima Society.
Today, we are deeply grateful to all who pleaded, all who prayed, all who pushed; all who granted permissions and financing and all who are present here to open this beautiful facility.
Even as we exhale with a deep sigh of relief that the journey is almost ended, know that Arima is very grateful.
We will use this facility well. It is our way. There will be order and we will all have our time to populate this community space.
Long live Arimians and God bless you all!