1. We are made up of two islands, the bigger island Trinidad and the smaller Tobago. We are located at the bottom of the Caribbean island chain and neighbours to Grenada and Venezuela. We are located approximately 10
°30' North, 61
° West. Our local time zone is UTC -4, or Georgetown/Caracas La paz. (DST does not apply). We basically have 12 hours of sunlight all year round, the sun sets a little earlier in December so it is dark by 6pm, but in June it gets dark around 7pm.
We have a tropical climate, which means we basically only get rain or sunshine, on average most of the days are dry. Our average humidity is approx. 85% during the rainy season but not much lower all year round. One very common mistake visitors make is leaving wet towels crumpled in a heap and coming back later in the day to find it still wet. They are used to low humidity where everything dries quickly. Your hair will also get frizzy more quickly here!
CIA World Factbook
Wikipedia has all the other details.
Ministry of tourism
Discover TnT
TDC TnT
Virtual Tourist
US-Television Documentary
New York Daily News article
A quick summary looks something like this:
2.We speak English. Despite what many websites default to when you visit them from Trinidad, our Native language is (British)
English. All signs are in English, some have second versions in
Spanish. We have a unique accent which is described as a sing song sound
and many of the words are broken/ shortened. You will hear 'd' instead
of 'the' and 'wah' instead of 'what'.
List of local lingo:
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix:Glossary_of_Trinidadian_English
Here is a sample of our local 'twang': (PG-13)
3. We drive on the left side of the road. Our driver seats are on the right side of the car. Foreign driver's permits are acceptable for a limited period of time. Fuel is approx $4TTD a litre, this is so cheap because it is currently subsidised by the government. Our fuel stations carry Super (92 Octane $2.70TTD/litre), Premium (95 Octane $5.75TTD/litre) and Diesel ($1.50TTD/litre, one grade- '3rd world' if you ask me). Most cars run on super, most rental companies will tell you to use premium in their cars, which is a less than honest request. Fuel stations are not well placed so try to avoid going too low on fuel. The islands are small but you can run into traffic very easily and have to wait it out (
Police cause gridlock). Any major concert "in the west" or west of West Moorings usually causes a long pile up and many hours of frustration. Avoid the areas around concerts/rallies/protests if you can. By law front passengers are required to wear seat belts, drivers must use hands free devices for their cell phones and cannot drive drunk.
Waze (navigation/traffic app) is popular but does not always give the safest or shortest route. It may send you through crime hot spots or through rough back roads so you should get advice from a local before putting all your trust in it.
There are many car rental companies and prices start at the typical $50USD a day for a basic sedan. Inspect the vehicle yourself before renting it because some unscrupulous companies claim damages for pre-existing dents.
Public transportation is readily available in populated areas. There are regular buses and cars for hire all around and it is cheap to travel. Licensed taxis have an 'H' letter first on their number plates. People also commonly and illegally use private cars (letter 'P' plates, locally called"P-H") as taxis. There are different colour stripes on our panel van 'maxis' to differentiate them according to which route they are supposed to be working.
You can travel between the islands of TnT by air or by water. Both modes
have multiple trips every day. The ferry is $50TTD per person one way
and a flight is $150TTD one way per person. A ferry also goes between
San Fernando and Port-of-Spain every day.
Our roads are bad outside of the main town areas. Watch out for potholes along the road wherever you go, or for people in the other lane dodging potholes on their side.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Moruga_roads_crumbling-188770331.html
It is very common to see people walking on the sides of the roads since many places do not have side walks. We have many stray dogs and cats and you will even see goats and cows in some places crossing the roads.
Roads signs and directions are common in the city areas and broken/missing/non existent in most other places. Some major tourist attractions are highlighted by brown and white signs.
Expect bad behaviour on the roadways. Other cars will pull in front of you without indicating, people will cross without looking, cars will stop suddenly and may not have working brake lights, oncoming cars may have one working headlight, dangerous cutting in and out on the highways, passengers open doors without looking, oncoming cars will have high beam lights on, dangerous roads will not be indicated -suddenly get narrow/winding/undulating etc. Illegal parking is common and often ignored by law enforcement. The highest speed limit we have is 80 km/h on the main highways but this limit is ignored. Typically police cars are the only ones at the speed limit and other cars overtake them with no issues. Children can often be seen jumping around in moving vehicles. Cars overtake on the shoulders and drive both ways on one way streets, so look both ways on all streets.
We have one international airport in Trinidad (
Piarco International) and another in Tobago (A.N.R. Robinson International). All taxes associated with the airport is included in tickets, you do not pay any taxes/fees at the airport on arrival or departure. Wearing camouflage pattern clothing is illegal in the country and you will have to change at the airport if you attempt to enter the country wearing it. At the airport you have waiting taxis or you can rent a car or wait for
your transportation you arranged with your hotel or friends/family. Transportation for luggage is most easily moved in a hotel sedan taxi or hotel panel van. Bandits have taken luggage from pickup trays when people stop at traffic lights just after leaving the airport. If you have to use an open tray vehicle, pass a strap or rope around them. Large and small maxis and regular taxis do not have accommodation for luggage.
National Bus service
http://www.ptsc.co.tt/
Piarco Airport official site
http://www.piarcoairport.com/
Note that wheelchair passengers are not allowed on flights to Tobago, they would have to take the ferry.
To go between Trinidad and Tobago by water
https://ttitferry.com/
Taxis are close to both ports so transport is not an issue.
To go between San Fernando and Port of Spain by water
http://www.tntisland.com/watertaxis.html
Air transport (between Trinidad and Tobago and also other countries)
http://www.caribbean-airlines.com/
TnT road and driving regulations
http://www.ttregs.com/
For everything high speed, classifieds, events, general info
http://www.trinituner.com
You can fly into TnT via many international airports on Caribbean Airlines, United, US Airways, British Airways and a few others.
http://www.skyscanner.net/flights-to/tt/airlines-that-fly-to-trinidad-and-tobago.html
4. Our local dollar is approx $6.7TTD to $1USD.
That is about $10.3TTD to
£1GBP. It is easy to convert USD or other major foreign currency to local dollars in any bank. Some restaurants and shops accept USD foreign currency at a different rate. Most major places have a credit card facility but I advise to walk with TT cash (or calling before you arrive to ask) for your critical purchases since it is common for the machines/phone lines to be down.
Most items are taxed 12.5% of their value with VAT (Value Added Tax) going to the government. Advertised prices are typically VAT inclusive, so there is usually no mention of VAT on signs.You usually pay the prices labelled on items. VAT exclusive prices displayed may be high value goods such as cars, jewellery, machinery etc. where sellers have a small note next to their ad mentioning the VAT.
Check the current exchange rates and info on our actual currency(bills and coins) here:
http://www.central-bank.org.tt/
5. Food is easy to find and generally cheap. We have a very diverse variety of food available from all the different cultures that live in Trinidad. The best way to explore for food is to make some local friends and let them give you the tour. At the top of the list is probably 'doubles', a fried dish, usually for breakfast but you can have it at any time. All food vendors are supposed to have a food badge which would mean they are aware of proper sanitation practices. After they get the badge however things would have to be extremely bad for them to get shut down. Choose your vendors carefully, follow the crowds.
Home cooked food tastes best but we have a well developed and popular fast food industry also. The local KFC flavour is like no other, also look for Barfi flavoured ice cream. Alcohol is plentiful and easily available. You can walk in public and drive with open alcohol in the vehicle. Some restaurants require reservations so
call before visiting (TT Yellow pages). There is always a celebration coming up, each with it's unique and delicious food. You should find out what fruits are currently in season- mangoes, guava, passion fruit, sorrel, pineapple, plantain, plum, caimate and many more.
Because of our mixed heritage, you will find a wide variety of food catering to a wide variety of people. You can usually find a vegetarian alternative available for meals in the major supermarkets. Options would be limited in rural areas. Kosher food and Halaal meats can be found so be sure to ask about them. Nutritional content, expiry dates and allergy information are not always available.
I highly recommend attending(crashing!) a Hindu wedding or the nights leading up to it. It is a weekend full of festivities and treats. There is no meat and alcohol at the event but still very entertaining and full of great food.
Lomotil or Imodium is commonly used for diarrhea and Gravol is commonly used for vomiting or motion sickness. Both are readily found in pharmacies.
In 2011 we were rated for the
HOTTEST PEPPER IN THE WORLD!
*it's true, you will sweat the curry out!
A popular cookbook to buy is the Naparima Girls Cookbook for local recipes. The problem with trying local recipes abroad is you will not get the same ingredients, eg we have one main kind of potato, you may have six. The choice of some products is limited in most stores, eg only one or two kinds of wheat bread. We import many products so an alternative may have to work.
Check these out:
http://trinichow.com/ (NOTE the Events section!)
http://www.trinigourmet.com/
As a country, we eat a a lot. The leading cause of death in this country is from lifestyle dis
eases. "Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases (CNCDs) are the top
four leading causes of death in Trinidad and Tobago accounting for over
60% of all deaths annually."
http://www.health.gov.tt/news/newsitem.aspx?id=277
Lifestyle diseases on the rise in Central
We 'pick' our regionally produced rice to take out bad grains and pebbles etc. The picture below shows what we typically take out or rice before it is cooked. After enough time passes there would be insects in there too as they hatch etc. The most common brand of milk is sold in sealed packs, kept in cupboards and not refrigerated until it is opened.
Our beer bottles are not screw caps and depending on storage conditions there may be bits of rust you need to clean off before drinking, as everyone does. The bartender may get upset if you ask for a different one. I have been cursed at when I tried to switch an expired 20oz Pepsi with a good one. Pizza is served without eating utensils because we eat it with our hands. We put condiments on our pizza: ketchup, mustard and pepper sauce.
VAT now applies to most foods.
http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2015-10-07/vat-down-food-costs-will-increase
http://guardian.co.tt/budget-2013/2012-11-15/minister-vat-removal-restaurants-can-also-drop-prices
6. Trinidad is primarily for business. Tobago is primarily for leisure, although both Islands have lots to see and lots to do for tourists. I recommend against visiting TnT. Many other Caribbean countries give a better holiday experience and are much safer. Trinidad has many energy based industries due to the abundance of oil and gas deposits. Tobago depends primarily on tourism. That being said, the far majority of major parties take place in north west Trinidad, despite the largest concentration of people being in central Trinidad. There is carnival in February/March, carnival band launches during 'summer' (June/July/August) and Parang for Christmas. All the time in between is filled with regular clubbing and usually a major foreign artiste or two for the year. Women are openly catcalled and stared at in public.
Our word for 'hanging out' is 'lime'. We can go to a 'lime', 'make a lime', or be 'liming' at home or a mall.
For a list of liming spots
check out my post here.
List of some
Fab facts
Oil and Gas industry
Things to try:
Caroni Bird Sactuary (Trinidad)
Aerial tour of the Islands
Ziplining
Rishi's checklist
Horseback riding
La Vega Estate
Harry's Water Park
Local social events web sites
http://www.lime.tt/ Note the event calendar
https://buzz.tt/events
7. The phone number for Police is 999, for fire is 990 and for an ambulance is 811 from any phone. There is no single number like 999 for all emergencies. We have hospitals and medical centres throughout the islands.
All police station
numbers are here.
A longer list of various other numbers can be
found here.
Personally I have tried calling 999 and had it ring out, I got an answer after the second or third try. My local police station does not seem to have call waiting, so when I do not get the phone just ringing, it would be busy. The minority of times it would be answered. I have tried calling to get info about events or make a complaint or find out about traffic in the area.
http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,173873.html
The number one show in the country, Crime Watch, shows local crimes caught on tape etc.
Crime occurs throughout both islands in all towns. Try to avoid drawing attention to yourself with jewellery and gadgets when sightseeing/in public.
British tourist killed April 2016
Japanese tourist murdered Feb 2016
British couple murdered Oct 2015
Cruise ship tourist beaten and robbed Feb 2015
Canadian advisory
U.K travel advisory
USA travel advisory
Second US advisory
Third US advisory
8. There are two cell phone carriers, Bmobile and Digicel. I recommend using Digicel. You can get a prepaid (pay as you go) handset, sim card and some credit for approx $200 TTD ($30 USD). Both carriers only use the GSM platform on 850/1900 mhz frequencies so roaming with a compatible handset is easy. There are data packages available for Blackberry, Iphone, Android, laptops etc. If you are staying more than a couple days it usually works out much cheaper to buy a local prepaid cell phone and give out your new number. Your friends abroad will be calling a foreign number instead of you paying for roaming. All incoming calls and text messages received on local phones are free and unlimited, only the calling/sending party pays, unless it is a collect call.
The format for phone numbers is the same as that used in North America. All phone numbers are 10 digits: 868-123-4567, with 868(TNT) being the country code for both islands. While in the country, to call another local number just use the last 7 digits (123-4567), no country code(868) is necessary. If someone outside the country is calling you they would need the area code prefix also so they would be calling '1-868-123-4567'. The '1' before '868' is usually to indicate an international call is being made.
Digicel Trinidad and Tobago
http://www.bmobile.co.tt/
9. Tap water is potable,mostly. It is safe to use for cooking but I recommend bottled water for drinking. Tap water may not be perfectly colourless. Bottled water is widely available if you prefer for about $1USD for a small bottle. There will be times when work is being done on the mains in the area and quality would be affected or cut off completely. All major guest houses, hotels etc. have a backup water supply but you should confirm with smaller places about a backup supply especially during the dry season. Most residents also have large water tanks as reserve for the regular outages in most areas.
I always have a bottle of water with me anywhere I go because it is easy to get thirsty in our hot weather. Always have napkins and hand sanitizer handy because water outages are regular and unannounced. Places with washrooms typically do not put up signs announcing the lack of water so you only find out when you want to wash your hands.
10. We use 110 volt, 60hz , 'American' standard plugs. All electronics that run on power in the U.S.A can be used in Trinidad and Tobago as we use the NEMA 5-15p standard. The electricity supply is dependable.
If there is an outage it is usually back on in a few seconds. If a major problem occurs there is a quick response to return the supply. Maintenance work is usually advertised days or weeks before it commences.
Electricity is easily accessible to almost all inhabited parts of the islands.
http://guardian.co.tt/business/2013-11-22/tt-ranked-tenth-world-electricity-connectivity
We officially use the metric system (Celsius, meters) although imperial (Fahrenheit, inches) is still used regularly. The most common place to see this is fresh markets where things are still sold in pounds.
11. The internet is fully accessible. Most hotels and guest houses have WiFi or there is a cheap internet cafe close by that may be $10TTD/hr ($2USD/hr). There are also open WiFi networks at many tourist hotspots and malls. The country's access is not restricted by any political or security rules.
Technology is abundant in the country. No hi-tech devices are manufactured here so they cost a bit more than buying from the U.S.A. Warranties are usually less than the U.S.A period, if any at all.
I recommend buying personal hi-tech parts from
SuperTech and
Wizz
Musical instruments, car audio, personal electronics, repairs
https://www.facebook.com/GopaulElectronics
Online shopping is very popular. There are 'skybox'(courier) companies
(http://shipwebsource.com/) offering a US address to ship online purchases to and they ship to TnT and deliver to you. You pay them the related transport and customs fees.
12. We have more holidays than we need. There are approximately 15 days off during the year -
wiki info here. The most famous of these is Carnival which is in February or March. We have had holidays declared by the government for special events.
-Thursday 17th November,1995 was given in celebration of our victory in a World Cup qualifying match against Bahrain).
-A national holiday to celebrate the success of the 2012 Olympians who represented TnT was also given. The general idea is we use every excuse to lime. Food, drinks and dancing all go hand in hand with each other.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Holiday__15_puts_T_T_in_world_s_top_10-166066686.html
Official List of holidays
Here is a huge compilation of some of our local music:
This is a local anthem.
Nicki Minaj was born here. She is the most well known of all Trinibagonians but we have many other internationally acclaimed artists such as
Machel Montano, Kes the band, Destra and too many more to list.
These people are also Trinis:
Billy Ocean
Haddaway
Jack Warner
Conrad Murray
Annie Dookhan
13. Nature is Everywhere. As we are in a tropical climate you will be in close contact with nature whether you like it or not. The most likely encounter will be with mosquitoes when they come out on evenings/nights. We have a few different species including the Aedes aegypti which transmits the potentially fatal Dengue Fever,
Chikungunya and Zika viruses. Repellent such as Off spray (approx. $10USD) or Odomos cream (approx $3 USD) is recommended once you are outside or sleeping with open windows. Both of these mentioned work very well. Spraying your bedroom each night with an insecticide a while before you go in is a good idea if you do not have air conditioning as they find their way inside most buildings easily. The a/c keeps them mostly at bay even if they are around you. Another fun weapon against them is an electronic swatter/racquet. You can get one for approx. $7USD at groceries or variety stores. People who do not like having repellent on their skin like these, and it is fun to hear/see the fireworks when you zap them.
I have personally witnessed small snakes and centipedes go up walls so do not think a two story building keeps you any safer! A phenomenon you should look out for is twinkling trees! (especially mango trees). Fireflies hang out around them and can put on a hypnotizing show.
This is what you can do in Tobago:
Birds of all shapes and colours will be singing throughout the islands. You will see many stray animals, mostly dogs and cats. There is no poop n' scoop law so watch where you step! We have chickens, goats, sheep, cows etc. that are put to pasture all around. We have a very diverse flora and fauna collection including some species that were discovered here. Also noteworthy is the largest natural deposit of asphalt in the world, the Pitch Lake which is located in La Brea, Trinidad. Tobago is host to one of the largest brain corals in the world and a coral reef. Make sure you go to the
Emperor Valley Zoo in Port of Spain, the real fun is on the weekends with feeding the animals! The sunsets sometimes fill the sky with yellows and reds that take your breath away. The full moon is giant when it appears on the horizon and starts to climb. On a moonless night you could see the milky way if you are in a dark part of the island.
Lots of aerial videos of the country here:
https://www.youtube.com/user/robkrogh1
Countryside and hiking videos here:
https://www.youtube.com/user/TheXeretic/videos
Importing pets is a long drawn out process which the country is not equipped for, facilities are dilapidated and crowded.
http://www.discover-tt.net/marinas/quarantine_pet_regulations.html
http://www.ttcgnewyork.com/regulationsregardingpets.html
Flooding, landslides and falling debris is common is many areas when bad weather is around. Pay attention to the weather forecasts and use common sense. Luckily the islands are located outside of the hurricane belt, but we do sometimes have extremely stormy weather. Earthquakes are not common.
Tobago from
Pixel Productions on
Vimeo.
Here is an extensive list of local species:
http://sta.uwi.edu/fst/lifesciences/ogatt.asp
Link to a local environmental group:
Nature tours:
http://asawright.org/
http://www.papwildfowltrust.org/
http://www.amazing-trinidad-vacations.com/la-brea-pitch-lake.html
Caroni Bird Sactuary (Trinidad)
Turtle Watching
Down D' Islands (off the north west tip of Trinidad)
Hiking:
http://www.hikeseekers.com/
http://www.islandhikers.com/
Weather bulletins from ODPM:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/ODPMTT/172163049358
Expect a couple specks of foreign matter in your food too. The environment is generally dusty. It is illegal to urinate in public but expect to see people on the sides of the roads doing it as public spaces have missing/broken/dirty facilities. Also, it probably has something to do with the amount of 'drinking' people do.
14. Healthcare is free. There are numerous health care facilities throughout islands (listed in link below) which anyone can go to and receive medical attention. Nationals and non-nationals are treated for free and with equal priority. The wait time in the public clinics can be very long and treatment may be incomplete. Some medicine is subsidised, some free and some at full cost. Pharmacies and 'Drug Stores' are found throughout the islands and most carry a wide range of supplies and medicines. Many supermarkets and parlours sell the more common non prescription drugs- pain relievers, stomach remedies, first aid items etc.
There are many private medical institutions where you pay for service. This can of course be very costly for locals and foreigners. A basic visit starts at approx. $100 TTD which can last a few minutes and then you have to purchase your prescriptions.
There is no special marking to give directions to these facilities. There may be road signs pointing to the hospitals or health centres but they are probably in the typical blue and white format so they would not necessarily stand out. The pharmacies have their private custom signs they put up depending on what the owner wants. What they may have most in common is the 'Rx' logo somewhere at the front, but definitely no green or red crosses to highlight them.
The national medical emergency ambulance's phone number is 811 but their response time can be excessive even though ambulances are posted throughout the islands and always on standby when not on a call.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/20151124/news/day-of-despair
Full list of health facilities:
http://www.health.gov.tt/moh-healthfacilities/
We have 'American' styled toilets. They use water to flush and toilet paper as expected. The used toilet paper is put in the toilet and flushed with everything else.
Most places are not wheelchair or differently abled accessible. In fact, able people typically park in marked handicapped parking spots with no remorse, and no consequence. Even if a building is made accessible, the pavements or surroundings are probably not.
15. Education is free. From pre school to tertiary education you can get government sponsored schooling. There are also private schools you can pay for. Students wear unique uniforms according to their schools. The terms run similarly to the north American school calendar with three terms and a long 'summer' break.
The government elected in 2010 has even given each child entering secondary school a brand new laptop. Schools are found throughout both islands. Text books are provided free to students.
The Ministry of Education:
http://www.moe.gov.tt/
16. We are a developing nation.
This means few things work well, some work half way, and many systems are broken/corrupt. I say this because :
There are still no wash-rooms in many public spaces, such as government ministries, banks, utility companies etc. Carnival is a prime example of this where thousands or tourists come in and facilities are not placed along the parade routes for people who do not pay to be in a band. The disabled and elderly are not treated fairly.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Blind_protest_for_housing-182474961.html
http://guardian.co.tt/news/2012-06-03/dumping-elderly-rise-tt
Potholes take months to fix outside of the capital, and then they are typically repaired 2 inches higher or lower than the surrounding road surface. The fixes last weeks as they are not done properly.
 |
| Road repairs being done barefooted and with the wrong materials, 29 Nov 2013 |
Crime is prevalent throughout both islands. It does not help that many people are friends or family with police officers with influence. For several years 15,000+ new laptops were given out to new Form 1 students (12 year olds), but our police officers are still using hand written log books which can mysteriously lose pages.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/20160607/news/80000-bail-for-prison-officer-charged-with-taking-jail-keys
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/20151109/news/slippery-suspect-escapes
http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2015-10-17/cops-bust-human-trafficking-ring-south
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/On-yacht-with-drug-lord-4-cops-transferred-290487951.html
http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2014-09-26/court-file-junior-sammy's-son-disappears
http://www.newsday.co.tt/crime_and_court/0,123974.html
http://legacy.guardian.co.tt/archives/2006-05-23/news1.html
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Cops_to_target_gangs-187222231.html
http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2013-02-18/murder-spree-claims-seven-over-weekend
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Prisoner-sets-himself-free-279999222.html
We have one of the highest homicide rates in the world.
http://www.businessinsider.com/most-homicides-by-country-2014-11
http://www.businessinsider.com/the-20-most-homicidal-countries-in-the-world-2014-12?op=1
http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,203328.html
Corruption is prevalent in many utilities/ministries/organisations, long lines and bad customer service is common. Workers at some government offices abandon their desks after lunchtime with no consequences. Many government offices are not computerised so files disappear or are easily manipulated. The people responsible for wasting the country's resources are not in jail.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/NAUGHTY-KAMLA--286814821.html (up for 4 days)
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/LifeSport-was-easy--268033581.html
http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2014-05-05/dana-seetahal-sc-ambushed-killed
http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,181852.html
http://vextrini.blogspot.com/2012/07/h-e-ambtherese-baptiste-cornelis.html
http://www.newsday.co.tt/business/0,173725.html
http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,123447.html
http://guardian.co.tt/news/2012-05-21/150m-complete-lara-stadium
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/business-magazine/The_CLICO_Fiasco__Courtroom__not_Commission-106662223.html
http://guardian.co.tt/news/2012-12-06/barbados-%E2%80%98cleanest%E2%80%99-among-region-corruption-index
http://guardian.co.tt/business-guardian/2012-10-31/nidco-president-why-gov%E2%80%99t-stopped-rapid-rail-after-paying-consultants
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/25b-and-counting-206129791.html
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/commentaries/Toothless-COE-206045411.html
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Case-million-to-be-kept-in-UTC-account-210506561.html
17. Shopping There are many malls and shopping areas (districts) around the islands. You get the full range of prices so definitely shop around. The built up stores may be more comfortable to browse through but there is a lot to see in each of the town centres - San Juan, Arima, Chaguanas, San Fernando, Princes Town. Where there are shopping areas, food is close by. Parking is an issue in all towns but there is usually a parking lot a short walk away from the shops.
The smaller stores do not offer much if any warranty. Most places would give a credit note for the store and not a refund. Also many places do not accept credit cards to avoid paying the related
transaction fees. 24 hour ATM/ABM machines are scattered throughout the major
towns.
http://www.trinidadmalls.com/
Expect to be cut in front of everywhere you go by the most innocent looking people. Lines will be broken, lanes will be switched, parking spots will be hustled. I have been in traffic multiple times with cars blocking me at an intersection and even though the person blocking me could let me pass they insisted that they rush me and get stuck in front of me. If you arrive at a venue early to see the doors/gates opening, whoever reaches the door first starts the line, even if they came after you. Say something about it and you usually get cursed at.
All major malls have washrooms. Outside of these they are almost non existent, unless you find a larger restaurant or bar. Public washrooms in parks/rest stops/gas stations are rare. Where washrooms do exist, it would probably not be wheelchair accessible or have a baby changing table. There are typically no directories or maps around malls or plazas so look for landmarks to keep your bearings and do not be afraid to ask for directions from store workers.
Pirate movies and music are abundant and sold in the open on pavements, in plain view of law enforcement (along with many other violations that are ignored). Knock off brand name clothes/jewellery/perfume is presented as original in malls, beware of high prices for low quality.
Beware of pickpockets, purse snatchers and do not leave anything visible in parked vehicles.
18. We won gold at the Olympics, again!. Mr. Keshorn Walcott has won the country's second gold medal, this time for the javelin event at the 2012 summer games in London.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/19253050
Dailymail
Sport is a big part of our culture. The biggest ones being football (soccer in the U.S.) and cricket. Some of our local heroes are Brian Lara,
Chris Gayle, Ato Boldon, Dwight Yorke, Russell Latapy, Hasely Crawford, Stephen Ames, George Bovell
and many others.
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Updated Nov 2022
