Ah have de people work to do but ah juss take a break and come across this and decide tuh share... I went to Guaico Presbyterian School so I have many fond childhood memories from this place...
GUAICO: AN INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL VILLAGE Trinidad Guardian
May 29, 1999
Page 29
Guaico - The Village bears the Amerindian name from the river which flows through it and extends from Turure in the West to Picton Road, Sangre Grande in the East, bounded on the North by the Guaico river and to the South at Modeste Hill, Guaico Tamana Road.
With the abolition of slavery in 1834 and later the completion of Indentureship contracts which freed Africans and released East Indians, labourers ventured eastwards of the island which was covered with virgin forest. They were encouraged by English Governor Lord Harris who offered the incentive of reduced prices for Crown Lands.
Between 1822 and 1839, the Royal Road was opened from Manzanilla Bay to Arima, passing through Sangre Chiquito, Sangre Grande, Cunapo, Guaico and Valencia.
This 'dirt track' is now known as the Eastern Main Road, which ends in the City of Port of Spain. Many East Indians bought Crown Lands and cultivated sugar cane, cocoa and coffee, while Africans continued to work for wages in the larger estates and on Government projects.
Along this 'dirt track' houses were erected with wooden pillars, earthen floors, tapia walls-mud, wood and timite roofs. Those who were nomadic rented rooms and planted ground provisions in their backyards to subsidize their food bills.
When the railway was extended from Arima to Sangre Grande in 1897, these settlers found employment in the construction of the railway line and the bridge over the Guaico river. Guaico railway station was later built in 1902.
Immigrants from other West Indian islands, particularly St Vincent and Dominica, migrated to Guaico and brought with them their custom of giving elevated places where they lived the name "Hill," and so the names Damarie Hill, Goat Hill and Modeste Hill got their names.
These settlers were poor and so too was sanitation. Since poorly constructed pit latrines in the yards were a health hazard and yaws, hookworms, jiggers and malnutrition were prevalent among inhabitants, a hospital was erected where the present gasoline service station now stands.
Guaico river provided water for drinking, cooking, bathing and washing and residents were always sure to catch fishes like cascarob, guabin, yarau, cascadoo and sardines which they prepare for their meals.
One of the early indentured Indians, Tewarie Mahadeo Maharaj, known as Babaji Mahadeo, bought 16 acres of Crown Lands. Mahadeo and his sons reared cattle and horses and were involved in horse-cart transport and the selling of cow's milk. A Vincentian named Charles Toney (the grandfather of former Minister of National Security Joseph Toney) who lived at Guaico Cross Roads, was also a horsecart transporter of goods. He later bought a lorry and continued his trade.
William Hugh Benjamin, of Scottish descent, was the first person to have a motor car in Guaico. His bakery, manufacturing hops bread, served the whole of East Trinidad by bicycle and horse transport. Today, the bakery, over 100 years old is serviced by a new fleet of trucks and services areas north east and south east of the country.
Benjamin also had the first two storey wooden dwelling house in Guaico and assisted Dr. John Morton, Pioneer Canadian Missionary, who established the Guaico Canadian Mission Indian Primary School in 1898, with lumber to erect the Morton Memorial Presbyterian Church and the Guaico Presbyterian School.
Seecharan Well near the Presbyterian Church and Jhaboo's well supplied water to the nearby residents until the coming of pipeborne water in 1924 from the Valencia Dam.
Shopping had to be done at Arima and when returning home, residents were often beaten and robbed by brigands along the Valencia Long Stretch. There was no electricity and pitch oil lamps and flambeaux provided light until the village got electricity in 1948.
The transfer in 1962 of the Public Works Department to Guaico where it is at present opened another avenue for employment. It assisted in the opening of additional traces and roads in the village.
For playing cricket, grounds were at Damarie Hill, Freida Hosein's and at San Louis Estate. "Badjoe" who died a few years ago, provided much labour to level the Oriental Ground.
As the population increased, shops were opened by Chinese and Indians. At Guaico Junction, the shopkeepers were Huggins, then Mahong, Ramdass and Subhit.
Some of the pioneers in local trade at Guaico included Ma Prieto-toolum; Ma Leeman-sweets; Miss Adelene-pone; Ma Soodie-buns and cakes; Miss Annie-buns and tarts. Mook sold snow ball, while Lazer sold ground nuts.
Other village pioneers include, John Villafana, Maharagin, Sonwa, Sinanan, Creese, Cupid, Pierre, Ada, Johnny, Nerahoo, Bonalde, Baboo, Hafizul, Ogis, Blake, Sadhoo, Odain, Frederick, Glasgow, Sampson, Toney, Manuela, Hillie, Priscilla Irish, Nath and a host of others.
Guaico, once a struggling agricultural village, has grown in recent years to become an industrial and commercial centre in East Trinidad.
Saw mills, milk processing farms, quarries and a large company now processing cocoa and coffee grown in the East have been built.
In 1991, a new Government school was established with a spacious lighted playground nearby and new homes and businesses have sprung up.
Once, a village with earthen drains and gravel roads, Guaico has made tremendous advancements and now has street lights, paved drains, footpaths, modern asphalt roads and two storey structures.
http://www.nalis.gov.tt/Places/places_Guaico.htmlp.s. Clint Huggins who was killed by Dole Chadee's gang 13 years ago when they shot and burned him on Churchill-Roosevelt was a classmate of mine all thru primary school, the "Huggins" mentioned in the article are no doubt his forebears.