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Last Updated 5:44PM 10/2/97
San Fernando
From a tiny fishing village, it has grown into a City and still claims the title of the 'Industrial Capital" of Trinidad and Tobago.
Earliest record of San Fernando, however, was from Sir Walter Raleigh in 1595. Having left the Pitch lake at La Brea and keeping near the shore, Raleigh claims to have come "upon the mountain foote" called Anaparima by the natives. Anaparima (today's Naparima) means "single hill".
Then in 1687, the Capuchin priests in their bid to convert the natives to Christianity, landed in the region and established the Purissima Conception de Naparima" mission. They also erected a church, and then, nothing is known until Don Jose Maria Chacon, who became Governor in 1783, launched the Cedula of Population in the same year.
Chacon, in 1786, made an eleven (11) acre grant, hoping for the developemnt of a town, to Isidore Vialva ... tombs bearing such names were discovered in the 1960's at Broadway Cemetery ... inclusive of the site where the Mission had established it. This area which was also known as Petit Bourg but it was hardly more than a fishing village with straggling streets and wooden huts picturequely nestled at the foot of 650ft. tall Naparima Hill, for many years.
Vialva, however sold the grant to Jean Baptiste Jailiet, who established a sugar estate, named Mon Chagrin ... to this day, there is a Mon Chagrin Street in San Fernando ... and disappointed at the results, sold the grant into smaller lots.
It was this act by Jailiet that increased the settlement and in 1792, Chacon declared the settlement a town and named it San Fernando, in honour of Fernando, the infant son of Carlos III, then King of Spain. He also declared San Fernando a town.
By 1811, however, British administrators found this town too productive, too vast and too important and divided Naparima into North and South with a Commandant for each section.
On May 1, 1818, however, fire completely destroyed the town, but that same year Governor Ralph Woodford introduced coastal steamer service to have the town linked to Port of Spain and within two (2) years the town was completely rebuilt.
Municipality
It was October 18, 1845, with Lord Harris as the island's Governor, San Fernando was first given the responsibility for Local Government. And the preamble to this Ordinance No.33 of 1845, reads:
"Whereas the town of San Fernando has greatly increased and is greatly increasing in population and extent that the same may be well and quietly governed, it is expedient that a Body Corporate should be extablished within the said town:
"Be it enacted by His Excellency the Governor of the island of Trinidad and its Dependencies, by and with the advice and consent of the Council of Government there shall be established in and for the town of San Fernando a Corporate Body which shall consist of nine (9) Town Councillors, whereof one shall be the President, and such Body shall bear the style and title of the Town Council of San Fernando, and by such name shall have have perpetual succession and shall and may sue and shall be sued in all Courts of Justice within this colony, and shall be entitled to use a common seal to be approved and from time to time varied by the said Town Council".
This Ordinance, however took effect from March 31, 1846 and the first President of the Council was Robert Floyd. Near seven years later, with Lord Harris as Governor, the Local Municipal Government was re-organised by Municipal Corporation Ordinance , No. 10 of 1853, which came into effect on August 30,1853. San Fernando moved up another step to the status of a Borough and Robert Johnstone became the first Mayor.
In the Southern Express dated Thursday, Februry 26, 1970, my Southscope column read in part:
This Ordinance consolidated all the Ordinances on Municipalities defining the nature and extent of the functions and naming them "The Mayor and Burgesses" and San Fernando had nine councillors.
And thus it was in 1853 the Town Council of San Fernando was swept away, San Fernando being elevated to the dignity of having a Mayor instead of a President, the corporation bearing the name of"The Mayor and Burgesses of San Fernando".
The population was then about 3,000 and the revenue from house rates under $4,800. The first Town Hall was erected in 1854 and from 1853 to 1935 there was no vital changes in matters relating to the Municipal Government of San Fernando.
Ordinance No.40 of 1935 dated December 27, 1935 came into operation in May 15, 1936 and increased the membership of the Council to twelve. Aldermen came to the Council for the first time, and they were three in number and the qualification for burgesses as well as councillor and alderman was greatly reduced thus considerably broadening the basis of representation. The Burgesses roll leaped from a maximum of 200 under the old law to 1000 under the new.
In 1931 the Town Hall which had done duty for so many years was demolished, and its stead was erected the Town Hall that exists with some modifications, as I see it today.
The Ordinance No.40 of 1935, however, remained until 1953 when by Ordinance No.11 of 1953, the membership of the Council was increased to provide four aldermen and twelve councillors.
Provision was made in the same Ordinance for the division of the Town into four wards with three councillors representing each ward. But in 1967 another change was made.
The council lost an "alderman" when by Ordinance No.21 of 1967 the number of aldermen was reduced to three and councillors from twelve to nine and the town divided into nine(9) electoral districts instead of the four wards.
And thus, today San Fernando is back to almost the beginning .... back to nine councillors and three aldermen.
But not quite ....
San Fernando
was granted the status of a
City in November 1988
TOBAGO