Pointe-à-Pierre
Pointe-à-Pierre (/ˌpɔɪntəˈpɪər/ POYNT-ə-PEER) is a town in Trinidad and Tobago. It lies north of San Fernando and south of Claxton Bay. It is most famous as the site of the country's largest (and now, only) oil refinery which used to be run by Petrotrin, the state-owned oil company.
Pointe-à-Pierre | |
---|---|
Town | |
Pointe-à-Pierre oil refinery | |
Nickname(s): Point of Stones | |
Country | Trinidad and Tobago |
Region | Couva–Tabaquite–Talparo |
Population (2011) | |
• Total | 460[1] |
Ranked | |
Time zone | UTC−4 (AST) |
The town was built for and is populated by employees of the company. Facilities provided for the residents include a primary school, a yacht club and a staff club equipped with a pool, tennis courts and squash courts (and in the mid-1960s an 18-hole golf course and a secondary school, of which only the golf course remains).
The oil refinery was originally built by Trinidad Leaseholds Limited (TLL) and expanded by Texaco. It was transferred to Trintoc when the government purchased the land-based assets of Texaco Trinidad Limited, and then incorporated into Petrotrin.
The town is also the home of the world-famous Pointe-à-Pierre Wild Fowl Trust, a wildlife reserve for waterfowl located within the secured premises of the Petrotrin oil refinery.
Pointe-à-Pierre is separated from Marabella by the Guaracara River and from Gasparillo by the Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway. It lies on the Gulf of Paria and is an important port for the export and import of petroleum products. At the southern edge of Pointe-à-Pierre lies Guaracara Park, known for its cricket matches.
People from Pointe-à-Pierre
Famous residents / past residents of Pointe-à-Pierre include:
- Stephen Ames
- Floella Benjamin
- David Jenkins
- Trevor McDonald
- John Phillips[2][3][4]
- Pearl Phillips[5][6][7][8][9]
References
- "Community Register Couva Tab Tal. (Excel Document) - Trintoc (Point-a-Pierre)". CSO Trinidad and Tobago. CSO Trinidad and Tobago. July 14, 2011. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
- John Phillips (June 10, 1923 - May 8, 2002), husband of Pearl Louise Phillips, was a resident of Plaisance Park, Pointe-a-Pierre from 1962 to 1976 when he and his family migrated to the United States of America. John Phillips graduated from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY, with an Associates Degree in 1984 at the age of 60. The monumental accomplishment of John Phillips' academic achievement at 60 years old was reported in The New York Times on June 19, 1984, 4 Mortarboards in a Family, and in the New York Daily News on June 15, 1984, The Family That Studies Together. John Phillips was a renowned Pastor and the subject of a book, The Preacher's Dozen (published in 2008).
- "4 Mortarboards in a Family". The New York Times. June 19, 1984.
- Leahy, Jack (June 15, 1984). "The Family That Studies Together". New York Daily News.
- Pearl Phillips, (June 24, 1923 - April 20, 2005) wife of John Phillips, lived in Plaisance Park, Pointe-a-Pierre from 1962 to 1976 when she and her family migrated to the United States of America. Pearl and John had twelve children. Pearl graduated from York College with a Bachelors of Science degree in 1984 at 60 years old. Pearl Phillips' graduation at the age of 60 was reported in the following 4 newspaper publications.
- "4 Mortarboards in a Family". The New York Times. June 19, 1984.
- Moreno, Sylvia (June 16, 1984). "Mom, Daughters Make The Grade Together". Newsday.
- "Proud Moment". The New York Carib News. July 10, 1984.
- Leahy, Jack (June 15, 1984). "The Family That Studies Together". New York Daily News.