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Under the sister Cities Charter, the Atlanta/Port of Spain Sister City Committee (A/POS) was founded in 1986 as a people-to-people exchange. The two cities officially twinned as Sister Cities in 1987 for the purpose of creating greater mutual understanding between the people of Atlanta, Georgia and of Port of Spain, Trinidad.
CHAIR: Norma Hamlet
The officers of the Committee are:
ChairElections are held every two years during the annual general meeting in October.
Vice Chair
Recording Secretary
Corresponding Secretary
Treasurer
Membership dues are $20.00 annually payable on or before the annual general meeting in October.
The major committees of A/POS are Business Development, Public Relations, Membership, and Educational Exchange.
Business Development Committee
This committee serves to facilitate business opportunities between Atlanta, Georgia and Port of Spain, Trinidad. The committee achieves this goal by working through the Port of Spain Committee to identify areas which would promote investment and business opportunities between the two cities.
Public Relations Committee
The purpose of this committee is to establish and maintain a positive image of the organization in the city of Atlanta and its business community. This committee accomplishes its goals by coordinating with the Port of Spain Committee and promoting the organizationís directives and accomplishments through various forms of media.
Membership Committee
This committee serves to recruit motivated individuals residing in Atlanta who have a common desire to share business development, educational ideas, as well as cultural and civic relationships that are mutually beneficial to the city of Atlanta and the Sister City, Port of Spain.
Cultural and Educational Exchange Committee
The purpose of this committee is to identify areas of mutual cultural interest between Atlanta and Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago and to conduct cultural activities designed to promote an understanding and appreciation of Trinidadian and American cultures. This committee also seeks to develop and maintain programs designed to met the needs of students from Trinidad and Tobago. This is accomplished by working along with the Port of Spain Committee and creating resource centers for students that would include information on such issues as housing, scholarship, employment, health care, and immigration requirements.
Trinidad & Tobago, an independent state, is a developing Caribbean country which comprises the twin islands of Trinidad and Tobago. Both were former British colonies. Trinidad and Tobago became independent on August 31, 1962, a unitary state and an independent member of the Caribbean Commonwealth.
The twin island republic is the most southerly of the lesser Antilles chain in the Caribbean. Trinidad at its nearest point is seven miles north of Venezuela separated by a stretch of water called the Serpents mouth (La Boca). Trinidad has an area of 1,864 square miles, about one and one-half times the size of Rhode Island or Delaware. Tobago, lying 21 miles to the northeast of Trinidad, is 116 square miles in area.
Lying about 10 degrees north of the equator, the country enjoys pleasant weather throughout the year, and because of the prevailing trade winds of the sea, the temperature averages about 79 degrees. There are two seasons: dry season (January through May); and rainy season (June through December). The major cities are Port of Spain (capital), San Fernando, and Scarborough.
| Natural Resources: | Crude oil, natural gas, and asphalt. |
| Land Use: | 44% forest woodland; 17% permanent crops; 14% arable land; 25% meadows and pastures; and 23 percent other. |
| Agriculture: | Accounts for about 3% of GDP d 4% labor force: food crops: cocoa, sugar cane, rice, citrus fruits, coffee, vegetables. |
| Population: | 1.34 million (1990); annual growth rate 2.25; life expectancy at birth 69 years (male), 74 years (female); ethnic groups: 43% Africans; 40% East Indians; 14% mixed; 1% Europeans; 1% Chinese; 1 percent other. |
| Religion: | 33% Roman Catholic; 25% Hindu; 15% Anglican; 14% other Christian; 6% Muslim; 7% other or none. |
| Language: | English (official), French, and Spanish. |
| Literacy Rate: | 98% (1990) |
| Gross National Products: | $5.17 billion (1986) |
| Sports: | Football (American soccer), cricket, netball, lawn and table tennis, field hockey, horse racing, yachting. |
| Type of Government: | Parliamentary Democracy |
Trinidad and Tobago was initially inhabited by Arawaks and Carib Amerindians in 1498. Columbus visited the island and claimed them for the Spanish Crown. By 1592 the Spanish had established an official seat of government at San Jose (now called Saint Joseph). By 1783 Spain was encouraged to populate the country through immigration from other islands. Roman Catholics were accorded the most generous concessions. French settlers arrived and introduced sugar cane cultivation. This was the impetus for the introduction of African slavery and later, Indian indenture.
1797
The war between England and Spain resulted in the capture of the island from the Spaniards. The island was formally ceded to Britain by the treaty of Amiens in 1802.
1834
Slavery was abolished in Trinidad along with the rest of the British Empire.
The People
The cultural heritage of Trinidad and Tobago reflects the rich variety of its inhabitants. Names of places and people attest to this mixture. Place names can be English, Spanish, French, Amerindian. National Folk Dances can also be a mixture derived from these nationalities. Numerous religions exist side by side, in some instances borrowing from each other.
Address
P. O. Box 1726
Atlanta/Red Oak, GA 30272-1726
Voice Mail: (404)766-4485
