An Open Air Concert event featuring:

Mavis John, 3 Canal, Regeneration, Roy Cape, Dill E Nadan, Maximus Dan, Ice Water Pan Assembly, Power Boats Scorpions    more...

Dress in patriotic colours T-Shirts made in commemoration of the event.  

Available at the CDA Head Office, Chaguaramas Golf Course and any  Kenny's Sport Centre.  more...

1941, World War II. In a decidedly raw deal, the British gave the United States its  pick of  the Caribbean land along with 99-year-long leases. Chaguaramas with its strategic bays and sheltered harbours, was snapped up by the Americans. 

The late 1950's. The War had ended long before the American's lease was up. With general elections won, federation contemplated and independence looming large, Dr Eric Williams insisted that they leave. April 22, 1960, a symbolic and significant event was staged. There were speeches in Woodford Square. The seven deadly sins of colonialism (including a copy of the 1941 Lease Agreement) were burned. And tens of thousands set off for Chaguaramas, making stops at the Governor General's House and the US Consulate in what had been recorded as "the March in the Rain". They never made it to Chaguaramas but the march was a success. By 1960's end, Trinidad & Tobago and the US had reach a settlement. Two years on, we became an independent nation. 

More History on 1960 Walk

Back to ... completing the journey

Commemorative Medals of this historical event. more..

Public Transport from Peir II back to West Mall / Cocorite 

Provided from 10:00AM - 2:00PM

Service route from opposite Police Post to West Mall

The CDA's View

"Only ten percent of the population mostly those over 50 would know about it"

"We recognize that there is a big information gap. All of us of a certain age had a sense of national pride. No one kept the next generation in the loop (informed). The gap is long, deep and continuous. The CDA celebrates 43 years of independence and 33 years of it's own existence with a gap filling event. On Sunday, September 11, they will complete the walk". Forty -three athletes will run from Woodford Square. The masses (in red, white and black, of course) will walk jog, chip or run from Paragon Club to Pier II. The National Flag will be raised on the post where decades before, the stars and stripes were lowered. A concert will follow. The CDA's mandate is to maintain Chaguaramas for the people's enjoyment, thus recounting history and raising environmental awareness become necessary adjuncts to the task.

Chag a Symbol

When we deal with Chaguaramas, we are not merely dealing with what has become today the symbol of self-government and the symbol of independence for the Federation. What all this means, ladies and gentlemen, is that we in Trinidad and Tobago, you in the West Indies, have begun a long overdue attempt which India has started, which Ghana has started, which all the former colonial territories have already begun – we too in Trinidad and Tobago are well on the road, we who have been passive agents of a history made and written for us by other people, we in the PNM symbolise today the determination of Arima and Trinidad and Tobago to write their own history themselves, to make that history, and to keep it in the democratic tradition of which we are the proud standard bearers, we and nobody else right here in Trinidad and Tobago today. So we can say they have to answer the question whether they are for colonialism or not. We can say that they have to answer the question whether we are to be a Cabinet divorced from control of our external relations. And we say today, they have to answer the question that we ask them: will they come and explain their point of view to our people to whom we speak freely, frankly from the heart, appealing to their heads?

Dr Eric Williams

We want Self-Government

 If you want self-government, self-government means in Trinidad what self-government means in England and can’t mean less. And we state that if there is to be any surrender of some parts of Trinidad’s soil or something, it cannot be justified or rationalised on the basis of a colonial agreement made 18 years ago, in which we had no part at all. It isn’t only whether Trinidad (is) self-governing or not, though that in itself is important; you can’t be self-governing if the British are controlling your external relations. The British control of external relations put Chaguaramas on our neck. The British control of external relations has given us the problems of Piarco. It is the British control of external relations which has us put in the difficulties of the tracking station, the Tucker Valley tracking station, which was developed at a time when the American Government (and) the British Government had accepted the Trinidad Government’s proposal, made through me, for the appointment of a Joint Commission to consider the future of Chaguaramas. Whilst the matter was being considered, the Commission was sitting here in Trinidad , with my Permanent Secretary, Permanent Secretary to the Chief Minister, as Secretary to that Commission, and whilst it was sitting here they were developing the installations in Chaguaramas, taking unilateral action on a matter that was sub-judice. That is the position we find ourselves in. We are not pin-pricking or antagonising anybody.

Dr Eric Williams

Back to the Celebrations

For more information Contact CDA: 634-4364 / 683-0923 or email us: info@chagdev.com