4-H County Caroni VL Training 2024

2024 Starts with a “Bang”

By: Strampzyxkah Ramdass

The County Caroni 4-H VLs Council began the year 2024 with a “bang”. The first meeting and training for the year, spearheaded by Mrs. Candice Babulal- Rasheed was a great day of experiential learning and fun-filled activities for all the Voluntary Leaders who attended.

En route to Training

The day began with a scenic route down to the village of Icacos, at the southwest tip of Trinidad. Any traveller to Icacos would be familiar with the plains of coconut estates and wetlands through which the road follows. Here we gathered in clusters to pause and admire the breathtaking views and discuss the possibility of future field trips with our students. We saw ducks and birds in the lagoon and heard caimans too! The swamp and mangroves here are homes to many species of fish too. The Icacos Wetlands are also known as Los Blanquizales Lagoon.

Icacos Government Primary School

The next stop was at the Icacos Government Primary School where a courtesy visit was paid to the principal, Ms. Mohammed.

Coconut Oil-Making Training Session

Then we arrived at the Sandy Point Coconut Processing Company Ltd, where we were greeted by gallant individuals who were eager to enlighten us about their role in making coconut oil. The owner, Alfred John Williams, also known as ‘Brother’, explained the process of oil making to us. He then illustrated the steps through the process, stopping at each step to allow some members to try as well. It was an insightful and blended learning experience. Each of us was equally fascinated by the exertion that goes into making coconut oil and the cost price of each bottle of virgin or refined coconut oil. Before leaving we all patronized in his rich oils and coconut husks that could be further used to make flour or feed animals.

Coconut Oil Making

–         The Place

Located in Icacos near the shoreline, Sandy Point Coconut Processing Company Ltd is the home of coconut oil-making me.

–         The Process

The steps to making coconut oil are intricate yet simple.

1. Dry coconuts till fully browned.
2. Separate coconut from its husks.
3. Remove coconuts from their hard outer shell.
4. Grind/Great coconut flesh and add water accordingly- coconut milk is now obtainable.
5. Strain the mixture to separate coconut sards from coconut milk.
6. Let coconut milk sit for around 12 to 15 hours.
7. Depending on the number of coconuts used, virgin oil will settle above the cream- this oil is carefully scooped and filtered three times and remains unrefined.
8. Then scoop the cream mixture, filter, and fry/ cook to obtain refined/ yellow coconut oil.

Mother Nature at Work

Fun Fact: Icacos was named after the Arawak settlers, who named places based on whatever was found useful

in them. At this time, the fruit we know to date as Fat Pork, was called ‘ Kaku’ or ‘Ikakos’. Before leaving Icacos, we headed to Constance.  Thirteen (13) years ago, the road was approximately half a mile longer, and houses and

fields of count estates followed alongside the road. Now, there stands a point where a monument should be placed, a point where the road meets the sea. Erosion annihilated around five (5) acres of land. It is saddening as researchers have said this peninsula might lose up to 2 metres of land each year. Residents were displaced due to raging winds and waves sometime in 2018.

–         The Participants

Candice Babulal-Rasheed, Natasha Lee, Jason Boodhan, Alvin Ackbarali, Strampzyxkah Ramdass, Garnet Gibson, Amir Khan, Salissa Ramlal, Brent Woods, Dave Marcus, Miranda Whittier, Kristen Barrow, Hemant Narinedath, Sajeev Rampersad, Hazaroon Sabad, Arlene Roodalsingh, Krishna Soogrim Singh, Laura Ram, Mark Keith.

‘It’s in we DNA’

There’s no place like home and no place better to stop and admire the sandy beaches of the country like a stop at Cedros Fishing Bay and to take ‘ah dip’  at the Cedros Beach Facility.  Unfortunately for us, we had to settle for ‘sticking our toes in the sand’ as we had to say goodbye bye to this lovely little village.

– Special Thanks

A heartfelt thanks to Mrs. Natasha Lee, President of the 4-H Leaders Council of Trinidad and Tobago for putting together our monthly meetings and always being at our beck and call. Thank you to Mrs. Candice Babulal- Rasheed, Secretary, County Caroni for making the necessary arrangements, Mr. Richard Bisnath, Vice President, County St. Patrick West for sending us all the contacts for our tour, and all the members who attended and made this meeting a vibrant, fun, and invigorating experience.