Highway extension to be named after Kitch By Anna-Lisa Paul, Trinidad Express, January 13, 2005
THE newest addition to the Diego Martin Highway will, upon completion, be named after a former icon of the kaiso arena, Lord Kitchener. This was announced yesterday by Works and Transport Minister Franklin Khan as he delivered the feature address at the official launch of Carnival 2005 at the Piarco International Airport. Adding that not enough had been done to honour people who had contributed to the promotion of the art form, Khan said a decision had been taken to name the small extension after Kitchener (Aldwyn Roberts).
Construction is expected to be completed during the latter half of the year and is costing in the vicinity of $35 million. While this decision has not yet been authorised by Cabinet, Khan said it was a foregone conclusion that when the note was taken to Cabinet there would be no objections. Telling the huge crowd of onlookers and guests at yesterday's launch that Carnival 2005 was here, Khan earned a smile as he said people who were unaware of the preparations for Carnival were "mooks".
The Ministry of Tourism has again partnered this year with the Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (AATT) in transforming both the Piarco and Crown Point International Airports into welcoming havens of Carnival characters and music to visitors. Tourism Minister Howard Chin Lee said Trinidad is anticipating at least 130,000 visitors for Carnival 2005. The Ministry of Tourism will tomorrow unveil its Carnival facade at the Piarco Roundabout. The facade includes colourful old-time mas characters over 25 feet high, which is testimony to our early Carnival heritage, Chin Lee claimed.