New York street to be co-named Trinidad and Tobago Street

TT nationals in Queens, New York City, will soon have a street co-named in their homeland's honour, as 131st Street will also be called Trinidad and Tobago Street.

The Office of the New York City Council's Speaker confirmed this to Newsday.

The co-naming ceremony will be held on Sunday afternoon at the intersection of 131st Street and Liberty Avenue.

In a press release, the NGO Trinidadians and Tobagonians USA said it had been petitioning for the co-naming of the "commercially-bustling" street for "quite a few years."

The organisation's spokesman Dr Ashford Maharaj said this is "a fitting recognition of Caribbeanness," as this street is adjacent to another street named Little Guyana.

He added, "Interestingly enough, that section of Liberty Avenue is around the 131st Street area is dubbed Roti Avenue, given the number of Guyanese and Trinbagonian roti shops and (restaurants)."

Speaking with Newsday on Monday, consul general of TT in New York Andre Laveau said he felt really proud of this development.

Laveau, born in San Fernando and raised in St Augustine, said, "I think it's a very positive development because Queens, together with Brooklyn, make up our main diaspora anywhere in the world."