Profiles: Heroes, Role Models and Pioneers of Trinidad and Tobago - by Nasser Khan

6 land too he created the Botanic Gardens to beautify around the house. After the fire of 1808 it was mainly under him that Port-of-Spain was rebuilt having lovely ornamental trees planted in what is nowWoodford Square. He was also responsible, as head of both the Anglican and Catholic churches for the establishment of the two big cathedrals, the Trinity and the Immaculate Conception. Woodford is said to have sided with the sugar planters against moves towards the abolition of slavery. LORD HARRIS (GEORGE F. R. HARRIS) (1810-1872) H arris was the British Governor of Trinidad from 1846-1854 whose national contributions were very important to our development. In 1849, he introduced the ward system where Trinidad was divided into wards, each headed by a warden, replacing the Spanish system of quarters. In 1851 he introduced free primary education in the ward schools as well as starting the Trinidad Public Library and an inland postal service. Also in that year, he started piping water to Port of Spain from the Maraval River. He also got the sugar industry going again by formalising the arrival and settling of East Indian labourers, who had begun arriving after the abolition of African slavery to work on the plantations. He also introduced horse racing at the Queen’s Park Savannah. Lord Harris Square in Port of Spain and Harris Promenade in San Fernando are named after him. ARTHUR H. GORDON (1829-1912) H e was the Governor of Trinidad from 1866-1870 and had a lasting impact on Trinidad. He made major changes in land use, education and religious matters. In the area of land use he allowed for the sale of government lands to persons who previously had to turn to squatting.