Arima possesses a particular allure that is perhaps a bit difficult to capture in writing, but a joy to experience.

A partial explanation for Arima's individualism lies in its history. Few towns in Trinidad have a history so rich, with a culture that reflects the variety of the inhabitants that have called it home.

The first inhabitants of Arima were the Amerindians and this fact is easily visible in the faces of many 'Arimians' who are their descendants. The name 'Arima' itself is Amerindian, meaning water, pointing to the fact that the first settlement sprang up along the banks of the Arima River.

Arima was among the earliest settlements in this country, having been founded in 1757 by Capuchin priests, who had come to establish a mission and convert the Amerindians. They built a church, which was later dedicated to Rosa, an Amerindian girl from Lima, Peru who had been canonized. The Santa Rosa church is still very much in existence and is as much an important place of worship in Arima today as it was then.

In 1797 Trinidad fell into British hands and a new people had come to influence the then village of Arima. By the 1850s Arima had grown both in size and importance with the postal service being introduced there in 1851 and the first railway line for passenger and freight inaugurated in 1876.

On August 1, 1888 Arima became a Royal Borough, becoming the first and only town in the colonies that Queen Victoria had honoured by naming so.

Arima's population grew steadily from then, suffering a brief slump after the war. In 1970 the population numbered 11,636 and by 1980 had grown to 15,294.

Of course, Arima has produced many sons and daughters who have had profound impact on the history and culture of our country. Lord Kitchener, Holly Betaudier and Charles Phillipe Lopez, the first mayor, are but a few.

Arima also boasts many interesting landmarks, quite unlike any found on other parts of the island. The Dial is quite famous and it is usual that, when giving directions to other parts of the borough, the Dial is used as a starting point as it is so very visible, not to mention well-known.

One of the most recent, but never the less important landmarks is the Santa Rosa racetrack that is the centre of activity almost every Saturday morning, as racing enthusiasts from all around come to place their bets on their favourite runners.

The Arima Velodrome, also known as the Arima Stadiums to "non-Arimians" is another well known landmark. Located in the heart of Arima, the Velodrome is the home of many exciting games and other events. From football games, to cycling races, many athletes have had their 15 minutes of fame at the Velodrome spurred on no doubt by the countless fans seated in the stands.

The Velodrome also holds the annual Soca Monarch preliminaries every Carnival, when thousands come to dance and occasionally taunt the Soca Monarch hopefuls.

The town of Arima is as cosmopolitan as the rest of the country with Indians, Africans, Spaniards, Chinese, Amerindian descendants and of course many of mixed decent living, laughing and liming together.