It is a wide and varying area that encompasses much of Trinidad's beautiful countryside.

It is beautiful here with rivers and rolling plains, the Caroni Swamp and numerous feeder roads that take you deep into the serene, lush country areas.

Numerous small villages and towns are spaced out across central.

Travelling south from Port of Spain you come upon Cunupia, a lively little village surrounded by green sugar cane fields.

A place once rich in cocoa the decline of the sugar and cocoa fields meant residents had to go to Chaguanas and Port of Spain for employment.

Further down, past Chaguanas is Longdenville.

It was originally developed in the 1850s and became known for its timber forests.

Today, the forest no longer stands but Longdenville remains a place where agriculture is still a major source of work.

Clay can also be sourced from Longdenville.

That's why there are so many brick making factories here. The manufacturers use the clay to make tiles and bricks that are used for construction both around the nation and regionally.

Flanagin Town is the next area you'll visit on your journey through central Trinidad. It is one of the most serene and picturesque villages in this area of Trinidad and is placed on well-watered ground.

Tabaquite too is in the south and like many of the towns in this vicinity once experienced a rich cocoa industry.

Tabaquite now boasts a rich history coloured with interesting stories from plantation days.

Tabaquite is the home of the Navet Dam it was once a place where you even found oil!

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Established in 1927, as a cottage industry, KC Confectionery, was first run as a family concern moving from generation to generation.

It grew out of the home to a factory in 1957 when the building that we now see today was erected.

Soon processing operations were installed. And it's hard to believe that it only started with five production workers when one considers that some two hundred-plus workers are now on the KC payroll.

At KC business expansion is a never-ending process. Recognizing the need to always remain on top, employees get the chance to learn about the technological advances in the confectionery industry internationally and are sent to exhibitions, fairs and conferences in order to keep up with the rest of the world.

The manufacture of quality candy remains the company's to priority. Their machinery and systems ensure that the product turns out just the way it should.

At present KC Confectionery uses a total quality manager (TQM) approach in which all personnel in the company are involved in a quality consciousness programme which is ongoing.

In addition to this a modern laboratory and a team of technicians carry out analytical work. Their job is to monitor and analyse quality at the company.

Approximately 70% of the company's equipment originated from Germany. And KC Confectionery can now boast of being the largest candy manufacturer in the Caribbean - churning out some 30 tons of candy per shift.

KC is also responsible for the product Hacks which it began making in 1987 following a successful merger with Barker and Dobson PLC / England.

Cadbury International Ltd. is now said to be the franchise holder for Hacks along with KC Confectionery.

In 1995, the company was singled out for innovation in the business enterprise in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The award was presented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).

It has also received recognition from the Trinidad and Tobago Tourist Development Authority (TIDCO) in recognition and appreciation of the company's contribution to tourism and the Community Improvement Committee of Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Commerce for being the most environmentally friendly company.

Ask any child about KC Confectionery and the famous KC dinner mint comes to mind. The fresh white sweet, which comes in a transparent wrapper, was created by using cane sugar, a variety of mints and is still a favourite among children and adults.

Valentine's Day, Easter, Halloween, Christmas and Divali are just some of the special occasions that KC Confectionery caters to with its special sweet packages.

KC Confectionery now exports to the Caribbean, the US, Canada, United Kingdom, Sweden, Hong Kong, Martinique and Haiti.

The company has more than 70 years in the business. No doubt KC Confectionery will be a part of Couva's landscape for another 70 years.

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Couva is also the destination for hundreds of people on a daily basis and is the terminal for vehicles travelling to Gran Couva, Balmain, Preysal and Esperanza.

Couva is the main stop for maxi taxis travelling from Chaguanas to San Fernando, not to mention a large percentage of human traffic.

Isaac Junction marks the beginning of the town and is lined with business houses. A number of these same business houses have grown from dwelling houses in the past few years.

Couva also boasts of a fishing village at Carli Bay and another at Orange Valley. Both are fully developed and equipped with a shed to fix nets, a gas station and cold storage.

The name Couva was derived from the word Cuba meaning "tub", and was so-called because of its position at the bottom of County Caroni.

Chaguanas also began as a quiet, growing agricultural village. Bounded on the west by Felicity, on the east by Montrose/Longdenville, on the north by Charlieville and on the south by Edinburgh.

It soon became one of the fastest growing commercial areas and is the perfect place for that hot doubles that you've been craving (and the most reasonably priced.

It's also a great place for going to market. Many Port of Spain residents make the trip to Central for the sole purpose of shopping. There is no where else in Trinidad where you can find such bargains.

Vendors there are always competing with each other to give you, the customer, the best price.

But Chaguanas and Couva hold lots more. You just have to go see for yourself!

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Until the 1930s, general cargo vessels coming into Trinidad anchored offshore. From here, their cargo was taken by lighter vessels into Port of Spain and San Fernando.

That all changed in the late 1930s when the Port of Spain harbour was dredged to allow direct berthing.

Plipdeco was then established in 1966 by a group of businessmen seeing the need for yet another port.

Since natural gas was discovered in the Gulf of Paria, the Government took the decision to establish and develop energy-based industries hence the advent of Plipdeco.

Now the Point Lisas Industrial Estate can easily be called a world-class port. It's the largest in the Caribbean basin with over US $1 billion invested in the plant and equipment.

Natural Gas is Plipdeco's lifeboat and a part of the country's abundant reserves of hydrocarbons.

The gas is brought to the Estate by pipeline from the east coast of Trinidad, and is distributed to all customers after passing through Phoenix Park's Gas Processing Plant.

The availability of natural gas has enabled the Estate to attract a number of major foreign investors including Ferrostaal of Germany, a company which has interests in four methanol plants - Arcadian of the USA, with ammonia production in three plants; Nucor, the iron carbide pioneer; Norsk Hydro of Norway, ammonia production; the Mittal Group of India, one of the largest steel manufacturers in the world; Southern Electric and Amoco, electricity generation; and Conoco and Pan West, gas processing. There are also several foreign joint-venture arrangements with the medium and smaller service companies on the Estate.

A Free Zone area also located on the Estate covers 25 hectares. It offers the operator duty free imports, access to new markets, trans-shipment opportunities and ease of operations.

The Port has grown and has got international recognition and is equipped with navigational aids and is supported by Pilotage, Customs, Immigration and Port Health.

The Port is served by eleven berths and can accommodate all types of vessels up to 75,000 dwt with a dredged depth of 12.8 meters.

The Port also provides a full range of other related services including the use of fire-fighting tugs and workboats.

The mission of Plipdeco is simply this "To be recognized as the dominant regional leader and as a global leader in the development and administration of efficient and profitable customer-oriented ports and industrial estates."

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Is Chaguanas stealing Couva's customers? That's the question on everyone's lips when it comes to doing business in Central. And depending on who you talk to the answer just might be yes.

But there are those who believe that this once sleepy little town is still asleep. Much of the trade has gone to neighbouring Chaguanas they say. But you can't argue that this makes the Central Trinidad district a vibrant one.

As a result some entrepreneurs have packed up and moved. And now Chaguanas is bursting at the seams with activity. Couva is just now rising to meet the challenge.

According to Camille Ramlogan of Ramlogan's hardware, Couva is "dead" when it comes to business.

"I don't know what it is. People just prefer Chaguanas to Couva. They say the prices there are cheaper," she said.

A resident of Couva for the past 14 years, Ramlogan called her hometown a quiet place with lots of traffic and not enough businesses.

A lot of things Ramlogan's hardware stocks, she said, are for the Couva people. "But they prefer to take a maxi and go to Chaguanas."

Sunil Ramsingh of Ramsingh's hardware agreed. He too has seen his customers go the Chaguanas route.

"But I think generally business in Couva still remains good even though Chaguanas takes most of the customers."

Krishna Ramlagan of Ramlagan's hardware supports Ramsingh's statement of business being good in Couva.

"It has grown. There is a little more interest from the customers in what we have to offer them," he said.

He attributes the interest in the growth of the Point Lisas area but admits that Chaguanas is able to woo customers because of its competitiveness.

Ramlagan, who said he was "born and grown" in Couva called it a "nice and growing town".

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