Penal is a town in south

Trinidad Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands of Trinidad and Tobago. The island lies off the northeastern coast of Venezuela and sits on the continental shelf of South America. It is often referred to as the southernmos ...

Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago (, ), officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean. Consisting of the main islands Trinidad and Tobago, and numerous much smaller islands, it is situated south of ...

. It lies south of

San Fernando San Fernando may refer to: People *Ferdinand III of Castile (c. 1200–1252), called ''San Fernando'' (Spanish) or ''Saint Ferdinand'', King of Castile, León, and Galicia Places Argentina *San Fernando de la Buena Vista, city of Greater Buenos ...

Princes Town Princes Town is a town within the Princes Town Regional Corporation, located on southern Trinidad island in Trinidad and Tobago. The population of the town is 28,335. History Founded as the Amerindian '' Mission of Savana Grande'', the town ...

, and

Debe Debe (or Débé) is a town in south Trinidad located in the region of Penal–Debe. Debe has grown from a small settlement into a key transit point which as has merged to some extent with Penal. A denomination high school was established by the ...

, and north of

Moruga The village of Moruga lies on the central south coast of Trinidad at the western end of the Trinity Hills. It is in Victoria County, Trinidad and Tobago, and is served by the Princes Town Regional Corporation. The village is close to Trinidad' ...

Morne Diablo Morne is an Old-French word for a small mountain. It may refer to: * Morne a Chandelle, a village in the Sud-Est department of Haiti * Morne-à-l'Eau, a commune in Guadeloupe * Morne Bois-Pin, the fourth highest mountain in Haiti * Morne la Vigi ...

and

Siparia Siparia is a town in southern Trinidad, in Trinidad and Tobago, south of San Fernando, southwest of Penal and Debe and southeast of Fyzabad. Also called "The Sand City", it was originally a non- Mission Amerindian settlement. Siparia grew to be ...

. It was originally a

rice Rice is the seed of the grass species '' Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima'' (African rice). The name wild rice is usually used for species of the genera '' Zizania'' and '' Porteresia'', both wild and domesticat ...

- and cocoa-producing area but is now a rapidly expanding and developing town. The population is 12,281. The heart of Penal contains many businesses while the outskirts focus on agricultural development. Penal has a market, police station, branches of three banks ( Scotiabank,

Republic Bank Republic Bank Limited is a leading Caribbean financial institution headquartered in Trinidad and Tobago. It has operations in Anguilla, Barbados, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Dominica, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, St. Kitts and Nevi ...

and First Citizens Bank) health facilities, grocery stores, convenience stores, bars, fast food restaurants, service stations, restaurants, puja stores, an Indian expo, and clothing stores. Penal plays a major role in the energy supply to the nation's populace. Petrotrin, the national oil company, has a major sub-unit in Clarke Road and the National Gas Company has gas lines running through Penal that links the gas fields of the South East Coast and the industrial estates. One of the countries three major power generating plants owned by Powergen Ltd is located at Syne Village to the west of Penal. Abdool Village, Aquart Village, Backar Yard, Bakhen, Batchyia Village, Charlo Village, La Costena Gardens, Mendez Village, Digity Village, Penal Rock-Bunsee Tr. Village, Penal Quinam Road Village, Sou Sou Lands, San Francique and Syne Village are located in Penal. Penal's local government is administered by the Penal–Debe Regional Corporation. Penal is a part of the Siparia and Oropouche West constituency. The Trinidad and Tobago national cricket team have played matches holding first-class cricket, first-class and List A cricket, List A status at the Wilson Road Recreation Ground.

Notable residents

* Kamla Persad-Bissessar – Seventh Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago * Drupatee Ramgoonai – chutney music, Chutney and Chutney Soca singer * David Williams (cricketer, born 1963), David Williams – cricketer

References

External links

Virtual Museum of Trinidad and Tobago's Photos
* {{cite web , url=http://www.powergen.co.tt/Power/HistoryofOurPowerStations/Penal.aspx , publisher=PowerGen , title=History of Our Power Stations: Penal Populated places in Trinidad and Tobago