For most T&T citizens, celebrating the end of 2015 and welcoming in 2016 will involve either revelry or worship. For those who prefer the latter, one of the options will be the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception on Independence Square in Port-of-Spain where, after an absence of three years, Roman Catholics will be able to participate in the traditional New Year’s Eve mass from 10 pm.
For the partygoers, the options include the Hyatt Regency in Port-of-Spain which is offering three packages—Brilliance, Splendour or Grandeur—each in a different price range for their party which features popular crossover band Dil-E-Nadan, cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and a lavish dinner.
Brilliance at $1,900 per person is for the party only, which includes party, dinner, food and beverage, and party favours. For $2,600 per person, Splendour offers a one-night stay, party, dinner, food and beverage, party favours, and New Year’s Day breakfast buffet; while the luxury package, Grandeur, carries a price tag of $4,200 and caters for couples, inclusive of a one-night stay, party, dinner, food and beverage, party favours and New Year’s Day breakfast buffet.
Patrons who purchase any of the three packages have a complimentary service for their children ages four to 12, to have their own fun at Camp Hyatt.
At the Hilton Trinidad and Conference Centre, there is dinner at the Pool Terrace Garden Restaurant for $1,008 with live entertainment, a welcome drink and party favours. The prices for the party packages at the La Boucan range from $600 to $2,016.
Across at the Radisson on Wrightson Road, patrons can pay $490 to dine at the 360 Restaurant with a festive buffet, party favours, entertainment and midnight toast and in south Trinidad the Tradewinds Hotel and Conference Centre’s dinner and dance will cost $400 for singles and $700 for couples.
Praying for peace
Among the citizens who plan to welcome 2016 with prayer is Rena Noor, 73, who has been following that New Year’s tradition for more than five decades, starting in the 1960s when she moved to south Trinidad after her marriage. Noor worships at the Emmanuel Presbyterian Church and the Revival Mission Full Gospel Church in La Romaine.
“Since I got married 53 years ago I have been going to church and I never miss a service. I have also never been sick,” she said.
Noor said attending church has been a tradition since it was inculcated in her as a child and she enjoys reading Bible scriptures on New Year’s Eve and praying for the country and her family.
She said: “The service begins at 10.45 pm and I should be home by 12.30 am.”
Most of Noor’s children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren will accompany her to the service at the Presbyterian church.
She said she was saddened by the number of lives lost on the roads due to accidents and will be asking God’s blessings for the nation and families who have suffered losses.
Tamica Mannette, 26, plans to pray then party as she will attend an early service at the Arima RC Church and then head off to Tobago to sing at a party.
“The resort there usually has an Old Year’s night party,” she said. “This is something I have been doing over the years. The generation now would prefer to be out and at parties with friends so some would prefer to stay home for a few hours and bond and then go out to have a time.”
Mannette’s parents, however, will attend church and then head home.
Over the past five years, Mannette has gone to different parties to ring in the new year.
“I think as I get older I might stay home but for the next few years, this is what I will be doing,” she said.
Priya Roopnarine, 34, a Sai Baba devotee, usually goes to the Patiram Trace Temple in Debe to worship on New Year’s Eve. From 6 pm to 9 pm, worshippers sing spiritual songs and listen to a discourse on life and expectations for the new year.
She said: “It’s all about listening to positive words and discussing plans to improve on all areas of life in the new year.”
Roopnarine then heads home to be with her family and they relax and sit and conduct their personal prayers as one unit.
“Each person decides what resolutions will be made. It has never been a tradition in my home to bring in the new year with parties. We were never exposed to that type of lifestyle for the ushering in of a new year.”
Sideeqa Hosein, a 27-year-old Muslim from Hermitage Village in San Fernando, said it has always been a tradition to visit her grandmother’s home nearby.
“It’s usually a lime with food and family. It has been that way since I was a little girl,” she said.