PLIPDECO was the brainchild of the members of the South Chamber of Commerce in San Fernando, the hub of commercial activity in that part of the island. Since 1939, when the deep-water harbour had been dredged in Port of Spain, vessels had generally stopped calling at San Fernando, and the entrepreneurial south merchants felt hard done by. To transport cargo from Port of Spain to San Fernando by land was a long and costly journey for southern businesses.
Robert Montano, one of the leading San Fernando businessmen in the 1950s, and the founder of the South Chamber of Commerce, became one of the first advocates of a deep-water harbour to service San Fernando. And because a port development alone would have been too costly, it was not long before the South Chamber added to its agenda an overall industrial estate that would stimulate the economic development of southern Trinidad.
By 1965, the Trinidad and Tobago Government had "bought in" to the Chamber’s logic, and agreed to appoint consultants to conduct a feasibility study to get the project off the ground. Point Lisas, with its naturally sheltered water harbour, and flat agricultural land, was identified as an ideal location.
PLIPDECO was formally established on September 16th, 1966
Robert Montano, one of the leading San Fernando businessmen in the 1950s, and the founder of the South Chamber of Commerce, became one of the first advocates of a deep-water harbour to service San Fernando. And because a port development alone would have been too costly, it was not long before the South Chamber added to its agenda an overall industrial estate that would stimulate the economic development of southern Trinidad.
By 1965, the Trinidad and Tobago Government had "bought in" to the Chamber’s logic, and agreed to appoint consultants to conduct a feasibility study to get the project off the ground. Point Lisas, with its naturally sheltered water harbour, and flat agricultural land, was identified as an ideal location.
PLIPDECO was formally established on September 16th, 1966