“A Huge Sum in This Guava Season”: Trinidad’s Anglican Cathedral Needs TT$70 Million After Quake and Floods

• The Diocese of Trinidad and Tobago launched a TT$70 million (US$11 million) campaign
• Holy Trinity Cathedral was damaged by a 6.9 earthquake and heavy flooding in 2018
• Leaks, broken roof slates, termites and rot were among the problems
• The cathedral was begun in 1818 and consecrated in 1823

The Anglican Diocese of Trinidad and Tobago launched a campaign on 14 November 2021 to raise TT$70 million, about US$11 million, to restore Holy Trinity Cathedral in Port of Spain, Anglican Ink reported.

The cathedral, begun in 1818 and consecrated in 1823, had been damaged by earthquakes in 1825 and 1918. It was hit again by a magnitude-6.9 earthquake on 21 August 2018 and then by a storm on 20 October 2018 that brought three days of intense rain and flooding. The result was cracked walls, a cracked steeple and chancel roof, destroyed stone pinnacles, moisture trapped in the walls causing rot, and termite damage. The work list ran from the roof, ceiling and walls to stained glass, flooring, bells, organs and all electrical, mechanical and plumbing systems.

The dean, the Very Rev Shelley-Ann Tenia, said: “The Cathedral continues to suffer from major leaks with numerous broken roof slates, cracked gutters, and failing old repairs that need serious attention.”

Bishop Claude Berkley acknowledged the scale of the task. “Seventy million dollars ($11 million US) is a huge sum in this guava season, yet there are factors that encourage us that it will be achieved in God’s name,” he said, adding that “this majestic landmark which has been the site of so much of our islands’ rich history must be preserved.”

Jamaica has its own historic cathedrals and parish churches of a similar age, and the Port of Spain appeal shows how quickly deferred maintenance turns into a multimillion-dollar bill once an earthquake or flood strikes. Jamaican vestries can take two lessons from it: budget every year for roofs, gutters and termite treatment, because small failures compound; and make the heritage case early, since a national landmark can draw support from beyond the congregation when restoration is framed as preserving the country’s history.

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