Arrangements for the 56th Annual Meeting
Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, June 1-5, 2025
traducción al español (próximamente)| traduction en français (prochainement)
The ACH Executive Committee is pleased to announce that the 56th Annual Meeting of the Association of
Caribbean Historians will be held in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, from Sunday, June 1 to Thursday,
June 5, 2025. On-site registration opens Sunday afternoon. The conference fête, our annual dinner and dance
(which is highly recommended and a central feature of this organization) will be held on Thursday evening,
June 5. An optional field trip is scheduled for Friday, June 6.
Conference Venue & Accomodations
The conference will be held at the auditorium of the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago, located in the capital city, Port-of-Spain, on Wrightson Road.
The Local Organizing Committee (LOC) has selected two main hotels and secured discounted ACH rates for each. In addition, special accommodation for students has been reserved in Freedom Hall, a student residence on the St Augustine Campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI). The two hotels, both of which are located on Wrightson Road in Port-of-Spain, are situated opposite each other. It is expected that most participants will walk from the hotels to the Central Bank since the distance is not more than fifteen minutes by foot. A footbridge, with both steps and an elevator, is conveniently located to ensure the safety of pedestrians. However, daily transportation will be provided to and from the conference venue for students who are based at Freedom Hall and for the few who, due to physical concerns, are unable to make the short trek on foot between the hotels and the conference centre. Please note that such persons must inform the LOC ahead of the conference. The opening ceremony will be held on campus and transportation will be provided for those who book at the Port-of-Spain hotels to take them to and from the St Augustine Campus. Note that if you choose to stay elsewhere, you will need to arrange your own transportation to and from the conference venue. There are many other hotels, short-term rentals, etc. at various price points within walking distance of the selected hotels.
1. Freedom Hall (residence hall at UWI St. Augustine)
Please note that this option is only for graduate students.
The fees below are quoted per person per night in USD. Please note that breakfast is not included. Double I Block = $25.00; Single Room – I Block = $36.00; Single – Four Bedroom Apartment = $45.00; Single en-suite Room (a/c) = $50.00. For more information, please contact: Student Accommodation On & Off Campus, Division of Student Services and Development, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus. Please state that the booking is for the 2025 ACH Conference. Telephone: (868) 662-2002 ext. 82387, Direct Line: (868) 663-0075. Email: UWIHalls@sta.uwi.edu.
2. Radisson Hotel (Wrightson Road)
The link below provides access to a special rate of $145 USD per night (excluding taxes—including taxes the nightly rate is approximately $160 USD, single or double occupancy). Rates are inclusive of daily buffet breakfast for all registered guests and Wi-Fi. All guests, including children 6-12, must be registered at time of booking. To book, visit https://www.choicehotels.com/TT007?ratePlanCode=LUWIHD. Additionally, UWI Alumni members will receive a 10% discount on food at Olympia Restaurant, Maple Bar, and 360 Restaurant. A valid ID must be presented at check-in to qualify for the discount.
3. Hyatt Regency Hotel (Wrightson Road)
The link below provides access to special rates of $169/night (single) or $194/night (double), before taxes and governmental-imposed fees (which are currently 10% and 10.5% respectively), applicable service charges, and/or mandatory fees (e.g. resort or destination fees) in effect at the time of the conference. Rates are inclusive of daily buffet breakfast for all registered guests and Wi-Fi. All guests, including children 6-12, must be registered at time of booking. To book, visit: https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/group-booking/TRIRT/G-UWCA.
Travel To & Within Trinidad
Air travel to Trinidad is accessed via the Piarco International Airport (POS). The airport is situated in the eastern part of the country in a town called Arouca. If your flight stops in Tobago, you will enter the A.N.R. Robinson International Airport but you will still have to enter Piarco International to get to Trinidad.
The distance from Piarco Airport to the city centre, Port-of-Spain, is 27 kilometers, and the travel time is around 20 minutes by taxi with a fare of around $50 USD. The St Augustine Campus is 10 to 15 minutes away and fare should be approximately $30 USD.
Note: The Trinidad/Tobago Dollar is indicated with a Dollar sign, or TT$ to distinguish it from other Dollar currencies. As of the publication of this webpage, conversion stands at 1.00 US$ = 6.79 TT$. Click here to see the current conversion rate.
Booking for taxi service should be made with the dispatcher at the Customs Exit or with a registered Taxi Driver. The drivers at the airport are uniformed in white shirt jackets, and black or blue trousers with yellow photo identification passes and are authorised to take you to any destination. Taxis are available 24 hours daily, and Tariff Board information is available from the dispatcher at the airport.
- Taxis are readily available outside the arrivals terminal.
- Look for authorized taxi stands to ensure safety and reliability.
- Fares are typically fixed based on your destination; inquire about rates before departing.
- It is advisable to confirm the fare with the driver before starting your journey.
- Taxis can accommodate various passenger numbers; larger vehicles may be available for groups.
- Payment is usually accepted in cash; check if credit cards are accepted beforehand.
- Consider pre-booking a taxi service for convenience, especially during peak travel times.
- Be aware of peak hours that may affect travel time to your destination.
Visa Requirements
If you are travelling to Trinidad and Tobago from any of the Caribbean islands (except Haiti), Surinam, Guyana, or the United Kingdom or for no more than 90 days from the USA and the Netherlands, you do not need a visa. Please check the following link to ensure that you meet visa requirements to enter Trinidad and Tobago: https://www.hinterlandtravel.com/trinidad-and-tobago.
Refreshments & Lunch
The LOC is planning a daily lunch at a cost of US$20.00 per meal. Further details about this arrangement will be shared. Note also that in proximity of the conference centre, there are several outlets providing meals. More information on these outlets will be provided in the conference bags.
Optional Field Trip
The LOC has planned for participants to visit Nelson Island, one of the five islets on the western coast of Trinidad. The National Trust of Trinidad and Tobago will supervise the trip. It includes land transport to the port, a twenty-minute sea vessel transport to the island, a dramatic recreation of the landing of first peoples at Nelson Island, a guided tour of the island covering artefacts of Indian Indentured labourers once quarantined on the island, a visit to the house where labour leader Uriah Butler was interred during World War II and a survey history of the many uses of Nelson Island. Lunch will also be served including a drink. The cost of the trip is US$100.00.
Safety and Security
We wish to ensure all participants that their safety and security while in Trinidad is one of our top priorities. There is security at the St Augustine Campus, the Central Bank Auditorium and both hotels. At present, a State of Emergency is in effect. However, there is no curfew. This is a temporary measure to deal with specific, localised issues. Movement is not restricted, the build up to Carnival 2025 has begun in earnest, and a number of visitors are already here. Our international students for semester II have also arrived. We anticipate that by June, at the latest, the State of Emergency will no longer be in effect. We therefore look forward to welcoming you for a conference that is academically, socially, and culturally rewarding in the true spirit of the ACH.
Membership & Conference Registration Fees
All conference attendees and presenters must be current members of the ACH and must register for the conference. Those who joined at or before the last conference in June 2024 will need to renew at or before this year’s meeting; those who joined since the 2024 meeting have a valid membership until just after the conference in Santa Marta. If you have questions about your membership status, please email Secretary-Treasurer Randy Browne at achsecretary@gmail.com.
For those who still need to join, visit the Membership page by clicking here.
There are six categories of membership (all amounts below appear in U.S. dollars):
- Non-tenured faculty, Caribbean-based lecturers ($50 a year): for faculty, public history, or governmental positions.
- Tenured professors and other established researchers ($75 a year): for tenured faculty, public history, or governmental positions.
- Teachers (primary/secondary), students, and retirees ($25 a year): a special rate for primary/ secondary teachers; graduate and undergraduate students, and retirees.
- Institutional Members ($100 a year): for colleges, universities, libraries, museums, and other cultural and educational organizations.
- Benefactor ($150 a year): a higher category of giving to support the organization’s activities.
- Life Membership ($500): the best membership bargain—equivalent to 10 years of regular annual membership, but valid for life.
In addition to annual membership, there is a registration fee for the conference itself to defray local expenses. Registration fees for the 2025 conference appear below. While participants can register at the conference, speakers and chairs must do so in advance, and pre-registration online is encouraged for everyone—presenting or not—to gain access to all pre-circulated conference papers. All those presenting or chairing sessions at the conference MUST renew their membership and register for the conference by the time their pre-circulated papers are due on March 15, 2025.
- ACH members: $185
- Caribbean-based students: $65
- Non-Caribbean-based students: $95
- Guests: $100
See below to join/update your membership, and to register online. When registering, please be sure you select the appropriate category and corresponding fee. If you choose to register on site, fees are still payable via PayPal (credit card) only. We cannot accept cash or other forms of payment.
Pay Conference Registration Fee
If you choose to register on site, fees are payable via credit card only. We cannot accept cash or other forms of payment.
Accessing Pre-Circulated Papers
ACH presentations include both a pre-circulated 25-page paper and a brief (10 minutes or less) conference presentation. The ACH is making pre-circulated papers available online for those who pre-register. Once the ACH receives your completed registration, you will receive a password to access the portion of the website where papers are housed. Please be aware that papers are not due until March 15; they will not, as a result, be available online until late April. You can pre-register for the conference online by clicking here.