International media parks itself in cruise liner for CHOGM summit

Port of Spain, Nov.27 (ANI): The Caribbean Princess is a little city in itself and is one of two cruise liners placed at the seafront not far from the Hyatt Hotel, the venue of this year's 21st Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).

The Caribbean Princess will cater to the international media.

Rooms on the cruiser start at 1200 dollars per night for Royal Suite and the lowest priced is the Interior State Room at 300 dollars per night. All meals are included.

The media ship is just a few minutes walk from the Media Center.

About 5,000 foreign delegates are expected to attend this year's CHOGM, and the Trinidad and Tobago Government has pulled out all steps to make the event memorable.

With the capital city of Port of Spain having only 1,700 hotel rooms, the government has come up with "floating" hotels for its overseas guests.

Apart from supplying an additional 2,500 rooms, the Serenade of the Seas and the Caribbean Princess also provide convention facilities and dining venues.

A host of meetings are taking place on board these two ships, while a casino has been transformed into a trade show with up to 20 table-top exhibits, the Malaysian Star reports.

Leaders of 53 Commonwealth countries and other dignitaries have started converging on this twin island country. They will discuss global, political and economic issues and some pressing problems faced by member countries and the global community.

The 45-minute ride from the airport to the city provides many familiar sights - coconut trees dot the roadside while red sloping houses give the feeling of being in south india.

There are a number of skyscrapers near the financial centre. Temples, churches and mosques are also visible.

The republic covers an area of 5,128 square kilometres and consists of two main islands, Trinidad and Tobago, and numerous smaller land forms. It is rich in oil and natural gas and offers eco-tourism attractions.

Under British rule for 165 years from 1797, the islands gained independence in 1962 and later became a republic in 1976.

The country with a 1.3 million population is made up of descendants of settlers from Africa, Asia, South America, Europe and the Middle East.y Smita Prakash (ANI)