150th Anniversary Book

A Treasure of History

The 150th Anniversary Book was published in 2021 when St. Dominic’s Children’s Home (SDCH) celebrated 150 years of service to Children in Need of Supervision.

Over the years the Home transitioned from the Belmont Orphanage (1871-1921) then to the St. Dominic’s Orphanage (1921-1971) and from 1971 to present the St. Dominic’s Children’s Home a Residential Child Care Provider.  The journey exemplifies a very rich history of struggles, the various hands of strength from Fr. Mariano Forestier, O.P. the Dominican Sisters of St Catherine of Siena, the Archdiocese of POS and the Board of SDCH achieving great successes in terms of the Home’s physical transformation, systems, policies and the residents that blossomed to claim fame in our nation and internationally.

This Coffee Table Publication was initiated by our former Chairman, Mr. Nestor Lambert and a team of dedicated and enthusiastic colleagues from SDCH and external to SDCH who displayed various skill types to produce this interesting, fabulous and educational book.

We invite you to share this experience with us and review messages from our Archbishop – Charles Jason Gordon and His Holiness Pope Francis as he graces SDCH with his Apostolic Blessing.

Available at the Following Locations: 

This special publication is available for sale at St. Dominic’s Children’s Home, 34B Belmont Circular Road, Belmont, Port of Spain and the following bookshops in Trinidad:

• Mohammed’s Books Store Associates Ltd - 237 Western Main Road, Cocorite
• The Pax Abbey Shop Limited - St. John’s Road, Mt. St. Benedict
• Living Water Book Store - 109 Frederick Street, Port of Spain
• Paper Based Bookshop  - 14 Alcazar Street, Maraval, POS
• RIK Services Ltd - 104 High Street, San Fernando
  
   

MESSAGE FROM THE HONOURABLE AYANNA WEBSTER-ROY, MINISTER WITH RESPONSIBILITY FOR GENDER AND CHILD AFFAIRS

On the Occasion of St. Dominic's Children's Home 150th (Sesquicentennial) Anniversary Commemorative Coffee Table Publication

The government of Trinidad and Tobago continues to welcome and value everyone who contributes to the development of our country and the nurturing of our people. The importance institutions and communities dedicated to our children's well-being, safety, and protection cannot be overstated in terms of the development of our twin island Republic. With this in mind, it is important to note that the involvement of our nation's children's homes is critical to the fulfillment of my responsibilities as Minister responsible for Gender and Child Affairs.

Care and guidance in a stable, family-oriented environment enrich a child's life; this is what I want for all children. Our children have an inherent right to be exposed to positive values so they can one day become role models for the qualities that will shape them into healthy adolescents. As a government, we have taken into account the large number of children who face unimaginable adversity and are working to alleviate these occurrences by providing the necessary support for their recovery and healthy development into productive members of society. Trinidad and Tobago we owe it to our children to do everything in our power to lift them up, respect their rights, and provide them with opportunities that will allow them to blossom into caring individuals who will in the future, water the souls of others.

Over the years, St. Dominic's Children's Home has contributed significantly to the noble cause of childcare. Its dedication to this calling has been demonstrated by its successful adaptations over the years and its continued prominence as a safety net for some of our most vulnerable children.

As the St. Dominic's Children's Home celebrates its 150th (Sesquicentennial) Anniversary, I recognize and applaud its accomplishments while looking forward to its future successes.

The Honorable, Ayanna Webster-Roy
Minister with responsibility for Gender and Child Affairs