Sixty Years of Independence - Achievements, Challenges and the Road Ahead for Trinidad and Tobago

All countries aim to achieve high rates of economic growth; many strive to improve liv­ing standards and quality of life for their people. However, in a world where events and circumstances often influence a country and its economy, these factors are not always fully within the control of those responsible for leadership and development. Sixty Years of Independence examines Trinidad and Tobago's progress since indepen­dence in 1962, against such strivings and challenges, with the aim of identifying both genuine achievements and persistent flaws or gaps. The contributors to this volume share common assumptions: that it is essential to broaden and deepen democracy; that it is desirable to achieve shared prosperity through higher levels of productivity and more meaningful levels of economic development; and that the drivers of economic progress, as well as the active build out of social infrastructure to support human development, are both essential for genuine and sustainable developmental progress. These reflections on Trinidad and Tobago's sixty-year journey as an independent, sovereign nation are well worth reading not only for the information they provide, nor solely for the historical context they offer across various sectors, or even for the fact that the contributors are individuals who have both shaped and reflected on national develop­ment. This book is worth reading because each chapter presents thoughtful, substantive insights that encourage readers to examine their own perspectives on development, wherever they live, and to consider how progress might be pursued more effectively and meaningfully. For policymakers in particular, this volume offers both inspiration and practical guidance on the way forward.

List of contents

List of Figures / xiii List of Tables / xvi
Foreword / xxi
Introduction / xxv
 
1 SIXTY YEARS OF OIL AND GAS IN INDEPENDENT TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, 1962–2022 / 1
KEVIN RAMNARINE
 
Independence to Boom: 1962–73 / 2
The Ministry of Petroleum and Mines / 2
Oil Production, 1962–73 / 4
East Coast Exploration – PATOC/Amoco / 5
Boom to Bust: 1973–83 / 7
Budget Speeches of Dr Eric Williams 1974, 1975 and 1976 / 10
Fete Over Back to Work / 12
Declining Levels of Oil Production in the 1980s / 14
Economic Mismanagement, 1973–83 / 15
Natural Gas–based Industrialization / 19
The Establishment of Point Lisas / 20
Establishment of the National Gas Company / 21
Atlantic LNG / 23
Amoco’s Exploration Success in the 1990s and the Return of BP / 24
LNG Production in Trinidad and Tobago / 25
Reflection on Natural Gas / 27
Personal Reflections: 2011–15 / 28
Reflection on Deepwater Exploration / 28
Reflection on Natural Gas Shortages / 29
Reflection on Policy Intervention for the Fiscal Regime / 30
Reflection on Caribbean Gas Chemicals Limited (CGCL) / 32
Reflection on the NGC and Petrotrin / 34
2022 and Beyond / 36
The Future of Natural Gas / 36
Renewable Energy / 37
Port and Maritime Logistics / 38
 
2 RETHINKING AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY: TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO’S CHALLENGE / 41
WENDY-ANN P. ISAAC, OMARDATH MAHARAJ AND MICHAEL JOSEPH

Introduction / 41
Background / 42
Challenges Facing the Agriculture Sector Post-independence / 46
Agriculture Policies, Programmes and Budgetary Allocations Review / 50
Agriculture Research and Education – The Gap Between Knowledge and Application / 58
Possible Reasons for Failure of Policy in Food Security and Solutions / 59
China and India: Exploring the Importance of Bilateral Technical Cooperation / 68
The Way Forward in the Current Context / 71
  3 HEALTH AND HEALTHCARE IN THE SIXTY YEARS POST-INDEPENDENCE IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO / 81
ANJANI SHARMA, KESHAN RAMNARINE AND SURUJPAL TEELUCKSINGH

Introduction / 81
Healthcare Organization and Development in Trinidad and Tobago / 82
Population Health Indices for Trinidad and Tobago
Compared with Caribbean Neighbours / 88
Demographic Changes / 96
Investments in Trinidad and Tobago Health Sector / 99
Medical Board of Trinidad and Tobago / 103
Trinidad and Tobago Medical Association: Non-governmental Participation / 104
The University of the West Indies / 104
COSTAATT / 105
Healthcare and the Private Sector / 105
Model of a Transformative Intervention in Healthcare
Delivery / 107
Health Research in Trinidad and Tobago / 110
Mental Health in Trinidad and Tobago / 113
Healthcare Triumphs / 114
National Oncology Services / 114
Culture, Structure and Support for Ethical Research / 114
Areas for Improvement / 115
  4 THE DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATION IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO AFTER INDEPENDENCE: LOSSES, GAINS AND MISSED OPPORTUNITIES / 122
JEROME DE LISLE, CHERYL BOWRIN-WILLIAMS AND TRACEY M. LUCAS

Introduction – Change versus Continuity / 122
Theoretical Constructs for Explaining the Trajectory
of Education Development / 124
A Post-independence Trajectory of Education Development for
Trinidad and Tobago / 126
The Major External Funded Programmes / 129
Education Plans from Independence to the Present / 129
Forgetting and Remembering as a Key Explanation / 133
An Overview of Trinidad and Tobago’s Educational
Trajectory / 134
The Trajectory Periods / 135
Themes on Lessons Learned / 150
  5 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, 1962–2022 / 162
LA DAANA K. KANHAI, HAMISH ASMATH AND JUDITH F. GOBIN
The Natural Environment / 162
Anthropogenic Activities and Impacts / 170
Domestic / 170
Agricultural / 172
Industrial / 173
Other / 174
Transboundary Issues / 175
Environmental Management in Trinidad and Tobago / 177
Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) / 178
Environmental Policies and Action Plans / 179
Environmental Legislation / 180
Protected Areas and Species / 180
Environmental Management Tools / 182
Environmental Education and Public Awareness / 183
Specially Appointed Task Force and Councils / 184
Specific Projects to Address Anthropogenic Activities / 185
Relevant Actors / 186
The Way Forward / 187
  6 THE CHALLENGE OF HUMAN CAPITAL FORMATION AND EFFECTIVE DEPLOYMENT IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO / 201
BHOENDRADATT TEWARIE
  The Shift from GDP to Human Capital / 201
The Rise of Intangibles / 202
Intellectual and Creative Capital and
the Role of Tertiary Education / 202
Social Capital / 203
Tertiary Education and Socio-economic Deficits / 204
Financing Education Sustainably for Development / 206
How Do We Move Forward? / 207
Shared Responsibility for Tuition Financing / 208
Reparations / 210
Government Responsibility / 212
Knowledge-driven Approach / 213
Government, Business, Education Sector Collaboration / 214
Avoiding Negatives of Political Patronage by
Recognizing Merit / 215
  7 A REVIEW OF SIXTY YEARS OF CRIME MANAGEMENT TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO / 222
GARVIN HEERAH

Introduction / 222
The Evolution of The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service / 222
Types of Crime Interventions / 223
Approaches to Disciplining Officers – Then and Now / 225
Setting Examples / 232
What Were the Obvious Policing and Policy Failures? / 233
Did We Have Wins? / 235
What is the “Temperature Check” on Our Present
Crime Fighting Capabilities? / 236
How Has the Environment Shifted over the Years? / 242
Given This Assessment and These Gaps, What is the Sensible,
Strategic Way Forward? / 243
Airborne Law Enforcement Support / 243
Aircrew Personnel / 245
Facilities / 246
Training / 246
Maintenance / 247
Tactical Equipment / 247
Operational Considerations for TTPS’ Air Support Unit / 248
Innovative Methods for Inclusion / 250
Further Recommendations / 250
  8 TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO ECONOMY: REFLECTIONS ON THE POST-INDEPENDENCE PERIOD / 257
ROGER HOSEIN, REGAN DEONANAN, REBECCA GOOKOOL-BOSLAND AND MARK ROOPCHAN

Introduction / 257
Reflecting on Trends in Trinidad and Tobago’s Trade / 258
Product Composition of Trade / 258
Direction of Trade / 263
Reflections on the Nature of Trade Using Trade Indices / 268
Regional Orientation Indices / 268
Trade Intensity Index / 271
Changes in the Traded Sector of the Economy / 275
Recovery Pathway 1 (R1) / 278
Recovery Pathway 2 (R2) / 278
Recovery Pathway 3 (R3) / 278
Services as an Opportunity to Increase Exports / 281
Remittances / 286
Steps in Increasing NBT / 288
Increasing Competitive Import Substitution / 288
Focused Strategy on Dynamic Sectors (Rising Stars and Missed Opportunities) / 291
Policy Interventions to Support Expansion of the NBT Sector / 298
Conclusion / 306
  9 RETHINKING TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO MANUFACTURING INTERNATIONALIZATION: FROM INTERMITTENT EXPORT TO GLOBAL TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO / 315
NIGEL WILLIAMS
  Introduction: Country Linkages and Internationalization Capabilities / 315
Policy Initiatives to Develop Trinidad and Tobago
Manufacturing Exports / 316
Trinidad and Tobago Policy and Export Organizational
Adaptation / 317
Internationalization of Trinidad and Tobago Firms / 318
Trinidad and Tobago Firms Advocacy and Alignment / 319
Rethinking the Trinidad and Tobago Export Manufacturing
System / 323
Rethinking System Boundaries / 325
Rethinking Interactions in Global Value Chains / 326
Rethinking Systems Participants / 329
  10 A TALE OF TWO ISLANDS: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN TOBAGO AND TRINIDAD / 332
VANUS JAMES, CARLOS HAZEL AND KENNETH BISSOON
  Introduction / 332
Labour Market Conditions, Labour Productivity
and GDP per capita / 334
Education Characteristics of the Labour Force / 338
Types of Occupations / 346
Types of Workers / 349
Industry Contributions to Employment / 350
Labour Incomes / 353
The External Propulsion of the Trinidad and Tobago Economy / 354
Low Capital Share of GDP / 357
Importing to Export / 359
Productivity and GDP per Capita / 362
A Simplified Framework for Policy Design / 368
Summary and Policies to Grow GDP per capita / 377
  11 REFLECTIONS ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO IN THE POST-INDEPENDENCE ERA / 385
ROGER HOSEIN, REGAN DEONANAN, REBECCA GOOKOOL-BOSLAND AND MARK ROOPCHAN
  Introduction / 385
Economic Growth Performance: Drivers and Observations / 387
Suggested Policy Changes / 399
Utilize Venezuelan Immigrant Labour / 399
Fiscal Targets and Fiscal Responsibility Legislation (FRL) / 401
Improve Non-energy Revenue Collection / 403
Implementation of the Public Procurement and
Disposal of Public Property Act / 405
Liberalize the Foreign Exchange Market / 405
Reduce Transfers to SOEs / 406
Conclusion / 412
  12 REFLECTIONS ON WHAT TO DO NEXT / 418
BHOENDRADATT TEWARIE
  Fundamental Questions / 418
Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) on Caribbean Development / 419
Four Recommendations / 421
COVID-19 Blues and Opportunities / 422
Western Hemisphere / 423
ECLAC Suggestions / 426
Highlighting Some Basics / 426
Changes in Attitudes / 429
Caribbean Response / 430
Trinidad and Tobago and Self-sufficiency / 431
Fix, Transform, Change / 432
How to Begin / 433
Food and Water / 434
Intangible Assets / 435
Individual, Home, Family, School / 435
The Need to Shift Gears / 437
Beyond Policy / 438
Some Comparisons – Are We in Jeopardy? / 439
Growth Has Been Elusive / 440
State Business / 441
From WASA to Petrotrin / 442
Corruption / 443
Responsive System, Working Structure of Accountability / 443
Parliamentary Scrutiny / 444
Auditor General / 445
Campaign Financing / 445
Effective Procurement Law / 446
Democracy / 447
Structure of Production and Results of Development / 448
Coordinating Government, Getting Policy Coherent / 449
Continuity / 450
Coordination / 453
Political Party System / 454
Disenchantment with Status Quo / 455
Constitution / 456
Local Government / 458
A Guiding Idea / 459
Independent Countries Post-1960 / 460
The Challenging Issues / 460
Renewable Energy and Climate Change / 461
Renewable Energy / 462
Climate Change / 462
The Next Decade / 463
Unifying Politics / 465
  Contributors / 473
Index / 477

About the author

Bhoendradatt Tewarie is the former pro vice-chancellor for Planning and Development and former principal at The University of the West Indies and founding director of the Institute of Critical Thinking.

Roger Hosein is professor in the Department of Economics at The University of the West Indies, St Augustine. He is also the coordinator of the Trade and Economic Development Unit (TEDU). Hosein is the author or contributor of several books, including Trade and Development Issues in CARICOM: Key Considerations for Navigating Development.

Rebecca Gookool-Bosland is former lecturer in the Department of Economics at The University of the West Indies. She is coauthor of several books, including Trade and Development Issues in CARICOM: Key Considerations for Navigating Development.

Product details

• Assisted by: Rebecca Gookool-Bosland (Editor), Roger Hosein (Editor), Bhoendradatt Tewarie (Editor)
• Publisher: The University of the West Indies Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 04.07.2025
• EAN: 9789766580261
• ISBN: 978-976-658-026-1
• No. of pages: 558
• Dimensions: 152 mm x 229 mm x 30 mm
• Weight: 798 g
• Subject: Social sciences, law, business > Business > General, dictionaries