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
