Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698926566273.pdf (Trinidad and Tobago)
Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago Ministry of Planning and Development VISION 2030 DRAFT National Development Strategy 2016-2030 Many Hearts, Many Voices, One Vision APPENDIX I NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2016‒2030 (VISION 2030) “Many Hearts, Many Voices, One Vision” (March 21st 2017) TABLE OF CONTENTS ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................................................ 4 LIST OF CHARTS, TABLES, FIGURES AND BOXES ........................................................... 7 PREFACE .................................................................................................................................................. 9 FOREWORD ........................................................................................................................................... 11 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................. 13 CHAPTER 1 ........................................................................................................................................... 18 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 18 CHAPTER 2 ........................................................................................................................................... 23 Reviewing Performance and Looking to the Future
 ....................................................... 23 (a) Socio-Economic and Environmental Performance 2004-2015 .......................................................... 23 (b) Effectiveness of Development Policies .............................................................................................. 35 Lessons from Vision 2020 ................................................................................................................... 35 Cultural Factors .................................................................................................................................. 36 (c) Future Trends .................................................................................................................................... 39 Global Developments ......................................................................................................................... 39 The World In 2030 .............................................................................................................................. 39 (d) National Challenges ...................................................................................................................... 42 CHAPTER 3 ........................................................................................................................................... 48 Envisioning the Future
 ................................................................................................................... 48 Aspiration Statement .............................................................................................................................. 49 Understanding the Vision ....................................................................................................................... 50 Development Themes to 2030 ................................................................................................................ 51 Guiding Principles ................................................................................................................................... 58 National Sustainable Development Goals ............................................................................................. 60 CHAPTER 4 ........................................................................................................................................... 66 Making the Necessary Adjustments ....................................................................................... 66 Institutional Transformation.................................................................................................................. 71 Macro-economic Policy .......................................................................................................................... 79 CHAPTER 5
79 CHAPTER 5 ........................................................................................................................................... 84 Medium Term Development Strategies 2016-to 2020 ................................................... 84 Theme I: Putting People First: Nurturing Our Greatest Asset ........................................................... 87 Theme II: Delivering Good Governance and Service Excellence ....................................................... 94 Theme III: Improving Productivity Through Quality Infrastructure and Transport .......................... 99 Theme IV: Building Globally Competitive Businesses ..................................................................... 104 Theme V: Placing the Environment at the Centre of Social and Economic Development ............. 109 CHAPTER 6 ......................................................................................................................................... 112 Implementation and Results ..................................................................................................... 112 The Enablers to Successful Implementation: ........................................................................................ 114 1.
Improving the Effectiveness of the Budget and Planning System ................................................ 114 2.
Building the Capability for Achieving Vision 2030 ........................................................................ 115 The Implementation Plan: .................................................................................................................... 116 The Institutional Mechanisms for Vision 2030 ..................................................................................... 119 Partnerships for Development .............................................................................................................. 120 APPENDICES ...................................................................................................................................... 124 Appendix I: Review of Expenditure by Function ................................................................................... 124 Appendix II: Review of Vision 2020 ....................................................................................................... 126 Appendix III: Review of Vision 2020 Macroeconomic Policy Rules ...................................................... 138 ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS AI CARICOM CBTT CEC CEDP CEPS CNG CoG EDAB EMA EU EXIM FDI GATE GCI GDP GHG GIF GNP HBS HCFC HDI HIMS HR HRM HSF ICT IDB IDCDC IEA IFMIS ILO IMF IPSAS IT Artificial Intelligence Caribbean Community Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago Certificate of Environmental Clearance Comprehensive Economic Development Plan Centre for European Policy Studies Compressed Natural Gas Centre of Government Economic Development Advisory Board Environmental Management Authority European Union Export Import Bank of Trinidad and Tobago Limited Foreign Direct Investment Government Assistance for Tuition Expenses Global Competitiveness Index Gross Domestic Product Greenhouse Gas Green Infrastructure Fund Gross National Product Household Budgetary Survey Hydrofluorochlorocarbon Human Development Index Health Information Management System Human Resource Human Resource Management Heritage Stabilisation Fund Information and
 Communication Technologies Inter-American Development Bank Inter-Disciplinary Child Development Centre International Energy Agency Integrated Financial Management Information System International Labour Organization International Monetary Fund International Public Sector Accounting Standards Information Technology ITS IWRM JBPA LAC LNG M&E MDGs MPF MPMS MTEF NAMA NAP NCDs NDC NDS NGOs NPDP NPF NRI NTAC ODS OECD PLWHA POPs PPPs PSA PSIP PTSC PwC R&D SDGs SIDS SLC SME T&TEC THA TTDF TTPS Intelligent Transport Systems Integrated Water Resources Management Joint Border Protection Agency Latin America and the Caribbean Liquefied Natural Gas Monitoring and Evaluation Millennium Development Goals Ministry-level Performance Framework Ministerial Performance Management System Medium Term Expenditure Framework Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions National Action Programme Non-Communicable Diseases Nationally Determined Contribution National Development Strategy Non-Governmental Organizations National Population and Development Policy National Performance Framework Networked Readiness Index National Tripartite Advisory Council Ozone Depleting Substance Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development Persons Living with HIV Aids Persistent Organic Pollutants Public-Private partnerships Population Situation Analysis Public Sector Investment Programme Public Transport Services Corporation PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Research and Development Sustainable Development Goals Small Island Developing States Survey of Living Conditions Small and Medium Enterprise Sector Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission Tobago House of Assembly Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force Trinidad and Tobago Police Service UK UN UNCBD UNCCD UNDESA UNDP UNFCCC URP USA UTT VABs WASA WEF WIP WRA WTI United Kingdom United Nations United Nations Convention on Bio-diversity United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs United Nations
 Development Programme United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Unemployment Relief Programme United States of America University of Trinidad and Tobago Value Attitudes and Behaviours Water and Sewerage Authority World Economic Forum Work in Progress Water Resources Agency West Texas Intermediate LIST OF CHARTS, TABLES, FIGURES AND BOXES CHARTS Chart 2.1 Central Government Revenue and Debt 2004-2015 Chart 2.2 Trinidad and Tobago’s Performance in selected Global Indices Chart 2.3 Human Development Index, 2000 and 2014 Chart 2.4 GDP per Capita, 2000 and 2014 (2005 constant US$) Chart 2.5 Per Capita Expenditure on Health, 2000 and 2013 (US$) Chart 2.6 Life Expectancy at birth, 2000 and 2014 (Years) Chart 2.7 Infant Mortality, 2000 and 2015 (per 1,000 live births) Chart 2.8 Maternal Mortality Ratio, 2000 and 2015 (per 100,000) Chart 2.9 Global Competitiveness Index 2001‒2015 TABLES Table 2.1 Population and Land Area of Comparator Countries (2000‒2014) Table 2.2 High Technology Exports (Percent of Manufactured Exports) Table 2.3 Export of ICT Goods and services (Percent of Exports 2000‒2014) Table 2.4 Summary of Trinidad and Tobago’s Main Challenges and Opportunities Table 3.1 Draft National Vision 2030 Goals and Alignment with the United Nations Agenda 2030 for Global Development (Sustainable Development Goals) Table 4.1 Recommendations for Cultural Changes Table 4.2 Recommendations for Institutional Changes Table 4.3 Recommendations for Changes in
 Macroeconomic Policy Table 6.1 Vision 2030 Results Framework Table 6.2 Recommendations for Implementation and Results FIGURES Figure 1.1 Vision 2030 National Development Strategy Context and Methodology Figure 2.1 Core International Cultural Factors of Development Figure 2.2 Trinidad and Tobago’s Main Progressive and Non-Progressive Cultural Factors of Development Figure 4.1 Worldwide Governance Indicators (2005-2012) Figure 4.2 Quality and Citizens Satisfaction in Trinidad and Tobago by Transactional Service
 Figure 6.1 Operationalising the National Vision BOXES Box 2.1 Key Achievements under the Developing Innovative People Development Pillar Box 2.2 Key Achievements under the Nurturing a Caring Society Development Pillar Box 2.3 Key Achievements under the Nurturing a Caring Society Development Pillar Box 2.4 Key Achievements under the Enabling Competitive Business Development Pillar Box 2.5 Key Achievements under the Investing in Sound Infrastructure and the Environment Development Pillar Box 2.6 Key Achievements under the Promoting Effective Government Development Pillar PREFACE By the Honourable Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago As Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, I am committed to rebuilding our country and economy, restoring confidence, equity and social justice and improving every area of national life.
We recognise that, as a nation, we face several challenges — some triggered by global events beyond our control, with consequential ripple effects at the national level.

As citizens, we must all appreciate that the circumstances which we now face require sacrifice and managed adjustment in our living standards, for a period of time, until the economy is successfully stabilised.
My Government is committed to making the tough decisions needed to get the economy back on the road to prosperity and sustainable development.

We are also committed to those of our citizens who are unable to cope effectively with more difficult circumstances and have put measures in place to cushion the landing of the vulnerable groups in society, who would be most challenged by the downturn in economic activity.

The Government of Trinidad and Tobago is clear about what needs to be done.
A detailed, comprehensive, wide-ranging and broad-based suite of detailed policy initiatives and measures have been developed to place the country on the road to recovery and stability.

These are outlined in the Draft National Development Strategy 2016-2030 or Vision 2030.
As Prime Minister, I will lead my Government judiciously and conscientiously, with frequent community and sectoral conversations on the many matters of national interest as we proceed to transform our country and improve the lives of citizens.
The Government, through astute leadership and good governance, will aim to partner with every business, every worker, and every citizen to recalibrate the economy to its correct posture of sustainable growth, development, social peace, economic stability and transformation, where all citizens will obtain their fair share of national resources through good, honest, equitable and transparent governance.
Our approach to governance will be evidence-driven, based data and scientific knowledge while paying due attention, at all times, to the need for compassion and sensitivity, environmental responsibility and the respect for the rights and freedoms of all citizens in all matters of state.
As enunciated in the People’s National Movement Manifesto 2015, now the National Policy Framework, “The Government envisions a society where integrity and morality in public life is of the highest priority and the Government serves the public good above all else, and where decisions are made and actions taken by the Government in the best interest of all concerned.” In so doing, our country would be restored as the economic powerhouse of the Caribbean, achieve a high level of human development and become a regional leader in virtually every area of endeavour.
In fulfilment of this vision: Let us focus our collective energy on working together as family — the national family — to ensure that we remain on the path to peace, progress and prosperity, which we have all come to enjoy.

Let us go forward as an intelligent and responsible people, doing what has to be done to protect the gains we have made.

Let us all recommit to making Trinidad and Tobago a country which stands as a lasting example of unity and strength in diversity.
Let us go forward as one people, defending our homeland with boundless faith in our destiny.

This Government has the resilience and commitment to stay the course, and will lead by example, by being the change that we would like to see in this nation.

May God bless you all and may God bless our Nation.

Dr.

The Honourable Keith Rowley M.P.


Prime Minister Republic of Trinidad and Tobago FOREWORD By the Minister of Planning and Development The Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago has embarked upon setting a robust and prudent development agenda to successfully navigate the country back to socio-economic prosperity.
Through the adoption of a comprehensive national development planning framework, this National Development Strategy (NDS) 2016-2030, Vision 2030, will lay the foundation and pathway for attaining developed country status by the year 2030.
Vision 2030 builds on the principles, mission and processes of the Vision 2020 Draft National Strategic Plan, which was laid in Parliament on February 10, 2006 and which resulted from extensive dialogue with civil society, academia, the private sector and the public sector, culminating in over 80 public consultations.

To date, this record stands unchallenged and this extensive and inclusive work has laid a solid foundation for preparing the Vision 2030 Strategy.
In addition, the NDS also takes cognisance of national, regional and international development issues that would have occurred up to present time.

The draft Vision 2030 NDS aims to provide a broad socio-economic development framework to the year 2030.

It is intended to provide for an orderly long-term development process, inclusive of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Trinidad and Tobago’s approach to implementation of the 2030 Global Development Agenda will begin with the unfinished areas of attention pertaining to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as identified in the Trinidad and Tobago MDG Report 2014.

These areas include maternal mortality, containment of HIV/AIDS and reducing the incidence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
However, it must be noted that, under the MDGs, the country has surpassed the targets in many areas such as gender parity in schools and the elimination of malaria and tuberculosis, and has set new international benchmarks with full enrolment in Early Childhood Education.

The Government recognises that every economic activity is driven by the utilization of an environmental resource, which has both environmental and economic consequences.
Therefore, as the country’s principal strategic planning document, it defines the priorities and overarching thrust of government policy, which is focused on achieving sustainable economic growth through greater diversification of the economy, placing the environment at the centre of economic and social development, as well as improving the social conditions and quality of life of citizens in an inclusive and ecologically sensitive manner.
The Strategy comprises a vision for Trinidad and Tobago to the year 2030, long-term goals (2016-20300, and the short-term goals and strategies over the next five years (2016–2020) to lay the foundation for achieving the vision over the longer period.

The draft Strategy will also start the dialogue on the cultural and the behavioural shifts that are regarded as requisites for further development.
It is important to note that the formulation of the NDS draws on the Comprehensive Economic Development Plan (CEDP) for Tobago (2013‒2017) which itself was grounded in the context of Vision 2020.

As the overarching long-term national policy framework, the Strategy serves as the basis for engaging in dialogue with the wider public sector, business community, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and citizens to further update and refine the development agenda.
Further, the final document will be the high-level national strategic framework and will serve as the mooring to which more detailed sectoral and ministerial plans are anchored.

To realise Vision 2030, the collective support and commitment of the entire nation is required to effectively plan and operationalise the future we want for ourselves and generations to come.
Though daunting, the task is not insurmountable, for we are a people with the enduring capacity to create from our social diversity, a resilient Nation that boasts of significant achievements and the enviable ability to maintain a peaceful co-existence.

Our success in achieving Vision 2030 will not be an elusive dream but a tangible reality of which we will be proud.
In closing, I wish to recognise the efforts of the staff of the Ministry of Planning and Development who worked tirelessly in the preparation of the draft Strategy.

The commitment and passion with which they pursued their work was exemplary.

The preparation of this document would also not have been possible without the support and collaboration of other Ministries and agencies such as the United Nations Development Programme, the Caribbean Development Bank, academia and the private sector.
I would like to also take this opportunity to thank all who participated in the planning process and gave freely of their time and ideas.

I trust that such persons and other valued experts would be poised and ready to engage in further dialogue as such avenues become available in the near future.
I urge all citizens to further collaborate in the social and economic development of our country, by first embracing the Vision and then by taking the responsibility to fulfil their respective roles as citizens of our beloved nation.

On behalf of the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, I am pleased to present to the national community the National Development Strategy 2016-2030, Vision 2030.

Camille R. Robinson-Regis M.P.


Minister of Planning and Development EXECUTIVE SUMMARY There are times in the development path of a country when extraordinary challenges demand an equally compelling response.

Trinidad and Tobago is now in such a time as falling energy prices and revenues are threatening our standard of living and our way of life.
In response, the Draft National Development Strategy (NDS) 2016-2030 (Vision 2030) was developed, which incorporates the principles and objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

It aims to guide the development process taking into consideration the immediate and future needs of all our citizens.
As the country’s sustainable development strategy, the NDS establishes the vision and broad framework for Trinidad and Tobago’s development to 2030 and defines the key priorities for the first planning period 2016-2020.

Moreover, the NDS posits that bold steps have to be taken by all segments of society towards making the socio-economic transformations that are needed to surmount our many developmental and environmental challenges.
This document contains six (6) chapters of which the key elements are presented below.

OUR MAIN CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES Following a review of Trinidad and Tobago’s past and current performance against selected countries in key socio- economic areas, the NDS presents the main challenges which Trinidad and Tobago faces.
Addressing some of these challenges involves:  Expanding exports and increasing foreign exchange earnings and employment;  Solving and preventing crime;  Reversing the non-progressive values, attitudes and behaviours such as low productivity and poor work ethos;  Undertaking constitutional and institutional reform;  Addressing the impact of shale gas, and low gas reserves/production in Trinidad and Tobago;  Eradicating the culture of dependency and sense of entitlement among the population;  Ensuring public service delivery, effective and efficient implementation of development interventions and measurement of results; and  Transforming the existing economic growth model into one that is environmentally friendly while addressing climate change, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions and building resilience to its adverse impacts.
 Protecting and sustainably using our environmental resources Major opportunities which our country must seize are also identified.

These include building a recycling industry, adoption of renewable, clean energy and green policies, utilising clean technology, consumption and production of healthier foods and use of technology in various sectors to improve services.
NATIONAL VISION, PRINCIPLES, THEMES AND GOALS The NDS builds on the vast consultation process of Vision 2020, which involved over 80 national consultations and 27 sub-committees comprising academia, the public and private sectors and civil society.

In so doing, the Vision 2020 National Vision was primarily retained given its representativeness and validity.
However, modifications were made to include relevant issues like climate change and renewable energy, thereby creating an enhanced National Vision to 2030.
The NDS also presents new Thematic Areas which focus our development efforts to the year 2030: These are as follows:  Theme I - Putting People First: Nurturing Our Greatest Asset;  Theme II - Promoting Good Governance and Service Excellence;  Theme III - Improving Productivity through Quality Infrastructure and Transportation;  Theme IV - Building Globally Competitive Businesses; and  Theme V - Placing the Environment at the Centre of Socio-economic Development.
The document also highlights the foundational principles which define the way we must operate and interact with each other as citizens.

These include integrity and morality in public office, inclusiveness, objectivity, accountability, openness, transparency, respect and leadership.

Further, the document underscores the importance of mainstreaming gender, environmental and youth related issues in the development agenda.
Through the collaborative process involving ministries, the draft national development goals were formulated for each Thematic Area.

Fifty one (51) national goals are presented in the NDS which are progressively linked over three five- year planning horizons.

There are 22 short term goals which are to be achieved over the planning period 2016-2020, 15 over the medium term (2016-2025) and 14 over the long term (2016-2030).
These goals are also aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and as such considers the three pillars of sustainable development, namely, the economic, social and environmental spheres.

The draft national development goals have been situated within the context of the Sustainable Development Strategy (SDGs).

The SDGs are comprehensive in scope, cut across most areas of national policy, and require alignment between national policies.
The 17 SDGs were reviewed and aligned to the Vision 2030 goals to ensure coherence.

A review of the 169 targets within the SDGs will be undertaken and will be integrated into the various Sectoral/Ministry Plans where applicable, thereby driving specific actions to achieve the vision.
The ministries that are aligned to the thematic areas will use the goals to further develop their programmes and projects to meet the national performance indicators and targets which will be subsequently developed as part of the new National Performance Framework.

This Framework will consider the 230 SDG indicators.
MAKING THE NECESSARY ADJUSTMENTS The NDS presents a case that, notwithstanding the periods of economic growth during 1994-2008; Trinidad and Tobago has underperformed in some key socio-economic areas, especially when compared to more successful countries with similar characteristics.

The analysis offers five primary reasons for this underperformance.
These are: (i) our values, attitudes and behaviours (ii) persistent fiscal imbalances (iii) low value added (iv) low technology; and (v) the middle income trap – this refers to the difficulties that countries experience while growing from middle to high income and relate primarily to weak institutions and systems that need to be reformed if the country is to advance.
The NDS therefore recommends crucial transformations that must be immediately undertaken to our culture, values and attitudes, macro-economic policy and institutional arrangements.

It notes that our problems are foundational and that constitutional reform is the ideal, but this requires widespread consultation and consensus.

Recommendations have therefore been made regarding the critical areas in which changes are needed.

In the area of culture, five (5) key transformations are necessary as follows: i.
Move to more evidenced-based decision making to attain value for money and reduce the negative impact of costly, ad hoc reactionary policy decisions; ii.

Creation of citizens who are more autonomous, creative, innovative and entrepreneurial, beginning with investment in education; iii.

Instil positive work ethos such as hard work and productivity; iv.

Adherence to the rule of law and enforcement of strict penalties for corrupt practices; and v. Greater environmental care and societal values.
Institutional Transformation will require: i.

Strengthening the oversight, accountability and the autonomy of the independent institutions; and ii.

Transforming public improving through performance management, modernised structures and strengthened coordination, capacity and devolution of certain powers of Central Government.

institutions A new agenda for Macro-Economic Policy is suggested with guidelines for fiscal policy, incomes policy and monetary policy.
Fiscal Policy guidelines include: i. Rationalise Expenditures such as establishing expenditure priorities and curbing unproductive spending.

ii.

Investing in strategic infrastructure – that is, infrastructure that is growth enhancing and crucial to stimulating economic activity.

A green infrastructure fund is suggested; iii.

Promoting Fiscal Transparency such as through continued implementation of the International Public Sector Accounting Standard which is the basis for the accrual (IPSAS); iv.
Fiscal Strategy based on reviewing fiscal rules for budget and expenditure government asset and liability management, fiscal responsibility law and modern financial management systems; Guidelines for Incomes Policy are based on the need to have a flexible labour market, keep unemployment minimal while being fair to and considerate of worker’s rights.

These include: i.

Support by Government through training and skills development; ii.

Use of work sharing agreements to avoid job loss; iii.
Establishment of a variable wage component to spur public sector performance; and iv.

Fulfillment of the decent work agenda; The NDS acknowledges that the conduct of monetary and exchange policy falls exclusively under the purview of the Central Bank of TT.
However, it suggests general principles for monetary policy, such as maintaining a favourable external reserves position and enabling the foreign exchange allocation mechanism to consider the stimulation of areas that enhance the capacity for exports and foreign exchange earnings.
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY (2016-2020) Taking into consideration our challenges, opportunities, the key transformations required, National Vision and the short term goals; the NDS also recommends a number of macro- level strategies under each development theme.

Under the “Good Governance” theme for example, one of the goals is to have modern, effective management systems within the public service by establishing a merit-based promotion system.
Strategies include increasing the crime detection rate through improved forensic capability, and merging the Anti-Corruption Bureau with the Financial Investigations Bureau.

National Transformational programmes and projects to be developed by Ministries are required to be linked to all these considerations mentioned.

IMPLEMENTATION AND RESULTS This chapter, primarily brings together all the key activities recommended in the previous chapters under the umbrella of Implementation.
It reiterates the importance of the making the fundamental adjustments, discussed in Chapter 4, by presenting them as critical success factors to implementation.

An urgent call is made to all relevant implementing agencies to commence activities to effect the transformations direly needed.

The chapter also highlights some critical enablers which facilitate and accelerate the implementation process.
These were identified based upon critical lessons learnt from our past development efforts and must also be simultaneously considered and implemented by relevant Ministries and Agencies.

These enablers include strengthening the effectiveness of the budget and planning systems and refocusing the Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP) as well as building public sector implementation capacity.

Key elements of the Vision 2030 Implementation Plan are also highlighted.
These pertain to the development of Ministry Plans which are required to identify National Transformational Programmes and projects.

These Plans are to be completed and interventions submitted in time to impact the 2017/2018 budget.

Other elements of the Implementation Plan discussed include the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Framework for Vision 2030 which will comprise Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and targets to monitor progress in implementing the NDS.
The institutional mechanisms for Vision 2030 are also highlighted.

Finally, in recognition that Vision 2030 cannot be implemented by Government alone, an invitation is made to key stakeholders to embrace the new, national vision and help make the changes a reality.

These stakeholders include the Private and Public Sectors, Civil Society including labour, citizens, our international development partners and the diaspora.
Mention is also made of the need for support from Parliament, including the Opposition, in making possible the fundamental transformations to our institutions, given that legislative changes would be required.

Other specific suggestions of how these stakeholders can help are also identified.

Of note as well, is that national development, particularly the diversification thrust, is viewed as private sector led with Government playing a facilitative, supportive role.
CHAPTER 1 Introduction Vision 2030 builds the pathway to the future that will transform Trinidad and Tobago into a developed country, sustaining growth and development and optimising the quality of life of all citizens.

There are times in the development path of a country when extraordinary challenges demand an equally compelling response.
Trinidad and Tobago now faces such a time, as falling energy prices have exposed the weaknesses in the economy that have been masked by the tremendous growth and buoyancy of the energy sector.

The advent of shale gas and geopolitics in energy markets has accelerated the decline in our revenue base in addition to the global urgency of addressing climate change through the increased utilisation of renewable and cleaner energy sources.
Our situation has been exacerbated by the increased utilisation of renewable and cleaner energy sources, which is part of the global urgency to address climate change.

There is vital need to hasten our efforts at economic transformation since our energy revenues are now insufficient to sustain the quality of life that we have enjoyed.

Consequently, swift and stringent decisions must be taken in order to effectively prioritise and manage our resources.
The country also faces numerous additional external and internal challenges at this juncture in its development.

Crime is burgeoning and the population is rapidly ageing.

Further, the effects of climate change, such as rising sea levels and temperatures on our food production and flood prone areas, pose very real threats to our coastal areas, low lying communities and farmers.
The loss of biodiversity, pollution and degradation of our ecosystems also threaten our quality of life and the overall efficiency of the country.

To compound the situation, our constitution and governing institutions are in grave need of transformation as many exhibit poor service delivery, low productivity, coupled with the need for greater transparency and accountability in their operations.
Our values, attitudes and behaviours, especially the pervasive culture of dependency, sense of entitlement and disregard for the rule of law through corrupt practices, further significantly impede our development efforts.

These practices deprive citizens, particularly the vulnerable, of access to services, promote inequity and rob the country of valuable resources that could have been put to better use for the benefit of all.

No longer can we continue along our current development trajectory.
The bold steps necessary to address these fundamental development issues which our country faces must be made now.

In spite of the development challenges, there are also key opportunities which we must seize.

This includes building on our competitive advantages within selected niche markets, such as in cocoa production, as well as capitilising on technological advances and future global trends such as the use of alternative energy sources.
These must be supported by an agenda of public sector transformation to ensure the goals are achieved.

This National Development Strategy (NDS) 2016‒2030, aims to address the development issues presented above and establish the foundation required for catapulting the country onto a path of sustained economic and social progress to the year 2030.

In so doing, it offers an analysis of the main opportunities and challenges that Trinidad and Tobago faces.
These were derived from a careful synthesis of the lessons learnt from past development experiences, including Vision 2020, an analysis of our expenditure in the context of key development indicators in order to ascertain whether we have attained value for money, and also by examining our progress against selected comparator countries that have made significant advancements over the last 20 years.

Future global trends were also considered.


Having identified our national development issues, the document also presents the Draft National Vision, Goals and Guiding Principles.

Together, these paint a picture of the type of nation envisaged by the year 2030, as well as offer the philosophy of how best we should operate and interact with each other as individuals and within our institutions in order to advance our development.
Priorities were also set in the form of broad development themes and, more specifically, in the form of short-term goals.

Strategies to tackle our national issues and seize opportunities, taking into consideration critical, foundational adjustments or transformations in our policies, public administration management systems, and behaviours that must be made, are also articulated.
Further, based on lessons learnt from our past development efforts, such as the need for performance measurement and improved productivity and implementation capacity, specific actions to enhance implementation of the National Vision, are also presented.

One important lesson learnt adopted, is the need to use an integrated approach to development.

Consequently, each Ministry is expected to examine how it can contribute to each of the development goals where possible.
It is also recognised that there are three, main cross cutting areas, namely, gender, the youth and the environment.

Consideration of issues related to these areas must be undertaken across all sectors.

Context and Methodology The National Development Strategy articulates the broad policy framework for development: the overarching national vision to 2030 and national development priorities in the form of short-term goals to 2020, along with the main strategic initiatives for achieving them.
It builds on the extensive consultative work done for Vision 2020.

However, in order to achieve Vision 2030, this Strategy calls for bold and transformative reforms in our public sector administration, management institutions and systems, our values, attitudes and behaviours, and in the way we pursue economic growth.

It goes further by recommending critical strategic actions that must be undertaken.
It also recognises that collaboration among actors and an integrated approach among many sectors to address cross-cutting issues such as gender, the environment and human security are necessary if we are to succeed in achieving the Vision 2030.

The document is intended for Government Agencies and Departments, Regional and International Development Agencies, academia, the Private Sector and Civil Society.
It is a call to action to these key stakeholders, inclusive of the Non-Governmental Organisations and the media, to do their part in carrying through the changes required to spur our nation’s development.

Citizens are urged to take personal responsibility for adopting positive, nation-building values and behaviours, such as hard work, productivity, civic values and respect for the rule of law.
The private sector is urged to lead the diversification thrust while Government plays a facilitative role towards development, in terms of creating the enabling environment, reform of the Constitution and effecting key changes to our institutions.

Figure 1.1 below shows, diagrammatically, the process used to develop the document, as well as what it intends to do.
The diagram shows that the document is premised on an underlying philosophy and national policy, which includes for example, the principles of openness, transparency as well as inclusiveness.

The intention is to have a National Vision and Framework which is embraced by all citizens and stakeholder groups towards developing Trinidad and Tobago for the benefit of all.
One of the first steps in developing the NDS was to conduct a diagnosis by assessing the country’s performance over the last ten years, its current development progress as well as the possible impact of future trends.

Comparisons of performance were also made against selected countries.

In addition, Technical advice and comments were also sought from various experts including those of the Economic Development Advisory Board and the National Tripartite Advisory Committee.
This consultative process also included international and regional development agencies such as the United Nations Development Programme and various Ministries and Departments.

Key actions were undertaken which included incorporating the views of various key stakeholders, and formulating the Vision, goals and strategies and detailing implementation.
It must be emphasised that the National Aspiration or Vision Statement was built from the Vision 2020 National Vision, which had undergone an extensive consultation process and therefore, remains valid.

However, the Statement was updated to include relevant issues such as climate change and renewable energy.

Through a collaborative process involving teams or clusters of line and oversight ministries, the draft national goals were then developed for each thematic area.
These goals will drive specific actions to achieve the Vision, taking into consideration the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This entire consultative process took over a one- year period.
Figure 1.1 National Development Strategy 2016-2030, (Vision 2030): Context and Methodology Vision 2030 – Roles and Responsibilities The Ministry of Planning and Development, as the Centre of Government Agency for national policy and planning, has overall responsibility for preparing and managing the Vision 2030 National Strategy, with input and guidance from the other Ministries, Departments, the Economic Development Advisory Board (EDAB), the National Tripartite Advisory Council (NTAC), academia, and international development and financial agencies.
The private sector will be engaged in the consultation on this Draft and in the elaboration of the detailed sectoral strategies, national programmes and institutional reforms which will be developed.

Vision 2030 will be supported by the Three-Year Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP) 2016‒2019, which will focus on new, transformational initiatives in the form of flagship programmes and projects that will trigger the impetus for further growth.
At the operational level, Ministries and Departments will be required to prepare their ministry and department plans.

These Ministry Plans must take into consideration the sector in which they operate and be in keeping with Vision 2030 Goals in order to ensure consistency with the national development agenda.
In so doing, Ministries and Departments will no longer operate in ‘silos’ and will adopt an integrated and a ‘whole of Government’ approach to implementation since national development objectives are invariably cross-cutting.

In addition, programmes, projects and activities developed based on sound, robust criteria and data, must be aligned to the national goals.

Ministries and Departments will also be responsible for implementing their plans.

(See Figure 6.1.)
(See Figure 6.1.)

Successful implementation of the strategic initiatives will require emphasis on performance and measuring results.

As such, the National Performance Framework (NPF) 2016‒2019 will be developed and is expected to outline the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure the achievement of the goals as set out in the NDS.

Indicators and targets pertaining to the SDGs are also expected to be incorporated in the NPF.
Frameworks at the level of individual Ministries and Departments will be developed.

These will form the Vision 2030 Results Framework shown in Table 6.1.

The Ministry of Planning and Development will also coordinate the monitoring and reporting process for the Strategy.
In moving forward, the Vision 2030 document remains in draft form since further national consultations on the recommendations and on the proposed priorities, strategies and key institutional and behavioural transformations must be discussed and debated.

A National Vision 2030 Communications Strategy will be developed to solicit the views of citizens and stakeholder groups.
The underlying aim, therefore, is to facilitate continuous dialogue with intended beneficiaries and other stakeholders which reflects two of the document’s major guiding principles—inclusiveness and openness.
CHAPTER 2 Reviewing Performance and Looking to the Future Introduction The successful achievement of the national vision must take cognizance of (a) recent economic performance and the current state of the economy, society and institutions; (b) the effectiveness of past development policies and (c) the development challenges and the possible future trends which are expected to shape the local, regional and global landscape over the next fifteen years to 2030.
This Chapter reviews the period 2004-2015 and seeks to determine the development gap that must be filled if we are to achieve our national vision.

It takes into consideration the three main points identified above but also the lessons learnt from past development efforts, including Vision 2020.
Included in the analysis is the pivotal role that our values, attitudes and behaviours must play, if we are to truly advance as a nation and create a high quality of life and standard of living for the benefit of all.

(a) Socio-Economic and Environmental Performance 2004-2015 Based on macroeconomic indicators such as GDP per capita and unemployment, Trinidad and Tobago has performed relatively well, when compared to other similarly placed countries such as Bahrain.
However, since fiscal 2009, the economy has recorded seven (7) consecutive budget deficits despite favourable commodity prices and revenue collections over the period 2010-2014.

Moreover, due to the dramatic fall in energy prices in 2014 and the effects of lower production, government’s 2015/2016 resource revenues are expected to decline by an estimated $12 billion from the previous year.

Throughout the period the exchange rate has remained stable, with minor depreciations of the USD selling rates.
However, in March 2016, the Trinidad and Tobago dollar depreciated 3.51 percent year on year to a monthly average selling rate of TT$ 6.5944: US$ 1.00 and is expected to depreciate further.

In terms of the availability of foreign exchange, the shortfall in the foreign exchange market has doubled from US$600 million in 2003 to US$1.2 billion in 2013 and was expected to widen to US$1.431 billion in 2014 and US$2.441 billion in 2015.
In late 2015, data from the Central Bank showed that the bulk of the foreign currency was allocated to the retail and distribution sector.

In April 2015, Moody’s Investors Service (Moody’s) downgraded Trinidad and Tobago’s government bond rating and issuer rating from Baa1 to Baa2, and changed its outlook from Stable to Negative.
The downgrade was principally linked to persistent fiscal deficits and very little fiscal reforms, a general decline in energy prices and limited economic diversification leading to declining growth prospects, weak macroeconomic policy framework due to prolonged delays in implementing a medium term fiscal strategy and insufficient macroeconomic data to inform policy1.
In April 2016, Trinidad and Tobago was further downgraded from Baa2 to Baa3 and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has forecasted negative growth of 2.7 percent for 2016.

The impact of the significant expenditure on social protection, public order and safety, housing and health (Appendix I) on key socio-economic indicators, revealed a disproportionately lower level of development progress than expected, although there were some notable accomplishments.
Some of the positive results pertained to the education sector as the Tertiary Participation Rate increased from 15 percent in 2004 to 60 percent in 2015.

Enrolment rates were also very high as net secondary and pre-school enrolment reached 89.9 and 89 percent, respectively, in 2009, and 92.3 percent of students completed primary school.

Further, gender parity for all levels of education was accomplished by 2009.2 There are several other noteworthy achievements of which we can be proud.
First, GDP has increased from 83.1 billion in 2004, to 165 billion in 2015.

In terms of economic structure, the financial services sector increased its share of GDP.

In term of the external sector, the exchange rate was stable throughout the review period.

Also, as a result of current account surpluses over most of the period with the exception of 2012, official reserves increased significantly from approximately US$3 billion in 2004 to approximately US$ 10 billion in 2014.
Further, over the period, unemployment and inflation have showed very positive signs.

In fact, unemployment has been on a downward trend from 8.4 percent in 2004 to 3.4 percent in 2015.

On the other hand, while inflation increased from 3.7 percent in 2004 to 12 percent in 2008, it subsequently, fluctuated from 7 percent in 2009 to 10.5 percent in 2010 and declined to 5.1 percent in 2011.
Since 2012, inflation has shown a downward trend as inflationary pressures in the economy have been more restrained declining from 9.3 percent to 4.7 percent in 2015, which is the second lowest rate recorded for the period.

While the external debt service ratio has remained low at around one percent of exports over the last 10 years, the net public sector debt outstanding has been rising since 2008.
In fact, whilst net public sector debt outstanding exceeded total government revenue by less than $2 billion in 2009, the gap has increased to $22 billion in 2015 and is expected to continue rising (Chart 2.1).

The net public sector debt to GDP ratio increased from 31.5 percent in 2006 to 45.4 percent in 2015, and 1 See the 2015 Review of the Economy, Ministry of Finance, Trinidad and Tobago.
2 Trinidad and Tobago, Millennium Development Goals Report, 2014. is expected to reach 51.8 percent in 2016 according to the Central Bank in its March 2016 Economic Bulletin.
Chart 2.1 Central Government Revenue and Debt 2004-2015 80,000 70,000 60,000 50,000 40,000 30,000 20,000 10,000 0 s n o i l l i M D T T % 50 40 30 20 10 0 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Central Government Total Revenue Net Public Sector Debt Outstanding Net Public Sector Debt to GDP Ratio The high level of social protection expenditure did offer a buffer to the poor and vulnerable through myriad social services and programmes as poverty decreased from 21 percent in 1992 to 16.7 percent in 20053.
However, preliminary data from the 20114 Survey of Living Conditions (SLC), show an increasing trend for poverty suggesting the need to place greater emphasis on empowerment approaches to tackling the issue.

Moreover, despite the decreased poverty levels during 1992 to 2005, inequality persisted as there was a slight decrease in the Gini-Coefficient from 0.42 to 0.39 based on the SLC data.
The Gini Coefficient was also consistent at 0.39 based on both the 2005 SLC and the 1997/1998 and 2008/2009 Household Budgetary Survey (HBS).

The results of other key social indicators are of concern given the increasing levels of expenditure on social protection.
In terms of the family, the latest available data revealed that the number of child abuse cases declined slightly from 4,760 cases during 2011‒2012, to 4,158 cases during 2015‒2016.5 However, the data on the number of domestic violence cases were also of concern, as the statistic increased by an alarming 77 percent from 70,769 cases during 2006-2007 to 125,166 cases during 2013-2014.6 Further, the number of divorce cases increased minimally and was consistently over 2,000 during the period considered, rising from 2,718 cases during 2006- 2007 to 2,824 cases during 2013‒2014.
The data for the country showed that 1 in 3 marriages ended in divorce.

3 Trinidad and Tobago Survey of Living Conditions.

4 Data to be published 5 The Children’s Authority of Trinidad and Tobago 6 Annual Report of the Judiciary.

In terms of the recidivism and crime detection rates, although the indicators showed an improving trend, the rates recorded were still unacceptably high.

The recidivism rate was reduced considerably from 53.4 percent to 34 percent in 2015.
The crime detection rate showed little change with 16.8 percent in 2010 and 16 percent in 2014, but improved slightly to 22 percent in 2015; in spite of the increased detection, less than a quarter of reported crimes were being solved.
Further, while the share of expenditure on housing and community amenities increased from 1 percent in 2004 to six percent in 2015, the challenge of containing squatter settlements intensified as the squatter population reached an all-time high of 350 squatter settlements and approximately 60,000 squatters as at January 20157.
Health data revealed that there was a significant number of deaths due to non-communicable diseases8 suggesting that health expenditure needed to concentrate more on awareness and preventative measures for these diseases.

The Non-Communicable Disease Morbidity and Mortality Rate9 was recorded at 1,940.8 per 100,000 population in 2010 and further increased to 2,343.8 in 2013.

Deaths due to diabetes remained high at 118.4 per 100,000 population in 2010 and 122.6 deaths in 2014.
There were varying degrees of success with regard to conservation and sustainable environmental use over the period.

The country continued to reduce the tonnage of ozone depleting substances imported through various products as these substances declined from 1,295.13 metric tonnes in 2006 to 235.6 metric tonnes in 2015.
However, this country’s heavy reliance on an energy based economy, coupled with the growth of consumption and production, contribute to Trinidad and Tobago being one of the highest carbon dioxide emitters in the Latin American and Caribbean region, and the highest in the Caribbean.

From a global standpoint this country was ranked 62nd out of all countries in terms of greenhouse gas emissions.
In terms of our forest, the total forested area in Trinidad and Tobago declined from 230,000 hectares (Ha) in 2005 to 226,413 Ha in 2010, and there was a reported increase in forested area on both islands to approximately 234,000 Ha in 2015 (FAO 2010 and FAO 2015).

In summary, total expenditure increased threefold in the period under review (Appendix I), even though population growth was negligible over the same period.
Spending on general public services, social protection, and education accounted for the majority of the growth in expenditures.

Very little was spent on agriculture and environmental protection, and spending on economic affairs was outpaced by spending on general public services and social protection by significant margins.

In fact, during the period of rapid economic growth, spending on social protection doubled.
Overall, the reality is that government now has a significantly higher level of 7 Ministry of Housing.

8 This includes primarily hypertension, heart diseases, diabetes and cancer.

9 Diabetes, heart disease and cancer only.

expenditures in the current period, at a time when revenues are significantly lower due to the decline in the energy sector.
Performance in Key Global Indices Given the high level of Government expenditure (Appendix 1) and the performance in various global indices (Chart 2.2), it appears that the country has also not realised its potential as more progress should have been made.

In fact, the country’s ranking in the global competitiveness, ease of doing business, economic freedom, networked readiness and corruption perception indices have either been declining or stagnated.
Trinidad and Tobago’s Global Competitiveness ranking decreased from 67th in 2006 to 84th in 2008 and remained fairly stagnant thereafter, and was 89th in 2015.

The Ease of Doing Business ranking declined from 55th in 2006 to 97th in 2011, improved to 66th in 2014 and declined to 79th in 2015.

In terms of Economic Freedom10, Trinidad and Tobago’s ranking declined from 42nd in 2006 to 67th in 2015.
The Networked Readiness Index11 fluctuated over the review period but ultimately remained fairly stagnant, as the ranking moved from 68th in 2006 to 70th in 2015.

Lastly, in terms of the Corruption Perception Index, Transparency International ranked Trinidad and Tobago at 79th in 2006.

This ranking declined to a low of 91st in 2011, but improved to 72nd in 2015.
Chart 2.2: Trinidad and Tobago's performance in selected Global Indices k n a R 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 2006 2007 2008 GCI Networked Readiness Index 2009 2010 2011 Ease of Doing Business Corruption Perception Index 2012 2013 2015 Index of Economic Freedom 2014 10 http://www.heritage.org/index/about 11 The Networked Readiness Index (NRI) measures the capacity of countries to leverage ICTs for increased competitiveness and well-being.
http://reports.weforum.org/global-information-technology-report-2015/network-readiness-index/ Comparative Economic Performance In 2001, at the onset of Vision 2020, Trinidad and Tobago’s performance was compared with 15 selected countries, across various aspects of development.

While size and ethnic multiplicity were major considerations in the selection, some countries were also chosen based on exceptional performance in key areas like public sector transformation, as in the case of New Zealand.
The comparison revealed gaps in areas such as health and tertiary education performance and subsequently led to policies and actions to address the deficits in these and other areas.

In 2016, Trinidad and Tobago’s performance is compared to six countries, Bahrain, Costa Rica, Estonia, Malaysia, New Zealand and Singapore (Table 2.1 below).

The countries were chosen based on characteristics such as geographic size and population, ethnic diversity and energy resources.
Estonia, the only new entrant in this iteration, was included due to its small geographic size and population, as well as the significant strides that it has made since independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 in the areas of ICT and Governance.

Like Ireland, Estonia is a member of the European Union and being located in close proximity to a dynamic and growing market has proven to be a key impetus for development.
In this iteration, a smaller set of indicators are used for the comparison as follows: Human Development Index (HDI); GDP per capita (US dollars); life expectancy; per capita health expenditure; infant and maternal mortality; and technology.

Table 2.1: Population and Land Area of Comparator Countries (2000 - 2014) Country Land Area Sq.

km Population 2000 (Mn.)

Population 2014 (Mn.)


% Change (2000-2014) Trinidad and Tobago Costa Rica Bahrain Singapore Malaysia New Zealand Estonia 5,130 51,060 770 670 328,550 263,310 42,390 1.27 3.93 0.67 4.03 23.42 3.86 1.40 1.35 4.76 1.3612 5.47 29.9 4.51 1.31 6.30 21.20 103.00 35.80 27.67 16.90 -5.97 Source: The World Bank, World Development Indicators Average Population Growth % 0.45 1.41 6.95 2.39 1.84 1.13 -0.40 In the period 2000‒2014, Bahrain’s population doubled from 0.67 mn to 1.36 mn.
Singapore had the second largest growth at 35.8 percent, while Estonia’s population declined by 5.97 percent (Table A).

Trinidad and Tobago’s population was fairly stagnant, growing at an average rate of 0.45 percent per annum as it moved from 1.27 mn in 2000 to 1.35 mn in 2014.

Human Development Index As a first step, the global ranking of human development for selected countries is examined.
The HDI is a summary measure of three dimensions of the human development concept: living a long 12 According to the data from the United Nations, immigrants comprise approximately 50 percent of the total population of Bahrain.

and healthy life, being educated, and having a decent standard of living.

Thus, it combines measures of life expectancy, school enrolment, literacy and income.
Since 2000, Trinidad and Tobago, Bahrain, Costa Rica and Malaysia HDI rankings have declined, while Estonia, New Zealand and Singapore have improved their rankings (Chart 2.3).
Chart 2.3: Human Development Index, 2000 and 2014 HDI Rank 2000 HDI Rank 2014 Estonia New Zealand Malaysia Singapore Bahrain Costa Rica Trinidad and Tobago 0 20 40 60 80 Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2002 and 2015 GDP Per Capita In 2000, Trinidad and Tobago’s GDP per capita of US$8,544 was approximately twice the size recorded for Costa Rica and Malaysia, and less than half the size for Bahrain and one third that of New Zealand and Singapore (Chart 2.4).
In 2014, with the exception of Bahrain, all countries recorded increases in their per capita GDP.

However, one can infer that the decline experienced by Bahrain was partly due to the high level of immigration which doubled the country’s population in the period 2000‒2014.

However, it is clear that the gap between the other countries and Singapore has widened, despite the significant population growth of the latter.
Chart 2.4: GDP per capita, 2000 and 2014 (2005 constant US $) $ S U 40,000.00 35,000.00 30,000.00 25,000.00 20,000.00 15,000.00 10,000.00 5,000.00 0.00 2000 2014 Trinidad and Tobago Costa Rica Bahrain Singapore Malaysia New Zealand Estonia Source: The World Bank, World Development Indicators Per Capita Health Expenditures It is commonly understood that a healthy workforce is the foundation of socio-economic progress.
Further, a higher income can lead to better health, since it allows persons to afford better nutrition and healthcare services.

In terms of per capita health expenditures, Chart 2.5 shows that, with the exception of Bahrain which doubled its spending, all of the countries, including Trinidad and Tobago, increased their expenditures by a least three and a half times.
Estonia’s health expenditures increased fivefold, while New Zealand had the largest numerical increase in health expenditures of US$3,007 versus US$301 for Malaysia, which was the lowest.

In the following section the returns on the increase in health expenditures are examined.
Chart 2.5: Per Capita Expenditure on Health, 2000 and 2013 (US$) Estonia New Zealand Malaysia Singapore Bahrain Costa Rica Trinidad and Tobago 2000 2013 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 Source: The World Bank, World Development Indicators Life Expectancy, Infant and Maternal Mortality Life expectancy is an excellent proxy of the health of a population as it captures the resilience of persons to diseases and is impacted by the quality of health care afforded to combat chronic disease such as hypertension and diabetes.
Infant and maternal mortality speaks to the reproductive capacity and sustainability of the society and is also dependent on the quality of healthcare provided and received.

Chart 2.6 shows the life expectancy at birth data for the selected countries for the years 2000 and 2015.

In 2000, Trinidad and Tobago’s life expectancy was 69 years while that of Estonia was 70 years.

Among the comparator countries, Costa Rica, Singapore and New Zealand had life expectancies of 76, 77.1 and 77.2 years, respectively.
In 2015, Trinidad and Tobago was only able to increase its life expectancy to 70 years, while Estonia improved to 76.8 years, and New Zealand and Singapore achieved life expectancies of 81.8 and 83 years, respectively.
Chart 2.6 : Life Expectancy at birth, 2000 and 2014 (Years) Estonia New Zealand Malaysia Singapore Bahrain Costa Rica Trinidad and Tobago 2000 2014 0 20 40 60 80 100 Source: The World Bank, World Development Indicators The data presented in Chart 2.7 shows that infant mortality in Trinidad and Tobago declined from 25.3 per 1,000 live births in 2000 to 18.7 per 1,000 live births in 2015.
However, when compared to the performance of the comparator countries, the gap is troubling, as Costa Rica, which is the weakest performer in some of the indicators among the selected countries achieved an infant mortality rate of 11.2 per 1,000 live births in 2000 and 8.6 per 1,000 live births in 2015.

Estonia and Singapore are clear leaders in this category with infant mortality rates of 2.2 and 2.5 per 1,000 live births, respectively, in 2015.
Chart 2.7: Infant Mortality, 2000 and 2015 (per 1,000 live births) s h t r i b e v i l , 0 0 0 1 r e P 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Trinidad and Tobago Costa Rica Bahrain Singapore Malaysia New Zealand Estonia 2000 2015 Source: The World Bank, World Development Indicators Chart 2.8 shows that maternal mortality is exceedingly high in Trinidad and Tobago at 62 and 63 per 100,000 live births in 2000 and 2015, respectively.
Estonia is the only country with a maternal mortality rate that is less than 10, while Singapore and New Zealand have rates of 10 and 11, respectively.

In general, the maternal mortality rates in Malaysia, Costa Rica and Bahrain, while not as high as those of Trinidad and Tobago, are also at relatively high levels.

Chart 2.8: Maternal Mortality Ratio, 2000 and 2015 (per 100,000 l.b.)
Estonia New Zealand Malaysia Singapore Bahrain Costa Rica Trinidad and Tobago 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 2000 2015 Source: The World Bank, World Development Indicators Science and Technology In today’s globalised world, a country’s prosperity depends on its ability to generate new ideas and convert knowledge into socio-economic benefits.

Technology enhances these capabilities and, in this regard, the ability to create and adopt technology is increasingly essential for firms to compete and prosper.
As such, this section shows the extent to which the selected countries have been able to develop a greater share of technological-related exports.
Table 2.2: High Technology Exports (% of Manufactured Exports) Trinidad and Tobago Costa Rica Bahrain Singapore Malaysia New Zealand Estonia 2000 0.91 51.71 0.04 62.79 59.57 9.66 29.93 2013 0.10a 43.32 0.15b 46.99 43.57 10.25 10.50 Source: The World Bank, World Development Indicators a – most recent data for Trinidad and Tobago is 2010; b – most recent data for Bahrain is 2011 Table 2.2 shows high technology exports as a percentage of total exports.
High-technology exports are defined as products with high Research and Development (R&D) intensity, such as those in aerospace, computers, pharmaceuticals, scientific instruments and electrical machinery.

The data clearly shows that over the review period, Trinidad and Tobago and Bahrain have exported an insignificant amount of high technology products as a percentage of their total manufacturing exports.
In 2000, at least 50 percent of the manufacturing exports of Costa Rica, Malaysia and Singapore were high technology exports.

However, in 2013, the share of high technology exports as a percentage of manufacturing exports for Costa Rica, Malaysia and Singapore declined to 43.3, 43.8 and 46.9 percent, respectively.

Table 2.3 show exports ICT goods and services as a percentage of total goods and services exports.
In terms of exports of ICT goods and services, Trinidad and Tobago’s performance in both of these areas has been fairly low.

In 2000, at least 50 percent of goods exported by Singapore and Malaysia were ICT goods.

However, this amount declined to at least 34 percent in 2010.

In terms of ICT services exports, New Zealand had the largest share with 40.8 percent of total services exports.

This amount was almost twice the share of the next best comparator, Singapore.
However, in 2013, New Zealand’s share of ICT services in total services exports declined to 14.8 percent and was overtaken by Costa Rica, whose share grew from 13.3 percent in 2000 to 42.6 percent in 2013.
Table 2.3: Export of ICT Goods and Services (% of Exports 2000‒2014) Countries Trinidad and Tobago Costa Rica Singapore Malaysia New Zealand Estonia Export of ICT Goods13 (% Total Goods Exports) 2010 2000 Export of ICT Services14 (% Total Services Exports) 2013 2000 0.05 30.29 54.97 52.68 1.87 25.26 0.05 19.91 34.33 34.00 1.20 7.95 8.86 13.32 22.17 19.36 40.76 17.16 6.47c 42.61 27.15 29.11 14.75 26.06 Source: The World Bank, World Development Indicators 2015 c – Most recent data available for Trinidad and Tobago is 2010 Global Competitiveness Rankings The Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) focuses on the set of institutions, policies, and factors that determine the level of productivity and global competitiveness of a country.
Included in the index are twelve pillars of competitiveness that capture the fundamentals of an economy.

Chart 2.9 presents the comparative data on the GCI of the comparator countries for the period 2001‒2015.

While most of the comparator countries have maintained a fairly low ranking (less than 30), Trinidad and Tobago has been consistently declining, moving from 38th in 2001 to 89th in 2015.
Singapore and New Zealand, which were ranked 4th and 10th, respectively in the 2001 GCI, have maintained their rankings over the period and were ranked 2nd and 16th in the 2015 GCI.

Estonia’s ranking has remained around 29th over the period and since 2005, Costa Rica’s ranking has fluctuated around 55th.

While the rankings of these countries have remained fairly constant, Malaysia’s performance has been very impressive as its ranking has steadily improved from 30th in 2001 to 18th in 2015.
13 ICT goods include telecommunications, audio and video, computer and related equipment; electronic components; and other ICT goods.

Software is excluded.

14 ICT services include computer and communications services (telecommunications, postal and courier services) and information services (computer data and news-related service transactions).
Chart 2.9: Global Competitiveness Index 2001‒2015 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 Trinidad and Tobago Costa Rica Singapore Malaysia New Zealand Estonia Source: Global Competitiveness Report 2001/2002 - 2015/2016 k n a R 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Summary While Trinidad and Tobago has performed comparatively well in terms many of the socio- economic indicators such as GDP, unemployment, education, and water and sanitation, it has been outpaced by most of the six comparator countries.
Infant and maternal mortality as well as technology exports are two of the most obvious areas in which the country has lagged.

(b) Effectiveness of Development Policies Lessons from Vision 2020 There were many successes and lessons learnt from the Vision 2020 planning and implementation process, which can be considered in moving forward towards Vision 2030.
Firstly, the extensive consultation process enabled a truly collaborative National Vision that remains critical for the buy- in and credibility of any development agenda.

Secondly, over the period (18.5 percent of activities were completed and 51.6 percent were ongoing.

(Appendix II) as a new strategic direction was established with a change in Government in 2010. .

This highlighted the need for an agreed approach to key development issues.
This would allow greater policy and implementation continuity, better use of resources, and improved development impact.

Moreover, although the implementation period 2007-2010 was insufficient to enable the completion of many activities, there could have been more completed activities and thereby more objectives met, if clearer implementation priorities had been set.
This would have required the establishment of better criteria and mechanisms for project selection, implementation and measuring results; towards greater accountability by individuals and agencies.

Priorities for example must be based on a combination of quick-wins, fulfilling critical needs of citizens, the generation of foreign reserves, promoting enterprise development and sustainability.
Consequently, foundational activities were overlooked, such as the establishment of a new National Forensic Centre, which could have had a direct impact on improving the homicide detection rate.

Further, there was a high percentage of ongoing activities (51.6 percent) versus completed ones (18.5 percent).

This suggested that too many activities beyond implementation capacity, were underway thereby providing another compelling reason to set priorities.
It also pointed to the need for continuous training and capacity building regarding project and programme implementation.

In fact, there should have been greater involvement of the private sector and civil society in project development and implementation.
Further, although, the Vision 2020 Macroeconomy and Finance Sub-Committee, defined and provided guidelines for the appropriate macroeconomic stance before and during the impending boom (2003-2008) (Appendix III), the fiscal rules were not formally adopted as these rules15 were not a political commitment or legislated.

Cultural Factors16 Why hasn’t Trinidad and Tobago progressed beyond its current state of development?
This is perplexing given the wealth that the country possessed during the energy booms and in relation to some of the comparator countries identified above.

For example, Chart 2.4 above showed that GDP per capita almost doubled from US$ 8,543.9 (thousands) in the year 2000 to US$ 14,232.0 (thousands) in 2015.17 Additionally, Trinidad and Tobago is currently classified as a high income country.
Yet, at present, our governing institutions are in critical need of reform, access to basic, quality public services needs to be urgently addressed, and our economy is yet to be fully diversified.

Many of the socio-economic indicators described above should have reflected better results given Government’s vast expenditure, for example, on social protection.
A main part of the answer resides in cultural factors or the values, attitudes and behaviours (VABs)18 that the people of Trinidad and Tobago, either possess or lack.
They manifest negatively in our country in many 15 A fiscal rule is a multiyear constraint on overall government finances defined by a procedural measure and/or a numerical target, which acts as a commitment mechanism that binds successive governments to a long-term budgetary target and therefore a sustainable approach to public financial management.

16 Cultural factors discussed in this section, refer specifically to values, attitudes and behaviours.

17 Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago.


18 Culture refers to the “way of life that characterises a society particularly relating to people’s interrelationships with each other and the environment…” “Attitudes are conditioned responses to the social environment that qualify the culture and form part of the learned behaviour displayed as …tangible and intangible expressions of culture.” Vision 2020 Sub Committee Report on Culture and Attitudes.
ways such as the persistence of corruption, rent seeking, low productivity and poor work ethos.

They also offer insights into why a culture of dependency and a sense of entitlement still persist.

This section identifies and assesses the key VABs which we possess that affect our development.

The Cultural Factors That Promote Development An examination of countries that have become high income, advanced economies revealed common cultural factors or VABs that have contributed to their successes19.
While Trinidad and Tobago possesses unique VABs based on a synthesis of diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds, these countries provide important lessons regarding universal VABs which have accelerated growth and development.

These cannot be ignored when understanding and determining the cultural factors which can hinder or advance our own progress as a nation.
The core set of VABs that have been frequently attributed to enabling development 20 are shown below in Figure 2.1: Figure 2.1: Core International Cultural Factors of Development Encouragement and reward of competition and initiative; competition leads to excellence Material pursuits & Saving for the future; frugality Hard work; achievement leads to wealth Ability to effectively impart knowledge and know-how; knowledge based on facts Entrepre- neurship & Innovation Core International Cultural Factors of Development Rule of Law Non-excessive indivdualism: A balance with community/ family values Creation, awareness and use of new technologies Investment in education; Education which promotes creativity & autonomy Source: compiled from: David S. Landes, “The Wealth and Poverty of Nations: Why some are so Rich and some so Poor” 1998, W.W. Norton and Company, New York; & Harrison, Clark, Robinson and Boettke, 2006, “How much does Culture Matter” http://www.cato-unbound.org/issues/december-2006/how-much-does-culture-matter; & Harrison E. Lawrence, 2006 “The Central and Liberal Truth: How Politics Can Change a Culture and Save It from Itself,” New York: Oxford University Press.
19 Some of the countries considered were Malaysia, Norway and Singapore which were in the Vision 2020 Profile of Comparator Countries (2002).
20 David S. Landes, “The Wealth and Poverty of Nations: Why some are so Rich and some so Poor” 1998, W.W. Norton and Company, New York; & Harrison, Clark, Robinson and Boettke, 2006, “How much does Culture Matter” http://www.cato- unbound.org/issues/december-2006/how-much-does-culture-matter; & Harrison E. Lawrence, 2006 “The Central and Liberal Truth: How Politics Can Change a Culture and Save It from Itself,” New York: Oxford University Press.
These core VABs were categorised into progressive, non-progressive, and cultural factors of development.21 A review and comparison of Trinidad and Tobago’s VABs in relation to these core cultural developmental factors, among others, suggest that the country currently does not possess a strong culture in relation to any of them.
This is in spite of sporadic attempts at cultural change pertaining to some of these factors, such as respect for the rule of law and promotion of a culture of creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship.

Trinidad and Tobago therefore, by international comparison, has more non-progressive VABs than progressive ones.

The full assessment of our country’s values, attitudes and behaviours can be accessed via the Ministry of Planning and Development’s website.
A summary highlighting these main cultural factors in the social, economic and environmental spheres, which the country must reverse, together with the positive ones which need to be reinforced is presented below in Figure 2.2.
Figure 2.2: Trinidad & Tobago's Main Progressive and Non-Progressive Cultural Factors of Development Progressive Cultural Factors Non- Progressive Cultural Factors Source: Ministry of Planning and Development Based on the above analysis of the country’s progressive and non- progressive cultural factors22, Chapter 4, Making the Necessary Adjustments, highlights the key cultural transformations that 21 Harrison E. Lawrence, 2006 “The Central and Liberal Truth: How Politics Can Change a Culture and Save It from Itself,” New York: Oxford University Press.
22 The full analysis, including relevant sources can be found on the Ministry of Planning and Development’s website.

must be undertaken.

It also offers recommendations regarding how these transformations can be undertaken so that we can begin to reverse these non-progressive factors as well as nurture and effectively use the positive ones towards catalysing our nation’s development.
(c) Future Trends Global Developments In forging an expanded economic space for Trinidad and Tobago, cognisance must be taken of the impact of Cuba’s reintegration into the global economy, Britain’s exit from the European Union as well as the agenda of the new president of the United States, in terms of trade, tourism and investment diversion.

At the same time, we must be mindful of the opportunities that these development will create.
The World In 203023 In 2030, the world will be very different from today.

The world will be more populated and more persons will be older than at any other time in its history (CEPS, 2013).

By 2030, China’s economy will be more than 2.5 times India and almost as large as the US and the EU together (CEPS, 2013).

Technology will be ubiquitous and ingrained into every sphere of human activity.

It will also be more disruptive.


Globalisation and technological advancements will further shift the engine of economic growth from the advanced countries to the emerging economies of Asia, and economic activities from the production of goods to the creation of services.

At the same time, the 2015 Paris Agreement (climate change) and the global agenda for sustainable development has set new goals and targets for countries to 2030.
Consequently, many countries will shift from heavy reliance on fossils fuels to alternative energy sources towards achieving energy security, thus accelerating the transition to a healthier and more secure climate future.

In general, these are just some of the possible future trends we can expect to 2030.

Future trends for specific areas are identified and discussed below.
Population According to the United Nations, the world’s population is projected to increase from 7.3 billion in 2015 to 8.5 billion by the year 2030.

At present, China and India are the two largest countries in the world, each with more than 1 billion people, representing 19 and 18 percent of the world’s population, respectively.

However, by 2022, the population of India is expected to surpass that of China.
Ageing - By 2030, the number of people aged 60 years or over is projected to grow from 901 million to 1.4 billion between 2015 and 2030.

Older persons are expected to account for more 23 This section is based on multiple sources including publications from the World Economic Forum (WEF), OECD, United Nations, Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), International Energy Agency and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC).
than 25 percent of the populations in Europe and in Northern America, 20 percent in Oceania, 17 percent in Asia and in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), and 6 percent in Africa.

This group is expected to grow the fastest in LAC with a 71 percent increase.

Moreover, the number of older persons is expanding more rapidly than the numbers of persons in any other age group (UN DESA, 2015).
Youth - According to the United Nations, the number of young persons between the ages of 15- 24 is projected to increase from 1.2 billion in 2016 to 1.3 billion by 2030 with most of these young persons being in Africa and Asia.

Currently more than half the world population is under 25 years old, which is approximately 3.5 billion and 15-24-year-olds make up 40% of the total number of persons unemployed globally.
Urbanisation - More than 50 percent of the world’s population reside in urban areas and it is anticipated that this will increase to 60 percent by the year 2030.

(UN, 2014).

In terms of where the largest percentages of the world’s urban population reside, the LAC region ranks third in the world behind Asia and Europe (UN, 2014).

Currently, 80 percent of the LAC population reside in urban settlements.

This figure is expected to rise to 85 percent by 2030 (UN, 2015).
As the world becomes more populous and interdependent, the number of population pressures and threats will become more numerous and complex, and will cross national boundaries.

Chief amongst these will be mass migration, human and narcotics trafficking, terrorism, global pandemics, cyber-crime, urbanisation, resource scarcities, and environmental degradation due to the effects of climate change.
Environment and Natural Resources In 2030, the environment and climate changes will continue to be one of the foremost issues on the global agenda.

If significant, positive, global changes are not made now, the sobering consequences of higher temperatures, rising sea levels, stronger storms and hurricanes will result in the disappearance of more islands and coastal villages as well as greater loss of livelihoods, plant, human and animal lives.
Depletion of natural resources such as terrestrial and marine ecosystems and destruction of the built environment do not bode well for the future, and can present worrying challenges by 2030.

Energy The International Energy Agency’s (IEA) World Renewable Energy Outlook 2030-2050, estimates that the world’s energy requirements will increase by 55 percent during 2005‒2030.

It is anticipated that 50 percent of the increase in total global energy demands will be attributed to China and India.
Also, ‘unconventional’ sources of gas—particularly shale gas—will likely contribute two-thirds of the United States’ gas supply by the year 2030.

Population growth and increases in income per person are the key drivers behind growing demand for energy.

By 2030, the world’s population is projected to reach 8.5 billion, which means that an additional 1.4 billion people will need energy.
Fossil fuel use will peak around 2030, when solar energy will surpass coal, oil and gas (Bloomberg New Energy Finance) and more streets, homes, vessels and planes will be powered by alternative sources of energy Food and Water Access to fresh water in sufficient quantity and quality will be a major global challenge as a result of population growth, urbanisation, wasteful practices, pollution and climate change.
The United Nations has stated that agriculture will account for an increasingly larger proportion of water usage in the world by 2030, and the demand placed upon the world’s food and water systems will continue to grow in tandem with anticipated global population growth.

Also, the emergence of a global middle class will lead to increased pressure on resources for the foreseeable future.
With much of the world's arable land turning to desert, hydroponic and "vertical farms" will be common features of urban centres and many countries will turn to desalination plants to mitigate the effect of severe droughts due to climate change.

Technology In 2030, technology is pervasive and dictates human activity.
By then, Information and Communications Technology will continue to radically transform the way we work, live and play and the rise of social media will make us more interconnected as trillions of devices will collect and exchange information.

As the cost of sensors decline and computing power increases, all kinds of devices will be connected to the internet.

From clothes to footpaths, everything will be online.
At the same time, more machines will be working autonomously and technology will replace routine and unsociable work.

With the growth of artificial intelligence (AI), labour costs will shift from operations, maintenance and training, to design and development.

Machines will perform repairs and routine maintenance will be done mostly by robots.

Farms, factories and warehouses will be operated by robots—which can navigate through rows, aisles and shelves, identify products and load them for delivery.
3D printers will be smaller, faster and cheaper and will use a wider range of materials, such as plastic, aluminium, stainless steel, ceramic or even advanced alloys, and will begin replacing factory operations.

Also, 3D technology will expand from producing wind turbines and toys to creating prototypes and specific parts for the automotive industry.
Smart cities will be more pervasive as advances in technology and the internet will facilitate greater connection of services, utilities and roads, and better management of energy and traffic.

These cities will have many new data-driven services, including intelligent parking solutions, smart trash collection and intelligent lighting.

More vehicles, vessels and planes would be driverless, equipped with collision avoidance systems and possess features such as auto refuelling.
Simultaneously, more homes will be smarter, enabling persons to remotely regulate air conditioning, lights, appliances, security and video, and robots will provide a range of services beyond vacuuming.

By 2030, many more countries will provide free wireless internet hotspots, more cabinet meetings will be held online, most people will bank on the internet, voters in a general election will cast their ballots online and most routine transactions between persons and the government will be via the internet.
Also, due to the rapid changes in technology a new range of occupations and job titles such as Human Organ Engineer, Climate Change Reversal Specialist and Memory Augmentation Surgeon will be in vogue in 2030.

What do these mean for Trinidad and Tobago?

The trends specified above have significant ramifications for Trinidad and Tobago.

To surmount these trends our citizens must possess 21st century skills, including technological know-how, and become multilingual and multi-skilled.
This will help our country capitalise on trade and growth opportunities in expanding markets such as China.

Technological advancements are expected to lower production costs in some sectors and therefore it is likely that there will be much more competition from imports.

Local producers must therefore be prepared to embrace and incorporate new and advanced technologies in the production of goods and in the delivery of services.
Thus, there is an urgent need for persons to reskill, retool and engage in lifelong learning in order to capitalise on potential, new work opportunities.

This requires a relevant, flexible education system, particularly at the tertiary level, that is aligned to a world where technology plays a major role in the workplace.
At the same time, as the world shifts to alternative energy and sustainable production, businesses must now focus on added value products and services, so that the shortfall in foreign exchange earnings can be met.
(d) National Challenges The preceding analysis on the review of Vision 2020 initiatives, expenditure and performance by key sectors and socio-economic indicators, the country’s performance against selected comparator countries as well as the main population and future trends, point to some of the main challenges that Trinidad and Tobago faces today.
Dependence on Oil and Natural Gas and Oil-Gas Price Cycle The economy remains highly dependent on the oil and natural gas sector with exports of these commodities and petrochemicals accounting for 85 percent of export earnings, 40 percent of government revenue and over 35 percent of GDP.

This has meant that the country benefits from rising oil and natural gas prices but also, as in the current period, is severely affected when these prices collapse.
The dependence on oil and natural gas has had the perverse effect (Dutch Disease) of compromising the growth and development of the non-energy economy which is heavily oriented toward imports of consumption and intermediate goods and, with few exceptions in food and beverage manufactures, is disincentivised to produce goods and services which can compete successfully in the global markets.

Ageing Population and Migration In 2011, the population of Trinidad and Tobago was estimated at 1.32 million people24.
Further, The National Population and Development Policy (NPDP) 2014‒2020 highlighted the importance of planning for demographic changes based on other data trends revealed in the 2011 population census.
The Population Situation Analysis (PSA)25 on demographic change and inequality in the NPDP revealed the following population considerations:  Trinidad and Tobago has an ageing population: The median population age is 32.6 years and 13 percent of the total population is 60 years and over;  The Mid-year population estimate for 2014 was 1,345,343 persons.
The national population growth rate between 2000 and 2011 was 0.4 percent per annum;  The average household size has decreased from 4.0 persons per household in 1990 to 3.3 in 2011.

Single occupant households were becoming more prevalent;  Urban development was encroaching on agricultural and environmentally zoned regions.

Further accompanying migratory shifts places pressure on land-use water and other resources.
There is an urgent need for sustainable building and sustainable use of land which can improve the social, environmental and economic performance of our urban centres.
 Having attained the goal of universal primary and secondary education, Trinidad and Tobago is now faced with gender disparities in the education system where female enrolment and educational attainment exceed males;  The labour market favoured males: larger proportions of the female labour force than the male labour force were unemployed and seeking employment.
24 Central Statistical Office of Trinidad and Tobago 25 Source: Trinidad and Tobago National Population and Development Policy 2014-2020, Ministry of Planning and Development, 2015)  Trinidad and Tobago’s popularity as a migrant destination is placing greater pressure on the State’s law enforcement, legislative and administrative systems  Despite improvements in the provision of tertiary education system the brain drain continues Based on the above findings, it is evident that the demographic drivers of fertility, mortality and migration are becoming increasingly important in determining policy responses to health care, education, housing, labour, pensions and social security.
It also brings to the fore the economic and social costs associated with an aging population.
These include:  Increased pressure on public finances since a smaller working-age population has to support growing spending on health, social care and pensions;  Decline in working population means lower tax revenues and higher public expenditure;  Prevalence of long-term health conditions (chronic illnesses and physical disabilities associated with ageing places a burden on the health care system; and  Reduced work force.
As persons migrate to urban areas in search of economic opportunities, many challenges arise that must be addressed through public policy.

For Trinidad and Tobago, these challenges are not limited to the growth in homelessness, and increased demand for public utilities, housing, schools, transport and public spaces in urban areas.

At the same time, consideration of immigration and security issues, as well as the possible demands on the country’s already burgeoning social services, must be addressed.
Further, steps must be taken to adjust our policies, legislation and behaviours regarding the environment, so that we can meet our international obligations under the various multilateral environmental agreements and address all challenges facing us as a Small Island Developing State.

Of particular note, is the need to achieve food and energy security and ensure a sustainable supply of safe water.
issues require policy These in the medium-and-long-term such as improvements in public sector productivity, the introduction of means testing approach to services and policies that improve preventative healthcare and increase the retirement age.
interventions both Food Security and Sustainability While dependence on oil and natural gas presents a general vulnerability to movements in commodity prices, the high and rising food import bill is of particular concern partly because of the need to ensure that the country is able to produce most of the food it consumes itself or can obtain from neighbouring territories and partly because of the prevalence of predatory pricing and consumption of dumped, harmful or substandard products.
Low Productivity In many areas of national life in both the public and private sectors, productivity is demonstrably low.

This affects the country’s competitiveness, not only by increasing the cost of production but also by increasing the cost of doing business.
The problem of low productivity is related to several factors including the health and wellness of the working population, the problem of ageing, and the inadequacies of infrastructure, including the transportation system, where traffic congestion is a significant source of low productivity.
In terms of education and training of the workforce, we must ensure that is a direct link between the output of the current education system and the human resource needs of Trinidad and Tobago, in order to boost productivity in the relevant sectors.

Dependency and Entitlement Historically, the response of public policy to the inadequate pace of private sector job creation has been to institute ‘make work’ programmes to provide temporary employment.
The number of such programmes has increased and the number of persons engaged in these programmes has also increased.

These programmes, while socially necessary, have had the unintended consequences of increasing dependency and notions of entitlement.
They have also contributed to distorting the labour market, leading in recent years to shortages of labour in certain areas of the private sector as wage rates and working conditions in those areas are unable to attract workers from the ‘make work’ programmes.

In addition to these effects, these programmes have also been attended by corrupt practices and have been a source of income for persons engaged in criminal activity.
Weak Institutions Many of our institutions are not working effectively or consistently.

There are manifest weaknesses in the Public Service, the Police Service and the Prisons Service which have produced unacceptable outcomes in the delivery of public service (immigration and customs, land management, planning approvals and enforcement), crime detection and prevention, and prison conditions contributing to recidivism.
International agencies such as the Financial Action Task Force have noted inadequate enforcement of laws relating to money laundering and corruption generally.

Crime and Criminality For the last two decades, Trinidad and Tobago has been afflicted by unacceptably high rates of serious crimes, particularly murders.

While some of the murders are linked to domestic violence, the majority are related to gang violence which is in turn linked to the movement of drugs and the associated acquisition of firearms.
At the same time the response of policing has been inadequate to meet the challenges despite the higher levels of government expenditure on the police service and the rapid growth of the private security industry and citizens and businesses attempt to protect their lives and property.
The criminal justice system has also not adjusted to meet the challenge of rising crime with resource inadequacies afflicting the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Forensic Science Centre, the system of preliminary inquiry, the number of judges assigned to the criminal bench and over-crowding in the prison system.
Managing a Diverse Society The final challenge, which is very significant, relates to how we manage a country that is so diverse in terms of class, religion, culture and ethnicity with regional dimensions; a society in which for historical reasons, ethnic competition is rife.

In this multi-ethnic society, development policy and other actions can have political and social consequences beyond those intended by the policy formulators.
To remove the perception and adverse consequences of unintended bias and allegations of unfairness, ever citizens must feel that they have a stake in the country and its future.

It entails creating a safe and fair environment where everyone has access to opportunities and can have their issues and challenges addressed.

It means developing mechanisms that allocate resources based on clearly accepted specified criteria and must be accompanied by actions that win the trust and confidence of the population.
More importantly, it necessitates the development of mechanisms that allow political conflicts to be moderated by overriding national purposes.

These challenges which are depicted in Table 2.4 below, provide the basis on which our development plan and strategies are shaped, towards significantly improving the quality of life for all citizens by 2030.

The main strategies for developing Trinidad and Tobago are presented in Chapter 5.
Table 2.4: Summary of Trinidad and Tobago’s Main Challenges and Opportunities and Responses Development Area Main Challenges Main Opportunities and Responses Social  Culture of dependency and sense of  Build relevant, flexible labour market systems that meet the entitlement Low productivity and poor work ethic   Crime and Criminality  Ageing Population and Migration  Managing a diverse society Governance  Weak Institutions  needs of a diversified economy Improve the targeting of social services beneficiaries and establish mandatory ‘make work’ programmes Promote preventive healthcare   Reduce infant and maternal mortality, non-communicable ‘graduation’ out of diseases and the incidence of HIV/AIDS  Curriculum reform and preventing and managing school drop outs  Reduce multidimensional poverty  Create an efficient transportation and traffic management system  Reform Criminal Justice system  Prevent and solve crimes  Pension Systems Funding and Reform; Review retirement age  Geriatric Care Facilities  Immigration Policy  Constitutional and Institutional Reform  Public Service Reform for delivery Environment Vulnerability to climate change impacts  Pollution Control  Wise use and conservation of natural resources    o Establishing a culture of managing for results o Development of a merit-based system that rewards creative ideas and practices o Enhancement of e-Government capabilities Improve resilience to climate change Incorporate green technology in industries and cities Increase use of
 renewable energy  Utilize cleaner transportation fuels      Improve management of all waste and pollution Encourage reuse, reduction and recycling Protect biodiversity and ecosystems, and their services Encourage sustainable planning Economic  Dependence on Non- renewable Energy  Sources Food Security and Sustainability   Rapid advances in technology Expand exports and earn Foreign Exchange from Non-energy industries  Develop niche markets and build competitive advantages  Produce locally and consume greener and healthier foods  Develop research based industries  Encourage greater use of innovation, R&D to support businesses CHAPTER 3 Envisioning the Future Imagine a Trinidad and Tobago, where all citizens enjoy a high standard of living and have equal opportunity for self- actualisation; where corruption is minimal and service standards are high and where we dispose of our garbage in an environmentally responsible manner, simply because our people see the value of nature and our natural resources.
Imagine further, a future Trinidad and Tobago where citizens possess positive values, attitudes and behaviours such as respect for life, productivity and patriotism.

These are just some of the advancements that are envisioned under the banner of Vision 2030.

They represent some of what is meant by “developed country status” and point to where Government wishes to lead Trinidad and Tobago by the year 2030.
These elements of the future desired for our country did not come solely from the Government of Trinidad and Tobago.

These came primarily from you, the citizens, who, during 2007, contributed to defining what first world status meant and which was subsequently presented as the National Vision of the Vision 2020 Plan.
That vision statement was formulated after much dialogue and numerous public consultations involving civil society, technical experts within the private and public sector, academia and citizens.

Consequently, the Vision is considered all- encompassing and unifying and much of what was scripted still represent the aspirations of both the government and citizens today.
While it has retained its validity, the new Vision needed to reflect current realities and future scenarios, many of which, were presented in the previous chapter.

In defining our future, we must build on our strengths, exploit the opportunities and address the challenges which our country faces.

Thus, the new Vision 2030 Statement, presented below, builds upon what was previously voiced by reflecting current issues which have gained traction.
These issues include climate change, the use of renewable resources and water, food and energy security.

Citizens are invited to embrace this new, unifying vision for our country, so that we could move forward together towards one common ideal and build our beautiful nation.

This Chapter, not only highlights the new Vision to 2030, but also shares the national goals that emanate from this Vision.
As mentioned, these goals take into consideration and incorporate the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Global Development (Sustainable Development Goals) and also the 2015 Paris Agreement (Climate Change), the SAMOA Pathway (SIDS) and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda (Financing for Development) outcome documents.

In making the National Vision a reality, while at the same time recognising the need to improve the way we operate as citizens and as agencies; key guiding principles are also presented.
These principles form the ethical framework to which we should subscribe if we are to advance as a nation.

They include principles such as honesty, accountability, respect, and integrity and morality in public office.

Aspiration Statement The vision is designed to take the country from the present into the future and will inform the country’s development planning cycles from 2016 to 2030.
It provides direction to government ministries, private sector, civil society, and labour and non-government organisations to ensure alignment with the national development agenda.
The vision to 2030 is captured in the following Aspiration Statement: We are a united, resilient, productive, innovative, and prosperous nation with a disciplined, caring, fun-loving society comprising healthy, happy and well-educated people and built on the enduring attributes of self-reliance, respect, tolerance, equity, inclusion and integrity in which: Every Citizen is valued and has equal opportunities to achieve his/her fullest potential; All citizens enjoy a high quality of life, where quality healthcare is available to all and where safe, peaceful and environmentally friendly communities are maintained; All citizens are assured of a sound, relevant education system tailored to meet the human resource needs of a modern, progressive, technologically advancing nation; Optimum use is made of all the resources of the nation, with due regard to environmental sustainability and making greater use of renewable resources while ensuring that we enjoy water, food and energy security; The family as the foundation of the society contributes to its growth, development and stability; Our economy supports decent work for all and is conducive to entrepreneurship and innovation; There is respect for the rule of law and human rights and the promotion of the principles of democracy and there is confidence in our public institutions; The diversity and creativity of all its people are valued and nurtured.
Understanding the Vision The Vision may be better understood by explaining the Aspiration Statement in some detail.

Our people are our greatest resource and so the Aspiration Statement puts people at the centre of development.

The socio-political environment must enable citizens to realise their full potential as well as, individually and collectively to make a positive contribution to the growth and development of the economy and society.
Policy must focus on the welfare and wellbeing of citizens and the improvement of their living standards.

All citizens must enjoy a superior standard of living and be assured the opportunities to access quality education and training, healthcare, affordable housing, decent work and social protection.

These aspirations must translate into a better quality of life for all citizens.
The vision will transform Trinidad and Tobago into a thriving society in which all citizens can fulfil their dreams and ambitions; a society that recognises, respects and values the talents and contributions of all citizens.
Our country will be one in which young people feel confident in their own ideas to seek out and create their own opportunities, engendered by an education system that encourages entrepreneurship and innovation, and prepares learners to take advantage of opportunities in a rapidly changing global environment.

Our investments in education should transform the country into a knowledge-based society that improves the ability of local businesses to compete globally.
Greater emphasis will be placed on employing innovative practices, creative solutions, skills, ideas and processes that, when combined, could be used as a springboard for economic growth.

Trinidad and Tobago will be a place where the family will be the bedrock of the society and citizens feel confident to raise their families in a safe, secure, peaceful and loving environment.

More importantly, the vision is to reduce inequalities and move the country significantly up the scale of human development.
Citizens will have responsibilities for good governance and the respect for the rule of law, for social harmony and for environmental protection.

The modernisation of the institutions of government into responsive, inclusive and participatory decision-making structures is crucial to ensuring that the principles of good governance are upheld and strengthened as required.
In addition, we envision that efficient and effective government services will be provided to meet the needs of citizens as well as facilitate the ease of doing business.

Trinidad and Tobago will be a country in which public policy is grounded in partnership and inclusive dialogue, and public-private partnerships (PPPs) are fully embraced as the mechanism to foster economic growth, employment, eventual long-term prosperity and sustainable development.
This involves partnerships between government, communities and civil society; partnerships between different branches of government with the business community, NGOs, civil society organisations and the international community.

Trinidad and Tobago is blessed with an abundance of natural resources.

They can be put to the best possible use while being sensitive to environmental issues, making greater use of renewable resources.

We need to ensure that there is water, food and energy security.
To summarise, the Vision defines our country’s future development possibilities.

It underscores that the country can garner all the resources it needs to attain first world nation status by 2030.

Development Themes to 2030 The Vision as expressed in the Aspiration Statement produces five (5) overarching development themes, which will guide the country’s transformational agenda to the year 2030.
These thematic areas are grounded in the Vision 2020 pillars, the National Policy Framework, and the global development agenda by way of the Sustainable Development Goals.

For each of the themes, there are a number of goals which represent what is to be achieved.

The development themes are: I.

Putting People First: Nurturing Our Greatest Asset II.

Promoting Good Governance and Service Excellence III.

IV.
Building Globally Competitive Businesses; and V. Valuing and Enhancing Our Environment Improving Productivity through Quality Infrastructure and Transportation Of particular note, the theme Valuing and Enhancing Our Environment has been made a separate development theme because of the burgeoning impact of climate change and renewable energy, as well as Trinidad and Tobago’s adoption of the global 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its commitments under various multilateral environmental agreements.
Similarly, the theme of Improving Productivity through Quality Infrastructure and Transportation has been given prominence since a comprehensive network of high-quality infrastructure is a key enabler for socio-economic growth and development.

Further, it must be recognised that Themes are connected and inter-related in that developments in one particular area impacts another.
This is a primary reason why this document does not adopt a strict sectoral approach although some sectors fall under specific themes.

Under the “People First Theme” for example, at-risk youth is considered among the vulnerable population, while under-employed youth is considered under the Competitive Business Theme.

Ministries must therefore consider all the development themes.
Defining the Development Themes Written in the details of the themes is the long-term perspective envisioned for the country to the year 2030.

In addition, the themes highlight some of the commitments that will be undertaken in the future as follows: Theme I - Putting People First: Nurturing Our Greatest Asset This Theme acknowledges that our citizens are central to our development and in fact are our greatest assets.
We must create a society in which all the basic needs are met and each individual is valued and given the opportunity to contribute and to self-actualise.

A society in which no one is left behind, where all citizens are afforded equal opportunity to access social services, and all our citizens, including the most vulnerable are cared for and treated with dignity and respect.
The focus here is also on providing a nurturing environment that teaches, promotes and richly reinforces behaviours and skills needed to empower our people to become creative and productive citizens.

This means that we must eradicate poverty and inequity, discrimination, economic and social marginalisation, disease and poor health and substandard living conditions.
We should provide a nurturing environment that teaches, promotes and richly reinforces behaviours and skills needed to create productive citizens.

We must build a society that shares the social attributes and cultural norms of trust, goodwill, honesty, respect, tolerance, integrity, benevolence and civic pride, social justice and community spirit.
Theme II: Good Governance and Service Excellence Good governance and excellent services is crucial to the achievement of a high quality of life for all citizens.

In fact, our Governance structures determines how we live.

It affects our healthcare, jobs, and determines whether we are safe, drive or use public transport.
From the mother that receives a lifesaving surgery to the small business that is finally profitable - all are dependent on good governance and the delivery of excellent public services, to some extent.

As such, this second development theme is centred on building the public’s trust in Government structures.
This will be done through the promotion of strong and independent public institutions and inculcating a culture in which citizens respect authority and the rule of law and benefit from a professional civil service that meets the needs of all citizens.

Good governance promotes strong, public institutions, citizens who respect authority and the rule of law.

Confidence in the democratic institutions (Government, Parliament and Judiciary) is inspired and businesses flourish.
Developed nations, by and large, maintain a general respect for the electoral system, an independent judiciary, active participation in the decision-making process and a professional civil service.

There must also be assurance that our democratic institutions operate on the principles of transparency, value for money, accountability, equity, morality and integrity in public life, all necessary for achieving social stability and economic progress.
Critical to the implementation of national policies and strategies for achieving socio-economic transformation is the need for well-functioning democratic institutions.

Despite the introduction of reform measures, development strategies and projects continue to be hindered and delayed by issues of implementation capacity.
To address these challenges, a firm commitment will be made to specific policy objectives for strengthening the capacity and operations of the public institutions, within the Executive arm of the State, while also continuing and expanding public and stakeholder consultation in policy-making and development initiatives, to promote inclusive, democratic processes.
Promoting good governance will be at the forefront of development efforts to:  Enhance policy making and resource allocation;  Foster efficiencies in public institutions;  Eradicate poverty and promote more equitable distribution of income and wealth; and  Make Trinidad and Tobago more competitive and attractive to investors.

In strengthening our democratic institutions, an effective Parliament ensures Government’s accountability and transparency.
While the revised Standing Orders will be helpful the creation of the General Accounting Office will be even more useful in promoting accountability.

Continued improvements in both the criminal and civil justice system will not only enhance social stability but also impact positively on economic development.

The goal is to develop an accountable, timely and efficient court system that operates on the basis of integrity, fairness, equality and accessibility and that has public trust and confidence.
Partnering with the Judiciary is therefore key towards the provision of an efficient justice system which is the foundation for dispute settlement, law enforcement and the protection of human rights.

It is also essential that the institutions responsible for law administration and legal affairs such as the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions operate with a cadre of well-trained and equipped professionals.
Fostering partnerships at the global, regional and national levels must form an integral part of Government’s development policy framework.

This ‘external governance’ is of particular importance to small states.

Trinidad and Tobago is therefore committed to engaging in partnership for the development of small island developing states, especially those of CARICOM, consistent with Goal 17 of the SDGs: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development.
Public sector reform is essential and several initiatives are already in train or, at the conceptual improve governance, public management systems and processes, modernise stage, to infrastructure and operating environments.

An important initiative in the public sector reform agenda is the strengthening of the system of national statistics.
The objective will be to develop a management approach that fosters sound statistical methodologies and professional data compilation, as well as dissemination practices.

Our public institutions will move towards a state that is more capable, more professional and more proactive in meeting the needs of its citizens.

Theme III - Improving Productivity through Quality Infrastructure and Transportation A key feature of a developed country is quality infrastructure and transportation services.
High-quality infrastructure unlocks our economic potential and ensure that growth and opportunities are distributed throughout the country and creates networks that binds us together.

It also boosts productivity and competitiveness, allowing businesses to create employment, collaborate and attract investment, and grow and prosper.
It is therefore imperative that we adopt a systemic and comprehensive approach in building a strong infrastructure and transportation systems that are resilient and of high quality.

In this regard, the focus will also be on combining “smart technology” innovation with timely/pro-active investment and maintenance.
Efficient and resilient infrastructure enables global trade, powers businesses, connects workers to their jobs, creates new opportunities for struggling communities, and reduces the vulnerability of an unpredictable natural environment.

Holistically, investment in infrastructure, with emphasis on transportation and public utilities built to internationally accepted standards, has the potential to impact positively on the level of national development and ultimately the well-being of citizens.
A key component embedded in the infrastructure landscape is ICT infrastructure, which must be continuously upgraded and enhanced to keep in stride with the country’s growth and development path.

In an era where ICT is burgeoning and influencing every sphere of life, the potential of ICT as a development tool rests on its ability to not only transform how people do things and how they access information, but how public and private entities operate and deliver services as well.
In that regard, initiatives will be concentrated on strengthening the strategic and effective use of ICT to facilitate fast and efficient delivery of public services.

It is crucial, therefore, that policies be integrated with the use of ICT, backed by the requisite skill sets, institutional structure and capacity, supported by appropriate business models, and grounded in the relevant legislative and regulatory frameworks.

Getting infrastructure right, therefore, is of critical importance.
It is imperative that we adopt a systemic and comprehensive approach in building a strong infrastructure foundation that is resilient and of high quality.

Furthermore, the proficient management and maintenance of the existing national infrastructure is an essential prerequisite for a robust mobility system and a flourishing economy.
Essential to the development of quality infrastructure and transportation is building a first class air, sea and land transport system that has the potential to increase efficiency and improve the lives of all citizens.

Overall, the quality of transport systems is an important determinant of cities’ liveability and economic efficiency.
Severe congestion, deteriorating air quality, increased greenhouse gas emissions, increased incidence of road accidents, and increased fuel costs are threatening the health and wellbeing of residents, as well as the economic efficiency of our country.

Efforts to deal with the problems associated with increasing travel demand have tended to largely focus on expanding the capacity of roads and public transport.

Unfortunately, this has not been enough.


Efforts to increase road capacity may help alleviate the problem in the short term, but, over the long term, as long as the number of motor vehicles continues to increase, roads will remain congested.

The move towards becoming a transport- and energy-efficient country requires a paradigm shift in urban land use and transport planning.
Furthermore, to improve accessibility through the transportation network, focus will be on combining smart investment, innovation and maintenance.

Investments will be strategic—tackling accessibility problems that would result in obtaining the most economic value.

Innovative solutions will make the mobility system more sustainable and its use more efficient.

Developing a high quality public utility system is integral to human and economic development.
Water and sanitation, for instance, are fundamental to human sustenance, health and dignity, and by extension, to economic opportunity.

Affordable and reliable energy is integral to social life, productivity, competitiveness of industries, and the efficient and effective delivery of services.

However, critical gaps in water, sanitation and energy services still exist.

Innovative solutions to enhancing investment in public utilities will be pursued.
In water, these include new technologies for desalination and filtering, and in energy, household solar energy systems, photovoltaic generators and small wind turbines.

Policies will also be adopted that utilise business model innovations and incentives, such as hybrid public-private funding models, that attract investors requiring different types and levels of return at different stages, and community partnerships that leverage social networks and institutions to administer the utilities system.
As we strive towards Vision 2030, closing the infrastructure gap will undoubtedly be challenging.

But it also represents a profound opportunity to create the underpinnings of a more sustainable future.

Trinidad and Tobago’s ability to fully realise its competitive potential depends on making smart infrastructure choices.
The policy choices must be responsive to game-changing economic, demographic, fiscal, and environmental realignments that will fundamentally alter the kind of infrastructure needed for our people, places, and businesses to thrive and prosper.

Theme IV - Building Globally Competitive Businesses When our economy grows, all our people have opportunities to prosper.

Our children have opportunities to study work and live here at home.
In addition, Government has the resources it needs to reduce poverty, improve healthcare, invest in education, and build infrastructure—goods and services that all citizens of this country need and rightly deserve.

Competitive businesses are integral to this thrust as innovate, create employment and generate revenue and foreign exchange earnings.

To be able to deliver goods and services, our economy must continue to grow and to be stable.
In this regard, economic stability allows businesses, individuals and Government to plan ahead, and improve the quantity and quality of long-term investment in physical and human capital.

As the recent financial crises have shown, economies have become more interconnected and, as such, vulnerabilities now spread more easily across sectors and national borders.
Our intention therefore, is to maintain economic stability mainly by pursuing sound monetary and fiscal policy, promoting healthy trade and payments balances and taking the necessary steps to contain inflationary pressures.

It is widely accepted that nations do not compete; firms do.

Competitive Businesses are therefore important to our developed-nation thrust.
For any sustained increase in the quality of life there must be an increase in productivity and real growth, which can then be translated into higher wages originating from innovation and competition.

Our firms will have advanced strategic and operations systems, and will be staffed by a capable, knowledge-based workforce with access to high quality resources and fuelled by a sophisticated consumer base.
Additionally, Government will create an environment that encourages open and free competition as well as a favourable culture and climate for entrepreneurship and innovation towards creating the economy of tomorrow.

Our competitive businesses will exhibit a strong sense of social responsibility by always seeking the best interests of citizens and of the country in which they operate.

As we look ahead, Trinidad and Tobago must be more productive, more competitive.
We must work smarter, be more innovative and create new high value products.

As such, it is integral that research and development, as well as innovation, be promoted and institutionalised at pre- primary, primary, secondary and tertiary levels of the education system.

Such creativity as well as research and development must also be enabled and harnessed in the private sector.

Further, we recognise that more and better jobs can only emerge from sustained economic growth.
Key to this growth is international competitiveness which depends on increased productivity through more innovative combinations of people, ideas and resources.

Building a more competitive economy requires that our citizens have the right skills and capabilities to perform higher-value jobs; our environment attracts the right investors and entrepreneurs; and our business and people are agile and creative enough to seize on new opportunities.
It requires: being internationally competitive within the domestic market; assisting locally-based firms to become global; and attracting international firms that can build domestic capacity, know-how and exports.

This means having a more competitive tax system, higher energy efficiency and improvements in vital infrastructure and greater geographic dispersion of economic opportunity.
It also means having sound public finance and a stable macroeconomic environment that minimise risks, lowers uncertainty and instils greater investor confidence in the economy.

Theme V: Placing the Environment at the Centre of Social and Economic Development As Trinidad and Tobago continues on a sustainable development path with the population continuing to grow there will be increasing demands placed on our limited environmental resources.

As such our natural heritage must be protected and wisely used.
The environment is the common thread that supports all sectors which contribute to the social and economic development of the nation and therefore must be managed for the benefit of present and future generations.

The risk of mismanagement of our environment and unsustainable exploitation of these resources can severely affect our society threatening food security, energy security, livelihoods and human health, among other impacts.
Economic activity is driven by environmental exploitation and the environment must therefore be placed at the heart of this country’s development focus.

In order to provide a high quality living environment for all citizens, it is critical that a healthy environment is maintained with clean air, clean water, and green spaces.
It will be ensured that as a country, we do our best to effectively control waste by reducing, reusing and recycling our materials, managing chemical, electronic and hazardous waste, while engaging in sustainable land use planning, reducing pollution including land based sources of pollutants, protecting our biodiversity, conserving our marine and freshwater resources, building resilience to climate change, becoming energy smart, encouraging eco-tourism, and promoting corporate environmental responsibility, greener industries and green cities.
We will create a culture that engenders an attitude of environmental consciousness and esteems conservation and preservation of our national assets, be they man made or natural.
As a responsible global citizen, Trinidad and Tobago will continue to support international efforts to tackle shared environmental challenges which include climate change, ozone depletion, land degradation, biodiversity loss, illegal species trade and the movement of hazardous wastes, as these issues also affect the wellbeing of our nation.
Protection and wise use of our environment and growing of our economy are complementary and therefore innovative solutions are necessary to mutually reinforce the environment and the economy.

In order to secure national prosperity, every effort will be made to ensure that the economic potential of this country is realized without jeopardizing the integrity, diversity or productivity of our environment.
Guiding Principles The guiding principles provide an ethical framework for the transformation of Trinidad and Tobago.

These principles must be embraced and practiced by all citizens and become embedded in day-to-day activities, so as to better position the country to surmount challenges and achieve its long term goals.
Therefore, the guiding principles are critical to our success and must serve as the basis for all our decisions and actions, in order to ensure overall efficacy and equity on the journey towards achieving the vision.

1.

Integrity and Morality in Public Office Persons in public office—elected and appointed—should not only have the ability and skills to perform the duties of that position but the public should feel confident that such persons are of strong character.
That is, people who are honest, trustworthy, just and who have the integrity to run the internal affairs of the country and represent us in the international arena.

The good character of persons occupying public office is important so that decision making would not be compromised.

It means that office holders cannot be ‘bought’ or swayed or made to do something that does not adhere to the highest moral standards.
As such, the onus is on officer holders, the keepers of public assets, to do the right thing even if no one sees them.

2.

Inclusiveness It is important that all citizens are made to feel that their voices are heard and that their opinions matter in our society.

The maintenance of social cohesion and socio-political stability, requires that we institutionalise participation and consensus building.
Opportunities must be provided for citizens within a consultative environment to influence policies and actions that affect their lives.

3.

Objectivity This principle entails respect, equality and fairness.

Everyone should be treated fairly regardless of their socio-economic status.

To this end, public administrators and persons who hold positions of authority must adhere to this principle to earn and maintain public trust.
They must act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias.

4.

Openness Enhancing trust and maintaining public confidence in the leadership, public policies and government processes is very important.

As such, office holders must act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner.

5.
5.

Honesty Citizens, particularly those who hold positions of authority and influence such as parliamentarians, teachers, police officers and so forth, should be truthful and forthcoming in the performance of their duties.

Such office-holders should be exemplars of good conduct since they are positioned to shape the minds of the next generation to do what is morally sound.

6.

Accountability Public officials must be professional in all ways.

Without accountability, public trust cannot be established.
Accountability ensures actions and decisions taken are subject to oversight so as to guarantee that initiatives meet their stated objectives and respond to the needs of the communities they are meant to benefit , thereby contributing to improved governance.

While there is public expectation, and rightly so, that public officials should be held responsible for spending from the public purse and decisions taken, the principle of accountability should be adhered to by citizens at all levels of society.

7.
7.

Selflessness The public interest is paramount and all efforts must be made to meet the needs of citizens, above all else, in the delivery of goods and services.

We must become the change that we desire to see in the society and, in so doing, contribute to a more caring society.

8.

Leadership 59 The importance of strong and principled leadership at all levels of society, working together to solve the country’s problems and effect change, must be emphasised.
Our current realities require astute and effective leadership that is both engaging and inspirational to move the country beyond the mundane.

The national leadership is challenged to influence citizens to do things differently, to do more, and to move beyond their comfort zones in order to build a more sustainable and prosperous country.

9.
9.

Respect The principle of respect ensures due consideration for others and is critical for building effective business, professional and nation-to-nation relationships.

It redounds to treating others with courtesy and dignity and promotes sustainable relationships.
Trinidad and Tobago must function as a nation which continues to respect the sovereign rights of other countries and one in which citizens show greater respect for the environment, each other’s privacy, space, property, religion, ethnicity and differences of opinions.

10.

Patriotism The unwavering love and support of our country must be inculcated as a value within our citizenry from the earliest stages of education.
The intention is to have patriotism manifested, by individuals consciously choosing to put community and nation above self.

In this way, there would be more collaboration and support for nation building activities, events and development interventions.

This includes for example, greater patronage of national sporting and cultural events, voting based on issues rather than ethnicity, more volunteerism and Corporate Social Responsibility as well as further cooperation among our leaders.
National Sustainable Development Goals The draft national goals have been situated within the context of the SDGs.

The SDGs are comprehensive in scope, cut across most areas of national policy, and require alignment between national policies.

The 17 SDGs were reviewed and aligned to the Vision 2030 goals to ensure coherency.

In order to reflect this synchronism, the Vision 2030 national Goals are termed the National Sustainable Development Goals.
A review of the 169 targets will be undertaken and those to be met will be integrated into the Plan.

Table 3.1 highlights the alignment of the Draft national vision’s goals to the SDGs.
60 61 Table 3.1: Draft National Vision 2030 Goals and the United Nations Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals VISION 2030 THEMES People Nurturing Greatest Asset First: our LONG-TERM GOALS (1‒15 Years) Goal 1: Poverty will be eradicated Goal 2: Citizens will have a culture of discipline, productivity, tolerance, respect, civic mindedness MEDIUM-TERM GOALS (1‒10 years) Goal 1: Persons living in absolute poverty will be reduced Goal 2: The Healthcare System will be efficient and quality services provide Goal 3: Our Citizens will be healthy Goal 3: Citizens will lead healthy lifestyles Goal 4: A diversely innovative educated, and entrepreneurial population Goal 4: The foundation of Trinidad and Tobago will be strong families and safe, sustainable communities Goal 5: A seamless, reformed, high quality training education and system SHORT-TERM GOALS (1‒5 Years) Goal 1: Our society will be grounded in the principles of social justice SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDGS) Goal 1: End poverty in all its forms everywhere Goal 2: Social Services Delivery will be improved to better serve the needs of vulnerable groups Goal 2: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture Goal 3: Citizens will have access to adequate and affordable housing Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages Goal 4: The healthcare system will be sustainable and modern and deliver higher standards of healthcare Goal 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and
 promote lifelong learning opportunities for all Goal 5: The people of will be empowered to lead healthy lifestyles Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls Goal 6: The family will be protected and supported Goal 7: A modern, relevant and accessible education and training system Goal 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all Goal 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries Goal 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient
 and sustainable 62 VISION 2030 THEMES Good Governance and Service Excellence LONG-TERM GOALS (1‒15 Years) Goal 1: Strong and independent, democratic institutions the operating principles good governance on of Goal 2: High quality, modern public services Goal 3: A safe and secure place to live, visit, and do business MEDIUM-TERM GOALS (1‒10 years) Goal 1: Public institutions will be high performing professional entities, meeting the needs of all Goal 2: All citizens will have confidence in the justice system Goal 3: An efficient and effective law enforcement system SHORT-TERM GOALS (1‒5 Years) Goal 1: Our governance approach will be based on principles of participation and inclusion Goal 2: The public service will have modern, effective and efficient public management systems Goal 3: Public service delivery will be customer focused Goal 4: A modern, legal, regulatory and law enforcement systems SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDGS) Goal 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries Goal 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable Goal 16: Promote peaceful and for sustainable inclusive societies development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels Goal 17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Quality Infrastructure and Transportation Goal 1: A first class air, sea and land transport system Goal 2: High quality and resilient infrastructure utility public and systems Goal 1: An efficient and national effective infrastructure transport, and public utility systems Goal 1: A safe and operationally efficient transport system Goal 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
Goal 2: Our public utility system will be better managed with improved access to all Goal 3: An maintained transport infrastructure inter-connected well Goal 4: A modern and well- maintained ICT system would be developed 63 Goal 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation VISION 2030 THEMES LONG-TERM GOALS (1‒15 Years) MEDIUM-TERM GOALS (1‒10 years) SHORT-TERM GOALS (1‒5 Years) SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDGS) Goal 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable Goal 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation 12: Goal sustainable Ensure consumption and production patterns Goal 1: investment location A premier Goal 1: Macroeconomic stability will be maintained Goal 2: Businesses will produce a wider range of products and services for the global market Goal 2: A business environment that is conducive to entrepreneurship and innovation Goal 3: A more attractive destination for investment and trade Goal 4: Firms will produce high value- added products and services that can compete in export markets Building Globally Competitive Businesses Goal 1: A globally competitive economy Placing the Environment at the Centre of and Social Economic
 Development Goal 1: A healthier environment 2: Goal energy efficiency Improved Goal 3: climate resilience Improved Goal 1: Renewable energy will be incorporated into the energy supply Goal 1: Environmental governance and managements systems will be strengthened Goal 3: Ensure healthy promote well-being for all at all ages lives and 2: Goal arrangements effective management will improved Institutional for environmental be Goal 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all Goal 2:
 Carbon footprint will be reduced Goal 3: Climate vulnerability will be assessed 64 Goal 4: Wastes will be reduced Goal 5: Improve the quality of ecosystems and sustainable use of natural assets Goal 6: Citizens are more environmentally aware 3: Meet Goal international environmental obligations all Goal 4: Improved waste management and recycling capabilities Goal 5: Biodiversity and ecosystem services are incorporated into all areas of national development Goal 4: Comprehensive waste and pollution management systems will be created Goal 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all Goal 5: Natural resource management will be improved Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, inclusive and sustainable promote industrialisation and foster innovation Goal 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable 12: Goal sustainable Ensure consumption and production patterns Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use seas and marine the oceans, sustainable for resources development of Goal 15: Protect, restore and promote terrestrial use sustainable ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss Goal 17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development 65 CHAPTER 4 Making the Necessary Adjustments It is often overlooked that the institutions of post-colonial societies did not evolve over centuries, but were imposed immediately on countries in elaborated form.
This had the impact of stymieing the growth of truly representative institution and the development of common values that allows heterogeneous society in particular, to move forward in a cohesive manner.

Despite this, some post-colonial societies have surmounted their historical antecedents by successfully adopted new practices, systems and technologies and have therefore experienced faster growth in per capita GDP, thus enabling them to catch up to the advanced economies.
However, Trinidad and Tobago, like several other countries in the region, seems to be caught in the ‘middle income trap’, which refers to the difficulties that some countries experience in growing from middle income to the higher income level after having successfully transitioned from lower to middle income.

As such, these countries would tend to slow down well before achieving high income levels and some may even regress.
To escape the middle income trap and reverse the country’s relative underperformance (see chapter 2), Trinidad and Tobago needs to get the fundamentals right.

These fundamentals relate to (a) our culture, values and attitude, (b) the institutional structures that are required to catalyse socio-economic transformation and (c) macroeconomic policy.
Our Values, Attitudes and Behaviours In order for Trinidad and Tobago to advance and achieve the goals of Vision 2030, fundamental transformation in our Values, Attitudes and Behaviours (VABs) must occur.

Based on the non- progressive and progressive cultural factors of Trinidad and Tobago, which were identified in Figure 2.2, there are five key transformations which must be made if our nation is to truly advance.

These are: 1.
These are: 1.

Move to more evidence-based decision making: At present, our approach to knowledge and decisions are primarily based on greater use of debate and opinion as opposed to verifiable data or facts, in support of evidence-based decision making.

This current approach continues to negatively impact development in the form of costly, ad hoc, reactionary policy decisions that often require greater research and consultation.
Further, we must 66 build a culture of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E)26 which supports data driven decision making.

A mature, research-based M&E culture and system is yet to be built.

2.

Citizens who are more independent and critical thinkers, creative, innovative and entrepreneurial: We must reverse certain aspects of our current approach to education.
VABs pertaining to independent and critical thinking, creativity and problem solving skills are hindered due to greater emphasis on promoting conformity and orthodoxy within schools.

VABs regarding risk taking, investment, innovation and entrepreneurship are lacking within our education system.

These will take time to reverse and are symptomatic of the design of our education system such as curriculum content and limited teaching methodologies.
The transformation of the education system has been identified by Government as a critical step towards engendering the desired VABs within our children towards nation building.

3.

Instil positive work ethic: Our work ethic, achievement-orientation and productivity are another set of critical cultural factors that restrict our ability to fulfil a number of our Vision 2030 goals.

They result in inefficient, low quality, service delivery.
Our work ethic was also considered the main factor that limited the country’s competitiveness ranking on the 2015/2016 Global Competiveness Index.

Further, employers continue to complain about the perpetuation of make-work programmes, which hinder the nation’s productivity and competitiveness by fostering a culture of dependency.

The issue of low productivity and poor work ethic is a comprehensive one that requires a multi-faceted approach in order to successfully change the culture.
In the short term, Government and employers must ensure that work rules are adhered to and sanctions enforced while providing a safe, amenable environment for employees through conformance to labour and health and safety laws.

Within the public service meritorious performance must be recognised and rewarded.

4.
4.

Adherence to the rule of law and enforcement of stricter penalties for corrupt practices: The country’s VABs regarding rule of law, authority, an increased tolerance and acceptance of violence, reduced respect for life and the lack of prosecution of corrupt practices will continue to hinder our advancement towards Vision 2030.

It will also continue to affect the equitable distribution of resources if not addressed.
As a small island economy, much emphasis is placed on connections in accessing goods and services and for advancement, rather than adherence to the rules.

The data shows that perceptions of corruption is partly manifested in the form of lack of confidence in the justice system, particularly the protective services, due to low detection and prosecution of crime.
To curb these negative 26 In 2008 Government mandated the establishment of Monitoring and Evaluation Units in all Ministries and in February 2015, a National Monitoring and Evaluation Policy was by approved Cabinet.
67 cultural factors, Government will embark upon a comprehensive legislative agenda to tackle corruption including Asset Forfeiture, Whistle Blower Protection and Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property Amendment Bill 2015, as well as legislation to further empower agencies like the Police Complaints Authority.

5.

Greater environmental care and sensitivity: An integral part of being a developed country is demonstrating care and respect for the environment.
Much more needs to be done in relation to pollution reduction, the management of waste, and conservation of our ecosystems and biodiversity.

More responsible behaviours towards energy conservation and the reduction of our carbon footprint is needed.

Our approach to water conservation, must be changed, as well as our resilience to the impacts of climate change.

Further, more environmentally friendly modes of transport have to be adopted.
Changes in these behaviour patterns can have significant cumulative impacts.

Government will play its role by implementing its obligations under the international agreements to which our country has subscribed as well as a number of relevant policies like the National Environmental Policy and the National Waste Recycling Policy.

New legislation will be created and existing legislation will be enforced.
While these cultural transformations are necessary, there are a number of positive VABs that must be reinforced to support our nation’s development.

This includes areas such as the belief in a supreme or divine being, regardless of name and form.

This belief for example, can serve as a moral compass towards curbing some of the pervading negative family values, corrupt practices and poor work ethic.
Religious institutions and non-governmental organisations can help in promoting positive values like civic mindedness and patriotism and in building family values.

They are also important in providing social services support for the vulnerable like the disabled, the abused, single parent-headed households, the poor and the elderly.

Trinidad and Tobago cannot consider itself an advanced nation if the needs of these groups are not adequately addressed not only by Government, but by civil society as well.
Further, other positive cultural factors like our tolerance and celebration of our diverse cultural heritage must translate into building social capital within communities as well as in building the country’s cultural industry.

The Mechanisms of Cultural Transformation Government will do its part in the change process by employing various tools and mechanisms of cultural transmission to effect the transformation required.
These tools include the use of technology, policy, legislation, leadership and political support and increased communication through social media and marketing.

It also entails using a participatory approach based on dialogue and the engagement of key stakeholders in relation to the cultural issues to be addressed.

68 Some of these tools, such as technology and policy, can also be used by Civil Society, Private Sector and other agents of change identified above.
Table 4.1 below highlights recommendations for cultural change, taking into consideration the role of all stakeholders as well as the mechanisms for cultural change highlighted above.

69 Table: 4.1: Summary Recommendations for Cultural Transformation Policy Area Need for Greater Evidence Based Decision Making Recommendations for Cultural Transformation 1.
Stringent adherence to the Call Circular and the National Monitoring and Evaluation Policy regarding research-based programme/project design and implementation particularly in the financial allocation of resources.

2.

Draft new legislation to support the National Monitoring and Evaluation Policy in the medium term 3.

Training in the application of cost-benefit analyses, impact assessments and project management principles and techniques for public officials 4.
Increase evaluation capacity through the offerings of tertiary institutions from certificate level to degree options.

5.

Forge linkages with independent, credible, international evaluation societies to access up-to-date knowledge and information within the field as well as a supply of international expertise as we build capacity.

6.
6.

Include the concepts of innovation and entrepreneurship as part of the curricula, school activities and teacher training models and as compulsory entrepreneurship courses at tertiary level institutions will also be considered.

7.

Increase awareness regarding Intellectual Property Rights 8.

Create awareness of careers in science and the use of technology and the value of research 9.

Commence consultation on the Draft National Innovation Policy towards finalisation and implementation.
Citizens who are more independent and critical thinkers, creative, innovative and entrepreneurial Agencies Responsible Ministry of Planning and Development and Ministry of Finance Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs, Ministry of Planning and Development Ministry of Public Administration and Communications Ministry of Planning and Development & Ministry of Education Ministry of Planning and Development, Ministry of Education, Tertiary Institutions Ministry Institutions Education, Tertiary of Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs Ministry of Education, Academic Institutions, Private Sector and Civil Society Ministry of Education Instil Positive Work Ethic 10.
Government and employers must immediately enforce work rules and penalties for breaches.

This includes a review of the Public Service Regulations Act with a view to examining gaps and the relevance of penalties must be undertaken.

This will ensure greater accountability.

Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs, Ministry of Public Administration and Communications, Private Sector 11.
Address worker motivation issues by: Public and Private Sector Agencies Ensuring compliance with labour and health and safety laws, for example, the Occupational Health and Safety Act, 2004.
Appropriate recruitment practices such as ensuring the right skills fit for the job must be implemented An examination of job descriptions for relevance and adequacy in relation to compensation, for example, through the Public Service Modernisation Programme and the Job Evaluation exercise to establish a new classification and compensation system for the Civil Service     12.
Through the education system and religious institutions, instil values such as goodwill, honesty, respect, tolerance, integrity and civic pride.

13.
13.

Enforce anti-crime rules and legislation such as:     The Whistle Blower Protection Bill 2015 Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property Amendment Bill 2015 Legislation to further empower the Police Complaints Authority Recommendations of the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force 14. Review penalties of the Financial Regulations Act for relevance, clarity and more stringent penalties in order to improve accountability in the public service.

15.
15.

Enforcement of Parliamentary codes of ethics and public service rules and regulations   16.

Promote Family and community values through: National Parenting Programmes Education and awareness towards modifying attitudes and behaviours in areas such as domestic violence, child abuse, teenage pregnancy and environmental stewardship.
Sustained social services support agencies and civil society that tackle social issues affecting the family  70 Adherence to the rule of law and enforcement of stricter penalties for corrupt practices Declining family, community, civic values, compared to individualism and need for Ministry of Education, Religious Bodies, Civil Society Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs Ministry of Education, Ministry of Social Development Family Services, Religious Bodies, Civil Society and greater environmental care   Religious bodies National service and volunteerism in various sectors such as healthcare, social services and environmental stewardship 17.
Implement key national policies as well as create and update new legislation where necessary.

These policies include the National Environmental Policy, National Protected Areas Policy, Forest Policy, National Wildlife Policy, National Biosafety Policy, National Wetlands Policy, National Climate Change Policy and the National Waste Recycling Policy.

It will also include the policy regarding integrated coastal zone management, currently under development.

18.
Implement a National Recycling Programme through Regional Corporations Progressive Cultural Factors Celebration of our cultural diversity and heritage Belief in a Supreme/Divine Being and our Ethnic and Religious Tolerance Recommendations for Cultural Transformation Promote our cultural heritage towards building:   Social capital within communities The country’s cultural industry Use our belief in a supreme or divine being and our ethnic and religious tolerance towards:     Promoting civic, moral and ethical values to combat corrupt practices Promoting social cohesion Addressing the needs of vulnerable groups such as the abused, elderly, disabled and the poor.
Implement a social behaviour change campaign Institutional Transformation Ministry of Planning and Development Ministry of Planning and Development, Ministry of Rural Development and Solid Waste Local Government, Management Co. Ltd (SWMCOL) and Private Sector Agencies Responsible Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Private Sector Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts, Ministry of Communication, Religious Bodies, Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government, Civil Society Institutions establish the formal, legally binding constraints such as regulations, laws, rules and constitutions and their respective enforcement mechanisms to ensure an orderly society, in areas such as personal security and property rights.
In so doing, they enable citizens to conduct everyday business and solve problems27.

However, the effectiveness of all institutions depends, informally, on the levels of trust in the society as well as informal constraints such as norms and behaviours, conventions and self-imposed codes of conduct such as ethics.

In this context, the country’s institutional structures must be transformed if the goals of Vision 2030 are to be achieved.
As such, this section reviews the performance of Trinidad and Tobago’s institutions and makes recommendations for their improvement.

How has Trinidad and Tobago performed in terms of its institutions?

Figure 4.1 below shows the World Bank governance indicators which evaluate countries according to six criteria: voice and accountability; political stability; government effectiveness; regulatory quality; rule of law; and corruption.

27 North, Douglass C. 1990.


Institutions, Institutional Change, and Economic Performance.
New York: Cambridge University Press 71 Figure 4.1 Worldwide Governance Indicators 2005-2014 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 k n a R e l i t n e c r e P 2005 2006 2007 Voice and Accountability 2008 2009 Political Stability 2010 2011 2014 2013 2012 Government Effectiveness Regulatory Quality Rule of Law Control of Corruption Source: The World Bank Group, The Worldwide Governance Indicators 2015 The index is a percentile rank among all countries ranging from 0 (lowest) to 100 (highest) and estimates of governance (ranges from weak (-2.5) to strong (2.5) governance performance.
The data shows that over the period 2005‒2014, Trinidad and Tobago has been oscillating around the 50 percentile ranking in Political Stability, Rule of Law and Control of Corruption indicators.

In fact, the corruption ranking has worsened dramatically from 2013.

Although, Trinidad and Tobago performs much better in terms of Regulatory Quality, Government Effectiveness and Voice and Accountability indicators, the country has been stuck in the 60‒70 percentiles ranking over the period of review.
Figure 4.2: Quality and Citizen Satisfaction in Trinidad and Tobago by Transactional Service Internal Quality Satisfaction 5.7 5.7 3.8 3.6 3.7 3.2 6.2 4.8 5.8 5.2 5 4.1 Applying for a Disability Allowance Obtaining a doctor’s appointment in a public hospital Reporting a burglary or larceny Registering a birth Registering a child in Renewing an ID a public school Source: The Inter-American Development Bank 2015 In 2016, the Inter-American Development Bank conducted a six country study on transactional services such as registering births and renewing identification cards.
The survey analysed each procedure in terms of its internal quality and external value and ranked them from 0 (lowest) to 72 10 (highest).28 The external value focused on the citizens’ experience when they received the service.

The results of this survey, shown in Figure 4.2 above, revealed that Trinidad and Tobago had low levels of citizen satisfaction and quality of transactional services.
Birth registration and Identification Card renewal were the only two services in which citizens expressed positive levels of satisfaction (Figure 4.2, above), while applying for a disability allowance, obtaining a doctor’s appointment in public hospital and reporting a crime were the services with the lowest rankings.

In general, all the services had a fairly low internal quality, with applying for a disability allowance being the lowest.
These results underscore the need for our public institutions to improve their performance and service delivery in order to bring tangible benefits and results to citizens.

Engendering the transformation Trinidad and Tobago has to transform its institutions in order to ensure good performance.

Our institutions must also become more flexible and responsive to the changing environment and new demands placed on them.
In so doing, to the degree that problems are evolving, institutions must also evolve to solve those problems.

As even if institutions are working well now, they may not work well in subsequent periods, unless their structures are modified to account for factors such as changing technology, culture and norms.

In engendering the complete transformation, constitutional reform will be required.

However, constitutional reform is a comprehensive process that can be complicated and time consuming.
As such, in order to build trust and confidence and achieve some of the desired results in the shortest time possible, the focus must be on improving institutional oversight while modernising and incentivising good performance in public sector institutions.

In this regard, the scope and sequencing of reforms must also be carefully selected, in order to minimise disruptions while changing systems and at the same time, maximise the positive impacts of the reforms.
The following sections focus on improving independent oversight and the transformation of the public service.

Improving Independent Oversight Strengthening the oversight function of the independent institutions Despite the invaluable contribution of the independent institutions, there is an urgent need to strengthen the powers and autonomy of some of these bodies.

To illustrate, under the Constitution, the Auditor General is empowered to request and access certain information.
However, it cannot enforce information request or pose sanctions for agency conduct.

Also, on several occasions, the Auditor General’s report has repeatedly raised issues related to the 28 In the survey, internal quality refers to the management of the services by the institution and consists of the organisational model, administrative process, informational technology used, analysis of resource allocation and a citizen’ relationship model.

73 expenditure performance of Ministries and Agencies.
However, many of these issues continue to reoccur.

Also, while the meetings of the Public Accounts Committee serves to inform the general population about the performance of the government, the power to act is vested in bodies such as the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Service Commissions on findings of mismanagement.

In terms of monitoring the management and use of the budget and state assets, greater resources would enhance the capacity of the Auditor General to detect serious violations early.
Also, greater resources would allow the Auditor General to extend its operations beyond the audit of accounts to include the assessment of programmes and activities underlying the accounts to determine value for money and evaluation of their impacts.

In this way, the budget objectives of the Government can be systematically analysed and reported upon by the Auditor General.
Another key initiative therefore is the establishment of the proposed General Accounting Office, which will be an independent office of Parliament, that will provide contemporary analysis of actual performance against budget, as well as projections of budgetary out-turns in light of budgetary or extra-budgetary developments.
In summary, independent institutions such as the Auditor General, the Judiciary and Director of Public Prosecutions need greater financial autonomy and strengthening to continue to discharge their mandates effectively.

A key action therefore is for the budget of these institutions to become a direct charge on the Consolidated Fund so that regardless of circumstances, these institutions are properly resourced to discharge their mandates.
Greater oversight of the independent institutions In a multi-ethnic society, it is imperative that the independent institutions operates in a manner that ensures that society’s sense of fairness is not offended.

Under the Constitution, the president has discretionary powers in the appointment, among others, of the Chief Justice and members of the independent commissions plays a crucial role in ensuring that citizens are afforded redress and are treated equal and fairly.
In this regard, it is crucial that the Office of the President is adequately resourced so that it can establish a robust vetting process that ensures that the most suitable candidates are selected to serve on the various constitutional bodies.

Under sections 66B and D of the Constitution, the independent institutions such as the service commissions are required to submit to the President a report on their administration, function and the criteria adopted in the exercise of its powers in the previous year.
Further, the depth and scope of these audits must be expanded in order to effectively identify financial and other discrepancies early.

To effectively discharge this requirement, the scope of the Office of the President must be expanded in terms of greater oversight and auditing of the independent agencies such as the Integrity Commission.

This requires greater resources and skilled personnel.
74 In summary, in terms of improving independent oversight, the following is advanced:  the capacity of the independent institutions to discharge their mandates must be strengthened;  criteria and standards for the assessment and the evaluation of the performance of the  independent institutions must be developed; the ability of the parliamentary committees and the Office of the President to oversee the independent institutions and analyse their reports must be strengthened; and  procedures to follow-up on the recommendations contained in the reports of the independent institutions must be implemented.
Transformation of Public Sector Institutions Our public institutions must be more accountable and responsible for performance and service delivery; and we must simplify and modernise processes, structures and tools, while separating key institutional functions and consolidating others, to improve service delivery.
Performance Management The Public Service must meet rising public expectations by delivering faster results and must provide public officers with the necessary modern tools and policies that improves service delivery and creates public value.

Moreover, it must recognise productivity and reward creative ideas and practices, while adhering to the principles of merit, competency, flexibility and fairness as it seeks to meet the diverse needs of its stakeholders.
The transformation that is required is to a system that rewards desirable behaviours and penalises negative ones, including a policy that exits persistent underperformers.

Also important is the development of a formal succession planning model and a new job classification scheme for the public service.
To improve the overall effectiveness of the State, a performance management framework that monitors and evaluates service delivery and implementation across all sectors, that efficiently allocates financial and human resources and links them to strategic plans and institutional performance must be established.

Such a framework would enable the measurement and assessment of outcomes against targets and provide early-warning of problems and support corrective actions to address underperformance.
As such, the performance management framework would consists of key performance indicators, targets, reports for measuring and assessing those indicators, as well as taking corrective actions and rewarding performance.

The system would be supported by the availability of timely and high-quality data and the systematic training of officers to prepare them for work.
In the short term, the Ministerial Performance Management System (MPMS) that was ended in 2010, after two years in operation, will be re- 75 introduced.

The MPMS will measure the performance of Ministries against their own Ministry plans.

Rationalising and Modernising Structures Modern processes and structures are crucial to improving public sector performance.

In many instances, this requires the separation or consolidation of functions and the reducing of overlapping roles in public institutions.
Moreover, it requires the radical redesign of public services to improve quality of service and cost efficiency, the optimisation of the government’s structure, scale and operating model as well as arrangements that discourage corruption.
As such, the key attitudinal and behavioural transformations are: Strengthening the capacity of public administration Independent Service Commissions are essential partners in the development of a suitably structured and well-staffed public service that can respond to the imperatives of national development.

While Permanent Secretaries are required to perform at high standards, they do not have the required input into the selection and appointment of public officers within their establishment.
The current process does not give due consideration to factors such as aptitude, attitude and interest.

In fact, the Service Commissions in its current configuration is too far removed from the needs of the Ministries to be fully effective.

As such, a comprehensive review of the public service HRM function and institutions will be conducted.
In this regard, the role of the Service Commissions will be altered to place greater emphasis on systemic analysis, administrative review, performance reporting, high-level auditing and oversight of the performance of ministries and senior public officers in human resource management matters.
Enhancing coordination in Government To improve the coordination, integration and cohesion of government’s decision-making and to transcend organisational boundaries a “Centre of Government (CoG)” model is being pursued.

The CoG will have oversight of several ministerial/department portfolios and will coordinate competing and cross-cutting policy interest in relation to existing policies and government’s overall strategic objectives.
The establishment of the CoG model will involve organisational development and capacity building and will create a focal point for major initiatives such as the transformation of the public sector.

Utilising Local Authorities for Service Delivery The enhancement of the Local Government machinery is premised on the basis that bringing services such as solid waste disposal, flood control and public safety closer to the people contributes to a well-functioning community.
In this regard, the timely access to services and opportunities requires the devolution of certain Central Government responsibilities, such as physical planning, to Municipalities and the strengthening of local governance and involving more persons in decision-making, especially at the grassroots level.
The reform of the municipalities is 76 being led by the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government and will include the amendment of the Municipal Corporations Act to give greater responsibilities to the local government bodies, similar to that afforded the Tobago House of Assembly.
Enhancing Border Security Despite the sterling efforts of local law enforcement agencies, gun violence and human and narcotics trafficking continue to rise as our porous borders continues to provide avenues for transnational crime.

The situation is further exacerbated by the separation of functions, as various entities such as Customs, Immigration, and Plant and Animal Quarantine are responsible for national security and the facilitation of international travel and trade.
Effective border management is central to maintaining internal security.

To address the issue of border security and to improve agency coordination, a Joint Border Protection Agency (JBPA) will be established.

The JBPA will consolidate the roles and responsibilities of the various entities such as the Coast Guard, and Customs and will develop seamless security procedures in line with the country’s immigration, health, and international trade laws and regulations.
Enhancing water resource management Our water resources are the lifeblood of our communities, supporting our economy and way of life.

While polluted water exposes us to illnesses and disease, good quality water allows us to swim, fish, recreate safely and maintain our health.

In this way, water is crucial to all aspects of human activity.

As such, the availability of high-quality water depends on the ability of the State to manage its water resources to benefit all segments of the society.
This entails the implementation of sound watershed management practices, effective water treatment processes and continued investments in research and development to ensure that land use and water management practices protect, improve and optimise the allocation and quality of our natural resources.

The effective management of our water resources requires the adoption and implementation of an Integrated Water Resource Management System.
Key to this is the separation of the Water Resource Agency (WRA), which has regulatory functions from under the control and direction of the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) which is responsible for service delivery and distribution.

The WRA will therefore independently regulate and manage the country’s water resources.
It will develop and maintain an effective water resources/monitoring network, reliable data collection and water resources assessment to ensure that the country’s water resources are efficiently utilised.

Creating environmentally responsible institutions Climate change is one of the biggest challenge of our generation and those to follow.
Carbon pollution and other greenhouse-gas emissions threaten our way of life which depends on clean air, land and water, as well as our identity and well-being which are enhanced by our surroundings, 77 both natural and cultural.

Given the urgency that is required, Government will lead by example by ensuring that all Ministries and Agencies integrate environmental sustainable practices into their operations and decision making.
This course of action seeks to avoid and minimise environmental impacts associated with project activities and to evaluate all potential projects to ensure compliance with national and international policies and conventions.

Ministries and Departments would be required to develop sustainable development strategies and conduct environment assessments of their plans, programmes and policies and would report biannually on their operations.
The State will also establish minimum standards for products and services and certify organisations that utilise environmentally friendly practices in their operations.

Ministries and agencies will cooperate with other agencies, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), to fulfil environmental compliance regulations and to ensure the protection of the country’s natural and cultural resources.
Government will move toward a more sustainable future by leading and supporting an array of initiatives, including assessing the potential environmental effects of proposed actions prior to making any decisions and identifying opportunities to avoid, minimize, and mitigate the impacts on sensitive resources.

A summary of recommendations regarding institutional changes discussed above is listed in Table 4.2 below.
78 Macro-economic Policy Policy Area Improving Independent Oversight Table 4.2: Summary of Recommendations for Institutional Transformation Recommendations 1.

Strengthening the oversight, accountability and the autonomy of the independent institutions over key arms of the executive, for e.g.

the Auditor General and the Police Complaints Authority 2.
Expand the scope of and strengthen the ability of the Office of the President in terms of greater oversight and auditing of the key independent agencies such as the Integrity Commission, Financial Intelligence Unit, and the Police Complaints Authority Agencies Responsible Parliament; Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs Office of the President; Parliament 3.

Development of standards of operation and criteria for the assessment Parliament Transforming Public Sector Institutions 4.
5. and evaluation of the performance of independent institutions Improving and modernising procedures, processes, structures and tools including separating key functions and consolidating other functions Increasing the accountability and responsibility for performance and service delivery of persons and institutions Performance Management 6.

Development of a proper succession planning model within the Public Service 7.
Develop a robust performance management framework that monitors and evaluates service delivery and implementation across all sectors Modernising Governance Structures 8.

Re-introduction of the Ministerial Performance Management System (MPMS) which will measure the performance of Ministries against their own Ministry plans 9.

Conducting a comprehensive review of the public service HRM function and institutions 10.
Strengthening the Centre of Government to improve coordination of national decision making by offering direct support and advice on enterprise wide policies and strategies for national development 11.

Amendment of the Municipal Corporations Act to give greater powers and responsibilities to the local government bodies.

12.

Establishment of a Joint Border Protection Agency (JBPA) to manage the security and integrity of Trinidad and Tobago’s borders 13.
Implementation of an Integrated Water Resource Management System which entails establishing a Water Resource Agency (WRA), to independently regulate and manage the country’s water resources 14.

All Ministries and Agencies will integrate environmental sustainable practices into their operations and decision making.
Personnel Department, Service Commissions Department; Ministry of Public Administration and Communication Personnel Department, Service Commissions Department; Ministry of Public Administration and Communication Personnel Department, Service Commission Department Personnel Department, Service Commission Department; Ministry Planning of Development Ministry of Public Administration and Communication; Personnel Department, Service Commissions Department Personnel Department, Service Commissions Department Office of the Prime Minister and Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard Ministry of National Security Ministry of Public Utilities Environmental Authority Planning and Development Management (EMA), Ministry of Government's decisions about the collection and use of public funds determine how people live.
It affects the industries we work in, our ability to pay for healthcare, it determines whether we live in fear, drive or take public transport.

From the child in the unemployed household to the mother that receives a lifesaving surgery to the small business that is finally profitable - all are dependent on the government’s macroeconomic policy, to some extent.

79 In this context, Trinidad and Tobago needs to pursue prudent macroeconomic policies, maintain fiscal discipline and a stable dollar.
Given the more uncertain environment, the country cannot afford to live on debt or by depleting hard-earned reserves.

Government will spend on what is needed and contain expenditures at a sustainable level capable of facilitating national development.

The society must also eschew unreasonable wage demands and unfair market practice.

To make the shift, the country needs a prudent mix of guidelines and rules that spans the monetary, incomes and fiscal spheres29.
Guidelines for Fiscal Policy In the short-term, government will introduce measures to modernise the budget process, strengthen accountability for public spending, establish medium-term fiscal planning and make tax administration more efficient by eliminating unnecessary compliance costs and adapting procedures in line with technology.
It will also re-evaluate the role of the state vis-à-vis the private sector and will reform public administration and ensure that wages, transfers and subsidies do not outpace the economy.

The intent therefore is to support the economy through the period of weakness and provide a boost to confidence in the economy without placing any additional burden on monetary policy to stabilise the economy.
Over the medium-term, the emphasis will be putting the economy on a sustainable growth path, and implementing measures that insulate the economy from the adverse effects of the business cycle.

In terms of business, emphasis will be placed on removing constraints and creating incentives that can mobilise the private sector to make the type of productivity-enhancing investments that result in sustained economic growth.
These will be complemented by structural reforms to improve competitiveness, the productivity of investment, the business environment, and the labour market.

The main transformations, therefore, are to rationalise expenditures, encourage investment, particularly in infrastructure and develop a system of transparent and responsible spending.

29 Central government is responsible for fiscal policy and the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago is responsible for monetary and exchange rate policy.

80 1.
80 1.

Rationalise Expenditures As a first step, expenditure will be reprioritised, unproductive spending will be curbed and support given to productive areas.

Government will reassess its operations, processes and service delivery towards achieving greater operational efficiencies.
The review will focus on consolidating operations and finding savings that would reflect the primary goal of achieving efficiencies in operations, productivity improvements and aligning spending with the priorities of citizens.

2.

Invest in Strategic Infrastructure Investment in growth-enhancing infrastructure is crucial to stimulating economic activity and societal transformation.
In this regard, Government will establish a green infrastructure fund that will support investment in: public transport; research infrastructure; green infrastructure including solar, water and wastewater facilities; climate resilient infrastructure; and social infrastructure such as affordable (greener) housing.
The fund will provide the benefit of lower taxes in the targeted areas and its projects would be mainly long-term strategic initiatives that not only create stimulus in the short term but lead to new skills, jobs, greener infrastructure, and a more sustainable economy in the future.

Entities such as the private sector would contribute to the GIF and implementation would be mainly through public private partnerships (PPPs).
Most importantly, any increase in infrastructure spending will be accompanied by improvements in public investment management, and the strengthening of governance and capacity building in state-owned enterprises and in local government.

3.

Fiscal Transparency Sound and transparent public accounting is a necessary component of effective public financial management and indispensable to transparent government reporting and good decision-making, which is critical to the use of public resources.
In this regard, a comprehensive public finance management reform strategy has been approved.

Its scope includes: (i) the reform of the public sector chart of accounts; (ii) the development of a business process manual; and (iii) the design of an integrated financial management information system (IFMIS) for the public sector.

As a first step, Government has begun implementing the cash basis International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS)30 which is a basis for the accrual IPSAS.
Government has also implemented the Commonwealth Secretariat Debt Recording Management System to enhance the quality, accuracy, timeliness and completeness of debt reporting; and amended the Exchequer and Audit Act, Chapter 69:01 to facilitate the electronic or computer-based transfer of funds between bank accounts.
Ultimately, the objective is to produce essential information about the implications of budgets, noncash transactions, stocks of assets and liabilities as well as audited financial statements of government as a whole.

30 Public Financial Management Modernisation Unit of the Ministry of Finance has been established to be the driver of public sector financial management reform which includes adoption of the Cash Basis IPSAS which is the Financial Reporting under the Cash Basis of Accounting.

81 4.
81 4.

Fiscal Policy In order to achieve prosperity and improve the quality of life of citizens, Government will commit to responsible fiscal management—balancing the budget and reducing debt—so it can support strong economic growth and job creation, and recalibrate when the economy is negatively affected by global developments.

Government will therefore, develop a medium term fiscal strategy and report annually on the performance of the strategy.
In formulating the fiscal strategy, consideration would be given to the other aspects of the institutional framework for fiscal policy such as fiscal rules for the budget and expenditure, rules for government asset and liability management, a fiscal responsibility law and modern financial management systems.

To meet its objectives, the fiscal strategy would be guided by:  The pursuit of sound macroeconomic policies to limit any potential adverse effects on real exchange rates or interest rates.
 Higher spending must not jeopardise economic stability or debt sustainability and as such, Government will limit the rate of growth in spending and identify savings from programs.

 Government´s borrowing will be guided by monetary policy objectives—namely, stable and low inflation – and should also be used to finance income-producing assets.

 The external debt will be managed at sustainable levels over the medium term.
Over the medium term, Government will establish an integrated fiscal framework that allows for greater discipline, transparency and accountability in fiscal policy.

As such, in the future, all new administrations will present their four-year fiscal strategy within 11‒13 months of being elected and provide a fiscal statement one month after the announcement of a general election.
Also, Government will balance the budget and achieve a sustainable cost of government by 2019 and small surpluses from 2020 thereafter.

While economic and revenue growth remain modest, government will achieve expenditure restraint by focusing on its core responsibilities.

It will also raise revenue by improving tax administration and evaluate whether the social return from additional borrowing justifies the cost.
Ultimately, a new standard for managing government spending that is efficient and includes rigorous analysis and modelling will be established.

5.

Fiscal Committee In the current system, an incoming Government can be fairly uncertain about the exact status of public finances and net worth.

What is required is a credible and reliable assessment of government’s fiscal situation that will give investors, voters and financial markets confidence in the transparency and reliability of public information.
Government will therefore, strengthen the institutional framework that supports its fiscal policy.

It will also establish multi-year planning and budgeting horizons to be supervised by the Fiscal Policy Committee.

Guidelines for Incomes Policy In this phase of our development, there is likely to be higher unemployment, both frictional and structural.

Retrenched workers would find it harder to be re-employed as there will be greater demands for new and different skills.
Older and less skilled workers will be the ones most affected.

82 With greater volatility in the business cycle the labour market must be more flexible to keep structural unemployment31 as low as possible.

As such, Government will provide greater support to those who lost their jobs and provide training and skills development programs so that persons can acquire the additional skills they need for the jobs of tomorrow.
The approach will include factoring in the needs of long-term workers and allowing workers to participate in work-sharing agreements.

These are better alternatives to wholesale retrenchment.

Wages must be more flexible, and linked less to the seniority of workers and more to productivity and performance - especially in the public sector - and profits.

This requires the creation of a variable component to wages and their negotiations particularly for the public sector.
Workers must also adapt and moderate their expectations and seek to incur expenditures in a sustainable manner.

We must also acknowledge the rising costs of retirement and health care and develop more innovative ways of contributing to and transferring benefits across circumstances and professions.

We should pursue a level of price and wage restraint until the economy has fully recovered from the current commodity crisis.
While we commit to the decent work agenda, we must not inadvertently force companies to retrench and relocate by pushing up costs excessively and eroding overall competitiveness.

At the same time prices should not rise excessively and we should seek to improve quality and avoid price gouging.
The recently established National Tripartite Advisory Council (NTAC) would assist in guiding the annual wage adjustment process and ensure that the wage level is internationally competitive by providing timely advice and guidelines on labour rated issues.

It should also ensure that workers receive a fair share of the rewards and not be penalised unfairly in times of decline.
The NTAC will also assist in the reform of key pieces of legislation that impact worker rights and compensation and support the measurement of productivity.
Based on the previous discourse, the following guidelines for income policy are advanced:  Wage and salary increases must continue to be determined by the collective bargaining process;  Wages must move to a productivity based system that takes account of global trends particularly as they relate to competitiveness;  Wages must rise through higher productivity and ensure that wages increases lag behind productivity increases at all levels of the organisation; and  Wages must include a variable components for all levels of employees, with higher variable components for management staff, particularly top management.
31 Structural unemployment is a form of unemployment caused by a mismatch between the skills that workers in the economy can offer, and the skills demanded of workers by employers (also known as the skills gap).

83 Guidelines for Monetary Policy The conduct of monetary and exchange policy falls exclusively under the purview of the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago (CBTT).
The Central Bank’s monetary policy framework has as its primary objectives, the maintenance of: (i) a low and stable rate of inflation; (ii) an orderly foreign exchange market; and (iii) an adequate level of foreign exchange reserves.

Overall, the goal is to ensure financial stability and preserve confidence in the value of the national currency and maintain price stability.
Intuitively, the effectiveness of the CBTT’s monetary and exchange rate policies depends on the broad framework that they are situated in.

A framework of sound and consistent policies including flexible prices and wages, a deep and efficient financial system and prudent fiscal policy, will encourage close coordination between fiscal and monetary policy to achieve macroeconomic stability.
Given the aforesaid, the following general principles for monetary policy are suggested:  The real exchange rate and real effective exchange rate should be monitored to determine their effects on the economy;  A favourable external reserves position should be maintained and external balance ensured without negating the need for internal balance and macroeconomic stability; Inflationary pressures should be managed before they gain momentum towards minimising both the impact on incomes and productivity;   Foreign direct and portfolio investment by Trinidad and Tobago companies must be viewed in part as a desirable way of managing domestic absorption and liquidity conditions; and  The foreign exchange allocation mechanism should consider the stimulation of areas that enhance the capacity for exports and foreign exchange earnings.
A summary of recommendations regarding macroeconomic policy discussed above is listed in Table 4.3 below.

CHAPTER 5 Medium Term Development Strategies 2016-to 2020 84 As Trinidad and Tobago continues along its development journey towards the attainment of economic, social and environmental transformation, it is critical that we set the right foundation and build momentum for realising our national vision to 2030.
Over the next five-year planning Policy Area Fiscal Management Table 4.3 Summary of Recommendations for Macro-Economic Policy Recommendations 1.

Periodic reprioritisation of expenditure, curbing of unproductive spending and greater support given to productive areas 2.
Increased investment in growth-enhancing infrastructure to stimulate economic activity and societal transformation in areas such as: • Public transport; • Research infrastructure; • Green infrastructure including solar, water and wastewater facilities; • Climate resilient infrastructure; and • Social infrastructure such as affordable (greener) housing.

3.
3.

Implementation of the Public Financial Management Reform Strategy to ensure fiscal transparency, inclusive of the reform of the public sector chart of accounts and the design of an integrated financial management information system (IFMIS) for the public sector.

Agencies Responsible Ministry of Finance; and Ministry of Planning and Development Ministry of Finance; Ministry of Planning and Development; Ministry of Housing and Urban Development; and Ministry of Energy.
Ministry of Finance; and Ministry of Planning and Development 4.

Development of a medium term fiscal strategy and annually report on the Ministry of Finance performance of the strategy 5.
Establishment of an integrated fiscal framework that allows for greater Ministry of Finance Inland Revenue, Board of Ministry of Finance Ministry of Finance; Ministry of General and Legal Affairs the Attorney Ministry of Labour; Ministry of Finance; and Trade Unions Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago; and Ministry of Finance discipline, transparency and accountability in fiscal policy.

6.

Improving Tax Administration to increase revenue collection 7.
Establishment of a Fiscal Council, which will be an independent body, with the role of providing:  Advice to government and the legislature on fiscal policy, its sustainability and effects;  Evaluation and validation of the financial and macroeconomic assumptions of the budget; and  Assessment of government’s medium term fiscal strategy.

Incomes Policy 8.
Guidelines for the incomes policy:  Wage and salary increases must continue to be determined by the collective bargaining process;  Wages must move to a productivity based system that takes account of global trends particularly as they relate to competitiveness;  Wages must rise through higher productivity and ensure that wages increases lag behind productivity increases at all levels of the organisation; and  Wages must include a variable component for all levels of employees, with higher variable components for management staff.
Monetary Policy 9.
General principles for monetary policy: • The real exchange rate should be monitored for its effect on the economy; • A favourable external reserves position should be maintained and external balance ensured without compromising the need for internal balance and the goal of macroeconomic stability; • • The foreign exchange allocation mechanism should consider the stimulation of areas that enhance the capacity for exports and foreign exchange earnings; Inflationary pressures should be managed before they gain momentum towards minimising both the severity of downturns and the resulting impact on employment; • Foreign direct and portfolio investment by T&T companies must be viewed in part as a desirable way of managing domestic absorption and liquidity conditions.
85 horizon (2016‒2020), a balanced mix of strategic policy interventions will be implemented to positively shape the development paradigm for the longer term.

In the short-term, that is, over the next five years, deliberate steps will be taken to steer the country along a sustainable development path where the urgent socio-economic and environmental challenges confronting our country today are actively addressed.
We will therefore re-prioritise policy prescriptions and redirect resources to critical areas, to provide the impetus for realising sustainable outcomes for future development that benefit of all citizens of Trinidad and Tobago.

Trinidad and Tobago now faces, more than ever, an economic situation of limited financial resources to be allocated among various competing, legitimate needs.

It is therefore imperative that priorities be established.
Not only do priorities facilitate resource allocation, they also play a critical role in helping us define exactly what we want to accomplish and the timeframe in which they are to be completed.

As mentioned previously, at the highest level, our Development Themes represent our national priorities in terms of the broad strategic areas of focus.

However, within each theme, specific priorities have been identified taking into consideration the goals that must be achieved within the next five years.
In so doing, the 22 short term goals presented below represent the country’s national priorities to the year 2020.

Commensurate with these national priorities, are broad strategies which have been identified for achieving the short term goals.

These strategies also aim to tackle the country’s challenges and seize the opportunities identified in Chapter 2 while addressing the important transformations required in Chapter 4.
Together with the goals, the strategies provide the policy direction at the overall national (macro) level towards achieving the National Vision.

Apart from these national priorities, other lower level priorities must be developed.

While this document presents the draft priorities and strategies at the national level, Ministries and Departments must take responsibility for developing priorities for their areas of remit.
These include ministry and sector plans, programmes/projects as well as identifying sources of funding.

In the context of the short-term planning horizon, the national development agenda has also been influenced by global issues related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

As a signatory to the 2030 Agenda, Trinidad and Tobago is committed to incorporating the SDGs in its National Development Strategy.
Therefore, the SDGs have been incorporated into these short term goals.
It should also be noted that the short term priorities incorporates the policies of the new National Policy Framework including: 86   Improving systems of Governance, the quality of public institutions and establishing codes of conduct for public officials; Instituting a system of local-led development to improve service delivery to meet the needs of the population, using a community-driven strategy;  Utilising a ‘Whole of Government’ approach to address national issues of high importance; and  Nation-building and the restoration of the traditional values of the family and the community.
Having framed the short-term goals within this context, several strategies have been formulated, which seek to:  Initiate fundamental changes in our values, attitudes and behaviours to realise the desired outcomes in the longer term; Improve governance structures, public management systems and institutions;   Create the conditions for social advancement across all segments of the population, particularly, the vulnerable groups in society;  Establish the foundation for macroeconomic stability, growth and transformation including restoring investor confidence, increasing productivity and international competitiveness;  Provide a comprehensive, well-coordinated and holistic enabling platform for effective management of the myriad and cross-sectoral facets of environmental issues;  Develop the country’s manpower resources and maximise job creation; and  Build the country’s stock of physical capital to boost economic activity.
Accordingly, the short-term goals and their related strategies under each of the five (5) Development Themes are provided below.

It should be noted that the goals and accompanying strategies have been explained to provide clarity on what is intended to be achieved in the short term.

The challenge would be to allocate scarce domestic development resources, complemented by external development assistance to achieve the development outcomes in the Vision.
In this regard, projects and programmes considered critical to our national development over the next 5 years have been listed.

Where necessary, Ministries and Agencies will be required to supplement these lists and formulate transformation initiatives in order to achieve the short term goals.
Theme I: Putting People First: Nurturing Our Greatest Asset Goal 1: Our society will be grounded in the principles of social justice 87 A society which embodies the principles of social justice pertains to one in which there is the equitable distribution of resources, opportunities for upward mobility are based on merit and achievement, and the rights of citizens are respected and preserved.

In the short-term, we must begin to eliminate barriers that prevent social justice in every sphere of national life.
This will be essential in addressing one of the complex facets of poverty - inequitable distribution of resources among citizens.

Strategic Initiatives/Actions 1.1 Promote a culture of social justice throughout the society Implementing social justice requires changes in our values, behaviours and in the legal framework to ensure inclusive development through hiring practices based on merit, equitable access to economic resources, and opportunities for advancement and decent work.
A culture of social justice will be promoted through behaviour change programmes and the enforcement of legislation and relevant penalties when breaches occur.

This will include a review of legislation for adequacy, relevance and stringency.

Goal 2: Social Services Delivery will be improved to better serve the needs of vulnerable groups A paradigm shift needs to occur in the way we deliver social services.
This shift relates to the management of social protection programmes and projects so that they become more efficient and effective, thereby targeting with greater accuracy the citizens who are most in need.

More importantly, the paradigm shift will facilitate the dismantling of the current culture of dependency so that those persons who can graduate out of these programmes are empowered to do so within set timeframes.
Further, emphasis must be placed on the rehabilitation and reintegration of at-risk populations such as ex-prisoners, juvenile delinquents and deportees, so that they can realise their potential and contribute positively to society.

We must act immediately in the short term to make these changes in our social services delivery approach.

Failure to do so will continue to undermine the achievement of our long term socio- economic goals.
Additionally, given the current economic climate, the nation can no longer afford to expend resources on the current approach which is financially unsustainable.

We must move towards a system that reaches those in need in a manner that promotes sustainability.
Strategic Initiatives/Actions 2.1 Enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the social safety net The intention is to improve the targeting mechanisms and efficiency of social programmes with a view to addressing gaps and eliminating inefficiencies.
This will involve: establishing and implementing independent, scientific monitoring and evaluation procedures, ensuring more rigid means testing; creating an integrated ICT network to coordinate the delivery of social services; removing structural barriers and outdated 88 2.2 2.3 Strategic Initiatives/Actions legislation to the social services delivery mechanisms; and conducting social impact studies and audits of key social programmes.
Promote rehabilitation and access to decent, sustainable employment so as to reduce dependence on social assistance The conditionality components (such as education and training) of existing key social programmes will be implemented so that those persons who are capable of graduating out of these programmes are provided with the skill-sets and opportunities for economic empowerment.

New programmes will also include conditionality components.
Moreover, social programmes will be geared towards economic empowerment, rehabilitation and reintegration into society for vulnerable groups such as ex-prisoners and deportees.

Identify and close existing gaps in social protection floors Social protection floors are nationally-defined sets of basic social security guarantees which secure protection aimed at preventing or alleviating poverty, vulnerability and social exclusion.

In compliance with the ILOs Social Protection Floors Recommendation, 2012 (No.
202), national social protection floors will comprise access to: essential heath care, including maternity care; providing access to nutrition, education and care for children; basic income security for persons of active age who are unable to earn sufficient income, particularly in cases of sickness, unemployment, maternity and disability; and basic income security for older persons.
Although Trinidad and Tobago has already established some of these floors, focus will be placed on closing remaining gaps that exist.

For instance, national insurance coverage for self-employed persons such as entrepreneurs and innovators, as well as addressing the unique needs of an ageing population.

Goal 3: Citizens will have access to adequate and affordable housing Among the most significant needs of the poor and vulnerable is decent shelter.
Government and the private sector will collaborate to meet the current burgeoning housing demand for low and middle income groups, with the private sector eventually becoming the champion of this endeavour.

This will contribute to the medium and long term goals of reducing poverty.

Further, meeting the needs of approved squatter communities will continue.
In relation to private housing, the intention is to make home ownership easier while simultaneously addressing the critical needs of the renting population.

Strategic Initiatives/Actions 3.1 Close the gap between the demand and supply of housing The gap between the demand and supply of housing will be closed through various measures.

Firstly, “new towns” will be created in order to help expand the housing stock of middle and low income homes, as part of the Accelerated Housing Programme.
These “new towns” will be constructed nearby targeted growth areas such as Wallerfield, La Brea, Princes Town and Chaguanas.

Public-Private arrangements will be utilised to offer these new housing solutions.

Another approach will be to make home ownership more affordable through a review of current mortgage rates in order to facilitate housing loans.
89 Strategic Initiatives/Actions Further, existing housing programmes such as the Rent-to-Own Programme will be continued as these programmes also aim to meet the housing needs of low income families.

This programme, particularly addresses the needs of low income families who do not qualify for mortgages including the indigent.

Security of tenure will also continue to be provided for approved squatting communities.
3.2 3.3 Ensure access to decent housing Apart from measures to increase the housing stock, measures to improve access as well as the quality of homes will continue to be undertaken.

In so doing, existing housing programmes, such as the Accelerated Housing Programme, will be improved to ensure better targeting, accountability and management.
A minimum standard of housing will be established in order to ensure that low income families have decent and comfortable dwellings, with basic amenities that uphold fundamental human dignity.

Baseline standards will be established in areas such as environmental sustainability, land use, design and architecture.

Further, the Housing Grants Programme will continue, in order to help low income families undertake necessary upgrades to their homes.
Access to affordable rental units will also be made available.

Reintroduction and reformation of the Rent Restriction Board to curb continuous increases in rent and ensure the rights of tenants The Rent Restriction Board will be re-established with the intent to standardise features of rental units in line with the Occupational Safety and Health Act, building codes, affordable rent values and other basic rights for tenants.

This will help with land tenancy issues within the private sector.
Goal 4: The Healthcare System of Trinidad and Tobago will be sustainable and modern and deliver higher standards of healthcare There are three main areas of focus for the health system in the short term.

These are the sustainable funding of the system, maintenance of health infrastructure and ensuring that policies and standards are adhered to towards better service delivery.

Establishing a mechanism to sustainably finance the health system is critical to ensuring continued services to citizens.
Developing and implementing a comprehensive maintenance plan for all health facilities will also be critical to modernising the system.

Healthcare modernisation will ensure that equipment and infrastructure (including ICT) are upgraded and maintained and new systems are institutionalised towards improved service delivery and improving operating efficiency where necessary.

The public health system in the short term must provide higher standards of care to patients.
This is to be accomplished through raising awareness of and adherence to Standard Operating Procedures and policies by healthcare professionals.

It also pertains to ensuring that workers’ and patients’ rights and safety are protected and penalties enforced when breached.

90 Further, access to healthcare services, will be more equitable.

This will take into consideration geography, gender and children.
Critical services which are not readily available within communities must also be immediately addressed.

4.1 4.2 4.3 Strategic Initiatives/Actions Improve the performance of health sector agencies One of the ways in which improvement of the health sector will be attained is through the establishment of a performance management system.

This system is aimed at providing a more patient centred approach to the delivery of health care services.
It will help in promoting adherence to standard operating procedures, healthcare policy and legislation towards improved professionalism, service and accountability among healthcare workers and institutions.

This will also be accompanied by an expansion of training opportunities for healthcare workers so that standards can be maintained and met.

A review of legislation and policy will also be undertaken to ensure adequacy and relevance.
Further, an effective health facilities maintenance plan will also be prepared.

Improvement of the health system will also come through the use of ICTs.

For instance, the health information system and its processes will be modernised to ensure that patients are allowed easy access to information for health advice and timely appointments.
The information needs of medical professionals, administrators and patients will also be served by facilitating easy retrieval of health records and referrals, the sharing of diagnostics and enabling the monitoring of costs, quality and outputs.

Ensure the sustainable funding of the health sector One of the ways in which funding of the health sector will be made sustainable is through the Universal Health Insurance Programme.
This Programme also aims to ensure healthcare coverage for all citizens using Public/Private arrangements.

All members of the public will be able to access high quality health care at any health facility, whether public or private, regardless of their personal financial circumstances.
Improve access to healthcare services Access to healthcare services pertains not only to the availability of these services at remote, rural areas, but also accessibility to basic health services at District Health Facilities in order to relieve the burden on General Hospitals.

Strategies will therefore be employed to address these gaps.
These include greater use of mobile clinics as well as the continued upgrade of District Health Facilities so that services are further decentralised through wider offerings at the district level.

Improved access to health services also relates to ensuring that these services are relevant in meeting the health needs of all segments of the population.
Consequently, based on available data, a needs assessment must be undertaken in order to determine critical demands for health services that are not adequately being met.

This includes mental health diseases and preventative measures for rising HIV infection.

Specific Strategic Initiatives/Actions for meeting these demands must also be devised.
Goal 5: The people of Trinidad and Tobago will be empowered to lead healthy lifestyles The Government of Trinidad and Tobago must immediately address the rising level of lifestyle diseases ranging from heart disease to obesity, hypertension and cancer.

The short term focus will 91 therefore be on empowerment through awareness and the implementation of programmes that enhance knowledge about the benefits of healthy foods and food preparation as well as fitness.
The intention is to provide the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago with sufficient information to make decisions beneficial to the health of themselves and their families.
Strategic Initiatives/Actions 5.1 Promote preventative health care Government will disseminate information on healthy lifestyle choices, including: Health and nutrition; fitness; HIV infection; road safety; non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and obesity; dental health; mental well-being; smoking and the use of electronic cigarettes; and environmental health.

Key stakeholders will be engaged in the process and their contribution sustained.
Health policies will be formulated to ensure that healthy foods and drinks are sold in public buildings such as schools and health facilities.

Additionally, health policies will be mainstreamed across all sectors to ensure that healthy lifestyle choices pervade various aspects of daily life.

For example, employers will be encouraged to adopt health policies within the workplace for the benefit of employees.
Goal 6: The family will be protected and supported As the most immediate and basic social institution, it is paramount that the family unit be restored as the primary socialisation agent.

In the short term, protection of the family has therefore become essential in light of rising family challenges such as domestic violence, teenage pregnancy, child abuse and gang-related activity.

Special emphasis will be placed on providing support for single- headed households.
A multifaceted and multi-disciplinary approach will be utilised, involving greater cooperation and coordination among those agencies that tackle these issues.

This combined approach will involve key stakeholders such as public sector agencies, civil society and religious bodies.

New and existing programmes will be geared towards educating and promoting caring, tolerance, problem-solving and other essential skills required for the development of stable family structures.
Strategic Initiatives/Actions 6.1 Encourage Family Development New, innovative programmes will be developed towards supporting the family, preventing family instability, and facilitating rehabilitation and restoration where needed.

These will augment existing measures that assist families.

They include encouraging the public and private sector, in collaboration with employees, to develop family friendly workplace policies such as the provision of day care services to parents, particularly single parents.
Measures also entail encouraging the media to place greater emphasis on promoting and disseminating positives values and information on the family.

Further, civil society, including religious bodies, will also be encouraged to provide greater support to families, through psycho-social interventions.

6.2 Protect our Children and the Elderly 92 Strategic Initiatives/Actions Our children are the future of this nation.

Yet, they are among the most vulnerable members of society.
The institutional and legal frameworks for protecting children against various forms of abuse and neglect will be strengthened.

Greater coordination among agencies to meet the needs of vulnerable children will also be necessary.

This will involve identifying and filling gaps to address abuse in all forms as well as strengthening the Children’s Authority of Trinidad and Tobago.
This Authority will continue to be supported and vested with the power and responsibility for the promotion of and respect for children’s rights through advocacy and intervention on their behalf.

Further, given the country’s projected ageing population, it is critical that the health and social system be responsive to the needs of the elderly, for instance, establishing standards for institutional care.

An updated policy pertaining to retirement must also be developed.
6.3 Rehabilitate, Integrate and Reintegrate Vulnerable Groups Projects and programmes that meet the needs of citizens who have traditionally been socially marginalised will be expanded.

This group includes the socially displaced, ex-prisoners and deportees.

In keeping with the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, systems will be introduced to integrate persons with disabilities into society, especially in terms of education, to enable them to lead a fulfilling life.
Trinidad and Tobago recently ratified this Convention in June 2015 and consequently, key, new measures will be adopted to assist the disabled.

This includes undertaking and promoting research and development towards making affordable new technologies, equipment and facilities more accessible by disabled persons.

Training of professionals and staff working with the disabled will also be pursued.
Moreover, in respect of the permanently disabled, existing measures will be continued, such as the provision of disability assistance grants and welfare assistance such as access to housing, including affordable rental units and social services.

Measures to address vagrancy and the socially displaced will also be strengthened.

Centres will be established to ascertain the best support for this group and guide them with care to the appropriate social institutions.
Prisoners will also be targeted through initiatives such as the adoption of a restorative justice system, which will be geared towards preparing inmates for successful reintegration into and engagement with society.

Goal 7: Trinidad and Tobago will have a modern, relevant education and training system In the short term, the education system must be made modern, inclusive, accessible and relevant.
Modern pertains to establishing a sustainable plan to ensure that basic school infrastructure is maintained and upgraded.

Accessibility includes ensuring that the educational requirements of special needs students are met, towards greater equity.

This includes persons with learning disabilities.

93 The relevance of the education system to the development needs of the economy will also be immediately tackled.
This will help close the current gap between the demand and supply of labour as well as help develop a labour market system that will meet the medium and long term needs of the country.

The relevance of the education system also pertains to ensuring that positive values and behaviours are instilled in our nation’s youth towards building a progressive society and a disciplined workforce.
Strategic Initiatives/Actions 7.1 Adopt best practices in education administration Our education system must adhere to international best practice in a number of areas.

This includes compulsory teacher skills upgrade and training at all levels of the education system, knowledge of up-to- date teaching methods such as the use of ICTs and particularly those that support innovation and entrepreneurship.
It also entails providing clear prospects for career advancement for all teachers and modernising the legislation governing the education system.

These issues must be addressed in collaboration with the teachers’ union.

7.2 Maintain and upgrade school infrastructure 7.3 7.4 At present, the existing school infrastructure must be adequately maintained and upgraded.

All schools will be outfitted with the relevant IT infrastructure to ensure that they have free access to fast, broadband internet.
Revise the school curriculum to emphasise core values, nationalism and workforce readiness skills Core values must be taught in schools.

These include discipline, production, tolerance, civic responsibility and lifelong learning.

Knowledge of our cultural diversity must be taught in order to promote cohesiveness and, our country's history and geography must also be imparted.
Moreover, workforce readiness skills like problem solving, innovativeness, creativity along with entrepreneurial abilities must be supported throughout the education system.

A culture of research and development must also be inculcated in all tertiary level institutions, both public and private.

Sports, culture and physical education must also be fully integrated.

The relevance of the education system to the skills needs of the economy must also be addressed towards an effective labour market system.
This will help close the existing skills gap and reduce the migration of skilled citizens.

There is need for example, to focus on the STEM subjects and the infusion of ICT to a greater degree, into the syllabi at all levels of the education system.

This will provide for the development of a highly skilled 21st Century workforce that can contribute to the country’s economic development.
Promote a fair system of education and training at all levels Government will ensure that the Government Assistance for Tuition Expenses (GATE) remains relevant, easily accessible and available to all citizens who need it.

Appropriate mechanisms for second chances for students at all levels will be incorporated within the education system.

Continuing education and adult education will also be promoted.

Access to assistive devices in the class room for students with disabilities will also be provided.
Theme II: Delivering Good Governance and Service Excellence Goal 1: Our governance approach will be based on principles of participation and inclusion In an effort to strengthen our democratic institutions, mechanisms must be established by which citizens can participate in national decision-making thereby making public policy more responsive 94 to the needs of the population.
Developing sound public policies is an important part of good governance and this means the creation of structures in specific areas to allow for participation by non-governmental organisations, civil society, the private sector and in the development of appropriate courses of action in the national interest.

Notably our space in the ever dynamic global environment will require a more consultative approach towards shaping our foreign policy agenda.
As a small island state, we will need to forge new partnerships within regional and hemispheric organisations to address emerging economic, social, environmental and geo-political issues.

individuals 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Strategic Initiatives/Actions Strengthening of the Office of Parliament Good governance starts with the effective participation by Members of Parliament to adequately represent their constituents.
This will involve the strengthening of the Office of Parliament to provide effective oversight on public institutions through the provision of technical expertise to the Joint Select Committees.

This will entail, among other initiatives, the establishment of the General Accounting Office which will provide an opportunity for a closer link between budgetary allocations and departmental performance.
Establish wider and more structured consultation Consultative mechanisms will be established to sustain strategic focus, coordination and improved efficiency in the execution of development interventions through broad-based participation of state, private sector, labour and civil society.
Close the gap between communities and governance In order to bring governance and decision-making closer to the people, devolution of certain areas of central government authority, for example, physical planning, to the Municipal structures will be accelerated through local government reform.

Strengthening local governance within the concept of democratic principles implies getting the people involved in decision-making, especially grassroots participation, to ensure a bottom-up approach to governance.
Enhance the consultative approach towards foreign policy planning Creating fora for the exchange of information to guide diplomatic engagement will be pursued.

This will be done through the establishment of a Foreign Relations Advisory Board which will provide independent advice and opinion to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs on matters concerning Trinidad and Tobago foreign policy.
The Board will review and assess global threats and opportunities, trends that impact national interests, tools and capacities of foreign affairs-related agencies, and priorities and strategic frameworks for foreign policy.

Enhance citizen participation in governance through ICT Utilising ICT as a platform to coordinate and harmonise dialogue between the government and the general public in policy formulation.
Under the International Open Government Partnership commitments for example, Government is expected to implement a National Open Data Strategy component, which will facilitate the development of ICT platforms to enable dialogue between Government and the general public.
Goal 2: The Public Service will have modern, effective and efficient management systems Modernising public management systems is a necessary pre-requisite for development, and it is accomplished through having better people, processes and technology.

This underscores the need for public institutions to make a definitive break from old structures and old ways of doing business 95 and instead take a fresh, innovative approach to achieve better results.
Modernisation of the rules and regulatory environment will also serve to improve effectiveness and efficiency in service delivery.

2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Strategic Initiatives/Actions Improving the oversight function of independent institutions A key initiative for this improvement will be enhancing the capacity of the Office of the President in the provision of professional support to undertake independent review and analysis of the performance of constitutional bodies.
The Service Commissions will be strengthened to perform high-level audits and oversight as they continue to delegate authority to Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Department in respect of Human Resource Management (HRM) matters.
Promote greater accountability within the public service Accountability in the public service will be demonstrated by the adoption of a culture of managing for results and, specifically, through the institutionalisation of an effective performance management system and merit-based promotion.
Foster greater transparency in public procurement Public procurement will be improved through the amendment and enactment of the new procurement legislation and regulatory framework for government Ministries and Departments, as well as the creation of a new entity for procurement regulation.
Improve Revenue Administration The Revenue Authority of Trinidad and Tobago will be established to create a platform that can enable reform and modernisation of revenue administration to proceed more quickly and effectively.

2.5 Modernise and strengthen the Public Financial Management System The efficiency and effectiveness of the budgetary process will be strengthened towards better allocation and management of public resources through reform of the public finance management framework and use of IT.
2.6 2.7 2.8 Reform of the National Statistical System The national statistical system will be reformed to provide timely, reliable and accurate data for improved decision-making and targeted policy formulation.

To this end, the National Statistical Institute of Trinidad and Tobago will be established.
Improve the coordination of national decision-making The aim is to improve horizontal coordination and strategy formulation among central ministries towards the integration and cohesion of government’s decision making function.

This will be realised through the institutionalisation of the Centre of Government Model.
Reforming the foreign affairs ecosystem Advancing our national interest abroad will be achieved by adopting an issues-based paradigm through the transformation of the Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs.

The re-establishment of the Socio-Economic Affairs Division and creation of a Diaspora Affairs Unit and a Foreign Intelligence and Analysis Unit will serve to ensure that our foreign relations redound to the country’s benefit and allow for improved responsiveness to international development.
2.9 Improve efficiency of public institutions 96 Strategic Initiatives/Actions Cost efficiency will be introduced by adopting a “Shared Services” Strategy to, in the first instance, enable effective management of support services across more than one ministry.

These services include: finance and accounts; facilities management; IT; and fleet management.
Goal 3: Public Service delivery will be customer focused Effective governance serves as a catalyst for societal transformation, and key to this transformation is improving service delivery and pursuing service excellence within the Public Sector.

As such, the quest for sustainable development requires a modern, efficient Public Service that delivers quality services.
Public officers therefore must not only be highly skilled and productive employees, but they must also adopt a more caring and courteous attitude in dealing with the general public.

Providing safe and comfortable accommodation for public officers to conduct state business is an important pre-requisite for improved service delivery.
3.1 3.2 3.3 Strategic Initiatives/Actions Improving service delivery through e-Government Electronic government (e-government) is an integral component for building performance in and delivery of government services.

The development and implementation of an e-government strategy is a critical pre-requisite to expand the provision of online access to government information and services, thereby reducing customer waiting time.
Establish customer service standards Continuous improvement to service delivery will be implemented through a Service Delivery Improvement Programme throughout the Public Service.

It is aimed at developing a more responsive, efficient and effective Public Service.

Provide modern office accommodation and facilities A healthy and safe environment can increase worker satisfaction and productivity.
To this end, modern facilities will be provided in order to meet these organisational needs, improve service delivery of Ministries and Departments and ensure a modern, safe and clean environment for the general public accessing services at these institutions.

Goal 4: Trinidad and Tobago will have modern legal, regulatory and law enforcement systems Advancing the country’s development agenda will require the continuous review, modernisation and strengthening of the legal and legislative framework.
This must be done in tandem with the on-going reform efforts within the judicial system, like case management, as well as improving the administration of the court system, where with financial autonomy being a key consideration.

The establishment of new agencies to boost the law enforcement system will serve to streamline operational efficiency through the better allocation of resources.
National Security goes way beyond the simple control and containment of crime and suggests an institutional responsibility 97 whereby the Government is entrusted with the task of creating an environment which ensures public safety and national peace through the maintenance of law and order.

Creating a modern legal system goes hand in hand with the determination of an appropriate legislative framework to meet our future development needs.
4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 Strategic Initiatives/Actions Promote independence of the Judiciary The financial autonomy of the Judiciary would allow the institution to manage its own resources, projects and programmes, including the responsibility for procurement and construction of judicial facilities.

This will enable the Judiciary to be more responsive and effective in fulfilling its mandate.
Ensure equity in the administration of the criminal justice system The Sentencing Commission will be operationalised to promote a consistent approach to the sentencing of offenders; the Remand Court will be established to reduce the amount of cases on remand; and the Public Offender Office will be established to adjudicate offences committed by juveniles.
Reduce the burden on the courts system Several initiatives will be undertaken to reduce the burden on the court system by: allowing lay magistrates to address minor offences, such as minor traffic offences, instead of magistrates; constructing additional multipurpose judicial complexes in key town centres; implementing the Coroner’s Court; transferring the Magistracy’s responsibility for the issuance of licences for bars, dancehalls, etc., from the Magistrates’ Court to the Regional Corporations: and expanding the use of video-conferencing and electronic recording of statements in the High Court.
Strengthening of National Security Structures Various arms of national security will be strengthened as follows: upgrading the National Security Council Secretariat to better monitor and assess new and emerging national security threats; establishing the Police Inspectorate and the Police Management Agency to strengthen and modernise the management of the Police Service, inclusive of capacity building and training of police officers; creating the Joint Border Protection Agency to manage the security and integrity of Trinidad and Tobago’s borders; and enhancing the operations of municipal and community policing through the establishment of Community Safety Partnerships.
Promote an integrated approach to disaster risk management A whole of government strategy will be adopted regarding disaster risk management.

A National Disaster Risk Management Policy will be developed and implemented and the Draft National Disaster Management Plan will be finalised.

Increase the crime detection rate To increase our crime solving capability, a multi-pronged approach will be adopted.
This includes: the construction of a modern, state-of-the-art Forensic Science Centre that is properly equipped and well- staffed; merging of the Anti-Corruption Investigations Bureau and the Financial Investigations Bureau to create synergies in dealing with white collar crime; and sharing of information on offenders, crimes and legal proceedings through a modern Justice Management law enforcement/regulatory agencies to identify patterns of criminal activities and facilitate appropriate responses.
In addition, anti-crime rules and regulations will be adopted such as whistle blower protection.

The recommendations of the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force pertaining to money laundering and terrorism financing will also be implemented.
Information System, thereby allowing 4.7 Develop closer coordination and collaboration between the law enforcement agencies and the defence force 98 Strategic Initiatives/Actions The Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force (TTDF), whose component units are the Regiment, Coast Guard and Air Guard together with the Defence Force Reserves, has, as one of its mandate, to provide assistance to civil authorities of which the TTPS is a major client.
However, the TTDF’s utilisation is based on a case by case basis and the different command structures sometimes complicate smooth operations.

An appropriate mechanism will be established to facilitate joint command of operations in an effort to see the effective use of the different skills sets to build crime response capabilities.
Another measure will be the re-location of the Defence Staff Headquarters (Office of the Chief of Defence Staff) to Port of Spain in an effort to improve command and control of joint operations.

4.8 4.9 Promote integrity in law enforcement One element of instilling public confidence in the law enforcement agencies is ensuring that these entities are held accountable for their actions.
To this end, the powers of the Investigators of the Police Complaints Authority will be expanded, and the Professional Standards Bureau of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) will transition to a semi-autonomous agency.
Forge strategic alliance with international security and public safety agencies Given the proliferation of transnational crimes, including cyber-crime and terrorism, strategic alliances between local and international law enforcement agencies will be strengthened with a view to sharing information and enhancing technical capabilities.
Further, emphasis will be also placed on aligning and facilitating regional and international cyber security arrangements such as the Caribbean Cyber Security and Cybercrime Action Plan.
Theme III: Improving Productivity Through Quality Infrastructure and Transport Goal 1: Trinidad and Tobago will have a safe and operationally efficient transport system Severe traffic congestion, the unreliability of the public transport service, inadequate inter-island ferry, sea port and airlift services, together threaten the health and well-being of residents of Trinidad and Tobago as well.

They also have a negative impact on the economic efficiency of our country.
Safe and efficient transport and transportation infrastructure are considered the backbone of any economy and key drivers for social and economic development.

Since we plan to become a developed nation focused on productivity and competitiveness, the inefficiencies of the national transportation system must be resolved in both the short term and long term.
An efficient national transport system that enables customers to have easy access to reliable and safe transport services whether by air, land and sea will be instituted.

This transport system will minimise constraints to the mobility of passengers and goods and maximise efficiency and service, while allowing customers their choice of economically and financially viable transportation modes.
This demands a holistic and integrated approach to the transport planning process and a flexible 99 transportation system which can respond to emerging customer requirements.

It also requires infrastructure to be tailored to the needs of the transport operators and end users.
Additionally, through the use of information and communication technologies, the national transportation system will be made more advanced by providing innovative services such as mobile applications (apps) which provide real-time access to bus scheduling and travel information to better inform users and allow them to make safer, more coordinated and ‘smarter’ use of the transportation networks.
Strategic Initiatives/Actions 1.1 1.2 Strengthen the national transportation planning framework A National Transportation Plan will be developed that will encompass all forms of transport and outline the technical solutions to enable revitalization and upgrade in all areas of transport in order to meet present and future development needs while exploiting the efficiency gains from an integrated approach to planning for the transport sector.
Improve access to public transport services The establishment of an efficiently operated public transit system involving all modes of transportation will not only improve mobility and enhance productivity but also the overall quality of lives of citizens.

To this end, a National Transit System will be instituted on a phased basis, commencing with land transportation in the short term.
This system will involve the use of an upgraded and efficiently operated fleet of buses for mass transit to reduce traffic congestion.

These buses will utilise Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) which could be acquired through a PPP arrangement.

This system will complement the existing public transport service provided by the Public Transport Service Corporation.

In an effort to establish an efficient transport system that meets the needs of the citizen, a Bus Fleet Renewal Programme will be introduced.
A coordinated strategy for replacement of the PTSC’s ageing fleet, the installation of bus shelters and the modernisation of the bus terminals across the country will be pursued.

1.3 Enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the national transport system This strategy includes the improvement of the public transport service management systems to enhance the adequacy and reliability of transport services whether by air, land and sea, as well as to provide information for more effective decision-making.
Initiatives will also be developed to expand service to the areas that are not currently reached and improve the scheduling and maintenance of the national transportation fleet.
Further, Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), which represent advanced transport IT applications, will be incorporated to provide innovative services, such as real-time bus scheduling, relating to different modes of transport and traffic management and enable various users to be better informed and make safer, more coordinated, and 'smarter' use of transport networks.
1.4 Improve the regulatory framework for the national transport system A Transit Authority will be established and will function as a regulatory body to manage all forms of public transportation.

The Authority will develop policy and technical guidelines for the transport services sector.

It will also set standards and monitor compliance to improve the overall quality of services provided to the travelling public.
Additionally, the paratransit system, which includes maxi taxi and hired taxi operators, will be effectively coordinated and managed.

There is need for effective regulation, better coordination and operational 100 1.5 1.6 1.7 Strategic Initiatives/Actions efficiency of these operators to facilitate the safe, reliable and affordable transfer of commuters based on their diverse daily commuting needs.
Reduce the demand for transportation A Travel Demand Reduction Strategy will be developed which involves implementation of travel demand reduction strategies such as incentive programmes to promote flexi-time, telecommuting and carpooling.

Further, the introduction of park and ride and walk and cycle initiatives will encourage people to rely less on vehicular use and adopt more environmentally friendly and healthier modes of transport.
Improve the efficiency of the Port Authority and expand port infrastructure High-quality port infrastructure is important to economic prosperity, particularly, for Trinidad and Tobago and the urgent need to increase exports.

As such, continued effort will be placed on improving the quality of port services by reforming the Port Authority, increasing private investment in the maritime sector and integrating port operations.
Additionally, expansion of port infrastructure through the construction of port facilities in Toco and other parts of Trinidad and Tobago would also be undertaken.

Transform and modernise the Licensing Office In order to deliver safer, more flexible, innovative, customer-focussed and on-demand transportation, the establishment of a modern, relevant and effective organisation is required.

The Licensing Office will, therefore, be transformed into a modern Motor Vehicle Authority.
Through the investment in front-line services and innovative technologies, the Authority will be better able to serve the needs of citizens and will facilitate effective and safe usage of the nation’s roadways and highways by using new, highly secured driving licenses and number plates.

These efforts would facilitate improved identification of drivers and control the illegal use of motor vehicles thereby resulting in reduced fraud and criminal activity.
1.8 Modernise Air Transport Infrastructure Modern airports are required to manage multiple functions that relate to operational, environmental, technological and commercial needs.

The modernisation of the Piarco International Airport and, in collaboration with the Tobago House of Assembly, the construction a new, modern Airport Terminal at Crown Point will be pursued.
1.9 Enhance transport services between Trinidad and Tobago Transportation between the islands of Trinidad and Tobago will be improved by: providing a faster, alternative sea route to and from Tobago; opening up the northeast region of Trinidad for port development; and acquiring new fast ferries.
Goal 2: Our public utility system will be better managed with improved access for all Public Utility Systems play a strategic role and are essential in economic and social development, whether they relate to water supply, sewerage treatment, electricity and public lighting systems, or telecommunication services.
In order to achieve our National Vision, Trinidad and Tobago needs efficient, cost-effective and reliable water and waste water services, electricity, and telecommunication services, as these are key enablers which determine the level and quality of the standard of living of the country.

Consequently, in the short term, improving the management of these systems would support the country’s ability to pursue diversification.
In the medium to long 101 term, this would facilitate the expansion of trade, establishing systems to cope with population growth.

2.1 2.2 2.3 Strategic Initiatives/Actions Establish the enabling environment to facilitate the use of renewable energy for power generation The Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission is currently challenged by competing uses for limited natural gas supplies in its power generation operations.
Additionally, the Government has committed to increasing input to the energy supply using renewables by up to 10 percent by 2021.

Given this shift to adopt cleaner technologies and the increasing emphasis on reducing emissions from power generation, focus must now be placed on adopting greener technologies for long term sustainability.

The Commission will, therefore, adopt measures to increase the use of renewable energy sources in generating electricity.
Institute appropriate policy mechanisms designed to accelerate investment in renewable energy technologies The development and implementation of appropriate policy instruments, such as a feed-in tariff policy, will create the enabling environment for the development of renewable energy technologies at the national level.
The necessary legislative and regulatory amendments must be pursued with urgency to support the policy initiatives and provide the impetus for the introduction of sustainable renewable energy technologies.

Promote an integrated approach to Water Resources Management Integrated water resources management promotes the coordinated development and management of water, land and related resources to maximise available water supply.
It is also focussed on the equitable division of the resultant economic and social welfare benefits in an equitable manner, without compromising the sustainability of vital ecosystems.

To this end, an Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM Plan) will be developed and implemented.

It will incorporate: an effective water resources/hydrological monitoring network; implementation of a water loss reduction programme; and development of a water supply drought management plan.
Additionally, available water resources will be optimised.

The efficient management of water resources is vital to our country’s sustainability.

Significant losses within the water distribution network take place as a result of poor maintenance, particularly as it relates to the repair/replacement of pipeline infrastructure.

In order to minimise this wastage, a Leak Management Programme will be developed and implemented.
The Programme will employ an integrated mix of advanced technologies such as the ‘smart water grid’ distribution network (SCADA) geared towards improving the efficiency of repair works undertaken.

Goal 3: Trinidad and Tobago will have an inter-connected, well maintained transport infrastructure Transportation networks and the circulatory systems are the foundation of an economy, ensuring that people, goods and services reach where they need to go.
In this context, particular emphasis is being placed on the quality of road infrastructure as well as improving the interconnectivity of roads between and among rural and urban communities.

This will facilitate the development of rural communities and contribute to the ease of traffic congestion on main road arteries as drivers can use alternative routes to get to and from work and school and be able to better engage in other day to day activities.
102 Poor drainage and flooding in rural communities and urban centres exacerbate the quality of road infrastructure in these areas, causing significant personal, social, economic and environmental loss.

This issue must be addressed through integrated flood and drainage management planning.
Strategic Initiatives/Actions 3.1 Improve and expand the road infrastructure network Over the next five years, emphasis will be placed on road maintenance based on a hierarchy of roadways according to the strategic importance of routes.

Emphasis will also be placed on the expansion of the road network to facilitate safe, efficient movement of people and goods.
Several roads are earmarked for construction: Wallerfield to Manzanilla Highway; Valencia to Toco Highway; San Fernando to Mayaro Freeway; Scarborough Bypass Road; Chaguaramas Causeway; Chaguanas Bypass Road; and Moruga Road.

3.2 Adopt an integrated planning approach to flood mitigation A piecemeal and localised approach in addressing flooding is uneconomical and unsustainable.
Through the development and implementation of an Integrated Flood Management Plan, strategies to maintain or augment the productivity of floodplains while providing protective measures against losses due to flooding, will be adopted.

3.3 Upgrade of drainage systems Measures will be adopted to improve the drainage infrastructure and reduce the incidence of flooding in low lying areas.
Focus will be placed on upgrading the following: St. Ann’s River Improvement Works; Maraval River Improvement Works; Diego Martin River Improvement Works; Cipero River Improvement Works; Improvement Works to Pumpin Canal (La Brea); Tunapuna River Rehabilitation and Flood Reduction Works; and Diana River Improvement Works, Phase II.

Government will also seek to alleviate flooding and improve drainage systems in the city of Port of Spain through the Flood Alleviation and Drainage Programme.
The objective of the Programme is to minimize impacts from the lack of, or insufficient, urban drainage infrastructure in critical areas of the city.

Specifically, the Programme will support the improvement of catchment management through the implementation of drainage infrastructure, improvement of mobility of the population within the central area through a linear park, and institutional strengthening of the sector.
Goal 4: Trinidad and Tobago will have a modern and well-maintained ICT system High speed, affordable broadband connectivity to the internet is a foundation stone of modern society, offering widely recognized economic and social benefits.
The development of robust and reliable ICT infrastructure is critical for Trinidad and Tobago in developing more robust national transportation and public utility systems, and would facilitate more effective and integrated multi- sectoral approach to the management and maintenance of our national infrastructure.

A modern ICT system that reaches across Trinidad and Tobago will also facilitate the integration of ICT in education, business development and even allow for greater use of technology in homes.
103 Strategic Initiatives/Actions 4.1 Increase connectivity throughout Trinidad and Tobago A National Broadband Strategy will be implemented to address enhancing the broadband infrastructure, access to ICT services, integration of ICT policies and regulatory oversight, all of which are priorities in the short term.

The Government would seek to address the legislative and regulatory kinks and anomalies that frustrate the roll out of ICT policies and plans.
These policies and plans involve information sharing, ICT governance, managing information and building the ICT architecture.

Theme IV: Building Globally Competitive Businesses Goal 1: Macroeconomic stability will be maintained A stable and predictable macroeconomic environment is a sine-qua-non to long-term social and economic prosperity.

It is vital to economic planning as it allows government to successfully plan ahead.

It allows households to maintain stable consumption patterns over longer periods.
Lower levels of uncertainty about the future and expectations of stability makes for a more attractive business and investment climate as individuals and businesses, can plan for the longer term accordingly.

It also benefits exporters in terms of the cost of inputs and the minimisation of the risks of fluctuations in the exchange rate.
For small open economies, a strong fiscal and financial system, a stable exchange rate and a forward looking monetary policy with a medium term horizon contributes best to macroeconomic stability.

The following two Strategic Initiatives/Actions will be pursued to ensure the maintenance of macro-economic stability.
1.1 Ensure sound public finances and low and stable rates of inflation Strategic Initiatives/Actions Government will achieve macroeconomic stability through the pursuit of sound macroeconomic policies and will develop a fiscal policy strategy that is aimed at maintaining budgetary positions close to balance or in surplus as well as careful management of the national debt over the medium term.
In this regard, one of the guiding principles for the investment of public funds will be to increase the efficiency and economic return on the resources employed.

1.2 Develop a sound financial system that encourages entrepreneurs and minimises risks A well-functioning financial system that facilitates transactions in the economy and encourages economic growth is also crucial to stability.
Government will establish and enforce the appropriate policies and regulations to ensure that the financial system is sound and in keeping with international standards.

Government will also develop the capabilities of the financial system to mobilise a greater amount of resources and manage a wider spectrum of risks.

This ensures that persons and firms receive the funding that they require and promotes greater stability and more sustainable development.
104 Goal 2: A business environment that is conducive to entrepreneurship Trinidad and Tobago needs a diverse economy that is innovative, competitive and has the foundations and supports to encourage businesses and entrepreneurs to succeed and become more competitive both locally and internationally.

In this regard, a vibrant business environment and support system, which is paramount to building globally competitive businesses, is required.
Such an environment will create the conditions for business to thrive and be attractive to companies and investors, both local and foreign.

Conditions where persons with great ideas can work with other talented people to create new business ventures and scale up those ventures towards become global.

In order to promote entrepreneurship we must also create a culture that favours innovation and adaptation.

Creativity, determination and collaboration must also be seen to be highly valued in our society.
Further, all citizens, in particular young persons, must be encouraged to develop a positive attitude to entrepreneurship and to create jobs for themselves and others.

To become more competitive and accelerate the pace of technological change Trinidad and Tobago must continuously renew and upgrade its workforce skills.
It must also invest not only in infrastructure and technology but, in creating an environment, in which all citizens are able to combine their talents, skills, ideas and imagination towards realising their potential.

These actions must be complemented by the revisions of government procedures to reduce unnecessary red tape and technology upgrade to promote process optimisation so that public sector operations are an aid to business activity rather than an obstruction.
This must be supported by steps to minimise corruption and anti-competitive behaviour, ease the burden of regulation, encourage greater adherence to the rule of law, real time digital access to government services, streamlining of business start-up procedures, and the encouragement of market-based competition mechanisms.
2.1 Strengthen entrepreneurship development systems Strategic Initiatives/Actions32 Entrepreneurs and innovative enterprises and are attracted to a culture and environment in which their ideas are properly supported.

Government will strengthen all state institutions that play a role in developing the SME sector, eliminate duplication among these agencies, and promote a culture of innovation and the building of first world capabilities in areas such as entrepreneurship management.
Government will also expand and customise funding facilities to meet the needs of firms at their various stages of growth.

This will be supported by mechanism to resolve insolvency, protect property rights and enforce contracts, etc.

2.2 Establish centres of excellence and technology parks Government will develop the necessary modern infrastructure such as centres of excellence to link firms to research in key areas.
A critical mass of scientists and engineers with access to sustained funding and complemented with capabilities in intellectual property, marketing and administration will be employed to foster research and development in the identified areas.

Through this and other mechanism, support will be given to the upgrade of industry and the technological modernisation of firms 32 The private sector is expected to take a leading role in strategies 2.1 and 2.2.
105 Strategic Initiatives/Actions32 2.3 Promote a culture of entrepreneurship and innovation through education and training Trinidad and Tobago faces a number of challenges that can only be surmounted by innovative, well- educated, and entrepreneurial persons who are adaptable and can think in new ways.

Such persons will be able to create the jobs of the future.

Many of them will be young entrepreneurs, who have developed their own ventures.
Entrepreneurship education is crucial to shaping the skills, values and attitudes of these young persons.

It also provides the skills and knowledge that are central to developing an entrepreneurial culture.

It is therefore vital that persons are exposed to entrepreneurship from an early age.

As such, Government will develop and implement a curriculum and programmes that prepares entrepreneurs to create businesses that can compete in global markets.
2.4 Develop a new and enhanced suite of incentives A new regime of fiscal incentives, preferential tax rates and concessions to encourage the development of small businesses and exports.

Government will also review its fiscal policy to make it more competitive on the international level with the objective of making the country an even more attractive environment in which to trade and do business.
These actions will position our businesses to take advantage of opportunities across the globe, including those relating to the global agenda for green growth.

2.5 Strengthen the environment for Green Growth The policy, regulatory and institutional framework will be strengthened to encourage industries to shift to greening their products and services by adopting green technologies as well as accelerating innovation and the development of indigenous green technologies.
This will be supported by the establishment of sustainable financial mechanisms and incentives such as green certification.

Goal 3: A more attractive destination for investment and trade Investment and trade are critical to the economic well-being of Trinidad and Tobago.

It allows us to surmount the limitations of size and resources, and expands our capital, technology, know-how, and access export markets and improve the quality of life of our citizens.
However, our small domestic market requires that we constantly look for new growth opportunities outside our borders and continue to attract significant levels of foreign direct investment.

In the highly competitive global environment, our long-term survival cannot be based solely on the domestic market.
Trinidad and Tobago will therefore forge strategic links with our trading partners to eliminate the barriers that impede our ability to be internationally competitive, and remain ahead of our competitors in the race for new markets.

In this approach, the private sector must create new products, discover new customers and develop structures that can serve international markets.
Simultaneously, government policies, institutions and diplomatic assets will be deployed to support our companies and investors in key foreign markets and to attract high levels of domestic and foreign investments.

To become a preferred investment destination, Government will make significant improvements in areas such as infrastructure, legislation and regulation.

Areas such as workforce productivity will be improved and skill sets elevated to world class standards.
Processing of goods and services traded must become more efficient and infrastructure has to be more effective for Trinidad and 106 Tobago to be competitive in the global economy.

This must be supported by intense domestic competition, which is crucial to our trade performance.

The intention is to assist firms to operate in a competitive environment that rewards productivity and innovation and makes them more likely to be successful in global markets.
3.1 Develop an export/trade strategy Strategic Initiatives/Actions Trade agreements provide avenues to develop global linkages, access key markets, and grow our economy.

In this context, our negotiations and economic diplomacy must be based on our strengths and competitive advantage, and create significant opportunity for business in key sectors and open up new avenues for growth and job creation.
For many businesses, the costs and the time that it takes to enter foreign markets are a deterrent due to bureaucracy and more complex “rules of the game”.

As such, Government will support the development of the capacity of our business to engage in trade and respond to international business opportunities.

It will also facilitate outward investments by Trinidad and Tobago firms that will assist them to access foreign markets and innovation hotspots.
To meet the needs of companies in global markets, Government will develop measures to assist companies to access financing and insurance to fulfil orders, to open foreign branches, or in areas such as customer financing.

The aim is also to encourage and facilitate linkages between local manufacturers and exporters with the Diaspora in Canada, USA, and the UK, as a catalyst to entry and penetration in these markets.
3.2 Develop market and business intelligence Government will assist firms to improve their knowledge of new markets, and will connect companies with specific market opportunities, and assist them in assess the risks and potential value.

This will be complemented by actions to increase productivity, and improve access to financing, skilled labour and quality infrastructure.
3.3 Develop a world class workforce High quality research institutes and universities, which produce graduates that can create high value in domestic and foreign markets, are a crucial feature of a globally competitive economy.

Of equal significance to competitiveness, is a multi-lingual population as well as a strong culture of collaboration between academia, science and business that will generate new and innovative products and services that are globally competitive.
This must be complemented by more effective collaboration with the Diaspora and overseas research institutes.

Government will therefore revise its immigration procedures towards attracting and retaining the best skills and talent from across the globe.

To facilitate this, attractive employment and socio-cultural packages will be created and the convenient entry and settlement of skilled workers and their families will be facilitated.
Goal 4: Firms will produce high value products and services that can compete in export markets A thriving private sector is the dynamic core of every successful economy, especially when firms produce high value products and services that can compete in export markets.
As such, Trinidad and Tobago will take steps to improve the competitiveness of the local private sector and will build a sustainable and stable economy by broadening its enterprise base across a range of sectors at 107 key stages of the value chain, areas where capabilities are matched to global opportunities.

This also entails venturing into more knowledge-intensive and complex economic activities with the emphasis on export-oriented sectors where we can create or build a competitive advantage.
The growth model for Trinidad and Tobago must create and support export oriented enterprises businesses that create high value products and services for export.

To be globally competitive, our goods and services must conform to and surpass international standards.

In addition, lower quality imports must be displaced through more local production.
A key requirement, therefore, is to support and accelerate the transition from a fossil-fuel based economy to one that is of high value with a low carbon footprint.

Going forward the urgent task is to unearth innovations which can be commercialised, activities that have potential but are in need of further research, funding or other kinds of support.
Just as urgent is closer cooperation with the scientific sector on a commercial basis and inducements to the private sector to encourage them to make greater investments in research and innovation as well as greener activities.

The overriding intent is to encourage start-ups and internationalise major Trinidad and Tobago companies.
Strategic Initiatives/Actions 4.1 The quality of national goods and services will conform to international standards Ensuring high quality and raising productivity standards constitute two of the most important prerequisites for increasing the competitiveness of our businesses.
The success of the diversification strategy hinges on the ability of Trinidad and Tobago to meet international quality, safety and environmental standards in keeping with the global trend towards more sophisticated, safe and high quality eco-friendly products.

This will be supported by the creation of green markets through measures such as Government procurement and actions to institute green certification.
4.2 Develop existing economic sectors Our existing economic sectors are the foundation of our economy and must be supported in order to develop and grow.

Trinidad and Tobago will need to create and sustain competitive advantage in specific areas of business activity, areas where capabilities are matched to national and global opportunities.
Government will implement sector specific strategies to advance the agenda for growth as it seeks to modernise agriculture, upgrade manufacturing and energise services as part of a wider economic transformation programme.

4.3 Support new and emerging sectors It is important to enlarge the enterprise base, both through the continued growth and expansion of exporters.

New and emerging economic sectors provide numerous opportunities for expansion and achieving global competitiveness.
In this regard, Government has identified and prioritised the establishment of new business clusters in seven (7) key national economic areas: Financial services; Maritime services; Aviation services; Fishing and fish processing; Agriculture and agro processing; Software design and applications; and the Creative Industries, and will implement mechanisms to support these sectors as part of a wider economic transformation programme.
108 Strategic Initiatives/Actions Theme V: Placing the Environment at the Centre of Social and Economic Development Goal 1: Environmental governance and management systems will be strengthened The key to effective environmental management is the development of a comprehensive and well- coordinated system to address the many interconnected environmental issues, including: natural resource management (terrestrial ecosystems and forests, biodiversity, water resources and marine ecosystems and resources); waste management (waste disposal, solid waste, electronic waste and hazardous waste); pollution and chemicals management (air pollution, ozone depletion, water pollution, land pollution, marine pollution); built environment management and climate change.
Strategic Initiatives/Actions 1.1 Conduct a comprehensive review of environmental policy and legislation and relevant standards The objective is to review the existing environmental policy and legislative framework with a view to updating them in order to fill any gaps and bring them in line with international best practices and policies, including the incorporation and integration of sustainable development principles consistent with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
This would set the framework for developing the institutional capacity and coordination, for effective environmental management.

An examination of the existing framework of environmental standards for pollutants and revision, as appropriate, will also be undertaken with a view to setting stricter standards to suit the local situation, while adopting best international practice.

In many cases such standards may exceed international norms.
1.2 Establish the institutional framework Based on the policy and legislative review, update the relevant policies and legislation in order to establish or strengthen the existing institutional framework, as appropriate.

The improved institutional framework will support the environmental management and governance actions in keeping with international best practices.
1.3 Develop an implementation framework for policy and legislation Having updated the policy, legislative and institutional framework, development of specific implementation plans will follow for the respective and relevant institutions to incorporate into their strategic plans.

1.4 Conduct a comprehensive review of spatial policy and relevant standards The National Spatial Development Strategy completed in 2012 will be reviewed with a view to updating the document and seeking statutory approval.
In addition to a statutory land use policy, national building codes must also be developed.

109 Strategic Initiatives/Actions Goal 2: Carbon footprint will be reduced Given the relatively large quantity of greenhouse gas emissions from the power generation transportation and industrial sectors, energy efficiency, using alternative fuels, and renewable energy technology, provide the greatest opportunities to reduce the carbon footprint.
This will aid in improving energy security and contribute to the meeting of international obligations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

This would also reduce the demand for natural gas for power generation, particularly given the reduced supply potential.

In enhancing energy efficiency and increasing the proportion of renewable energy in power generation, opportunities can be created for the establishment of new industries and sustainable employment.
Additionally, empowering the citizens to make more economically and environmentally wiser choices, will complement efforts to change attitudes toward other areas of the environment.

2.1 Assess the renewable energy potential Strategic Initiatives/Actions Conduct a wind resource assessment survey to determine the feasibility of wind-generated power and citing of potential wind farms.
A similar examination to maximise the potential of solar power will be undertaken, including use of commercially available technology such as solar street lighting.

Pilot projects of solar lighting in the major cities and street lights on roadways will be implemented.

2.2 Promote investment in renewable energy generation plants Government will provide the incentives for investment in renewable energy power plants.
2.3 Greater utilization of clean technology Government will provide the incentives for the use of cleaner technology in the industrial sector, and alternative fuels and energy sources in the transportation sector.

2.4 Develop and implement greenhouse gas mitigation strategies Nationally appropriate greenhouse gas mitigation actions will be designed and implemented in keeping with international guidelines.
Goal 3: Climate vulnerability will be assessed As a small island developing state, Trinidad and Tobago is particularly vulnerable to the projected impacts of climate change.

This includes sea level rise which could result in coastal flooding, loss of habitats, loss of property and livelihoods, and loss of agricultural land.

This can also have a severe impact on the stability of our economy.
It is necessary therefore to identify vulnerable 110 areas/communities in order to design and implement effective adaptation strategies.

Effective adaptation will facilitate building of climate resilience and sustainable development.

The mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions is also particularly important to Trinidad and Tobago given our use of oil and gas in various industries.
This country is bound internationally to reduce these emissions in order to contribute to the global goal of reducing global warming to less than 2 degrees Celsius.

Likewise, it is necessary to design and implement actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

3.1 Determine Areas of Greatest Climate Risk Strategic Initiatives/Actions Identify climate vulnerability and risk in various sectors through the Conduct of Vulnerability and Risk Assessments to the projected impacts of climate change.
3.2 Design and implement adaptation actions for vulnerable sectors Adaptation options implemented based on vulnerability and risk assessments.

Goal 4: Comprehensive waste and pollution management systems will be created Trinidad and Tobago continues to experience challenges with the establishment of an effective waste management system.
The adverse impacts of improper disposal of solid waste include flooding as a result of clogged waterways, infestation of vermin, vector-borne diseases, and other health related impacts.

Increasing incidences of landfill fires also result in air pollution that contains potentially harmful and carcinogenic chemicals such as persistent organic pollutants (POPs).
Improper waste and pollution management also has ramifications that extend beyond the national scale, and Trinidad and Tobago must uphold its international commitments to manage toxic chemicals, ozone depleting gases and waste in a manner that seeks to protect human health and the environment.
Strategic Initiatives/Actions 4.1 Improving solid waste disposal Conduct studies to determine the most efficient manner of solid waste disposal including the feasibility of waste-to-energy conversion versus recycling, and establishment of sanitary landfills and rehabilitation of existing dumps.
4.2 Create the mechanisms for effective implementation of the international commitments for chemicals and waste Conduct inventories to quantify existing toxic chemicals such as persistent organic pollutants and mercury and prioritise hazardous and electronic waste streams for management.
Strengthen the regulatory, infrastructural and legislative frameworks to address management of toxic chemicals and hazardous wastes 4.3 Improve management systems for pollution 111 Strategic Initiatives/Actions Implement water pollution and waste water management programmes and regulations Implement air pollution management programmes and regulations Phase out the use of ozone depleting substances and improve operation of the air conditioning and refrigeration sector Goal 5: Natural resource management will be improved Trinidad and Tobago’s rich biological resources, (terrestrial and marine), are of great importance to all sectors of Trinidad and Tobago and play a critical role in the socio economic development of the country.
From the food we eat to the air we breathe, all aspects of our daily life are supported by the ecosystems around us, and these resources are the basis upon which all other sectors depend.

The pressure from man-made threats is weakening natural processes and has pushed livelihoods of vulnerable communities to their limits.

Therefore the conservation of biodiversity and the environment is essential to the future of this country.
The economic value of biodiversity in Trinidad and Tobago can be found from the natural forests and coastal lowland mangroves to coral reefs, all of which support sustainable livelihoods activities such as fishing, craft, eco-tourism and tour guiding and other nature-based activities.
5.1 Rehabilitate Degraded Areas and Protect Endangered and Threatened Species Strategic Initiatives/Actions Develop species recovery plans Develop management plans for selected protected areas Develop a national protected areas system plan 5.2 Protect Coastal and Marine Areas 5.3 Develop and implement an integrated coastal zone management plan and spatial marine plan Improve the Use of Data for the Management of Biodiversity Develop a data management information system to support decision-making for the management of biodiversity 5.4 Reduce rate of loss of natural habitats Improve implementation of land use policies and plans at the national and local levels Improve the use of natural resources to enhance the ecotourism product CHAPTER 6 Implementation and Results In the Vision 2030 national development planning process, a renewed emphasis is placed on implementation and results as well as establishing the necessary machinery to boost progress and establishing key partnerships.
In the current economic climate, emphasis is being placed on 112 ensuring that programmes and projects are adequately linked to policies and strategies to maximise the use of available resources while achieving the desired developmental impact.

All segments of society must play a role in our development.

Government will do its part in facilitating private sector led development as well as in improving its efficiency, transparency and service delivery towards achieving Vision 2030.
In order to achieve better development results, Government will take decisive action to increase the rate of implementation of development interventions.
Ministries and agencies responsible for executing the Vision 2030 Strategy will be expected to work in new and collaborative ways in developing their plans, with strengthened structures and systems for execution and performance management, grounded in the Vision 2030 National Development Strategy and supported by a robust and relevant investment programme.
Government will build the human and institutional capabilities to ensure effective implementation of Vision 2030 and by extension the achievement of our national goals, both at the line ministry level and at the centre ministries, and indeed across all sectors.

The Critical Success Factors: In moving forward, the successful implementation of Vision 2030 will rest on critical and foundational reforms which, given their importance, were discussed in Chapter 4.
These are the critical success factors necessary for the realisation of our vision and therefore defines the fundamentals required:  Transformations to our values, attitudes and behaviours – As mentioned, this is a long term process that involves all stakeholders, not just the Government.

However, the change process must begin now.

Government will lead this change process by commencing with interventions within its sphere of control.

 Transformation of our key institutions.


In implementing, this will require much cooperation and support by citizens as well as members of Parliament, including the Opposition, as it will require, in many instances, legislative changes.

 Reforms to our macro-economic policy.


Key decisions regarding our financial system must be taken and effected in order to facilitate improved fiscal prudence and financial management of the country’s resource It is also recognised that apart from these critical success factors identified above, there are also key enablers that must also be addressed as a matter of priority if implementation is to be successful and if we are to achieve the desired results.
These enablers, which are discussed further below, are as follows: 113  Harmonising the Budgeting and Planning Processes  Building the capability for effective implementation There are also specific, additional actions that must be undertaken by stakeholders in effecting the immediate Implementation Plan.

These actions are also highlighted below and pertain to:  The Requirements of the Public Sector – The actions identified are specific to the roll out plan of Vision 2030 for the ministries.
The intention is to have the Vision embraced and ownership inculcated.

 Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) – Those actions associated with the establishment of the M&E Framework for Vision 2030 are presented.

 Establishing the Instructional Mechanisms For Vision 2030 – This identifies the leading and coordinating agencies that will drive implementation.

Finally, as mentioned, the successful implementation of Vision 2030 does not only fall under the remit of Government alone.
The importance of building partnerships with all segments of society and more so each key stakeholder taking ownership of the Vision cannot be underscored.

This partnership will be built through collaboration in formulating action plans towards addressing the issues highlighted in this document.
Our regional and international development partners are also integral to the implementation of Vision 2030 as they not only provide financial resource but also technical assistance and exposure to the dynamic global sphere.

The Enablers to Successful Implementation: 1.


Improving the Effectiveness of the Budget and Planning System Re-orienting the Budget System Improving the effectiveness of public spending is a critical success factor as it is necessary to achieve greater efficiencies in terms of time and particularly given limited resources.
Re-orienting the current budgetary system from its current line item format to one which identifies outputs to be delivered at specific cost, for example, kilometres of road paved as well as recognises costs that via an accrual system of accounting is imperative.

The Public Financial Management Reform Strategy was discussed earlier in Chapter five in relation to fiscal transparency.
Establishing a Medium Term Expenditure Framework: A Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) must be developed in order to facilitate alignment of the NDS to the budget.

Achieving long term development goals, in most instances, is a multi-year endeavour and it is imperative that financing is made available over time to ensure the continuation of projects/programmes until completion.
The MTEF process entails two main 114 objectives: the first aims at setting fiscal targets, the second aims at allocating resources to strategic priorities within these targets.

To this end, MTEF will be prepared to ensure that development planning is grounded in a macro-fiscal framework which will allow for continuity in the implementation of strategic priorities.

Further, the MTEF will guide the preparation of the three-year PSIP.
Setting priorities and the PSIP The PSIP, which constitutes the capital expenditure component of the National Budget, is intended to be the mechanism through which development policies and plans can be turned into tangible outcomes through well-defined projects/programmes.

A well-functioning PSIP framework should, therefore, match capital investment to national priorities, and achieve these priorities by selecting a set of viable projects for funding and implementation.
It would also allow for monitoring the implementation of the capital programmes and include mechanisms for holding Ministries, Departments and other executing agencies accountable for project implementation.

Conceptually, the PSIP should comprise investment projects which are transformational in nature and is reflective of the country’s development objectives and priorities as articulated in its national development plans.
However, over the years, the PSIP has become replete with proposals that are not necessarily aligned to national and sectoral priorities, many of which are recurrent in nature.

The PSIP will, therefore, be re-focused to comprise a core set of projects/programmes that is of high priority in terms of achieving the objectives of Vision 2030.

In selecting projects/programmes for implementation, these will be prioritised and ranked according to their impact on achieving Vision 2030 goals.
Prioritising will take place at two levels— at the Ministry of Planning and Development, which manages the Public Sector Investment formulates the Programme projects/programmes.

Ministries at both levels will utilize specific criteria for ranking new interventions, based on efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability, the specifics of which will differ depending on the particular sector and problem targeted.
(PSIP), and at the ministry identifies and level which Improving Procurement A public procurement process that ensures value for money must be transparent and standardised and should not be so onerous so as to delay implementation.

As mentioned, procurement legislation will be amended and enacted and ministries strengthened to undertake procurement of goods and services.

2.
2.

Building the Capability for Achieving Vision 2030 115 Our ability to achieve long terms development goals and undertake the key actions required hinges on our human resource capability to undertake and successfully implement initiatives for the delivery of outcomes.

Building the human resource capacity to implement Vision 2030 must be addressed on a national scale.
Filling the current skills gaps within the country in key sectors will require new and innovative strategies, including tapping into the Diaspora, providing incentives to retain our best talent in the country and attract foreign expertise, and making our education system relevant to the skills required for effective transformation of our country.

In order to determine the human resource requirements for implementing Vision 2030, a manpower assessment will be undertaken.
Within the Public sector, each ministry, in collaboration with its sector-wide counterparts, will be required to conduct a skills assessment to determine the gaps that must be filled to build the ministry’s and sector’s capacity to implement Vision 2030.

To ensure effective management of the Vision 2030 project/programmes, Ministries must build their skills bank in policy development, project selection and formulation, project management and monitoring and evaluation.
It must be stressed that this policy life cycle approach to implementing Vision 2030 is intended to ensure that we get the process right from the very start since an inappropriate policy or intervention could derail achievement of our goals.
If we are to transform our country, there must be continuous investments in building an innovative, highly skilled and motivated workforce which is critical to the efficient and effective undertaking of responsibilities and actions that are linked to national development.

The Implementation Plan: The Role of the Public Sector One of the key implementation stakeholder of the Vision 2030 NDS is the public sector.
As mentioned, as a matter of priority, relevant public sector agencies must commence action towards ensuring that the critical success factors and enablers identified above are addressed.

In addition, upon finalisation of the Vision 2030 NDS, Ministries and Departments will be required to develop their own operational plans at the ministerial/departmental levels and accept responsibility for delivery.

In so doing, each Ministry and Department is expected to undertake a strategic review process.
This process will involve an examination of the National Development short term Goals, outlined in this Vision 2030 National Development Strategy, as well as address the urgent national and sectoral challenges which our country faces.

An assessment must be made regarding how each can contribute to addressing the goals or issues given its mandate.

This contribution will entail the development of closely linked Ministry/Department level goals, programmes/projects and activities.
These plans will be required to be completed within three months after the approval of the NDS by Cabinet.

The strategies presented in Chapter 5 is a first 116 step in this process.

Figure 6.1 below shows diagrammatically how this alignment can be addressed.

Figure 6.1 Operationalising the National Vision Ministries and Departments will also be required to include transformational programmes/projects in the Plans.
A synopsis of possible areas for national transformational programmes are highlighted in the Figure 6.2 below.

Programmes or projects are not limited to these broad areas.
117 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Source: Socio Economic Policy Panning Division Ministry of Planning and Development National Development Themes National Sustainable Development Goals (2016-2020) j Ministry and Sector Goals Ministry Programme/Project Policy Activity 1 Activity 2 Activity 3 Vision 2030 National Vision Figure 6.2 National Transformation Programmes 21st Century Infrastructure Programme Green Society Development Programme Industrial Upgrading Programme Public Sector Service Delivery Programme Cultural and Creative Industries Development Programme Doubling Tourists Arrivals Programme Food Security Development Programme Global Skills Cultivation Programme Healthy Citizens Development Programme National Programmes New Environmentally- friendly Homes and Communities Programmes Ease of Doing Business Programme Priority funding will be given by Government for programme and projects that meet the above considerations within the 2017/2018 Budget.
Ministries and Departments must also identify the interventions that would address development gaps and then formulate appropriate project/programmes whose results would bridge those gaps.

Further, these interventions must be clearly articulated in relation to problem identification and project formulation in accordance with the guidelines of the Call Circular.

They must also be evidence-based and include outputs and outcome indicators that are measureable.
It is also expected that all required resources be identified for these interventions including human resources for data collection, M&E and project management as necessary.

Moreover, Ministries and Department will no longer operate in ‘silos’ and will adopt an integrated and a ‘whole of Government’ approach to implementation as national development objectives are hardly linear and mostly intertwined.

As such, each Plan must be contextualised within the broader sector focus.
For example, inculcating healthy habits among the population will require the cooperation of several ministries, including Health, Education and Social Development.

Thus, consideration must be given to the sector in which the Ministry/Department operates as well as the role of other relevant key stakeholders in order to avoid duplication and ensure synergies, where necessary, in planning and execution.
They will be required to collaborate in developing their individual plans and coordinate with other actors on strategy, planning, budget and operations.

118 Embracing the vision will also require that Ministries and Departments accept responsibility for their actions and be held accountable for delivery of the Strategy that fall within their mandates.
It should also be noted that following the development and approval of these Ministry Plans, a strategic review process for all national policies must also occur in order to ensure alignment with the Policies outlined in the NDS.
The Institutional Mechanisms for Vision 2030 Coordination Mechanism for the implementation of the Vision 2030 Plan As Vision 2030 plans and policies are to be executed across all sectors, there must be a central coordinating mechanism from a central point to provide oversight for implementation of the Plan.
To this end, an independent, multi-sectoral advisory committee, comprising representatives from the public and private sectors, labour, academia and civil society; that reports to the Prime Minister, will be established to provide oversight and advice on the implementation of the development agenda articulated in the NDS.
This Committee will also provide guidance for:  the establishment of a Vision 2030 Delivery Unit in the Ministry of Planning and Development to implement and manage the key transformational programme/projects;  human resource requirements; and  any revisions that must be considered in light of changing circumstances.
This committee will be supported by the Ministry of Planning and Development, Ministry of Finance and the Tobago House of Assembly and these will be strengthened to incorporate this coordinating function.
From this vantage point, the Delivery Unit will have a portfolio of projects and will be able to facilitate an integrated approach to project planning and execution where needed, sequence resource allocation of priorities, avoid duplication, determine the gaps that must be addressed and promote holistic development.
In addition, an inter-ministerial and multi- disciplinary team will be established under the purview of the Ministry of Planning and Development to appraise projects/programmes to ensure alignment with the Vision 2030 goals and to prioritise them for funding under the PSIP.

Monitoring and Evaluation towards Strengthening Performance Measurement: Data and information management is critical for monitoring and evaluating performance towards the achievement of the national development agenda.
The Ministry of Planning and Development will produce a new National Performance Framework (NPF) in keeping with the National Development Goals and the SDGs.

Each Ministry and Department will then be required to produce ministry-level performance frameworks (MPF) that are aligned the NPF.
119 Partnerships for Development In order for Trinidad and Tobago to attain developed nation status, it is imperative that there is collaboration among all stakeholders, nationally, regionally and internationally and in particular, individuals, civil society, the private sector and government.
The Government will establish and maintain successful partnerships and build on the strengths of all its stakeholders including forming relationships with the Diaspora and strengthening the framework for Public Private Partnerships (PPPs).

Further, whereas Government will lead in activities under its purview to effect change, an invitation to all stakeholders is extended in relation to implementing Vision 2030.
As mentioned, the philosophy is that stakeholder groups are partners in development and Government cannot effectively bring about development on its own.

Stakeholders are asked to collaborate with each other and develop action plans to tackle issues that impact their realisation of Vision 2030.

Government remains with arms outstretched, ready to collaborate in relation to issues of national concern.
In this way, it is anticipated that there will be an increase of effective dialogue, partnerships, volunteerism among all groups interested in the development of Trinidad and Tobago, for the benefit of all.

The role of various stakeholders in the development of the country is further outlined below.
The Government Apart from the actions described above in relation to the role of the public sector, Government will facilitate development within the country by creating an enabling environment which encourages private sector led development and socio-economic stability.

In so doing, efforts to build trust by citizens and investors will be undertaken by adhering to the principles of transparency, integrity and accountability.
It will also ensure the delivery of predictable, excellent service to our people by putting the citizen at the centre of public services.

Government is also committed to building capacity and ensuring that the resources, structures and systems are approved for the implementation of Vision 2030.

Further, encouraging ‘buy-in’ from the public and other stakeholders for this Development Strategy through consultation and sustained communication will increase the chance of successful outcomes.
As such, Government will engage all segments of society in the development process.

Private Sector Government will develop partnerships with the private sector as it enables a platform for dialogue between businesses and government to ensure in that the long run the private sector spearheads development.
In so doing, participation of the private sector in public projects, via PPPs as well as the provision of Government with first-hand information to facilitate the ease of doing business, will be critical in encouraging growth.
While institutional reforms and macro-economic policy are 120 under the purview of Government and government agencies, it is expected that in respect of the diversification agenda, the private sector will take ownership and leadership of key initiatives with the Government providing support and facilitation as required.
In order to achieve this, Government agencies will engage relevant private sector firms and representative bodies at the earliest stages of discussion and planning of the initiatives related to economic diversification and coordinate the involvement of other Government ministries and departments, the universities, and state-owned enterprises in those discussions for the development of specific initiatives and projects for the industries identified collaboratively with the private sector.
Civil Society and Labour As Government seeks to undertake major initiatives such as Local Government Reform and many other transformational adjustments to our key institutions, civil society and labour will play a crucial role in the development process and implementation.

The proposed approach to labour is outlined in Chapter five, under the Guidelines for Incomes Policy.
Civil society is also asked to assist in building positive VABs, as also suggested in Chapter 5 in relation to the recommendations for cultural change.

A More Impactful NGO (non-profit) Sector Trinidad and Tobago has over three thousand NGOs.33 They contribute to many sectors but primarily function as Faith Based Organisations and within the social sector.

Government recognises the importance of NGOs in the country’s development.
Its intention is to help build these organisations, so that their programmes and projects have greater development impact.

In so doing, it is recognised that there is need for a suitable institutional mechanism that will facilitate deeper interaction and collaboration between Government and NGOs.

Despite the limited success of past attempts in achieving this, renewed efforts will be made towards this agenda.
This mechanism, will not only facilitate collaboration but also serve to help institutionally strengthen NGOs through greater technical capability and efficiency.

This pertains to for example, the implementation of policies such as whistle blower, conflict of interest, compensation, training and auditing policies.

An improved NGO sector will not only have greater development impact, but will also be able to attract more funding as well as short term volunteers and long term career workers.
33 Inter-American Development Bank Non-Government Organisations Listing.

121 Government will continue to lend support to NGOs’ whose projects and programmes are aligned to the development needs of the country.

At the same time, there is need to review these concessions with the intention of avoiding duplication of limited resources.

This is currently being undertaken by the Grants Committee.
A call is therefore made for citizens establishing new NGOs to consider non-traditional, non-duplicative areas in which development interventions are critically needed.

These include for example sectors such as agriculture, energy, the environment and ICT.

Government is of the view that a number of opportunities for growth of the NGO sector, exist within these areas and that the skills of many new graduates could be utilised.
The Diaspora Government recognises the potential contribution of the Diaspora to economic growth such as through increased trade via access to new markets and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

Government will seek to engage not only the Trinidad and Tobago Diaspora but the indeed the wider Caribbean Diaspora.

As a first step, an assessment of the Diaspora profile including areas for possible collaboration will be undertaken.
Additionally, a structure to enable transfer of knowledge and skills to the public and private sectors, civil society and other segments of society must be developed.

In so doing, Government will offer financial and non-financial incentives and assurances to entice Diaspora resources.
These can include easier access to legal status, citizenship, building capacities of existing services and institutions dealing with migration and Diaspora issues, and reduced bureaucratic procedures and administrative hurdles for cross-border transactions.

Global partnerships As a small island developing economy, Trinidad and Tobago must, out of necessity, engage with the rest of the world as it seeks to open up an economic space for itself.
Not only has inter- dependence among states heightened due to globalization and technology, but borders have become more porous particularly in areas such as health and security.

These cross border issues can only be addressed in concert with other countries.

Trinidad and Tobago’s Foreign Policy will therefore continue to be based on the pursuit of its national development agenda, namely, promoting sustainable development, peace and citizen security.
The pillars of the country’s foreign policy are therefore: (i) consistent and effective relationship with the United States of America (ii) closer cooperation and collaboration with Latin America, (iii) A resurgent relationship with the European Union and Britain, and (iv) deepening our relationship with Africa and Asia.

A summary of the recommendations discussed above is presented in Table 6.2 below.
122 Policy Area Improving The Effectiveness of the Budget and Planning System Building the capacity for Achieving Vision 2030 Vision 2030 Implementation Plan Institutional Mechanism for Vision 2030 Building Partnerships Table 6.2 Summary of Recommendations for Implementation and Results 1.

Implement the Public Financial Management Reform Strategy Ministry of Finance Recommendations Agencies Responsible 2.

Prepare and implement a Medium Terms Expenditure Framework (MTEF) Ministry of Finance; 3.
Refocus the PSIP to comprise a core set of programmes/projects that is of high priority in terms of achieving the objectives of Vision 2030.

This will entail phasing out a number of programmes/programmes within a specified time period.

4.

Amendment and enactment of the procurement legislation and Ministries strengthened to undertake procurement of good and services 5.

Establish robust criteria for prioritising new programmes and projects at the Ministry/Department level 6.
Assessment of the manpower needs and skills to undertake and successfully implement initiatives for the delivery of outcomes on two levels, within the Public Sector and nationally.

7.

Undertake a strategic review process with the output being the development of a Vision 2030 Ministry/Department Plan.

This Plan will link Ministry/Department related programmes/projects and activities, to the Vision 2030 Development Strategy and relevant sector in which the agency operates.

goals, policies level and 8.


Development of Vision 2030 Performance Frameworks.

These would include a revised National Performance Framework and Ministry level Performance Frameworks.

9.

Establish performance contracts for Permanent Secretaries for the delivery of the Vision 2030 Ministry/Department Plan.

10.
10.

Establishment of a Vision 2030 Delivery Unit in the Ministry of Planning and Development which will be responsible for implementing and managing key projects/programmes which are considered to be ‘transformational’ and instrumental to achieving Vision 2030 11.
Establishment of an independent Vision 2030 multi-sectoral advisory committee, the Prime Minister, comprising representatives from the public and private sectors, labour, academia and civil society to provide advice on the implementation of the development agenda reports that to Planning Ministry of Development Ministry and of Development; Ministry of Finance Planning and Ministry of Finance; Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs All Ministries, Department All Ministries, Ministry of Planning and Development All Ministries, Departments All Ministries and Departments of Ministry Development Planning and Office of the Prime Minister 12.
Development of a National Performance Framework which is aligned to the Vision 2030 Strategy 13.

Engage all segments of society (Labour, Civil Society etc.)

in effecting the major transformations recommended such as Local Government Reform and changes to our institutional structures and systems.

14.

Work with the private sector to promote innovation, create employment, develop patterns of sustainable production, develop inter-firm linkages, and strengthen the country’s human capital.
This includes establishing Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) as necessary.

Establish an institutional mechanism to engage and build NGOs.

15.

Increase diaspora engagement by firstly undertaking a diaspora profile and secondly, providing financial and non-financial incentives to attract diaspora resources.
of Ministry Development Planning and All relevant Departments and Agencies Ministries, All relevant Departments and Agencies Ministries, Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs 123 APPENDICES Appendix I: Review of Expenditure by Function The allocations of expenditure according to functions or the socio-economic objectives of the government are reviewed in this section.
Over the period 2004‒2015, central government expenditure tripled from $18,707 million (mn) in 2004 to $54,694 mn in 2015.

The total expenditure for the period was $506,099 mn of which general public services34 accounted for $186,362 mn, social protection $87,691 mn, education $65,402 mn, economic affairs $51,009 mn, and defence, public order and safety $47,755 mn.

The breakdown by sector and annual amounts of these expenditures is shown in Chart 1.
Chart 1: Expenditure by Function, 2004-2015 (TTD millions) s n o i l l i M D T T 30,000 25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 0 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 General Public Services* Public order and safety** Environmental protection*** Health Education Defense Economic Affairs Housing and community amenities Recreation, culture & religion Social Protection Source: Ministry of Finance Estimates of Expenditure35 (2006-2017) * Includes expenditures not classified by a major group ** Includes expenditure on police & fire protection, law courts, prison administration and personnel *** Data for environmental protection N/A General Public Services, which is the largest category of expenditure, ballooned from $7,457 in 2004 to $13,976 mn in 2007, and $24,485 mn in 2008, which was the year of the global financial crisis.
Subsequently, spending on General Public Services fell to $14,839 in 2009 and rose to $16,069 mn in 2015.

Social protection was the second highest category of expenditure.
In fact, 34 According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Government Finance Statistics Manual, General Public Services includes spending on areas such as executive and legislative organs, financial and fiscal affairs, external affairs, foreign economic aid, basic research, R&D related to general public services, public debt services, transfers of a general character between different levels of government.

35 Data for Environmental Protection was not available.
124 spending on social protection increased from $2,157 mn in 2004 to a high of $14,178 mn in 2014, and declined to $12,139 mn in 2015.

Growth in spending on economic affairs has been somewhat subdued, increasing from $2,382 mn in 2004 to $4,638 mn in 2015.

Charts 2 and 3 below, show the proportion of total expenditures allocated to the various functional expenditure categories by percentages.
Although spending on general public services accounted for the largest portion of total government expenditure, its share consistently declined throughout the period, falling from 40 percent in 2004 to 29 percent in 2015.

In contrast, the largest increase in the allocation of expenditure occurred in social protection, which increased from 11 percent in 2004 to 22 percent in 2015.
Housing and community amenities also recorded an increase in its share of expenditure for the period from one percent in 2004 to six percent in 2015.

Although spending on public order and safety, education and health accounted for a similar individual proportion of total expenditure in 2004 and 2015, respectively, their actual expenditures increased significantly due to the overall increase in total spending.
Chart 3: Expenditure by Function, 2015 (%) General Public Services* 22% Defense 29% Public order and safety** Chart 2: Expenditure by Function, 2004 (%) 11% General Public Services* Defense Public order and safety** Economic Affairs 40% Environmental protection*** Housing and community amenities Health 14% 15% 1% 8% 1% 13% 3% 8% Recreation, culture & religion Education Social Protection 2% 8% 6% 9% 2% 8% Economic Affairs Housing and community amenities Health Recreation, culture & religion Education Social Protection * Includes expenditures not classified by a major group ** Includes expenditure on police & fire protection, law courts, prison administration and personnel *** Data for environmental protection N/A Although the amount spent on economic affairs represents the fifth highest level of expenditure among the various categories, spending on economic affairs as a share of total expenditure, fell throughout the period from 13 percent in 2004 to eight percent of expenditure in 2015.
However, spending on economic affairs increased marginally from an estimated 2.8 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2004 to approximately 3.1 percent of GDP in 201536.

36 Estimates based on GDP figures taken from the Ministry of Finance, Review of the Economy 2007-2016 125 Appendix II: Review of Vision 2020 In 2002, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago embarked on a journey to make Trinidad and Tobago a developed country by the year 2020.
The Plan was known as Vision 2020 and articulated a vision that would bring prosperity and a higher quality of life for all citizens of Trinidad and Tobago.

The process of developing the Vision 2020 Plan was led by a Multi-sectoral Group that was chaired by Mr. Arthur Lok Jack and comprised private and public sector experts.

Vision 2020 was embraced by persons from various segments of the society and culminated in a comprehensive consultative process involving 28 Vision 2020 Sub-committees.
The committees comprised sector experts from the public and private sectors, labour, academia, civil society and international development agencies.

As a result, over 80 consultations were held across the length and breadth of Trinidad and Tobago.

The process produced 27 sub-committee reports and the final product: the Vision 2020 National Strategic Plan.

Vision 2020 was built upon five development pillars which were distilled from the overall vision.
These development pillars were: Developing Innovative People; Nurturing a Caring Society; Enabling Competitive Business; Investing in Sound Infrastructure and the Environment; and Promoting Effective Government.
On the basis of the National Strategic Plan, a Vision 2020 Operational Plan for the medium-term (2007‒2010) was developed in 2006 as the implementation mechanism through which the vision could be achieved while the Vision 2020 Programme Management Office, located within the Ministry of Planning and Development, was tasked with overseeing implementation.

It should also be noted that within the five development pillars, 22 National Goals were identified alongside 125 Strategic Objectives.
As Trinidad and Tobago moves towards achieving the new, national strategic plan, Vision 2030, it is important to understand the country’s past development efforts under the umbrella of Vision 2020.

Key questions must be answered such as what were the successes and failures of Vision 2020 and more essentially, what were the lessons learnt that as a nation we can build upon in accomplishing Vision 2030.
During 2006 to May 2010, the period under review, 85 of the 125 objectives of Vision 2020 were either ongoing or achieved as shown in Table AII.1.

It must be noted that a considerable amount of activities were ongoing at the end of the review period, in comparison to those achieved, since many required a longer implementation timeframe.
In addition, the data in Table 1, below, shows that a higher percentage of objectives were accomplishments under the development pillars of Nurturing a Caring Society and Enabling Competitive Business.

However, in spite of the high percentage of activities already underway, in 2010, priorities and strategies were shifted due to a change in political administration.

A full Review Report of the Vision 2020, is available on the Ministry of Planning and Development’s website.
It highlights a review of the planning process as 126 well as the implementation progress by development pillars, taking into consideration the goals, objectives, key projects/programmes as well as policies and legislation.

Presented below is a statistical summary of achievements by objectives as well as the lessons.
Statistical Summary of Vision 2020 PerformanceDevelopment Goal Number of Goals Number of Objectives Percentage (%) Objectives Achieved Percentage (%) Objectives in which Activities Were Ongoing at the End of 2009 Percentage (%) Objectives in which No Significant Progress Was Made Developing Innovative People Nurturing a Caring Society Enabling Competitive Business Investing in Sound Infrastructure and the Environment Promoting Effective Government Total Summary of Objectives by Development Pillar and National Goals Developing Innovative People Goal 1 - The people of Trinidad and Tobago will be well known for excellence in innovation Objectives Achieved Ongoing at the end of 2009 No Significant Progress 1.
Promote a culture of excellence in innovation among all citizens 2.

Promote closer networking of Science and Technology Institution 3.

Significantly increase the level of investment in R&D both by public and private sectors 4.

5.

6.

Increase the number of patents granted Increase the number of research results commercialised Increase the number of research publications 7.
Upgrade the quality of scientific institutions    127     Objectives Achieved Ongoing at the end of 2009 No Significant Progress 8.

Increase the complement of young person’s involve in research activities 9.

Establish an effective regulatory environment for innovation   Goal 2 - Trinidad and Tobago will have a seamless, self-renewing, high quality education system Objectives Achieved Ongoing at the end of 2009 No Significant Progress 1.
Achieve universal access to Early Childcare and Education  2.

Strengthen and integrate curricula from pre-primary to tertiary level 3.

Build human resource capacity to deliver the new curricula 4.

Establish quality standards for all levels of the education system 5.

Upgrade the ICT capability of the education system 6.

7.

Improve institutional capacity to deliver a seamless, high quality service Improve testing and assessment and international benchmarking 8.
Create an environment for continued professional development of teachers 9.

Create an environment for continuous learning         Goal 3 - A high-skilled, talented and knowledgeable workforce will stimulate innovation-driven growth and development Objectives Achieved Ongoing at the end of 2009 No Significant Progress  1.

Increase participation in tertiary education to 45 percent 2.

Create a talent pool of Scientists, Technicians and Researchers 3.

Up skill the labour force 4.


Create an effective and efficient National Innovation System    128 Goal 4 - The richness of our diverse culture will serve as a powerful engine to inspire innovation and creativity.

Objectives 1.

Preserve the culture heritage of Trinidad and Tobago 2.

Develop vibrant Art and Craft industries 3.

Increase the number of persons involved in indigenous crafts industry 4.
Develop and innovation data base Nurturing a Caring Society Achieved Ongoing at the end of 2009 No Significant Progress     Goal 1 - The foundation of Trinidad and Tobago will be strong families and strong communities Objectives Achieved Ongoing at the end of 2009 No Significant Progress 1.

Reduce the number of divorces 2.

Reduce the incidence of youth delinquency 3.

Reduce the number of cases of child maintenance 4.

Reduce the incidence of domestic violence 5.


Reduce the number of repeat offenders 6.

Reduce teenage pregnancy 7.

Increase access of population to community services        Goal 2 - Poverty will be significantly reduced Objectives Achieved Ongoing at the end of 2009 No Significant Progress 1.

Reduce the number of persons living below the poverty line by 1 percent per year.

 129 Goal 3 - All citizens will have access to adequate and affordable housing Objectives 1.
Construct 8,000 housing unit annually (under Government’s housing programme) 2.

Construct 2,000 housing units annually (private sector) 3.

4.

5.
4.

5.

Increase the number of households to benefit from Home Improvement Grants to 1500 annually Increase the number of Home improvement Subsidies to 650 annually Increase the number of New Home Subsidies to 1000 annually Achieved Ongoing at the end of 2009 No Significant Progress     Goal 4 - All citizens will be empowered to lead long, healthy lifestyles and have adequate access to an efficient healthcare delivery system Objectives Achieved Ongoing at the end of 2009 No Significant Progress 1.
Increase Life Expectancy Rate from 68.4 to 68.6 2.

Reduce Infant Mortality Rate from 24.2 per 1,000 to 15 3.

Reduce deaths by Lifestyle Diseases by 4.

25 percent Increase the number of Physicians from 10 per 10,000 population to 12     Goal 5 - The HIV/AIDS Epidemic will be contained and care will be provided for those infected and affected Objectives Achieved Ongoing at the end of 2009 No Significant Progress 1.

Reduce the rate of HIV infection 2.

Reduce the number of deaths from AIDS 3.


Reduce the number of infected infants born to HIV infected mothers 4.

Increase the number of HIV positive pregnant women receiving a complete course of anti-retroviral drugs to reduce the risk of mother to child infection     130 5.

Objectives Increase the number of PLWHA and affected persons receiving economic and social support 6.
Reduce discrimination against HIV infected persons and increase percentage of population with full, correct knowledge of HIV/AIDS Achieved Ongoing at the end of 2009 No Significant Progress   Goal 6 - All citizens will have access to and participate in a sporting or recreational activity in keeping with our ‘Sport for All’ philosophy.

Objectives Achieved Ongoing at the end of 2009 No Significant Progress    1.
Increase the proportion of the population involve in sporting and recreational activities 2.

Motivate more females to participate in sporting or recreational activities 3.

Facilitate the preparation of high  4. performance athletes to compete in international sporting events Implement a Health and Physical Education Curriculum in all schools at all levels 5.
Promote Trinidad and Tobago as the hub of the Caribbean sort activities and potion the country as the preferred destination for international sporting events among Caribbean countries 6.

Establish and implement a structured programme for high performance sport   Enabling Competitive Business Goal 1- Macroeconomic stability will be maintained 1.

Objectives Increase GNP per capita by at least 9 percent annum 2.

Maintain price stability 3.

Achieve full employment 4.


Maintain balanced budgets or surpluses 5.

Reduce the non-energy fiscal deficit Achieved Ongoing at the end of 2009 No Significant Progress      131 Objectives Achieved Ongoing at the end of 2009 No Significant Progress 6.

Maintain a healthy current account  surplus Goal 2 - A business climate that attracts investors and encourages competitive businesses to start and grow will be created Objectives Achieved Ongoing at the end of 2009 No Significant Progress 1.
Improve Trinidad and Tobago’s business competitiveness  2.

Facilitate research and Development investments in business enterprises 3.

4.

5.

Increase the number of new business Increase productivity per worker Increase the number of business clusters 6.

Streamline the regulatory procedures for establish businesses      Goal 3 - Competitive businesses will transform Trinidad and Tobago into a diversified economy with exciting growth opportunities 1.
Objectives Increase the contribution of the non- energy sector to GDP 2.

Reverse the decline in agriculture 3.

Ensure sustainability of fisheries resources 4.

Develop new business clusters in the non-energy sector 5.
Maximise income from the energy sector and sustain its competitiveness Achieved Ongoing at the end of 2009 No Significant Progress      132 Investing in Sound Infrastructure and the Environment Goal 1 - Our development efforts will be supported by modern physical infrastructure that embodies the highest standards of quality, aesthetics and functionality.

Objectives Achieved Ongoing at the end of 2009 No Significant Progress 1.
Develop a modern, integrated transportation network that provides for the safe, convenient and efficient movement of people and goods within, into and out of the country 2.

Provide high quality economic infrastructure that supports high levels of economic growth and the development of competitive businesses 3.

Improve the visual appeal and functionality of all public facilities and buildings 4.

Provides community infrastructure that supports a vibrant living environment throughout the country 5.
Development drainage systems that meet ecological requirement and mitigate flooding and health hazards 6.

Instil an attitude of care and respect for public infrastructure among all citizens       Goal 2 - Trinidad and Tobago will be an inter-connected, technologically advanced society with modern information and communication system driving innovation, growth and social progress.

Objectives Achieved Ongoing at the end of 2009 No Significant Progress 1.
Develop a modern and competitive Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Sector 2.

Ensure that all citizens have access to efficient affordable and telecommunications and postal services 3.

Promote ICT acculturation among all citizens 4.

Expend the use of ICT to modernize the operations of the public sector 5.

Increase the availability of online government information and services      133 Objectives Achieved Ongoing at the end of 2009 No Significant Progress  6.
Promote the development of competitive ICT- based businesses 7.

Encourage greater use of ICT in business operations and market transactions 8.

Expand high speed Internet connectivity to all schools and libraries   Goal 3 - The utility sector (water, sewage and electricity) will be modern, customer oriented and technologically enable to provide efficient, cost effective, quality service to all citizens 1.

Objectives Improve the financial viability and operational efficiency of WASA and T&TEC 2.
Expand the coverage and improve the quality of public utility services Achieved Ongoing at the end of 2009 No Significant Progress   Goal 4 - The environment will be valued as a national asset and conserved for the benefits of future generations and the wider international community Objectives Achieved Ongoing at the end of 2009 1.

Prevent, reduce or where possible recycle all forms of waste 2.

Treat wastewater in accordance with world standards 3.
Conserve and enrich the vitality and diversity of our natural environment 4.

Create environmental infrastructure that enhance the quality of life of all citizens 5.

Promote judicious national physical development and the sustainable use and management of environment resources 6.

Instil an attitude of care and respect for the environment among all citizens 7.

Empower stakeholders including communities to care for their own environments 8.
Integrate the principles of sustainable development into national policies and programmes    134 No Significant Progress       Promoting Effective Government Goal 1 - Our society and our Government will adhere to good governance principle and practices Objectives 1.

Enhance the framework for democratic governance at the national and sub- national levels 2.
Strengthen the application of good governance principles and practices in the operations of all state, private sector and civil society bodies 3.

Nurture a culture of good governance and integrity at all level of society 4.
Reduce the opportunities for corruption and the abuse of power Achieved Ongoing at the end of 2009 No Significant Progress     Goal 2 - Our Public Institutions will be high performance professional entities effectively and efficiently meeting the needs of all their clients Objectives Achieved Ongoing at the end of 2009 No Significant Progress 1.

Build a competent high performing workforce with a strong commitment to service 2.
Instil a high performance quality service work ethos among all Public Officers based on the values of integrity, impartiality, accountability and transparency 3.

Encourage continuous learning, improvement and innovation in Public Institutions 4.

Re- focus the management and operations of Public Institutions toward achieving effective outcomes and creating public value 5.

Enhance the quality, accessibility, responsiveness and effectiveness of public services based on philosophy of good value 6.
Strengthen the capacity for research, planning, evaluation and performance measurement in the public sector     135   Objectives 7.

Create a comprehensive, co-ordinated national statistics system that delivers high quality, user- oriented, relevant and timely and environmental statistics economic, social Achieved Ongoing at the end of 2009 No Significant Progress  8.
Strengthen the system for financial management and public investment  Goal 3 - Trinidad and Tobago will have modern technologically advanced legal, regulatory and enforcement systems Objectives 1.

Provide efficient public legal services to all citizens and institutions in the country 2.
Strengthen the legal, regulatory and enforcement system Achieved Ongoing at the end of 2009 No Significant Progress   Goal 4 - All citizens will be assured of fair and equal justice Objectives Achieved Ongoing at the end of 2009 No Significant Progress 1.

Develop an independent and accountable judiciary that provides all citizens with equal access to justice 2.

Promotes just, efficient and expeditious criminal justice 3.
Develop a judicial system that ensures timely determination of cases in a fair and equitable manner and engenders public trust and confidence in the institution 4.

Ensure that civil matters are dealt with in an expeditious manner and is affordable to the average citizen 5.
Enhance and maintain the integrity of the judicial system      136 Goal 5 - Trinidad and Tobago will be safe and secure place to live, visit, do business and raise families Ongoing at the end of 2009  No Significant Progress         Objectives Achieved 1.

Significantly reduce crime by using a holistic, sustained approach that addresses the root causes of crime 2.

Reduce the involvement of young people in crime 3.

Increase the homicide detection rate 4.


Reduce recidivism through the rehabilitation and re- integration of offenders 5.

Instil a culture of law and order and respect for human life among all citizens 6.

Restore public trust and confidence in the Protective Service 7.

Create an integrated national security infrastructure which ensure that the issues of crime, public safety and national security are addressed on a holistic and sustained basis 8.
Protect the borders of Trinidad and Tobago from illegal entry and exit of people and products 9.

Secure Trinidad and Tobago’s interest through interest through international, regional and local defence efforts 10.

Protect all citizens from the hazards of natural and manmade disasters  137 Appendix III: Review of Vision 2020 Macroeconomic Policy Rules Area Fiscal Policy Rules and Guidelines 1.

The budget must be based on long term prices of both oil and gas, (set conservatively for e.g.
US$22.00/bbl (WTI) & US$3.00/mmbtu for LNG re: Henry Hub Natural Gas Price) over 5 years.

Observation 1.

The average annual oil price rose from US$41.4/bbl (WTI) in 2004 to US$99.6 in 2008.

Subsequently, oil prices increased from US$61.7/bbl in 2009 to US$97.9 in 2013 and declined to US$93.1 and US$48.0 in 2014 and 2015, respectively.

Over the period 2004 to 2011 the annual average LNG price was at least US$3.9/mmbtu in 2009 after peaking at US$8.9 in 2008 and averaged US$6.2 over the period.
Subsequently, LNG prices increased from US$2.8/mmbtu in 2012 to US$4.4 in 2014 and declined thereafter to US$2.6 in 2015.

2.

Over any plan period, a balanced budget after allocation to the Heritage and Stabilization Fund (HSF) should be achieved.

2.

The current arrangement is that a maximum of 40 percent of excess energy revenue above estimated revenues finance the budget and the balance is transferred to the HSF.

3.
3.

Further reductions in taxation must pass the test of sustainability which will take into account the projected growth of expenditures and the variability of energy revenues.

4.

The Ratio of total Government expenditure to GDP should not exceed 30 percent of GDP over the medium term.

3.

In 2006, a flat personal income tax rate of 25% was introduced for persons earning more than $60,000 p.a.

As of 01/01/16, the personal income tax exemption limit was increased from $60,000 to $72,000 p.a.
The corporation tax was reduced from 30% in 2004 to 25% in 2006.

Effective 01/01/17, a new tax bracket of 30% was introduced for individuals whose chargeable income exceeds 41 million p.a.

and companies earning chargeable profits above $1 million p.a.

4.

Total expenditures to GDP rose from 30.7% in 2008 to 37.7% in 2009.

Subsequently, the rate has remained above 30% over the period 2010‒2016.

(Review of the Economy 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.)

5.
5.

The ratio of Total Debt to GDP must be reduced to no more than 50 percent within 5 years.

(Total Debt includes Net Public Sector Debt plus Treasury Bills, Treasury Notes and Sterilized Bonds issued for Open Market Operations.)

5.

Net Public Sector Debt to GDP declined from 58.3% in 2002 to 24.0% in 2008.

The rate then increased to 37.5% in 2009 before declining over the next two years to 29.7% in 2011.

The debt ratio has since risen sharply to 50.9% in 2015 and is projected to be 61.0% in 2016.

6.
6.

One can cite as an example the state’s housing programme as an area where there should be a significantly greater level of private sector involvement.

1.

The rate of inflation rose from 3.7 percent in 2004 to 12% in 2008.

For the period 2009 to 2015 the rate of inflation moved from 10.5 percent in 2010 to 9.3 percent in 2012 and trended down to 4.7 percent in 2015.

In comparison, the inflation rate of the USA fluctuated from 2.7 percent in 2004 to 3.8 in 2008.
It subsequently decline to -0.4 in 2009, peaked at 3.2 percent in 2011 and declined to 0.1 percent in 2015 (World Bank, World Development Indicators).

2.

No data available.

3.

Unable to verify the extent to which item 3 has been achieved.

Essentially items 1 and 2 have been followed.

However, there is an urgent need to ensure that merchants are not overcharging customers.
In addition, there are still bottlenecks in key areas such as port operations and infrastructure and the price of fuel is still not being determined by the market.

6.

Government should not be directly in activities that can be handled by the private sector or Non-Governmental Organisations.

involved Monetary Policy Incomes Policy 1.


The rate of inflation, the principal target of monetary policy, should be managed so as to remain at less than 5%, or in any event, no more than 2 percent higher than inflation in our main trading partner countries 2.

Real exchange rate appreciation should be monitored for its effects on the non-energy sector 3.
Foreign direct and portfolio investment by Trinidad and Tobago companies must be viewed in part as a desirable way of managing domestic absorption and liquidity conditions 1.

Wage and salary increases must continue to be determined by the collective bargaining process.

2.

Government must eschew wage and price controls while promoting competitiveness in all sectors of the economy by the removal of bottlenecks and the use of market instruments.

138