# Trinidad and Tobago - United States Department of State

- Assistant Secretary Robinson Travels to Saint Lucia, Barbados, and Trinidad and Tobago Office of the Spokesperson													HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases&#8230;Assistant Secretary Robinson Travels to Saint Lucia, Barbados, and Trinidad and Tobago				hide		if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}																										Assistant Secretary Robinson Travels to Saint Lucia, Barbados, and Trinidad and Tobago																																		Media Note																														May 6, 2024																																							Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) Todd D. Robinson will travel to Saint Lucia, Barbados, and Trinidad and Tobago on May 6-10.In Saint Lucia, Assistant Secretary Robinson will underscore U.S. efforts to help our Caribbean partners counter firearms trafficking and announce additional INL assistance to further equip and train frontline customs officers to interdict small arms and light weapons at major Caribbean ports of entry. &nbsp;He will also meet with local officials to discuss opportunities to strengthen Eastern Caribbean regional security cooperation through the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative, including at the U.S.-supported Saint Lucia regional Forensic Center of Excellence.In Barbados, he will visit the Regional Security System and discuss U.S. investments into the Regional Police Training Center, which will serve as the future regional training hub for Caribbean law enforcement partners.In Trinidad and Tobago, the Assistant Secretary will highlight progress made on major deliverables announced by the Vice President last summer, including on the Caribbean Crime Gun Intelligence Unit (CGIU), a landmark unit helping to counter the influx of firearms to the Caribbean region.&nbsp; The event will emphasize the importance of collaboration with regional partners such as the Caribbean Community Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (CARICOM IMPACS), law enforcement from across the entire Caribbean, and U.S. interagency partners.&nbsp; The Assistant Secretary also will discuss support of future law enforcement capacity building and criminal justice system modernization with the Minister of National Security and other government officials.For more information, please contact INL-PAPD@state.gov and follow INL on X/Twitter at @StateINL.						Tags																					Barbados																								Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs																								Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs																																														Combating Drugs and Crime																																							Counternarcotics																															Office of the Spokesperson																																Official International Travel																															Saint Lucia																								Trinidad and Tobago
- Trinidad and Tobago HomeReportsBureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices&#8230;Trinidad and Tobago				hide	document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function(event) {	if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}});																							2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Trinidad and Tobago																																					Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor																																																																																							Download Report																																																							Translations																																																																 In this section										/																							EXECUTIVE SUMMARY																																													EXECUTIVE SUMMARY																															Section 1. Respect for the Integrity of the Person																																																									a. Arbitrary Deprivation of Life and Other Unlawful or Politically Motivated Killings																																																																											b. Disappearance																																																																											c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and Other Related Abuses																																																																			Prison and Detention Center Conditions																																																																																																																		d. Arbitrary Arrest or Detention																																																																			Arrest Procedures and Treatment of Detainees																																																																																																																		e. Denial of Fair Public Trial																																																																			Trial Procedures																																																								Political Prisoners and Detainees																																																																																																																		f. Transnational Repression																																																																											g. Property Seizure and Restitution																																																																											h. Arbitrary or Unlawful Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence																																																																																	Section 2. Respect for Civil Liberties																																																									a. Freedom of Expression, Including for Members of the Press and Other Media																																																																			Internet Freedom																																																																																																																		b. Freedoms of Peaceful Assembly and Association																																																																											c. Freedom of Religion																																																																											d. Freedom of Movement and the Right to Leave the Country																																																																											e. Protection of Refugees																																																																																	Section 3. Freedom to Participate in the Political Process																																																									Elections and Political Participation																																																																																	Section 4. Corruption in Government																															Section 5. Governmental Posture Towards International and Nongovernmental Monitoring and Investigation of Alleged Abuses of Human Rights																															Section 6. Discrimination and Societal Abuses																																																									Women																																																																											Systemic Racial or Ethnic Violence and Discrimination																																																																											Children																																																																											Antisemitism																																																																											Trafficking in Persons																																																																											Acts of Violence, Criminalization, and Other Abuses Based on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity or Expression, or Sex Characteristics																																																																											Persons with Disabilities																																																																											Other Societal Violence or Discrimination																																																																																	Section 7. Worker Rights																																																									a. Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining																																																																											b. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor																																																																											c. Prohibition of Child Labor and Minimum Age for Employment																																																																											d. Discrimination (see section 6)																																																																											e. Acceptable Conditions of Work																																																																																																							EXECUTIVE SUMMARY				There were no significant changes in the human rights situation in Trinidad and Tobago during the year.Significant human rights issues included credible reports of: arbitrary or unlawful killings; refoulement of refugees; serious government corruption; trafficking in persons, including forced labor; and laws criminalizing consensual same-sex conduct between adults, although not enforced.The government took credible steps to identify and punish officials who may have committed human rights abuses.																														Section 1.													 Respect for the Integrity of the Person												    																																																a. Arbitrary Deprivation of Life and Other Unlawful or Politically Motivated Killings										There were reports that police and defense force personnel committed arbitrary or unlawful killings during the year.In January, a man was kidnapped and killed by four men dressed in tactical police uniforms who were using a vehicle registered to a law enforcement agency. Three members of the Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force Personal Protection Detail were arrested later that month and charged with murder, kidnapping, and aggravated assault.																																				b. Disappearance										There were no reports of disappearances by or on behalf of government authorities.																																				c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and Other Related Abuses										The law prohibited such practices, but there were reports that police and prison guards sometimes used excessive force against detainees and prisoners.Despite government steps to punish security force members and other officials charged with unlawful killings or other abuses, open-ended investigations and the generally slow pace of criminal judicial proceedings created a climate of impunity.																Prison and Detention Center Conditions						Conditions in some of the prison system’s facilities were harsh due to overcrowding and inadequate sanitation.Abusive Physical Conditions: Gross overcrowding was a problem. Prisons had inadequate lighting, poor ventilation, and inadequate sanitation. Conditions at the women’s prison were better than in other prisons but were still inadequate.Administration: Authorities investigated and prosecuted credible allegations of mistreatment.Independent Monitoring: The government permitted occasional monitoring of prisons and other detention centers by UN officials and independent human rights organizations. The government did not generally permit outside observers to monitor the immigration detention centers in Arima and at the heliport facility in Chaguaramas but allowed one inspection team in the reporting period.																										d. Arbitrary Arrest or Detention										The law prohibited arbitrary arrest and detention and provided for the right of any person to challenge the lawfulness of their arrest or detention in court. The government generally observed these requirements.																Arrest Procedures and Treatment of Detainees						Police needed a warrant issued or authorized by a magistrate to arrest a person. Police did not need a warrant if an officer witnessed the commission of an offense. Detainees had to be charged and appear in court within 48 hours, and the government respected this standard. There was a functioning bail system, and bail was ordinarily available for those accused of most crimes. Persons accused of murder, treason, piracy, trafficking in persons, kidnapping for ransom, or hijacking, as well as persons convicted twice of violent crimes, were ordinarily ineligible for bail for 120 days. Authorities granted detainees immediate access to a lawyer.The minister of national security could authorize preventive detention to protect public safety, public order, or national defense. The minister was required to state the grounds for the detention.Arbitrary Arrest: The law prohibited arbitrary arrest and detention and provided for the right of any person to challenge the lawfulness of their arrest or detention in court. The government generally observed these requirements.In June, courts ordered the government to pay journalist Akile Simon 150,000 Trinidad and Tobago dollars ($22,300) in compensation for his arrest while filming a crime scene in 2018. He was detained for 12 hours before being released on bond and made several court appearances before his case was discontinued.Courts ordered the government to pay attorney Kareem Marcelle and his two brothers 618,000 Trinidad and Tobago dollars ($91,900) for their wrongful arrest during a raid of their home in 2018 using an arrest warrant that was maliciously procured.Pretrial Detention: Lengthy pretrial detention was a problem. Pretrial detainees constituted approximately two-thirds of the prison population. Most detainees’ trials began seven to 10 years after their arrest, although some spent even longer in pretrial detention. The length of pretrial detention frequently equaled or exceeded the maximum sentence for the alleged crime. Officials cited several reasons for the backlog, including the burden of the preliminary inquiry process and limited use of plea bargaining. The law required anyone charged and detained to appear in person for a hearing before a magistrate every 10 days, even if only to have the case postponed for an additional 10 days. This increased the caseload and created further inefficiency.																										e. Denial of Fair Public Trial										The law provided for an independent judiciary, and the government generally respected judicial independence and impartiality.																Trial Procedures						The law provided for the right to a fair and public trial, and the judiciary generally enforced this right.						Political Prisoners and Detainees						There were no reports of political prisoners or detainees.																										f. Transnational Repression										Not applicable.																																				g. Property Seizure and Restitution										Not applicable.																																				h. Arbitrary or Unlawful Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence										The law prohibited such actions, and there were no reports that the government failed to respect these prohibitions.																																					Section 2.													 Respect for Civil Liberties												    																																																a. Freedom of Expression, Including for Members of the Press and Other Media										The law provided for freedom of expression, including for members of the press and other media, and the government generally respected this right. An independent press combined with a functioning democratic political system to promote freedom of expression.Some nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) criticized the government’s use of the antiquated Sedition Act to limit freedom of expression.																Internet Freedom						The government did not restrict or disrupt access to the internet or censor online content.																										b. Freedoms of Peaceful Assembly and Association										The law provided for the freedoms of peaceful assembly and association, and the government generally respected these rights.																																				c. Freedom of Religion										See the Department of State’s International Religious Freedom Report at  https://www.state.gov/religiousfreedomreport/.																																				d. Freedom of Movement and the Right to Leave the Country										The law provided for freedom of internal movement, foreign travel, emigration, and repatriation, and the government generally respected these rights.																																				e. Protection of Refugees										The government cooperated with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other humanitarian organizations in providing protection to refugees, returning refugees, or asylum seekers, as well as other persons of concern.Access to Asylum: The law did not provide for granting asylum or refugee status, and the government had not established a system for providing protection to refugees. The government allowed UNHCR to conduct refugee status determinations. A positive determination by UNHCR, however, did not confer recognition by the government of an individual as a refugee, protect them – including those granted status in third countries – from deportation in some cases, or otherwise affect the person’s legal status in the country.Access to asylum remained a significant problem for detained individuals, since there were no formal procedures to register those who sought asylum. The International Committee of the Red Cross, the domestic NGO Living Water Community, and UNHCR did not have regular access to immigration detention centers to register asylum seekers or screen for other needs, including in one case involving credible allegations of human trafficking.Refoulement: Various international agencies and NGOs reported individuals adjudicated by UNHCR as having refugee status or having cases in process continued to be grouped with irregular migrants and deported.In July, a High Court ruling held that any refugee, migrant, or asylum seeker – including those registered with UNHCR – could be deported for any infringement of the law.In July, a UNHCR-recognized Venezuelan refugee approved for resettlement in another country was arrested with 200 other migrants and held in custody for a month. The individual claimed to have been forced to sign deportation papers under threat of imprisonment despite his claim that he possessed a valid registration permit and had no criminal activity.Abuse of Refugees and Asylum Seekers: Media and NGOs reported allegations of lengthy and arbitrary detentions and sexual exploitation and abuse, including human trafficking, by authorities at the Chaguaramas heliport detention facility.Access to Basic Services: Refugee children had no access to public education because by law they did not qualify for the required student permit.Temporary Protection: In January, the Ministry of National Security extended the temporary work permits originally granted to approximately 16,500 Venezuelans in 2019. Some individuals, however, reported they were given deportation orders when they attempted to renew their permits.																																					Section 3.													 Freedom to Participate in the Political Process												    																						The law provided citizens the ability to choose their government in free and fair periodic elections held by secret ballot and based on universal and equal suffrage.																										Elections and Political Participation										Abuses or Irregularities in Recent Elections: National elections were widely reported to be fair and free of abuses and irregularities.																																					Section 4.													 Corruption in Government												    																						The law provided criminal penalties for corruption by officials, but the government did not effectively implement the law. There were numerous credible reports of government corruption during the year.Corruption: Corruption was a problem at many levels of government and at many stages of the procurement process. There were reports of opaque public procurement processes. Lack of oversight for public service contracts allegedly allowed for gang leaders to personally profit from government contracts. Statutes governing conflicts of interest were rarely enforced, making nepotism and corruption commonplace. There were reports of government ministries and public companies manipulating or bypassing established procurement procedures to favor specific vendors unfairly. In April, the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property Act of 2015 entered into effect; it aimed to reduce opportunities for corruption in public procurement. During the year, it was not possible to discern the effects of this law on official corruption.NGOs reported widespread corruption by immigration, police, customs, and Coast Guard officials. Government officials acknowledged cases of corrupt officials with direct involvement in human trafficking.For additional information regarding corruption in the country, please see the Department of State’s Investment Climate Statement for the country, and the Department of State’s International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, which includes information on financial crimes.																											Section 5.													 Governmental Posture Towards International and Nongovernmental Monitoring and Investigation of Alleged Abuses of Human Rights												    																						Several domestic and international human rights groups generally operated without government restriction to monitor or investigate human rights conditions or cases and publish their findings. Government officials were sometimes cooperative and responsive to the requests of these groups.Government Human Rights Bodies: The Office of the Ombudsman investigated citizens’ complaints concerning the administrative decisions of government agencies. Where there was evidence of a breach of duty, misconduct, or criminal offense, the ombudsperson could refer the matter to the appropriate authority. The ombudsperson had a quasi-autonomous status within the government and published a comprehensive annual report. Both the public and the government had confidence in the integrity and reliability of the Office of the Ombudsman and the ombudsperson’s annual report. Observers believed the office was independent and effective.																											Section 6.													 Discrimination and Societal Abuses												    																																																Women										Rape and Domestic Violence: Rape of women or men, including spousal rape, domestic or intimate partner rape, and other forms of domestic and sexual violence, as well as so-called corrective rape of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or intersex (LGBTQI+) persons, was illegal and punishable by up to life imprisonment. The government generally enforced the law, but courts often imposed considerably shorter sentences in cases of spousal rape. The law criminalized domestic violence and provided for protection orders separating perpetrators of domestic violence, including abusive spouses and common-law partners, from their victims. Victims reported incidents but often said police trivialized the matter.Domestic violence and rape were serious and pervasive problems. Survivors of rape and domestic violence had access to national crisis hotlines and could access temporary shelter and psychosocial services through a law enforcement referral. The police’s Victim and Witness Support Unit encouraged reporting of rape and domestic violence, especially in cases involving children.Other Forms of Gender-based Violence or Harassment: The law did not criminalize sexual harassment. The Equal Opportunity Commission could provide legal remedy when sexual harassment constituted “indecent assault,” sexual discrimination, or general harassment of a person.Discrimination: The law provided the same legal status and rights for women and men, and the government effectively enforced the law. No law mandated equal pay for equal work between men and women. Women’s pay lagged men’s pay, especially in the private sector. Married women were required to produce all marriage certificates to verify name changes, while married men were not required to do so. Additionally, men and women filing for divorce had different filing requirements.Reproductive Rights: There were no reports of coerced abortion or involuntary sterilization on the part of government authorities.Barriers to access contraception included cost, availability, locality, and parental consent for children. The law set the age of sexual consent and marriage at 18 and carried mandatory reporting requirements for health-care providers and parents. The reporting requirements, intended to prevent abuse, had the unintended effect of dissuading children from seeking (and health-care providers from facilitating) sexual and reproductive health-care services.The government reported that through the Ministry of Health and its network of health facilities, survivors of sexual violence and rape had access to emergency care, postexposure prophylaxis, and emergency contraception.The government provided free prenatal health care to all pregnant women, including Venezuelan refugees and migrants, at public health facilities. There were, however, reports of limited access to these services for Venezuelan refugees, migrants, and other noncitizens, in part due to language barriers.																																				Systemic Racial or Ethnic Violence and Discrimination										The law prohibited discrimination based on race, ethnicity, or origin. The government generally enforced the law effectively, investigating and addressing racial or ethnic discrimination practices.																																				Children										Birth Registration: Registration was required to access public services. There were frequent reports that refugees and migrants had difficulties obtaining birth registrations when they could not present requisite identification documents to authorities.Education: Irregular migrant and refugee children were not allowed to attend public or private schools.Child Abuse: The law prohibited abuse of children. The government enforced the law effectively. According to reports from the Children’s Authority, however, abuse of children in their own homes or in institutional settings was a serious problem, particularly for girls. Penalties for child abuse could include a moderate fine, two years’ imprisonment, or both. Observers noted that cases meeting the definition of trafficking in persons, and thus warranting higher sentences, were sometimes characterized simply as abuse.A 2021 report by a cabinet-appointed team noted allegations of sexual and physical abuse, overcrowding, and poorly maintained facilities for children. The report revealed that migrant children were also abused at many of the facilities where they were held. The report noted the Children’s Authority failed to meet its mandate as required by law.Child, Early, and Forced Marriage: The legal minimum age of marriage was 18. The government enforced the law effectively.Sexual Exploitation of Children: The law prohibited the sale, grooming, or use of children for commercial sexual exploitation, including sex trafficking, and practices related to child pornography. NGOs reported cases of child sex tourism. The age of sexual consent was 18. The age of consent for “sexual touching” was 16. The government enforced the law effectively.																																				Antisemitism										There were fewer than 100 Jewish persons in the country. After the Hamas attack in Israel in October, Manwar Ali of the Islamic Missionaries Guild and others led a series of small rallies and accused “the Jewish-controlled media” of covering up “a genocide.” A group calling itself the Concerned Muslims of Trinidad and Tobago called for severing ties with Israel and, among other things, to “free Palestine” and remove the Star of David from the symbol of the police services, where it was featured prominently.For further information on incidents of antisemitism, whether or not those incidents were motivated by religion, and for reporting on the ability of Jews to exercise freedom of religion or belief, please see the Department of State’s International Religious Freedom Report at  https://www.state.gov/religiousfreedomreport/.																																				Trafficking in Persons										See the Department of State’s annual Trafficking in Persons Report at  https://www.state.gov/trafficking-in-persons-report/.																																				Acts of Violence, Criminalization, and Other Abuses Based on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity or Expression, or Sex Characteristics										Criminalization: The law criminalized consensual same-sex sexual conduct between adults, but the government did not actively enforce the law.The law decriminalized sexual exploitation between children who were close in age but specifically retained language criminalizing the same activity among same-sex children.Violence and Harassment: There were no reports of government or nonstate violence specifically targeted against LGBTQI+ individuals.Discrimination: The law did not specifically prohibit discrimination against LGBTQI+ persons. International LGBTQI+ experts believed several laws perpetuated discrimination against LGBTQI+ persons, including the Cinematograph Act, Sedition Act, Hotel Proprietors Act, and Immigration Act.There were reports of discrimination against LGBTQI+ persons, but victims tended to avoid media attention due to stigmatization. The law did not recognize LGBTQI+ couples and their families and did not grant them rights equal to rights of other persons.Availability of Legal Gender Recognition: There was no legal method by which individuals could update their gender markers on identity documents.Involuntary or Coercive Medical or Psychological Practices: The law did not prohibit so-called conversion or reparative therapy practices intended to change a person’s sexual orientation. There were no reports of widespread use of so-called conversion therapy practices. There were no reports of medically unnecessary and irreversible “normalization” surgeries performed on children or nonconsenting adult intersex persons.Restrictions of Freedom of Expression, Association, or Peaceful Assembly: There were no restrictions on freedom of expression, association, or peaceful assembly related to LGBTQI+ matters.																																				Persons with Disabilities										Persons with disabilities faced discrimination, stigma, and denial of opportunities, including lack of access to employment, education, and civic participation. The law prohibited discrimination based on disability but did not mandate equal access for persons with disabilities. The law did not require providing access to buildings and transportation to persons with disabilities, nor did it require that information and forms be available in accessible formats.Public schools did not have sufficient resources to support the needs of children with disabilities. The law stated the compulsory school age was five to 16. Schooling was compulsory at the primary level but not at the high school level. Students at the high school level with disabilities were often required to seek private education.																																				Other Societal Violence or Discrimination										Persons with HIV or AIDS faced persistent stigmatization, especially persons in high-risk groups. This created barriers to access and use of prevention and treatment services.																																					Section 7.													 Worker Rights												    																																																a. Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining										The law provided for the right of most workers, including those in state-owned enterprises, to form and join independent unions, bargain collectively, and conduct legal strikes, but with some limitations.The law’s definition of a worker excluded publicly appointed or elected officers in government; members of the defense force, police, fire, and prison services; educators; managers; members of the Central Bank; apprentices; and domestic workers (house cleaners, chauffeurs, handymen, and gardeners).Domestic workers had an established trade union that advocated for their rights. A broad range of civil servants, including public servants and teachers were members of unions such as the Public Services Association and Trinidad Teachers Unified Teachers’ Association. Unions were required to be officially registered, and penalties could be applied to officers of unions that did not have official registration. Unions were precluded by law from engaging in political activities, and the government could unilaterally deregister a union under a variety of conditions.The law prohibited employers from discriminating against workers due to union membership. The law mandated reinstatement of workers illegally dismissed for union activities. Penalties for breaking these laws were commensurate with penalties for other laws involving denials of civil rights, such as discrimination. The government effectively enforced these laws, and penalties were sometimes applied against violators.By law, only officially registered unions could engage in collective bargaining. Unions had to demonstrate the support of an absolute majority of workers to be certified as a recognized majority union and engage in bargaining. Observers noted this requirement limited the right of collective bargaining.Collective agreement negotiations were subject to mandatory mediation and had to cover a minimum of three years and no more than five years, making it almost impossible for such agreements to include workers who were on short-term contracts. The requirement that all negotiations go through the government’s chief personnel officer rather than through the individual government agency or government-owned industry added significant delays. Some unions claimed the government undermined the collective bargaining process by pressuring the committee to offer raises of no more than 5 percent over three years.There were significant impediments to exercising the right to strike. Strikes had to have prior authorization, which required the ministry to certify that a dispute was unresolved. Authorities could prohibit strikes at the request of one party unless the strike was called by a union representing a majority of the workers. Strikes regarding political issues and sympathy or solidarity strikes were considered unlawful. Employees providing a broad range of public services, including police, fire, prison, teaching, central bank, public health, public utilities, communication services, public transport, civil aviation, and meteorological services, did not have the right to strike. These employees were referred to a special tribunal in the Industrial Court to resolve labor disputes. The minister of labor could petition the court to curtail any strike the minister deemed harmful to national interests.																																				b. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor										See the Department of State’s annual Trafficking in Persons Report at  https://www.state.gov/trafficking-in-persons-report/.																																				c. Prohibition of Child Labor and Minimum Age for Employment										The law prohibited all of the worst forms of child labor. The law provided for a minimum age of employment of 16, which applied to all sectors. Children ages 14 to 16 were allowed to work in activities in which only family members were employed or that the Minister of Education approved as vocational or technical training. There was no separate minimum age for working in hazardous activities. The government enforced the applicable laws, and penalties were commensurate with similar labor violations. Penalties were sometimes applied to violators.																																				d. Discrimination (see section 6)																																														e. Acceptable Conditions of Work										Wage and Hour Laws: The law provided for a national minimum wage that covered all sectors. The minimum wage was greater than the official poverty income level. The law established a 40-hour workweek, a daily period for lunch or rest, and premium pay for overtime. The law did not prohibit excessive or compulsory overtime. The law provided for paid leave, with the amount of leave varying according to length of service.Occupational Safety and Health: Occupational safety and health (OSH) standards were appropriate for the main industries in the country. Responsibility for identifying unsafe situations remained with OSH experts and not the worker. The government proactively identified unsafe conditions. The law gave workers the right to remove themselves from situations that endangered health or safety without jeopardy to their employment; authorities generally protected this right.Wage, Hour, and OSH Enforcement: The government effectively enforced minimum wage, overtime, and OSH laws. The Ministry of Labour was responsible for enforcing labor laws related to minimum wage and acceptable conditions of work.Penalties for wage, overtime, and OSH violations were less than penalties for similar violations such as negligence. Penalties were regularly applied against violators. There were insufficient labor inspectors to enforce compliance. Inspectors were able to make unannounced inspections and initiate sanctions.In 2017, the Inter-American Development Bank estimated the informal sector was 26-33 percent of the workforce. The government enforced labor laws in this sector.																																				    							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Respect for the Integrity of the Person																																							a. Arbitrary Deprivation of Life and Other Unlawful or Politically Motivated Killings																																																						b. Disappearance																																																						c. Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and Other Related Abuses																																																				Prison and Detention Center Conditions																																																																																				d. Arbitrary Arrest or Detention																																																				Arrest Procedures and Treatment of Detainees																																																																																				e. Denial of Fair Public Trial																																																				Trial Procedures																																												Political Prisoners and Detainees																																																																																				f. Transnational Repression																																																						g. Property Seizure and Restitution																																																						h. Arbitrary or Unlawful Interference with Privacy, Family, Home, or Correspondence																																																			Section 2. Respect for Civil Liberties																																							a. Freedom of Expression, Including for Members of the Press and Other Media																																																				Internet Freedom																																																																																				b. Freedoms of Peaceful Assembly and Association																																																						c. Freedom of Religion																																																						d. Freedom of Movement and the Right to Leave the Country																																																						e. Protection of Refugees																																																			Section 3. Freedom to Participate in the Political Process																																							Elections and Political Participation																																																			Section 4. Corruption in Government																Section 5. Governmental Posture Towards International and Nongovernmental Monitoring and Investigation of Alleged Abuses of Human Rights																Section 6. Discrimination and Societal Abuses																																							Women																																																						Systemic Racial or Ethnic Violence and Discrimination																																																						Children																																																						Antisemitism																																																						Trafficking in Persons																																																						Acts of Violence, Criminalization, and Other Abuses Based on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity or Expression, or Sex Characteristics																																																						Persons with Disabilities																																																						Other Societal Violence or Discrimination																																																			Section 7. Worker Rights																																							a. Freedom of Association and the Right to Collective Bargaining																																																						b. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor																																																						c. Prohibition of Child Labor and Minimum Age for Employment																																																						d. Discrimination (see section 6)																																																						e. Acceptable Conditions of Work																																																									Tags																					Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor																								Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs																								Trinidad and Tobago
- U.S.-Caribbean Engagement to Counter Firearms Trafficking Office of the SpokespersonUnited States Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield led a U.S. delegation to Guyana to participate in the U.S.-Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Dialogue on February 25, 2024.  Her engagement builds on Vice President Kamala Harris’ April 2022 meeting  with Caribbean leaders, the Vice President&#8217;s June 2023 engagement  of Caribbean leaders in The Bahamas, and Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken’s participation in the 50th Anniversary of CARICOM in July 2023 in Trinidad and Tobago. The following are activities stemming from recent US efforts in the region.Countering Firearms TraffickingBipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA): Signed into U.S. law in July 2022, the BSCA dramatically increased criminal penalties for straw purchasers and U.S.-sourced firearms trafficking. Provisions under the “Stop Illegal Trafficking in Firearms Act” assign further penalties for smuggled firearms or ammunition out of the United States, with the intent to promote transnational organized crime.Recent Firearms Cases: On February 1, Haiti’s 400 Mawozo gang leader Joly Germine pleaded guilty  to his role in a gunrunning conspiracy that smuggled firearms to Haiti in violation of U.S. export laws, and the laundering of ransoms paid for U.S. hostages to the gang in 2021. His former girlfriend, Eliande Tunis, pleaded guilty to the same 48-count indictment. Jocelyn Dor, a Haitian citizen also affiliated with 400 Mawozo, was sentenced  to 60 months in prison on February 28 for her role in a firearm smuggling scheme between the United States and Haiti. On February 26, Elieser Sori-Rodriguez was sentenced  to 57 months in prison for smuggling firearms from the United States to the Dominican Republic.Coordinator for Caribbean Firearms Prosecutions: In July 2023, the Department of Justice named a Coordinator for Caribbean Firearms Prosecutions to elevate firearms trafficking and prosecutions and help implement the provisions of the BPSA.  The Coordinator has since attended an Association of Caribbean Chiefs of Police meeting, traveled to Jamaica and met with Jamaica’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and met with the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security Leadership.  He will travel to Trinidad and Tobago this spring to meet with host nation counterparts, Caribbean officials at the CARICOM Crime Gun Intelligence Unit, and U.S. law enforcement partners at Embassy Port of Spain.Operation Hammerhead: Partnering with the CARICOM Crime Gun Intelligence Unit (CGIU) , U.S. Homeland Security Investigations initiated an interagency, multijurisdictional surge operation to target illicit firearms being trafficked from the United States to the Caribbean.  Through collaboration with Caribbean partners, Operation Hammerhead has, to date, resulted in seizures of 339 firearms, 26,495 rounds of ammunition and over 400 magazines.Training on Firearms Investigations: In 2023, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) supported training for 270 Caribbean police officers on firearms investigations, including familiarization training on Privately Made Firearms (Ghost Guns) and 3D-printed firearms.  To advance firearms trafficking prosecutions in the United States, ATF conducted extensive domestic training on applying anti-trafficking provisions in the 2022 Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) to disrupt and dismantle international trafficking schemes.Haiti Transnational Criminal Investigative Unit (TCIU): On February 13, 2024, Homeland Security Investigations and the Government of Haiti signed a Memorandum of Cooperation to formally establish the Haiti TCIU, which will facilitate the exchange of information between law enforcement partners in the United States and Haiti, and enhance cross-border investigative capabilities to prosecute those involved in transnational criminal activities. TCIUs are multi-discipline units comprised of vetted foreign law enforcement, prosecutors, and customs, immigration and intelligence officials that share information and operational activities. This complements the work of existing TCIUs in the Caribbean, located in Jamaica and the Dominican Republic.Holiday Cargo Screening: In advance of the 2023 holiday season, U.S. agencies surged resources to screen outbound cargo from the United States to the Caribbean via freight forwarders at the Miami River.  Caribbean partners advised U.S. law enforcement counterparts that firearms traffickers take advantage of the annual surge in U.S.-Caribbean shipping to hide firearms and firearms components in “blue barrel” shipments bound for the Caribbean.Saint Lucia Forensics Lab: The State Department is proud to have partnered with Saint Lucia to make its forensics lab a Regional Center of Excellence, working toward laboratory accreditation under the International Organization for Standardization.  This project is part of a $2.2 million United States investment in strengthening Caribbean forensics capabilities. The Regional Center of Excellence will enable Saint Lucian law enforcement and regional counterparts to collect and analyze crime scene evidence in the region, ensuring that criminals can be arrested, tried, and convicted more quickly, with scientific evidence.
- Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Rowley Office of the SpokespersonThe below is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller:Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met with Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Dr. Keith Rowley today in Washington, D.C. Secretary Blinken and Prime Minister Rowley reaffirmed the U.S.-Trinidad and Tobago joint commitment to citizen security, including through addressing illicit firearms trafficking. The Secretary and the Prime Minister also discussed further collaboration on regional challenges, cyber security, energy security, and climate adaptation and resilience.						Tags																					Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs																								Office of the Spokesperson																								The Secretary of State																								Trinidad and Tobago
- Secretary Blinken and Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Keith Rowley Before Their Meeting Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of StateTrinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Keith RowleyWashington, DCThomas Jefferson RoomSECRETARY BLINKEN:&nbsp;&nbsp;Very good.&nbsp; Well, good morning, everyone.&nbsp; And it’s a great pleasure for me to receive Prime Minister Rowley here in Washington, especially after the very warm hospitality I was shown in Port of Spain last year.&nbsp;Trinidad and Tobago is a vital partner for the United States, and we are working together in many areas, including to advance energy security and climate resilience – something that the people of Trinidad and Tobago feel very strongly.&nbsp; And we’re doing this, in particular, under the United States-Caribbean Partnership to Address the Climate Crisis, which is a vital initiative that our countries are engaged in.We’re partnering as well to fight violent crime and firearms trafficking, and this is a priority for the work that we’re doing, as well as of course seeking and building up prosperity and opportunity in the region as a whole.&nbsp; We have vital work that we’re doing as well to address other regional challenges, whether it’s in Venezuela or whether it’s in Haiti.&nbsp; But in all of these areas and others, including the strengthening of our own bilateral ties, which I’ve been very, very pleased to see over the last couple of years, this really is a vital partnership.&nbsp;And I’m just grateful, Prime Minister, to have you here in Washington, especially after the very both memorable and positive visit to Port of Spain last year.&nbsp; So welcome.PRIME MINISTER ROWLEY:&nbsp; Thank you very much, Secretary Blinken.&nbsp; I am very pleased that in a very hectic schedule that you are engaged in that you would have made the time to receive my delegation.&nbsp; And the relationship between the United States, Trinidad and Tobago, and the wider CARICOM, it’s extremely important to us.&nbsp; And we keep emphasizing that it’s also important to the United States.&nbsp;The U.S., our major trading partner, and with a lot of our citizens residing in and working and living in the United States – I think every time I go to an office on these trips, I meet some national from Trinidad and Tobago, or whose parentage is of Trinidad and Tobago, in the United States.&nbsp;We are very proud of the international obligations that we meet.&nbsp; And we keep emphasizing that we might be small, but we are not insignificant.&nbsp; And we acknowledge our trading relations, our diplomatic situations, and the challenges in the Caribbean that you mention.&nbsp; So, in recent years, we are happy that we’ve been – we have raised issues with you, and you have in fact been taking them on board.&nbsp; The safety and security challenges are extremely important to us, and the energy security matters of day-to-day conversations.&nbsp; And we believe that you are part of that, and thanks for being a part of it.SECRETARY BLINKEN:&nbsp; Thank you.&nbsp; Thanks, everyone.						Tags																					Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs																								Office of the Spokesperson																								The Secretary of State																								Trinidad and Tobago																																U.S.-Caribbean Partnership to Address the Climate Crisis
- Trinidad National Sentenced To Seven Years In Federal Prison For Stealing Identity And Applying For Passport In Name Of Disabled Veteran For Immediate Release – October 4, 2023Click here to read more about this&nbsp;&nbsp;
- Trinidad and Tobago HomeReportsBureau of CounterterrorismCountry Reports on Terrorism 2022&#8230;Trinidad and Tobago				hide	document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function(event) {	if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}});																							Country Reports on Terrorism 2022: Trinidad and Tobago																																					Bureau of Counterterrorism																																																																																																				 In this section																																												Trinidad and Tobago																																												Trinidad and Tobago				Overview:  The threat of domestic radicalization and recruitment to violence,  and the possible return of individuals who traveled, or attempted to travel, to Syria or Iraq to fight with ISIS, are the primary terrorism concerns in Trinidad and Tobago (TT).TT and the United States continued to cooperate on counterterrorism investigations involving TT nationals.  The Government of Trinidad and Tobago (GoTT) approved a returning FTF policy in 2022 and is currently working on draft legislation that would address a variety of repatriation, R&amp;R, and security matters related to returning FTFs.2022 Terrorist Incidents:  There were no terrorist incidents reported in TT in 2022.Legislation, Law Enforcement, and Border Security:  There were no arrests or prosecutions initiated against any terrorist groups or individuals suspected of terrorist activity in 2022.  In 2022 the GoTT obtained 11 court orders related to 12 individuals and entities related to designations and de-listings.  Since the 2005 passage of its Antiterrorism Act, the GoTT has obtained 145 court orders for matters related to terrorist financing and has designated 489 individuals and entities, whose assets have been declared frozen.The GoTT is undertaking reforms, including the introduction of plea bargaining and judge-only trials, aimed at speeding up the lengthy judicial process.  These developments may lead to increased prosecutions of serious crimes, including terrorism.As noted above, the GoTT approved a returning FTF policy in 2022 and is working on a draft bill that would address a variety of issues, including R&amp;R, prosecution, and other security matters related to repatriating FTFs and their families from Syria.  At year’s end, the draft bill was still in the law review committee stage.The GoTT continues to convene an interagency taskforce known as Taskforce Nightingale (TFN).  This task force is charged with developing recommendations related to the possible return of FTFs and others who traveled to the Middle East and joined ISIS.  TFN consists of various law enforcement, judicial, foreign affairs, military, immigration, and border protection officers.  Separate from TFN, the National Operations Fusion Center and the National Intelligence Fusion Center are tasked with coordinating the GoTT’s counterterrorism operations.TT’s institutions demonstrated the capability to detect, deter, and prevent acts of terrorism with the assistance of international partners.  The TT Police Service is the law enforcement agency with primary responsibility for investigating terrorism and terrorism-finance cases.  The GoTT conducts vulnerability assessments on critical public infrastructure on a periodic basis.  Nonetheless, TT’s southern coast, which is approximately seven miles from the Venezuelan coast, remained porous and vulnerable to drug and arms trafficking, human trafficking and smuggling, and illegal migration.The CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security, with funding from the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, is assisting TT in the development of updated API and PNR legislation that would permit the capture and use of PNR data.  The implementation of API/PNR data is critical to the fight against terrorism and transnational organized crime.  Together with UNODC, the GoTT began implementing the regional Seaport Cooperation Project and Airport Communications Project, both of which help address border security challenges and include numerous CT-focused initiatives.Countering the Financing of Terrorism:  TT is a member of the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force and its FIU, the Financial Intelligence Unit of Trinidad and Tobago, is a member of the Egmont Group.  There were no significant changes in 2022.For further information on money laundering and financial crimes, see the 2022 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, Volume 2, Money Laundering and Financial Crimes.Countering Violent Extremism:  The GoTT developed a National Plan for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism; however, the plan still was awaiting approval at year’s end.  The GoTT partners with UNDP on the Prevention of Violent Extremism-Youth Empowerment and Strengthening Project in TT.  This project is a peacebuilding effort that seeks to engage youth-led and youth-focused organizations, women’s rights groups, other NGOs, and community-based organizations in the development and implementation of projects that promote peace at the community level.International and Regional Cooperation:  TT is a member of CICTE.  The GoTT continued to work with its CARICOM and international partners on CT issues.  For example:In 2022, various TT law enforcement officials participated in training on terrorism and intelligence awareness facilitated under the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative.  In May, TT officials participated in the seventh annual International Countering Violent Extremism Research Conference in Spain, organized by Hedayah and the Euro-Arab Foundation.  In September, TT’s Minister of National Security also participated in an OAS-hosted high-level dialogue at the first meeting of Consultation of States Parties to the Inter-American Convention Against Terrorism.Finally, the Borough of Chaguanas (located in central TT) remains a member of the Strong City Network, which is a global U.S.-funded network of mayors, policy makers, and practitioners united in building social cohesion and resilience to countering violent extremism in all its forms.																												    							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- Trinidad and Tobago (22-1219) – Extension of Agreement of May 22, 2013 on Defense Status of Forces Office of Treaty AffairsDefense: Status of ForcesExchange of notes at Port of Spain December 5 and December 19, 2022; entered into force December 19, 2022.Extension of agreement done February 20 and May 22, 2013: TIAS 13-522.  Agreement previously extended June 22 and 30, 2022: TIAS 22-630;  December 20 and 30, 2021: TIAS 21-1230;  December 17, 2019 and January 30, 2020: TIAS 20-101;  December 28 and 29, 2017: TIAS 17-1229;  April 22, 2015 and February 17, 2016: TIAS 17-1229.
- Trinidad and Tobago National Day Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of StateOn behalf of the United States of America, I congratulate the people of Trinidad and Tobago as you celebrate 61 years of independence.As we consider the challenges and opportunities this year will bring, the United States looks forward to working with Trinidad and Tobago as steadfast allies and partners, united by our common values of resiliency, diversity, and democracy. We also look forward to broadening our cooperation under the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI) and the U.S.-Caribbean Partnership to Address the Climate Crisis (PACC 2030).We wish you a fruitful year ahead and look forward to working together for a brighter future for both nations.
- Trinidad and Tobago HomeReportsBureau of Economic and Business Affairs2023 Investment Climate Statements&#8230;Trinidad and Tobago				hide	document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function(event) {	if(window.jQuery) {		jQuery( document ).ready(function() {			if (jQuery(".bc_middle").hasClass("collapse")) {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});				jQuery(".bc_hide").click(function(){					jQuery(".bc_hide").toggleClass("visible");					jQuery(".bc_middle").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_ellipse").toggle();					jQuery(".bc_content").toggleClass("noflex");					jQuery(".block_breadcrumbs_content").toggleClass("noflex");				});			} else {				jQuery(".bc_ellipse").hide();			}		});	}});																							2023 Investment Climate Statements: Trinidad and Tobago																																																																																												 In this section										/																							EXECUTIVE SUMMARY																																													EXECUTIVE SUMMARY																															1. Openness To, and Restrictions Upon, Foreign Investment																																																									Policies Towards Foreign Direct Investment																																																																											Limits on Foreign Control and Right to Private Ownership and Establishment																																																																											Other Investment Policy Reviews																																																																											Business Facilitation																																																																											Outward Investment																																																																																	2. Bilateral Investment and Taxation Treaties																															3. Legal Regime																																																									Transparency of the Regulatory System																																																																											International Regulatory Considerations																																																																											Legal System and Judicial Independence																																																																											Laws and Regulations on Foreign Direct Investment																																																																											Competition and Antitrust Laws																																																																											Expropriation and Compensation																																																																											Dispute Settlement																																																																			ICSID Convention and New York Convention																																																								Investor-State Dispute Settlement																																																								International Commercial Arbitration and Foreign Courts																																																																																																																		Bankruptcy Regulations																																																																																	4. Industrial Policies																																																									Investment Incentives																																																																											Foreign Trade Zones/Free Ports/Trade Facilitation																																																																											Performance and Data Localization Requirements																																																																																	5. Protection of Property Rights																																																									Real Property																																																																											Intellectual Property Rights																																																																																	6. Financial Sector																																																									Capital Markets and Portfolio Investment																																																																											Money and Banking System																																																																											Foreign Exchange and Remittances																																																																			Foreign Exchange																																																								Remittance Policies																																																																																																																		Sovereign Wealth Funds																																																																																	7. State-Owned Enterprises																																																									Privatization Program																																																																																	8. Responsible Business Conduct																																																									Additional Resources																																																																											Climate Issues																																																																																	9. Corruption																																																									Resources to Report Corruption																																																																																	10. Political and Security Environment																															11. Labor Policies and Practices																															12. U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), and Other Investment Insurance or Development Finance Programs																															13. Foreign Direct Investment Statistics																															14. Contact for More Information																																																					EXECUTIVE SUMMARY				Trinidad and Tobago (TT) is a high-income developing island country that maintains an open, heavily trade dependent economy. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projects that TT’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $24.5 billion will rise by 3.5 percent in 2023. Upstream and downstream energy production drive the economy and this sector has attracted the most foreign investment of all sectors. Petrochemicals and steel are other sectors accounting for significant foreign investment. The energy sector usually accounts for approximately half of GDP and 80 percent of export earnings.TT’s investment climate is generally open and the TT government (GoTT) continues to work to strengthen intellectual property protection, leverage new financial technologies to improve the delivery of services, streamline the tax structure, and facilitate better customs procedures. While most formal investment barriers have been eliminated, U.S. companies cite inefficient bureaucracy and opaque procedures as hurdles.Over the past twelve months, foreign direct investment (FDI) in both energy and non-energy sectors has increased, with several companies expanding operations, reflecting a return to confidence combined with successful efforts by the investment promotion agency. The GoTT is also prioritizing the incorporation of digital technologies as a means of improving the business and investment climate.TT is working towards implementing its nationally determined contributions to the Paris Agreement (15 percent reduction in emissions from power generation, public transportation, and industry by 2030) with the construction of utility scale solar plants, the development of an e-mobility policy, enabling the conversion of conventional motor vehicles to run on cleaner compressed natural gas, and developing a poly on carbon capture and storage. The war in Ukraine has impacted food security through inflation which reached a high of 8.7 percent at the end of 2022.Table 1: Key Metrics and RankingsMeasureYearIndex/RankWebsite AdressTI Corruption Perceptions Index202277 of 180http://www.transparency.org/research/cpi/overviewGlobal Innovation Index2022101 of 132https://www.globalinnovationindex.org/analysis-indicatorU.S. FDI in partner country ($M USD, historical stock positions)2021USD 4.1Bhttps://apps.bea.gov/international/factsheet/World Bank GNI per capita2021USD 15,000http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GNP.PCAP.CD																																					1. Openness To, and Restrictions Upon, Foreign Investment						    																																																Policies Towards Foreign Direct Investment										TT maintains a trade-dependent economy characterized by a generally open investment climate. The GoTT continues to attempt to strengthen intellectual property protection, leverage new financial technologies to improve the delivery of services, streamline the tax structure, and facilitate better customs procedures. While TT is a free market economy, the GoTT is also actively engaged in TT’s economic development through a network of wholly-owned and majority-owned state enterprises. Most formal investment barriers have been eliminated, and foreign investors are not required to enter joint ventures or cede management control to local interests. While TT’s legal framework and public policies are generally favorable toward foreign investors, U.S. companies cite bureaucracy and opaque procedures as hurdles that are more effectively navigated with a local partner.Eligibility for various incentive schemes depends on investment proposals meeting the criteria set by relevant government agencies. TT places no restrictions on reinvestment or repatriation of earnings or capital. The judicial system, which includes arbitration and mediation centers, upholds the sanctity of contracts. TT’s judicial system is notoriously slow, although this applies to all matters and not only to those involving foreign investors.InvesTT ( https://www.investt.co.tt/ ) is the lead investment promotion agency that facilitates foreign investment in the non-energy sector. InvesTT undertakes investment promotion and industry development and work with both foreign and local investors by assisting throughout their decision-making process, facilitating the process of setting up the business, and providing aftercare service once established. InvesTT maintains ongoing dialogue with investors through the aftercare team which monitors industry developments, provides support for operational issues, and submits policy recommendations to the Ministry of Trade and Industry.																																				Limits on Foreign Control and Right to Private Ownership and Establishment										Foreign and domestic entities may readily establish, operate, and dispose of their own enterprises in TT. There have been no significant changes over the last 12 months.There are no limits on foreign ownership. Under the Foreign Investment Act of 1990, a foreign investor is permitted to own 100 percent of the share capital in a private company. A license is required to own more than a 30 percent of a public company.TT maintains an investment screening mechanism for foreign investment related to specific projects that have been submitted for the purpose of accessing sector-specific incentives, such as for those offered in the tourism industry. Information on criteria to access the development incentives are listed in various legislative acts such as the Tourism Development Act of 2001. There are no reports of U.S. investors being especially disadvantaged or singled out relative to other foreign investors.																																				Other Investment Policy Reviews										The World Trade Organization conducted a trade policy review for TT in 2019:  https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/tpr_e/tp488_e.htm The Business and Human Rights Resource Center noted concerns about the expansion of Chinese investment in TT in 2019.  https://www.business-humanrights.org/en/latest-news/trinidad-and-tobago-concerns-raised-about-expansion-of-chinese-investment-in-the-country/ 																																				Business Facilitation										The GoTT has attempted to improve the ease of starting and operating businesses in TT by automating parts of the process. The business registration website is:  www.ttbizlink.gov.tt . In 2023, the Global Enterprise Registration Network (GER) gives the TT business registration website a moderate score of 6.5 out of ten for its single electronic window reflecting strengths in making simultaneous requests but weaknesses in the inability to make online payments. The online information portal,  www.TTconnect.gov.tt , received a below-average score of four out of ten since the site does not provide necessary and sufficient indications for the user to be able to complete the procedures. One of the portal’s strengths is that a feedback mechanism allows users to communicate with authorities.Foreign companies can use the website and business registration requires completion of seven procedures over a period of ten days. The agencies with which a company must typically register include:Companies Registry, Ministry of Legal AffairsBoard of Inland RevenueNational Insurance Board; andValue Added Tax (VAT Office, Board of Inland Revenue)																																				Outward Investment										The host government does not promote or incentivize outward investment.The host government does not restrict domestic investors from investing abroad.																																												2. Bilateral Investment and Taxation Treaties						    																						TT has 13 bilateral investment treaties (BIT) currently in force ( https://investmentpolicy.unctad.org/international-investment-agreements/countries/212/trinidad-and-tobago?type=bits ). These agreements mutually protect nationals or companies of either economy against non-commercial risks of expropriation and nationalization. TT has signed free trade agreements (FTAs) with five countries, either bilaterally or as a part of CARICOM: https://tradeind.gov.tt/documents-resources/trade-and-investment-agreements/A bilateral taxation treaty with the United States took effect in 1970:  https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-trty/trinidad.pdf . The GoTT is in the process of modernizing its tax collection regime with the establishment of a new central revenue authority. There are no ongoing systemic tax disputes between the government and foreign investors or other taxation issues of general concern to U.S. investors. TT has bilateral taxation treaties with 16 other countries/entities: Brazil, Canada, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), China, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and Venezuela. TT is a member of the OECD Inclusive Framework on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting and has accepted the Inclusive Framework’s October 2021 deal on the two-pillar solution to global tax challenges, including a global minimum corporate tax.																																		3. Legal Regime						    																																																Transparency of the Regulatory System										Through the TT Fair Trading Commission, the GoTT develops transparent policies and effective laws to foster market-based competition on a non-discriminatory basis and establishes “clear rules of the game.” Legal, regulatory, and accounting systems are generally transparent and consistent with international norms.There are no informal regulatory processes managed by non-governmental organizations or private sector associations.Rule-making and regulatory authority exist within the ministries and regulatory agencies at the national level. The GoTT consults frequently, but not always, with international agencies and business associations in developing regulations. The GoTT submits draft regulations to Parliament for approval. The process is the same for each ministry.Accounting, legal, and regulatory procedures are transparent and consistent with international norms. International financial reporting standards are required for domestic public companies. The GoTT promotes but does not require companies’ environmental, social, and governance disclosure to facilitate transparency to help investors and consumers distinguish between high- and low-quality investments.Proposed laws and regulations are often published in draft form electronically for public review at  http://www.ttparliament.org/ , although there is no legal obligation to do so. The GoTT often solicits private sector and business community comments on proposed legislation, although there is no timeframe for the length of a consultation period when it happens, nor is reporting on the consultations mandatory.All draft bills and regulations are printed in the official gazette and other websites: www.news.gov.tt/content/e-gazette#  www.ric.org.tt ; www.ttparliament.org The U.S. Embassy is not aware of an oversight or enforcement mechanism that ensures that the GoTT follows administrative processes.There has not been any announcement regarding reforms to the regulatory system, including enforcement, since the last ICS report. Regulatory reform efforts announced in prior years, such as the mechanism to calculate and collect property tax and the establishment of the revenue authority, have not been fully implemented.Establishment of the revenue authority is intended to increase collections and streamline the system for paying taxes.At present, regulatory enforcement mechanisms are usually a combination of moral suasion and the use of applicable administrative, civil, or criminal sanctions. The enforcement process is not legally reviewable.Regulation is usually reviewed based on scientific or data-driven assessments. Scientific studies or quantitative analyses are not made publicly available. Public comments received by regulators are generally not made public.Public finances and debt obligations are transparent and publicly available on the central bank website:  https://www.central-bank.org.tt 																																				International Regulatory Considerations										TT is not part of a regional economic block, though it is part of the CARICOM, a regional trading bloc that provides duty-free access to member countries’ goods, free movement to some members, and establishes common treatment of non-members on specific issues. CARICOM continues to explore implementation of the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME) that would eventually integrate member countries into a single economic unit. The CSME was formally named in 1989 and when fully completed would succeed CARICOM.TT’s legal, regulatory, and accounting systems are generally consistent with United Kingdom standards.The GoTT has not consistently notified the World Trade Organization (WTO) Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) of draft technical regulations.																																				Legal System and Judicial Independence										TT’s legal system is based on English common law. Contracts are legally enforced through the court system.TT has a written commercial law. There are few specialized courts, making the resolution of legal claims time consuming. An industrial court exclusively handles cases relating to labor practices but also suffers from severe backlogs and is widely seen to favor claimants.Civil cases of less than $2,250 are heard by the Magistrate’s Court. Matters exceeding that amount are heard in the High Court of Justice, which can grant equitable relief. There is no court or division of a court dedicated solely to hearing commercial cases.TT’s judicial system is independent of the executive, and the judicial process is competent, procedurally and substantively fair, and reliable, although very slow. According to the World Bank’s Doing Business 2020 report, TT ranks 174 of 190 in ease of enforcing contracts, and its court system requires 1,340 days to resolve a contract claim, nearly double the Latin American and Caribbean regional average.Decisions may be appealed to the Court of Appeal in the first instance. The United Kingdom Privy Council Judicial Committee is the final court of appeal.																																				Laws and Regulations on Foreign Direct Investment										TT’s judicial system respects the sanctity of contracts and generally provides a level playing field for foreign investors involved in court matters. Due to the backlog of cases, however, there can be major delays in the process. It is imperative that foreign investors seek competent local legal counsel. Some U.S. companies are hesitant to pursue legal remedies, preferring to attempt good faith negotiations in order to avoid an acrimonious relationship that could harm their interests in the country’s small, tight-knit business community.There is no “one-stop-shop” website for investment providing relevant laws, rules, and procedures. Useful websites to help navigate foreign investment laws, rules, and procedures include: http://www.legalaffairs.gov.tt  https://www.rgd.legalaffairs.gov.tt  http://www.tradeind.gov.tt  https://investmentpolicy.unctad.org/investment-laws/laws/46/trinidad-and-tobago-foreign-investment-act 																																				Competition and Antitrust Laws										The TT Fair Trading Commission is an independent statutory agency responsible for promoting and maintaining fair competition in the domestic market. It is tasked with investigating the various forms of anti-competitive business conduct set out in the Fair-Trading Act. No cases that involve foreign investment have arisen in the past 12 months. The agency adheres to fair and transparent norms and procedures. The agency’s decisions can be appealed to the judicial system.																																				Expropriation and Compensation										The GoTT can legally expropriate property based on the needs of the country and only after due process including adequate compensation, generally based on market value. Various pieces of legislation make provisions for compulsory licensing in the interest of public health or intellectual property rights.The U.S. Embassy is not aware of any direct or indirect expropriation actions since the 1980s. All prior expropriations were compensated to the satisfaction of the parties involved. Energy sector contacts occasionally describe the tax regime as confiscatory, pointing to after-the-fact withdrawal or weakening of tax incentives offered to entice investment once investment occurs.Claimants did not allege a lack of due process in prior expropriation cases.																																				Dispute Settlement																										ICSID Convention and New York Convention						TT is a party to the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID Convention) and the Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards (1958 New York convention).Local courts recognize and enforce foreign arbitral awards according to chapter 20 of the Arbitration (Foreign Arbitral Awards) Act 1996.						Investor-State Dispute Settlement						The bilateral investment treaty between the United States and TT recognizes binding arbitration of investment disputes.The U.S. Embassy is not aware of any claims by U.S. investors under the bilateral investment treaty with the United States.The U.S. Embassy is unaware of any disputes involving U.S. or other foreign investors over the past 10 years. There is no history of extrajudicial action against foreign investors.						International Commercial Arbitration and Foreign Courts						Some of the available types of alternative dispute resolution include mediation and arbitration. The Civil Proceedings Rules encourage parties to make reasonable attempts to resolve their disputes amicably with litigation as a last resort.  Mediation and arbitration are most commonly used.There is a domestic dispute resolution center that offers arbitration services. Domestic legislation, the Arbitration Act of 1939, is based on early English arbitration legislation and is not modeled on internationally accepted regulations.The U.S. Embassy has no records of any investment disputes involving a state-owned enterprise (SOE).																										Bankruptcy Regulations										TT’s Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act of 2007 provides a statutory framework that allows companies and individuals to address financial difficulties. Creditors have the right to be notified within 10 days of the appointment of a receiver and to receive a final report, a statement of accounts, and an assessment of claim. Claims of secured creditors are prioritized under the Bankruptcy Act. No distinction is made between foreign and domestic creditors or contract holders. Bankruptcy is not criminalized.																																												4. Industrial Policies						    																																																Investment Incentives										Investment incentives include the following: exemption from import duties and customs duties, tax credits and deferrals, cash refunds, carry-over of losses, and access to loans. These are available equally to foreign and domestic investors, but delays in cash refund payments are a frequent complaint. There are no specific incentives for underrepresented investors such as women. Additional information is available on the following websites: https://www.finance.gov.tt/mof-investment-incentives-in-trinidad-and-tobago/  www.investt.com The GoTT sometimes jointly finances foreign direct investment projects, but it is not common.The Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries continues to work on a Feed in Tariff (FIT) policy and a FIT Implementation plan under the Global Climate Change Alliance+ initiative.																																				Foreign Trade Zones/Free Ports/Trade Facilitation										The TT Special Economic Zones Bill, 2021 was passed in the Parliament in January 2022, creating a Special Economic Zone Authority and replacing the prior 1988 Free Zones Act. The new authority has not yet been fully implemented but is expected to occur in 2023.																																				Performance and Data Localization Requirements										The GoTT does not mandate – although it strongly encourages through negotiable incentives – projects that generate employment and foreign exchange, provide training and/or technology transfer, boost exports or reduce imports, have local content; and generally, contribute to the welfare of the country.The GoTT does not mandate that locals be recruited to senior management and boards of directors.Several foreign firms have encountered inconsistencies leading to long delays in the issuance of long-term work permits, but there are no explicit, onerous requirements.There are no government/authority-imposed conditions on permission to invest.There are no forced localization requirements.There are no performance requirements and thus no enforcement procedures. There is no indication of an intention to implement across-the-board performance requirements.Investment incentives are uniform for domestic and foreign investors but offered on a case-by-case, instead of an across-the-board basis.There are no requirements for foreign information technology (IT) providers to turn over source code and/or provide access to encryption.There are no measures that prevent or restrict companies from freely transmitting customer or other business-related data outside the country.There are no rules on local data storage within TT.																																												5. Protection of Property Rights						    																																																Real Property										Property rights and interests are enforced in court. Mortgages and liens exist. TT has a dual system of land titles, the old common law system and the registered land title system governed by the Real Property Act of 1946. Nearly 80 percent of land in TT remains under the more complicated common law system, which is not reliable for recording secured interests.The Foreign Investment Act of 1990 governs the acquisition of any interest in land by foreign investors. It states that foreign investors wishing to acquire land larger than five acres must obtain a license from the Ministry of Finance. Licenses are generally granted in practice per the criteria provided here:  https://www.finance.gov.tt/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/51.pdf .It is not clear what proportion of land does not have clear title. The GoTT does not make a defined effort to identify property owners and register land titles. Property ownership can revert to squatters if they can prove exclusive possession of another’s land, without permission, for at least 16 years in the case of private lands and 30 years on state lands.																																				Intellectual Property Rights										The process of protecting intellectual property involves applying for and registering patents, trademarks, or designs. TT’s intellectual property rights (IPR) legal structure is strong, but enforcement is generally weak. U.S. rights holders identify that infringement on rights sometimes occurs.TT is a member of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). In 2020, TT acceded to the Madrid Protocol on Trademarks. Trinidad and Tobago is not a party to the Hague agreement concerning the international registration of industrial designs, nor is it a party to the 2000 Patent Law Treaty..TT does not comprehensively track seizures of counterfeit goods. At its May 2019 WTO Trade Policy Review, it reported one seizure in 2018. The country has prosecuted IPR violations in the past, but such prosecutions are uncommon.TT is listed in the United States Trade Representative’s (USTR) 2023 Special 301 Report Watch List. The United States remains concerned about the lack of enforcement action against the two state-owned telecommunications networks that continue to violate the agreement, both of which broadcast unlicensed U.S. over-the-air signal content as part of their commercial television subscription packages.TT is not included in USTR’s 2022 Review of Notorious Markets for Counterfeiting and Piracy.For additional information about national laws and points of contact at local IP offices, please see WIPO’s country profiles at:  http://www.wipo.int/directory/en/ 																																												6. Financial Sector						    																																																Capital Markets and Portfolio Investment										The GoTT welcomes foreign portfolio investment.TT has its own stock market and has an established regulatory framework to encourage and facilitate portfolio investment. There is enough liquidity in the markets to enter and exit sizeable positions.Existing policies facilitate the free flow of financial resources into the product and factor markets.The GoTT and the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago respect International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Article VIII by refraining from restrictions on payment and transfers for current international transactions. Shortages of foreign exchange, exacerbated by the government’s maintenance of the local currency at values higher than those which the market would bear, however, cause considerable delays in payments and transfers for international transactions.A full range of credit instruments is available to the private sector. There are no restrictions on borrowing by foreign investors, who can access credit. Credit is allocated on market terms, but interest rates tend to be higher for foreign borrowers.																																				Money and Banking System										Banking services are widespread throughout urban areas, but penetration is significantly lower in rural areas.Although the banking sector is healthy and well-capitalized, the IMF in its most recent Financial Stability Assessment Program noted TT’s banks are exposed to sovereign risk and potential liquidity risks stemming from non-bank financial entities in the group. The IMF finds that while progress has been made toward strengthening the financial system overall, several vulnerabilities remain: increasing household and business debt; high exposures to the sovereign; interconnectedness; need to further strengthen the financial regulatory and supervisory framework; through transforming the investment fund sector, consolidating supervision of conglomerate groups and strengthening supervisory resource and independence in line with international best practices. The supervisors operate with guidelines in key areas instead of binding powers, which limits their authority.In December 2021, the estimated total assets of TT’s largest banks was $23.1 billion.TT has a central bank system. Foreign banks may establish operations in TT provided they obtain a license from the central bank. TT has not lost correspondent banking relationships in the past three years. The U.S. Embassy is not aware of any current correspondent banking relationships that are in jeopardy.There are no restrictions on a foreigner’s ability to establish a bank account.																																				Foreign Exchange and Remittances																										Foreign Exchange						There are no restrictions or limitations placed on foreign investors in converting, transferring, or repatriating funds associated with an investment.Shortages of foreign exchange, exacerbated by the government’s maintenance of the local currency at values higher than those which the market would bear, cause considerable delays in conversion into world currencies. Businesses continue to report a cumbersome bureaucratic process and a minimum three-month delay in such conversions.The central bank intervenes to maintain an unofficial peg to the U.S. dollar, using a managed float in which the exchange rate fluctuates mildly day-to-day and limits the availability of foreign currency.						Remittance Policies						While there are no recent changes or plans to change investment remittance policies to tighten or relax access to foreign exchange for investment remittances, commercial banks have enacted policies that limit access to foreign exchange due to national shortages, on guidance from the Ministry of Finance and the central bank.Although there are no official time limitations on remittances, timeliness of remittances depends on availability of foreign currency.																										Sovereign Wealth Funds										The value of TT’s Heritage and Stabilization Fund as of September 2022 is approximately $5 billion. The fund invests in U.S. short duration fixed income, U.S. core domestic fixed income, U.S. core domestic equities, and non-U.S. core international equities. The percentage of investment in the United States is not public.The sovereign wealth fund (SWF) follows the voluntary code of good practices known as the Santiago Principles. TT participates in the IMF-hosted International Working Group on Sovereign Wealth Funds.None of the SWF is invested domestically. There are no potentially negative ramifications for U.S. investors in the local market.																																												7. State-Owned Enterprises						    																						TT has 55 SOEs comprised of 43 wholly-owned companies, eight majority-owned, and four in which the government has a minority share. SOEs are in the energy, manufacturing, agriculture, tourism, financial services, transportation, and communication sectors. Information on the total assets of SOEs, total net income of SOEs, and number of people employed by SOEs is not available. The Investments Division of the Ministry of Finance appoints directors to the boards of state enterprises, reportedly at the direction of the Minister of Finance. SOEs are often informally or explicitly obligated to consult with GoTT officials before making major business decisions. According to TT’s constitution, the GoTT is entitled to:exercise control directly or indirectly over the affairs of the enterpriseappoint a majority of directors of the board of directors of the enterprise; andhold at least 50 per cent of the ordinary share capital of the enterpriseA published list of SOEs for 2023 can be found here:  https://www.finance.gov.tt/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/State-Enterprises-Investment-Programme-2023.pdf In sectors that are open to both the private sector and foreign competition, SOEs are sometimes favored for government contracts, which might negatively impact U.S. investors in the market.SOEs competing in the domestic market operate in accordance with commercial considerations, on terms that other market participants would offer or accept. SOEs competing in the domestic market provide non-discriminatory treatment in their purchase and sale of goods or services. Post is aware of one SOE competing in the domestic marketplace that has made investments in the United States.The country has not adhered to the OECD corporate governance guidelines for SOEs.																										Privatization Program										TT does not have a privatization program in place, but the government has issued initial public offerings of various state-owned companies to obtain revenue, primarily in the finance and energy sectors. Foreign investors can participate in the initial public offerings of SOEs.The purchase of initial public offering shares on past occasions was open to the public, easy to understand, non-discriminatory, and transparent. For example:  https://ngc.co.tt/media/news/ngl-initial-public-offering-brokerage-details/ 																																												8. Responsible Business Conduct						    																						There is general awareness of expectations of, and standards for, responsible business conduct (RBC), including obligations to proactively conduct due diligence to ensure businesses are doing no harm, including with regards to environmental, social, and governance issues.The GoTT has not put forward a clear definition of responsible business conduct, nor does it have specific policies to promote and encourage it. The GoTT has not conducted a national action plan on RBC, nor does it currently factor it into procurement decisions. The GoTT has not instituted or proposed requirements for businesses to conduct due diligence or reporting regarding human rights.There are five reports of forced labor over the last 12 months. There are no reported claims in the last five years by indigenous or other communities that a government entity improperly allocated land or natural resources.There have not been any high-profile, controversial instances of private sector impact on human rights.TT has laws to ensure protection of human rights, labor rights, consumers, and the environment. However, enforcement is lacking due to staffing shortages, capacity issues, and a bureaucratic judiciary.The GoTT, in collaboration with civil society, created the TT Corporate Governance Code, which incorporates governance, accounting, and executive compensation standards to protect shareholders. The code, however, is not mandatory.The Caribbean Corporate Governance Institute is a not-for-profit organization headquartered in TT that freely advocates for responsible business conduct and improved corporate governance practices in the Caribbean.The GoTT does not encourage adherence to the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Afflicted and High-Risk Areas. There are no domestic measures requiring supply chain due diligence for companies sourcing minerals originating from conflict-affected areas.As a member of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), the GoTT publicly declares annually all revenues received from companies engaged in the extractive industries. The companies, in turn, publicly declare payments to the government.TT is not a signatory of the Montreux Document on Private Military and Security Companies.																										Additional Resources										Department of StateCountry Reports on Human Rights Practices;Trafficking in Persons Report;Guidance on Implementing the &#8220;UN Guiding Principles&#8221; for Transactions Linked to Foreign Government End-Users for Products or Services with Surveillance Capabilities;U.S. National Contact Point for the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises; and;Xinjiang Supply Chain Business Advisory Department of the TreasuryOFAC Recent ActionsDepartment of LaborFindings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor Report;List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor;Sweat &amp; Toil: Child Labor, Forced Labor, and Human Trafficking Around the World and;Comply Chain.																																				Climate Issues										The GoTT has a national climate change policy focused on emissions reduction. The National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan outlines the status of biodiversity, the value of biodiversity and ecosystem services to human health and well-being, the threats to biodiversity, and the legal and policy context for implementation.The GoTT has not yet introduced any policies as incentives to reach net-zero, but it is in dialogue with stakeholders from various sectors on achieving net-zero. There are no regulatory incentives to achieve policy outcomes that preserve biodiversity, clean air, or other desirable ecological benefits. There are no policies targeting particular commodities or supply chains as drivers of deforestation, but the EITI is engaged in promoting greater transparency in this sector. Within the last twelve months, the GoTT has asked ministries to consider environmental considerations when procuring goods and services.																																												9. Corruption						    																						Various pieces of legislation address corruption of public officials:The Integrity in Public Life Act requires public officials to disclose assets upon taking office and at the end of their tenure.The Freedom of Information Act gives members of the public a general right (with specified exceptions) of access to official documents of public authorities. The intention of the act was to address the public’s concerns of corruption and to promote a system of open and good governance. In compliance with the act, designated officers in each ministry and statutory authority process applications for information.The Police Complaints Authority Act establishes a mechanism for complaints against police officers in relation to, among other things, police misconduct and police corruption.The Prevention of Corruption Act provides for certain offences and punishment of corruption in public office.The laws are non-discriminatory in their infrequent application. Effectiveness of these measures has been limited by a lack of thorough enforcement.The laws do not extend to family members of officials or to political parties.TT does not have laws or regulations to counter conflicts of interest in awarding contracts or government procurement.The GoTT has been a party to the development of corporate governance standards (non-binding) to encourage private companies to establish internal codes of conduct that, among other things, prohibit bribery of public officials.Some private companies, particularly larger ones, use internal controls and compliance programs to detect and prevent bribery of government officials, although this is not a GoTT requirement.TT adheres to the UN Anticorruption Convention.There are no protections for non-governmental organizations involved in investigating corruption, but investigations are not feared since corrupt actors are rarely punished.U.S. firms often say corruption is an obstacle to FDI, particularly in government procurement, since TT’s procurement processes are not transparent.																										Resources to Report Corruption										Contact information for the government agency or agencies that are responsible for combating corruption:Mr. Rajendra RamloganChairmanThe Integrity CommissionP.O. Box 1253, Port of SpainThe Integrity Commission of Trinidad and Tobago Level 14, Tower D, International Waterfront Centre, 1A Wrightson Road, Port of Spain868-623-8305 registrar@integritycommission.org.tt Mr. Dion AbdoolChairmanTrinidad and Tobago Transparency Institute (local chapter of Transparency International)Unit 4-12, Building 7, Fernandes Industrial Centre, Laventille868-626-5756 admin@transparency.org.tt 																																												10. Political and Security Environment						    																						While non-violent demonstrations occur on occasion, widespread civil disorder is not typical. There have been no serious incidents of political violence since a coup attempt in 1990.Specific areas of TT are increasingly insecure due to a critical level of violent crime and some business report increased security expenses.																																		11. Labor Policies and Practices						    																						The labor market includes many skilled and experienced workers. TT’s educational level is among the top ten in North America according to the Human Development Index, although there is a gap between official literacy statistics and functional literacy. In 2021, the International Labor Organization estimated an unemployment rate of 4.4 percent, while youth unemployment rate (15-24 years of age) was estimated at 12.9 percent. Information on the informal economy is not widely available.Agricultural employment accounts for 3.6 percent of total employment while employment in services accounts for over 60 percent. The estimated non-agricultural workforce in the informal economy is 10 percent of the overall labor force. TT’s workforce includes not only TT nationals but also citizens of 11 other CARICOM countries as part of the free movement of labor without the need to obtain a work permit. In 2019, TT granted 16,523 Venezuelans the right to work in the country for a period of one year under a temporary protective status. The GoTT has allowed registered Venezuelans one-year extensions on an annual basis; however, according to various local and Venezuelan non-governmental organizations, the process has not been seamless, causing lapses to secure work permits. Media reports suggest some workers have lost employment due to the situation. Some members of the business community have indicated that many migrant workers have returned to their countries of origin due to the unavailability of options following COVID-19 pandemic-related closures.TT is a net importer of expatriate labor, including doctors, nurses, construction workers, and extractive industry specialists. There is a surplus of accountants and attorneys and a shortage of unskilled workers for the hospitality, retail, and agriculture sectors. The GoTT subsidizes tertiary-level education for citizens whose income falls within a minimum range. The Multi-Sector Skills Training Program provides training in construction and hospitality and tourism for eligible TT citizens. The GoTT also encourages continuing learning opportunities for the disadvantaged via the Multi-Sector Skills Training Program, which develops skills that can aid in the creation of home-based production of goods and services and employment generation.There is no GoTT policy that requires investors to hire nationals, although it is encouraged, particularly in the energy sector.There are no restrictions on employers adjusting employment to respond to fluctuating market conditions via severance. Labor laws differentiate between layoffs and firing. The Retrenchment and Severance Benefits Act provides guidance on who is entitled to receive what based on specific circumstances. Severance pay is usually only paid to retirees and workers who have been made redundant. An employer is not required to pay severance to workers if everyone is severed and the business is being closed. If, however, only a portion of the workforce is rendered redundant, the employer must pay severance. Unemployment insurance does not exist for workers who have been laid off for economic reasons, but programs designed to help job seekers find employment as quickly as possible are available. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the GoTT instituted a 3-6-month unemployment benefit program for those laid off beginning in 2020.Labor laws are not waived in order to attract or retain investment. There are no separate labor law provisions for special economic zones, trade zones, or free ports.Collective bargaining is common, with approximately 15 percent of the population covered by collective bargaining agreements. Government workers, including civil servants, police officers, firefighters, military personnel, and staff in several state-owned enterprises, are covered by collective bargaining agreements. Unions are also quite active in the energy, steel, and telecommunications industries. Collective bargaining takes place between the firm and the recognized majority union rather than on an industry-wide basis. The GoTT as an employer also bargains collectively. The process of collective bargaining is regulated by the Industrial Relations Act. There are close to 30 active, independent labor unions in TT.The Industrial Relations Act provides for dispute resolution through an industrial court in instances where the issue cannot be resolved by collective bargaining or through conciliation efforts by the Ministry of Labor.There was no strike in the past year that posed an investment risk.The International Labor Organization has not identified any compliance gaps in law or practice regarding international labor standards that may pose a reputational risk to investors. The GoTT does not have a labor inspectorate system to identify and remediate labor violations, but the industrial court investigates and prosecutes unfair labor practices, such as harassment and/or improper dismissal of union members.There were no new labor related laws or regulations enacted or drafted over the last year.																																		12. U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), and Other Investment Insurance or Development Finance Programs						    																						As a high-income country, TT is ineligible for DFC programs.There is no existing investment guaranty between TT and the DFC.																																		13. Foreign Direct Investment Statistics						    																						Table 2: Key Macroeconomic Data, U.S. FDI in Host Country/EconomyHost Country Statistical source*USG or international statistical sourceUSG or International Source of Data:BEA; IMF; Eurostat; UNCTAD, OtherEconomic DataYearAmountYearAmountHost Country Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ($M USD)2021$24.32021$24.46www.worldbank.org/en/countryForeign Direct InvestmentHost Country Statistical source*USG or international statistical sourceUSG or international Source of data:BEA; IMF; Eurostat; UNCTAD, OtherU.S. FDI in partner country ($M USD, stock positions)2021N/A2021$4,148BEA data available athttps://apps.bea.gov/international/factsheet/Host country’s FDI in the United States ($M USD, stock positions)2021N/A2021$280BEA data available athttps://apps.bea.gov/international/factsheet/Total inbound stock of FDI as % host GDP2021N/A202135%UNCTAD data available athttps://unctad.org/topic/investment/world-investment-report* Source for Host Country Data: Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago, https://www.central-bank.org.tt/statistics/data-centre/output-gdp-2012  Table 3: Sources and Destination of FDIDirect Investment from/in Counterpart Economy DataFrom Top Five Sources/To Top Five Destinations (US Dollars, Millions)Inward Direct InvestmentOutward Direct InvestmentTotal Inward8,382100%Total Outward1,607100%Barbados2,55931%Barbados55535%United Kingdom1,57619%Saint Lucia16510%United States83310%Guyana221%Saint Lucia82410%Canada3594%&#8220;0&#8221; reflects amounts rounded to +/- USD 500,000.Source: IMF Coordinated Direct Investment Survey (CDIS). Most recent data available is from 2020. Some data excluded by the reporting economies due to confidentiality.																																		14. Contact for More Information						    																						Valerie LaboyEconomic and Commercial Officer15 Queens Park West, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago868 622-6371 poscommercial@state.gov 																										    							View report by:																				Albania											Algeria											Andorra											Angola											Antigua and Barbuda											Argentina											Armenia											Australia											Austria											Azerbaijan											The Bahamas											Bahrain											Bangladesh											Barbados											Belarus											Belgium											Belize											Benin											Bolivia											Bosnia and Herzegovina											Botswana											Brazil											Brunei											Bulgaria											Burkina Faso											Burma											Burundi											Cabo Verde											Cambodia											Cameroon											Canada											Chile											China											Colombia											Costa Rica											Côte d’Ivoire											Croatia											Cyprus											Czechia											Democratic Republic of the Congo											Denmark											Djibouti											Dominica											Dominican Republic											Ecuador											Egypt											El Salvador											Equatorial Guinea											Eritrea											Estonia											Eswatini											Ethiopia											Fiji											Finland											France and Monaco											The Gambia											Gabon											Georgia											Germany											Ghana											Greece											Grenada											Guatemala											Guinea											Guyana											Honduras											Haiti											Hong Kong											Hungary											Iceland											India											Indonesia											Iraq											Ireland											Israel											Italy											Jamaica											Japan											Jordan											Kazakhstan											Kenya											Kosovo											Kyrgyz Republic											Laos											Latvia											Lebanon											Lesotho											Liberia											Libya											Lithuania											Luxembourg											Macau											Madagascar											Malawi											Malaysia											Maldives											Mali											Malta											Marshall Islands											Mauritania											Mauritius											Mexico											Micronesia											Moldova											Mongolia											Montenegro											Morocco											Mozambique											Namibia											Netherlands											Nepal											New Zealand											Nicaragua											Niger											Nigeria											North Macedonia											Norway											Oman											Pakistan											Palau											Panama											Papua New Guinea											Paraguay											Peru											Philippines											Poland											Portugal											Qatar											Republic of the Congo											Romania											Rwanda											Saint Kitts and Nevis											Saint Lucia											Saint Vincent and the Grenadines											Samoa											Sao Tome and Principe											Saudi Arabia											Senegal											Serbia											Seychelles											Sierra Leone											Singapore											Slovakia											Slovenia											Somalia											South Africa											South Korea											South Sudan											Spain											Sri Lanka											Suriname											Sweden											Switzerland											Taiwan											Tajikistan											Tanzania											Thailand											Timor-Leste											Togo											Trinidad and Tobago											Tunisia											Türkiye											United Arab Emirates											Uganda											Ukraine											United Kingdom											Uruguay											Uzbekistan											Vietnam											West Bank and Gaza											Zambia											Zimbabwe															Build A Custom Report																						On This Page				search													>																										EXECUTIVE SUMMARY																1. Openness To, and Restrictions Upon, Foreign Investment																																							Policies Towards Foreign Direct Investment																																																						Limits on Foreign Control and Right to Private Ownership and Establishment																																																						Other Investment Policy Reviews																																																						Business Facilitation																																																						Outward Investment																																																			2. Bilateral Investment and Taxation Treaties																3. Legal Regime																																							Transparency of the Regulatory System																																																						International Regulatory Considerations																																																						Legal System and Judicial Independence																																																						Laws and Regulations on Foreign Direct Investment																																																						Competition and Antitrust Laws																																																						Expropriation and Compensation																																																						Dispute Settlement																																																				ICSID Convention and New York Convention																																												Investor-State Dispute Settlement																																												International Commercial Arbitration and Foreign Courts																																																																																				Bankruptcy Regulations																																																			4. Industrial Policies																																							Investment Incentives																																																						Foreign Trade Zones/Free Ports/Trade Facilitation																																																						Performance and Data Localization Requirements																																																			5. Protection of Property Rights																																							Real Property																																																						Intellectual Property Rights																																																			6. Financial Sector																																							Capital Markets and Portfolio Investment																																																						Money and Banking System																																																						Foreign Exchange and Remittances																																																				Foreign Exchange																																												Remittance Policies																																																																																				Sovereign Wealth Funds																																																			7. State-Owned Enterprises																																							Privatization Program																																																			8. Responsible Business Conduct																																							Additional Resources																																																						Climate Issues																																																			9. Corruption																																							Resources to Report Corruption																																																			10. Political and Security Environment																11. Labor Policies and Practices																12. U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), and Other Investment Insurance or Development Finance Programs																13. Foreign Direct Investment Statistics																14. Contact for More Information																						Tags																					Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs																								Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs																								Trinidad and Tobago