GALLUP NEWS SERVICE
PRINCETON, NJ -- Trinidad and Tobago, the small two-island nation located off the coast of Venezuela, is on its way to becoming a developed nation -- or such is the aspiration of Prime Minister Patrick Manning. After his party won the general election of 2002, Manning proposed a program to guide the country to full development by 2020. Manning's vision of "full development" is an ideal living environment that includes full employment, satisfactory housing and healthcare, high-quality education, low crime rates, an eradication of poverty, and an end to corruption, to name but a few key factors.
Gallup World Poll results suggest there is a long way to go. The country is experiencing economic growth rivaling that of China -- and indeed, residents of Trinidad and Tobago (referred to as "Trinbagonians") are less likely than those in most Caribbean nations* to say they lacked money for food (26%) or shelter (10%) in the past year. However, several of the development goals outlined by Manning still seem remote.
About a third of Trinbagonians (35%) currently say they are satisfied with efforts in the country to improve the number and quality of jobs -- slightly above average for Caribbean nations, but significantly below the 48% in neighboring Venezuela.
A majority of Trinbagonians (58%) say they are satisfied with the availability of healthcare -- reflecting, in part, a decade-long effort to expand the number of outpatient clinics handling minor illnesses and injuries throughout the country. However, only 38% say they have confidence in the country's healthcare system overall; the only population in the Western Hemisphere less likely to do so is in Haiti (31%).
Only a third of Trinbagonians (31%) say they have confidence in their local police force, and 25% say they've had money or property stolen from them in the past year. Both numbers are less favorable than average in a Caribbean region known for its high crime rates.
Corruption is perceived to be rampant in businesses (85%) and the government (82%). Other Caribbean populations also feel corruption is widespread, though in most cases the percentages are significantly lower than in Trinidad and Tobago.
Though Manning's vision for the future of Trinidad and Tobago is commendable, many of his constituents may feel thus far it is overly optimistic. However, Trinbagonians' skepticism could be an asset if their perceptions offer clues to the weakest spots in the country's institutional structure and the most significant barriers to development.
* Caribbean countries and territories surveyed include the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Panama, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela.
Survey Methods
Results are based on face-to-face interviews conducted Oct. 31-Nov. 18, 2006, with a randomly selected sample of 508 residents of Trinidad and Tobago, aged 15 and older. For results based on this sample, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum error attributable to sampling and other random effects is ±5 percentage points. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.