Sustainable Developmental Goals for Trinidad and Tobago

Vision 2030 Logo (Vision 2030 | Ministry of Planning and Development)

Trinidad and Tobago's (T&T) cultural and social environments were assessed by an internal Government Ministry, the Ministry of Planning and Development in 2016. This assessment led to the production of a strategic plan geared towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This plan was captured in the publication that can be reviewed by the link below.

Vision_2030-_The_National_Development_Strategy_of_Trinidad_and_Tobago_2016-2030.pdf.pdf (planning.gov.tt) 

To determine the needs for development, an independent document was generated, that can be viewed in the link below.

 Assessment_of_Trinidad _and_Tobago_VAB.pdf (planning.gov.tt. 

This document listed Progressive and Non-Progressive Cultural Factors of Development. In Social Behavior, two cultural factors, Rule of Law/Corruption and The Individual/The Group were of particular interest as further defined below.

Rule of Law/Corruption

A progressive society which promotes development is one where culturally, individuals within that society are generally law abiding. This is termed a society with a progress-prone culture. A progress-resistant culture, where culturally individuals rely on money/connection to circumvent the law, is a society that could be deemed non-progressive. Where Corruption is concerned a society that persecutes corruption is progressive while a society that tolerates corruption is regressive. The Global Competitive Index Trinidad and Tobago Competitiveness Index (tradingeconomics.com) however in the areas of ethic (rule of law) and corruption, shows that Trinidad and Tobago has ratings that would suggest a progress-resistant culture, which in turn hinders development thus achieving SDGs.

The Individual/The Group

A progressive prone society emphasizes the collective while a progressive resistant society emphasizes the individual but not excessively. The Vision 2020, Culture and Attitudes Sub-Committee Report, reported on a society that on the surface suggests a united, close-knit society, there lies deeper a general attitude of, "selfishness, lawlessness, greed, dishonesty and indifference to others.”  This combined with "misunderstanding, mutual suspicion, hidden tension, and feelings of marginalization and alienation among groups in the society," presents a society that can only be rated as resistant prone, therefore not in line with developmental, thus preventing the achievement of SDGs. 

United Nations SDGs

Further, the United Nations (Trinidad and Tobago) also has a SDGs that is in line with the above-mentioned goals. This Sustainable Development Goal, Goal 16 is Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.  A link to this could be found below for further review:

Sustainable Development Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions | United Nations in Trinidad and Tobago

UN T&T SDG 16 Logo 

The targets (16.1-16 A-B) as outlined in the above link, as achieved, with the other sixteen (16) SDGs, would poise the nation on the cusp of achieving sustainable development.