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LOW-DOWN ON TRINIDAD

Feb 25, 2004

Visiting Trinidad is a treat. There is no much to see, but the island

offers a sweet atmosphere of well-being to the stressed-out visitor.

The weather is more than pleasant. Trinidadians are helpful and

welcoming. Annoyances encountered in other Caribbean nations, such as the

beggars in the Dominican Republic, are not found here.

Sounds, arts, colours are everywhere. Conversations are punctuated by a

signing accent.

The island's natural beauty is breathtaking: luxurious vegetations,

magnificent cricks, majestous mountains. Erosion, if there is any, is

unseen.

The country was discovered by Columbus in 1498. It was occupied by Spain

and Great Britain. The indigenous population was wiped out and replaced

by African slaves. Slavery was abolished in 1833, but East Indians and

Muslims were brought in to work on the plantations. That explains why the

populations today is made of 40% Blacks and 40% Indians. Europeans,

Chinese make up most of the 20%. Most Trinidadians are Christian.

Trinidadian culture bears a heavy influence from the French. France, for

some time, occupied Tobago. Many French families flew the successful slave

revolution in Haiti, to set residence here. A French patois, along with

some Spanish, is spoken here. English is the official language.

No longer a British colony since 1963, Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) became a

republic of the Commomwealth of Nations in 1976. The country is also a

member of Caricom, the Caribbean commonwealth. It is headed by a

President, a Prime Minister in a bicameral system.

Trinidad, third oil exporter in the Americas, used to be a rich country as

per Caribbean standards. But in the mid-eighties, the country went into a

period of poor political and economic management. Unemployement and

inflation soared.

Today, recovery is on the way. The U.S dollar is worth 6.2 T&T dollars.

The national budget is 1.5 billion American dollars for 1.3 million

people. Please, compare with 0.3 billion (five times less) for Haiti's

eight (8) million people. Schooling is free and mandatory. Health care

is free for those who can't afford private care.

Unemployement, crimes (petty theft and kidnapping) are growing into major

problems. They explain why, for example, Jouvert was advanced from 3:00

a.m. to 5:00 a.m.

With the inception of satellite television, Trinidadian intellectuals

think their culture is eroding. Aristotle reading is replaced by soap

opera watching.

But whatever these intellectuals argue, the wine-wine thing at carnaval

will not go away.

(The Traveller, Thursday, February 26, 2004)