Trinidad and Tobago cannot tax, borrow, or “fee” its way into prosperity forever, the country now needs a serious productivity and confidence agenda or investors will simply continue bypassing us for places like Guyana, Suriname and even smaller Caribbean territories.
The first step is restoring confidence in governance and execution: investors want fast approvals, stable policy, reliable utilities, functioning ports, predictable foreign exchange access, and a justice system that can enforce contracts quickly.
T&T must aggressively modernize the public service, digitize approvals, reduce bureaucracy, and establish legally binding timelines for permits, customs clearances, and investment approvals. At the same time, crime must be treated as an economic emergency because no serious investor wants to place capital where executives, workers, and supply chains feel unsafe.
The country also has to stop punishing productive sectors with excessive fees, delays, and uncertainty while rewarding inefficiency. We should focus on industries where T&T still has advantages: downstream energy, maritime services, logistics, aviation repair, technology outsourcing, agro processing, regional financial services, and higher value manufacturing.
Small and medium businesses need easier access to financing, foreign exchange, and export support instead of drowning in red tape. Education and technical training must be aligned to actual labour market demand so employers can find skilled workers locally instead of importing labour while citizens remain underemployed.
Most importantly, Cabinet must send one clear signal to the world: Trinidad and Tobago is open for business, serious about productivity, intolerant of corruption and waste, and prepared to reward innovation, investment, and hard work rather than political patronage and economic drift.
Gordon Laughlin,
Westmoorings
