Chapter 24 - Trinidad and Tobago

Abstract

Trinidad and Tobago is the most southerly of the Caribbean island countries and is bound to the west by the Gulf of Paria, to the north by the Caribbean Sea, and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. The climate is typically tropical with temperatures ranging between 25°C and 30°C. There is a tropical maritime (dry season) between January and May and a moist equatorial (wet season) between June and December. The coastal zone supports biologically diverse, highly productive ecosystems associated with mangroves, seagrass beds, coral reefs, mudflats, estuaries, lagoons, and littoral woodlands. However, the development of heavy industry and high population density in the coastal areas has increased the pollution levels in the coastal zones causing significant pressure on these fragile ecosystems. Trinidad and Tobago has signed several important international conventions and programs which are geared to protect the marine and environment. However, the record of implementing the provisions of these conventions is very poor. As such, there is no marine management plan. Instead, management is guided by a number of sectoral policies, under different Acts of Parliament, some of which are poorly drafted or date back to colonial times, before sustainability and environmental protection were part of national policy. These legislations are scattered across many different agencies, and responsibilities are often not clearly defined. This is partly due to a general institutional weakness, resource limitations, staffing, lack of communication and coordination between agencies, and the low priority given to the natural environment. What is immediately evident is that the country would have to significantly increase its environmental protection efforts if it is to reduce the impacts of pollution and the rate of natural resource depletion.