amcham t&t linkage q1 2013

Special Feature: Data anD inFormation technology

Q1 / 2013

Small & medium enterpriSeS

data and information technology


AmCham T&T Linkage Q1/2013 1

The word daTa is The plural of daTum, neuTer pasT parTiciple of The laTin dare, "To give", hence "someThing given". in discussions of problems in geomeTry, maThemaTics, engineering, and so on, The Terms givens and daTa are used inTerchangeably. such usage is The origin of daTa as a concepT in compuTer science or daTa processing: daTa are numbers, words, images, eTc., accepTed as They sTand. from wikipedia

2 AmCham T&T Linkage Q1/2013

Given the importance of accurate information to any decision making process we thought it would be useful to take a look at the issues surrounding data and information technology in recent times. This issue of Linkage takes a look at some of the changes wrought by our growing immersion and dependence on information technology.

My research on this topic has revealed very interesting insights and advice on how data can work for you or against you ... and it is useful to be aware of both and so avoid the pitfalls. Certainly, I would like to share a few words on how AmCham T&T has been using data and information technology to broaden the minds and opportunities available to our nation’s youth through our National Youth Productivity Forum.

This program has three components: a discussion/debate series, an on-line discussion forum and a school project. All components encourage the participating 5th & 6th form students to research and critically analyse information on the chosen topic. The students are then required to use this information to form opinions, arguments, solutions and recommendations which are then shared with their colleagues either verbally in the case of the discussion/debate component or using the social medium of Facebook. In the case of the project component the outcome of their research is an innovative project meant to stimulate entrepreneurship and productivity. During the discussion/debates the students have access to the internet and can research new ideas and source counter arguments on the spot. In doing so they are required to make quick decisions on whether the information they are viewing is useful or not.

This has been a very rewarding project for the students and all those involved as we have seen the value of providing opportunities to your youth and they have reaped the benefits of constructive and critical thinking, research and analysis and of course personal development and growth.

“Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress, in every society, in every family” - Kofi Annan

LinkageVolume 1/2013—ISSN 1814-1242 AmCham Trinidad & Tobago

62 Maraval RoadPort of SpainTrinidad & Tobago, W.I.Tel: (868) 622-4466 / 0340 /628-2508 Fax: (868) 628-9428Email: [email protected]: www.amchamtt.com

Welcome from the EditorDesiree Gobin-Seecharan

CONTENTS

Design & Layout: Paria Publishing Co. Ltd.Printing: Caribbean Printing Technologies Ltd.

The opinions expressed in the editorial contributions in Linkage may not necessarily be those of AmCham T&T. We welcome any comments you might have! Simply email a “Letter to the Editor” to the AmCham T&T Secretariat—[email protected].

special feaTure: daTa and informaTion Technology

Data as a Key Enabler for Sustainable Development

by Senator Dr. the Honourable Bhoendradatt Tewarie 4

21st Century Warfare by Balraj Kistow 12

Hole in the Wall by Dennise Demming 14

Heritage Data is Money by Alice Besson 16

Are you prepared? by Andrew Galt 18

The Importance of the Data Economy by Atiba Phillips 20

Human Resources Data by Janice Learmond-Criqui 22

Business and the Economic Outlook for

Trinidad and Tobago in 2013 by Dr. Ronald Ramkissoon 28

ThoughT leadership

The Heart of the Matter by Stephen Aguilar-Millan 32

amcham T&T

Combining Agri with Technology 30

Viewpoint (English) 8

Punto de Vista (Español) 10

AmCham T&T Upcoming Events 2013 34

We Love Reading by Alice Besson 36

AmCham T&T on the Inside 35

AmCham T&T’s Mission

To be the preferred private sector business organisation for the stimulation of free and fair trade and investment within the Americas and the Caribbean.

AmCham will add value to our member companies within the following key focus areas:

Enhancement of Competitiveness Generation of new business and market access for services/goods Influence on policies and legislation Transfer of Knowledge Contribution to Sustainable Development

AmCham T&T’s Vision

advertise on the amcham T&T website for very low rates.

contact Melissa Pierre, Trade and Communications Officer at [email protected]



continued on page 6

However, one key element common to all of this is the power of information. The Ministry of Planning and Sustainable Development has been using an approach rooted in data to establish the facts about Trinidad and Tobago and on the basis of facts, to make decisions ultimately aimed at improving the conditions of the people through sustainable development initiatives.

The Central Statistical Office (CSO) under the aegis of the Ministry of Planning and Sustainable Development facilitates informed decision making through user oriented statistical information and by promoting the adherence to statistical standards and professional rigour. In 2012, the CSO, in collaboration with the United

data aS a Key enabler for SuStainable developmentThis quarTer’s ‘linkage magazine’ from The american chamber of commerce of Trinidad and Tobago focuses on daTa and informaTion Technology. This is a Timely Topic because The global lenses are fixed on advances in informaTion Technology, Technical and scienTific progress, innovaTion, compeTiTiveness, The qualiTy of human resources and high levels of producTiviTy.

Nations Development Programme produced the first Human Development Atlas. This marks the first time that human development indicators, Millennium Development Goals data, crime and violence statistics and data covering Trinidad and Tobago by regions have been represented in such a format. Through this, we are able to identify clearly by region areas where crime is more of a problem, regions where poverty is at its highest or lowest, health risk factors by locality are also outlined in detail. This empowers policy makers to identify discrepancies among various regions and facilitates the right questions related to resource allocation and helps to foster solutions aimed at tackling national issues.

So successful was this initiative that through the UNDP the CSO will be working with Jamaica to develop a Human Development Atlas for that CARICOM country.

The Atlas utilises a National Human Development Index, a Gender Inequality Index, a Multidimensional Poverty Index as well as Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Maps, Crime and Violence Maps, Municipal Indicator Profiles and Hazard and Disaster Related Maps.

The spatial analysis of regionally disaggregated human development indicators provide new insights on social progress and human development across the country. Research interest has been stimulated for a better understanding of the social and economic conditions influencing the uneven distribution of wealth, educational attainment and other issues among local communities.

The Trinidad and Tobago 2011 Population and Housing Census Demographic Report was completed in December 2012, the field work for this exercise was conducted from

by senaTor dr. The honourable bhoendradaTT TewarieMinister of Planning and Sustainable Development



daTa as a key enabler for susTainable developmenT (conTinued from page 4)

January 9, 2011 to May 31, 2011 and releasing the report a year and a half after the closing of the data collection phase is a feat to congratulate as this is a record time performance for the Population and Housing Census Team, the Central Statistical Office (CSO) and Trinidad and Tobago. In the past, Census Reports have been launched 3 years, sometimes 4 years from the end of data collection.

The record time of eighteen (18) months after completion of fieldwork to produce this first Demographic Report compares very favorably with time frames for completing census reports in even the most advanced jurisdictions in this field. This is the first time in the history of Trinidad and Tobago, that from field work to Demographic Report – it has taken less than two (2) years. A Preliminary Housing and Census Report was also issued in early 2012 as part of the fast paced efforts of the Central Statistical Office.

The Population and Housing Demographic Report consists of four hundred and two (402) pages and the Demographic analysis is forty one (41) pages long. It consists of twenty three (23) tables and a number of charts, maps and appendices. This is the most up to date demographic report on Trinidad and Tobago since 2000. So there is a lot of information here and a basis for comparison between 2000 and 2011. This can be buttressed by the Human Development Atlas based on 2009/2010 data.

The Census Report has revealed important information such as a slowing of the growth rate of the population of Trinidad and Tobago from 1990 to the present time. In the period under review, the decade between 2000 and 2011 the population of Trinidad and Tobago grew by only one half percent, one tenth of a percentage point more than the decade before. We have 65,653 more people in 2011 in Trinidad and Tobago than we had in year 2000. The population of Trinidad and Tobago according to the 2011 Population and Housing Census is 1,328,019. The population of Trinidad and Tobago crossed one million in 1980 when the population was assessed to be 1,079,791 and the 2011 figure of 1,328,019 is the highest population ever recorded for Trinidad and Tobago since the first census was done in 1851.

What, according to the Census data is happening to our cities? The population of both Port of Spain and San Fernando is declining. The population of Diego Martin also declined. The San Juan Laventille region remained more or less the same. The highest growth area was the Borough of Chaguanas. In Tobago, the Parish of St George also experienced growth and Tobago as an island experienced a 1.1% growth to 60,874 persons.

People are classified as being of working age if they are between 15 and 64 years of age. 70.4% of our population is of this category. That means that only 29.6% of our population is less than 15 years old or more than 65. But we have an aging population. There were significant declines in the age group 5-19 with steep declines in ages 10-19. Close to one half of the population is over the age of 40 (520,351) and 129,029 people are over the age of 65 (9%). The two age ranges which are becoming dominant are 20-34 and 45-55 years.

This information has significant implications for planning strategically at all levels, namely the public and private sector. It informs how we use resources to care for the aging, plan and use our public spaces or geographic zones, investors and businessmen can be informed when making decisions about demographic targets for products, building sites for new businesses and so on. The value of this information therefore goes beyond policy making at the Governmental level and informs all citizens on the state of the country with the hope of sparking positive actions at every level.

To continue to facilitate the use and dissemination of national data, the Central Statistical Office is currently restructuring its systems and procedures to move towards the following:

• Morestandardisedproductionmethods

• Moreuniformmethods

• MoreuniformIT-systems

• Endofaonesizefitsallapproach

In addition to the Central Statistical Office, other units of the Ministry of Planning and Sustainable Development are utilising data to inform Governmental decisions and processes in Trinidad and Tobago. The National Transformation Unit (NTU), with a mandate

which includes, inter alia, building assessment and evaluation capability for Trinidad and Tobago as well as building public sector capacity in Monitoring and Evaluation Plans developed a National Performance Framework (2012-2015) and an Annual Performance Report 2012, to track progress being made in the execution of the Five (5) Priorities set out by Government in the Medium Term Policy Framework for Trinidad and Tobago.

• The National Performance Framework (NPF)2012-2015 represents a serious attempt by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago to measure performance as it relates to the provision of goods and services to citizens. Specifically, it is designed to measure Government’s performance in the context of the five priority areas outlined in the Medium Term Policy Framework (MTPF) 2011-2014. In essence, the National Performance Framework is Government’s ability to measure, monitor, report and use results based performance information in a systematic fashion as a normal part of doing business.

• The Annual Report on Performance 2012,also released by the NTU is the first in a series of reports on performance and results in relation to the 5 priority areas of development within the MTPF. It is a reflection of the many programmes and projects implemented over the period 2011-2012 and underscores the work undertaken by Government Ministries, Agencies and Departments in their thrust towards national development.

Both documents utilise data from Government bodies to measure and evaluate the work of Government, providing a level of transparency and accountability through data and statistics.

So we see that work is being done to develop our statistical capacity and to use statistics and data to plan better, make more informed decisions and to achieve better results.

The Human Development Atlas, the 2011 Population and Housing Census Demographic Report, the Annual Performance Framework (2012-2015) and the Annual Report on Performance 2012 in addition to other publications of the Ministry of Planning and Sustainable Development are available on the Ministry’s website at www.planning.gov.tt

Special conditions apply


VIEWpoint BY HUGH HOWARDPRESIDENT OF AMCHAM T&T

Data and information technology have become all pervasive, be it in a business or personal context. Indeed one of the most critical challenges facing organisations today is managing the analysis, evaluation and dissemination of data, information and knowledge for strategic decision making.

Many companies in North America, Asia and Europe have incorporated the gathering and analysis of data into their operations as a primary source of information for their

decision-making and strategy development. This development is not limited to companies such as Google and Amazon.com but has been embraced by companies in industries such as retailing, telecommunications, educational services, pharmaceuticals, health care, financial services and even government services. Many have learnt the value of harnessing data and information in the process of reacting to threats from competitors or when launching an innovative service or product. There is no doubt that when the right information is used to support management decision-making and strategy the results can lead to greater efficiency and returns.

Data and information can be obtained from a variety of sources, including feedback from employees, competitors, suppliers, experts, market research and the use of social media. Regardless of the method of collecting the data or information, what is critical is how it is analysed and the intelligence companies are able to glean from the information. The analysis must be driven by a purpose and must generate critical trends and insights that would add value to the operations of a company. This requires the CEO and/or senior managers to play a critical role in shaping the intelligence gathering function on a strategic level.

Timely and quality information is an essential component of good decision-making. Decision makers must be able to have confidence in the information that has been generated and presented for consideration. Accordingly the format and content thereof must be clear and relevant to the particular business or industry.

I believe that many companies in Trinidad and Tobago have systems, formal or informal, which have been developed over time and shaped by their various users, through which they obtain information on their customers, competitors etc. Current global competitiveness, however, requires more formal defined information systems which can fully analyse and provide business units with timely and accurate information for effective use in the day to day operations of the business. Accordingly, companies should, if they have not already done so, take urgent action

to determine what information they need and the existence of any gaps between current capabilities and such needs.

The new wave of data and information technology also has significant implications for the public sector. Government collects huge amounts of data, transacts business with thousands of citizens, and is required to provide an enabling and competitive environment for trade and investment. Accordingly, computerising and networking all major government operations with which the public has regular necessary interface is of urgent priority. Data are generally kept in silos and there seems to be an unawareness of the benefits of exploiting available data. We note that action is being taken to remedy the deficiencies and urge that the process be expedited.

AmCham T&T is conscious of the value of gathering and analysing data on a variety of areas and metrics that affect our ability to continue to provide value to our members. Over the past eighteen months, we have been analysing our operations and gathering invaluable feedback from our various stakeholders through a variety of means. This has been a period of great introspection as we sought to ascertain our future direction. The outcome was the unanimous reaffirmation of our purpose to ‘facilitate, influence and create trade and investment opportunities between Trinidad & Tobago and the United States of America, and the hemisphere that redound to the prosperity of our membership and society’. We are currently in the midst of developing the operational plan to support the achievement of our mission and information residing within the Secretariat will be analysed and where appropriate used to inform our decisions and strategies.

Regardless of the size and type of our businesses or corporations, data flows into and out of our operations each day. This information can be analysed and used to help us understand our operating environment, costs of production, customers etc. Additionally, it can provide valuable insight in terms of new policy direction, new products or even to generate greater productivity from existing operations.

The pervasiveness of data and information technology brings into focus the need for information ethics in order to strike a balance between the creation, organisation, dissemination and use of information and the ethical standards and moral codes governing human conduct in society.

In closing I leave you with this thought “It is not always what we know or analyzed before we make a decision that makes it a great decision. It is what we do after we make the decision to implement and execute it that makes it a good decision” William Pollard (British Clergyman, 1828-93).


POR HUGH HOWARDPRESIDENTE DE AMCHAM T&T

La Tecnología de la Información y de Datos se hace cada vez más omnipresente, ya sea a nivel de negocios o en el contexto personal. Efectivamente, uno de los desafíos más cruciales que enfrentan las organizaciones hoy en día es la gestión de análisis, evaluación, y difusión de los datos, información y conocimientos estratégicos a la hora de tomar decisiones

Muchas empresas en América del Norte, Asia y Europa han integrado la recopilación y el análisis

de los datos en sus operaciones como una fuente vital de información para la gestión en la toma de decisiones y el desarrollo de estrategias. Este progreso no se limita sólo a compañías como Google y Amazon.com, sino que también ha sido adoptado por las empresas en industrias como la del Comercio Minorista, Telecomunicaciones, Servicios Educativos, Productos Farmacéuticos, Salud, Servicios Financieros e incluso los Servicios del Gobierno. Muchos han aprendido la importancia del aprovechamiento de los datos y el de la información en el proceso de cómo reaccionar ante las amenazas de la competencia o cuando ocurre el lanzamiento de un servicio innovador o un producto. No hay duda de que cuando la información correcta se utiliza para apoyar la gestión de la toma de decisiones y la estrategia de los resultados pueden conducir a una mayor eficiencia y rentabilidad.

Los datos e información pueden ser obtenidas a través de una variedad de fuentes, inclusive de los comentarios de los empleados, competidores, proveedores, expertos, estudios de mercado y el uso de los medios sociales. Independientemente del método de colección de los datos o información, lo que es importante es la forma en que se analiza y lo que las empresas de inteligencia son capaces de extraer de la información. El análisis debe estar impulsado por un propósito y debe generar tendencias y puntos de vista críticos que agregarían importancia a las operaciones de una empresa. Esto requiere que el CEO y / o directivos juegue un papel fundamental en la configuración de la función de inteligencia a nivel estratégico.

La información oportuna y de calidad es un componente esencial en la gestión de una excelente toma de decisiones. Los responsables de la toma de decisiones deben ser capaces de confiar en la información que se ha generado y presentado para su consideración. De acuerdo con el formato y contenido de los mismos deben ser claras y relevantes para el negocio o industria en particular.

Creo que muchas empresas en Trinidad y Tobago cuentan con sistemas formales o informales, que se han desarrollado y formado en el tiempo por las necesidades de los diferentes usuarios, a través de la cual obtienen información sobre sus clientes, competidores, etc. Y competitividad global actual, sin embargo, requieren más sistemas formales de información definida que pueden analizar plenamente y proporcionar unidades de negocios con información oportuna y precisa para su uso eficaz en el día a día de sus operaciones. En consecuencia, las empresas deben, si no lo

han hecho, adoptar medidas urgentes para determinar qué información precisan y la existencia de brechas entre las capacidades y necesidades actuales.

La nueva ola de los datos y la tecnología de la información también tienen implicaciones significativas para el sector público. El Gobierno recauda enormes cantidades de datos, para efectuar transacciones con miles de ciudadanos, que son necesarios para proporcionar un entorno habilitador y competitivo en el comercio y la inversión. En consecuencia, la informatización y la puesta en la red de todas las operaciones del gobierno con los que el público tiene interrelación normal necesaria la cual es de máxima prioridad. Los datos generalmente se mantienen en centros de acopio y parece que hay un desconocimiento de los beneficios de la explotación de los datos disponibles. Tomamos nota de que se están aplicando medidas para solucionar las deficiencias e instamos a que el proceso se acelere.

AmCham T & T está consciente de la importancia de la recopilación y análisis de datos en una variedad de áreas y parámetros que afectan a nuestra capacidad para seguir aportando valor a nuestros miembros. Durante los últimos dieciocho meses, hemos estado analizando nuestras operaciones y la recopilación de información invaluable de nuestros diferentes grupos de accionistas a través de una variedad de recursos. Este ha sido un período de gran introspección y al mismo tiempo, hemos tratado de averiguar nuestra dirección futura. El resultado fue la reafirmación unánime de nuestro propósito de "facilitar, influir y crear oportunidades de comercio e inversión entre Trinidad y Tobago y los Estados Unidos de América y del hemisferio que redundan en el bienestar de nuestros miembros y de la sociedad». Actualmente nos encontramos en medio de la elaboración del plan operativo para apoyar el logro de nuestra misión y de la información que reside dentro de la Secretaría, las cuales, serán analizadas y en su caso se utilizaran para informar nuestras decisiones y estrategias.

Sin importar el tamaño y tipo de las empresas o corporaciones, los flujos de datos dentro y fuera de nuestras operaciones de cada día. Esta información puede ser analizada y utilizada para ayudarnos a entender nuestro entorno de trabajo, los costos de producción, los clientes, etc Además, puede proporcionar información valiosa en términos de la nueva dirección de la política, los nuevos productos o incluso para generar una mayor productividad de las operaciones existentes.

La omnipresencia de los datos y la tecnología de la información ponen de relieve la necesidad de una ética de la información con el fin de lograr un equilibrio entre la creación, organización, difusión y uso de la información y de las normas éticas y los códigos morales que rigen la conducta humana en la sociedad.

Para terminar cito con este pensamiento "No siempre es lo que sabemos o analizamos antes de tomar una decisión lo que hace que sea una buena decisión. Es lo que hacemos después de tomar la decisión de implementar y ejecutar lo que hace que sea una buena decisión "William Pollard (clérigo británico, 1828-1893).

PUNTOdeVista

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21st century Warfare

by balraj kisTowLecturer and Programme Director

Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business University of the West Inides

On March 20th 2013 South Korea was faced with a cyber attack that paralysed two of its major banks and three television media networks. ATMs and mobile banking was affected but TV broadcast was not interrupted. Warnings reportedly appeared on some computer screens from a previously unknown group calling itself the "WhoisTeam", showing skulls and a message stating it was only the beginning of "our movement". The government of South Korea suspect that the attack came from their long time foes from the north.

Just about a year ago, it was reported that the US and Israel had planted a highly sophisticated cyber weapon code named “Stuxnet” into Iran’s nuclear weapons system. It was later revealed that this was started years ago and had provided considerable amount of information to the US and assisted in helping them slow the pace of development of Iran’s nuclear enrichment programme.

While we are aware of the use of drones and highly sophisticated computer missile guidance system, the above situations of attack was not

directly linked to taking lives but was more intent on disruption and destroying the normal functioning of a country or nipping its offensive capabilities in the bud. This is war in the 21st century and it involves less of the traditional soldiers, who blaze away with heavy artillery and gun fire, and more of the highly trained professional who understands the way around new age enemy lines that are protected by rings of firewalls, anti virus software and the likes. These hackers can be an army of one or a few have shown that brain power and knowing how to maneuver in the virtual environment can cause as much havoc as an exploding grenade.

This form of new age espionage with it brings dimensions that have changed the paradigm of what we call war. For one thing, it is often very difficult to determine who the attacker is. They can be a world away in a single room apartment or can be within your organisation or country. They are also sometimes very difficult to detect as malicious software can be sitting within your information system, relaying data and corrupting

on march 12Th 2013 us inTelligence leaders said for The firsT Time ThaT cyber aTTacks and cyber espionage had supplanTed Terrorism as The Top securiTy ThreaT facing The uniTed sTaTes. The following day The us presidenT meT wiTh business leaders from The energy, finance, defense and Technology secTors in The whiTe house siTuaTion room To Talk abouT how The governmenT and privaTe secTor could improve cyber securiTy, including The need for legislaTion. The presidenT also signed an execuTive order To encourage informaTion sharing and volunTary securiTy sTandards.

cyber aTTacks and espionage affecT business and socieTies



information for years before you become aware of its existence. They can also dissect, segment and hit with pinpoint accuracy in areas where you are most vulnerable and cause havoc to the masses with less fanfare than an explosion. A cyber attack can target banks, utility or mass transit systems causing financial losses, chaos and confusion, while disrupting the normal functioning of society. This sort of attack can cripple communication and defense systems making a city, states and country vulnerable to other sorts of attack and civil upheaval.

Consider a scenario in a major metropolitan city where there are cyber attacks on major financial institutions causing their system to shut down and corrupting customer and trading data. People are unable to access cash and some persons see their account wiped away. At the same time, telecommunications, power and mass transit systems are disrupted and millions of people are stranded unable to get home and with no power have no heating or water. There is chaos on the streets and local law enforcement is unable to maintain order as they are not able

to communicate and coordinate their efforts. Looting and lawlessness break out on the street

and there are millions of dollars in losses.

Countries and their governments are aware

of these threats and they invest billions of dollars

in infrastructure, intelligence gathering, research

and development and training. They understand

that the soldier of tomorrow would be armed

with a tablet computer as a gun and software

codes as the ammunitions. They need not wear

armour or camouflage and may not directly kill

you but they would destroy your life or wipe you

off the face of existence by stealing your identity.

As a small developing region, we in the

Caribbean need to be aware of these cyber

threats. We are good are guarding against direct

physical attacks and the presence of the security

guard is by no means obsolete in our scenario.

We also need to be mindful of the virtual attacks

and businesses and strategic infrastructure need

to be at the top of their game in this regard. The

worst thing we can do is to pretend that we may

not be a target.

It should be noted that while information

technology can be used to cause disruptions

and heartache, it is also being used to help

make lives better. For instance, Dr. Narges

Bina Asadi is using information technology that

applies big data analytics to genomics, making

it possible to sequence the human genome in a

matter of hours rather than days or weeks. The

information provided will allow for personalised

patient information to be obtained in a timelier

basis thus allowing for the tailoring of treatment

for cancer patients.

It should also be noted that when Japan

was hit by earthquake and tsunami a few

years ago, in spite of the trauma and physical

devastation, there was no civil unrest or looting.

It just goes to show that the real threat may lie

within the dysfunctional aspects of society and

cyber attacks are only the spark that sets them

ablaze. Teaching our children values and respect

for others and authority may well be our most

potent defense against cyber disrupters.

we in The caribbean need To be aware of These cyber ThreaTs... The securiTy guard is by no means obsoleTe in our scenario. we also need To be mindful of The virTual aTTacks.



by dennise demmingLead Consultant , Demming Communications

Dr. Sugata Mitra is a Professor of Educational Technology at the School of Education, Communication and Language Sciences at Newcastle University, England. He is also the Chief Scientist, Emeritus, at NIIT an Indian company which offers learning and knowledge solutions globally.

In 1999, Sugata and his team literally carved a hole in the wall that separated NIIT's premises from the adjoining slum in Kalkaji, New Delhi. Through this hole, a freely accessible computer was put up for use.

This computer proved to be an instant hit among the slum dwellers, especially the children. With no prior experience, the children learnt to use the computer on their own. Encouraged by the success of the Kalkaji experiment, freely accessible computers were set up in Shivpuri (a town in Madhya Pradesh) and in Madantusi (a village in Uttar Pradesh). These experiments came to be known as the “Hole-in-the-Wall” (HiWEL) experiments. Since its inception, HiWEL has grown from a single computer at Kalkaji, New Delhi to more than a hundred computers at various locations across India and other countries.

Mitra's amazing experiment with children inspired career diplomat Vikas Swarup's first novel, “Q and A”, which led to the Hollywood movie success “Slumdog Millionaire”. Vikas is quoted in Express India as saying “That got me fascinated and I realised that there’s an innate ability in everyone to do something extraordinary, provided they are given an opportunity”. The real impact of HiWEL has not been assessed because it is an evolving project which is impacting the minds of people and changing their circumstances. The project

hole in the Wall

hear The Term “hole in The wall” and we Think of some liTTle sleazy place of ill repuTe. buT google iT and you find bold sTaTemenTs abouT universiTy professor dr. sugaTa miTra's wish To “build a school in The cloud, where children can explore and learn from one anoTher.” dr. miTra recenTly won The million us dollar Ted prize for his “hole-in-The-wall” (hiwel) projecT.



has expanded beyond children to illiterate adults and displaced persons. Outside of India, it has even been embraced that the Hon. Prime Minister of Bhutan, Jigmi Y Thinley, who inaugurated the first HiWEL computer in the presence of his cabinet colleagues in December of 2011. In addition to building computer literacy among Bhutan's children it is hoped that the

if our egos prevenT us from buying inTo The hiwel implemenTaTion model Then dr. miTra's Ted wish gives us an opporTuniTy To bring self-organised learning environmenTs To our communiTies.

HiWEL project will positively impact the Gross National Happiness (GNH), which is the most prominent metric used by the Government of Bhutan to measure Bhutan's development.

Additionally, the project is part of a larger Indo-Bhutan project formally known as the Chiphen Rigpel (broadly translated to mean 'Enabling a society, Empowering a nation'). Chiphen Rigpel is an ambitious project designed to empower Bhutan to become a Knowledge-based society.

The Republic of Central Africa has also recently signed on to establish its own HiWEL projects and this is enjoying phenomenal success.

What is important to me about Dr. Sugata Mitra is the bold steps he took over many years to explore the concept of unsupervised learning and computers. What he and his team did in India and Africa excites my imagination about what can be done in the “Laventilles” of our own country. This project clearly shows how young people can become engaged and focus only on the world they are creating to the total exclusion of everything else. HiWEL has the potential to redirect energy in ways that are thought changing and eventually life changing. Could it possibly help to stem the tide of senseless violence that stalks our country. It is a clear example of the impact the technology is having on people.

If our egos prevent us from buying into the HiWEL implementation model then Dr. Mitra's TED wish gives us an opportunity to Bring Self-Organised Learning Environments to our Communities.

Ironically, while some countries are thankful for HiWEL reaching the unreachable, there are companies comfortably trying to assess how “Data Analytics Will Revolutionise Decision-Making” or predicting how “The Social Network Will Drive Value”. The digital divide is real. It is not simply that younger persons are using technology and older persons are not. Nor is it about geography. It is about access and this ultimately is tied to income or lack of income. Who can or cannot afford access to technology is an overarching issue? Something big has to happen to bridge the digital divide. Something big has to happen to level the playing field and assure global access to the world of technology. Just think of the possibilities if the internet and technology can be used to reach out to the “at risk” in the slums and ghettoes of the world.

Technology is often discussed in an elitist manner with an underlying assumption that literacy is a pre-requisite. Sugata's “Hole in the Wall” project demonstrates that, even in the absence of any direct input from a teacher, an environment that stimulates curiosity can cause learning through self-instruction and peer-shared knowledge. The evidence exists amongst young people but there is no reason why the same behaviour would not be repeated among other cohorts given the same opportunities. We are in the digital age and those who are not organised to participate will find themselves wondering in some kind of no-man's land not understanding that there is a different game being played.



by alice bessonManaging Director, Paria Publishing Company Limited

Data is so much more, and all data, whether computerised or not, has an impact on business—probably none more so than historical data, or, as we will call it for the purpose of this article, “heritage data”. And like all data, it means one thing: money, clean and simple. All data is, by its very nature, a record of the past—it is fact committed to memory, it is evidence of something that once existed, if it was a hundred years or just one second ago.

Heritage data, like all other data, has a huge impact on each and every business. The neglect of local businesses to keep company archives prevents them from maximizing their future success. The ignorance of heritage data and how to collect, preserve and analyse it by the individual, the “man in the street”, keeps that very man exactly there: in the street, eeking out an existence going from day to day, instead of leveraging this knowledge to build a better

future. “Many adults miss the future, or are run over by the future, because their plans for the future have no vision of the past,” writes Robert T. Kiyosaki, in his book "Retire young, Retire Rich," and I am certain the readers of Linkage know exactly what he is referring to.

whaT is heriTage daTaHeritage data comprises the archival evidence

of the past of a group of people, for example of a country or of a company. It can manifest itself in a variety of forms, the more obvious being documents like birth, baptismal, marriage and death certificates, land deeds, maps. Heritage data can also take on three-dimensional forms, as in buildings, fountains, bridges. Or it can be very visual, like photographs, paintings, sculptures. More participatory forms of heritage data are expressed through food, festivals, song and dance. John Nunley, retired professor, curator of the Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the

Americas at the Saint Louis Art Museum, and author of “Caribbean Festival Arts” and “Masks: Faces of Culture” points out that heritage data is “embedded memory”.

“Buildings, festivals, foods, deeds etc. recall the past in its various depths,” Nunley points out. “That embedded memory is the DNA of a person, company, nation, city etc. Without it, the soul of the being (in whatever form) is lost and the identity of the being dies.”

Nunley remembers having a conversation with Dickie Breau, the brother of the once powerful US Senator, John, who had come to St. Louis to make a bid for urban restoration in the downtown area. He was doubtful for as he stated, "The houses, offices , streets parks and many other built places in the city contain the soul of a city. If the city tears down too much of its places, it loses its soul and never recovers."

This is exactly what has happened to Port of Spain. Since independence, this city has allowed for its French-Quarter style downtown buildings to be torn down, and lost its soul. People now flock to MovieTowne to experience a stage-set like recreation of the atmosphere of old Port of Spain. While that entertainment centre is

heritage data iS money

in planning This issue of linkage around The focus of “daTa”, iT was inTeresTing To noTe ThaT The iniTial Thinking of The communicaTions commiTTee wenT sTricTly along The lines of backups, servers and cloud compuTing. a common misconcepTion!

Downtown Port of Spain in the 1930s and 40s (Paria Publishing Archives)



absolutely fantastic and urgently needed, the “soul” element of an authentic city square is missing. It has no embedded memory, no DNA, no heritage data.

Charles Darwin uses the terms “productions” and “organisations” to describe all living things. The heritage data of all living things taken together is the life on the planet. “The more we recover that heritage data of the entire planet, the more we are connected,” says Nunley. “Connections are fruitful in many, many ways; and while offering meaning and sense of place, those connections through memory lead to joint ventures of all kinds.”

The business conTexTHeritage data does exist in a business context.

When writing company histories, I do get the occasional thrill if a business kept some archival materials: business letters, newspaper clippings, minute books. Most businesses here don’t, to their own detriment—when I was watching “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" doing research in that company archive, I got tears in my eyes. If you are an employee, chances are that outside of your birth and death certificate, your name on a payroll of a company is the only record of your existence in years to come!

noT so magnificenT sevenLet us look at an example that everybody

knows, but few have looked at it from the angle of data loss: the Magnificent Seven and President’s House in Port of Spain. Because these buildings contain and are part of Trinidad and Tobago’s heritage data, their dereliction leads to an incredible, ongoing monetary drain. To get an idea of the sheer loss in real estate value, I spoke to a realtor who pegged the loss of value at the cost of repairs plus approx. 20% per annum for loss of usage during the time of damage. Because these are state buildings, this is actually a loss

in monetary value to the people: the buildings belong to everybody, and everybody loses.

But there is a much higher loss of revenue when looking at the intrinsic value of the buildings—their heritage data nature. If they were in good repair, uncounted numbers of people would come to see them, which means uncounted dollars in revenue generated. Our indifference to their state of disrepair translates directly into loss of value and loss of future earnings. The indifference of local people towards the public protection, enhancement and making available of our own heritage data is an enormous loss of earnings every hour, every day.

regisTry in souTh quayLet us look at another example: the registry of

births and deaths, wills and deeds kept in Huggins Building on South Quay in Port of Spain. Outside of Church records, the documents housed there are the one and only heritage data of everybody’s family in Trinidad. And wills and deeds are about one thing: assets. Property and land. Whoever tried to sort out an issue with granny’s land and tried to do research her will at the Huggins Building would quickly understand the monetary value of well-kept and archived heritage data. This also pertains to virtually all legal matters that involve the research of heritage data.

Time is money, especially when it comes to paying for legal research. It makes a huge difference if a search clerk needs two hours or two days to find a land deed, a will or a birth certificate to prove one’s claim or legitimacy. These things can make or break a legal case when it goes to court. Not to mention the frustration of an attorney if the old document has been flooded or eaten by moths, and no microfiche of it was ever made. So who thinks that there is no direct connection between heritage data and earnings potential? And that data has only to do with servers? I sure don’t!

The President's House Port of Spain, built in 1876 (Paria Publishing Archives)

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The scenery in our twin island republic has rapidly changed: people now live on credit, cash is a starved resource. In a society with the constant need to keep up appearances, many people have decided that their future is no longer a main priority. It is how they are seen in public that defies them.

As this trend continues to sky rocket, credit cards will enter more pockets, providing a much greater pool of opportunity for identity theft perpetrators. Forget about hacked e-mails, giving out your information via telephone, placing your information on a web page–that’s actually a much safer method.

Imagine you are simply running to the grocery to grab a couple items for dinner, it’s the eleventh of the month, you are currently falling behind on your savings but Carnival was expensive. So having your credit card is a method of survival for this month. You are now at the grocery picking up some items needed; there are many people present as it’s the after work rush period. Your card is carefully concealed in your wallet, buried either in your bag or securely in your pocket. You pause to pick out some fresh pimento peppers, not a minute passes by and you continue to the check-out lane to purchase your goods.

The cashier asks for you method of payment, you hand them your credit card and ID, the transaction is initiated and a few moments later,

“declined!” A massive cloud of fear surrounds your thoughts, you insist, “how could my card be declined? I had thirty thousand dollars of credit available!” You have now been a victim of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) theft. The thirty seconds spent, picking out a couple pimentos for dinner, was the key opportunity for an unsuspecting individual to simply click a button and initiate a series of hard to trace transactions that compromised your account completely.

The bank now needs to conduct an investigation; you may not have the use of your card for months depending on insurance. If this was your only method of payment at this time because of an exhausted savings account, how would you be able to cope with no money until your next pay check?

This unfortunately has become a reality, and with the limited theft technology available to our law enforcement agencies, we will continue to see a spike in this sort of crime. Our local banking community is taking giant steps to provide a safe net to avoid this sort of crime, but it is up to the individual to take steps to keep their items more secure. Most banks provide a special sleeve that comes with your new card. These sleeves prevent theft by blocking the signal from theft devices and also maintain the working condition of your card. You should always, if possible, use this sleeve.

There is now an assortment of solutions available as merchandise such as Kevlar wallets and stainless steel credit card carrying cases that will defer any attempts to obtain information from your card via pointing an RFID tracker. RFID has been a topic of discussion for the past few years since its inception. Its usage of a shaded tracking code, carefully concealed, has helped companies streamline logistics and has paved the way for faster payment systems. RFID is the ability to use a ‘tag’ that requires no connectivity or power and acts like a log of information. This is translated via the usage of magnetic fields that transmit the data stored on the ‘tag’.

This tagged information has become so easily obtainable by theft perpetrators that most payment companies have started to look at payment technologies that do not require the use of RFID tagged devices.

are you prepared?one Trip To The grocery could become a $30,000 nighTmare!

if you asked me seven years ago if i felT my money wenT furTher in Trinidad & Tobago, i would have said yes; life here is affordable, iT is easier To susTain in This environmenT because iT’s a cash dependenT economy, iT is noT an economy of crediT.

by andrew galTTrinidad Systems Limited



Credit card companies are now looking at

ways that subtract the cost per transaction such

as having your credit card available on your phone

or on your smart device. The implantation of

smart device transactions will be the way of the

future. Soon all terminals could have a scanned

interface that will allow for a seamless, encrypted

transaction swiped by a device screen; this method

will reduce the theft infraction significantly. With

all things said, what are you doing to currently

protect your credit card information? Are you

using a Kevlar wallet? A protective sleeve? Would

you want to your credit card to be available on

your phone? As ICT constantly evolves, there will

be greater advances to protect your information,

but as any technology evolves the risk evolves with

it. Criminals are becoming more knowledgeable,

greed is more imminent in society, and more

people evoke the lifestyle of living on credit. How

do you think our twin island republic will cope

with the growing information risks? Do you think

we are prepared enough? What can you do to

start a catalyst of change? Are you prepared for

credit card theft?

crediT card companies are now looking aT ways ThaT subTracT The cosT per TransacTion such as having your crediT card available on your phone or on your smarT device. The implanTaTion of smarT device TransacTions will be The way of The fuTure. soon all Terminals could have a scanned inTerface ThaT will allow for a seamless, encrypTed TransacTion swiped by a device screen; This meThod will reduce The ThefT infracTion significanTly.



the importance of the data economy

when discussing The way forward for naTional or regional icT sTraTegies, many focus specifically on connecTiviTy To The end user, or availabiliTy of end-user devices. however, The naTure of The global landscape demands a review of whaT is To be done afTer provision of compuTers and broadband access is achieved i.e. whaT conTenT will be accessed? how will This conTenT be leveraged, made relevanT, susTained and moneTised?

by aTiba phillipsPrincipal Consultant, INFOCOMM Technologies Ltd.

The size of the global digital economy has seen exponential growth over the last 15 years-from approximately one trillion USD in 1999 to 20 trillion USD in 2013.1 The Caribbean region however, remains generally characterised by factor-based economies throughout its isles.

In order to enhance its ability to exploit these fundamental global trends, the Region must harness its capacity for creativity, innovation and content production that can be leveraged and traded over the internet. These are necessary pre-requisites to providing new opportunities for Regional entrepreneurship, economic diversification and business growth.

In this context, any discussion on the way forward for the Region must necessarily include provisions for the development, storage and trading of data, as the basic building block of knowledge economies.

A knowledge economy is one in which wealth is created through the economic exploitation of understanding. The knowledge-based economy refers to the use of knowledge technologies (such as knowledge management) to produce economic benefits as well as job creation. The essential difference is that in a knowledge economy, knowledge is a product, in the knowledge-based economy, knowledge is a tool.

In order to make the transition toward diversified economies in which knowledge activity underpins sustainable development, at a basic level, knowledge needs to be valued and protected in order to be a driver of economic wealth.

This has implications for data protection laws, intellectual property rights, data warehousing and a range of other issues which Regional governments and the private sector must come to terms, to modernise and future proof Caribbean economic environments.

Establishing a community or network of actors across the Region will become necessary i.e. fostering closer collaboration between firms and traditionally separate industries and sub-sectors. These include telecommunications companies,

Oxford Economics: “The New Digital Economy – How it will Transform Business”

Cultural

• Heritage• Video• Written (Poetry)• Music

Government

• Meteorological• Business• Traffic• Education• Citizens• Geo-information

Community/Social

• Entertainment• Events• Community issues• NGOs• Causes• Environmental• Youth

Business

• Stock exchanges• News• Innovations• Investments• Finance• Manufacturing• Trade in goods• Banking• ePayments

regional conTenT sources

daTa is noT jusT daTa. iT's conTenT. iT's The basis of The economy.

data centre operators, internet service providers, content producers, authors and animators, cultural ambassadors, seasoned executive management, law enforcement authorities as well as finance houses and the public sector. The ultimate aim being to improve industry linkages, foster Regional cluster formation and promote the protection of data; which some say is the new “oil” of the 21st Century.

valuing digiTal conTenT

As in other industries with high levels of intangible assets, inadequate measurement and valuation mechanisms has led to underestimation of the economic potential of service and content driven firms and industries.

Greater interaction is needed with lending and financing institutions such that they can build their capacity to assess the potential and risks associated with digital content firms and improve their understanding of the business opportunities and models that apply to the digital content and the data space. Additionally, identifying potential avenues where digital content proposals can access seed funding (e.g. to progress proofs-of-concept) will be important.

inTellecTual properTy righTs awareness

As data becomes more valuable, protecting as well as clarifying the rules related to concepts such as “fair use” will increase significantly in importance. Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)-related issues could pose obstacles to development. Some of the issues involved here relate to:



1) Clarifying laws to deal with licensing and copyright with respect to computer software, digital sound recordings, films etc. in a manner that accords with national/Regional interests and is also in-line with the guidelines of international agencies such as the World Intellectual Property Org. (W.I.P.O);

2) Reviewing whether specific exceptions to copyright, based on principles of “fair use”, should be adapted and/or adopted in light of digital networks;

3) Resolving the tension between “Freedom of Information” type laws, and “data protection” regulations which are needed to facilitate monetisation of content;

4) Assessing and defining the liability and exemptions of ISPs and other intermediaries regarding the unauthorised downloading of copyrighted or illegal material;

5) Patents and Trade agreements – The patent process in the Region is expensive and shrouded in mystery. This must be uncluttered to encourage innovation and commercialisation of digital services. Caribbean persons must also be aware that

there are IP implications enshrined within international trade agreements such as the EPA, TRIPS (Trade in IP Services – part of GATTS / WTO), so that positions which benefit the Regional data eco-system can be taken during negotiations.

where daTa is sTored is imporTanT

Contrary to the message being widely marketed by some proponents of “the Cloud”, the sovereign/legal jurisdiction in which data is held (or in which a data service originates) is indeed economically (and legally) important. For Governments, for e.g., the management of State and or e-citizen data should become a priority. Seismic data related to Trinidad and Tobago’s energy sector, for example, is extremely valuable and should be repatriated within national/regional borders as a national asset. The State can also use its power as a country’s single largest consumer to pro-actively kick-start economic activity in this sector. In this regard, CARIFORUM states can set the following targets for the repatriation of State sector information:

• 50%domestichostingoflocalcontentby 2016, and

• 70%domestichostingoflocalcontentby 2019.

As a matter of data security and the sovereignty of data, after 2016, the Regional Governments may consider only engaging the services of hosting service providers in the context of State data, where the hosting service is based on facilities domiciled within the CARICOM region – a radical step, but one which will definitely bolster the regional data eco-system and economy!

The commissioning of Regional internet root servers, will also reduce the need for Regional ISPs to switch to foreign networks to access content and consequently pay the associated access tariffs which are ultimately passed on to the user.

These and other like minded initiatives will have the combined impact of improving the efficiency of data access and reduce the latency associated with using the internet in the region. At the same time, they can have the impact of reducing the access costs while also enhancing the environment for new kinds of indigenous services to be innovated, delivered and monetised to a Regional and global audience.



Following are 10 critical questions that should to be considered and answered in the process of selecting Human Resources information technology.

1 What is the degree of flexibility and scalability that the HR information technology software provides? HR professionals should determine if the software can import data from multiple Excel spreadsheets, databases, and paper documents and the level with which it can interface with all kinds of systems and data.

The software should be able to take in and filter information from multiple sources. Ideally, this process should also be automated. Many online enrolment solutions require that data be manually manipulated before it can go to a carrier to update their systems. Automation of the update format, transmission schedule and delivery method can help to eliminate billing and eligibility issues.

2 Will the software be able to accommodate HR's company and benefits carriers rules? A truly capable enrolment engine will evaluate each enrolment activity and apply any necessary combination of rules, messages, prompts, and options specifically designed to meet the exact eligibility requirements desired. The software should accommodate any eligibility rules that the company and carriers have.

3 Will the HR information technology be able to grow and scale with the organisation? HR should assess the technology's ability to grow as the company brings on new employees, offices, benefits changes, and rules. HR should ask about the thresholds for each of these elements.

4 Is the HR information technology software able to integrate with other systems? Payroll and other functions often share much of the same information as benefits management. HR can obtain greater efficiencies when data and other employee information entered into one system can be shared with another system.

5 Who is responsible for implementing, or building, the solution? What level of training is involved? Some solutions require the client to be very involved with the initial implementation, which can be overwhelming for already busy HR administrators.

HR should have a clear understanding of the level of training and technical expertise that will be required and the amount of time expected. Questioning solution providers on this topic can provide insight into subtle areas that might initially appear simple, yet involve significant technological expertise. HR can then determine specific

tasks that may be so cumbersome as to realistically impede completion, potentially reducing HR information technology value and ROI.

6 If training is involved, is there a charge? Costs of training should also be assessed - including time away and travel expenses for off-site travel. HR needs to become aware of all hard and soft costs involved in the HR information technology adoption.

7 Who will own the data? The answer to this question should be the Human Resources organisation. Companies should be able to transport their data to any Application Service Provider (ASP). If the data resides on a carrier's proprietary server, the company may sometimes be charged additional fees should it switch carriers.

8 What types of maintenance and upkeep are required? When software is installed on a company's on-site workstations or servers, regular updates to that technology are often required and may be cumbersome to plan for and manage. Updates to HR information technology are often made automatically with software available online through an Application Service Provider (ASP) or Software as a Service (SaaS) model.

9 What security measures are built into the HR information technology? If the software is available online, through an ASP or SaaS model, the provider should offer daily backups, backup servers, and added protective layers. Additional systems and procedures should be in place to safeguard information from being lost or accessed by unauthorised personnel. HR, in consultation with other managers, should have exclusive authority to decide who will be allowed access to the HR information technology and to what degree.

10 Will employees be able to enrol in benefits plans and make changes in real-time to their personal data and plan choices? Employee access should be a given, considering the widespread, general access to computers; 70% of the population has Internet access at home. Employee self-service provides huge potential to save time and money. A good self-service system will guide employees smoothly through entering information about themselves and their dependents.

The system should clearly present the plans available and enable employees to make selections at their convenience, simplifying these actions throughout the process with wizards. Employees should also be able to add dependents and change information as necessary, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

how do hr and oTher execuTives know They are selecTing The besT hr informaTion Technology To manage all of The deTails, and ThaT The soluTion They selecT will sTand The TesT of Time?

by janice learmond-criquiAdministrator, Egret Limited

10 criTical quesTions ThaT The hr professional need To ask To deTermine hr informaTion Technology needs for any organisaTion

human reSourceS data



continued on page 18

Comparison of Total Population, 2011 and 2000: Trinidad and Tobago

5.2%2011: 1,328,0192000: 1,262,366Total

13.4%2011: 5342000: 471Street Dwellers

(57.8%)

2011: 1,322,5462000: 1,250,652

2011: 4,9392000: 11,714

Institutions and Workers camps - usual residents

Non institutional - persons found in private dwellings 5.7%

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

Trinidad and Tobago Trade in Goods with the United States 2009-2012

0 5000 10000 15000 20000 25000

080910

11e12e

13f14f15f16f

17f23,874

GDP per capita, US$ 2

21,35814,693

15,51817,539

19,07620,084

20,94521,759

22,739

Trinidad and Tobago MACROECONOMIC Indicators 2008-2017

Gross domestic product (GDP) is the market value of all officially recognised final goods and services produced within a country in a given period of time. GDP per capita is often considered an indicator of a country's standard of living. GDP per capita is not a measure of personal income. Under economic theory, GDP per capita exactly equals the gross domestic income (GDI) per capita.

2008 2009 2010 2011e 2012e 2013f 2014f 2015f 2016f 2017f

Nominal GDP, TTDbn 2 175.3 121.3 131.3 150.4 164.4 174.6 183.2 192.0 201.7 212.2Nominal GDP, US$bn 2 28.41 19.62 20.80 23.6 25.75 27.20 28.45 29.63 31.03 32.64Real GDP growth, % c hange y-o-y 1,2 2.7 -3.3 0.0 -1.4 0.2 2.5 3.5 3.9 3.8 3.7GDP per capita, US$ 2 21,358 14,693 15,518 17,539 19,076 20,084 20,945 21,759 22,739 23,874Population, mn 3 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4Industrial production index, % y-o-y, ave 2 7.2 13.0 9.0 1.4 -6.7 1.0 5.5 6.1 6.3 6.4Unemployment, % of labour force, eop 2 3.9 5.1 6.3 4.2 4.8 4.8 5.0 5.4 5.5 5.7

Notes: e = BMI estimates. f = BMI forecasts. 1 Base Year = 2000. Sources: 2 CBTT; 3 World Bank/UN/BMI.Source: Business Monitor International Limited

GDP is related to national accounts, a subject in macroeconomics. GDP is not to be confused with gross national product (GNP) which allocates production based on ownership.

Special Feature: Data anD inFormation technologyComparison of Total Population, 2011 and 2000: Trinidad and Tobago

5.2%2011: 1,328,0192000: 1,262,366Total

13.4%2011: 5342000: 471Street Dwellers

(57.8%)

2011: 1,322,5462000: 1,250,652

2011: 4,9392000: 11,714

Institutions and Workers camps - usual residents

Non institutional - persons found in private dwellings 5.7%

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

Trinidad and Tobago Trade in Goods with the United States 2009-2012

0 5000 10000 15000 20000 25000

080910

11e12e

13f14f15f16f

17f23,874

GDP per capita, US$ 2

21,35814,693

15,51817,539

19,07620,084

20,94521,759

22,739

Trinidad and Tobago MACROECONOMIC Indicators 2008-2017

Gross domestic product (GDP) is the market value of all officially recognised final goods and services produced within a country in a given period of time. GDP per capita is often considered an indicator of a country's standard of living. GDP per capita is not a measure of personal income. Under economic theory, GDP per capita exactly equals the gross domestic income (GDI) per capita.

2008 2009 2010 2011e 2012e 2013f 2014f 2015f 2016f 2017f

Nominal GDP, TTDbn 2 175.3 121.3 131.3 150.4 164.4 174.6 183.2 192.0 201.7 212.2Nominal GDP, US$bn 2 28.41 19.62 20.80 23.6 25.75 27.20 28.45 29.63 31.03 32.64Real GDP growth, % c hange y-o-y 1,2 2.7 -3.3 0.0 -1.4 0.2 2.5 3.5 3.9 3.8 3.7GDP per capita, US$ 2 21,358 14,693 15,518 17,539 19,076 20,084 20,945 21,759 22,739 23,874Population, mn 3 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4Industrial production index, % y-o-y, ave 2 7.2 13.0 9.0 1.4 -6.7 1.0 5.5 6.1 6.3 6.4Unemployment, % of labour force, eop 2 3.9 5.1 6.3 4.2 4.8 4.8 5.0 5.4 5.5 5.7

Notes: e = BMI estimates. f = BMI forecasts. 1 Base Year = 2000. Sources: 2 CBTT; 3 World Bank/UN/BMI.Source: Business Monitor International Limited

GDP is related to national accounts, a subject in macroeconomics. GDP is not to be confused with gross national product (GNP) which allocates production based on ownership.

year exporTs imporTs balance

2009 5,180.2 1,988.3 3,191.8

2010 6,613.3 1,926.0 4,687.2

2011 8,113.0 2,183.1 5,929.9

2012 6,987.0 2,055.3 4,931.7

Figures are in millions of US Dollars on a nominal basis

Source: http://censtats.census.gov/naic3_6/naics3_6.shtml



Jamaica trade in goods with the United States 2009-2012

Year Exports Imports Balance2009 467.6 1440.6 -973.02010 327.7 1661.7 -1334.12011 565.9 1930.6 -1364.72012 507.6 1990.6 -1482.9

Guyana trade in goods with the United States 2009-2012

Year Exports Imports Balance2009 173.2 260.4 -87.22010 298.6 290.4 8.22011 424.5 363.6 60.92012 522.9 360.0 163

Suriname trade in goods with the United States 2009-2012


Barbados trade in goods with the United States 2009-2012


-1500

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009 10 11 12

09 10 11 12

09 10 11 12

09 10 11 12

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500

Export Imports Balance

Source: http://censtats.census.gov/naic3_6/naics3_6.shtml. NOTE: All figures are in millions of U.S. dollars on a nominal basis, not seasonally adjusted unless otherwise specified. Details may not equal totals due to rounding.

figures are in millions of US Dollars on a nominal basis

monTh exporTs imporTs balance

January 2012 810.5 211.3 599.2

February 2012 652.1 152.4 499.8

March 2012 758.7 166.1 592.6

April 2012 554.0 277.0 277.0

May 2012 816.6 233.8 582.9

June 2012 712.3 200.9 511.4

July 2012 750.3 198.8 551.6

August 2012 705.1 187.2 517.9

September 2012 666.3 198.0 468.3

October 2012 560.9 229.8 331.1

November 2012 529.2 221.3 307.9

December 2012 642.5 174.3 468.2

TOTAL 2012 8,158.7 2,450.9 5,707.8

TOTAL 2012Export 8,158.7

Imports 2,450.9

Balance 5,707.8

Trinidad and Tobago trade in goods with United States

Export 651.1

Imports 161.9

Balance 489.2

Source: http://censtats.census.gov/naic3_6/naics3_6.shtml. NOTE: All figures are in millions of U.S. dollars on a nominal basis, not seasonally adjusted unless otherwise specified. Details may not equal totals due to rounding.

Trinidad and Tobago trade in goods with the United States


by dr. ronald ramkissoon Senior Economist, Republic Bank Limited

buSineSS and the economic outlooK for trinidad and tobago in 2013

Businesses of all shapes and

sizes continuously evaluate the

environment in order to determine

the conditions and trends which are

propitious and those which are not.

By so doing they are better prepared

to take the necessary measures to

grow or to minimize their risks. As

is well known, the environment is

influenced by political, economic,

social, technological and legislative

occurrences. Evaluating the economic

environment is critical and the

fiscal activities of government have

important and direct consequences

for this dimension of the business

environment.

1.

2.

3.

5.

We are now approximately six

months into government’s fiscal year.

Some companies also follow this

fiscal period while others are only

three months into their fiscal year.

This is a convenient juncture to reflect

on the earlier part of the year and to

attempt to gauge how the rest of the

year might unfold.

Both global and domestic events impact the economic environment. When the

latest National Budget was presented on October 1, 2012, the global economy

was under stress and the IMF was forecasting global growth of 3.9 percent in

2013. At that time, there were concerns about the deteriorating economies of

the Eurozone, the pending “fiscal cliff” of the US and decelerating growth in

emerging economies. With the exception of the Dominican Republic, Suriname

and Guyana, most regional economies were also struggling to get growth going

again. Not much has changed at this time of writing (March 2013), as expectations

rise and fall and as several new challenges emerge, the latest being the crisis in

Cyprus. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has revised its latest forecasts

marginally downwards for the US, the Eurozone and emerging economies. This is

not helpful to domestic investment sentiments but it could have been worse.

On the domestic front, in his Budget presentation in

October last year the Minister of Finance and the

Economy predicted growth of 2.5 percent in 2013, partly

based on investment of at least US$3.0 billion in

the domestic economy in this fiscal year. Of this, US$2.4 billion

was supposed to come from the private energy sector and

US$0.6 billion from the public energy sector. These figures do

not account for non-energy investments. Planned expenditure

on public infrastructure in the non-energy sector was $7.5

billion or 4.5 percent of GDP. Investment is critical to growth.

Unfortunately, in his recent first quarter review, no figures

were produced to adequately gauge what is actually happening

on the investment side. What we do know is that two major

projects were halted because of the withdrawal of major foreign

investors, viz. Sabic of Saudi Arabia in respect of a methanol-

to-derivatives plant and Severstal of Russia in respect of an iron

and steel plant. Of some comfort is that there are other similar

projects on the drawing board. Nevertheless, one hopes that an

overall assessment would be done by the Minister of Finance

and the Economy when he does his six-month review.

The 2013 Budget was based on a

price of crude oil of US$75 per barrel

and of natural gas of US$2.75 per

MCF. The actual prices of oil and

natural gas averaging US$94 and

US$3.50, respectively are well above

the Budget price. Unfortunately

crude oil production continues to

decline while that of natural gas

remains flat at an average 4.1bcf

per day.

4.




10.

7.

9.

8.

Overall, available data point to a still sluggish economy. Indications

are that growth has been marginal at best. Data for the third

quarter of 2012 indicated a marginal growth of 1.5 percent.

However, the jury is still out on what the actual outturn for that

year might be. Some initiatives by various Ministries are in train,

as pointed out by the Minister of Finance and the Economy in his

recent update. These include work on some eight police stations

and the Cove Industrial estate but the bulk of projects are still in the

planning stages. The major San Fernando to Point Fortin Highway

is stalled as there are still some issues to be resolved before

construction begins on the troublesome Debe to Mon Desir segment.

Developments in the energy sector continue to hold the key in the short and medium run. Since the

Budget was presented in October, and in which several fiscal incentives were offered for exploration and

production, at least two noteworthy events have taken place. In November of 2012, BPTT discovered a

sizeable 1 tcf of gas and in December four deep-water contracts were awarded to BPTT. Ongoing activity

continues in the sector but the recent strike at state-owned Petrotrin, now the country’s largest crude oil

producer, can threaten the incipient recovery taking place in that sector.

6.

Movement in financial indicators usually reflects the situation in the real economy. In its latest Repo Rate

announcement, the Central Bank reported that credit growth (year-on-year) had slowed in January 2013.

Business credit slowed to 0.8 percent and consumer credit to 2.4 percent. The overall inflation rate also

fell marginally in February to 7.5 percent and more importantly, the core inflation rate fell substantially to

2.2 percent from 3.1 percent. With no major change in economic conditions the repo rate remains at 2.75

percent. Interest rates can be expected to remain low in the near term.

It is our view that growth is still on the cards for 2013 and energy and construction

still hold out the major promise. However, the overall environment for investment

is cloudy at best, with crime and governance issues at the forefront only adding

to the uncertainties on the global and regional fronts. The cumulative result is an

inordinately high level of uncertainty which is bad for the business environment. But

businesses must not be distracted. They must press ahead, pulling the government

along if they must, all in the interest of growth and economic development.

Policy makers in this small twin-island economy of

Trinidad and Tobago can hardly make decisions for the

global economy. However, policy makers can have a

strong and direct impact on domestic conditions. This

country still has a lot going for it but our good fortunes

will not last forever. Will we harness all our resources

in the interest of fashioning a strong turnaround or will

we expend our energies in addressing seemingly never-

ending distractions?


Over the last two and a half years the BI committee along with the mentors (volunteers from the AmCham T&T network), assisted two companies, The Exclusive Look (TEL) and Kwartengs Bags.

The feedback from these entrepreneurs indicated that the incubator experience helped them to understand and handle the challenges of building their businesses more effectively. AmCham T&T is pleased to announce that both these entrepreneurs will be graduating this year. AmCham T&T would also like to take this opportunity to thank the AmCham T&T members who volunteered their time to be online mentors.

AmCham T&T is happy to announce that the BI sub-committee has taken on a new entrepreneur, Market Movers, who will be mentored by the committee and our AmCham T&T Mentors for the next two years.

markeT moversMarket Movers was founded by Rachel Renie

and David Thomas three years ago. They both left secure jobs to build a business around something they were passionate about - healthy foods. Accessing and delivering healthy fresh foods to people who have a major time crunch in their lives. They set up a website portal at www.dmarketmovers.com with an innovative

combining agri With technology

in 2010, amcham T&T under The direcTion of iTs Trade and invesTmenT commiTTee parTnered wiTh nexT caribbean and formed The business incubaTor (bi) sub-commiTTee. iTs goal is To assisT small and upcoming enTrepreneurs Take Their businesses To The nexT level of success.

electronic invoicing system which provided a ‘hybrid’ solution to the payments problem - a mix of traditional and online.

Market Movers is a unique business that combines agriculture with technology. Rachel and David are committed to producing and sourcing the highest quality produce through the most environmentally sound means. With their own Green House and network of Aquaponic and responsible farmers, Market Movers remains at the forefront of online distribution companies in Trinidad and satisfies both retail and wholesale consumers across homes, offices and restaurants, it's simply a healthier lifestyle in a convenient way. They also offer a platform for other small businesses and artisans to showcase their products through the Market Movers website and delivery service.

Both David and Rachel have built their business around giving their customers the ‘gift

amcham T&T

meeT amcham T&T's newesT enTrepreneurs


amcham T&T

like all smaller businesses, markeT movers has faced some challenges including markeTing and ‘geTTing Their name ouT There’

of time’ and taking much of the hassle out of buying fresh produce. Rachel and David listen to what their customers say and try their best to add items that meet each customer’s needs. They have also developed a fast growing e-business, in spite of the lack of proper e-commerce infrastructure in T&T.

Market Movers is a 'green' organisation and their focus is to promote conscious lifestyles that are healthier for their customers and protect the environment. In this regard, they continuously seek out other farmers who produce green house grown and chemical pesticide free produce. As part of their support of green conscious lifestyles they deliver all their produce in re-usable bags.

Like all smaller businesses, Market Movers has faced some challenges including marketing and ‘getting their name out there’, increasing the market share for their new healthy products, such as a pesticide-free gourmet lettuce mix, Tilapia, Green House tomatoes, and being able to expand their production area of specialist high health fresh produce. At the same time, they have had some real successes by increasing and sustaining their customer base and the amount of high-health produce they directly manage and, if all goes well, they want to explore exporting within the region. They will be launching another website where they will focus on Fruit gift baskets/packages for both retail and corporate clients at www.dmarketmovers.com.

David and Rachel have learned over the years when managing a business they must evolve with the changing needs of their customers, by responding to these changes and continuously overcoming challenges they aim to remain as the premier 'green' online food distribution company known for its impeccable quality and reliable deliveries. Market movers have taken the bold step to expand their company and as such have joined the AmCham T&T Business Incubator.

Please join us in welcoming David and Rachel of Market Movers to AmCham. We invite you to visit their website, to become customers – and to become mentors as well. To find out more about being an online mentor email [email protected].


T h o u g h T L e a d e r s h i p

Stephen Aguilar-Millan is the Director of Research at the Ipswich-based European Futures Observatory

In 1988, we only just had mobile telephony, which was supported by a battery the size of a house brick! Personal computing had only just started to make an impact in the workplace. The Internet was a dream about to be realised, and the World Wide Web was still half a generation away. Today, all of these technology trends have coalesced into the smart phones that we now take for granted.

And yet, in 1988, people were taking out twenty five year mortgages that will only be paid off fully in 2013. This implies that they had a view then of how things would turn out now, and acted accordingly. Despite the opacity of the future, people still made decisions with long term consequences. It is almost instinctive that people – at an individual level - can accommodate uncertainty into their long term plans. Why is it that organisations seem unable to do the same?

In many respects this is the result of leaving planning as an adjunct to the budgeting process. There is believed to be a continuum from the short term budget, through mid-range forecasts, into long term planning. That is where the mistake is made. Short term budgets rely upon the assumption that the amount of staff, premises, and machinery – what economists call the ‘factor inputs’ - used to generate the output of the organisation, be it a car factory or hospital, is relatively fixed.

As our horizon grows a little longer, we find that we are able to relax the assumption about the factor inputs being fixed in absolute terms. Production still tends to be fixed in terms of the mix of factor inputs, but now have more scope to vary the amounts used. For example, if a hospital wanted to double the number of patients treated, then it would need to increase the numbers of staff used and double the amount of equipment it used, unless there

was spare capacity within the system. This is typically the mid-range area of thinking, where investment decisions with a five to seven year horizon occur.

Beyond that is the long term. By definition, the long term defines a point in time where both the levels of factor inputs are not fixed and also where the factor mix is not fixed. Everything can be varied to varying degrees. In this environment, the straight line thinking that is associated with budgeting is not very helpful. This is an area where uncertainty about the future is quite considerable, and one needs the ability to handle ambiguity and vagueness in order to thrive at this time horizon. This is the realm of futures management where the stock in trade is ambiguity, vagueness, and uncertainty.

Good futures management starts from the premise that there is no single fixed future. This puts them at odds with those who believe that the future is predetermined, but we will leave that objection aside. If there is no single fixed future, then it has to follow that there are a number of alternative futures which we might consider. It is helpful to think of four different types of future – the possible futures (ones which could occur), the probable futures (ones which are most likely to occur), the preferable futures (ones which we would like to occur), and the implausible futures (ones which could occur, but which seem very, very, unlikely).

When working with an organisation,

the skill of the futurist lies in helping the

stakeholders within the organisation to flesh out

their expectations of the possible and probable

futures. If they are not to the liking of the

organisation, which is almost certain, then a set

of preferable futures needs to be crafted to help

the organisation set strategy going forward. In

this respect, the organisation will have set out on

a path to build the future that it wants.

This approach does, actually, trickle back to the process of short term budgeting. If the business environment is very uncertain, as many would say it is now, then futurist management skills can make a contribution to the short term planning for the organisation. All budgets are based upon assumptions about the future. Normally an organisation will craft a set of budgets based upon a core assumption and then leave it at that. In a very uncertain business environment, it would be useful to stress test some of those assumptions to see how the organisation might perform under a different set of assumptions. For example, if an organisation is reliant upon a key input, how would it respond if the cost of that key input doubled overnight? If such an exercise highlights vulnerability in this area, then action can be taken to manage this risk. For example, suppose that a refrigerated storage facility shows a vulnerability to increased energy costs. That might be a cue for the management to install a dedicated power source – particularly one using renewable energy – at the facility. In this way, if the price of energy subsequently increases, then the organisation is protected against that eventuality through the sunk cost of installing the alternative energy source.

Implication for business: It is often said that uncertainty is a key feature of modern life. Some take the view that the best way to deal with an unknowable future is to ignore it. This is a high risk strategy. A better policy is to anticipate the awkwardness of the future and to build that anticipation into the planning process. This can be done through the use of scenario planning, sensitivity analysis, and horizon scanning – techniques common to futures management. In this way, the organisation can build the future it wants rather than having to accept the one it is given.

the heart of the matter

can we plan for uncerTainTy in an uncerTain world?

All around us we seem to be living in an increasingly uncertain world. This is the inevitable consequence of living in a world that is characterised by an accelerating pace of change. If we look at how we do business now, compared with, say twenty five years ago, there are huge differences.



• Automotive

• Manufacturing

• Health

• Waste Disposal

• Hospitality

• Food and Beverage • Food and Beverage

Manufacturing/Processing

• Construction and Civil Works

• Quarrying

• Oil and Gas

• Aquaculture

• Logging

• Agriculture and Animal • Agriculture and Animal

Husbandry

What if there was no CEC Process?Hazards such as flooding and landslides, pollution of land, water and air, even mosquito breeding grounds can result from uncontrolled and unregulated activity.

As part of your environmental responsibility you must obtain the As part of your environmental responsibility you must obtain the approval of a Certificate of Environmental Clearance (CEC) before you start certain designated activities. This is to ensure that negative environmental effects associated with development are reduced to acceptable levels.

So if you’re planning an activity in any of the following sectors:


2013amcham t&t upcoming eventS

april

sepTember november december

june• E-WorkPermitTraining

AmCham T&T trained 10 companies to use the TTBiZ Work Permit application to electronically submit work permit applications to the Work Permit Secretariat (WPS) of the Ministry of National Security (MNS)

• DefensiveDriving

Participants receive practical and theory classes on safe driving

• 25th Communications CommitteeMonthly meeting- Social Media for Crisis Communications

AmCham T&T presenters would highlight to the audience how to use the tools of social media as well as the legal implications of posting using Social media

• National Youth Productivity Forum Finalsand Award Ceremony

AmCham T&T’s signature youth and CSR event finals and award ceremony would be held at the Trinidad Hilton. At this Forum, the winning schools of the discussion forum would discuss the theme, “Food Security…Towards A More Productive Trinidad and Tobago”

• NewMembersReception

New companies would be formally introduced into the AmCham T&T family

• E-WorkPermitTraining

AmCham T&T will train 10 companies to use the TTBiZ Work Permit application to electronically submit work permit applications to the Work Permit Secretariat (WPS) of the Ministry of National Security (MNS)


Participants will receive practical and theory classes on safe driving

• 25 & 26 September- 17th Annual Health,safety, Security and Environment (H.S.S.E) Conference and Exhibition

This is the country’s leading HJSSE event! As the only local and regional Conference of its scope and nature, the AmCham T&T Conference & Exhibition continues to provide a unique forum through which businesses can learn extensively about HSSE best practice and apply this knowledge to all aspects of their operations

• PostBudgetPanelDiscussions

AmCham T&T distinguished panel of presenters will analyse the 2013/2014 National Budget Presentations and discuss the implication for business

• 4th Annual Excellence in Health, Safetyand Environment (H.S.E.) Awards

This event is endorsed by the Ministry of Labour and Small and Micro-Enterprises Development and seeks to award companies that have shown excellence in the fields of H.S.E.

• 12th Annual Trade and InvestmentConference on Governance -

As we look forward to a new style of governance, our national leaders (government, business, labour & academia) and citizens are quite aware that there are numerous issues to address in order to sustain a safe society and build a competitive and productive nation. AmCham T&T recognizes that Good Governance is vital to the development of Trinidad and Tobago as this is a catalyst to economic efficiency and growth.


AmCham T&T will train 10 companies to use the TTBiZ Work Permit application to electronically submit work permit applications to the Work Permit Secretariat (WPS) of the Ministry of National Security (MNS)



AmCham T&T’s Annual Appreciation PartyAmCham T&T’s final event for the year - where we say thank you to all our Members at our final networking event for the year!

may• AmCham T&T’s Legislative committee

Conference

AmCham T&T presents a one-day Conference on the Securities Act 2012. Presenters would dissect the Act and speak of its implications on specific sectors


AmCham T&T trained 10 companies to use the TTBiZ Work Permit application to electronically submit work permit applications to the Work Permit Secretariat (WPS) of the Ministry of National Security (MNS)



Interested parties should contact AmChamT&T @ [email protected] to participate or sponsor an Event



How much do you know about AmCham T&T’s Services & Products?Did you know? Our strong mix of formidable local and

international member companies, strong networking links, close association with the U.S. Embassy and alliances with the Association of American Chambers of Commerce in Latin America and The Caribbean (AACCLA) all ensure rapid access to what you need to compete effectively both in local and overseas markets. We can therefore secure for members strategic information on doing business in a particular country as well as set up introductions to the right business organisations or companies in the U.S. and throughout the western hemisphere.

As your door to opportunities in a globalised environment, some of AmCham T&T’s services are listed below.

AmCham T&T U.S. Business Visa FacilitationYou are eligible to use this facility for renewal of visas from

the U.S. Embassy for business. In addition, when the automated visa appointment services areas are ‘backlogged’, AmCham T&T may facilitate expedited visa appointments for business travel and training for company personnel. This is available at no cost to the employees of member companies.

AmCham T&T IntroductionsYou may already be in contact with a company with whom you

would like to do business or make an alliance. AmCham T&T will send a letter of introduction for member companies, which will include details such as the length of time your company has been a member of AmCham T&T and your company’s involvement with Chamber activities etc. AmCham T&T will encourage the setting up of a meeting for you to promote your products and services, but will not endorse an individual company product or service, as we represent several competing companies in any one industry.

Access to AmCham T&T Membership DatabaseListed AmCham T&T executives may request at any time from

AmCham T&T the most updated version of our membership database highlighting companies’ names, addresses and executives’ contact information. An excel version is also available.

AmCham T&T Executive Info SessionLaunching a new product or service?AmCham T&T’s InfoSessions are an excellent way of niche

marketing to the decision makers of our 297 member companies, as well as to the wider business community. AmCham T&T will be responsible for sending out notices of the session to our members

whaT you always wanTed To know and never dared To ask abouT amcham T&T ...

amcham T&T on The inside

amcham T&T commiTTees:

•Communica

tionsCom

mittee

•Health,S

afetyand

Environment(H

SE)Committee

•Legislativ

eCommittee

•MembershipCo

mmittee

•Program

mesandEve

ntsCommittee

•Security

Committee

•Tradeand

InvestmentC

ommittee

To join a committee, please contact The AmChamT&T Secretariat

[email protected] Tel: (868) 622 4466/0340

and the wider business community, registration, organising the room and refreshments as well as any other administrative duties that may arise.

One-on-One Appointments Through our local and international connections as well as the

international AmCham network, AmCham T&T can arrange one-on-one appointments for companies who are seeking to expand their business in Trinidad and Tobago and the Americas.

Incoming & Outgoing Trade MissionsInformation is available upon request.

AmCham T&T Monthly MeetingsYou will receive notices of our Monthly Meetings, which usually

begin at 8:15 a.m. and end between 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. AmCham T&T business is usually the first item on the agenda, followed by a guest speaker and a discussion session. Occasionally these meetings may take the form of a Luncheon or Dinner. This may be the case if there is a special event or an important overseas visitor. Your company may also choose to become the corporate associate of a particular meeting for a sponsorship fee.

AmCham T&T Board Room Rental

AmCham T&T’s conference room is available for meetings, training sessions and board meetings. Send the particular details regarding meeting needs in terms of seating, catering, equipment, etc. and we will arrange it for you.

AmChamT&TOrgansingYourEvent

(Event must be trade or business-related) AmCham T&T can arrange the logistics of your event, all arrangements including sending out invitations via email or otherwise, and special invitation to ministers / diplomatic corps, following up for responses, coordination of logistics at venue before and after function.

Event Email Mailout Service (EEMS)

(Product, seminar or service must be trade or trade-related) EEMS is an email service which gives you the opportunity to detail your event (e.g. conference, seminar, etc.) to the executives listed on the AmCham T&T database (over 1000 executives).

Please note that some of AmCham T&T services & products carry a nominal fee.

have you ever ThoughT abouT joining

an amchamT&T commiTTee?All AmCham T&T's financial members are encouraged

to have representation on the committees in order

to voice their issues and to provide feedback for

the lobbying effort of the AmCham T&T’s Board of

Directors. Committee meetings are another forum

where members can share invaluable experiences and

information with each other. See list of AmCham T&T

Committees.


We love reading

download back issues of linkage on our website: www.amchamtt.com

purchase your copy of the amcham T&T business guide or book advertisements and/or contribute articles in linkage, contact melissa pierre: Tel: (868) 622-4466 / 0340 / 628-2508email: [email protected]

by Alice Besson, Paria Publishing Co. Ltd.

be seen locally, regionally and inTernaTionally

advertise on the amcham T&T websitefor very low rates.

contact Melissa Pierre, Trade and Communications Officer at [email protected]

This issue of Linkage focusing on "Data" would not be complete without a recent publication that compiles an enormous amount of data on something that regards us all.

The much-discussed Selwyn Ryan Report, "No time to quit: Engaging Youth at Risk", is actually a must-read document for all of us who have careers in business. For the communicator, marketer, researcher, manager, HR-professional, investor or many other aspects of business administrator: the graphs, facts, statistics and recommendations contained in this report are extremely valuable for business planning.

"No time to quit" is a 437-page document, researched and collated by the Committee on Young Males and Crime in Trinidad and Tobago. "The report seeks to put in perspective the debate on equity vis a vis equal opportunity, it asks us to move beyond the narrow concept of sameness and to embrace the concepts of difference and fittedness," is part of the committee's vision for this report. Crime concerns all private and business entities in the country, and this report is a necessary addition to the discussion as to how to address the situation.

The committee, comprised of five eminent academics, Prof. Selwyn Ryan, Dr. Indira Rampersad, Dr. Lennox Bernard, Prof. Patricia Mohammed and Dr. Marjorie Thorpe, analyses issues like

masculinity and crime, differences in ethnicities in at-risk groups, gang behavior, drug crisis, prison reform and the justice system, policing, and other issues. One segment of the report deals with the influence on popular music on crime. Education and training institutions are being looked at, and in the summary one can find a plethora of graphs and figures about family structure, schooling and education performance, views of school and self-esteem, continuing education and skills training, resolving crime, national service, standard of living and more. At least the last two chapters, Summary of Findings and General Recommendations, are 14 pages that every business person in Trinidad and Tobago should read.

"No time to quit" can be downloaded at http://www.ttparliament.org/documents/2197.pdf

.875” spine

Business Guide

Your door

to opportunities in a

globalised environment

AmCham T&T

2012 - 2013

Trinidad & TobagoAmerican Chamber of Commerce of

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&T

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