Chapter 1. Introduction: Is Trinidad And Tobago Unique -- Chapter 2. Political Development: Parliament And Political Parties -- Chapter 3. Political Development: The Executive Size And Quality -- Chapter 4. Political Development: Payoffs To The Voter Base And Corruption -- Chapter 5. Economic Development: From Sugar To Hydrocarbons And Beyond -- Chapter 6. Economic Development: The Macroeconomic Perspective -- Chapter 7. Economic Development: Labour Market -- Chapter 8. Economic Development: The Private Sector -- Chapter 9. Social Development: Education -- Chapter 10. Social Development: Health -- Chapter 11: Social Development: Crime -- Chapter 12. Social Development: Who Are We: Values And Happiness -- Chapter 13. Conclusions. .

This book delves into Trinidad and Tobago's development with a fresh lens. It stands as the inaugural empirical exploration of the country's unique attributes, including its diversity, ex-British colony status, small-state categorization by population size, and its dependence on hydrocarbons. Through meticulous empirical analysis, this book scrutinizes the nation's economic, social, and political outcomes within the context of these four distinctive parameters, offering fresh insights into the country's development trajectory. What sets this book apart is its unwavering commitment to a data-driven approach. Drawing upon a vast array of databases from both international and national sources, it provides a thorough examination of development indicators, household welfare metrics, firm-level performance, and individual perspectives on a wide range of political, economic, and social issues. For scholars, policymakers, and anyone with an interest in understanding how unique contextual factors shape a Trinidad and Tobago's development, this book offers an enlightening and data-rich perspective on the nation's journey towards progress and prosperity. Jeetendra Khadan is a Senior Economist with several years of experience at major international development institutions. He has published articles and books on a variety of macroeconomic and development topics. Inder Jit Ruprah is a former Regional Economic Advisor for the Caribbean at the Inter-American Development Bank. He has published articles and books on a variety of development topics with emphasis on Latin America and the Caribbean.