Interpreting HDR Poverty Figures for Trinidad and Tobago: Some Important Lessons

Abstract

This paper discusses some of the issues surrounding the use of the PPP$ per day as an indicator of poverty, and the likelihood that the reported statistic is realistic measure of poverty in Trinidad and Tobago. It also briefly assesses: the response of the media and; the grounds for the rejection of the Human Development Report (HDR) of 2004 poverty figure by the government. In this context, the basis for acceptance or rejection of the poverty figures is critically examined.