SOCIAL SECTOR INVESTMENT PROGRAMME
10
SUSTAINING GROWTH, SECURING PROSPERITY
The Government of the Republic of Trinidad
and Tobago (GoRTT) has developed
a National Policy which has as its
philosophical basis ‘Prosperity for All’.
This goal is intended to be achieved through
Government’s policy framework, which
Cabinet approved in 2010 and continues
to serve as the framework for sustainable
development.
The seven inter-connected pillars of
development outlined in the framework
are in tandem with the United Nations’
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and
strive to achieve both economic and human
sustainable growth and development.
This edition of the Social Sector Investment
Programme (SSIP) will focus on three pillars of
development:
• Pillar 1:
People – Centred Development
• Pillar 2:
Poverty Eradication and
Social Justice
• Pillar 3:
National and Personal Security
Whilst great emphasis has been placed on
achieving economic growth, care has been
taken to maintain a national framework that
simultaneously attains social transformation
and development.
In fiscal 2013, the Ministry of Planning and
Sustainable Development (MP&SD) launched
the National Performance Framework (NPF)
2012–2015, which articulates a strategic plan
to provide clarity to national policy. It focuses on
attaining results througha seriesof interventions
and strives to ensure that there is commitment
to higher standards of public accountability,
transparency and good governance.
Government’s commitment to good governance
was further demonstrated as greater focus
was placed on developing a Monitoring
and Evaluating (M&E) system as part of the
Sustainable Development Framework. Through
the MP&SD, this thrust towards results-based
management will be a departure from the
notion that performance of an initiative is
based on outputs and expenditure. Emphasis
will be placed on measuring the effectiveness
of the outcomes of initiatives and will allow for
improved decision making, thus promoting
greater performance by the public sector.
During fiscal 2013, attainment of national
development objectives continued via a people-
centred approach, with particular focus on
efforts to increase the levels of participation
in education (particularly higher education),
coupledwith the creationof jobs ona sustainable
basis. These efforts were complemented by
poverty reduction strategies and an expansion
of an integrated social support system.
In January 2013, the University of Trinidad and
Tobago extended its services to Tobago. An
initiative of the Ministry of Tertiary Education
and Skills Training (MTEST), it is anticipated that
the University Campus will bolster accessibility
to higher level education for more of our citizens,
thereby preparing them for opportunities in both
private and public sectors. The launch of this
Campus will also assist Government advance
its efforts in the area of education-from nursery
to tertiary- and to increase participation rate by
60% at the post-secondary level.
The Ministry of Tertiary Education and Skills
Training, in collaboration with the National
Training Agency (NTA) initiated the Jobs
CHAPTER 1:
INTRODUCTION
