Govt Policy Fostering Systemic Poverty in T&T

[Trinbagoviews]

Despite billions of dollars being funneled into poverty eradication programmes the poverty scourge remains; even whilst more citizens are now trapped in destructive inter-generational poverty traps actually set by government.



According to recent reports at least 20 per cent of the population are living below the poverty line in Trinidad and Tobago —despite this coun­try’s "high-income" status and overly generous social welfare system.

The primary cause of the persistent poverty problem however is neglected; -the declining prevalence of the nuclear family in Trinidad and Tobago society and the steady rise in the single-parent family -absent of husbands and fathers.

Single parent families are economically vulnerable because a single parent household ultimately means a single income household usually with a lower earning capacity, even whilst substantive living and childcare costs loom. A single parent arrangement further means the usually single mother's capacity to increase her earning capacity going forward will also be severely constrained given family commitments. Consequently poverty ensues.

Government Culpability

So as to pander to female voters -a substantial voting cohort, successive governments perpetually engineer social welfare programmes that specifically target women under the pretence that they are "victims" of a patriarchal system or men in general.

Social programmes such as Food Cards, URP, CEPEP or the Targeted Conditional Cash Transfer Programme all seek to undo the consequences of poor moral choices such as premarital, unprotected sex, promiscuity and frivolity.

A decade or two ago the negative consequences of poor moral choices would form disincentives to ill-advised choices yet the government has now made the poor choices eligible criteria for government social assistance; thereby mitigating the negative repercussions that normally would discourage such behaviour. Ironically the more poor mistakes made, the more likely one is to qualify for government assistance, consequently more mistakes are made.

The state is in effect trying to replace the traditional role of husbands and fathers as providers and caregivers for their families; and have over time rendered more and more men redundant -especially men with relatively lower earning potential. Women therefore opt to "marry the government" rather than marry men or the father of their children and families subsequently breakdown.



Not surprisingly government assuming this caretaker role is hardly borne out of altruistic intentions. Rather, it intentionally places conditioned female "victims" in a perpetual state of dependency which empowers the bureaucracy at the expense of women and their families. It also substantiates the establishment of various "Ministries, Divisions and Programmes" through which tax dollars can be siphoned away corruptly.

Simple Solution

Without a doubt state involvement in family affairs has lead to increased dysfunctionality within the Trinidad & Tobago family unit and it is clear that the only way to restore the traditional nuclear family and the benefits that follow is to return to a greater prevalence of viable family structure devoid of the toxic intrusion of the state. The time has come to return the responsibility in the event of family breakdown or poor moral choices to extended family, friends, neighborhood and church community -not government.

Trinbagoviews Blog

[de_dougla_smurf]

Good read

[matthewmazda]

is has some truth in it

[Bareback]

Don't take de piggy and won't have de pickney!!!

It's all about choices, if you choose to be horizontal, and you choose to have the baby, then you also have the choice of being poor/ dependant or not! make a life for you and the chyle, don't go and make another child!

[Jonathan]

If you can't feed 'em, don't breed 'em..

[kjaglal76v2]

keep them poor to control their vote

[tourniquet]

Lies! They love us, so they take good care of us

[RASC]

I recently wrote about this in the "school chriren these days" thread... this is EXACTLY what has happened.

...the state making men disposable.

A woman can have 10 children. Different fathers, no care for the sanctity of her womanhood-and still be taken care of with housing, food and marginal income.

Women are allowed to make mistakes. Men aren't.

[zoom rader]

I recently wrote about this in the "school chriren these days" thread... this is EXACTLY what has happened.

...the state making men disposable.

A woman can have 10 children. Different fathers, no care for the sanctity of her womanhood-and still be taken care of with housing, food and marginal income.

Women are allowed to make mistakes. Men aren't.

That's because trini society and customs recognise women in the first.
It's not so much the state it's more traditional that we put women first. In divorce courts the trini woman wins everything. In clubs it's women free entry and then you have dumb men buying drinks for women without getting a sniff of the pantie.
Women play the game all the time. They shed a tear and the trini world opens up to them .
Man shed a tear and he's seen as weak, courts slap the books for child maintenance on men and evil women quick to get him jailed.

[1UZFE]

keep them poor to control their vote

Sad as this is sounding this stmt is true.
Thats why Cepep and URP also free housing can be seen as retograde steps.

[litos]

Govt redistibution of income policy is overly generous...so says the last IMF report of 2014. In 2011 the govt of t&t spent 19.7 billion collectively in social welfare...subsidies....aid of all kinds in the economy. Consider that this 19.7b represented about 1/3 the national budget.... astonishing.

Empowerment of the masses via education and other social and occupation mobility agents is the only key. The crisis is tho....how do you change the culture of dependency and laziness...

Hmmm.

[partsman]

Interesting perspective.

[RASC]

I said it years ago... the race divide is actually a cover for the REAL class/money/power divide in this country.

This under class of people are purposely being kept at this level.

We like to watch these videos and laugh- not realising how their inability to advance is going to hurt all of us in the long run.

We're gonna have to keep paying for them in make work programs, jail and health care...and the upper levels of these degenerates actually filter Into the work place, bringing even more issues.

We need to correct this behavior before it gets worse.

[1UZFE]

I said it years ago... the race divide is actually a cover for the REAL class/money/power divide in this country.

This under class of people are purposely being kept at this level.

We like to watch these videos and laugh- not realising how their inability to advance is going to hurt all of us in the long run.

We're gonna have to keep paying for them in make work programs, jail and health care...and the upper levels of these degenerates actually filter Into the work place, bringing even more issues.

We need to correct this behavior before it gets worse.

U know this is a strong anti pnm statement.

[~Vēġó~]

I wah ah fkn food cyaaard!!!

[pete]

Well ya know what you need to get one vega. Lol

[Trinbagoviews]

I recently wrote about this in the "school chriren these days" thread... this is EXACTLY what has happened.

...the state making men disposable.

A woman can have 10 children. Different fathers, no care for the sanctity of her womanhood-and still be taken care of with housing, food and marginal income.

Women are allowed to make mistakes. Men aren't.

Good point. It's not because they care though it's to pander to the female vote and to appear compassionate and caring to the masses.

[kurpal_v2]

I wah ah fkn food cyaaard!!!

Check me in debe behind the sundar popo action figure.




Bring pumpkin.

[1UZFE]

I wah ah fkn food cyaaard!!!

On this note. Didnt someone or some persons stole abt 200 food cards abt a week ago??

[gastly369]

I wah ah fkn food cyaaard!!!

Check me in debe behind the sundar popo action figure.




Bring pumpkin.

[Lance]

There was a recent journal article published in the Journal of International Development by Kedir and Sookram (2013) on this topic. It's a very good read for those that might be interested.

It is titled "Poverty and Welfare of the poor in a high income country: Evidence from Trinidad and Tobago".

Should be able to locate a copy on Google Scholar

[RASC]

There was a recent journal article published in the Journal of International Development by Kedir and Sookram (2013) on this topic. It's a very good read for those that might be interested.

It is titled "Poverty and Welfare of the poor in a high income country: Evidence from Trinidad and Tobago".

Should be able to locate a copy on Google Scholar

Hmm interesting!

[dwarehouse]

Nice one OP...