Health & Education

Investment in the construction of several new health care facilities across the country and the upgrade of ageing infrastructure demonstrates that the public sector is on the right path. However, challenges persist as out-of-pocket spending remains high, partly due to elevated medicine costs. Moreover, greater funds will have to be invested in the training of medical professionals if locals are to fill staffing gaps. Public investment in the education system remains the highest of any sector, while student enrolment across universities and vocational institutions has increased significantly over the last decade. However, slow economic diversification and the oversaturation of certain university programmes have led to a mismatch between graduate skills and the availability of opportunities in the labour market. Focused government funding could encourage the uptake of subjects and the development of skills required in the contemporary labour market. This chapter contains an interview with Gillian Paul, President, College of Science, Technology and Applied Arts of Trinidad and Tobago.