Trinidad and Tobago
From HFA-PEDIA
Contents |
HFA National Reports
National Report 2007: Unreported
National Report 2006: Unreported
National Report 2005: Unreported
National Report 2004: Unreported
National Report 2003: Unreported
National Platform
Unreported
HFA National Focal Point
Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM)
Address: 4A Orange Grove Road, Trincity, Tacarigua, Trinidad, West Indies
Tel: +(868) 640-1285 / 8905 / 8653 / 6493; Fax: +(868) 640-8165 / 8988
E-mail: odpmtt@tstt.net.tt
Contact Person:
Mr. George Robinson, Chief Executive Officer (replaced Paul H. Saunders)
E-mail: grobinson@mns.gov.tt (grobinson@odpm.gov.tt)
Other contacts
Permanent Mission of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago to the United Nations in Geneva
Chief:
His Excellency Mr. Dennis Francis
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Permanent Representative
Address: Rue de Vermont 37-39, 1211 Geneva 20
Tel: +(41-22) 918-0380, Fax: +(41-22) 734-9138
E-mail: mission.trinidad-tobago@ties.itu.int
URL: http://www3.itu.ch/MISSIONS/Trinidad-Tobago
UN System Coordination
UNDG: UNCT Trinidad and Tobago
UN Resident Coordinator
Dr. Marcia de Castro
UN Resident Coordinator / UNDP Resident Representative
Tel: 868-6259950, Fax: 868-6231658
E-mail: marcia.de.castro@undp.org.tt
UN Inter-Agency Support
Mrs. Joy Brathwaite, Coordination Support
E-mail: Joy.brathwaite@undp.org.tt
Mrs. Rose Aquing Gomes, Coordination Support
E-mail: rose.aquing.gomes@undp.org.tt
UN Country Team
Dr. Marcia de Castro: Resident Coordinator, UNDP System
Mr. Philip Cross: Representative, ITU
Dr. Karen Sealey: Director, UNAIDS
Mr. Kwame Boafo: Representative, UNESCO
Mr. Harold Robinson: Country Director, UNFPA
Ms. Angelica Hunt: Director, UNIC
Mr. Johannes Wedenig: Representative, UNICEF
Ms. Roberta Clarke: Regional Programme Director, UNIFEM
Ms. Loretta Charlemagne: Chief Technical Adviser, UPU
Mr. Neil Pierre: Director, Sub-Regional Office, ECLAC
Mrs. Florita Kentish: Representative, FAO
Dr. Ana-Teresa Romero: Director, ILO
Dr. Carol Boyd-Scobie: Representative-TT, PAHO/ WHO
Mr. Edo Stork: Deputy Resident Representative, UNDP
Updated: 6 May, 2008; UNDG: UN Country Team
UNDP
Address: 19 Keate Street - P.O. Box 812 (PNY), Port-of-Spain
Tel: (001) (868) 623-7056/7/9 Ext 236, Fax: (001) (868) 623-1658
E-mail: registry@undp.org.tt
URL: www.undp.org.tt/
Other
National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)
Myron Chin, Interim Director
4A Orange Grove Road, Trincity, Tacarigua, Trinidad and Tobago
Tel: (868) 640-1285/8905/8653/6493, Fax: (868) 640-8988
Association of Caribbean States
Special Committee On Natural Disasters
11-13 Victoria Avenue Port Of Spain, TRINIDAD, West Indies
Tel: (1-868) 623 2783, fax: (1-868) 623 2679
E-mail: mfestrada@acs-aec.org
CDERA Member
Lt. Col. Dave L. Williams, Director
National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)
17-19 Abercromby Street, NBS Radio 610 Building (Ground Floor), Port of Spain, Trinidad
Tel: (868) 623-2078/1943/8004, Fax: (868) 625-8926
E-mail: nematt@wow.net
Country profile
Name: Trinidad and Tobago
Capital: Port-of-Spain
Independence Day: 31 August 1962 (from UK)
Population: 1,229,953 (July 2009 est.)
Area: 5,128 sq km
Coastline: 362 km
Population Density: 212 inhab/ sq Km
Religions: Roman Catholic 26%, Hindu 22.5%, Anglican 7.8%, Baptist 7.2%, Pentecostal 6.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 4%, other Christian 5.8%, Muslim 5.8%, other 10.8%.
Language: English (official), Hindi, French, Spanish, Chinese.
Ethnics Group: Indian (South Asian) 40%, African 37.5%, mixed 20.5%, other 1.2%, unspecified 0.8%.
Government: Parliamentary democracy
Currency: Trinidad and Tobago Dollar
IDH Position: 57°
Climate: Tropical; rainy season (June to December)
The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying northeast of the South American country of Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles. It shares maritime boundaries with other nations including Barbados to the northeast, Guyana to the southeast, and Venezuela to the south and west.
The twin-island republic of Trinidad and Tobago is located in the extreme south of the Caribbean. Due to its location, there is relatively little risk from hurricanes compared to the other Caribbean islands to the north. Tobago had only experienced two hurricanes since 1963, and Tobago had never been seriously affected. In September 2004, however, hurricane Ivan caused widespread damage. Populations in the low-lying coastal areas of Tobago had to be evacuated to shelters.
Other hazards facing the islands are tropical storms and the associated heavy rainfalls which result in flooding and landslides. In November 2004, two people were killed and five were wounded in a landslide after six hours of heavy rain. The clearing and burning of hillsides has shown an increase in soil erosion, floodings and landslides. Furthermore, the islands are prone to occasional earthquakes. The most recent ones occurred in Tobago in 1997, causing extensive damage, in Trinidad in October 2000 (measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale) and in Tobago in December 2004 (measuring between 5.0 and 5.4 on the Richter scale). Also, both islands are at risk of droughts.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), operating under the aegis of the Ministry of National Security, plays the most important role in the national disaster management system. It was established in 1988 and its primary function is planning and coordination, working with the established services to facilitate a coherent disaster management approach. The first responders to emergencies therefore remain the police, firefighters and emergency health services. Only when the mandates of these agencies are exceeded due to the scope of the event, NEMA’s Task Force is activated. This then represents all organizations in the field of search and rescue, health, telecommunications, traffic control and general logistics, among others.
NEMA is furthermore involved in the monitoring of hazard mitigation programmes, undertaking training and simulation exercises, disseminating public information and producing vulnerability assessments.
The national disaster management system is undergoing a process of restructuring. NEMA will soon be replaced by a new body which will be known as the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM).
Urban indicators
Statistical Overview
- Urbanisation:
- Total Population: 1 million
- Urban population: 74%
- Slum to urban population: 32%
- Annual population growth rates:
- Urban: 1%
- Slum: 1%
- Annual population growth rates:
- Slum Indicators - % urban population with access to
- Safe water source: 99%
- Improved sanitation: 68%
- Sufficient living area: N/A
- Durable housing: N/A
(Based on UN-Habitat 2001 estimates)
| Indicator | 2030 |
| Total population (thousands) | 1,399.9 |
| Population in urban (thousands) | 332.4 |
| Population in slums (thousands) | N/A |
| Population in urban areas (% of total population) | 23.7 |
| Population in slums (% of urban population) | N/A |
| Annual urban population growth rate (%) | N/A |
| Annual slum population growth rate (%) | N/A |
| Population with access to improved sanitation (% of urban population) | N/A |
| Population with access to improved water (% of urban population) | N/A |
| Population with sufficient living area (% of urban population) | N/A |
| Population with durable structures (% of urban population) | N/A |
| Population in rural (thousands) | 1,067.5 |
- Source: UN-Habitat - The data presented here is extracted from UN-HABITAT's Global Urban Indicators database.
- The data is drawn from different sources and based on 2030 estimates.
Progress
HFA P1 - Institutional and legal framework
HFA P2 - Risk identification and EWS:
HFA P3 - Knowledge and education:
HFA P4 - Risk applications:
HFA P5 - Preparedness and response:
Other Areas:
Other Documents
HAZARDS MAPS VULNERABILITY 2003 CDERA
Web Links
PreventionWeb: Trinidad & Tobago - Disaster Statistics
Trinidad & Tobago Coordination Profile; United Nations Development Group (includes Annual Reports, UN Country Team, Resident Coordinator Office and more)
Emergency preparedness information for the public
National Policy on the Incident Management System, 2004
MDG Profile: Trinidad and Tobago
