For people living in Trinidad and Tobago...Do you think you have a good quality of life here?

Question

I am curious to know others opinions about this? I live in Trinidad yet I don't consider the quality of life good. For the following reasons.

- I feel unsafe the majority of the time. The constant worry about crime gets to you

- The price of food is getting higher compared to what you earn. I know food prices and shortages are a worldwide problem, but i don't think that the average American considers broccoli, strawberries, good quality flour, etc a luxury. And for those that argue that strawberries are imported, we grow pineapples here, yet it is cheaper to buy them in the UK, even though they have to import them there. Why is that? Duties on food certain food items are 40%, even though we don't grow them here, so it's not like the reason behind it is to protect the local farmers.

- Apart from Carnival, we don't really have much culture. No variety in music, plays (yes I enjoy what we have here, but they are all the same) etc. If you are not into partying and drinking, there

Answer 1

I wanted to address the culture issue. It's not correct that other than Carnival we don't have a lot of culture. That statements suggests you don't like Carnival, or you don't know much about it  or both.

Carnival in it self is an extremely rich cultural expression. The feteing and soca music is a valid expression, whether you like it or not.

Calypso is changing. In the 50s it had a big band sound, in the 70s there was a greater disco influence and soca was born. Now our soca has production values akin to international standards and feature pop, R&B abd Dancehall elements but still being true to our language and customs.

If you are not into partying and drinking during Carnival I know the National Carnival Commission has a lot of competitions going on during the season. From the Queens and Kings prelims, junior and senior, Young Kings and Queen competition, Panorama, the Bomb competition, Extempo (my favourite). There are old mas displays, the museum often put up Carnival displays to show our history in content and feature new works.

The weekend limes and socialising.

I'm not too fond of most plays we produce, especially the s*x farces, but they are the ones that make the most money. Nikki Crosby had a one woman show some years back and TV6 showed one of her pieces, it was excellent. Dave Williams has done some really dance shows in Little Carib, Mungal Patesar had some free concerts there before he world tour.

Gillian Moor hosts Sunshine the first Sunday of every month in Mangos in Port-of-Spain. Its an open mike event where people sing, play instruments or do performance pieces. I've been several times and it's really good, all local culture, because its mostly Trinidadians performing.

The 3Canal shows are great and totally Trini, Paul Keens' Talk Tent etc.

I find however too many people, especially if they've traveled suddenly because dissatisfied with life in Trinidad & Tobago. And I wonder if it isn't because they are buying into the brainwashing from our Colonial past. Caribbean backward and bad, England, Europe and now the US good.

We are a small country that doesn't have to resources to compare with the largest first world entities on a level playing field. Our bureaucratic public service is actually a very English trait. So things that shouldn't happen do. But that's true everywhere. At least we have public holidays and casual sick level in here.

I think the quality of life is very good here. The government has to put its priorities in place where food prices are concerned I agree, but the Agriculture Ministry is offering free grow boxes to interested citizens, who live in areas where agriculture isn't dominant. And we the people who like to complain from afar are suppose to make our government work for us. Talk to your representative. Talk to the media, instead of protecting bobol, reveal it. Maybe then our "quality of life" may improve.

Answer 2

Interesting question hence the reason I starred it, however u do sound a lotttt like a certain someone who used to come on here before....hmmm..what makes u think that we don't have much of culture? Are you for real? what planet are you living on? I'm not trying to be funny, I just find it amazing that you're living in Trini & u claim that we don't have much culture???  I for one am a bit insulted by that comment.. Wake Up..there's crime everywhere u go... we have it made compared to some countries... look at Iraq for instance?? Seems like there's a bombing everyday.. look at how they live compared to us? Crime is inevitable, unless u choose to live in a bubble.. The food prices are high everywhere sweetheart..Am I wrong??

Ok boss...is juss meh humble opinion.. sorry for d mix up..

Answer 3

I think l do have a good quality of life here.

Yes l do feel unsafe sometimes, but on the other hand, l have visited some of our neighboring islands and even though l may feel somewhat safer, l honestly can't wait to get back home, as they say there's no place like it.

Yes the price of food is getting higher and l often wonder how those in T&T who just cannot afford 3 meals per day are making out. T&T has lots of fruits but unlike the old time days where you had at least 5 different fruit trees in your yard or the neighbors yard where the kids would have a good time climbing and enjoying, everything is a big concrete jungle now, unless yuh living in the countryside.

Culturally, no section of T&T's society is left out because each group/religion has something to contribute:

Carnival, Hosay, Divali, Christmas etc. I wouldn't go about comparing T&T's Carnival to Brazil's because at least here man could jump in ah band he ain't pay no money and get ah wine on ah woman, that can't happen in Brazil.

Varieties in music, come on we have them all:

Calypso/Soca/Kaiso, Chutney, Indian Orchestra, Jazz, Parang, Rock, Hip hop, local reggae etc.

If you're not into partying and drinking, there's always bake and shark and a swim in Maracas/Las Cuevas, 10 cinemas to choose from at MovieTowne, lots of malls, waterfalls and rivers, Asa Wright etc, and if yuh still bored, a trip to Tobago sure to lift your spirits and make you see that we in T&T are blessed and our quality of life is envied by lots of people out there.

Answer 4

Life is whatever u make it.... if u want to play brave and walk down d road flauntin all yuh jewelry somebody eye go catch an u go get rob..... dat could happen anywhere u go.... not in trinidad alone!

Apart from carnival, not much of ah culture? so what happen to Divali, Shouter Baptist Day, Easter and Eid??? U crawl back under d rock u come out from after carnival so u dont expose urself to them??

I hadda say d standards of living anywhere u go is hard, but life is what u make of it!

Answer 5

I agree with friggy.

You have a point tho. Crime high, roads bad, food prices high, but tell me which country have no crimes, prefectly paved roads, and free food??

Trinbago has one of the most vibrant, diverse cultures on earth. We are a rainbow society, that has acomplished so much. We have a wonderful culture, no where else on this earth can compare to Trinbago.

Answer 6

Roger is that you?

Ah say Roger is that you?

Yuh wearing ah tight tight pants and ah handbag in yuh hand.  Ah saw no this aint true, but yuh wearing make up too!

Ah say Roger is that you?

Posse sing with meh!!!

Answer 7

Well I think we're pretty well-off when compared to many other countries of the world. For instance, there's Zimbabwe. The rate of inflation over there is currently approximately 100,000,000 percent (%) and one loaf of bread costs approximately $200,000,000. Note, this is mainly due to poor government and rampant poverty. I think we need to count our blessings. Yes, there are things that I am displeased about in Trinidad and Tobago and some things that need to be changed (like I already mentioned in a previous question) but we are blessed in so many other ways.

Oh...I almost forgot. We're also the second richest country in the Caribbean (after the Bahamas) with a GDP of $19,700 per capita ($21,700 according to the CIA Factbook). Our standard of living is far from the best in the world but we're doing pretty well for such a tiny country.

http://cheese-on-bread.blogspot.com/2007...

Answer 8

yes i consider my quality of life being a trinibagonian living in trinidad good, because i make the best of what we have rather than rant an rave.. look on the brighter side of things. i know i am never gonna leave home, so why keep a bad minset of things here? might as well love what u have, cuz trust me, there is worse..

i live a mostly simple life with every little thing i need..

yes food is on the rise, so in order to make sure that there is food on the table for dinner @ 5pm everyday i cut down on things i want. because clothes, perfume, shoes, jewellery are all rapidly on the rise as well. ironic that ppl never complain about that..

u obviously have internet access and a computer, drive an maintain a car, noone without a good/reasonable life wud have those things now wud they..?

jus jaz, hjas the perfect answer for your "culture" opinions, so i wont go there..

let us all be thankful for what we have ppl..

Answer 9

Look at these responses! Wow

Trinidad and Tobago is  my slice of Paradise - what you mention as faults occur all over the world.

We have lots a culture - yuh kidding me, unless yuh living in Grande Rivere Forrest than I'll excuse you!  Where yuh think the fried rice yuh love so come from or the coo coo or macaroni pie or roti?  We live in a melting pot society and if yuh not interested or involved in the various activities then the less you know I suppose

Answer 10

Q : Do you think you have a good quality of life here?

A : No.

Answer 11

yes i do.  i not going to argue with you, cause your opinion is your opinion.

but think about it this way... i work here in T&T - 1 job - and i can purchase anythink i want! i know persons who are legal residents / citizens in the US, where every one in the house working two jobs and they can barely make ends meet.  and this is considering that the cost of food in the US is considerably less than ours.  and we are not paying half of what they pay for gas.  you dont see us mortgaging our houses because of credit card debt etc.

my point is: yes i agree that they are lots of things wrong in T&T, however this is where i live, and i have to make the best of it.  there are many countries out there where things cheap but they ketching they nenen to survive.  

and compared to some of the other countries in the world - we living nice.  no wars, no bombing, or snipers shooting at you. yes we have inflation but compared to many other countries including the UK, our standard of living is relatively low.

Answer 12

ok ok i see your points

You see wha happening here people is that we have so much diversity that we starting to ignore it.

Yes the food bills gettting higher but eat bagi instead of broccoli, eat mango instead of strawberry. $10 for a pineapple too much ? Come nah it fresh pick and still have a plant on it so you could plant that when you reach home, the dole tin doh have that eh.

But i will agree with you bout the driving, it bad ...nah it frigging stink, man will run off the road just to get 1 car length ahead, but is we who have to make the choice and drive properly because if we fall into the dotishness we just as bad.

Under all de ole talk yuh have to still love yuh country and do yuh part to make a difference eh. Ah sure it have some good points bout Trini yuh cud make.

Answer 13

i know this doesnt really answer the question but just wanted to throw in my two cents abt the implying that your old friend Roger is behind this question - just incase you missed it your boy did answer a question a few days back soooooooo just saying hehe