Citizens have identified crime as the number one issue affecting the country. Crime is seen as far more important and urgent than corruption, lack of leadership, declining oil prices, poor healthcare, lack of morality, race relations, unemployment and the economy. These were some of the findings in a recent Trinidad Guardian poll conducted and supervised by Prof Derek Chadee, director of the ANSA McAL Psychological Research Centre, University of the West Indies, St Augustine.
It was also suggested by respondents that, the Government needed to implement more social programmes and jobs to alleviate the crime problem. Over 50 per cent of the respondents also urged the Government to leave social programmes alone, in spite of falling oil prices. Though crime has been listed as the country’s biggest headache, some held the view that “everywhere in this country is corruption” and “you have to pass bribe for everything.”
The poll, a nationwide survey held from January 29 to February 3, interviewed 507 respondents over the age of 18 selected by a random digit dialling method. The intention of the survey was to assess popular opinion on a number of major issues. Overall, the sample was made up of 35 per cent Afro-Trinidadians, 39 per cent Indo-Trinidadians, 25 per cent Mixed race persons and one per cent other groups.
The sample comprised 53 per cent females. The margin of error is plus or minus four per cent.
What do you think is the major issue facing the country today?
With regards to this question, over half of respondents stated that crime was the major issue facing T&T today. Specifically, 56 per cent stated “crime.” Trailing behind was “corruption” with 18 per cent, and “poor leadership” with six per cent. A total of four per cent responded “lack of healthcare.” Three per cent stated “unemployment, oil prices and the economy,” whereas “Lack of morality, race relations and food prices” attracted the lowest number, with one per cent.
Other issues such as politics and poverty captured four per cent. Exploring the responses “crime” by ethnicity showed that 42 per cent were Indo-Trinidadians, 34 per cent Afro-Trinidadians, and 24 per cent Mixed race persons. Of the people indicating “corruption” was the main issue facing the country, 43 per cent were Afro-Trinidadians, 28 per cent Indo-Trinidadians and 26 per cent Mixed race persons.
Examining responses by sex showed that of the people who indicated “crime” as the main issue facing the country, 57 per cent were females and 43 per cent males. For the response “corruption,” the ratio of males to females was 53 per cent to 47 per cent respectively.
In the light of falling oil prices, what should Government do with social programmes? Considering the falling oil prices, over half of respondents stated that the Government should leave social programmes alone. Specifically, three per cent of respondents said the Government should “drastically reduce” such programmes, 28 per cent “reduce,” 53 per cent “leave alone,” eight per cent “increase,” one per cent “drastically increase” and seven per cent “don’t know.”
The following analyses recoded the categories “drastically reduce” and “reduce” into a single category, “reduce,” as well as the categories “increase” and “drastically increase” into a single category “increase.” With regards to ethnicity, similar responses were observed across groups. In particular, 32 per cent of Afro-Trinidadians, 35 per cent of Indo-Trinidadians, and 31 per cent of Mixed race persons said “reduce.”
Similarly, 59 per cent of Afro-Trinidadians, 52 per cent of Indo-Trinidadians and 61 per cent of Mixed race persons indicated “leave alone” and 12 per cent of Indo-Trinidadians, nine per cent of Afro-Trinidadians and eight per cent of Mixed race persons thought Government should “increase” social programmes. Analysis of responses by sex also showed marginal differences between male and female respondents on what should be done with social programmes.
For instance, 33 per cent of male respondents and 34 per cent of female respondents stated that social programmes should be “reduced,” whereas 60 per cent of male respondents and 54 per cent of female respondents believed social programmes should be left alone. Similarly, 12 per cent of females and eight per cent of males indicated that social programmes should be “increased”.
There were marginal differences across the educational levels, in particular, 30 per cent of those with primary education, 37 per cent with secondary, 27 per cent with technical/vocational and 34 per cent with tertiary said “reduce”. Likewise, 60 per cent with primary education, 57 per cent with secondary, 57 per cent with technical/vocational, and 55 per cent with tertiary stated “leave alone.”
Respondents who indicated that Government should “increase” social programmes due to falling oil prices comprised ten per cent with primary education, six per cent with secondary, 16 per cent with technical/vocational and 12 per cent with tertiary.
What do you think is the major issue facing the country today?
Crime 56 per cent
Corruption 18 per cent
Poor leadership 6 per cent
Poor healthcare 4 per cent
Unemployment 3 per cent
Oil Prices 3 per cent
Economy 3 per cent
Lack of morality 1 per cent
Race relations 1 per cent
Food prices 1 per cent
Other issues 4 per cent
PUBLIC COMMENTS
What do you think is the major issue facing the country today?
REDUCE
• Some money would be saved if programmes were reduced
• Some people use these programmes unnecessarily
• The money spent on these programmes outweighs the benefits
LEAVE ALONE
• They have to cut other areas like subsidies
• They have to categorize according to need
• These programmes assist a lot of people in this country
• If it is reduced, the country will go further into poverty
INCREASE
• Social issues are not being addressed, oil prices have always been an issue
• More programmes need to come on stream
• Only a few people benefit from these programmes, what about the others?
• Spend less money on other areas and increase social programmes
In the light of falling oil prices, what should Government do with social programmes?
CRIME
• We need more social programmes to alleviate crime
• Everyday someone is killed or robbed in this country
CORRUPTION
• Everywhere in this country is corruption
• You have to pass bribe for everything
UNEMPLOYMENT
• Too many unemployed people walking the streets
• Create more jobs and it might reduce crime
INADEQUATE HOUSING
• Plenty people in this country living in one-bedroom apartments
• More affordable housing should be made available to the public
POOR ROADS
• People have a right to protest; we have a pitch lake and the worst roads
• More than half the roads in this country have pot holes