Fiscal Policy 2017

(An extract from Foreign Direct Investment 2017)

Civil wars, insurrections, uprisings, protests, workers strikes, all are rooted in the distribution of wealth. This is the responsibility of the nation's elected executive; to design, adopt, fine-tune, implement and revise policies, which would encourage and reward risk-takers' investment while, maintaining a measured standard of living through employment and the uplifting of the vulnerable in society. Investment, Employment and Social Benefits are the opportunities essential for nation building. However, the nation's capability to earn from its present or projected revenue streams, increasing productivity, currently carries much less influence, when compared to the nation's power or ability to borrow and, of course, service and repay the debt. In other words, it is presently easier to borrow than to diversify.

Economic Drivers 2017

(An extract from Foreign Direct Investment 2017)

The nation's revenue, to offset its total annual expenditure, comes from the collections of taxes, duties and royalties; taxes on (personal income) salaries and wages, on (consumption) sales and value added, on (operations) business levy and green fund, on (corporation) profits, etc. Such revenue generating activities are encouraged and facilitated via Economic Drivers, which designs, implement and review the conditions for investment, employment and, the resulting, taxation. Operating on 5.48% of the nation's total current expenditure budget, Economic Drivers are administered by the Ministries of Energy and Energy Industries, Agriculture, Lands and Fisheries, Planning and Development, Foreign and CARICOM Affairs, Labour and Small Enterprise Development, Trade and Industries, and Tourism.

Infrastructure Management 2017

(An extract from Foreign Direct Investment 2017)

It has been long realized and accepted that Infrastructure Management directly affects productivity; outputs driven by comfortable and safe work and play spaces, such as; water and electricity, industrial parks, administration offices, community centers, open parks, transport hubs, roads and bridges, etc. Utilizing 19.97% of the nation's total annual allocated expenditure to maintain and expand public spaces, the Infrastructure Management category consist of the ministries of Public Utilities, Works and Transport, the Tobago House of Assembly, the ministries of Rural Development and Local Government, and Housing and Urban Development.

Human Development 2017

(An extract from Foreign Direct Investment 2017)

The progress of any country, nation, society is driven by its human resource and the development of such; its citizenry, its people, its skills and talents. Noting that, growth industries and job creation are as a direct result of investment in ideas, and the only true source of ideas is the human being. A population that is educated, healthy, well adjusted as a society, contributing in the community, supporting culture and the arts, participating in competitive sport and encouraging the youth, will build and maintain a happy, respectful, caring and sharing nation.

The Human Development category consist of budgetary allocations, 28.90% of the nation's total annual estimated expenditure down by 0.31% from the previous period revised estimates, to execute policies, strategies and initiatives of the Ministries of Health, Education, Social Development and Family Services, Community Development, Culture and the Arts, and Sport and Youth Affairs.

Resource Preservation 2017

(An extract from Foreign Direct Investment 2017)

This refers to the approved budgetary allocation of public expenditure dedicated to protecting and preserving the nation's assets; its people, its property, its peace. Resource Preservation comprises funds, 10.41% of the nation’s total expenditure as reported by the Auditor General 2015 and 13.59% in the revised estimates 2016 and 13.05% down by 2.49% for 2017 published by the Ministry of Finance, to enact the policies of the Ministry of National Security, its arms and divisions, along with the crime interjection strategies of the Police Service, whose expenditure is independently control. While the Defence Forces policies and funding are administered and overseen by the Ministry. The non-executive President of the nation is the Commander and Chief of the Defence Forces, further subdivided into the Regiment, the Coast Guard and Air Guard, with reserves and other specialty arms and initiatives.