Last Sunday evening I participated in a 2 hour panel discussion – live on TV, Channel 8 – on the theme: “Approaches to Poverty Alleviation”. Other panellists were Prof Habib Ahmed, Durham University, from the Muslim community, and Rev Adrian Sieunarine from the Presbyterian community. I was asked to consider issues from a Caribbean perspective – with a focus on how the Catholic Church is seeking to alleviate poverty in TT and in our region. If you want to find out more about what our Government is doing, see:
– TT’s Social Sector Investment Programme 2011: Facing the issues – Turning the economy around; Partnering with all our people (www.finance.gov.tt); and
– Innovation for lasting prosperity: Medium-term Policy Framework (2011-2014) – Ministry of Planning and the Economy (www.pesrga.gov.tt ).
There is a huge gap between theory and practice. And how effectively are we monitoring and evaluating strategies that are employed e.g. with regard to poverty reduction and social inclusion? In his encyclical, Charity in Truth, Pope Benedict XVI urges us to promote integral human development, i.e., the development of all dimensions of a person and of every person. As we mark 50 years of Independence, our vision for TT must take into consideration e.g.
– the UNDP’s 2011 Human Development Report which incorporates the updated 2011 Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) – developed by a team at Oxford University, UK. The MPI identifies 3 dimensions of Poverty: Health, Education and Living Standard. And 10 indicators relating to these dimensions: Nutrition, Child mortality, Years of schooling, School attendance, Cooking fuel, Sanitation, Water, Electricity, Floor, Assets. (see www.ophi.org.uk). TT ranks 62 out of 187 countries on this index;
– the 2011 World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report. TT ranks 81 out of 142 countries;
– Transparency International’s 2011 Perception of Corruption index. TT ranks 91 out of 183 countries;
– the 2012 UNDP Caribbean Regional Human Development Report on Citizen Security;
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– the Evaluation Report of ECLAC’s Regional workshop on the measurement of poverty in the Caribbean – held in POS: 27- 28 October 2011
– the Caribbean Development Bank’s President’s comments on regional poverty and economic insecurities;
– the 2012 ECLAC/UNICEF-TACRO guide for measuring child poverty in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Recent news of a Project Management Team’s report which indicates that CARICOM may be in “crisis” could impact on our ability to address poverty in TT. While other countries are strengthening links with each other, CARICOM is in danger of being left behind. What are the implications for the Caribbean-EU Economic Partnership Agreement if we don’t pursue the CSME.
Although TT is classified as a high income country, there are pockets of extreme poverty here. The wealth of the nation is not trickling down to all our people. We do not need to wait for the results of TT’s 2011 Survey on Living Conditions to take action. The previous 2005 findings are out of date. The percentage of people living below the poverty line (TT$665 per month) in TT is higher than the 2005 statistics of 16.7% of the population (estimated now at 20%.)
What is your understanding of our spiritual discipline of prayer, fasting and almsgiving during Lent? Almsgiving involves more than giving money to those in need. What are we doing to meet the needs of the “least” of our brothers and sisters? Matthew 25:35 and 36 should spur us to action. Share your time, talent and treasure with those in need. During Lent let’s show even more solidarity with, and compassion for the poor, the needy, the shut-ins, the homeless/socially displaced and others who need our assistance. Remember the SEE-JUDGE-ACT process.
The US Bishops’ words in their 2002 Pastoral Letter are instructive: “The principle of solidarity reminds us that as members of one human family, we see every ‘other’ as our neighbour, who must share in the banquet of life to which all are equally invited by God. In the Catholic tradition, concern for the poor is advanced by individual and common action, works of charity, efforts to achieve a more just social order, the practice of virtue, and the pursuit of justice in our own lives. It requires action to confront structures of injustice that leave people poor.”
Prayer: Jesus, source of all that is good, help us to appreciate the many gifts that you have given to us and to practise distributive justice by sharing these equitably. Grant us wisdom to use the earth’s resources wisely.
