What is the EU-PRP?

In June 1998, the Second Financial Protocol of the Lomé IV Convention between the African, Caribbean and Pacific States and the Commission for the European Communities (ACP-EC) made available the sum of EURO 21 million or TT$147 million to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.  The GORTT, in April 1998, had directed that the grant resources made available to Trinidad and Tobago under the Second Financial Protocol be utilised for financing twenty (20) projects and programmes, subject to the required preparatory and feasibility studies.  These twenty projects and programmes were in the National Indicative Programme (NIP II) of Trinidad and Tobago aimed at economic diversification, poverty alleviation and other development objectives.

The Poverty Reduction Programme is one of the projects in the NIP. It is financed under the 8th European Development Fund (EDF) of the European Commission. The total funding is Euro 6.0m.

Trinidad and Tobago records one of the highest GDP per capita among developing nations, however, severe income poverty still affects 11% of the population (World Bank 1997).  Efforts to reduce poverty within the last six years have been concentrated on developmental programmes designed to empower communities and individuals.  Even though these programmes have contributed directly or indirectly to the improvement of the welfare of vulnerable groups, they appeared to have impacted only in a limited way, on the level of poverty.

Government, therefore, has elaborated through this Poverty Reduction Programme a new institutional framework which stresses collaboration between the public and private sectors in the delivery of social services. This involves a shift toward decentralisation and direct financing to community based poverty alleviation projects.

The programme is part of the Government’s holistic vision of poverty eradication and social development in Trinidad and Tobago. Its overall objective is to contribute to the reduction of poverty in Trinidad and Tobago. The programme will support:
 
• the GORTT in formulating and implementing a National Poverty Reduction Strategy that is more responsive to the needs of the most vulnerable groups of the population;

• the implementation of the decentralization of the delivery system for social services.