Message from the Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences

 

According to a number of reports, the global population has increased by two billion over the last 25 years, surpassing the seven billion mark in late 2011. One conservative estimate is that the world’s population is most likely to increase by at least two billion by 2050.  With the growth in the number of the population, the challenge for policy-makers across the globe is whether there are sufficient resources to provide suitable accommodation, food, water, schools and health care for the increasing population. Another pressing challenge will be the introductions of mechanisms and regulations to maintain stability and peace among the diverse populations/groups and countries.

In the case of Trinidad and Tobago, it is estimated that the present population is 1,223, 916 (July 2014). Of this population, 32% falls within the age group 0-24 years. The majority of the population 25 years to 65+ thus comprise 67% of the total population. Of this, more than 20% are over the age of 55years.

This conference “Population Issues and Dynamics” is thus timely. The topics to be addressed in this conference include spatial trends, diversification, health care and mortality, and HIV/AIDS among others. It is evident that a Conference of this nature is long overdue and provides the underpinnings for diverse policy decisions within this country. I congratulate Dr Godfrey St Bernard for this effort and look forward to the discussions which follow.

Professor Ann Marie Bissessar

Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences

The University of the West Indies

St. Augustine