Event

The Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social & Economic Studies (SALISES) presents a Research Seminar by Ms. Raynata Wiggins, PhD Candidate on the topic, The Distribution of Human Capital Social Assistance in Trinidad and Tobago: An Empirical Analysis of the Participation of the Poor.

This presentation takes place at 10am. 

For a printable version of this information, click here.

ABSTRACT

This study employs a quintile distribution analysis and a probit model to empirically investigate the coverage of the poor in three in-kind social assistance programmes targeted towards human capital development in Trinidad and Tobago (T&T).   Micro-data from the 2008/2009 T&T Household Budgetary Survey are analysed to determine the demographic and socio-economic factors that influence participation in the programmes.  The results indicate that the poor are considerably under-represented in the country’s universal education and health programmes:  the Government Assistance for Tuition Expense and the Chronic Disease Assistance Programme.  Further, the study also found that a substantial amount of the School Nutrition Programme – a programme targeted towards under-privileged school children – is leaked to the non-poor.  Finally, the results reveal that characteristics such as household size, income area, age, sex and ethnicity significantly influence participation in these programmes.

Key Words: Social Assistance, Probit, Trinidad and Tobago, Targeted Programmes, Universal Programmes, Quintile Distribution, In-Kind Transfer, Poor, Participation.