The Development Co-operation Directorate (DCD-DAC) of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) removed Trinidad

and Tobago from its ODA list for the 3-year period beginning January 1, 2012. According to the OECD website, this list is used to classify developing countries that are eligible for development assistance, and is revised every 3 years. T&Ts removal means that it exceeded the OECDs high-income threshold for 3 consecutive years. This demonstrates a period of sustained economic development, not just one outlier year for GDP.

This declaration becomes even more important when one examines the context of the Great Recession, in which many countries witnessed a substantial decline in GDP. The ODA list includes all low-and middle-income countries, as well as the LDCs as defined by the UN. It is considered an authoritative guide and is accepted and used by donors, recipients and international bodies. Removal from this list means that a country must be gauged in a new light. For T&T, that new light is its status as a developed country.

This is further substantiated by T&Ts status as a high income, non-OECD country according to the World Banks development indicators. This ranks us with countries including France, Finland, Norway, Australia, the Netherlands and Switzerland, which are all considered developed. If them, then why not us? It is safe to conclude that in terms of broad economic development, T&T is a developed nation.

Comparison between T&T and other high-income-non-OECD countries (according to the World Bank)

Annual GDP growth % = non-OECD: 4.7%; T&T: 5.3% Annual GDP per capita growth = non-OECD: 2.2%, T&T: 4.4% Literacy rate = non-OECD: 91%; T&T: 98% Primary school enrollment = non-OECD : 96.8% ; T&T : 98.2% Labour force participation rate (female) = non-OECD: 40%; %; T&T: 58%

T&Ts HDI score is 0.760, which translates to high human development. Ranked 62nd out of 187 countries (top 33 percentile). Higher than the cumulative average for Europe and Central Asia (0.751), the rest of the high human development countries grouping (0.741), and the LAC (0.731). Higher than the small island developing state average (0.640). Higher than the East Asia and Pacific average (0.671).