The Status of Democracy in Trinidad and Tobago: A citizens ... · support for democracy in T&T?...

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The Status of Democracy in Trinidad and Tobago: A citizens’view

March 15th, 2010University of West Indies

Sample Design

Methodology• Face-to-face interviews by trained interviewers

• National probability samples of 1500 respondents 18 years and older

• Probability Proportional to Size (PPS) is used at every stage of sampling

• Sample is stratified to ensure that all major demographic segments of the population are included in the sample

• Estimated Error: +/- 3% with 95% confidence interval

• Interviews were carried out by The institute of International Relations (IIR) at UWI

.

Male50.0%

Female50.0%

Sex

Source: AmericasBarometer by LAPOP

None0.3% Primary

16.3%

Secondary48.5%

Higher34.9%

Education Level


16-2525.3%

26-3524.7%36-45

16.8%

46-5516.4%

56-659.9%

66+6.9%

Age


West23.6%

East23.1%

Central19.2%

South30.2%

Tobago3.9%

Regions

Source:AmericasBarometer by LAPOP

Sample Description

Support for Democracyas System

Agreement with Churchill?

“Democracy may have problems, but it is better than any other form of government. To what extent do you agree or disagree

with this statement?”

1 2 3 4 5 6 7Strongly disagree Strongly agree

Low Support High Support

Support for Democracy in T&T

Substantial proportions of citizens agree with Churchill

Low Support31.0%

High Support69.0%


Support for Democracy in T&T in

Comparative Perspective

60.1

62.8

63.3

64.1

66.8

68.6

69.7

71.3

72.9

74.0

75.5

80.4

Peru

Guatemala

Paraguay

El Salvador

Mexico

Dominican Republic

Trinidad & Tobago

Nicaragua

Guyana

Venezuela

Panama

Costa Rica

0 20 40 60 80

Support for Democracy

95% Confidence Interval (Design-Effects Based)


Who are more likely to have “high” support for democracy in T&T?

0.60

0.65

0.70

0.75

Mea

n p

red

icte

d p

rob

ab

ility

of

hav

ing

hig

h s

up

po

rt f

or

de

mo

cra

cy

31-45 years old 46-60 years old 61 and older18-30 years old


0.60

0.62

0.64

0.66

0.68

0.70

0.72

Mea

n P

red

icte

d P

rob

ab

ility

of

ha

vin

g h

igh

su

pp

ort

fo

r d

em

ocr

acy

None Primary Secondary Higher

Education Level


0.60

0.65

0.70

0.75

Me

an

pre

dic

ted

pro

ba

bili

tyo

f h

avi

ng

hig

h s

up

po

rt f

or

de

mo

cra

cy

Income not enough,having hard time

Income just enoughIncome not enough,stretched

Income good enough,can save

Perception of Family Economic Situation


0.65

0.70

0.75

0.80

Mea

n p

redic

ted p

robab

ility

of

hav

ing

hig

h s

up

port

for

dem

ocr

acy

Central South East West Tobago

RegionSource: AmericasBarometer by LAPOP

Results significant at p.<0.05; control variables included

Satisfaction withDemocracy

Satisfaction with the way democracy works in T&T

PN4. In general, would you say that you are very satisfied, satisfied, dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with the way democracy works in Trinidad & Tobago?

(1) Very satisfied (2) Satisfied (3) Dissatisfied(4) Very dissatisfied (88) DK (98)DA

Very satisfied1.8%

Satisfied43.2%

Dissatisfied43.3%

Very Dissatisfied11.6%

Level of Satisfaction with The Way Democracy Works in T&T


Satisfaction with

Democracy in T&T in

Comparative Perspective

43.8

44.6

44.7

44.7

46.3

47.8

48.6

49.9

50.7

54.7

62.5

62.5

Guyana

Mexico

Trinidad & Tobago

Peru

Venezuela

Guatemala

Nicaragua

Paraguay

Dominican Republic

El Salvador

Costa Rica

Panama

0 20 40 60

Satisfaction with Democracy



System Support Index

Items used to create “System Support” Index

• B1. To what extent do you think the courtsin (country) guarantee a fair trial?

• B2. ¿To what extent do you respect the political institutions of (country)?

• B3. To what extent do you think that citizens’ basic rights are well protected by the political system of (country)?

• B4. To what extent do you feel proud of living under the political system of (country)?

• B6. To what extent do you think that one should support the political system of (country)?

A lot7

6

5

4

3

2

Not at all1

Support for the Support for the Political System in T&T in Comparative Perspective

44.0

46.3

46.8

49.0

49.6

51.7

53.9

54.9

56.8

58.7

60.2

63.2

Trinidad & Tobago

Paraguay

Peru

Venezuela

Guatemala

Nicaragua

Dominican Republic

Guyana

Mexico

El Salvador

Panama

Costa Rica

0 20 40 60

System Support



Who supports the political y

Who supports the political system in T&T?

•

40

42

44

46

48

50

52

Mea

n p

red

icte

d s

yste

m s

up

po

rt

31-45 years old 46-60 years old 61 and older18-30 years old


40

41

42

43

44

45

46

Me

an

pre

dic

ted

sys

tem

su

pp

ort

central south tobago east west

Region


38

40

42

44

46

48

Me

an

pre

dic

ted

sys

tem

su

pp

ort

Income not enough,having hard time

Income just enoughIncome not enough,stretched

Income good enough,can save

Perception of Family Economic Situation


Results significant at p.<0.05; control variables included

Economic Crisis and itsRelationship on

Democracy

Perception of the Economic Crisis

CRISIS1. Some say that our country is suffering a very serious economic crisis, others say that we are suffering a crisis but it is not very serious, while others say that there isn’t any economic crisis. What do you think? [Read options](1) We are suffering a very serious economic crisis (2) We are suffering a crisis but it is not very serious, or (3) No economic crisis [Go to VB1](88) DK [Go to VB1] (98) DA [Go to VB1]CRISIS2. Who is the most to blame for the current economic crisis in our country from among the following: [READ LIST, MARK ONLY ONE RESPONSE](01) The previous administration(02) The current administration(03) Ourselves, the Belizeans (04) The rich people of our country(05) The problems of democracy(06) The rich countries [Accept also Unites States, England, France, Germany, and Japan](07) The economic system of the country, or(08) Never have thought about it(77) [Don’t read] Other(88) [Don’t read] DK (98) [Don’t read] DR (99) N/A

Is There an Economic Crisis?

Trinidad & Tobago Latin America and the Caribbean

We are suffering a very serious economic crisis

46.2%We are suffering a crisis but it is not very serious

43.9%

No economiccrisis9.8%

Economic Crisis Perception


We are suffering a very serious

economic crisis 47.1%We are suffering

a crisis but it is not very serious

47.2%

No economic crisis 5.7%

Percepion of Economic Crisis


Who is to blame for the crisis?


The current government

44.0%

Ourselves, the citizens

of the country22.6%

The rich countries

8.9%

The economicsystem of

the country8.6%

Other15.9%

Who is the most to blame for the current economic crisis?


The current Government

24.2%

Ourselves, the citizens

of the country13.2%

The rich countries

8.3%The Economic

system ofthe country

13.5%

Other40.7%

Who is the most to blame for the current economic crisis?


Economic Crisis and Satisfaction with Democracy


41.844.8

49.0

0

10

20

30

40

50

Sys

tem

Su

pp

ort


We are suffering a crisis but it is not very serious

No economic crisis

Perception of Economic Crisis

95% Confidence Interval (Design-Effect Based)


45.1

53.7

61.5

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Sa

tisf

act

ion

wit

h D

emo

cra

cyWe are suffering a very serious

economic crisis

No economiccrisis

We are suffering a crisis but it is not

very serious




Economic Crisis and System Support


41.844.8

49.0

0

10

20

30

40

50

Sys

tem

Su

pp

ort


We are suffering a crisis but it is not very serious

There is not an economic crisis




49.1

56.0

59.5

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Sys

tem

Su

pp

ort

We are suffering a very serious

economic crisis

No economic'crisis"

We are suffering a crisis but it is not

very serious




Perception of Insecurityand its Impact on

Democrac

Perception of insecurity in T&T

AOJ11. Speaking of the neighborhood where you live and thinking of the possibility of being assaulted or robbed, do you feel very safe, somewhat safe, somewhat unsafe or very unsafe?(1) Very safe (2) Somewhat safe (3) Somewhat unsafe(4) Very unsafe (88) DK (98)DR

Very safe24.4%

Somewhat safe54.5%

Somewhat unsafe15.1%

Very unsafe

6.0%

Perception of insecurity


Perception of insecurity in T&T in Comparative Perspective

32.2

33.8

33.9

36.1

38.9

39.9

41.7

43.5

46.5

49.2

49.7

53.8

Costa Rica

Guyana

Trinidad & Tobago

Panama

Nicaragua

Guatemala

Paraguay

Mexico

Dominican Republic

Venezuela

El Salvador

Peru

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Perception of Insecurity



Who are more likely to feel somewhat or very unsafe in T&T?

0.10

0.15

0.20

0.25

Mea

n p

red

icte

d p

rob

ab

ility

of

fee

ling

so

mew

ha

t o

r ve

ry u

nsa

fe

Tobago South West East Central

Region


Perception of insecurity undermines democratic legitimacy

36

38

40

42

44

46

Sys

tem

Su

pp

ort

very safe somewhat safe somewhat unsafe very unsafe

Perception of Insecurity


Corruption and its Impacton Democracy

Perception of Corruption in T&T

EXC7. Taking into account your own experience or what you have heard, corruption among public officials is…

(1)Very common (2)Common(3)Uncommon(4) Very uncommon(88) DK (98) DA

Very common55.4%

Common40.2%

Uncommon3.6%

VeryUncommon

0.8%

Perception of corruption


Perception of

Corruption in T&T in Comparative Perspective

64.6

67.5

75.5

76.1

76.2

76.3

77.6

78.0

78.4

78.5

79.4

83.1

El Salvador

Nicaragua

Guatemala

Venezuela

Panama

Mexico

Dominican Republic

Costa Rica

Paraguay

Guyana

Peru

Trinidad & Tobago

0 20 40 60 80

Perception of Corruption



Corruption Victimization in T&T

Percentage of People Victimized by corruption at Least Once in Past Year No

90.9%

Yes9.1%

Percent of Population Victimized by Corruption


Corruption Victimization in T&T in Comparative Perspective

9.1

9.4

10.1

11.4

12.1

17.1

17.5

18.5

21.2

27.1

32.0

35.0

Trinidad & Tobago

Panama

Costa Rica

El Salvador

Nicaragua

Guyana

Dominican Republic

Venezuela

Guatemala

Paraguay

Peru

Mexico

0 10 20 30 40

Per cent of Population Victimized by Corruption



y gCorruption Victimization in

T&T by Regions

0.50

0.55

0.60

0.65

0.70

Mea

n p

redic

ted p

robabili

tyof perc

eivi

ng

that corr

upti

on is

very

com

mon

East West South Tobago Central

Region


Result significant at p.<0.05; control variables included

Corruption victimization undermines democratic legitimacy

25

30

35

40

45

Sys

tem

Support

None Two Three FourOne

Number of Ways Victimized in Past Year


The Status of Democracy in Trinidad and Tobago: A citizens ... · support for democracy in T&T?...

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Transcript of The Status of Democracy in Trinidad and Tobago: A citizens ... · support for democracy in T&T?...