HOW T&T FELL OFF THE HAPPINESS MAP

TRINIDAD and Tobago has fallen off so badly in the world happiness index that it was not surveyed for the latest report.

A total of 149 countries were monitored in six categories to determine the happiest country in the world.

When T&T did not feature in the 2024 report, this media house contacted the producers of the annual study.

The much-anticipated survey is a partnership of Gallup, the Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre, the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions and the editorial board of the World Happiness Report.

The producers said: “Gallup did not conduct a World Poll Survey in Trinidad and Tobago in 2022 and 2023, so we had no data to include in this year’s report.

“According to Gallup’s Country Set Details, the last year they collected data in Trinidad and Tobago was 2017.”

The response suggests that the happiness index in T&T does not have an international impact.

That is a sharp decline since T&T was ranked 38^th in the 2018 report, climbing from 43^rd spot in 2016.

The 2018 ranking placed T&T ahead of all other Caribbean countries.

Local investment and tourism agencies used the relatively high ranking as an international marketing tool.

GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity, and freedom from corruption are categories in the report.

In addition, those surveyed are asked to assess certain “life evaluations.”

For the seventh straight year, Finland was adjudged the world’s happiest country.

Citizens of the North European country of 5.6 million people were found to have a strong sense of community and relatedness, do good deeds and find a clear purpose for themselves.

Life expectancy is 85 years for women and 79 for men.

The country outranked others in education, work-life balance, environment quality, social connections, safety and life satisfaction.

Finland was followed by Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Israel, Netherlands, Norway, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Australia, in that order.

Afghanistan ranked last, with Congo, Lebanon, Lesotho and Sierra Leone almost at the bottom of the list.

Several other countries amid civil conflicts also placed lowly.

The study did special research on the young and old and on various matters that impact their happiness.

The quality of life in T&T has steadily declined in recent years as a result of unrelenting crime, high cost of living, declines in the public healthcare system and education standards, and weakening of the middle class.