Urban Livelihood

Urban Livelihood in the City of Port of Spain

Urban livelihood is defined as a means of earning a living in a city or town. It encompasses peoples capabilities, assets, income and activities required to secure the necessities of life. (Rakodi 2002) The means of urban livelihood in different cities around the world will vary deepening on the nature of the economy and the history of the city. In this blog urban livelihood in the city of Port of Spain, Trinidad will be examined.

Port of Spain is a coastal city located on the North Western peninsular of Trinidad, nested in the foothills of the Northern Range. Residential settlement East of Port of Spain are known as Belmont, Morvant, and Lavantille, to the West is Cocorite, and to the North is Maracas Valley. Port of Spain is regarded as a major hob or district within the Caribbean region; it not only serves the needs of Trinidad and Tobago but other Caribbean islands as well. A photo of Port of Spain is shown below.

Regardless of where people are living in Trinidad and Tobago, from time to time they are forced to venture to cities and towns especially Port of Spain. There is a high level of government, administrative and economic activity concentrated within the city of Port of Spain, people look to the city as a means of livelihood as it is the country’s major commercial center. The city of Port of Spain consequently has a municipal population of 45 000 and an estimated population density of 4096 person per square kilometer (CSO 2000). The transient population is estimated to be 500 000 persons daily. (Cropper Foundation) 2009)

The wealthy and the underprivileged both benefit from earning urban livelihoods; nonetheless there exists a vast, widening disparity between the two. Urban livelihood in the city of Port of Spain seems to work in the favor of the wealthy whilst the lesser fortunate is marginalized. Urban livelihood within Port of Spain encompasses issues such as street vending, pollution, homelessness, slum settlements, traffic congestion and crime just to name a few. Throughout the blog such issues will be discussed. 

Reference:

Case Study of Port of Spain .2009. Cropper Foundation.

Central Statistical Office. 2000. "T&T Today | Trinidad and Tobago Population at Census Dates." T&T Today | Trinidad and Tobago Population Census. http://www.cso.org.tt/TT-Today/Trinidad-Tobago-population-at-census-dates.html (accessed April 9, 2014).

Rakodi, Carole. 2002. Urban livelihoods a people-centered approach to reducing poverty. London: Earthscan Publications.