She was speaking at the sod-turning ceremony to start the construction of a new housing community in South Trinidad to be called Cypress Hills.
"We have also established several national priorities which are the result of a collaborative exercise with distinguished ministers and stakeholders, and will be a guiding instrument for all of us," she said.
Persad-Bissessar said the priorities resulted from discussion and reflection:
- Good Governance
- Food Security (with a focus on Productivity)
- Infrastructure
- Human Resources Development
- Access to Justice
- Social Service
- Public Safety
The Prime Minister said while the government is committed to providing strong leadership in the priority areas, it would also like to listen and consider citizen feedback when determining the focus for future years.
She acknowledged that people have differing views on the government's priorities. However, she said the ones chosen were selected because the government believes that their impact will provide the type of environment that will enable other activities to take place, which are also important for the development of the country.
"This is why, for example, you will see that for 2011, human resources development and job creation underpin all of what we have prioritized. Clearly, a capable work-ready population with a strong and committed work-ethic will benefit both the private and public sector in years to come," she said.
"I call upon you here, our partners in development, to look closely at your priorities as we are looking at our own priorities. I ask that you ask yourselves what can be done to fast track alignment so that they compliment the national priorities for 2011.
"We know all too well that we, as a Government, cannot do everything, nor do we seek to at this point. We are conscious that many countries the world over are feeling the effects of the global financial crisis. While Trinidad and Tobago has, in many respects, been shielded from some of the more devastating effects of this crisis, we are still vulnerable," she added.
"The challenge this Government faces can be summed up as follows – how can we best allocate our limited resources in order to provide essential services to the population? The solution, of course, lies in our ability to align development programming so that our programs complement each other," Persad-Bissessar said.
"Complacency has no place in this Government. We must not allow ourselves to be sidetracked by our own success. Our sense of achievement must be tempered with consideration as to the work that still lies ahead...
"There are no short-cuts to sustainable development, and I do not promise that the road ahead is going to be an easy one.
"But I do believe that if the people of this country pull together, if central government, local government, business and communities work together, then I am confident that we can have strong growth, we can build a more prosperous and fairer economy and we can have a brighter future for everyone in this country to look forward to."
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