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Trinidad is the larger of the two islands that comprise the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (TT). Trinidad has an area of about 5,128 sq. km., roughly the size of Delaware. The island is located at 10º 00 " N, 61º 00 " W and is in the path of the Northeast trade winds, at the southern end of the chain of Caribbean islands, 11km off the coast of Venezuela. This places the islands just outside the normal path of hurricanes and tropical storms. The climate is tropical, with temperatures of 21-30º C. The average annual rainfall is around 200 cm. The dry season is from January to May and the rainy season from June to December (www.cia.gov). The population is around 1.3 million, making it the most heavily populated island in the chain of Caribbean islands. The racial makeup of the Trinidad & Tobago is: 40 % Afro-Trinidadian, 40 % East Indian and the remaining 20 % is Chinese, Syrian, Lebanese and European. The population is well-educated. The average annual GDP per capita was an estimated US$9,500 in 2000 (www.cia.gov). The government is a parliamentary democracy. Patrick Manning was elected Prime Minister by Parliament in 2001. However, the two political parties elected an equal number of representatives to the Parliament and as a result have been unable to either elect a speaker or convene Parliament since 2001. The failure of Parliament to convene has had no obvious negative affects on the economy (Country Commercial Guide: Trinidad and Tobago, 2001). Trinidad is a transportation hub for the region. It has excellent air and sea links. By air