E/CN.4/2004/18/Add.1 page 19 An event of this kind, which affirms both specific identities and the sense of belonging to one nation, can give powerful impetus to long-term efforts to repair the fabric of Guyanese culture; • In the spirit of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, Guyana should play a fuller part in regional movements against racism and towards multilateralization and the building of plural identities, particularly in the Caribbean, where there are similarities not only in historical legacies of discrimination and ethnic and racial divisions, but also in demographic and community profiles. The way in which efforts to eradicate ethnic polarization are now being linked with the development of the democratic process, and the parallel reconstruction of a plural identity, could be of great relevance throughout the region. By incorporating the University of Guyana into the University of the West Indies, a regional intellectual effort could be brought to bear on these important issues, to the benefit of all the countries involved. II. MISSION TO TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 42. In Trinidad and Tobago the Special Rapporteur met the Prime Minister, Mr. Patrick Manning, and other political leaders, and representatives of civil society and the various religious denominations. He would like to thank the Government of Trinidad and Tobago for its cooperation and hospitality, which helped his mission to go smoothly. He also wishes to thank those representatives of civil society who were kind enough to give him their time and provide him with information. A full list of the people he interviewed in Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago is annexed to the present report. A. General overview 43. The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, as its name indicates, is made up of two geographical entities, the island of Trinidad (4,820 square kilometres) and the island of Tobago (303 square kilometres). It is a multiracial country with a population of 1,281,825, the majority of whom are of Indian (40.3 per cent) or African (39.6 per cent) descent. The other ethnic groups contributing to the country’s ethnic and cultural diversity are those of mixed race (18.4 per cent), Whites (0.6 per cent), Chinese (0.4 per cent) and Syrian/Lebanese (0.1 per cent).7 In the spiritual and religious sphere, the Orisha religion, of African origin, Christianity, Hinduism and Islam are all practised and respected. Censuses neglect to mention the existence of descendants of the Amerindian Caribs, but the Special Rapporteur met representatives of their community, who stated that they numbered about 500. 44. Trinidad and Tobago is a medium-income country, 54th on the human development index in 2003 and with a life expectancy estimated at 71, a literacy rate of 98 per cent and an annual per capita income of US$ 9,100. The 1990s oil boom that brought wealth to the country did not eliminate poverty and unemployment, and the World Bank estimates that some 21 per cent of the population is poor, although it is difficult to ascertain the poverty rate by ethnic group. 45. Trinidad and Tobago is a party to the main international human rights instruments, namely the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and its Optional Protocol; the