Find Printing and Publishing expertise in Trinidad and Tobago

The local book publishing sector is small in Trinidad and Tobago. Many international book publishers tend to have regional focus, concentrating marketing efforts on the whole of the Caribbean rather than just Trinidad and Tobago. There is a high level of market penetration by UK-based media and publishing giants. Media and Editorial Projects Ltd. (MEP) was established in 1991 and is considered to be one of the Caribbean’s most respected publishing houses producing products for West Indian tourism, culture, business, art and materials for local and international businesses. Royards Publishing Company Ltd. is a publisher of textbooks for Primary and Secondary schools.

The Trinidad and Tobago Publishers and Broadcasters Association is the sectoral body who oversees the development of the industry. The Learning Materials Evaluation Committee of the Ministry of Education, which evaluates textbooks for use in primary and secondary schools, is the key public body in the textbook market.

Trinidad and Tobago is listed on the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report 2012–13 and is ranked 81 out of 144 countries. The country has been given a score of 3.4 out of 7.0 for intellectual property protection. In comparison, nearby country Venezuela is placed 143 out of 144 and has a score of 1.7 out of 7.0.

There are no international book fairs which occur in the country, however the NGC Bocas Lit Fest is a literary festival which takes place annually and celebrates the works of Caribbean writers from Trinidad and Tobago and other islands. The Writers Union of Trinidad and Tobago is one of the sponsors of the festival.

The University of the West Indies has a campus on the island, located in St. Augustine and there is also the University of Trinidad and Tobago therefore creating a market for educational publishing.

There are over 140 printing firms in the country providing services for all forms of printing. The industry makes up 3% of the annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Ace Printery-Fed Traders Limited is based in Tunapuna, Trinidad and was established in 1956 as Ace Printery. The company joined with Federated Traders in 1981. The country’s printing and packaging industry is considered to be a leading company in CARICOM and the wider Caribbean. Exporters in the printing industry have been able to penetrate niche markets in South Florida, Costa Rica and Mexico.