The Dutch Disease Phenomenon and Lessons for Guyana: Trinidad and Tobago's Experience

The relationship between natural resource endowments and economic growth and development has attracted much attention. Specifically, the Dutch disease phenomenon, which has crippled several economies, has been studied extensively. It is urgent to prevent the Guyanese economy from gravitating toward the negative tendencies associated with the disease. This paper reviews Trinidad and Tobago’s experience in managing and coping with the Dutch disease phenomenon and outlines lessons that Guyana can learn from its experience. Additionally, the paper presents Dutch disease theory and sovereign wealth fund theory and practice, stressing how the likely shocks to the Guyanese economy can be prevented or mitigated, using Trinidad’s experience as the benchmark.