Abstract
Prior research for Caribbean economies has a labor market premium associated with marriage for both men and women. This article investigates how the Trinidad & Tobago labor market rewards individuals who are legally married, in comparison with those in non-legal or common-law unions. The findings reveal that about one-half of the difference in the earnings of men who were legally married and those in common-law unions was due to the former's possession of characteristics valued by the labor market. For women, this proportion was around 88 percent. In respect of earnings differentials between men and women in both types of unions, these remained wholly unexplained by the mean levels of measured characteristics included in the analysis.
Addington Coppin is a member of the Department of Economics at Oakland University, Rochester, MI 48309–4401.
Marshall H. Medoff
This study estimates the demand for abortion by black women. The empirical results show that black abortion demand is price inelastic, positively related to the presence of state Medicaid and a college education, and negatively related to unemployment. These results are consistent with those found for all women of childbearing age. The only results at variance were that black abortion demand is highly sensitive to income and does not depend on a black woman's marital status. The results also show that neither the guarantee nor level of welfare benefits is a statistically significant determinant of black abortion demand.
Marshall Medoff is a Professor in the Department of Economics at California State University, Long Beach, 1250 Bellflower Blvd., Long Beach, CA 90840–4607
Darren Grant
Racial disparities in the use of cesarean section during childbirth are examined using a large set of administrative data from Florida. Differences in the cesarean rates of non-Hispanic white and black mothers are primarily attributable to differences in maternal age, which influences the frequency and incidence of complications of childbirth. In contrast, little of the differences in the cesarean rates of Hispanic and non-Hispanic white mothers is attributable to factors mostly or wholly beyond the control of the mother. There is little evidence of systematic discrimination against all minorities in the decision to perform a cesarean section.
Darren Grant teaches in the Department of Finance and Economics at Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia 30460.
Walter O. Simmons and Lennox J. Andrews
In this paper, we analyze the dynamics of public sector investment programs (PSIP) and structural adjustment programs (SAP) in the Caribbean region. Utilizing regression analysis, we specifically examine the impact of the PSIP on two Caribbean countries (Trinidad & Tobago and Guyana). These countries are good representations of independent states where PSIP plays a fundamental role and SAP programs have been implemented. We find positive correlation between public sector investment, private sector investment and growth in gross domestic product (GDP). The results support the fundamental argument that public sector investment crowds-in the private sector investment. We argue that the PSIP can be the base on which structural adjustment programs in the Caribbean region can be designed.
Walter O. Simmons is an Assistant Professor of Economics at John Carroll University, University Heights, Ohio 44118.
Lennox J. Andrews is an Economist with the East Caribbean Central Bank, Basseterre, St. Kitts, West Indies
James B. Stewart is a Professor of Labor Studies and Industrial Relations, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, Penn.