Do Connections Mean Success? A Trinidadian Perspective

TikToker Jervana has sparked discussion online after sharing her views on how difficult it can be for young people to get ahead in Trinidad and Tobago without family support, connections, or money behind them.

In her video, Jervana questioned how someone starting from scratch is supposed to make it. She pointed to common challenges such as getting transportation to work, paying rent, covering daily expenses, and still finding a way to save.

Reflecting on her own experience, she said she got her first job through a family friend and often depended on relatives for transportation. Even then, she found it difficult to save enough money to become financially independent.
She compared that experience to life in the United States, where she believes it is easier for someone with a regular job to save for a vehicle or afford a small apartment within a few months.
Her comments struck a chord with many viewers, with some agreeing that opportunities in Trinidad often depend on who you know, while others argued that hard work, education, and entrepreneurship can still create success.

Regardless of where people stand, her video has reopened a conversation many young Trinidadians know well: how difficult is it to build a life when you’re starting with little more than ambition?