Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has raised urgent concerns about the need to reform certain State employment programmes.
During a pre-budget consultation in Siparia on Tuesday, she warned that some have strayed from their original purpose and become entangled in criminal activity.
Responding to concerns raised about the country’s temporary employment programmes, she proposed a more effective way forward for initiatives like the Community-Based Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programme (CEPEP).
“You want five gangs and ten gangs; look at what you want—gangs. We really want gangs? I mean, seriously? Do we want gangs? Even the name they gave this thing, gangs. So it is something the Cabinet, we have already held a couple meetings to look at that whole programme.”
She believes apprenticeship training offers a more promising pathway, enabling young people to acquire skills and transition out of schemes like CEPEP. She questioned the scope of some of these make-work programmes.
“We have become a nation of grass cutters under the PNM. So the CEPEP cutting grass, no, this is not a joke, the CEPEP cutting grass, the URP cutting grass, reforestation cutting grass when they supposed to be planting trees. They didn’t plant any. The Regional Corporation cutting grass, HDC is cutting grass, NGC is cutting grass. So all the people in our country, grass cutters.”
Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar urged citizens not to direct their frustration at the government, which she said has uncovered criminal elements within these programmes.
“Because of the fear, the criminals are creating this fear. I will explain it. Maybe it is the first time I am giving my full deeper thinking on it. I know people are worried about it, but that is not the way for us to take our young people, to send you out there. They will threaten the foremen on each of the programmes: ‘Five for you and five for the boss, take it or leave it.’ What happens? So you have five ghosts and the criminal man collecting the money.”
Stressing the need for restructuring, the Prime Minister said she cannot in good conscience continue these programmes in their current state.