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CCNTV6
  • 6 weeks ago
A glimmer of hope for hundreds of dismissed C-PEP workers today, Port of Spain Mayor Chinua Alleyne announced plans to employ some of them to assist with cleanup efforts at the Lapeyrouse Cemetery and its surrounding areas.
Transcript
00:00The mayor tells us the fired CPEP workers will soon be deployed to communities across Port of Spain.
00:07A move, he believes, will bring relief and restore dignity to those left jobless and forgotten.
00:13So this is actually the fourth weekend. We launched this program about three weekends ago.
00:19And as I said, we're focusing on our green spaces.
00:23So we've been in Adam Smith Square, we've been in Victoria Square, Lord Harris Square.
00:29Today, we're continuing the work in La Perru Cemetery. We'll begin work tomorrow in Mokarapo Cemetery.
00:37And we're continuing. As soon as we finish with those green spaces, we'll be pushing out into the communities
00:42so that the public can expect to see our teams out in St. James, in Belmont, in Gonzales,
00:49pushing through the communities, really filling the gap that has been created by the closure of the CPEP program.
00:55He says they're awaiting the presentation of the fiscal package to determine just how far into the future the program can be sustained.
01:04So that we were able to create some space in our budget coming down to the end of the last financial year.
01:10Our new financial year has just begun on October 1st.
01:14So that there is some space that we have.
01:16We'll be able to do just weekends only at this point.
01:20When the budget is read on Monday, we'll decide if we can expand it or if we have to contract it.
01:25We don't know as yet.
01:26But when we receive the budget on Monday, we'll be able to make some spending decisions.
01:31One former CPEP worker, Louis Jacks, speaking with TV6, says the opportunity to earn an income, once again, is deeply appreciated.
01:42Well, as I say, you know, a little bread is better than none still.
01:44And for the whole situation, I thought they could have been handled a little differently.
01:51At least they could have given us until the end of the year.
01:53You know, and people prepare us because we have a lot of single parents, as you know, especially females within CPEP.
02:02And CPEP to me was a program that was actually working.
02:05Why get rid of something that works?
02:08You understand?
02:09Look at the condition of the city.
02:12Right?
02:12It's not a mess.
02:13It's, you understand, just because there were humans that were not employed.
02:18Nicole M. Romany, TV6 News.
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