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The government has responded to concerns over the continued freeze of the Civilian Conservation Corps, once again confirming that a major restructuring exercise is underway.
The Ministry of Defence says it is reviewing a Cabinet report into the CCC, MiLAT, and MYPART, though questions remain over the timeline, given the evaluation was completed over a year ago.

Alicia Boucher has the details.
Transcript
00:00Following our report on the year-long operational freeze of the Civilian Conservation Corps program,
00:06which has left many at-risk youth without a social safety net of that nature,
00:11the Ministry of Defense has issued a formal response.
00:14Minister of Defense Wayne Sturge confirms that his ministry is currently reviewing recommendations
00:19from a Cabinet-appointed committee established by the previous administration
00:24to assess the operations and management of the CCC, MILAT, and MIPART programs.
00:30Addressing the delay, the minister said that the review uncovered complex regulatory hurdles,
00:36stating, quote,
00:37The committee's report identified a number of significant legal and other challenges
00:42that must be addressed as part of the ongoing restructuring exercise, end quote.
00:47Despite a report being completed since June 16, 2025,
00:51operations have remained entirely halted for over 12 months,
00:56leaving pending cohorts in limbo and operational staff with expired contracts.
01:01However, Minister Sturge insists that the extended pause is necessary
01:06to safeguard the long-term future of the initiative,
01:09noting, quote,
01:10These findings, along with the committee's recommendations,
01:13are being carefully considered and will inform the final decisions
01:17regarding the future structure and sustainability of the CCC.
01:21End quote.
01:23In terms of the CCC program's history,
01:26it was first introduced by former Finance Minister Wendell Motley in 1992
01:30and launched in June 1993 to tackle soaring youth unemployment.
01:36After a three-year pause in 1999,
01:39it was re-engineered in 2002 under the Ministry of National Security,
01:44drawing on the logistical support and discipline
01:47of the Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force.
01:50Over three decades,
01:51it grew into a cornerstone of social intervention
01:53and a crime mitigation measure,
01:56graduating over 28,000 young adults aged 16 to 25,
02:01with a third of them reportedly progressing to tertiary education
02:04and hundreds launching independent micro-enterprises.
02:08While the state maintains that these delays are essential
02:12to ensure that any restructured framework is accountable and effective,
02:17those affected hope for a positive decision in the near future.
02:21Alicia Boucher, TV6 News.
02:24Alicia Boucher, TV6 News.
02:25Alicia Boucher, TV6 News.
02:25Alicia Boucher, TV6 News.
02:25Alicia Boucher, TV6 News.
02:26Alicia Boucher, TV6 News.
02:27Alicia Boucher, TV6 News.
02:27Alicia Boucher, TV6 News.
02:27Alicia Boucher, TV6 News.
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