IS there a problem with the Government’s cash flow?
This is one of the questions being asked by Member of Parliament for Couva South Rudranath Indarsingh following media reports that the Community-Based Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programme (CEPEP) was cutting their workforce by two-thirds.
In a statement on Monday, Indarsingh said already thousands have lost jobs and now thousands more will be driven into an already haemorrhaging economy to find work and support their families.
He asked:
- Why is this announcement being made now?
- Is there a cash flow problem at CEPEP?
- Is there a cash flow problem in the wider government?
- Will these workers be sent home with any compassionate benefit to assist them while they secure another job?
- Will the Ministry of Social Development and Family Services be assessing the vulnerability of these workers and provide social support as needed?
- Will we be seeing similar mandates for other companies to send staff home? How many public sector workers are expected to be on the chopping block?
He asked, “Is the Prime Minister seeking to rearrange political patrimony before the upcoming Local Government election later this year, and after the crushing defeat suffered at the THA (Tobago House of Assembly) polls last December?”
Some CEPEP contractors have been informed via letter by chief executive officer Keith Eddy that the number of teams comprising of ten workers will have to be reduced from three to one effective January 17 and they have also called on Government and CEPEP to explain why such instructions were given.
