By Alicia Chamely
FORMER Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan is defending his tenure as line minister of the Unemployment Relief Programme (URP), saying records will show that under his watch, expenditure was significantly reduced and many criminal activities being alleged under the programme took place between 2010 and 2015.
Sinanan responded to allegations of corruption and wastage in the URP under his watch in a media release on Monday.
The former Minister stated that when he assumed office in 2016, he was aware of a cabinet note from 2015 that indicated the URP had received a budget allocation of $725,000,000 under the former Kalma Persad-Bissessar administration and was seeking an additional $250,000,000 in funding for the fiscal year.
He said over $400 million had been spent on goods and services, where contracts were given to external contractors for infrastructural works.
“Further,” he added, “by 2017 there were a number of contractors clamouring for payment but having challenges due to lack of signed contracts, unauthorised change in scope and site location and a host of other discrepancies.”
Sinanan said at that time he, too, had received reports of criminal activity being linked to the programme and “the desire of certain elements in society to obtain projects and control workers.”
He said, as such, policy moves were made to reduce expenditure and reduce outside interference when it came to projects and contracts.
Sinanan said one policy was to eliminate the outsourcing of contractors for infrastructural works and have them done in-house.
He said in 2015 under the previous administration, 1,267 projects were contracted out with a total cost of $400 million, which promoted the URP to request a further $250 million from the government.
Sinanan said records will show, that due to the policy changes he made, in 2024, 2,800 projects were carried out at the cost of $300 million.
He said, “This clearly debunks the uninformed statements of reckless spending and wastage.”
Regarding allegations of ghost gangs and criminal activity, he said, “The articles and statements in respect of the level of influence of gangs in URP references periods of between 2000 and 2015 in the main. Concerted steps were made over the 2016-2024 period to reduce gang culture and interference in the Programme.”
Sinanan said, “As with any programme of this nature there may be individuals who seek to derail the process and given the size of the programme rogue elements are possible.”
He added, “Accordingly, I welcome any investigation into the matters which are being spoken of in the public domain to allow good governance to prevail and any negative elements to be held accountable for their actions.”
Sinanan urged the government and the public, to remember the mandate of the URP and not to let politics get in the way of the programme serving it purpose of providing employment relief to those truly in need.
