There was chaos and disorder inside the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) head office on Friday when job seekers from hot spot areas gathered to register for employment. On the outside, however, police officers arranged citizens into orderly lines. Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has promised 20,000 jobs through the Colour Me Orange employment project for residents in hot spot areas. Police officers were placed inside the building in an attempt to maintain order as HDC officers were bombarded with people desperate for employment. Outside, young men and women-the majority in the latest brand name sneakers, with tattoos and gold jewelry-complained about having to wait outside.
Women came with young children hitched on their hips and holding on to their hands. One such young woman said she had heard from one of her friends that the Government was hiring people and so came to try to get a job. "I don't really know what going on. I just know I have my children to mind and I need a work," she said. One young man, standing near the door, was heard telling his friend, "Call your partner inside and tell him to get we inside nah." The man pulled out his phone and a short while later the men disappeared around the side of the building. A few minutes later a HDC security officer unlocked the door to let a few people inside.
"What you here for," asked the officer as he proceeded to separate those who came to register for employment from other members of the public. As the officer led the group to a registration area, a group of mostly young Afro-Trinidadian males were seen pushing against each other in an effort to get their registration processed. A registration officer at the plastic tables set up for that process asked firstly for identification, a bank statement and a NIS number. Those who didn't have their banking information were sent to banks to get it. Those who didn't have bank accounts were turned away.
