PNM MPs on incident: We told you so

“We told you so.” That was the reaction from PNM MPs yesterday following reports of a clash between job applicants at an HDC “Colour Me Orange” location in Mon Repos, San Fernando, yesterday. In yesterday’s exclusive T&T Guardian report, PNM MPs Hypolite, Cox, Colm Imbert and Pat McIntosh had warned that the “Orange” programme could lead to turf wars between communities over jobs. 

The MPs had commented following Tuesday’s incident at the Hilton Trinidad and Conference Centre, St Ann’s, where a participant of the “Colour Me Orange” launch had been arrested concerning a stone-throwing incident and fight after the launch. Over 1,000 “Orange” applicants had attended the launch.

However, problems recurred at the HDC’s Mon Repos base yesterday where a cutlass was pulled when residents of the HDC complex clashed with workers from outside who, they claimed, were brought to work. Residents also were seeking “Orange” work.

PNM San Fernando East MP Patrick Manning, who visited the area, spoke to HDC officials along with the area’s councillor. Manning said: “We intervened and the situation has now been resolved. They said they would be registering potential workers who would get employment from Monday. “Had they spoken to me, however, we could have advised them how to go about it and this situation would have been prevented.”

Manning added: “But they are conducting the programme without consulting MPs of the respective areas and they brought people here from outside when we had people employed in CEPEP whose jobs had been terminated. “In those circumstances, seeing people from outside coming in to work in the area, the issue took place today.” 

PNM Laventille East MP Cox said: “We warned Government about this. If the Mon Repos situation occurred there will be other serious problems, as I’m aware that in my own constituency some persons cannot go to work in other parts of the district, much less work in other areas outside.” Cox said the PNM had learned about the culture of such programmes after experiencing problems in previous programmes that had caused a change in how job contracts were issued.

PNM MP Nileung Hypolite said: “I stand by my view that this initiative by ‘vaps’ will heighten gang warfare between communities.