Residents turn out for jobs in east PoS

The Ministry of National Security’s jobs initiative, People and Projects for Progress programme, started without a hitch in East Port-of-Spain yesterday morning under the watchful eyes of solders. The soldiers looked on as new wheelbarrows, shovels, brooms and other tools were distributed to the work groups who have accepted the ministry’s offer of $69 per day to do odd jobs in the depressed communities in east Port-of-Spain and Laventille.

The early-morning traffic on lower Duncan Street slowed to a crawl as motorists looked at the new recruits to the programme offloading tools and materials. The turnaround came after days of fiery protests against the programme which residents said could not compensate them for their efforts and was a broken promise made by the Government to give them well-paying, sustainable employment.

Unemployment Relief Programme (URP) materials supervisor Leonard Rigsby said there were nine teams of ten workers each, on the projects in Piccadilly Street, Mango Rose, Jackson Place, Duncan Street, Nelson Street, George Street, Quarry Street and Basilon Street, as well as parts of Laventille and other east Port-of-Spain locations.