Trinidad and Tobago: Minister Ameen Defends URP Job Cuts, Claims 400 Terminations Necessary for Program Reform

Trinidad and Tobago: Khadijah Ameen, the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, has stated today that the substantial numbers of unemployment relief programmes (URP), workers from 12 regional offices have been terminated. 

According to the minister, this initiative is taken by the government  as an effort to restructure the program and eliminate the practices which are corrupt, with an estimate that 400 workers will lose their jobs. 

According to the Guardian Media the minister stated that the “aim of this termination is to address the widespread corruption and inefficiency within the URP, along with the workers who are only registered on the papers and  are receiving salaries but are not doing their actual work”.

In a further statement Ameen said while defending the administration, “the government is planning to restructure the URP, and creating new positions while hiring new workers." She also emphasised that the Prime Minister is not shutting down the program but rather reforming it to make it more effective and happening.  

Khadijah also emphasised that this move will discontinue the long standing practices of all the political parties who are replacing URP workers and putting their own supporters in their places. Along with this she also added that when UNC formed their government, they allowed the existing workers to stay on the job for several months before making any changes.

In a further statement she said "we are currently restructuring, so whatever shape the new system takes, we will need to hire people according to the format." Also the details of how it will be rolled out will be shared in due course.  

Additionally, she added that “the State was losing money by paying people who were not actually doing any work."

This move by the government led them to face a huge criticism from the San Fernando East MP Brian Manning, who is the member of the opposition PNM, criticised the termination as he stated that this is a direct attack on his constituency. 

Manning also confirmed that a total of 14 staff who were also his supporters had received the letter of termination and the Guardian media has also seen the letter with a signing date September 4 which was signed by the Permanent Secretary Peter Mitchell. 

Brian also stated that the workers who were terminated, have families, or some are single parents who are going to face financial difficulties, particularly with the start of the new school term. 

The community are also criticizing the government for their actions as some people are showing their anger and frustration over the sudden terminations. Some people are also concerned for their futures and questioning the government for their plan for restructuring the URP.