Christlyn promises 40 percent increase for Tobago CEPEP workers

Addressing supporters at a political meeting in Riseland Hill, Bethel, which she is representing in the January 23 THA election, Moore said the salaries currently being paid to workers in Tobago are totally unacceptable.

“It is time to bring CEPEP workers into the now with regard to paying them a living wage,” said a fiery Moore. “No more slave wages. We say immediately increase CEPEP wages by 40 percent across the board. No questions asked.” Saying that Tobagonians needed their dignity, Moore related a story about an encounter with one of her clients who had not gotten paid since last November. “It is not fair. It is wrong.” A former justice minister in the People’s Partnership administration, Moore said too many Tobagonians are struggling to enjoy a decent standard of living because of their commitments.

“They have school fees. They have nursery fees. Some of them are sick.” Moore said while many Tobagonians are suffering, assemblymen, councillors and administrators are being paid.

“But the CEPEP workers begging like slaves.

We say no, it must done.

Forty percent immediate increase.” Moore revealed that the party’s proposed CEPEP plan also will carry an optional, nine-month training component.

“You might feel you too tired to train, too young to train, too old to train. You might feel you don’t want to train on a Wednesday. That is your business,” she said.

“You don’t want to train, that is your business.

Your salary just get a 40 per ent bump.

You can take that but if you want to train, we say we will provide training and re-training for nine months, minimum.

“We will pay a stipend for you to train over that nine months. That is equivalent to the salary we just increased. So, Bethel, You inside.”