Govt creating sustainable employment in TT

Speaking to Newsday after the launch of the second phase of the Multi-Sector Skills Training Programme (MUST) at the TT Chamber of Industry and Commerce’s Westmoorings headquarters, the minister said no one could claim that Government was not creating sustainable employment.

He drew reference to the infamous Piarco Airport scandal which occurred under its UNC predecessor to prove his point. Abdul-Hamid said the first phase of constructing the new University of TT’s main campus at Wallerfield would cost $500 million and would accommodate 6,000 students in the first instance. He compared this to expenditure on the Piarco Airport terminal project under the UNC, suggesting it was clear that the population was getting greater value for money on this occasion.

The minister said the first phase of MUST, which was geared towards creating employment opportunities in the construction sector, had been very successful to date, with more than 60 percent of MUST trainees finding sustainable employment in that sector either through existing companies or by starting their own businesses. Abdul-Hamid added that given the current and predicted levels of activity in the energy and construction sectors over the next decade, there would be many more employment opportunities for MUST trainees in construction.

He was optimistic of similar successes in MUST’s second and third phases.

The minister said 52,000 persons have been able to find sustainable employment during the last three years as a result of Government’s various training programmes, and he could not fathom how anyone in good conscience could accuse Government of doing nothing to create sustainable jobs for TT’s citizens.

Abdul-Hamid said developed nation status for TT was being built on many factors, and one of them is "the quality of service that we are able to offer to our citizens which really speaks to the quality of professionals and person with skills."

"It is the quality of our human resources that will allow us to develop and sustain standards of service that are consistent with developed country status," he explained.