Moonilal bats for CEPEP

“I strongly condemn the planned move to arbitrarily dismiss contractors and almost 12,000 workers of The CEPEP Company Limited,” said Moonilal, a former Housing Minister.

“The publicly-advertised plan would displace several contractors who have invested in equipment and are the employers of thousands of dedicated working class citizens.” He complained that this “harsh and oppressive measure” is taking place at the start of the school year, when parents must spend significant sums on their children’s future.

Moonilal said the former Peoples Partnership (PP) government had made CEPEP into an all-embracing organisation performing extensive activities of environmental protection, which extended to marine and non-traditional roles.

“A major reason why there were no widespread floods between 2010 and 2015 was CEPEP’s innovative mandate of small-scale environmental projects and flood alleviation policies. Regrettably, the current administration has abandoned this critical aspect of CEPEP’s mission,” he said.

“I, therefore, predict more floods, property damage and terrible inconvenience to come across the land as a result of the mismanagement and lack of vision at CEPEP.

“The wanton firing of contractors would result in fewer clean-up activities and more blockage of water courses.

leading to more suffering of residents across the country.” Moonilal added that the CEPEP Marine clean-up exercises also removed tens of thousands of items of waste and pollution from the ocean.

He complained that any move to summarily sack CEPEP contractors and workers paves the way for the installation of more friends, relatives and political associates of the PNM government, in a manner similar to what is taking place across the State sector.

“This adds to the destabilisation that is already evident through the loss of jobs, increased taxes and reduction in funding of essential programmes, such as GATE, and other stringent and repressive measures.

I call on the government to reconsider its ill-advised plan for CEPEP, and to safeguard and sustain contractors and the thousands of employees.”