BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - AS the government continues to boast about the success of the People’s Empowerment Programme (PEP), the companies which have employed participants of that programme are now being asked to provide 50 percent of the wages to them.
The question now being raised is whether or not the Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation (SIDF), which provides the necessary monies to fund the PEP workers’ wages, would be able to sustain the Programme or is the money running out.
Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas however denounced that question when asked at his monthly Press Conference on Wednesday (Apr. 23).
The question posed was that there have been claims of letters being sent to companies which have employed PEP workers, asking that they pay half of those employees' wages and "if it is that the Programme was not causing a drain on the SIDF or government funds, why are the employers now being asked to help pay for PEP.
"Because I don't believe that employers should continue to reap all of the benefits from the SIDF,” was Dr. Douglas’ response, adding, “I want you to just imagine a private company that during this period of financial adjustment is being given the opportunity to have from its payroll two employees."
Dr. Douglas said the services being provided to the companies continue and probably have expanded because of two additional workers who are not on their payroll. He asked if doing that for one year is not long enough for adjustment with regards to the companies' finances.
The Prime Minister said if he was wrong in asking the employers to pay 50 percent of the PEP workers’ wages after having benefited from their services.
He was adamant that this request is not geared towards sustaining PEP but rather doing what is right.
"It has nothing to do with the sustainability of the PEP! It has to do with what is morally right. That is what it is about. You can't just simply reap all of the benefits and expect someone else to pay the expenses...that is not right."
He stated that it is not mandatory and that the workers would not be taken away from the employers if they were unable to make such a commitment, stressing that they are asked make the 50 percent payment "if they can".
"And if you are morally moved so to do, then please do it because that 50 percent wage that would now remain with SIDF can be used to employ another two persons, another two trainees can be brought into the picture to benefit from the acquisition of trade and skills that the Programme is pursuing for the past 15, 16 months," he added.
He continued: "It is part of the partnership that we are asking to be developed in the management of PEP. We are saying there are partners here. The government is a partner, the SIDF is the most important partner and we are saying let there be other partners; for example, the employers be partners as well".
PM Douglas concluded that the situation is one to ensure that the PEP is sustained for others to be able to be added, while "the SIDF also looks at its own finances".
