BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (January 21, 2016) -- Following the hugely successful Fresh Start Programme where over 200 small business owners received loans totalling EC$16 million (US$6m) through the Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis, Prime Minister the Hon Dr Timothy Harris has touted a window of opportunity for those who missed out, and to also include discerning PEP participants.
“The Government is considering a subvention to the Development Bank, to support additional resources to meet a portion of the unsatisfied demand for low cost financing by small businesses under the Fresh Start Programme,” promised the Prime Minister at his first press conference for the year, on Tuesday January 19, held at the Government Headquarters.
“We want a special tranche targeted directly at weaning persons off the People Employment Programme (PEP) and into high income earning employment. So, whatever we provide to the Development Bank, we will say ‘x’ amount must be reserved for the people on the PEP, and who now are at a position, have a business plan which says they can move from being a minimum earner to earning their own keep.”
Prime Minister Harris added that the government would give special support to some PEP workers as part of the programme for restructuring and reorganising the People Employment Programme, and taking people from the minimum wage, and help them to get on the path to prosperity slowly and surely. He stated that the minimum standards are not good enough for people in St. Kitts and Nevis.
“I want to say to all the PEP workers in the private and public sectors that Team Unity will continue to work for you,” assured Prime Minister Harris. “We want you to do the very best that you can.”
Giving an update on the People Employment Programme, the Prime Minister said that since it was launched in December 2012, it had cost the country $167.9 million in resources as at January 18, 2016, while a report by the Caribbean Development Bank indicated that for this gigantic sum, only 130 persons were trained by the former administration.
“I am pleased to report that our effort to reduce this hugely unsustainable drain on the public purse has borne some fruits,” Prime Minister Harris revealed. “I thank all those private sector entities that have responded positively to our urging that they take on their payroll fulltime those PEP workers that have been contributing to their businesses for over a year.”
According to Prime Minister Harris, who is also the Minister of Finance, having PEP workers being paid by the government to work in the public sector thus subsidising payrolls of some entities while others are denied, as not all entities have PEP workers, has neither been fair nor healthy and that it created an un-level playing field and the development of a parasitic class.
“Since my Budget Address on the 15th December 2015, in that short window, 58 employees have been upgraded from the PEP to full-time employment in the private sector, and so I want to thank all those private sector entities that have agreed to move them from PEP, where they were being paid minimum by the government to now fulltime employees receiving higher earnings,” commented the Prime Minister.
“Thanks to Team Unity, these former PEP employees will get better wages, will now have an improved status including the improved probability of qualifying for loans and visas which hitherto, as a temporary worker under PEP no serious person would engage you with visa and with respect to loans.”
PEP workers in the public sector were given the assurance that when vacancies arose they would be given consideration to their permanent placement, but also gave notice that preference would be given to the best of these workers, because the government wants only the best in the public service.
“And what are some of the yardsticks?” posed the Hon Dr Timothy Harris. His answer: “Punctuality, attitude, aptitude, and your responsiveness to service excellence; so if you are on the job and you are working well and you are showing all the desirable attributes, you stand a good chance once a vacancy arises.”
He advised his audience of the commitment to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and where the Country Representative for St. Kitts and Nevis Ms Judith Gold had reminded the government that PEP workers could not become part of permanent establishment. He however added that if vacancies become available for which the PEP workers are able and willing to perform, fair consideration is promised to them.
“We want them (PEP workers) of course to continue to give a fair day’s work in the expectation of a fair day’s pay, and especially those who are involved in the maintenance of our physical environment, we want then to live up and to do well,” advised Prime Minister Harris.
He commended Mr Osbert DeSuza, Permanent Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office, for having provided leadership over the People Employment Programme, and the entire management and support staff at the PEP for their competent oversight of the programme since the Government of Team Unity came to office.
“We are moving in the right direction, and we will re-organise and restructure PEP to make it fit for purpose, providing relevant training and preparation of our young people for the world of work, the world of entrepreneurship and of course responsible citizenship,” concluded the Prime Minister.
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