Manning promises more money for CEPEP

Patrick Manning is promising more money for CEPEP workers.

The political leader of the People's National Movement (PNM) made the pledge at a family day celebration at the Jean Pierre Complex, Mucurapo, saying the money will come "in the not too distance future".

Media reports on the event say Manning received a standing ovation when he announced the increase.

"I will tell you this much, we will stretch it as far as we can. We are a Government that you can trust, what we could afford, we will give you to the full extent of our capabilities," he said.

CEPEP was created by the Manning administration as a make-work project in which the government has invested tens of millions of dollars.

The government has invested more than $740 million in both CEPEP and the Unemployment Relief Programme (URP).

Manning explained that his government had not been able to increase funding for CEPEP because of the global economic downturn. But he said things have changed and workers will be rewarded.

Manning repeated his statement that Kamla Persad-Bissessar would get rid of CEPEP if she becomes Prime Minister.

The leader of the United National Congress has rebuffed Manning on many occasions for that statement, which she has called a lie.

Persad-Bissessar has promised that a UNC unity government would not only keep the CEPEP, but it would improve it and making a fairer program where workers will be treated with dignity and have decent wages.