John says "Orange" project is no hand out

Jearlean John has called the Colour Me Orange Program a Hand up, not a hand down.

John made the comment to the Sunday Guardian about the program that the government launched last week.

“They need a hand up...not hands out,” the HDC boss told the paper. She said when Housing Minister Roodal Moonilal walked through some areas last friday he was doing more than that.

"He was looking for opportunities...to set up a little small goal court, homework centres and computer centres," she said.

She said there is more about the program than just the immediate benefits. “We have to move into constructing infrastructure. We are moving out of the clean up, beautification and landscaping toward a more sustainable community. It came out of a need. We saw a lack of consistent maintenance,” she said.

“We are saying you have to be disciplined. You have to be on time. The majority of them are good citizens,” she added.

The opposition People's National Movement (PNM) has been highly critical of the program, even calling it insulting to citizens. And some PNM MPs have suggested that it would create gang wars.