"Orange" workers and residents face off in San Fernando

Workers employed under the Colour Me Orange Program of the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) nearly came to blows Thursday with people living at an HDC complex in Mon Repos, San Fernando.

Local media reports said dozens of residents claimed that when they went to inquire about jobs they were threatened by workers already employed in the job creation initiative launched Tuesday by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

It was the second report of violence relating to the program. The first was at the Hilton on the day of the launch, when police had to intervene and arrest one man.

The Mon Repos residents claim they that although they applied for work in the program "outsiders" were handed the jobs to do repairs to the building in which they live.

However, the Guardian newspaper said HDC’s chief executive officer (CEO) Jearlean John dismissed the claims, noting that everyone on the Mon Repos site are from San Fernando.

She also explained that the recruitment process is still ongoing.

“So far only 1,500 person have been employed and we are taking in a further 500 who may come from San Fernando. This project is centred on the HDC community," John said.

"The people in Mon Repos will be hired to do work in Mon Repos,” she explained. John said HDC would be doing registrations on Monday and Tuesday for persons from several developments in San Fernando.

Former Prime Ministre Patrick Manning, who is the MP for the area, said he intervened to prevent possible violence.

“We intervened and the situation has now been resolved. They said they would be registering potential workers who would get employment from Monday. Had they spoken to me, however, we could have advised them how to go about it and this situation would have been prevented,” Manning said.

Manning complained about the way the HDC is handling the program. "They are conducting the program without consulting MPs of the respective areas," he told the Guardian.