Finance Minister, Dr. Irving McIntyre has assured employees of the National Employment Programme (NEP) that the government has no plans of ending the programme.
In recent times several NEP workers have been raising concerns over the issue of late payments, however, he said the programme will go on.
“I would really want all the people working on the NEP to recognize that we understand the importance of their job to the country and there is absolutely no way that we are going to cut off the NEP,” he said. “Just be cool, be calm, and rest assured that the government has their back on this one.”
According to him, many people have been very proud of the job that the NEP is doing.
“The government is really proud and the country should really applaud the NEP for such a good job they are doing, keeping our country clean, keeping our country green,” he stated. “We just have only praise and good words for the job that the NEP has been doing.”
The Minister admitted that salaries may sometimes be delayed, “but that is nothing to say that we have any intention of cutting off the NEP.”
“That is definitely off the cards for now,” Dr. McIntyre stressed.
The NEP was introduced in 2013. Through the program, unemployed people are placed in the public and private sectors. The government then pays the salaries of those employed.
Because you all have CRIPPLED the local economy to a point where the private sector cannot even afford to operate at an optimal level to be able to afford their own workers. And that is for the businesses that are struggling to remain open which is most. That is why they insist on NEP, to buffer and make the unemployment figures look better than they really are. To make it look like the private sector doing well. NEP IS A COMPLETE STRAIN OTHE NATIONAL TREASURY and its necessity is an indication of how poorly we are doing. In the 80’s 90’s early 2000;s yes we had unemployment but we had plenty more hiring businesses. We had 0 need for NEP. In those times parents didnt have to beg politician for school fees, clothes, shoes, books. They could handle that themself. Now, is beg we begging. Stop NEP and fix the private sector and doing business environment. everything is a mess in Dominica with these people in power.
As long as it is sustainable, there’s no need to discontinue the NEP. Some things we MUST subsidize, such as this, and, WATER.
In the absence of low electricity rates which directly relates to foreign direct investment, we have to create our own jobs, permanent or temporary.
Dr. McIntyre, while you take home $10 000+ every month, the young men of Dominica should be satisfied cutting grass at the side roads carrying home nuts change which keeps them in everlasting poverty.
Our young people must not resigned themselves to menial work which pays them starvation wages. They should aspire to be engineers, technicians, consultants, aIT managers, web developers, corporate lawyers, specialist doctors, et cetera..
Dominicans in many diverse places around the world are pushing above their weight. They can do the same in the land or their birth once given the opportunity.
well Skerrit is PM and it was he that made the pupet, Dr Mc intyer, to occupy the seat of Finace Minister. So since Skerrit earlier this year made it clear that he could end the NEP program with just the stroke of a Pen, then what the pupet Mc Intyre says carriles no damb weight. in fact all those preschool Ministers know that their job too is not safe Esther as Skerrit can strike them out with just the stroke of the pen
But you will still end up losing some of dem votes!
look some serious wishful thinking
Skerrit can’t afford to lose any vote right now………..but even de NEP workers know how terrible this economy is right now.
For that reason alone some of dem will not vote dlp next election.
after 24 years …………..some people don’t have dreams of life getting any better under NEP
de NEP is now a chain around Skerrit neck.
he must feed it………to prevent chaos.
dat finance minister can’t even tell you about de difference NEP does make in people lives when it come 2 weeks late
you more impressive in de Dr office boss
If your not planning to cut off the NEP then pay the workers on time. Why should anyone have to wait 2-3 months for money that’s due to them? I’m sure there is no delay to the 64K rent payment every month.
It is a good thing but I never thought of it that way.