VICE-PRESIDENT and Indigenous People’s Affairs Minister Sydney Allicock has challenged statements coming out of the Opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) that close to 2000 indigenous youths were fired from their posts as Community Service Officers (CSOs) after the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Government came into office.“I wish to place on record that my Government has not fired or dismissed the estimated 1,972 CSOs, as is being falsely alleged by the PPP Opposition,” the Vice-President said.
“The former PPP Government had made no financial allocations for CSOs beyond April 2015,” he continued, adding that a Cabinet decision made under the previous Administration in March had approved stipends in the sum of $234,240,000 for the CSOs during the period of January 2015 to April 2015.
Allicock disclosed that from all indications, the CSOs, who were paid a monthly stipend of $30,000, “have been recruited under a political scheme called Youth Entrepreneurship and Apprenticeship Programme (YEAP).”
The nature of employment of the CSOs was one of convenience, since they had no contracts as neither public servants nor contracted employees. Allicock noted the then PPP Government had “shut down the programme and had left the CSOs exposed after using them as political activists in the so-called “Red Shirt Brigade,” who were brought to picket on behalf of the former PPP Government.
An attempt by Opposition MP Gail Teixeira to muzzle Allicock, who made his statements at the beginning of yesterday’s session, was thrown-out by Speaker of the National Assembly Dr Barton Scotland.
Objecting to Allicock being afforded the opportunity to make his statements, Teixeira cautioned the Speaker that since he is “new” to the House, that “any Minister of Government can make a reply under the Standing Orders at any time during the debate.
Teixeira was convinced that the point of order is that the minister should be using a different standing order rather than “statements by a minister” which was not designed to correct previous statements made in the House.
The Speaker permitted the Vice-President to continue his statement. It was then that Allicock disclosed that the Government, in dealing with the nearly 2000 CSOs, would be setting up the Hinterland Employment and Youth Service (HEYS) to replace the controversial YEAP.
“All former CSOs will be eligible to be enlisted for training to receive relevant skills, so as to enable them to earn an income in the pursuit of sustainable livelihoods and as a means of enjoying the good life,” the Vice-President continued.
Rejecting the PPP’s allegations as “false, mischievous, and dangerous peddling of racism and division,” Allicock said too the new Administration will bring an end to the abuse of youth for political purposes.