The Trinidad and Tobago government is set to launch an innovative pilot program for maintaining public spaces within days, according to Minister of Rural Development and Local Government Khadijah Ameen. The initiative explicitly distances itself from the previous CEPEP framework while addressing similar community maintenance needs.
The program, scheduled to operate from December 15, 2025, through March 13, 2026, will focus on comprehensive upkeep of cemeteries, recreational facilities, community centers, school grounds, and various public areas. This confirmation follows the emergence of a leaked Cabinet document that initially revealed the program’s operational timeline and ministerial oversight.
Minister Ameen emphasized the fundamental differences between the new initiative and the previous CEPEP structure, which saw thousands of workers terminated following the recent change in government after general elections. The United National Congress administration had signaled intentions to overhaul the program upon assuming power.
In an official media release dated December 11, Ameen characterized the program as “a fresh, results-driven initiative designed to strengthen manpower at Municipal Corporations.” The ministry will directly hire workers, a structural change that Ameen states “removes political intermediaries and eliminates ghost gangs” that plagued the previous system.
The new framework incorporates rigorous operational protocols including proper attendance documentation, performance verification mechanisms, and enhanced financial controls. Teams will be strategically assigned to Municipal Corporations with the objective of delivering “tangible, measurable work” to communities while ensuring workers receive fair compensation without political intermediation or criminal influences previously associated with CEPEP operations.