“Ghost” personnel in the On-The-Job (OJT) programme have caused unnecessary expenditure and jeopardised new intakes.
“Unless Government can stem (such) leakages in the programme, it is not in a position to bring new OJT intakes on board (but) once we stem the leaks, we can bring them on board,” Labour Minister Jennifer Baptiste-Primus said on Tuesday.
That, as Finance Minister Colm Imbert also described the source of the “leakages” and unnecessary expenditure as “ghosts” in the programme as opposed to “real living human beings.”
Both made the points in the Standing Finance Committee’s examination of 2017 budget line items. Baptiste-Primus had been asked by UNC MP Rudy Indarsingh about reductions in the 2017 allocation for OJT, a programme she said had 6,122 trainees to date.
She said Government was in the process of restructuring and streamlining OJT and reducing costs to increase efficiency and effectiveness. She said the format would allow for reallocation of funds as necessary.
“We are paying attention to possible leakages and how to mitigate them. We are also aligning skills and qualifications of people and placing them in jobs commensurate with skills and qualifications,” she added. She said the latter was necessary since some were bored in positions when they were placed in the wrong areas.
UNC MP David Lee asked if the process would mean a halt on new intakes. Baptiste-Primus said she had not said that but unless the leakages could be stemmed, Government was not in a position to bring new OJT intakes on board. Once that was stemmed, she assured, trainees would “certainly” be brought on board.
On Lee’s query when the leakages would stop, Baptiste-Primus could not give a time frame. However, she said the leakages were an issue of concern and priority. She made it clear she had not said new trainees had halted recently.
After UNC MP Suruj Rambachan claimed there was a cut in OJT expenditure, Opposition Whip Ganga Singh queried the extent of the leakages. Baptiste-Primus said she didn’t know as she didn’t have the information.
UNC MP Fazal Karim expressed concern at the future of the OJT target group — the 16 to 35 age group of unemployed — if the programme was halted, especially when UWI was producing 5,000 graduates this year.
“What will happen to these (unemployed youths)? I ask you to reconsider,” Karim added.
Imbert said the reduction on OJT expenditure was less than ten per cent, “therefore I am certain the minister will find the leakages. She was being very polite. I would have called them waste, mismanagement and corruption... and find the unnecessary expenditure in the programme.
“...And I am certain the number of people employed in OJT 2017 will be no less than 2016... (because) there are ‘ghosts’ in that programme.”
UNC MP Rodney Charles denounced Imbert’s “ghost” comment as vacuous and UNC’s Karim said it was very unfortunate aspersions were being cast on people in OJT.