Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of Social Transformation, Dean Jonas said hundreds of trainees in the Government’s New Work Experience Program would receive permanent positions in the Public Service.
He said the move would apply to all trainees who had been part of the program for six months or more.
Asked at a post-Cabinet press conference how the positions would be paid for,” Mr Jonas said the trainees were already being paid for being on the program.
“Some have been on the job program for two or three years,” Mr Jonas said.
“They have gone through the program and are doing meaningful work, and the Cabinet has recognised that and decided they should be fully employed as Public Servants.”
He said under the current arrangement simply being on a trainee program meant the workers could not access loans and other financial services.
“When they are on the job program for that long, it affects their ability to get a lot of things done, getting financing and a whole lot of other things that they are not able to do,” Mr Jonas said.
He said he would be encouraging private sector businesses to employ workers on the scheme who did not qualify for a Government position.
The New Work Experience Program is a Government initiative which has been in place for several years and offers participants the opportunity to work in either the public or private sector under specific terms.
Individuals receive relevant training and a stipend.
St John’s, 28 March 2022
