Prime Minister Gaston Browne has pushed back against claims that the government is dismissing workers recruited through the Public Works Department, insisting instead that many employees have voluntarily stopped showing up to work.
According to Antigua News Room, Browne addressed the issue in Parliament on Tuesday in response to concerns raised by Opposition Leader Jamale Pringle, who questioned reports of workers being sent home. The Prime Minister was firm that those reports should not be interpreted as a government decision to terminate staff.
Browne told lawmakers that between 700 and 800 individuals were recruited as part of an initiative designed to reduce unemployment and create opportunities for those who might otherwise struggle to find work.
"We have a problem. A number of them don't want to work," the Prime Minister told Parliament.
Recruits were assigned to a range of duties, including road maintenance, roadside cleaning, beautification projects and repainting government buildings. Browne noted that the programme was deliberately designed to accommodate a broad cross-section of unemployed individuals, including those considered vulnerable or at risk of involvement in criminal activity.
"We sought them out. We wanted to provide them an opportunity to work," he said.
The Prime Minister described widespread attendance problems, with some employees failing to report consistently and others abandoning their posts entirely. He also claimed that certain individuals attempted to hold other jobs while simultaneously drawing on the government programme without fulfilling their assigned duties.
Despite those challenges, Browne said the government has no intention of abandoning the initiative.
"We're not going to give up on them," he said.
Browne added that sustaining employment opportunities for vulnerable young people remains a central part of the government's broader strategy to keep youth engaged in productive work and away from crime.
