In the context of the economic downturn, Government spent substantial sums on make-work programmes in 2009 as part of its employment generation initiative. Some $442 million was spent on the Unemployment Relief Programme (URP) and $300 million on the Community-based Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programme (CEPEP) in 2009, amounting to a total of $742 million.

According to the Social Sector Investment Programme (2010), $426 million had been allocated to the much-maligned URP, but $16 million more than what was budgeted was expended. The document was one of several laid in Parliament on Monday by Finance Minister Karen Nunez-Tesheira, just before she delivered the 2009/2010 Budget.

Government had announced previously that in recent years it would be scaling down URP, and that the URP workforce was declining as the construction sector provided more lucrative employment. In the past year, with the economic slowdown, this trend, however, has been reversed.

While there have been calls for removal of the URP programme because of its alleged association with gang violence, Government has argued the programme is necessary for people at the lower end of the economic spectrum, and for people who would be otherwise unemployed and that it is necessary to preserve the social fabric.

However, the largest percentage of the social sector budget was allocated to the Senior Citizens’ Grant (formerly the Old Age Pension Grant) - $1.6 billion. URP came next, then CEPEP, followed by the Disability Assistance Grant - $292 million and the Social Assistance/Public Assistance Grant - $275,000.

According to the Supplemental Public Sector Investment Programme, the central role of beleaguered State company, Urban Development Company of Trinidad and Tobago (UDeCOTT), is also confirmed. Although there is no document which provides the budgetary allocation for UDeCOTT, sources said yesterday that much of its budget comes from the Infrastructure Development Fund via allocations to the various development projects it manages.

The projects in which UDeCOTT is involved include the Government Campus Plaza (the full cost of which is $2.6 billion), Scarborough Regional Library ($97 million), Scarborough Financial Office Complex ($176.2 million), relocation of the Port of Port of Spain, Chaguanas Regional Corporation Complex, Chancery Lane Complex ($648 million), Minister of Education Tower (total cost is $611 million) and Ministry of National Security building portfolio, which includes 19 police stations, one police training college and gym facility, two prisons, 12 fire stations, a new administration complex for the army, one forensic science lab.

UDeCOTT is also contracted to manage the construction of the Ministry of Health portfolio, which includes three hospitals, an oncology centre, a Ministry of Health Administration headquarters, a national public laboratory and two district health facilities. UDeCOTT is also managing the construction of the Arima Regional Corporation, Diego Martin Regional Corporation, Ministry of Public Administration ($120 million), administration headquarters for the Ministry of Local Government, an office building for the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries, an office building for the Ministry of Agriculture, the People’s Mall, Scarborough Transit Hub, Harris Promenade Development, Port of Spain Legislative Complex, Palmiste Development, Princes Town Regional Corporation Administrative Complex, San Fernando Transit Hub, San Fernando Waterfront Development, PanTrinbago Headquarters, Cove Industries Estate, THA Roxborough Mall, THA Scarborough Market, St Vincent Place and Salvatori Building.