A JOB FAIR will be held at St Paul Street Community Centre today in an attempt to recruit residents from Port of Spain and environs.

This is one of "close to 100" initiatives included in the national crime plan which was approved by the National Security Council last week, National Security Minister Jack Warner Warner said yesterday.

Included in the crime plan are the establishment of a National Advisory Committee on Crime and a National Consultation on Crime, scheduled for next January. Warner made the statements as he addressed residents of St Paul Street and environs during a town meeting held in the car park of St Paul Street Community Centre.

Warner said he did not wish to divulge the "close to 100" initiatives in the crime plan but told residents they would see the benefits as early as today with the planned recruitment drive.

"Right here in St Paul Street we are meeting the residents of Nelson (Street) and Duncan (Street) and George Street and St Paul area to meet the people, look at the skills they have, the skills they do not have as well as the skills they should have," Warner said.

The recruitment drive will be coordinated by the Engineering Division of the Defence Force.

The jobs, which are aimed at "building the communities", will start as early as next Monday. The Minister warned that anybody who is charged by police while employed in the programme will be fired immediately.

"The programme is one for people who want to turn their lives around and nobody here is coming to tax anybody of their money because the project manager shall be the Defence Force."

Warner told residents he "felt a sense of joy" that the National Security Council had approved the crime plan last week.