MINISTER of National Security Jack Warner yesterday said that the new and improved Unemployment Relief Programme launched at St Paul Street Community Centre would create jobs, end poverty and, by extension, reduce crime in East Port of Spain.

Speaking to members of the media following the launch of the programme dubbed "People and Projects for Progress", Warner said the new plan would see longevity as it dealt with employment.

Asked what would be the difference between this and other URP cycles and other make-work programmes like Colour Me Orange, Warner said: "The fact that we are not having any system that is short term... We have removed the middle men, we have removed the gang leaders. We have as project managers for the first time the Defence Force Engineering Battalion.

"We also have a system where we're getting homework centres and day care centres and the residents can do repairs to their homes. This system is totally different, it is one that involves the people in the communities to reduce crime, unemployment and poverty and the fact is the level of extortion, that is a thing of the past, that is the main difference" Warner said.

Concerning his daily account of days without murders, Warner said he would not do that with the launch of this new URP, adding that his main focus was the reduction in crime.

He said he would be able to monitor the reduction in crime with a collaborative effort of the project manager and the ministries of Housing, Local Government, and Planning and Development, who had all collaborated to ensure that the programme was a success.

Warner said once the programme has shown that it works it would be unleashed in other communities to battle crime. Some of the communities being looked at are Carenage, Maloney, Carapo and Marabella.

—Jensen LaVende