CEPEP to give 2/3 of salary to employees even after the field operations discontinued

CEPEP Company Limited- an Agency of the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government has shut down its field operations so its employees can stay safe as Trinidad and Tobago is undergoing another wave of coronavirus.

The company on Friday noted that employees would receive a salary grant equal to two-thirds (2/3) of the normal wages afforded to them by the company, even though they are not working in the field at this time.

The CEPEP Company Limited stated they have over 9,000 field workers, which comprise Contractors, forepersons, operators and labourers who are exposed on a daily basis as essential sanitation workers.

"In this regard, a decision was taken by the Board of CEPEP on Wednesday 26th May, 2021 to shut down the field operations and in so doing keep the CEPEP, Contractors and their workers' safe at home with their families." stated the CEPEP in a recent statement.

CEPEP appreciated the importance that workers play in the maintenance of the country's environment, but chose to follow the directive of our public health officials to safeguard their lives and in keeping with the national effort to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Minister Kazim Hosein reiterated, "COVID-19 is not a joke, and everyone must look out for those who work hard to ensure our communities are clean and safe. We must do our part in the national public health effort.

"Together, we will win this fight and soon we will return to a sense of normalcy, but for no,w we must do what is necessary to protect the lives of all citizens." Minister Kazim Hosein stated.

The Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government and, by extension, the CEPEP Company Limited stated they remain committed to its mandate, however at this time, we have chosen to place the health and wellness of our Contractors and their workers at the forefront.