Drew dismisses talk of ending STEP and orders review of path to permanent jobs
The Prime Minister has asked the Financial Secretary to examine how long-serving STEP workers can move into permanent employment.
BASSETERRE, St Kitts. Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew has rejected suggestions that the government intends to end the Skills Training and Empowerment Programme (STEP), and says he has asked the Financial Secretary to look at how participants can move into permanent jobs.
Speaking at The Roundtable on Thursday, Dr Drew said the review followed a conversation with a woman who had worked in government through STEP for about eight years but was refused a mortgage because her bank considered the placement temporary.
"Who gonna send them home? Not me," the Prime Minister said.
Dr Drew said participants should know how long their training will last, how their work will be assessed and how they can qualify for permanent positions. He added that he wants to hear directly from STEP workers before the next budget.
In February, Deputy Prime Minister Dr Geoffrey Hanley, the minister responsible for STEP, told the National Assembly that the government was pursuing wage-sharing arrangements with businesses to help long-serving participants move into direct employment.
