The question of CEPEP: Where do we go from here?

DEBBIE JACOB

IF YOU’RE looking for a synonym to replace the word headache, I suggest the acronym CEPEP. Like DEWD, its predecessor from the 60s, CEPEP has been a noble sentiment that doesn’t quite work. Meant to provide meaningful jobs for unskilled labourers, DEWD and CEPEP became a meaningless place to go for a couple of hours a day to collect enough money to wipe out any thoughts of self-betterment.

Yes, there are people working in CEPEP who really need the work, but I don’t understand how so many people who are supposedly destitute and dependent on CEPEP jobs go to work in their cars.

Problems abound when you work for an acronym, and they spill into society. It helps to know the name of the company you work for. Arguably, it grounds you, and gives you a sense of identity.

I’m betting few people can tell you that the acronym CEPEP stands for the Community-Based Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programme, or that this government work is supposed to focus on environmental protection, enhancement, and beautification of our communities. It’s supposed to educate communities about environmental responsibility.

Has it been successful? I think not, judging from all the overgrown grass and garbage on the sides of the roads.

The anthropologist in me watches CEPEP workers to understand their culture and its leadership. I can never tell who the leader is, and I’ve yet to see someone motivate workers to jump into their work the moment they arrive on the job. Actually, do these workers need that kind of leadership? Shouldn’t we all arrive at our jobs, look around at what needs to be done, and plunge into work?

No one seems to be held accountable for time on the clock. A lot of sitting, liming and scrolling down cell phones take place before any work takes place.

Who evaluates CEPEP workers and decides the number of people to work on a job? There always seems to be far too many people assigned to a job. Are CEPEP workers learning anything about productivity? Is CEPEP any improvement over its predecessor, DEWD, which stood for the Developmental Environmental Works Division? DEWD was set up to clean roads and cut grass. One of its problems turned out to be ghost gangs, which were a way for people to pilfer money from the government.

Between DEWD and CEPEP, we had the Labour Intensive Development Programme, LIDP. Few people remember LIDP because of its unmemorable acronym and dismal job description. Names matter.

We need to ask some other important questions. I want to know what leadership in CEPEP should look like, and what people should get out of this job other than a pay cheque? Are we providing workers with jobs that promote pride, patriotism and community spirit?

I worry about the social implications of people truly dependent on programmes like CEPEP because they deserve the chance to participate in skill-based programmes to help them grow as individuals and workers. Let’s get real. There’s no incentive for people to seek training or a typical job with an eight-hour workday if they can get CEPEP work for a couple of stress-free hours a day.

Still, with all of its issues, I don’t think the government should lay off 10,000 CEPEP workers or scrap the programme. Yes, it should carefully weed out unproductive workers, reduce the number of CEPEP workers on a job and teach them about a work ethic. CEPEP workers aren’t alone in this. Most people in this country need to understand the concept of an efficient workday.

What the government should do, however, is develop training programmes for skilled jobs that CEPEP workers can graduate into. Make CEPEP work more meaningful. Let workers decide how to really beautify the areas where they work. Don’t just cut the grass. Plant flowers and be creative with your mandate for beautification.