Unemployment Relief Programme (URP)

Defining principles

Direct employment of the unemployed, meeting unmet social and environmental needs in communities, expanding access to economic opportunities for women, and providing pathways to other economic opportunities.

Rationale

To provide short-term employment for unemployed persons in the community and enhance entrepreneurial skills of participants.

Number of participants

30,000 in 2014 (2.2% of citizens) (1).

Criteria for participation

Unemployed residents of Trinidad and Tobago with government ID over 18 years old (2).

Pay and benefits

Between TTD 149 and TTD 241 depending on job responsibilities. In 2022, pay was increased and vacation leave, sick days, and maternity leave benefits were made available to program participants (3).

Financing

TTD 290M (USD 38.2M), 0.16% of GDP, in 2021. Spending on this program peaked at 0.45% of GDP in 2015 (4).

Implementation

Administered by the Ministry of Works and Transport (MOWT).

Types of work

Landscaping, small-scale construction, crafts, furnishings, cleaning, painting, community work, geriatric care, beautification, and providing labor support for churches and other community organizations (5).

Notable features

The Women’s Programme offers flexibility to accommodate women participant’s other commitments (6). Program participants will receive on-the-job training commensurate with all other government employees.

Challenges

“Ghost gangs” (people working no hours or too few hours and sometimes being paid higher wages) and low productivity have been periodically identified. The URP was split and placed under the management of three separate ministries in 2011 with payment disbursed by the Prime Minister to reduce corruption (7).

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