GOVERNMENT'S decision to end hundreds of Community-Based Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programme (CEPEP) contracts is facing a major new legal challenge.

This comes as three more construction companies have initiated a judicial review claim, arguing that the mass cancellation was unfair, politically motivated, and resulted in the unemployment of thousands of workers.

The high-profile legal team representing the three contractors—Hughelen General Contractors Ltd, Base Construction Company Ltd, and Vision Engineering Ltd—is being led by former prime minister and current opposition Member of Parliament Stuart Young.