Minister of Rural Development and Local Government Khadijah Ameen has dismissed concerns that the proposed prison labour initiative could replace workers employed under the National Programme for the Upkeep of Public Spaces (NPUPS), insisting that there is sufficient maintenance work for both programmes to operate simultaneously.

Earlier this week, Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander announced that the Government was exploring the possibility of using prisoners sentenced to hard labour to assist with clean-up and maintenance efforts across the country.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Minister Ameen said NPUPS had already demonstrated its value through the productivity and performance of workers in communities nationwide.