PRIME Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has compared her government's decision to replace make-work schemes such as Cepep and URP with sustainable employment to ending "a kind of slavery."

Speaking on October 23 at the National Recruitment Drive at the National Cycling Centre in Couva, Persad-Bissessar said she felt "exceedingly happy" that her administration could now help provide real, sustainable jobs for citizens. She said the overwhelming turnout reflected the number of people eager for meaningful employment.

Persad-Bissessar addressed criticisms of her government's decision to phase out Cepep and URP.