MINISTER of Rural Development and Local Government Khadijah Ameen confirmed to Newsday that her ministry's new initiative, the Upkeep of Public Spaces Programme, was launched nationwide on December 15, with some 220 workers. Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation (TPRC) chairman Josiah Austin told Newsday his corporation held an orientation day for the new workers but lamented they had been allegedly so few especially for a corporation that covered such a large geographical area as his.

Interestingly, Ameen had once been Austin's predecessor, heading the corporation in 2010-2013.

She confirmed the veracity of the Cabinet minute that had approved the new programme which had been leaked online last week.