The 17-month old Dickon Mitchell-led Congress administration at the Botanical Gardens in St George has told workers involved in the flagship “Imani” programme of the former administration that better days are ahead for them.
In delivering the 2024 budget in Parliament on Monday, Finance Minister Dennis Cornwall disclosed that all Imanis working with government will receive a $500.00 increase as their salaries will move from $700 to $1200.00 a month on the basis of a government contract.
Minister Cornwall said that despite the rumors circulating in the country from a particular quarter, he wanted to reassure IMANI workers that stability and development are the top priorities of the new government in the upcoming year and the programme will continue to be re-imagined under the administration.
“Mr. Speaker, a major commitment of this Administration is to regularise the IMANIs into sustainable jobs. Like many other promises we have made and have fulfilled, this is also one we intend to honor,” he told Parliament.
Minister Cornwall assured the Imanis that they will be included in government’s 2025 regularisation strategy for the public service.
He disclosed that the increased salaries to Imanis will cost the Treasury an additional $14 million and that all contracted IMANI workers will be granted employer contributions from the National Insurance Scheme alongside other Government workers.
Minister Cornwall declared: “…To all the IMANIs, contrary to the lies, this Government is not sending you home nor getting rid of you, but instead providing you with $14 Million and your NIS contributions and moving you closer to security of tenure.
“Mr. Speaker, we are not giving the Imanis one for the road, but we are giving them their future,” he said.
The senior government minister also implored the private sector to follow in the government’s footsteps in providing stability for Imanis assigned to them.
Minister Cornwall also touched on plans to enhance another programme started by the former NNP regime – the “Youth Empowerment” programme.
He said the plan is to offer more “industry-ready training opportunities” in order to refocus the programme.
In addition, he said that personnel within the Information, CommunicationTechnology (ICT), Technology (ICT) field, the Creative and Entertainment industry, and Tourism and Hospitality will get the opportunity to have “sustainable employment” as well as a better living environment due to the new training opportunities.