Government's work initiative programme, which puts unemployed men and women to work on public works projects, has been labelled a great success on its first anniversary.

Minister of Works and Engineering, the Hon. Clarence Terceira, whose department runs the scheme, believes it has helped many people get back on their feet in these tough economic times.

"What we're trying to do is keep people working to keep food on their tables and look after their families, '' he said. "A lot of them come from difficult backgrounds and have found it hard to get work.'' Just over 100 men and several women are currently employed under the programme, and more than $800,000 has been paid out in wages over the past year.

Works and Engineering organises the workers, and then "parcels them out'' to other departments such as Agriculture and Fisheries and the West End Development Corporation when a project is available.

Dr. Terceira explained: "People who have become unemployed have to register with the Government unemployment office, and we take the list from them and say: `OK, give us 10 people' or whatever.'' Most of the work is designed to improve the appearance of the Island. Crews trim hedges, tidy up public golf courses, construct railings alongside roads, demolish old buildings, pick up litter along roadsides and shorelines, and maintain the Railway Trail.

According to Dr. Terceira, some of the workers find regular jobs but many stay with the programme for months. A number prove to be so valuable that they become supervisors, and may eventually be hired as full-time employees of the department.

"We're going to get some good guys out of this,'' predicted Mr. Terceira. One aspect of the programme which has drawn criticism, however, is wages. Instead of the regular government pay for unskilled labour -$14 or $15 an hour - work initiative participants earn just eight dollars an hour.

Dr. Terceira defended the pay level, saying: "One of the things I've been asked is: How could we pay them such a low wage, and my answer has been that we have a budget. I can handle 100 people working for $8 an hour, or 50 people at $16 an hour. Do we want to help 50 people or 100 people? "People can say it's cheap labour, but they're not saying it from the point of view of the person who is getting the employment and who is getting a start. I met three of the guys and they said to me: "Minister, we want to thank you for these jobs. Don't let anybody say anything to you about $8 an hour.'' Foreman Mr. Franklin Moniz, who is working with his four-man crew clearing brush along the railway trail in Warwick, said he understands Government's situation.

"Everybody in my group wants to stay on -- everybody wants to work,'' he said. "A little more money would be great, but we realise Government funds are short.'' Mr. Moniz, who is married with two children, was unemployed for seven months before being hired by the programme three months ago.

"A lot of people wouldn't do my job for these wages, but at least I'm putting food on the table,'' he said.

Others in Mr. Moniz' team held much the same view.

"It's a good programme,'' said Mr. Sheldon Fubler, who was also unemployed for seven months prior to joining the scheme. "The money could be better, but in general its okay.'' Mr. Maxwell Dill would like to be transferred to a regular construction job with better pay once the Railway Trail is finished, but said he has "really enjoyed'' working in the programme.

After the recession, Works and Engineering is planning to keep a corps of about 25 workers to do similar work. Dr. Terceira said they would probably be former prisoners, seeking a halfway house between jail and a regular job.

According to Dr. Terceira, the Ministry of Finance has promised further support for the work initiative.

BACK TO WORK -- Foreman Mr. Franklin Moniz (foreground) and his team clear the way along the Railway Trail in Warwick as part of Government's work initiative programme. They will be working westward until "Government funds run out''.