Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles is demanding the immediate reinstatement of CEPEP workers and wants the Government to explain why they were fired so quickly after the general election.

Beckles made the demand during a PNM public meeting on Saturday night titled “In defence of the people” in Enterprise, Chaguanas”.

Earlier at the meeting, Senator Faris Al-Rawi responded to a post circulating on social media that alleged the lawsuit filed by fired CEPEP contractor Stephen Samuel had been dismissed by the courts.

Al-Rawi dismissed the viral claim as “fake news, lies, foolishness and desperation,” insisting that the matter was far from over.

He said Samuel was unknowingly affected by the delisting and de-registration of companies at the Companies Registry, and that this would be rectified as legal teams prepare to refile the matter.

“Easy fix,” he said. “You withdraw, and you bring a new one, because they have 336 contractors. Very simple fix.”

Last Friday, Samuel’s attorneys withdrew his legal challenge against CEPEP over the dismissal of more than 300 contractors, a move affecting thousands of workers. CEPEP’s attorneys labelled the lawsuit as politically motivated and without merit, while Samuel’s legal team had highlighted the devastating human impact of the terminations.

CEPEP disputed the fairness of the contract extension and plans to claim legal costs, slamming the legal approach as rushed and disingenuous.