And while the PM seems to be a disciple of old school parenting - his government certainly had some tough love techniques for the 523 persons on the LIU program. The work program for gang members and gang-adjacent persons was abruptly put on pause last week, and today the Prime Minister repeated his mantra that the 3 million annually used to fund the LIU can be better used elsewhere. Here's the back and forth:
Reporter
"PM won't you consider in terms of the LIU work program those 500+ worker deserved due process to be told ahead that this would be coming just as you inform an employee in 2 weeks we won't need you anymore."
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"Well I think that was the idea that they would be informed that they were going to put it to an end, as you all know this was never an employment agency. The LIU was simply to hold you for 3 months then say okay for you to go elsewhere. Listen we are looking at almost 18 million dollars; that is a lot of money that we can use elsewhere: we can have sports programs, after school l programs, we could keep these kids in school so that they don't go down that route. I think there is better use for it. Mind you - and I want to repeat again - there are certain programs from the LIU, the intervention and different programs we want to keep that. But just paying these guys and there is work everywhere you want to. It might not get you the work that you want but you can get a job and work your way up as the opportunity arrises."
Reporter
"You don't consider that there were people in there who were actually deserving of that kind of assistance to just? I know you said an assemnet but what kid of assessment is happening?"
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"I think again let me repeat, the LIU was never designed to be an employment agency. Never. And somehow it ended up where it just gave these people a salary we are getting out monies worth I mean pretty much of what I told you we don't think so and so it is important to put that money to better use."
