The CEPEP Company Limited (CCL) is now an incorporated entity under the Ministry of Housing and the Environment having responsibility for programme execution in the area of environmental protection and enhancement while its management guidelines are provided by the Ministry of Finance, Investments Division, given the new status of “Special Purpose Company’.

CEPEP focuses on the environmental protection, enhancement and beautification in service areas where more attention needs to be paid if we are to achieve developed country status by 2020.  The programme was given life through the decision of Cabinet recorded as Minute No. 1003 of 23rd May 2002 which states that the cabinet has agreed “… to the establishment of the Community-Based Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programme (CEPEP) in all communities throughout Trinidad and Tobago…”

CEPEP was officially launched by the Prime Minister, the Honourable Patrick Manning, on 29th July 2002 at Moruga. However, field operations started on 3rd September 2002 with one hundred and six (106) contracting companies in thirty-four (34) districts throughout Trinidad and Tobago. These districts are defined as Environmental Work Areas (EWAs).

Cabinet initially set three (3) objectives for the programme - they were:

1. The empowerment of communities to improve the conditions of the local physical environment;
2. The expansion of employment opportunities for the benefit of semi-skilled and un-skilled persons within their communities; and
3. The creation of opportunities for the establishment and development of small businesses.

By developing the programme at the community level, CEPEP’s goal was to enlighten communities as to the need to improve and protect the environment.  It was felt that by involving people at the community level, they would have a larger stake in preserving their environment.  The programme was organized on the basis of the deployment of contracting companies in these EWAs who were responsible for recruiting and managing their workers in order to achieve the beautification targets.  The programme also presented yet another opportunity to upgrade the skills of the staff of contractors and hence skills training became a major element.

In Tobago the programme continues to be operated as a unit within the Tobago House of Assembly (THA).