MEMBERS of the Rio Claro Unemployment Association yesterday took to the streets of San Fernando, again hoping to get the attention of the National Gas Company (NGC) over reforestation jobs for which the group claimed it was being considered since 2025.About 20 members took to Circular Street yesterday morning, calling for answers from the NGC and from Minister of Agriculture Ravi Ratiram on what it said was a prior commitment to engage the group to reforest land cleared as part of the Cascadura exploration Project along the east coast.“Create employment, right now!” “Plant back the forest, right now!” they chanted while walking along the pavement.Group president Louis Castillo told the Express that the group, a registered Non-Profit Organisation (NPO), had been in communication with the NGC for three years, hoping to benefit from its “No Net Loss” principle, which guides a commitment to replenish vegetation cleared by the company.A letter to the group from the NGC in 2025, he said, expressed consideration. A copy of that letter dated April 2, shared with the Express notes, “NGC will consider the Rio Claro Unemployment Association’s role in fulfilling our respective mandates including the potential for employment opportunities in the community.”Castillo said that the group felt it was being ignored or given the “runaround” as company representatives reportedly informed them that they are still seeking approval from relevant bodies. Despite earlier reports that Cabinet had approved a national reforestation programme, he added, his group has yet to be contacted.“It is the same back and forth. The minister said he had not gotten letters from us but we sent them to his secretary, the president of NGC and the person who contacted us from the NGC. It is like they are playing politics. I am not giving up until the people of Rio Claro get to plant back the forests. This is different from National Reforestation,” he said.Castillo said that fewer group members participated in the protest as they felt they might be victimised. Responding to claims of political alignment, he confirmed that he had run for a councillor post under the People’s National Movement (PNM) in 2010. However he stressed that his efforts are not politically aligned and not associated with the party in any way.“That is my constitutional right to support a party but right now I am the head of an NPO, not as a party group. All of our letters have been as head of this group, not as a member of the PNM. I have a life outside of politics and this is part of that. I do not know why they are trying to make that an issue. I have been advocating for people to get these jobs for years. John Jeremie, holding the second highest office right now (Attorney General), was once a member of the PNM. How is the PNM being used right now to answer this issue? I had to pay $3,000 from my own pocket to pay a maxi to bring members here to protest. The PNM had nothing to do with that, they did not fund that, I paid from my own pocket,” he said.Previously, the NGC told the Express that it could not comment on the issue. Requests for a response yesterday were not immediately answered. The Express has repeatedly reached out to Ratiram to ask if he could confirm the programme’s status and if he had any response to the group, but no response was received.