Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) political leader Watson Duke has promised to hire more Cepep and URP workers if his party wins the December 6 THA election.

At a political meeting in Roxborough on Sunday, Duke said his party intends to address "bread and butter issues" affecting Tobagonians. The THA employs approximately 65 per cent of the island's workforce.

The issue has been a major talking point on the political platform ahead of the polls, with the PNM telling THA workers the PDP planned to fire them if they got into power. PDP deputy leader Farley Augustine denied any mass firings but said his party planned to wean the workforce off the THA by developing the island's private sector. Chief Secretary Ancil Dennis said the PNM would give THA employees the choice to retain their job in the public sector while also exploring other revenue streams.

On Sunday, Duke said the PDP's aim is to achieve full employment.

He said too many youths - even with degrees - are unemployed.

"It is the Government's role to create opportunities. But what the PNM has been doing is to create dependency," Duke said.

"They want you dependent on Cepep, dependent on URP, dependent on development - dependent, dependent, dependent.

"And nothing is wrong with those jobs, all those jobs are good - as a matter of fact, we believe when we come into office we may have to increase those jobs.

"When we enter into office, we may have to increase the amount of Cepep workers, the amount of URP workers, the amount of development workers, because one thing Farley Augustine sets out to do is to end unemployment.

"There must be zero unemployment in this country."

Duke said a PDP-led THA would also increase salaries of its employees. He anticipated no hiccups in getting this done.

"We in THA are an employer, just as service commission, WASA, T&TEC. Of the employees we have, we could decide to give a salary increase - we don't have to ask Trinidad for that."

Duke, the Public Services Association (PSA) president, said central government does not want to give workers salary increases.

He said he has had to take the PNM government to court to get wage increases for his union members.

Duke said the Prime Minister was wrong when he warned Tobago that the PDP intended to fire THA workers.

"It's utter rubbish."

Duke said his track record in the PSA was about saving jobs.