Government Pays $9.9 Billion to Public Sector Workers

Since the beginning of the 2013/2014 Financial Year, payments amounting to approximately $9.9 billion have been made to Public Sector Workers.

This was disclosed by Minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Finance and Planning, Hon. Horace Dalley, during a Statement to the House of Representatives on October 8.

Giving a breakdown of the figures, Mr. Dalley said the five per cent arrears outstanding to the West Indies Group of University Teachers (WIGUT) totalling $144.185 million has been paid; and the Public Sector workers seven per cent arrears, totalling $3.78 billion, has also been paid (May 2013 tranche).

“There are two tranches remaining – October 2013 and May 2014 – at approximately $7.6 billion, ” Mr. Dalley said.

A total of $1.9 billion has been paid to teachers under the teacher reclassification programme and this final tranche was paid in July 2013. Outstanding sums for teachers’ books, software and technology allowance of $135 million and Education Officers (realignment) totalling $73.7 million were paid as scheduled.

Health Sector Reclassification payment of $1.023 billion, which represents new rates effective April 1, 2013 and arrears for the four months up to implementation in August 2013, were paid.

Mr. Dalley, who has responsibility for the Public Service,  also noted that the one-off payment to all Public Sector workers totalling $2.163 billion was also made in August.

“It was recognized that some workers in Bursar paid schools did not receive their payments in August. However, this was due to the Ministry of Education not receiving the requisite information on a timely basis to facilitate payment. The Ministry of Finance remains ready to disburse the funds as soon as the Ministry of Education and the Unions representing the workers have completed the verification process,” he said.

The Minister also  informed that rates payable to travelling officers moved from $30 to $35 per Kilometre (Km)  on April 1, 2013 and  $40 per Km  on August 1, 2013 for a total of approximately $480.3 million. Two scholarships under the Nurses Association of Jamaica Scholarship programme  were issued at a cost of $2.594 million.

As part of prior action to secure the Extended Fund Facility from the International Monetary Fund, the Government of Jamaica (GOJ) and several Public Sector Bargaining Units represented by the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions (JCTU) and other staff associations signed a 3-year Heads of Agreement on March 6, 2013 for the 2012-2015 contract period.

To date approximately 85 per cent of Public Sector bargaining units have signed the agreement.

“It cannot be stated often enough the Government’s wholehearted appreciation for the tremendous sacrifices being made by our Public Sector workers towards putting Jamaica on a path of economic growth and prosperity,” Mr. Dalley said.