The Jamaican Government says it is ready to pay public sector workers in this month’s salary under the new wage deal, signed in August.
However, the Ministry of Finance on Monday afternoon said it was awaiting the completion of audited returns from ministries, departments and agencies, indicating the money which is necessary to pay the new rate.
Workers are to start receiving the agreed J$4,000 per month in the first year of the two-year compensation package.
Deputy Financial Secretary Wayne Jones says the deadline given to the government entities was October 2; however, that expired without all the audited returns being sent back to the Ministry of Finance.
Helene Davis Whyte, Vice-President of the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions, says the Confederation had not received any word from the Ministry of Finance whether the new increases will be paid in this month’s salary.
She had warned that public sector employees were becoming increasingly restive over the delay in the payment.
