| Home Page Lead Stories News Business Sport Commentary Letters Entertainment Profiles in Medicine Star Page E-Financial Gleaner Subscribe Classifieds Guest Book Submit Letter The Gleaner Co. Advertising Search |
Gov't pays out millions due to formation of executive agencies THE GOVERNMENT has paid out $75.5 million to employees whose services were terminated as a result of the creation of the National Environ-ment and Planning Agency (NEPA) and the Jamaica Inform-ation Service (JIS) as executive agencies. The Ministry of Transport and Works paid out over $34.5 million for notice pay, terminal benefits, ex-gratia award and accumulated vacation leave. The staff involved included both temporary and project staff. According to a news release from the Office of the Prime Minister, payments to 20 employees are outstanding because the entitlements for 12 are being audited, four are awaiting approval from the Ministry of Finance and Planning and the entitlements of the remaining four are still being computed. The Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA) paid out $32.3 million to employees who were made redundant following the merger of that entity, the Town Planning Department (TPD) and the Land Development and Utilisation Commission (LDUC) to form the National Environment and Planning Agency. Just over $4.8 million was paid out to staff of the Jamaica Information Service. The Agency is expected to make ex-gratia payments amounting to $1.56 million in August. Temporary staff of the three departments that merged to form the National Land Agency received notice pay and vacation leave payments amounting to $3.97 million. In addition, they will be paid $10 million in ex-gratia and any other vacation leave payments when the agency completes its recruitment process. Meanwhile, the Office of the Services Commission has already retired some two hundred 250 employees whose jobs were affected by the creation of NWA, NEPA, NLA and JIS as executive agencies. The commission sets the effective date of retirement for the employees after their vacation leave has been computed by the respective departments and audited by the Conditions of Service Unit in the Public Service Establishment Division in the Ministry of Finance and Planning.
|
