THE HAMPDEN Division of the Trelawny Sugar Company is providing support services for more than 400 employees who will be made redundant at the end of this month.
Psychologist Dr. Leahcim Semaj is conducting the five-day workshop which started last Thursday at the division.
The workshop will assist the workers prepare for life after reorganisation and redundancy, money management, starting own business and preparing a winning resumé. It is aimed at giving affected employees professional assistance and ensuring a smooth transition period. Those affected are field, distillery and administrative employees.
Trelawny Sugar Company Limited took over the assets and liabilities of Hampden in April, 2002. Since then the management of the company has been working to put the operations of the company on a path to sustainable viability.
A release from the Sugar Company of Jamaica Holdings Limited said that the company will disburse a total of $90 million in separation payments and a further $20 million as notice pay at the end of this month to affected employees. An estimated $70 million in full redundancy payments will be disbursed by the end of December. Approximately 150 of 450
persons who have been made redundant will be re-employed to new positions that have been designed to ensure increased productivity and consequently increase earnings to the employees, the statement said.
The redundancy process came about as a result of a redevelopment plan at the Hampden Division which involves the establishment of a 1,300 hectare model cane farm, a new and improved distillery wing using the latest technology, a heritage tourism attraction to showcase the rich tradition of the parish and a mixed crop project covering 200 hectares.
