The minister said that axing of the thousands of public sector workers is now left to permanent secretaries and technocrats in the various ministries and agencies.
Vaz said the PSTU will be getting into the details in the coming days as they hold their own briefing to clarify some of the issues. The minister made it clear, however, that the PSTU will continue to act as an oversight body to see that the recommendations are implemented accordingly and will work in conjunction with the ministries and agencies.
Prime Minister Bruce Golding announced, during his budget presentation on Tuesday, that some 10,000 jobs will be lost from the public sector over the next five years under a rationalisation programme aim at saving the country between $40 billion to $50 billion. The restructuring is also expected to improve efficiency and productivity in the sector.
At the same time, the PSTU will continue to engage public sector workers and unions to discuss various aspects of the modernisation and approaches to be adopted for implementation.
Among the ongoing negotiations, Minister Vaz said, will be the issue of having a standardised leave arrangement across the public sector.
“There are various leave arrangements in place ranging from 35 days…14, 15 and 20 days, respectively, depending on the public body. Proposal on leave in the modernisation is currently being deliberated by the Public Sector Monitoring Unit Committee and consultations are ongoing with respective stakeholders,” he said. This, he said, is critical given that the public sector census shows the accumulative leave outstanding to the public sector as of last December was $23 billion. “This needs to be addressed urgently,” Vaz said
Vaz said there was no indication from the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) that it would continue the five-year public sector restructuring programme if that party should win the next general elections, constitutionally due by next September.
Meanwhile, the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions (JCTU) said it will be meeting with a team from the PSTU tomorrow to discuss the ramifications of the rationalisation programme and the implications this will have on the outstanding seven per cent owing to public sector workers since the 2009/2010 financial year.
Vice-president of the JCTU, Danny Roberts said the prime minister’s announcement of the loss of some 10,000 jobs over the next five years has given no clear indication as to how the process will unfold. He said it has also not provided any clarity on whether there will be immediate retrenchment of some jobs, what areas have been identified and the procedures to be adopted.
“We have understandably had a number of calls from our members seeking clarification on the recommendations outlined by the prime minister and need to be advised as to the steps going forward,” Roberts said in a press statement yesterday.
Source: Jamaica Observer
MAY
2011
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