The Government will have to come up with more than $2.7 billion by next week to pay sugar workers whose positions were made redundant last year.
Next Tuesday is the deadline for the payments and Agriculture Minister Dr Christopher Tufton yesterday announced that all was in place for the Government to meet the legal time frame.
The bulk of the money, $1.9 billion, is expected to be provided by the European Union as part of its assistance to the Government with the divestment process.
Tufton met with officials of the trade unions representing sugar workers yesterday and assured them that the payment would be made on time.
Welcome news
That was welcome news for the union leaders, including Vincent Morrison, president of the National Workers' Union.
"We are happy that we finally have a date when the workers will be paid," Morrison told The Gleaner.
"We have had a lot of stops and starts with dates missed for the workers to be paid and we expect that this time they will get their money," Morrison added.
However, Clifton Grant, first vice-president of the University and Allied Workers Union, said there were issues to be sorted out before the workers could begin their celebrations.
"We are to meet with the management of the SCJ (Sugar Company of Jamaica) to sort out the notice-pay calculation and how the company is computing the years of service for the employees," Grant said.
In the meantime, Tufton has disclosed that four companies are now shortlisted to purchase the Govern-ment's stake in the sugar industry.
Sensitive negotiations
He did not name the four entities, arguing that the negotiations remain at a sensitive stage.
The Government is trying to divest the five sugar factories and cane lands now held by the SCJ.
It is reported that talks are far advanced for the sale of two of the factories but the big three - Frome, Bernard Lodge and Moneymusk - have not attracted the full interest of potential buyers.
New bidders were given one month, ending March 13, to submit proposals.
arthur.hall@gleanerjm.com