Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, Arthur Williams, yesterday told the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions (JCTU) that effective next month, the Government will begin paying the new rates for benefits to all public-sector groups with signed heads of agreement.

However, Williams, told the JCTU that the arrears for the period April 1, 2008 to August 30, 2009 would not be paid in this financial year.

According to Williams, the Government will make every effort to settle the arrears in the first quarter of the 2010-2011 financial year.