KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance and Public Service Rudyard Spencer says that provisions have been made in the 2017/18 budget for wage increases to public sector workers.

Spencer was making his contribution to the sectoral debate in the House of Representatives this afternoon. The state minister a said that provisions had also been made to honour agreements to grant increases to workers in the health sector.

He said that the Government continued their work to transform the public sector while continuing the support of current workers. The minister adverted to loans given to workers for the purchase of motor vehicles and tertiary education, both of which he said would seek to help more workers this year.

Spencer also said that the Government was “out of the blocks” on the “critical” reform of the pension system. 

He said that the system was unstable, but meetings were held with stakeholders to move forward on reform. Among the agreements in those meetings, Spencer said, was the phasing in of a five per cent contribution rate, and removal of the penalty for retiring early.

Spencer also said that the Government would seek to institute a computerised pension system to link all stakeholders and, among other things, allow for the calculation of entitlements.