Nearly 1,000 jobs to go in Jamaica

Up to 1,000 jobs could be lost at Postal Corporation of Jamaica and the Post and Telecommunications Department, it has been reported.
The redundancies will be made when proposed legislation is put into practice to establish a statutory body to replace the existing loss-making entity.

Postmaster General Michael Gentles told a meeting of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee that a new leaner organisation will provide jobs for only 1,400 of the current 2,300 persons now employed by the government body.

Taxpayers have had to be subsidising the Postal Corporation at a cost of $1bn annually.

With increased rates for postal services taking effect in March, revenues have jumped by about 50%, but according to Gentles, projected losses for the entity are approximately $500m.

He said capital injection of some $350m is needed to carry out repairs to offices to acquire equipment.