Air Jamaica to make redundancy payments today

The government is today expected to make redundancy payments to various categories of workers at Air Jamaica whose employment with the airline ends today.



Approximately US$24 million in redundancy and severance payments is to be made to the more than 1500 workers ahead of the transfer of the lovebird’s profitable routes to the Trinidad and Tobago based Caribbean Airlines tomorrow.



At a press conference on Wednesday, the chairman of the Air Jamaica Divestment Committee, Dennis Lalor sought to assure workers that there were plans to pay over outstanding statutory deductions to the National Housing Trust (NHT) and the National Insurance Scheme (NIS).



Management representatives from Caribbean Airlines have announced that about 1,000 workers will be re-hired.



Starting tomorrow, a new company called Caribbean Airlines Air Jamaica Transition limited will takeover the lovebird’s operations until Caribbean Airlines assumes full responsibility.



The transition period is expected to last between six and 12 months.



Persons employed to the transition company are to be offered three and six month contracts.