( L - R ) Jones, Nelson

The Ministry of Finance and the Public Service is promising a speedy resumption of lending under a public-sector car loan scheme which has been put on hold.

This promise has come from Senator Dwight Nelson, Minister without Portfolio in the Finance Ministry, who has responsibility for the public sector.

The Government recently placed a temporary freeze on car loans to public sector workers, due to what is being described as a short-term 'cash flow problem' at the Accountant General's Department.

Word first came to The Gleaner on Wednesday when several senior public servants complained that, after initially being confirmed, their loans had been "put on hold".

Senator Nelson confirmed this but sought to assure the affected public servants that the disruption should be short-lived.

"The Financial Secretary has given assurance that funds are being sourced so as to continue the programme," he said.

Wayne Jones, president of the Jamaica Civil Service Association (JCSA), said he had been advised that the Accountant General's Department - where the dispersal of the loans takes place - had indicated that there was a temporary shortage of funds.

The problem stemmed, he said, from the fact that loan approvals had been made without due care being given to ensure that the requisite amount of funds are always available at the Accountant General's Department, which is responsible for disbursements.

Travelling officers

Under the long-standing programme, travelling officers in the public sector can access $850,000 towards the purchase of a new car and $500,000 for the acquisition of a used vehicle.

Like the minister, Mr. Jones expressed confidence that the programme would be fully restored shortly, but complained that the problem had not been properly communicated to those affected, initially.

"I told them that if they had sent out a circular earlier, indicating what was happening, they could have avoided this problem," he said, noting that no such thing had been done.

Senator Nelson conceded that the issue could have been better handled "in respect of the flow of information".