The Ministry of Health and Wellness, in a statement today (March 22), has indicated that retroactive payments for dental assistants are to be settled next Wednesday (March 29).

The ministry’s statement follows discussions with the Union of Technical Administrative and Supervisory Personnel (UTASP) regarding the compensation review programme for public sector workers.

A group of dissatisfied dental assistants protested earlier today outside the offices of the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service in downtown Kingston, arguing that the new wages that were agreed upon when they signed on to a compensation review exercise in February have not been paid out by the Government.

The dental assistants said they were yet to receive the new wages, which were initially agreed upon for March 2023.

Dr Nigel Clarke, the minister of finance, in closing the 2023-2024 Budget Debate on Tuesday (March 21), revealed that 95 per cent of public sector workers have so far accepted the Government’s wage offer under the compensation restructuring programme.