KINGSTON, Jamaica--The Government has approved an interim policy for the use of mobile telephones, which places a cap of J $40,000 (US $313) on all telephone expenses by Ministers and Ministers of State.
Minister of Information Senator Ruel Reid said that’s the amount that will be paid for direct expenses of the Ministry to which each Minister is assigned. He said it was arrived at based on a survey of voice, data and roaming charges.
“Having done the survey [we felt – Ed.] that certainly J $40,000 was a reasonable amount and, by consensus, the Cabinet reviewed the proposal and we agreed on that,” he noted.
If a cell phone bill comes in higher than the stipulated amount, an explanation would have to be provided to the Permanent Secretary.
“Unless there is justification for any amount above, [and – Ed.] that would have to be agreed to by the Permanent Secretary, the Minister would be responsible for paying the amounts in excess of the J $40,000,” Reid added.
He said consideration is being given to “some amount of retroactivity of the policy to about January this year, so if there are any breaches above that, then [arrangements – Ed.] would have to be made by the respective Ministers for them to pay from their salaries or other arrangements made for them to defray those expenses.”
Senator Reid urged officials to act responsibly and be disciplined in managing their telephone bills when they are in Jamaica and when travelling abroad.
The interim policy follows the review of communication cost and high cellular phone bills being incurred for roaming and data charges.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness had directed the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service to review and report on the respective policies for the provision of communication services, including cell phones, in the various Ministries, on the heels of a whopping J $8 million (US $62,612) bill racked up by Minister of Finance Audley Shaw. ~ Caribbean360
