THE MINISTRY of Labour and Social Security has had to pay an extra $3.6 million to some 100 construction workers who worked on the recently-completed and soon-to-be-opened Overseas Employment Centre 110-114 East Street, central Kingston.

The workers received their cheques at the Ministry on Thursday, after demonstrating sporadically for weeks in East Street outside the building for what they claimed were their final payments. They blocked East Street as recently as last week Tuesday holding up traffic for members of the public and for Members of Parliament going to Gordon House for the Budget debate.

Anthony Irons, Permanent Secretary for Labour, said the ministry made the payment after approval from the Financial Secretary, to bring the matter to an end.

He said that full payment for the contract had already been made to the contractors, KEL Construction Management Company, but the workers said they were not paid their full entitlements. This included an end-of-project bonus.

The centre which is now completed is to be furnished prior to its official opening.

It was originally planned for the processing of Jamaican farm workers for work in Canada and the US, but has now been officially renamed the Overseas Employment Centre, due to the fall-off in the farm work programme and the introduction of newer programmes such as the hotel workers' programme.

It has already cost the government $58.6 million to take the building to its current state. At least $4 million more will be needed to furnish the office, which will include overnight accommodation for about 200 overseas-bound workers.