Petrina Francis, Staff Reporter

One day before the beginning of its 42nd annual conference, the Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA) has expressed concern that the Ministry of Finance and Planning is yet to give a formal commitment to the improved benefit of a $30,000 per year book allowance for teachers.

"We are extremely concerned because we want to go back to our members with something in writing," said Ruel Reid, outgoing president of the JTA. The JTA's three-day conference is scheduled to start tomorrow at the Sunset Jamaica Grade Resort and Spa, St. Ann. The more than 300 delegates at the conference were expected to accept or reject this latest offer.

Friday deadline

On Wednesday, the JTA met with the Minister of Finance, Dr. Omar Davies, who Mr. Reid said agreed to give the island's more than 22,000 public sector teachers a $30,000 per year book grant, subject to consultation with the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions (JCTU). The JTA was expecting a response by Friday.

Mr. Reid disclosed that the Finance Ministry had expressed two concerns at the meeting: whether the Government could afford the proposed benefit and whether it would breach the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreement.

"But we would argue that ... teachers would have to spend money for constant upgrading, so we don't agree that it would contravene the confederation," Mr. Reid, who is also the principal of Jamaica College, told The Sunday Gleaner yesterday.

The Government had proposed a 14 per cent to 16 per cent increase in the first year for principals and vice-principals, with eight per cent in the second year. For teachers, the proposed rate is between 14 to 22 per cent in the first year and five to eight per cent in the second.