PM says IMF deal no easy feat

Prime Minister Bruce Golding has sought to assure that the Government’s is on track to complete its negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).



Mr Golding was responding to concerns that the pace of the talks is going slowly.



The prime minister said getting financial support from the IMF is not as simple as signing a contract, but the deal has to be carefully worked out.



He said that the government has to negotiate for a deal which is in the best interest of Jamaica, and which puts the country on a path of economic growth.



In July, the Finance Minister Audley Shaw announced that the Bruce Golding administration had no choice to resume a borrowing relationship with the IMF, because of the fallout in revenue sources.



At that time, Mr Shaw had set a September deadline to complete the negotiations and secure the IMF money.



However, this timeline was not met and the finance minister said that the government had shifted its target to November.