While some workers at the Local Government Ministry are now insecure about their jobs following the naming of Prime Minister Bruce Golding's 18-member Cabinet, Wayne Jones, president of the Jamaica Civil Service Association (JCSA), has given the assurance that there is no threat to the workers' jobs.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Bruce Golding named his 18-member Cabinet but did not name a minister for the Local Government Ministry. When The Gleaner visited the Ministry's Hagley Park Road, St. Andrew, head office yesterday, several workers expressed uncertainty as it related to the future of their employment.

"There is some enthusiasm mixed with uncertainty," said a worker who did not want to be identified. Meanwhile, another worker expressed confidence that she would be redeployed to another ministry.

Ann-Marie Mittoo, communications director at the ministry, said that the approximately 150 staff members were anxious to know the details of the future of the ministry.

"People are just waiting to see (what is going to happen) because we are in limbo," she told The Gleaner yesterday.

Ms. Mittoo said the permanent secretary yesterday assured the staff they would know the details as soon as possible.

Absorbed elsewhere

Meanwhile, Mr. Jones said the JCSA had already taken steps prior to the Prime Minister's naming of his Cabinet, to ensure that workers' jobs would be protected.

He said if the ministry were to be scrapped, what would follow, is that the staff would be deployed throughout the public sector.

"It is expected that they will be absorbed somewhere else," he told The Gleaner.

Dwight Nelson, minister-designate who will assume responsibility for the public service at today's swearing-in of the Cabinet, said members of the public were making "a lot of assumptions" as it related to the intention of the Prime Minister.

He said Mr. Golding had not sated clearly that the ministry would be scrapped. He said the nation would know today what the Government's intention would be as it related to the Local Government Ministry.

Under the People's National Party administration, the Local Government Ministry was joined with the Ministry of Environment. Mr. Golding has, however, twinned environment with health, a ministry that will be overseen by Rudyard Spencer.