The Ministry of Education says it will today pay a total of $3.2 million to 320 maxi taxi drivers who have been contracted by the PTSC to transport school children throughout the country.
The sum represents part payment of an outstanding $11.3m debt from last year.
On Friday, the drivers will also collect the final tranche of $8 million, as the ministry moves to settle all outstanding arrears.
Education Minister Anthony Garcia said yesterday the decision came after a meeting with president of the Maxi Taxi Association for School Transport Rodney Ramlogan and general manager of Public Transport Service Corporation (PTSC) Bashir Mohammed.
Garcia said the delayed payments had become a worrying concern, as he assured that representatives of PTSC, ministry and the maxi taxi association will form a committee to ensure that drivers receive their payments on time this year.
Ramlogan said he was satisfied with the outcome of the meeting, while Mohammed identified lack of data collection as the main problem which delayed the processing of payments.
Approximately, 10,352 children from 160 schools benefit from the maxi taxi service which is paid by the ministry.
The drivers submit their monthly invoices to PTSC for processing.
More in Wednesday's Guardian newspaper.