The government has missed its target for the special early retirement programme (SERP).

This was revealed by Leader of Government Business in the Senate Kamina Johnson Smith, on Friday.

She revealed that 829 public sector workers applied for the programme and that 430 applications have been approved so far.

The target was up to 1,800.

The SERP is a voluntary separation initiative that allows public-sector employees, aged 50 to 59, under the non-contributory government pension scheme, to take up early retirement through an incentivised package.

It’s part of the public-sector transformation programme and is among the efforts to manage the public-sector wage bill.

Senator Johnson Smith says the remaining applications are being considered.

Meantime, Opposition Senator Lambert Brown questioned what will happen with the government missing its target.

The government has said successful applicants will receive an incentive of two weeks’ salary for each year of service, up to a maximum of one year’s salary.

Finance Minister Audley Shaw, last month cited the need for an aggressive push of the programme to increase the number to the targeted 1,800 persons, indicating that the government wants a smaller public sector, which is more efficient.