8 September 2007
Bujumbura — The payment of the salaries due to civil servants for the month of August has been delayed. Only the security and defence forces have received pay.
Sources indicate that the government is faced with a shortage of liquid cash after the international community reduced support in response to the current political impasse.
The government has declared a rise in the price of sugar and beer so as to cope with the current shortage of cash.
The lack of liquidity has delayed the start of major projects such as the talks aimed at setting up a Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The Presidency of the Republic, however, indicates that these talks are due to start soon and money is no longer an issue.
This shortage of liquidity occurs as the prices of products of the first necessity continue to rise on the domestic market.
Parents are also preparing to begin the new school year. The government of Burundi has promised civil servants a 34 percent increase in salary, but this promised increase cannot come into effect since the Breton Woods institutions are opposed to it on the grounds that the country's assets are extremely scarce.
The review of the budget for this semester was not presented to the national assembly since it has already ended its June session. This review is not necessary, according to the chairman of Court Accounts, Mr Dwima Fulgence Bakana, who said that "it intervenes in case of additional expenses which appear during the period and it is done in agreement with the International Monetary Fund, for the case of Burundi, there is still no agreement."
Further talks with the International Monetary Funds are scheduled for the month of September in order to settle the issue of the 34 percent increase in salary for civil servants. This increase, however, might seem to be taking with the right hand that which the government has given with the left hand since the fees for other services, mainly in the private sector, have risen following the announcement of a rise in salary of civil servant.
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