17 November 2007
Bujumbura — President of the Republic has changed his stand with regard to the payment of the increase of the salaries. In a national address that he delivered today after the cabinet was sworn in, he advised he civil servants to wait the improvement of the state's finances. â-šWhen the finances will be improved you too will enjoy," declared the President of the Republic. The head of state who has promised more to the population than any other President has done in Burundi seems to be changing his stand. He advised his cabinet to â-špromise what they can get."
The head of state has acknowledged that civil servants are living in dire conditions but advised them to continue working in order to put an end to the habits of the transitional period which was characterized by interminable strikes that disturbed the activities in all the walks of the national civil service.
The payment of the 34 percent increase to civil servants' salaries was one of the claims of the many unions that have gone on strike over the two last months and which have planned to resume very soon if the government fails to address their issues. Protests were partly fuelled by increase lodging allowances which amounts to more than one 100 000 francs for army and police officers while they average 15000 francs to the secondary school teacher with a bachelor degree.
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