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Liberia: Civil Servants Yearn for Arrears As Fiscal 2007/08 Expires June
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The NEWS (Monrovia)
21 May 2008
Posted to the web 21 May 2008
Monrovia
Thousands of civil servants who have been anticipating their salary arrears covering some 14 months of the pre-transitional government era may be disappointed as it is becoming evident that there are no immediate plans by the government to make good its promise of settling such arrears.
Although the government had allotted US$5,766,241 for the arrears payment of civil servants in its fiscal budget of US$199,383,953.00 beginning July 1, 2007 and ending June 30, 2008, not much has been expended as the government had only made a token payment of two months arrears payment.
A group of irritated current and former civil servants who walked into the offices of this paper Tuesday expressed frustration and repugnance over the government's seemingly lack of interest in making its promise to settle all civil servants' arrears a reality in keeping with budgetary appropriations.
They indicated that following the passage of the 2007/08 budget, they had envisaged that the government would have been servicing their salary arrears concomitantly with the disbursement of current salaries in order to augment their minimum earnings of US$55.00 or LD$3,000 monthly, but quite to their surprise the government reneged on its commitment.
"We wish to inform President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf that while we do appreciate her determination to further increase our salary for fiscal 2008/2009, we want to emphatically register our indignation at the level of treatment meted at us regarding our arrears," they noted.
They also said the President must be realistic when it comes to the welfare of civil servants who continue to sacrifice and were surviving on their meager salaries to cater to their families.
The group of civil servants also pointed out that the authorities of many ministries and agencies have excluded them from receiving the general and special allowances allotted in the fiscal 2007/2008 budget, while most of them (ministers and directors) were luxuriously feasting at their detriment.
"We want an explanation outlining a definite position of government on the issue of our salary arrears. We can no longer sit supinely while certain individuals trample upon our rights," they cautioned.
The group indicated that their colleagues who were downsized are in dire need of their salary arrears in bulk to assist them put their shattered lives back on track.
Efforts at the Ministry of Finance to interview Minister Antoinette Sayeh or the Deputy Minister for Fiscal Affairs and Debt Management, Roderick Smith proved futile as our reporter was told that they were indisposed.
Notwithstanding, economic pundits hinted this paper that it was difficult, if not, impossible for the government to settle a substantial amount of civil servants' arrears during this fiscal year owing to the fact that government has submitted a supplemental budget to the House of Representatives in the amount of about US$10 million to cover some of its current expenditures.
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They also indicated that the submission of the supplemental budget was surprising since some major budgetary items such as the allotments for the renovation of the Executive Mansion, county development programs, renovation of Tubman College, among others, have not be exhausted, and as such, there should have been budgetary transfer to augment for lapses in expenditure.
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