Members of parliament (MPs) yesterday called off parliamentary functions until the minister of finance and economic development agrees to increase their salaries.
According to Elizabeth Lavallie of the opposition SLPP, government was supposed to have increased their take home pay to US$4,200. She, however, blamed government's noncompliance on finance minister David Carew while she justified their recent protest action.
"Other government officials take attractive salaries, some even far more than we do," she lamented.
Meanwhile, the minister, who was summoned to parliament at the height of the complaint, entreated MPs that he was aware about a proposed salary increment but that there was no money at the moment.
"I am aware about the said increase in the salaries for parliamentarians. But I will not be able to approve it as it is now. This is because there is no money," he said.
Acting minority leader in parliament Hon. Emmanuel Tommy moved a motion asking that deliberations and all businesses in the house be suspended until the minister approves the increase in salaries.
The protest action came almost at the eve of the country's 2009 budget presentation which usually done by the finance minister.
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The parliamentarians in Sierra Leone like all politicians only look after themselves. There are quite a number of Govt offices in the country that have gone without salaries not to talk about salary increases for months. None of them is concerned about the ordinary civil servants. Only political appointees earn salaries in thousands of dollars per month. Refusing to meet because they are not given an increase is simply unacceptable to the ears of the people of Sierra Leone.
Sideshow: four ks for what? Bunkum. You did not earn two ks in the States or the UK, driving cabs and selling newspapers or .... You soupists fool only yourselves: what about the marginal 10 percenter?
FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS, AND COUNTING? What a joke in country numero zero (CNZ). All soupists are devoid of a conscience, which will issue when, not if, the soupist structure collapses. Soon.
Regards.
I understand the situation; a sovereingt country like Sierra Leone need to support her politicians, but politicians should not just take the money and snuff it without doing the work for the people. Ordinary Sierra Leoneans should see that the get a good outcomes out of their taxes and other expenditurs put into the Government. The greedy ones in the Parliament who are not doing any thing good for the country need to be watch VERY CAREFULLY. Why? Because they are NOTHING but devils!!! Yes, Sierra Leone cares but she should CARE for ALL BORN SIERRA LEONEANS AND AFRICANS!!!
Your Brother in Allah and Christ
Really? I frankly cannot believe that our leaders would even think of shutting down government on the grounds that they are not getting their promised increments. If I must remind all the politicians in my country,public offices are not meant to be profit making enterprises. If you don't like the amount the job offers, it is ok to quit,and you don't have to labour yourself writing a resignation letter. How many months have teachers gone without pay? What is the GDP per capital again... $300 annually? I suggest that whoever came up with the idea of the increment be forced to resign his her position.
Dont' you know that soupists in soupist occupied Sierra Leone are in the game for THE money? Wake up and smell the coffee, dude!
Highest Regards.
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