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Written by Edward E. Tamba
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Tuesday, 22 January 2013 01:40 |
The Speaker of Liberia’s House of Representatives, Alex Tyler, blames the Executive Branch for delays in the increment of salaries of the civil servants. He describes it as deliberate on the side of the Executive Branch of Government.
Speaker Tyler made the assertion at the Ministry of Information’s regular press conference on Thursday, January 17, 2013 in the Charles Gbenyon Press Hall. Responding to a question asked by a journalist relating to civil servants salaries increment, the Speaker said, “the failure of the government to increase civil servants salaries is deliberate, but on the part of the Executive Branch of government, who crafted the budget.”
It can be recalled that during the just ended fiscal budget debates, the Executive Branch of government cited budgetary constraints and the influx of ghost names on the payroll as reasons why civil servants salaries were not increased, noting that it will take the government about 3 months to clean up the payroll after which the civil servants salaries will be increased.
The latest makes it second Speaker Tyler’s statement he has made against the Executive in the government’s failure to increase the salaries of the civil servants in Liberia, exonerating the Legislature. The speaker is on records, after the 2012/13 fiscal year budget hearings for saying that the Legislature was cajoled by the Executive not to add anything to the salary of civil servants, adding that they (Executive) control the civil servants.
The issue of civil servants salary increment ignited mixed views when President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, while at the United Nations General Assembly, reportedly referred to the lawmakers as self-interest lawmakers, painting the lawmakers as being behind the failed increment of civil servants’ salaries.
The situation angered some lawmakers who demanded the President to retract her statement, noting that her statement has the susceptibility of damaging and tainting the image of the Legislature.
However, the Speaker has assured the Liberian people that the issue of the civil servants will be addressed shortly.
This assurance comes less than 48 hours after the Executive committee of the Civil servants and the General Workers Association of Liberia (CSAGWAL) Inc., rejected the reportedly proposed US$ 20.00 increment by Deputy Finance Minister for Revenue, Sebastian Muah.
Civil Rights Advocate, Jefferson Elliot, has rejected the proposal, noting that it is unacceptable. He added that the US$70.00 increment which was proposed by government must be retroactive beginning with the July 2012/2013 National Budget year. |
