NewsWhore
01-18-2007, 06:20 PM
In today's Clave newspaper, editor Fausto Rosario Adames writes that there is a "curious coincidence between increases in the public payroll and the tax code modifications pushed through by governments over the years". He mentions that when Leonel Fernandez first became President in 1996, 281,844 people were on the central government payroll, according to the Central Bank. Four years later, this number had increased to 329,983, or up by 17%. President Hipolito Mejia then increased it to 359,874, or a further 9%. And so far, the Central Bank now says that central government employs 365,505 people, or 5,631 more than during the previous government. "We are talking about a super-employer, with a seemingly limitless voracity to spend on wages. A state to distribute the spoils, not social justice, where one goes 'to get my part', earned with the banner of the political party that won in the election."
He points out that taxpayers foot the bill for RD$3.09 billion a month in these wages, without receiving anywhere near a quality service. Jose Lois Malkun, when he was Minister of Finance under the Mejia administration, said that the state would be more efficient with 125,000 fewer employees.
It has to be noted that these numbers do not include all the advisors and temporary personnel who are contracted by government departments.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#2)
He points out that taxpayers foot the bill for RD$3.09 billion a month in these wages, without receiving anywhere near a quality service. Jose Lois Malkun, when he was Minister of Finance under the Mejia administration, said that the state would be more efficient with 125,000 fewer employees.
It has to be noted that these numbers do not include all the advisors and temporary personnel who are contracted by government departments.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#2)