NewsWhore
05-16-2007, 06:10 PM
Three of today's major newspapers give prominence to the very scandalous pay raises at the Chamber of Accounts, the government's accounting office, in January. Diario Libre says that a total of RD$157.9 million will go to the accounting office's nine magistrates during their term in office, if the 72% pay increase they voted for themselves a month into their appointment, is maintained. By the end of the year, each magistrate will have received RD$4,049,948.52, and by 16 August 2010, each will have received over RD$18 million. The paper said that the magistrates increased their salaries from RD$188,000 to RD$449,000 with "a stroke of the pen". Other news reports say that with benefits, they are making upwards of RD$600,000 a month.
Chief magistrate Andres Terrero told the paper that the judges should handle the issue "internally and in harmony." The paper points out that many government officer salaries far exceed the RD$90,000 that President Fernandez receives. The Treasury Minister gets RD$740,000, the Banking Superintendent gets RD$705,000, the chief judge of the Supreme Court receives RD$600,000, and the administrator of the Banco de Reservas is paid RD$975,000 each month, plus benefits.
Hoy newspaper reports that last night Terrero told reporters that as soon as things settle down a bit, he will ask the magistrates to revoke the pay increase, since he considers it to be a violation of the Austerity Law. He also asked the director of the government's Reservas bank, Jose Manuel Guzman, to certify that he, personally, has not used a cent of the new salary.
Addressing a group of accountants, Terrero admitted signing the pay raise approved by most of the magistrates, but with the knowledge that it would have to be revoked. El Caribe's headline quotes magistrate Lora Ruiz, the only magistrate who refused to vote for the increase, as saying that the Chamber of Accounts is in "a state of emergency." Lora Ruiz is calling for a meeting of the entire chamber to revoke the pay raise that he opposed, and thus put an end to the scandal that has been headline news for more than a week.
The work of the Chamber of Accounts so far has been decorative and symbolic over the years, as the government has not acted on audits that have been carried out.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#7)
Chief magistrate Andres Terrero told the paper that the judges should handle the issue "internally and in harmony." The paper points out that many government officer salaries far exceed the RD$90,000 that President Fernandez receives. The Treasury Minister gets RD$740,000, the Banking Superintendent gets RD$705,000, the chief judge of the Supreme Court receives RD$600,000, and the administrator of the Banco de Reservas is paid RD$975,000 each month, plus benefits.
Hoy newspaper reports that last night Terrero told reporters that as soon as things settle down a bit, he will ask the magistrates to revoke the pay increase, since he considers it to be a violation of the Austerity Law. He also asked the director of the government's Reservas bank, Jose Manuel Guzman, to certify that he, personally, has not used a cent of the new salary.
Addressing a group of accountants, Terrero admitted signing the pay raise approved by most of the magistrates, but with the knowledge that it would have to be revoked. El Caribe's headline quotes magistrate Lora Ruiz, the only magistrate who refused to vote for the increase, as saying that the Chamber of Accounts is in "a state of emergency." Lora Ruiz is calling for a meeting of the entire chamber to revoke the pay raise that he opposed, and thus put an end to the scandal that has been headline news for more than a week.
The work of the Chamber of Accounts so far has been decorative and symbolic over the years, as the government has not acted on audits that have been carried out.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#7)