NewsWhore
08-23-2007, 05:40 PM
The Young Entrepreneurs Association (ANJE) says that the government hasn't fulfilled its promise to reduce expenses and control public spending. ANJE president Joel Santos said that the government is not following law 497-06 on austerity and is defaulting on its promise to reduce spending by RD$17.5 billion this year. Santos, quoted in Clave Digital, says that instead of replacing employees, the government has created new positions, adding to burgeoning expenses. Santos also points out that the government hasn't reduced public officials' cell phone use, salaries or expenses. In fact Santos says that costs have increased by 14.5%, RD$11.5 billion, in the first seven months of the year in comparison to the same period in 2006 when costs were at RD$9.34 billion. He says payroll payment has increased by RD$1.3 billion, for a 5.8% increase and that non-staff services have increased by RD$881.4 million, for a 13.7% increase.
Santos said that ANJE has been monitoring government spending closely since January 2007. Yesterday, speaking on the Nuria and Huchi CDN Radio afternoon talk show, Santos predicted that government spending could get worse since the controls that come with the country having an IMF arrangement may be relaxed now that the government has decided to work without IMF surveillance as of February 2008. Santos explained that since there will be no agreement next year, the results of the year's end IMF review are meaningless and the government could have already stepped up spending.
Santos explained that the increases in government subsidies and the payroll are more significant because the base level at the start of 2007 was already too high.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#5)
Santos said that ANJE has been monitoring government spending closely since January 2007. Yesterday, speaking on the Nuria and Huchi CDN Radio afternoon talk show, Santos predicted that government spending could get worse since the controls that come with the country having an IMF arrangement may be relaxed now that the government has decided to work without IMF surveillance as of February 2008. Santos explained that since there will be no agreement next year, the results of the year's end IMF review are meaningless and the government could have already stepped up spending.
Santos explained that the increases in government subsidies and the payroll are more significant because the base level at the start of 2007 was already too high.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#5)