Settle retro pay

Amid potential deadlock on budget discussion between the House and the Senate, a lawmaker appealed to his colleagues on Friday to appropriate money for payment of the so-called retroactive salary increase for government employees.

Rep. Jesus T. Attao said this is the time to settle the overdue compensation of these employees who have been awaiting the benefits for nearly 10 years.

Public Law 7-31 was enacted in 1991 to give government employees a 14 percent across-the-board salary hike, but many of them have yet to receive the raise until now due to financial difficulties confronting the CNMI and alleged politicizing of the issue by the previous administrations.

To pay portion of the salary increase of close to 2,000 former and existing employees, the Senate has inserted provision in the FY 2001 budget that will set aside $2 million strictly for such purpose at the expense of other critical programs of the government.

“While I am fully cognizant of our limited financial resources, the need to appropriate the $2 million as partial payment for the government salary retroactive pay is crucial and a step on the right direction,” said Mr. Attao.

“We cannot and should not continue to ignore our financial obligation to our deserving employees, to those retirees who are still hoping for this payment and to those… who have worked diligently and dedicatedly but have passed away and never enjoyed the fruits of their work because of our inability to secure the needed funds,” he added.

The Saipan legislator wrote to Senators Edward U. Maratita, Pete P. Reyes and Joaquin G. Adriano as well as Representatives Antonio M. Camacho, Oscar M. Babauta and Malua T. Peter to plea his case.

The six lawmakers are set to convene in bicameral conference to hammer out an agreement on the much-delayed fiscal budget following differences on the appropriation items and administrative provisions of the spending measure.

Last week, Mr. Camacho, chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, raised concern that $2 million are being taken away from more critical programs like public health and public safety.

He noted the House has been seeking other ways to address the long-delayed retroactive salary that have been ignored by the Senate, including legislation allowing conversion of the pay hike into retirement benefits.

Mr. Maratita, the Senate Fiscal Affairs Committee chair, earlier has said he would not compromise on the allotment of $2 million during the bicameral meeting.

Reiterating his inaugural remark, Mr. Attao prodded both chambers to fully implement PL 7-31. “The time has come and I urge you to rally behind it to demonstrate our strong commitment to resolve this issue once and for all,” he said.

“May your conscience guide you as you argue to maintain the $2 million intact in our FY 2001 budget. I am ready to support and defend its inclusion in the House,” added the representative.