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Finance urged to release $200K for Rota retro pay
Rep. Teresita A. Santos (Ind-Rota) is urging the Department of Finance to release the $200,000 appropriated by the Budget Act of 2015 for retroactive payments to the island’s government employees.
In an Oct. 2, 2014, letter to Finance Secretary Larissa Larson, Santos reminded her that under Public Law 18-66, the Department of Finance should release $200,000 “for the payment in equal percentage to the affected government employees owed $3,000 and above in retroactive salary adjustment payments.” P.L. 18-66 is the Budget Act of 2015.
The lawmaker told Saipan Tribune that the money owed Rota civil servants originally amounted to $2.1 million but due to appropriations like what the 2015 Budget Act earmarked for the current fiscal year, the total decreased throughout the years.
“As the Legislature appropriates funds, disbursements will be made to affected government employees. Originally it was $2.1 million, but we’ve been making payments gradually and it’s now down to a little over $1 million,” said Santos, who also chairs the Rota Legislative Delegation.
A list submitted by Santos to the Saipan Tribune showed that the CNMI still owes Rota government employees $919,442.58, while $137.480.75 is owed deceased staff.
“In the case of deceased employees with a surviving spouse, the surviving spouse shall be paid, provided the appropriate notarized application and other required documents are submitted.”
In the case of deceased government employees without a surviving spouse but is survived by children, then a notarized affidavit and other required documents have to be submitted by the children, Santos said.
“I look forward to the release of retroactive payments Rota government employees have long been waiting for,” she told Saipan Tribune.
Out of the $134.33-million 2015 CNMI budget law Gov. Eloy S. Inos signed last Sept. 17, Rota was appropriated $5.551 million and that’s where the $200,000 for retroactive payments would be derived from.
