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Admin OK’d filling of 308 govt posts
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Posted on Mar 30 2006
The Fitial administration has certified over 300 vacant positions in government since taking office nearly three months ago.
Gov. Benigno R. Fitial and Lt. Gov. Timothy P. Villagomez made the certifications in numerous letters to the Legislature between Jan. 30 and March 16, 2006. The letters state that the positions are “vacant and must be filled during the period of our present continuing resolution.”
“The filling of this vacant position [or positions] is of vital importance for the efficient delivery of essential public services. Continuing appropriations are available for the full personnel costs associated with this vacancy,” the letters stated.
The executive officials also asked appropriate government agencies to assist in filling the positions.
Members of the political opposition have questioned the certifications, saying that these seemed to contradict the administration’s personnel policy.
The governor was pushing for a work-hour reduction to trim government costs, until he decided to pursue a legislated, across-the-board wage cut instead.
But press secretary Charles P. Reyes Jr. maintained yesterday that the vacant positions were certified not to allow new hiring, but merely to replace the resigned personnel of the Babauta administration.
He added that most of the replacements are getting much lower salaries than that of their predecessors. With the looming wage cuts, Fitial’s personnel can expect even smaller paychecks.
“The opposition will use anything to discredit this administration. They are taking advantage of our vulnerable financial situation. They don’t recognize that we are trying to do the job as best as we can, under the circumstances,” Reyes said.
The 308 vacant positions certified by the administration include Cabinet, supervisory, and rank-and-file positions.
At least 158 positions—or more than half of the total number—are for Rota. These include 93 community workers, eight resident directors, and 15 for the Department of Public Safety.
