Govt meets Friday payroll

The CNMI government met its payroll obligations last Friday despite the threat of a payless payday last week.

Finance Secretary Eloy Inos said the government managed to collect funds to pay its employees.

“They got paid,” Inos told reporters Friday afternoon.

The government’s gross payroll currently amounts to $6.3 million every 15 days.

Inos, however, said that other obligations such as payment to vendors, as well as retirement contributions, were not fulfilled during the last pay period.

“Certainly, other areas suffered. Somebody is not getting paid but we’ve got to share the pie,” said Inos.

Early last week, the Executive Branch assured government employees that they would receive their salary but maybe not on Friday but three days later.

The administration continues to count on the Legislature’s passage of wage reduction bills, which would result in some $4 million savings.