Friday, January 11, 2013

President hints at pay rise for govt employees

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Friday, 11 January 2013 14:32 Theingi Tun

In a presidential address to Parliament on Thursday, Thein Sein hinted that he would approve increasing the salaries of civil servants in the coming fiscal year.

“We can debate the parliamentary budget in full transparency,” he said. “And examine whether increases in pay and allowances are practical for government employees in the coming fiscal year.”

The fiscal year 2013-14 begins on April 1.

Although details were not specified, it is thought that the public sector he mentioned will include the military, teachers, engineers, municipal staff, and all civil servants within government ministries. However, parliamentarians do not qualify for the pay rise.

Thein Sein’s comments came just two days after he appointed an eight-member “Anti-Corruption Committee” headed by Vice-President Sai Mauk Kham in a bid to tackle endemic bribery and corruption in the public sector.

Retired Professor of Economics Maw Than said, “The formation of this Committee might be linked to the pay rises. In Singapore, public sector employees are paid the highest salaries as part of the effort to eradicate corruption and bribery within the government machinery.”

Lower House Speaker Shwe Mann motioned for pay rises for government employees in 2012-13. However, Finance and Revenue Minister Hla Tun advocated that government salaries should not be increased until 2013-14. He was backed by the Industrial Development Minister and the Minister of National Planning.

In April 2010, the salaries of all government employees were raised by 20,000 kyat (US $23.50), while staffers under the Basic Education Department received pay hikes of 7%.
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Related article:

http://www.mizzima.com/news/inside-burma/6765-burmese-govt-personnel-given-pay-raises.html

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