Although payless paydays happened many times due to the CNMI government’s cash-flow situation, employees interviewed by this reporter said they are hoping that the timely release of their paychecks will continue in the new fiscal year.
Michelle I. Tagabuel, who works at the governor’s special programs and legislative review office, said she is very happy to get her paycheck. Now, she said, she can pay her bills on time.
Although she could no longer remember the last time they got paid on an actual payday, Tagabuel said she’s “crossing her fingers” and hoping that there will be no more payless paydays.
In a separate interview, Press Secretary Angel A. Demapan said the government had enough cash collection for this pay period.
He recalled that there had been a couple times over the last several weeks that government had a timely payroll.
Asked if yesterday’s timely payroll could be the signal that there will be no more payless paydays in FY 2012, Demapan said the hope is there but “this must not be misconstrued that payroll will not be delayed in the future.”
“We are not completely out of the woods yet,” he added.
Yesterday’s payroll, Demapan explained, is still part of the FY 2011 budget. Half of the next pay period, he added, will still be from FY2011 budget.
The government has been delaying the release of the paychecks of its employees for more than a year now due to dwindling financial resources.
Many employees, especially those who perform non-critical services, are already used to receiving their paychecks two to three days later.
