THE administration is hoping that the Senate would be able to convince the House of Representatives to also sanction the salaries of current employees that are higher than the ceiling prescribed by law.
“I know that the House is refusing to sanction (the present administration’s salaries) but they are sanctioning the past administration’s. And we are hoping that the Senate would support us and eventually convince the House that (the salaries of) our employees should also be sanctioned,” said Lt. Gov. Diego T. Benavente.
The House early this month passed H.B. 13-131, which would approve the salaries of the past administration’s employees that exceeded the cap.
House Speaker Heinz S. Hofschneider, R-Saipan, introduced the measure.
Just like the past administration, Benavente said the present administration admits that it failed to have the salaries of its employees sanctioned by the Legislature as required by P.L. 11-41 or the existing budgetary act.
“That’s how it has been for many, many years. And yes, it was our oversight and also the oversight of the previous administration. It was something that has been practiced for many years and (that provision) was a minor inclusion in P.L. 11-41. But I don’t even remember that we included it,” said Benavente, the House speaker during the 9th, 10th and 11th Legislatures.
What is important now, according to Benavente, is that the administration is trying to correct its mistake and is working with the Legislature to have it rectified.
“The decision to go beyond the cap was not out of disrespect to the Legislature. It’s not because we don’t care whether they sanction it or not. This is in fact required by law and we have to comply with the law,” he said.
But if the Legislature would not sanction the salaries of executive branch employees, Benavente said “they would still have to comply (with the Legislature’s decision).”
“We want to work with the Legislature—we would do everything that we could, to do what is being asked or required of us,” he added.
Senate President Paul A. Manglona, R-Rota, said the Senate Committee on Fiscal Affairs is now coordinating with the House Committee on Ways on Means to address the issue on the salary cap.
“I was told that they will address the matter through provisions in the budget act for fiscal year 2003,” Manglona said.
