Employees at the governor’s office, the Legislature, including lawmakers themselves, got the news late in the day.
According to a legislative report, the CNMI government spends $280,000 a day for payroll or close to $3 million in two weeks.
Earlier, some government employees interviewed by the Variety expressed concern over how the once thriving tourism-based economy of the Northern Marianas has been going downhill and dragging them and their families with it.
“I am really mad,” a long-time employee said.
Other employees said they were planning to hold a “sit-down” strike if the administration failed to pay them this week.
House Minority Leader Diego T. Benavente, R-Saipan, said it was a mistake to pay government employees based on their nature of work because everybody worked and deserved to be paid.
“I have spoken already about my disappointment. It’s clear and obvious that because of our economic situation, people are living from paycheck to paycheck. Not everybody, but a lot of them, including government employees, especially those making $12,000, $14,000 or $15,000 a year. We know that’s not enough to get food on the table, pay your utilities, mortgage and so we know that they suffer if they don’t get paid on time,” Benavente said.
“In my opinion, it’s a mistake on the administration’s part to pay first the essential public services employees. I think the fact is every single government employee has put that eight hours or two weeks work (and deserve to be paid on time),” he added.
The lawmaker said the administration knew that it had been overspending since Oct. 1, 2009, the start of fiscal year 2010, and should had initiated reduced allotments as early as the first two quarters.
A mother of four who asked not to be identified said although she has other sources of income, she still looks forward to her biweekly paychecks.
“I still need it to buy food and groceries for my family,” she said.
With the end of the school year, many parents who work for the government said their paycheck becomes more important as they have to feed their children who are staying at home this summer.
Another employee said the administration’s policy of releasing the checks of essential employees’ first is demoralizing and unfair.
She said those earning least should get paid first.
If the government wants to cut expenses it should look first at how much gaming commissioners on Tinian and Rota are paid, she added.
Tinian gaming commissioners each get paid $75,000 a year while their Rota’s counterparts get $60,000 each.
The salary cap for government officials is $50,000 at the cabinet level, except those with a Ph.D., medical or law degree.
Those who work for the Departments of Public Safety, Corrections and Public Health, the Public School System as well as federally funded posts, got their paychecks on time last Friday.
