IF the Senate and the House of Representatives would not come into terms on how to once and for all solve the issue on the salary cap, it would be better if the Office of the Public Auditor conduct an “intensive investigation” and have all employees return their salaries that are above the statutory ceiling.
This was the suggestion made by Juan I. Tenorio, director of the Office of Personnel Management yesterday following the apparent disagreement of the Senate and the House on how to address the salary cap issue.
“The Legislature has the option to sanction partially or sanction all (excessive salaries). That’s their prerogative. Now, if the Senate and the House will not agree to either give sanction or not to everybody, then I guess the issue must be brought to the OPA and have everybody pay back the government because these are public funds and no one should be allowed to steal public funds, otherwise, they would go to jail just like everybody else,” said Tenorio.
Senate leaders earlier said that they may introduce a resolution that would sanction the salaries of employees of the past and present administrations. But some House leaders said they will just ignore the resolution once it is transmitted to the lower chamber.
Tenorio also lashed at the House of Representatives’ passage of H.B. 13-126 introduced by House Speaker Heinz S. Hofschneider, R-Saipan, that only gave sanction to the employees of the past administration who were receiving salaries exceeding the rates mandated under Compensation Adjustment Act.
