Officials with fat pay checks want no part of wage ceiling

Santo Domingo.- Dominican government agencies whose officials earn the highest salaries, such as the Central Bank, the Reservas and National Housing banks have asked Congress to be excluded from the bill which would set a ceiling on wages, for which the commission of lawmakers agreed to hear the reasons of the around 40 agencies that make the claim.

Committee chairman José María Sosa (ruling PLD-San Pedro de Macoris) said the group also includes the Agricultural bank, the Banks Superintendence and the Internal Taxes Agency (DGII).

He said the Commission yesterday received a communication from Customs director Rafael Camilo requesting that the Armed Forces and National Police also be left out of the salary ceiling.

He said the study of the bill has been difficult because it seeks to regulate all branches of government and there are already more than 40 agencies which want to stay outside of the law’s scope.

Sosa said the Senate Commission has decided to convene the representatives of those agencies, especially those of the Central Bank, and Agriculture and Reservas banks to explain their position.

RD$400,000 ceiling

Senator Adriano Sanchez warned that if the requests are accepted, the law to set a salary ceiling would have no reason to be.

He said the bill would be merged with the one just passed by the Deputies, which sets a RD$400,000 for the President and no other official would earn more.