12 Jun 2010

Samoa government introduces last salary increase in budget before general election

4:32 am on 12 June 2010

The Samoa government has introduced a second salary increase to become effective on the first of July for all public servants in the last budget before the county's next general election in March 2011.

The last increase was in July 2006 after the general election in that year.

The parliamentary debate for the last budget is scheduled to start next Monday after the Minister of Finance, Niko Lee Hang, has tabled it almost two weeks ago.

Among the key initiatives highlighted in the 2010/2011 budget is a salary increase of nine point seven percent for government employees currently earning less than 25 thousand US dollars .

An increase has also been proposed in the budget for the old pensioner's scheme with the present 50 US dollar a month to be increased to 55 or $130 Samoan Tala a month.