26 Nov 2014

Guam senator hits out at lawmaker salary increases

9:32 pm on 26 November 2014

A Guam senator is hitting out at the large salary increases approved for the attorney general, governor, lieutenant governor, senators and cabinet members.

This week lawmakers approved a bill that will increase salaries by up to 44%.

Senator Mike Limtiaco is the only member of the legislature to vote against the move.

Senator's salaries will increase by nearly 40% to 85-thousand US dollars.

The governor's salary is boosted by over 44% to 130-thousand dollars and his lieutenant wages are up 29% to 110-thousand.

Senator Limtiaco says the increases shouldn't be occurring given the financial strife the island and its people are facing.

He says elected officials should not be focussing on wages.

"A public service position is not meant to be a career. I've always opposed the idea that we should have career politicians. We should have various sectors of our community represented in our legislature and that requires a rotation of mind and ideas, as well as perspectives."