BRIEFS. Politics

Asamblea leaders well paid for work

The Asamblea Nacional spends $900,000 a month on salaries for 237 people, according to a recent report which has some criticizing the salaries of public officials.

“The wages are scandalous,” said Edwin Cabrera, who occupied the office of undersecretary from 1999 to 2004.

The chairman of the Asamblea earns $14,000 a month, which is twice as much as the president of the country. The two vice presidents of the Asamblea each earn $12,000 monthly, while two assistant secretaries earn $7,000, or as much as President Martín Torrijos.

The executive president of Transparencia Internacional (TI), Angélica Maytín, said that the government should take steps to adjust the salaries so that they are more in line with what other public officials make.

The Asamblea has been steadily increasing the compensation for officials holding leadership positions. Over the past four years, its budget for such salaries has increased from $40 million in 2005 to $54 million this year. That is a $3 million increase from the $51 million in salaries that it paid last year.