By Staff Writer
Women Members of Parliament are still waiting for their first pay cheque since they were sworn in recently under the arrangement for 10% seat allocations in the House.
For opposition MP Ali’imalemanu Alofa Tu’uau the wait is going on to 2 years whereas it’s more than half a year for another non Government MP Fagaesealii Sapoa Feagiai.
“ I asked the staff of the Office of the Legislative about it on Thursday and was told it was being held up in Cabinet,” MP Ali’imalemanu told Newsline Samoa.
“I guess I’ll just have to continue to be patient now that I’ve been officially sworn in unless there is a new process we don’t know off that will lead to more delays.”
Budget constraints are an unlikely to be a worry with the allocations set aside for salaries for Government.
Members of Parliament are Statutory Expenditures given under the budget for salaries starting with the Head of State along with the judiciary judges, so they are priority expenses.
Opposition leader, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, is concerned about the delays for the women MPs going through the prolonged ordeal of not being paid.
He blamed Government for the deliberate setbacks for the women MPs being made to wait for salaries when they have already been sworn in.
MP Ali’imalemanu has been forced to go without salary since her seat went through the roller-coster ride in Parliament as well as the ins and out of courtroom hearings shortly after the 2021 April general elections.