Legislators Fast
Track Their
Salary Hike
The seats have
yet to be warmed
up, but
the current crop
of legislators
have learned
real fast to get
the nasty
business of
giving
themselves a
salary raise out
of the way
before protests
hit the streets.
And as such, by
a majority vote,
the bill raising
their salaries
will be fast
tracked.
The vote took
place at 3:42pm,
with a vote of
44 in favour and
11 against.
Legislators of
the Liberación
Nacional,
Movimiento
Libertario and
Unidad Social
Cristiana
parties did not
comment on the
vote, which saw
only legislators
of the Acción
Ciudadana (PAC)
and Frente
Amplio parties
voting against.
Viviana Martín,
leader of the
PLN and Luis
Gerardo
Villanueva,
president of the
legislature and
also a member of
the PLN, would
not comment to
the press after
the vote.
The fast
tracking of the
legislation will
mean a quick
approval, while
items like the
reforms to the
fines and
sanctions of the
traffic law and
many other
important laws,
take a back
seat.
For
constitutional
lawyer, Rubén
Hernández, he
told the daily
Al Día that the
action by
legisaltors is
unconstitutional.
"The
Constitution
states that no
one can
legislate to
their
advantage", the
lawyer was
quoted.
Hernández added
that the
legislator's
actions are also
a violation of
the "Ley de
Enriquecimiento
Ilícito"
(Illicit
Enrichment Act)
and cannot be
applied as it
(the increase)
should have been
approved the
outgoing
legislators.
Yesterday's
approval to fast
track the
legislation
means that
discussions
begin this
morning at
9:30am with a
first vote
expected later
in the day and
could be
approved in
second vote as
early as
Thursday.
Martín said last
Friday that the
initiative has
the support of
the Poder
Ejecutivo
(executive
branch of the
government).
Interestingly,
the quick action
vote came at a
time when
president Laura
Chinchilla is
out of the
country,
attending the
European Union
free trade talks
in Spain.
Legislators want
to give them a
raise in salary
that would earn
them ¢4 million
colones monthly
(us$8.000) from
the current ¢1.5
million colones. |
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