Rong Chhun questions Hun Sen on gov't officials' number of advisers

Rong Chhun, president of Cambodia Independent Teachers' Association (Photo RFA)

Thursday, 16 March 2006

By Ung Chamroeun
Cambodge Soir

Translated from French by KI-Media

Education – Rong Chhun, the president of the Cambodia Independent Teachers’ Association (CITA) questions by mail prime minister Hun Sen on the usefulness of numerous advisers surrounding senior government officials. The trade unionist is asking how many advisers a high ranking official can afford and what title do these advisers bear. Rong Chhun recalls the prime minister that teachers and lower rank government employees are reduced to earning much less than these advisers, at a tune of an average of $35 per month. However, he added that the cost of living had increased, their salaries should have been adjusted to reflect this fact and should be set at 400,000 riels at a minimum ($100). A paltry sum, he said, compared to the “million of dollars” spent by the government as “salaries for the advisers,” whose numbers Rong Chhun suggests a limit. He argued that the money thus saved could be used to re-evaluate the salaries of low ranking government employees.