IPNews-Capitol Hill Monrovia: The Leadership of the Liberian Senate says all efforts to reach an amicable resolution regarding claim made by staffers and employees that Government through the Senate owed them seventeen months salary arrears is still being discussed and will finalized all discussions with them during the pending meeting scheduled for Wednesday-January 27, 2021.

A statement from the Liberian Senate says that the decision of the Plenary of the Senate delivered by its Leadership at the meeting held on Wednesday-Jan. 20121 is that the august body has reviewed the report of the Ad-hoc Committee headed by former Senator G. Alphonso Gaye and has endorsed its principal finding that through the national harmonization program, the Liberian Dollar Component of the compensation of its staffers, employees as well as that of all Senators was affected.

The Statement further quotes Senate Pro-tempore Prof. Albert T. Chie as saying that although in a bid to minimize the effect of this Liberian Dollar cut on its employees and staff, the Senators further cut an amount of US$557,002.00 from its budget and gave that to its employees, the benefit of this gesture has not however been felt by its employees principally due to the high number of employees and the proportional method of application of the amount.

According to the Statement , the Leadership at the Wednesday meeting with the employees and staff, after an extensive deliberation, informed them that the Senate Plenary has decided to make an additional sacrifice and look for an amount of USD600,000.00 from its goods and services budget line and make a further donation to the staff and employees in lieu of the seventeen months arrears being requested by them and also in lieu of restoration of the Liberian Dollar component of their compensation since the cut was implemented as part of the national harmonization program. In a counter proposal, the spokesperson of the aggrieved employees and staff appealed to the Senate Plenary through its Leadership to still give consideration to its request of settlement of all arrears and restoration of the Liberian Dollar component of their compensation.

Meanwhile, the Leadership of the Liberian Senate is commending the staffers and employees of the Liberian Senate for their continued service to the Liberian Senate. “We shall protect our staff and employees and seek their welfare within available means. These men and women are our strength and pillars and nothing we can do to jeopardize their wellbeing and status in the society.” Pro Tempore Chie assures them.