Ministers: a tenfold increase in salary, results promised!

President Ravalomanana promised the members of his administration a monthly salary of approximately $3,500 starting in August. For their part, the top government officials will receive around $2,100 per month. That is ten times what they are currently making. The idea is that an adequately compensated minister or government official will effectively combat corruption.

Because corruption, one of the relics of Didier Ratsiraka?s former socialist regime, has continued to contaminate the Malagasy government over the last few years, President Ravalomanana felt that there was an urgent need to stop it in its tracks. He made the announcement during a ceremony inaugurating a fairground in the eastern region of Alaotra. He stated quite clearly that the salary readjustments are a performance incentive designed to motivate his collaborators to deliver tangible results. As expected, the announcement exploded like a bomb shell. Nonetheless, it received a standing ovation from the crowd. However, some rather pessimistic onlookers, accustomed to seeing the Malagasy people receive their meager salary at the end of every month, view the president?s decision as an insult because they expect the majority the population to keep experiencing hardship.

Having probably read the mind of the skeptics, Marc Ravalomanana put a positive spin on things by quickly promising a ?progressive? salary increase for the remaining government officials. Meanwhile a tax collector reminded us that, in accordance with the prevailing fiscal policy, high salaries are heavily taxed in Madagascar, and in reality, the ministers will net a mere $2,100, after tax.

Alignment

Moreover, the new increases will bring the leaders? income somewhat in line with that of the foreign experts who live in Madagascar, and who are paid around $7,000 or more each month. After all, these ministers, and these officials are generally the main representatives of the government.

President Ravalomanana also maintained that a Supreme Court will soon be in place to preside over cases involving leaders, and top government officials who are accused of misappropriation of funds, and other crimes and misdemeanors. The constitution has provided for this High Court for some ten years now.

Additionally, a corruption awareness campaign is underway within the police department whose members are expected to effectively comply with, and respond to the will of the people.

The concept of zero impunity, when it comes to government officials, and top bureaucrats, was thus surreptitiously decreed.

Translated by J. F. Razanamiadana