Gov’t paid NAf. 1.31 million mobile phone bill to TelEm
~ Budget debate continues today ~
PHILIPSBURG--Government spent NAf. 1,131,844.78 last year in mobile telephone bills for civil servants. That amount covers 206 mobile phones from St. Maarten Telephone Group of Companies TelEm allotted to civil servants in "key positions," including emergency posts at the Fire and Ambulance Departments, police, health inspectors and policy advisors.
The Ministry of General Affairs has 50 government-allocated mobile phones; Ministry of Justice 25 mobile phones; Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports 17; Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication 35 mobile phones; Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure 42 mobile phones; Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour 26 mobile phones; and Ministry of Finance 9 mobile phones.
Prime Minister/General Affair Minister Marcel Gumbs told Parliament Wednesday that government intends to establish a new policy on the issuance and regulation of mobile phones for civil servants to curb the high bill.
Independent MP Leona Marlin-Romeo had called on government in the Plenary Session of Parliament on the draft 2015 budget on Tuesday to seek more ways to cut back on waste and bad spending in the administration Read more
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