South Sudan resolves to pay TV staff arrears

May 22, 2010 (TURALEI) — The regional government of Southern Sudan has today said resolved to fully settle one year arrears not paid to staff members of the Southern Sudan Radio and TV who have twice gone on peaceful strike over non payment of their rental allowances.

mg6688|right>I have in most follow up meetings with ministry of finance and economic planning of the southern Sudan raised and discussed the issue of rental allowances of the southern Sudan TV and radio at length long before attempts to go on strike, Arop Bagat, Direct General of southern Sudan Radio and Television, told Sudan Tribune by phone from regional capital of Juba.

The ministry took it up long before any pressure to follow up procedures to pay these arrears to staff members at southern Sudan Radio and TV. All communications and procedures with ministry of finance and economic planning have been shared with leaders of the staff members; Mr.Bagat said adding he does not understand why staff decided to go on strike again.

I do not understand why they decided to go strike again while they have been kept current with any single steps in the procedures, he said revealing that all administrative and financial procedures and processes involved in the transfers are completed.

All administrative and financial procedures and processes involved in the transfer are completed that ministry of finance will early next week initiate transfer process to the ministry of information and broadcasting account.

This process will have been completed by Tuesday 25. By Tuesday 25, all these arrears shall have been received in the account of ministry of information and broadcasting account, Arop said wondering why staff members at Southern Sudan Radio and TV went on strike even when they are aware of the process.

What do they tell you to be the reason they went on strike, he asked adding that government intends to find out reason behind the strike when they, referring to staff members, are already aware of the process it began earlier.

He said the ministry of information and broadcasting serve will no later than when it has received these arrears in the ministry account will initiate immediate transfer of individuals’ arrears to their bank accounts the same Tuesday 25. These processes will finish within the course of next week so that this issue is closed once and for all.

He however said the delay was due to multiple national events whose occurrence interrupted processes involved in these arrears since last year. This issue would have been settled long ago but processes were frequently interrupted by other national important events particularly elections which have just been concluded yesterday, he said.

However, staff member at Southern radio who requested to remain anonymous, disputed the delay and blamed administration of the ministry of information and broadcasting service saying communications they have had were often less convincing.

All they used to tell our representatives at follow up meetings were lame and less convincing excuses. They have been citing national events particularly elections as caused of delay while other staff members from other ministries of the same government could get their rental allowances and other arrears without giving such excuses, she said.

There was administrative defect and they deserve blame for delay. The administrative system of this ministry works contrary to rest of the ministries as if it is different ministry of different government. The system is slow and lousy, she described.

Every single administrative issue even if it is something that could be attended at no time takes long procedural steps. Any plan that involves administration of this ministry takes long to be settled or abandoned; she explained urging improvement in the system. There needs to be in improvement in the current administrative system, otherwise things will continue to be the way they are currently, she said.

(ST)