A basic salary of 125,000 pesos monthly, 50,000 in perks, 25,000 in per diem and another 3,500 pesos per session totals RD$203,500 (US$6,166 at the 33 pesos per dollar rate).

Added to that monthly total is a Provincial Management Fund (“the little barrel) from RD$400,000 to 900,000, placed at their discretion.

If the senators get the increase they seek their salary would reach 250,000, with another 125,000 pesos to what they’re currently paid, the total would then be at least 1.22 million pesos monthly (US$37,227).

Although with totally different economic and social realities, that total exceeds the income of a European legislator, including those of Italy, considered the world’s most expensive.

According to an article published recently in the newspaper El Mundo, a parliamentarian in Italy is paid about 12,000 euros monthly, which added to the perks reaches 25,000 euros monthly.

When the figure is converted to the Dominican peso, with the euro calculated at about 45 to 1 rate, Italy pays 1,125,000 pesos (about 34,090 dollars), equal to about 103,500 pesos (3,136 dollars), less than what a Dominican senator would make if the raise takes effect.

While Dominicans are poverty-stricken, Government officials live high on the hog

The base salary of the head of the Government-owned Banco de Reservas is RD$600,000, not including other perks taking it to $975,000 monthly.

In that bank the managers make "an initial" wage of $180,000 and the directors get paid $300,000, plus perks and incentives, in both cases.

They all get "special services" including vehicles, chauffer, fuel, birthday bonuses; the get paid for their children’s schools and university; national and international health insurance, among other benefits.

Banco de Resevas’ special perks for active employees are also given to its pensioners, who can retire with 100% of their pay with as little as 20 service years in that bank.

But other Government agencies are also very generous with the Dominican taxpayers’ money, as similar benefits are enjoyed by the governor, managers, directors and senior officials of the Central Bank.

According to the document quoted by Hoy, the Governor of the Central Bank takes home $950,000 monthly, including the $600,000 base salary’ managers have a $225,000 initial pay, with increases as high as $400.000 for annual seniority, plus perks, whereas the directors make $175,000 as base pay, with annual increases of up to $350,000, and perks.

These officials are also assigned a chauffer with vehicles, fuel, birthday bonus;  school sand university for the children and the right to a hospital "suite," among other benefits.

For the Central Bank’s governor, managers, directors and senior officers there are other perks denominated "special services," such as payment for memberships to clubs, gyms and others.

Its pensioners get medical insurance, medicine, schools and university payments for their children, Christmas bonus, fuel and other benefits, enjoyed only by active employees in other agencies and in the private sector.

The Finance minister gets paid a total of $740.000 monthly; the Banks superintendent $750.000, whereas its directors take home a total of $375,000 each. All receive Christmas bonuses of up to 8 times their wages.

The Supreme Court president’s monthly salary reaches a total of $600,000, whereas the other judges make a total of $500,000, and get the same pay when they retire.

The Accounts Chamber’s wages for its president totals $475,000, whereas the other judges make $375,000.

The list also includes the Government’s National Health Insurance (SENASA), whose director’s monthly wage totals $418,000, and a Christmas bonus of up to 3 times their salary.

New posts will not increase payroll, says government

The president’s press office stated that when Leonel Fernández took power the government’s expenditure stood at 18.2% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), while income was just 16.4%.

According to the press office, in contrast, the current government is generating 19.7% more income than the figure for 2004, and during the last three years expenditure has been lower than income, because a rational austerity policy has been applied to salaries and wages, keeping this expenditure at 4% of GDP.

Poll: 58% of Dominicans can’t afford the basics

Forty per cent said that they could cover their costs, but only just. The rest, some 42%, said that their income did not cover their basic needs.

The poll found that the percentage of households in the last category was highest in the country’s southern region – 49%. Less than 1% of southern households could say that they lived comfortably.

In the metropolitan region (Santo Domingo and National District) 35% could not cover the basics, 40% were able to, but with difficulty, 16% could cover them and treat themselves to extras from time to time, while 6% live comfortably.

In the north, 42.5% could not cover the basics, 39% can cover them with difficulty, 11% can cover their costs and treat themselves from time to time, and 8% say they live comfortably. In the east, 38% don’t cover the basics, 38% only just manage to do so, 15% can afford small luxuries, and 10% live comfortably.

The Head of State said RD$28 billion will be spent in education in 2007, though the Government will pay RD$65 billion for the national debt. "The problem of Dominican Republic nowadays is called the national debt, which is consuming the largest amount of resources in public spending."

Fernandez spoke about education’s present and future in the inaugural of the Pontifical Catholic University’s (PUCMM) multipurpose building, built by the Government at a cost of RD$208 million.

Yesterday the chief executive also inaugurated two Community Technology Centers (CTC), one in Villa Altagracia (central) and another in Licey (north), in ceremonies accompanied by reelection slogans and in some cases, mistreatment of citizens and reporters by the president’s bodyguards.