Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Secretary to the Cabinet Roland Msiska has justified government’s decision to award civil servants salary increments amidst austerity measures.
Dr. Msiska says there are perimeters which the Ministry of Finance has set for increasing salaries for civil servants while austerity measures are being implemented.
In an exclusive interview with QTV News, Dr. Msiska states that for as long as these parameters are not blown, any pay rise which government makes will still remain within the austerity measures.
Dr. Msiska says this entails balancing the Price Elasticity of Supply (PESs) against the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and the revenues the Country is able to generate.
Asked whether President Edgar Lungu has accepted to have a pay rise amidst austerity measures, Dr. Msiska says the President cannot be deprived of his accrued rights without changing the law.
Dr. Msiska says the conditions of service for the President are enshrined in the President’s Benefits Act.
He says this means that not until this Act and other subsidiary laws are changed the condition of service for the President will remain the same and government will ensure that what is written is provided for.
Dr. Msiska however, states that it is the desire of President Lungu to have such laws changed and has since directed that they be relooked at.
He says to this effect 14 laws are being amended and that once these laws go through internal legislative processes and through Cabinet, the nation will hear about them.