Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says Government does not have the capacity to give frontliners risk pay for the work they are doing.
He made the comment in response to a motion by National Federation Party MP Lenora Qereqeretabua to increase personal emoluments for frontline workers in Parliament yesterday.
“At the moment we do not have the capacity to be able to give anything more than what we are currently giving,” the A-G said.
“The meal allowances are still being paid.
“We have not cut anybody’s pay.”
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said nobody was denying they were doing “a good job”.
During the Committee of Supply budget debate, Ms Qereqeretabua said frontline workers’ efforts needed to be considered.
“As we have witnessed over the last 15 to 16 months, our frontline workers have had to sacrifice a lot for the sake of the country,” she said.
“We have sadly lost some frontliners to COVID-19, many of them have been separated from their families for months.
“So the reason for my motion is to increase personal emoluments in regards to risk pay for our frontliners, and this will probably be for another six months with so many of them becoming sick, so many of them needing hospitalisation.
“I really would like this House to increase personal emoluments to the public health services staff so that they are able to have some financial security.”
NFP MP Pio Tikoduadua supported the motion.
“I have noted that tired workers, particularly frontliners, pose a risk to themselves and also to their family and to the nation,” he said.
“We witnessed examples of that lately.
“We need to look after our people so that they are able to look after us.”
