MONROVIA – Montserrado County Senator Abraham Darius Dillon says he would be submitting a bill prior to the submission to the FY2020/201 Budget that would set US$5,000 as maximum salary for public officials.
Report by Lennart Dodoo, [email protected]
Senator Dillon said he has for one fiscal year lived on US$5,000, giving the remaining US$3000 to the county and yet, he has been able to maintain the sanctity and integrity of the office of the Montserrado County Senator.
He made the disclosure on Monday when he dedicated a lavatory facility that was built as part of projects carried out from the US$3,000 donation he makes to the Montserrado County every month.
The US$3,000 he gives to the county every month is part of his US$8,000 monthly salary and benefits as a lawmaker.
During his political campaign to become Senator for Montserrado County, Dillon promised that he would not need more than US$5,000 as salary and any amount above that would go to the county to fund development projects.
Sen. Dillon: “The reason I deduct the money from my salary every month is to let the people of Liberia know that public officials in my bracket can live on US$5,000 and give the balance money to the country. Now, it would be more impactful if all of us – 103 lawmakers – decide that we will take US$5,000 and give the balance in bulk to the country and the people. When we do that we can realize abut US$400,000 every month and about US$4-5 million in 12 months.”
He said with such amount of money, public hospitals and schools can be upgraded and made more affordable for citizens.
He said the bill would be titled ‘The Dillon Bill’.
“It’s time for me to submit it before my colleagues and challenge my colleagues in the legislature and challenge the country – you the people to say ‘follow The Dillon doctrine,” he said.
He maintained that public service should be seen as “service to country and people and not service to pocket”.
“The reason I deduct the money from my salary every month is to let the people of Liberia know that public officials in my bracket can live on US$5,000 and give the balance money to the country. Now, it would be more impactful if all of us – 103 lawmakers – decide that we will take US$5,000 and give the balance in bulk to the country and the people. When we do that we can realize abut US$400,000 every month and about US$4-5 million in 12 months.”
– Abraham Darius Dillon, Senator Montserrado County
He noted that public officials should not be using public funds to act like humanitarians just gain political relevance.
He lashed at the manner in which the fight against the coronavirus in Liberia has been politicized with key government and political actors like the President, Vice President distributing buckets bearing their pictures, other sanitizing materials and food items as their personal projects when the country is yet to feel the impact of a ‘government project’.
“It’s time for us to make policies and implement those policies on government money,” he said.
He added, “We’re not making the people to feel that it’s their government thing, everybody wants to show that he cares or he loves the people more. That’s not public policy. That’s not how government runs.”