Payroll

During last week’s parliament, Nawae MP Kennedy Wenge brought to light the hardship faces by ward councilors who are on meagre allowances and asked Minister for Inter-Government Relations, Pila Niningi if councilors can be paid a fortnightly salary.

“Councilors have been paid on an allowance basis. Many councilors are based in remote locations and travel long distances by PMVs and boats and by other means. They have been on allowances that are not enough to cater to their needs,” said Wenge.

Wenge questioned Niningi why councilors have not yet been put on payroll.

State comptroller records obtained by The Associated Press for June and July show overtime totaled $41 million for the corrections department and $17.6 million for state police. That's roughly twice the amount spent for those months in 2014.

Those two agencies led the 23-day manhunt by more than 1,100 officers for Richard Matt and David Sweat, who escaped June 6 from Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora.