Bolivian president gives teachers half his pay

Fascinating, indeed! I think our local officials should start thinking about giving part of their salary to the poor and other government workers like the teachers who are working for the betterment of this overlypoliticized country! Dapat nilang gayahin si Evo Morales ng Bolivia! Read on!

Friday, January 27, 2006; Posted: 10:13 p.m. EST (03:13 GMT)

LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) -- President Evo Morales cut his salary in half and declared no Cabinet minister can collect a higher wage than his own, with the savings to be used to hire more public school teachers.

The move followed a campaign pledge to tackle political corruption and restore honesty to the government of South America's poorest country. But critics called it a propaganda ploy that will do little to help the needy.

Five days into his leftist government, Morales announced Thursday his salary would be $1,875 a month and that his Cabinet would also have their salaries capped at that figure.
"I ask for (the ministers') understanding and efforts to try to meet this demand, not for Evo but for the people," Morales said

Morales' predecessor earned $3,900 a month. The yearly savings of $24,300 is about enough to pay the annual salaries of seven experienced teachers, rent a middle-class apartment or buy a new Ford Focus in Bolivia.

Street protests by teachers, miners and Indians have ousted two of Morales' predecessors since 2003...


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