DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic

President Luis Abinader’s first term saw the highest government spending on salaries as a percentage of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Diario Libre reported. This is despite making the smallest increase to the public payroll in the past four administrations.

Between August 2020 and June 2024, the number of public employees rose by 11.41%, from 515,314 to 618,687. While this growth is lower compared to the 39.83% increase during Danilo Medina’s first term, the cost of the payroll as a proportion of the GDP has significantly increased.

In 2020, the government allocated 4.2% of the GDP to salaries, which rose to 6.2% in 2024. The average monthly salary for public employees also jumped 34% during this period.

The Ministry of Public Administration attributed the payroll growth to an increase in the number of teachers, police officers, and healthcare workers...