National Treasurer Pastora Mendez de Fondeur said that the government does not have the funds to pay the RD$1,500 million in Christmas bonus to government employees pledged for 10 December. She blamed the past government for the lack of establishing a provision for the funds, but says that the government will have to find the money somehow. El Siglo newspaper editorialist criticizes her for these comments and speculates the government will probably resort to printing money to make up for the deficit. El Siglo’s editorialist says that the present government took office in August 2000, and thus had sufficient time to set aside the needed money.
