The government payroll during 2003, and particularly in the last quarter of 2003, included some 25,000 new names, despite the fact that in August it had signed an agreement with the IMF to exercise a strict control on public spending. In human figures, this represented the hiring of 24,974 people, with total salaries equalling RD$1.182 billion, or a 4.7% increase over 2002. According to El Caribe, the Central Bank says that much of this increase was due to the Pan American Games that took place in August of 2003, but, the paper says, this is not consistent with other figures and explanations from the CB, whose report on the economy during the January to September period said there was an average of 314,180 individuals on the public payroll. This means there was a 4.7% increase during the last quarter of the year, amounting to 14,758 additional staff, long after the Pan Am Games had concluded and when there was an obvious stoppage of public works. El Caribe points out that the same January-September report does not even mention the Pan American Games constructions, but rather explains that the growth was attributable to new tourism police (Politur) agents and a renewed emphasis on foot patrols in the Police, as well as the continued expansion of diverse community assistance programs.