Several government institutions are paying with checks and some folks are upset. However, this “old-style” way of paying employees has been used before. Back in 2021 it was reinstated as a means to ensure that the person collecting the salary was who was actually doing the work.
The Listin Diario newspaper inquired about this practice and was told when new bosses are appointed, they often use this tactic to make sure that the persons on the payroll are on the job. To pay in checks, the agency head must request a permit from the National Treasury.
The Ministry of Public Administration did not provide an answer to the inquiry by Listin Diario newspaper.
Of the agencies that have undergone such a procedure are the Civil Aviation Institute and the National Institute for Price Stabilization (Inespre). Back in 2022, the head of the Pension and Retirement Agency announced a “proof of life” audit using checks. At one point a person who had been deceased for seven years was still collecting checks.
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Listin Diario
31 March 2025