Public Personnel Costs Rose by a Yearly 5% to $4.70B by December 2015
According to the Ministry of Finance, personnel costs rose by a yearly 5.25% to $4.70B by December 2015. The rise in personnel salaries was justified by a 4% year-on-year increase in salaries, wages and related benefits, a 16% rise in transfers to public institutions to cover salaries, a 5% and 23% growth in retirement salaries and end of service indemnities, respectively.
Personnel costs constitute the highest share of current primary expenditures, which increased from 56% by December 2014 to 67% by December 2015. As such, this consistent growth is the result of more hiring of military personnel and lower base in current primary expenditures which fell by 11% from 2014 to $7.33B in 2015.
Breakdown of Salaries, Wages and Related Benefits in 2015 (in $M)
| 2014 | 2015 | % change | |
| Military Personnel | 1,805.0 | 1,922.4 | 6.50% |
| Education Personel | 638.1 | 661.4 | 3.64% |
| Civilian Personnel | 301.2 | 309.1 | 2.64% |
| Government Contribution to Employees Cooperative | 214.3 | 179.1 | -16.41% |
| Customs Salaries | 25.2 | 24.5 | -2.63% |
| Total | 2,985.7 | 3,097.2 | 3.73% |
Source: Ministry of Finance
