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The Committee notes the Government’s report in which renewed reference is made to the serious difficulties encountered in the payment of wages to public employees following the imposition of a structural adjustment plan by the international financial institutions some ten years ago. The Government indicates that the payment of family allowances to civil servants has been suspended and adds that, recently, a major effort is being made to ensure the timely payment of wages. The Committee once again requests the Government to elaborate on the nature and scale of the problem of wage arrears that the national economy continues to experience and also give a more detailed account of any concrete measures taken in order to tackle the wage crisis. As the Committee has pointed out on a number of occasions, a proper assessment of situations of delayed payment or non-payment of wages is only possible through the systematic collection of up to date statistical information emanating from credible sources. In the absence of such data, it becomes very difficult to evaluate any substantial progress made in the settlement of wage arrears and to reach any conclusions with regard to compliance with the provisions of the Convention.

The Committee would also appreciate if the Government would continue to provide general information on the application of the Convention in practice, including, for instance, extracts from official reports, any available statistics on labour inspection visits and the results obtained in wage-related matters, as well as any other particulars which would facilitate the Committee’s task to supervise the observance of the standards set out in the Convention.