X-Mas Workers’s Pay Day Starts January 3

Finally, youths working in the X-Mas jobs program are expected to  receive pay starting Tuesday January 3, 2011, according to Acting Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Jerolinmek M. Piah.

Delay in paying the youths last week caused a stirr in the Liberian capital, leading to the destruction of properties.

The angry striplings took to the streets on last Thursday, Friday and  Saturday, prostesting the delay in the payment of their wages.

They vandalized vehicles, stores and shops in their reach.

Banks were compelled to close; while regular movement of people was stalled amidst their festive Christmas shopping.

A curfew was announced.

There were injuries on both sides; however, their was no death recorded.

Opposition Congress for Democratic Change Secretary General, Acarous Gray was picked up by Police in connection with the hostilities. He was later released on bail.

But now authorities have said the payment will be done across Montserrado County on a community-to-community basis.

A pay team of 30 to 35 members is expected to execute the payment that will take place on January 3,4,5,6 and 7 respectively.

About 55,000 youths and students are said to parade the payroll.

Making the announcement at the ministry’s regular press briefing Thursday December 29, 2011, Acting Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Jerolinmek Piah said all was set for the payment as a new payment mechanism had been introduced.

As part of that mechanism, payment will be done in selected communities until the five-day period elapses.

Acting Minister Piah said: “As a responsible government, we know that when people work they should be paid”.

“We hope that the violence on December 22 and 23 will not be repeated,” he stressed.

The X-Mas job proved to be more controversial than it actually seemed when Information Minister Cletus Sieh was dimissed for, according to the Executive Mansion, how he handled the information involving the arrest of the CDC Secretary General.