While additional revenue collection tax staff is needed, Treasury Department says the pay scale for some workers, raking in thousands of dollars a year, is a concern that Treasury is trying to address, according to Treasury’s fiscal year 2014 fourth quarter performance report.

Treasury noted in its performance report the record revenue collections in FY 2014 but said more can be done, in areas such as hiring more staff. In the 4th quarter - covering the period of July 1-Sept. 30 - the Tax Division hired two collection officers and the additional staff will greatly assist the Tax Manager and his team to gather and confirm what is owed to the government.

The report then went on to say that the “negative connotation in recruiting staff to both our major revenue generating arms of the government is contentious on going negotiations with our department.” (Tax Division and Customs Division are the two major revenue sources of ASG).

“For example, you have a collection officer that brings into the government coffers on a monthly basis more than $30,000 in taxes and yet the officer is only salaried at the minimum wage of $10,000,” the report says, adding that this is the same for Customs Officers and finance officers.

Treasury says collections and financial staff are an integral part of the overall health of the government.

“If we fail to do our part, it negatively affects the revenue collections which in turn negatively affects governmental operations,” the report points out. “Moreover, in order to ensure integrity, we must properly commensurate the salaries of these vital staff members to match their duties and responsibilities.”