Puerto Rico probes millions of dollars in overtime

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Legislators in Puerto Rico have launched an investigation into the payment of millions of dollars for overtime in government agencies, the island's Senate announced Wednesday.

Senate President Eduardo Bhatia said overtime for some workers sometimes exceeded their annual salaries.

"This told us two things: there's a deficiency in supervision and a lack of planning," he said.

A commission charged with the probe is expected to issue a report and propose measures to curtail payments. The investigation comes as Puerto Rico enters its eighth year in recession and struggles under a $73 billion public debt load.

Bhatia said the island's struggling power company paid nearly $53 million in overtime last year, and more than $70 million in 2012. The agency is struggling with some $9 billion in debt and recently reached an agreement with lenders to delay payments on its lines of credit.

Bhatia said the island's water and sewer company also paid nearly $30 million in overtime last year.

Puerto Rico probes millions of dollars in overtime