Governor expedites pay processing for Hawaii National Guard

HONOLULU — Officials say the Hawaii National Guard has experienced delays in paying members deployed for duties related to the flooding on Kauai and the lava flows on the Big Island, causing financial burdens for families.

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports Hawaii Gov. David Ige signed a proclamation Friday extending disaster emergency relief and enacting a provision allowing state agencies “to pay, as expeditiously as possible,” guardsmen deployed to the Big Island.

Hawaii Guard spokesman Maj. Jeff Hickman says about 600 personnel have served on the Big Island since early May and about 100 are still there. About 150 members were deployed to Kauai and about six remain. In some cases, pay took weeks to process.

Hickman says the change implemented by the governor allows pay to be processed after each week worked.

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Information from: Honolulu Star-Advertiser, http://www.staradvertiser.com