Committee Approves Speaker’s Salary Rise to MVR 95,125 and Higher Ministers’ Driver Allowances

The Public Accounts Committee of the People’s Majlis has approved a MVR 22,000 monthly allowance for Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla, raising his monthly remuneration to MVR 95,125, alongside proposed increases to ministers’ driver allowances and island councillors’ salaries.

The proposal to grant the allowance to the Speaker was submitted by Kelaa constituency MP Abdulla Shareef of the ruling Progressive National Congress (PNC) and seconded by Funadhoo constituency MP Mohamed Mamdooh.

According to the committee’s administrative desk, the allowance is intended to address disparities in remuneration between the Speaker, Deputy Speaker and Members of Parliament.

The Speaker currently receives MVR 73,125 per month, while the Deputy Speaker receives MVR 91,000 and ordinary MPs receive MVR 82,500, including committee allowances.

The administrative desk noted that the Speaker does not serve on any parliamentary committee and therefore does not receive the MVR 20,000 committee allowance available to other MPs.

With the additional MVR 22,000 allowance, the Speaker’s monthly remuneration will increase to MVR 95,125.

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Abdul Ghafoor Moosa, who represents Hanimadhoo constituency, opposed the proposal, saying it was inappropriate given the current global situation.

The committee passed the motion with the support of its PNC majority. The proposal was made by Mamdooh and seconded by Fuvahmulah North constituency MP Hamadh Abdulla.

Mamdooh also proposed changes to the allowance packages for ministers’ drivers, citing salary disparities following changes to the remuneration structure for ministers and members of independent institutions during the previous parliamentary term.

Under the proposed changes, the monthly petrol allowance for ministers’ drivers will increase from MVR 1,000 to MVR 2,000, while the driving allowance will rise from MVR 6,500 to MVR 12,000. A new monthly living allowance of MVR 3,000 will also be introduced, bringing the total monthly allowance package for ministers’ drivers to MVR 17,000.

Mamdooh also proposed a MVR 5,000 monthly service allowance for island councillors, increasing their total monthly remuneration. Under the proposed salary structure, island council presidents will receive MVR 30,500 per month, vice-presidents MVR 25,000 and council members MVR 23,000.

Under the existing structure, island council presidents receive MVR 25,500 per month, vice-presidents MVR 20,000 and council members MVR 18,000. The proposed changes would increase monthly remuneration for all three categories of island council officials by MVR 5,000.