Parliamentary Employees’ Salaries Under Discussion for Increase

During the General Committee of Parliament session dedicated to next year’s budget, The Democrats’ (TD) Party Member of Parliament (MP) Ilyas Labeeb initiated a discussion on increasing the salaries of parliament employees.

Ilyas brought attention to the prolonged stagnation in the budget allocated to parliamentary employees salaries. 

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2024 ވަނަ އަހަރަށް ރައްޔިތުންގެ މަޖިލީހުގެ އިދާރާގެ ބަޖެޓް، ރައްޔިތުންގެ މަޖިލީހުގެ ޢާންމު ކޮމިޓީއިން ދިރާސާކުރުން pic.twitter.com/uHApmDvL0n— People's Majlis (@mvpeoplesmajlis) October 16, 2023

He noted that the existing budget has remained unchanged for more than ten years, prompting him to propose an increment in the salaries of these employees as a part of the upcoming year’s budget.

Following the proposal, the committee reached a consensus to compile a report assessing the potential costs associated with this salary increase. The parliamentary administration had earlier submitted a budget of MVR 186 million for the next year to the General Committee.

Ahmed Faiz Mohamed, Head of Administrations, presented the budget on behalf of the parliamentary administration and disclosed that MVR 4.2 million has been earmarked for the implementation of this new policy initiative.

While the budget for the upcoming year has been dispatched to the Finance Ministry due to the impending formation of parliamentary committees, it will be subject to further deliberation and potential modifications by the General Committee and the Finance Committee.

Parliament’s budget for the current year stands at approximately MVR 182 million. The projected increase in the budget for the next year primarily addresses the salaries of the members anticipated to join the 20th Parliament. 

The Election Commission of the Maldives (ECM) has confirmed that 93 members of the 20th Parliament will be elected following the upcoming year’s elections, prompting the need for the budgetary adjustments.