The Parliament, in line with the legislative body’s Budget Committee recommendations, on Wednesday passed the MVR 49.8 billion 2024 National Budget without additional changes. One of the notable changes made by the committee was the diversion of funds allocated towards the Fushidhiggaru Lagoon development project to ongoing housing projects in the greater Malé area and Public Sector Investment Programmes (PSIP) in the atolls.
The budget was passed with 68 votes in favour, with the MDP parliamentary group, which has a clear parliamentary majority, having issued a three-line whip to pass the budget. This included the group not supporting an amendment proposed by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) Chair, Member of Parliament (MP) for Thulhaadhoo, Hisaan Hussain, to increase the remuneration budget for judicial employees by MVR 50 million — Hussain withdrew the amendment for lack of support.
MP for Ihavandhoo, Mohamed Shifau, before the final vote bell rang, raised a point of order to clarify whether Hussain’s amendment was included, causing the Thinadhoo MP to express concern that Shifau had done so to ‘deceive the people.’
“Mr Speaker, I condemn the MDP’s parliamentary group for voting not to increase the salaries of judiciary employees and using this process to deceive the people,” Hussain said.
The Budget Committee Chair, MP for Kinbidhoo Mohamed Nashiz raised a point of order clarifying that the MVR 500 million allocation for salary increases also included salary increase for the judiciary.
“Within the pay harmonisation code, the included MVR 500 million will include funds for changes in the salaries of all state institutions, commissions, agencies, civil service and even police and army,” Nashiz said.
He said no institution would be exempted from the MVR 500 million allocated for the pay raise.
However, Hussain reiterated that the judiciary was one of the powers of the state and parliament should give it due respect.
“This way, the entire judiciary [or] one branch of the state cannot be left to decide on the salary, [with it] in the hands of a person in the finance ministry,” Hussain said defending her proposed amendment.
According to the law and pursuant regulations, those salaries are to be determined by the judiciary, she added.
While the total budget for 2024 comes in at MVR 49.8 billion, estimated grants and income is projected at MVR 33.5 billion thus leading to a budget deficit of MVR 13.8 billion. While MVR 17.2 billion will funded through debt, foreign budget support is projected at MVR 6.9 billion with an additional MVR 771 million funding through the sale of a green or blue bond abroad.