Public Finance Committee meeting with Toriq, Nimal held behind closed doors

People’s Majlis Public Finance Committee meeting on Monday with Environment Minister Toriq Ibrahim and Fenaka Corporation Managing Director Mohamed Nimal was held behind closed doors.

The decision to bar media from the meeting was made upon suggestion by Hanimaadhoo MP Hussein Shahudy – a suggestion supported by Vilufushi MP Riyaz Rasheed.

Vilimale’ MP Ahmed Nihan Hussain Manik – who heads the committee – made the decision to hold the meeting behind closed doors as no committee member disagreed with the suggestion.

The decision to summon Toriq and Nimal was made during committee meeting held last Monday, in relation to an issue raised by North Kulhudhuffushi MP Abdul Gafoor Moosa.

Gafoor said that government needed to establish a company that will responsibly do maintenance work after water and sewerage systems are installed. And that such a company needed to have know-how of doing such work.

“So the government needs to change the policy used now and assign the work to a company that is capable of such work. Right now the work isn’t being carried out properly. It is being carried out even through tender by Environment Ministry,” said Gafoor.

Riyaz said that lack of sewerage system and safe drinking water was a problem that was most inconvenient to Maldivian citizens. He said that government was working on fixing the problem and that it needed made sure that such projects were being run in such a way that there was minimum strain on the budget.

“MWSC asked for MVR 60 million to establish a sewerage system in the constituency I represent. I said that I didn’t want it done for that amount, even if it was my constituency. So I discussed with other companies and MWSC, which asked for MVR 60 million lowered the price to MVR 30 million,” said Riyaz.

Public Finance Committee members decided to assign water and sewerage projects to companies owned 100 percent by government.