Government petitions Parliament to increase salary of councilors

The Maldivian government has petitioned the Parliament to increase the salary of councilors.

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih announced the salary changes in response to a question posed by a councilor in the middle of a panel discussion during the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s Thiladhunmathi Iruvai Conference which began in H. Dh. Kulhudhuffushi this Wednesday.

While the President Solih confirms the government has submitted a revised salary structure for councilors. The final decision lays with the Parliament, which will reconvene after recess in February.

The President announced the government has asked for Parliament to approve MVR 40,000 for mayors, MVR 35,000 for deputy mayors, MVR 30,000 for members of city councils, MVR 28,000 for presidents of atoll councils, MVR 23,000 for presidents of island councils, MVR 15,000 for deputies and MVR 12,000 for members.

“The structure has now been submitted to the Parliament. This decision will be finalized following debate once the Parliament reconvenes,” said the President.

He said the salary structure had been redrafted due to the existence of salary disparity between five-member councils and seven-member councils.

“We came to believe that if it’s a council, if it’s an island council, there must be equality, that if it’s a city, there’s still the same amount of work,” said the President.

Members of an island council currently receive MVR 10,000, presidents of island councils MVR 15,000, and deputies MVR 12,000, while presidents of atoll councils currently receive MVR 25,000.

“So the salary of city and island councils have been made similar. So this [disparity] will be put an end to as soon as the Parliament reconvenes,” said the President.

The Parliament, in 2015, had reduced the salary of mayors and members of city councils after curtailing significant responsibilities of city councils and transferring it to the management of Housing Ministry.

The changes reduced the salary of mayors who had been receiving MVR 40,000 to MVR 18,000, the salary of deputy mayors who had been receiving MVR 35,000 to MVR 14,000, and the salary of members of city councils who had been receiving MVR 25,000 to MVR 11,500.

The responsibilities were later restored to city councils, and the salary of city councilors increased again, in March 2019.

Mayors currently receive MVR 40,000, deputy mayors MVR 35,000 and members of city councils MVR 30,000, along with health insurance.