Committee approves a 20 percent pay cut for parliamentarians

The Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee, on Wednesday, passed a motion in favor of imposing a 20 percent pay cut on the salaries of parliamentarians.

The motion passed with the majority vote of six-to-one committee members this afternoon.

The 20 percent pay cut was suggested by the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s parliamentary group on Monday, March 16; after Finance Minister Ibrahim Ameer filed a letter with the Parliament requesting a MVR 19.3 million cut in its expenditures.

At the committee meeting this afternoon, Hulhudhoo MP Ilyas Labeeb presented a motion to impose a 20 percent pay cut on the salaries of parliamentarians for two months, and subject the decision to a monthly review.

The only member who did not vote in favor of the motion was Felidhoo MP Fazul Rasheed, a member of the opposition People’s National Congress (PNC).

Parliamentarians currently receive a monthly salary of MVR 42,500 - 20 percent of which equates to MVR 8,500. 20 percent of the monthly salary of all 87 parliamentarians equates to MVR 739,500.

Parliamentarians also receive a monthly allowance of MVR 40,000; a MVR 20,000 living allowance and a MVR 20,000 committee allowance - given based on attendance to committee meetings.

Article 272 of the Parliament’s Standing Orders says a change to the salaries and allowances of parliamentarians requires a two-third majority vote of the Parliament, as established under Article 88 (a) (ii) of the Constitution.