MP Eva: Now is the time for income tax

Deputy Speaker of the Parliament and MP for North Galolhu Eva Abdulla has said that this is the time for income tax to be collected.

MP Eva said that the time for collecting income tax now when the economy was suffering and people were losing jobs. The promised income tax has been designated as a source of income for the state for the next year.

The income tax bill has ratified into the law and taxes are being collected from those earning an income higher than MVR 60,000. In today’s parliamentary session, some MPs questioned whether the time was appropriate to collect income tax since the whole world the country was in a difficult situation due to the pandemic virus.

“I would say that this is the time to collect income tax. The time for the sufficient individual to give something to the state is now,” said MP Eva who added that income tax was being collected from those who can take home MVR 60,000.

During the first online session of the parliament to be ever conducted, MPs debated on an issue submitted by MDP PG leader and central Henveiru MP Ali Azim on overcoming the difficulties posed to businesses and families due to the safety measures of the virus imposed.

MP Eva expressed her full support for the proposed support program of the President and stated that she had gotten word that 11,000 resort employees were dismissed from their jobs. She stated that the package included helping such individuals and businesses suffering.

She said that the assistance to be given top businesses were to be used in order to pay the salaries of employees.

“We should be watchful that the assistance provided by the government is used to pay the salaries of employees. There should be a mechanism of oversight for businesses.

MP Eva stated that the country should be focused on the medium and long term aspects of the economy after noting that the assistance provided by the government was for the short term. She also called to conduct a survey to find out how much assistance industries such as fishing and agriculture required since it was obvious that the country could not be dependent on just tourism.