Nasheed: The ''Engine House'' cannot send letters to the Parliament

Speaker of the Parliament Mohamed Nasheed has chided a letter sent by State Electric Company to the parliament requesting to find out how the details of the wages of senior STELCO officials were disclosed.

STELCO requested the Parliament to find out how the contents of a letter sent by the company that included the wage structure of senior officials, was disclosed to the public on May 6. Speaker Nasheed firmly stated that this was not something that can be done in such a manner. 

The company stated that the reputation of its employees was defamed and their hard work was undermined as a result of the disclosure. 

The prestige and stature gained among the public by the company were also negatively affected as a result of the disclosure, stated the company before requesting to be informed of any disclosures by the Parliament regarding any further documents sent by the company.

Speaking today, Nasheed stated that the 1968 act regarding letters was still in place. Under that law, letters cannot be sent from the “Engine house” to the Parliament. 

“Those from the engine house must know that they cannot write letters here. They can only answer what we ask of them.” Said Nasheed.

Referring to himself, he added that anyone can address letters to Mohamed Nasheed from G. Canaryge, which could not be done to the Speaker of the Parliament.

“So anyone from the engine house, and even if they are from “Jarraf”, or working in any other place, everyone should nicely be aware that letters to the Parliament are to be sent only Ministers.” Said Nasheed.

Information Commissioner Hussain Fiyaz also stated regarding the matter that the wages of individual performing state responsibilities cannot be withheld from the public.

He expressed concern that the company was requesting to find out how the letter stating the wages of its Managing Director was revealed on social media since STELCO was fully owned by the state.

The Commissioner also added that the information was something to be disclosed by the institution itself under the Freedom of Information Act.

He called to establish a transparent culture instead of attempting to investigate the matter.