General Purpose Committee of the parliament has revoked their decision to offer VIP lounge services at VIA to all persons accompanying MPs and decided to limit it to family alone.
General Purpose Committee of the parliament has revoked their decision to offer VIP lounge services at Velana International Airport (VIA) to all persons accompanying MPs and decided to limit it to family alone.
Although the 17th and 18th parliament had not held any limitations over external use of the VIP lounge, the 19th parliament had amended policies so that services were limited solely for partners, children and parents.
The General Purpose Committee of 19th parliament later revised this decision, approving the provision of lounge services to two additional persons accompanying the MP as well. However, the amendment remained parked at the committee stage.
The General Purpose Committee meeting held yesterday had reached a decision to pass this motion, allowing two companions besides family to claim services at the lounge.
However, after calling for an emergency committee meeting at 21:00 hrs last night, Committee Chairperson and Hulhudhoo Constituency MP, Mohamed Shahid declared that although the decision was reached earlier in the afternoon, Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla had advised to revise the motion in consideration of the country's economic situation.
MP of the Feydhoo Constituency, Ibrahim Didi had also proposed to revise the policy allowing services solely to VIP members and their families.
Also proposing to rescind the decision reached by the General Purpose Committee of the 19th parliament, he had further requested to reject the motion from the parliament.
Didi's proposal was passed unanimously at the committee and the meeting was adjourned.
Efforts are currently ongoing to formulate parliament regulations, with a view to concluding this work before the end of July.
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