Ameer corrects President, says Pay Commission, not Parliament, oversees council admin staff pay

Former Minister of Finance Ibrahim Ameer has countered President Dr Mohamed Muizzu's recent statements last night by stating that the salaries of civil service staff are determined by the National Pay Commission, and does not fall under the mandate of the Parliament.

"Administrative staff of councils are civil service employees. Salaries and allowances of civil service will be determined by the National Pay Commission. The National Pay Commission has made a pay matrix and a framework. This is not something that is done by the Parliament," Ameer said.

Ameer further said that the parliament, in passing this year's annual budget, has included provisions for increasing civil service pay. He said that the Pay Commission had categorized offices only for the purpose of determining allowances and attendance bonuses.

He made these comments in response to the President's recent responses to citizens on the governments social media initiative 'President's Response', where President Muizzu responds directly to questions posed by the public. Both the question and the answer are shared on social media in video format.

In one episode, a member of the public from Noonu Atoll Manadhoo asked the President about the lack of salary increments available to the administrative staff of councils even with educational advancements. In another, an individual asked the President about raising civil service pay. Ameer's comments were in response to the answers the President provided to these enquiries.

President Dr Muizzu said in response that it is a result of the Parliament having listed councils in the lowest tier when categorizing offices under the civil service. He said that due to this, it is impossible for the Finance Ministry to raise the council administrative staff's pay even if they wished to do so.

"We can bring a solution to that through the parliament. It is only through being able to do things within the parliament that we can solve these things," the President said.

The President said that, as a whole, his wish is to raise the salaries of all employees. He stated that this would be done at the extent that the State's revenue is increasing.