Supplementary budget debate: MDP calls to reveal expenses

Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), during the parliamentary debate to discuss the supplementary budget today called onto the government to reveal how the MVR 50 billion budgeted for the year was exhausted.

Speaking at the debate on the MVR 5.1 billion supplementary budget proposed by the government, South Galolhu MP and representative of MDP, Meekail Ahmed Naseem said that the parliament has now become a rubber stamping desk at the President's Office.

Pointing out that MDP previously held supermajority during the last presidential term when the party was also in power, he said that things were done with transparency.

"However, we acted such that [matters] were transparent to the public, such that figures were apparent. The parliament's public accounts committee also presented the figures to the public annually and also every time a supplementary budget is presented," he said.

He went on to say that his biggest concern is the unavailability of how the annual budget was spent when the supplementary budget was submitted.

Hanimaadhoo MP Abdul Ghafoor (Gapo) also questioned why the government is seeking to supplement the state budget after already exhausting the largest annual budget approved to date.

He said that the budgeted projects are not being implemented but that the expenses have been at an all time high. However, details of these expenses are also not available, he said.

Ghafoor said that the country is in the position it is today due to the government's negligence and failure to cut costs.

The government proposed a budget of MVR 5.1 billion today, which would hike up the budget deficit to MVR 18 billion. As per the Finance Ministry, the biggest expense goes towards PSIP projects, and that two out of the five billion supplementary budget would also go towards these projects.

The Ministry said that they had to spend such a large amount on the projects because expenses went up since the initial budgeting, which projected unrealistically low figures.