Former Chairperson of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), Fayyaz Ismail, has slammed the decision to increase the salaries of the Speaker of Parliament and Cabinet Ministers, describing it as an "insult" to the Maldivian people at a time when Parliament has shown no productivity and the government has failed to deliver results.
In a post on X last night, Fayyaz asserted that the current People’s Majlis is the most substandard parliament the country has ever seen. He characterised the decision to hike pay as a blatant mockery of the public.
Fayyaz heavily criticised both the government and the legislature, highlighting that these pay raises come at a time when citizens are grappling with a high cost of living and economic hardships.
"Is this the most urgent priority right now, while commodity prices are soaring and so many people are struggling?" Fayyaz questioned.
Committee approves pay hikes for Speaker, Ministers and Councillors
The Maldives' Public Accounts Committee approved pay raises for the Speaker and increased car allowances for government ministers. Supported by the ruling PNC, the move boosts the Speaker’s monthly pay to MVR 95,000. Opposition members voted against the proposal, citing concerns over the national budget and current economic conditions.
Under the current framework, the Speaker of Parliament receives a total of MVR 73,000 in salary and benefits. This is lower than that of some other members because the Speaker does not participate in parliamentary committees.
Members of Parliament who attend 70 percent of committee meetings receive an allowance of MVR 10,000, while those with an attendance rate exceeding 75 percent receive MVR 20,000.
With the inclusion of the committee allowance, the Deputy Speaker currently receives a total of MVR 91,000 under existing regulations.
To address this, the Public Accounts Committee approved an additional allowance of MVR 22,000 for the Speaker. With this adjustment, the Speaker’s total monthly remuneration, including salary and benefits, will rise to MVR 95,000.
