In 2004 the average civil servant monthly pay in the Maldives was Rf3,000, while currently (after 2008) it is at Rf11,000, The Business Times in Sri Lanka has reported.
“Critics of the former government say this was due to electoral pressure. Those who defend it say it’s a natural response to inflation in the economy,” the article quoted Mifzal Ahmed, Advisor on Investments at the Ministry of Economic Development, as saying.
Private schools and private or private sector-managed, government health care facilities is the way forward for the Maldives, minimising the need to seek high quality education or health care in neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka or India, Mifzal told the publication.
“Affordability? [Maldivians] will beg, borrow or steal to go there because the services are just not available here. The government however will continue to spend on health and education.”
Mr Ahmed said soon after the 2008/2009 elections, a strong need for certain basic services arose. Some basic services were not available to many people while another priority was to make the government more efficient.
In the Maldives, the kind of political handouts came in the form of doling out jobs. Thus the civil service is now in excess of 35,000 which is 1/3rd of the working population – all working in the public sector.
When the Tsunami hit the Maldives and other countries, there was a jump in public spending, which Mr Ahmed acknowledged was understandable, and also a jump in public sector employment party due to pressure from the opposition.
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