Despite attempts to reduce the state budget deficit in 2013, this year will see an increase of MVR 130 million (US$8.6million) allocated to the defence budget, bringing the total to MVR 930.9 million (US$60.3 million)
The Border Control System (BCS) agreement between the Maldives and Nexbis could not be terminated until all court proceedings in the country involving the company had been concluded, Director of the Department of Judicial Administration Ahmed Maajid has claimed.
The Auditor General’s Office advised parliament that continuing fiscal imbalances or budget deficits were “inevitable” without a policy of population consolidation and effective measures to reduce spending on salaries and allowances for state employees.
“There is no lack of cooperation between the Indian High Commission and the Foreign Ministry, we are having regular meetings to discuss the [visa] issue,” Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ibrahim Muaz Ali has said today.
Finance Minister Abdullah Jihad has said the government cannot accommodate MVR2.4billion (US$156 million) worth of cuts to the proposed state budget as recommended this week by a parliamentary committee review.
Majlis Finance Committee member Ahmed Hamza has claimed parliament will halt the border control system (BCS) project as “most members” believed the contract was not financially beneficial to the country.
If ratified, a five-member National Pay Commission will be instituted to determine salaries and allowances for workers in the public sector.
Attorney General (AG) Azima Shukoor has said the Maldives government could itself opt to seek compensation from infrastructure group GMR after voiding the India-based company’s concession agreement to develop Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA).
“Why do we really need to develop the airport to cater to four million people? We have to understand that INIA is a tourist airport, it is not a shopping airport or a transit airport,” said Tourism Minister Adheeb.