Budget Committee adds MRf 105 million to Judiciary

Thursday, December 24th, 2009

 - MRf 617 million to pay full salary to civil service to 2010 Budget

 - Recommends increase total of MRf 800 million to the Budget

23maj4The Budget Committee of the Peoples Majlis has increased in te 2010 budget a sum of MRf 105 million which the Committee said is needed for the Judiciary to function independently as stated in the Constitution. Presenting the report compiled by the Committee on the proposed budget for 2010, Committee Chairman Diggaru Member and Deputy Speaker of the Majlis has said the Judiciary has informed the Committee that Judiciary is deprived of financial freedom, the Government is treating the Judiciary very unfairly and they do not have the necessary staff and finance to perform their free and independent responsibilities as a separate power of the State. Nazim said the Majlis is responsible to facilitate and ensure the independent status of the Judiciary and other independent institutions. The independent institutions are mandated to protect and guarantee the rights of the people as stated in the Constitution. Nazim said the Committee therefore decided to increase the essential expenditure to the Judiciary in order to it to function independently.

In his remarks after the Speaeker Abdullah Shahid started deliberations on the Budget, Nazim said the Committee has also increased a sum of MRf 617 million to the budget to pay the full salaries of the civil service employees whose salaries have been deducted from October this year. The payment of full salary to civil service will be necessary according to the Civil Service Commission Law and as the Government expects to increase its income by MRf 7 billion next year which was a condition set to resume full salary to civil service employees.

The Committee Chairman also mentioned it has added a sum of MRf 50 million as a subsidy to be given to fishermen and MRf 4 million financial help to private media. The Committee noted with concern that when the Budget was proposed by the Government,there was a considerable reduction of the budgets of the Eduction and Health ministries amounting to MRf 400 million for Education and MRf 700 million for Health. He said the Ministers of Health and Education themselves attended the Committee when the Committee requested the Ministry to present and the Ministry of Finance and Treasury also gave every cooperation and provided all the information requested by the Committee. He said however the Finance Ministry does not have records on the number of Government employees and therefore the expenditure on government employees is estimated without knowing the number of Government employees. He noted 70% of the budget is allocated for recurrent expenditure out of which 46% is to be spent for Government employees.

The Budget Committee said they welcomed the policy of privatisation but was concerned about the sales of shares of Dhiraagu. While income from Government companies has reduced, the Committee welcomed introduction of tax but fears the same could not start in 2010 as the necessary laws are still to be made. However the Committee was pleased about the introduction of GST tax in tourism which the Committee encouraged and urged to expedite.

The Chairman expressed regret that some recommendations of the Budget Committee in the revised Budget for 2009 was not implemented by the Government. The Budget Committee made a 17 point recommendation to the Government.

After the report was presented Members took the floor to express their views on the report and propose amendments.Several Members spoke, some of them appreciating the report and others criticising it while many Members made proposals mostly to add development projects of their constituencies. Some MDP Members said the Governments budget for 2010 is a budget of hope and vision that would save the country from debt and bankruptcy. They also said the budget report was a well planned conspiracy by the opposition DRP to undermine their futuristic and realistic development pursuits. On the other side, opposition DRP members criticised the Government for their lack of planning and accused them of betraying the people. They also pointed out that the budget did not have the means to deliver the promises made by the MDP Government. They raised doubts about the ability of the PPP under which Government plans to pursue most of their development programs. Most members were disappointed by the huge reduction in the budgets of the Education and Health sectors. There were proposals to increase the subsidy for fishermen, and give subsidy to those doing agricultural work

The meeting went on till midnight when the Speaker adjourned the meeting and announced Majlis will meet today in the morning at 9 am and in the afternoon and in the night until Majlis makes a decision on the budget.

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