Government delays subsidies- MJA

Wednesday, September 1st, 2010

Maldives Journalists Association [MJA] has called on the government to give out the subsidies pledged by the government from the aid secured from the Japanese government to develop media.

“In this year’s state budget Mrf 4 million was allocated to distribute private media in the form of subsidies and another Mrf 2 million was pledged by the government from the aid secured from the Japanese government to develop media. As none has been made realistic, Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) calls the government to materialise it,” MJA said in their press release.

In April 2010, the parliament has called the finance ministry to give the subsidies which was decided by the parliament’s financial committee for private media. The parliament’s financial committee had decided to allocate 50 percent for private TV stations, 35 percent for private radio stations, and the remaining 15 percent for the private news papers.

“As there has been a long delay in distributing the finance allocated in the state budget for media in form of subsidy, it raises many questions,” said MJA.

MJA also called the government to distribute the budgeted amount without any further delay.

“The president has announced to give Mrf 2 million from the loan aid secured from the Japanese government as a financial assistance to develop media. Although, 27 parties have submitted the proposals, no party was given the financial grant,” said the press release.

MJA said that it is the duty of the government to provide assistance to sustain and develop journalism because journalism plays a vital role in establishing a democracy at its infant stage.

MJA also called the government to distribute the subsidy which is allocated in the state budget and the amount pledged by the president, as there has already been five months delay.

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