Supplementary budget debate, approval in two days

Debate on the 2023 supplementary budget has been tabled for Wednesday's parliament sitting, with its work planned to be completed within the following two days.

The decision was approved at the parliament sitting on Tuesday, November 14.

Minister of Finance Ibrahim Ameer submitted the MVR 6.5 billion supplementary budget for the current year along with the 2024 state budget

The new Parliament Speaker Mohamed Aslam has asked the parliament MPs to opine on a path to expedite the budget bills as they have been delayed significantly owing to interruptions in the no-confidence motion against Mohamed Nasheed, the dismissed Speaker.

With Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MPs stressing on expediting the bills, Baarah MP Ahmed Abdulla proposed debate on the supplementary budget to be tabled for Wednesday, November 15 with a two-day period extended for the Budget Committee to review the budget, and approve on the second day.

The MP also proposed extending a five-minute window for each member to debate on the bill, after which it will be submitted to the committee for review. He proposed members will get another two minutes to debate on the committee's report on the budget.

The member's proposition was approved unanimously with 38 votes.

The presence of Minister Ameer was contested by members of The Democrats, who attempted to obstruct the minister's submission of budget bills during Tuesday's sitting.

Members of The Democrats, including Nasheed said the minister had violated parliament's privileges and challenged the legislative's authority.

"The Finance Minister is here with possible criminal allegations against him... the Public Finance Act clearly specifies the mandatory period for budget submission, but they have been playing politics for their own agenda," Nasheed, who was speaking as a general member for the first time said.

"The [governance] of Maldives sovereignty should not be robbed. Sending the finance minister to trial is the top priority for now."

The Democrats' members made attempts to interrupt the minister while he was submitting the bill. When parliament minority leader and Central-Henveiru MP Ali Azim attempted to come near Ameer, members of MDP obstructed him.

When Aslam opened the floor for MPs to opine about the supplementary budget bill's proceedings, The Democrats' members challenged it stating it was submitted unlawfully.

Hulhudhoo MP Ilyas Labeeb said the supplementary budget should be framed the same as the state budget according to the Public Finance Act. He added the supplementary budget presented on Tuesday's sitting was not a program budget.

After highlighting the first budget was dismissed as well, Nasheed concurred it was not a program budget.

"The state has fallen short of managing its expenditure. After it fell short of this, the parliament has been required to approve the supplement," Nasheed said highlighting the additional budget should reflect its allocations to ministries clearly.

Nasheed also argued it was an intrusion to the governance system by submitting and proceeding with the budget bill unlawfully.

"... [truth is] the MVR 6.5 billion supplementary budget has been spent by the minister already, before it was included in the state budget or approved by the parliament," Nasheed alleged.

While submitting the supplementary budget for the current year, the minister said the highest funds allocation towards state-owned enterprises (SOEs) from the budget was owed to Urbanco falling short of its projected revenue from land sales.

The supplementary budget has a total allocation of MVR 1.2 billion towards SOEs, with majority of this allocation concentrated on fuel subsidy at a total of MVR 530 million designated for Fenaka Corporation and State Electric Company (STELCO).

The government approved a total of MVR 42.8 billion for the 2023 state budget last year, which will increase to MVR 49.4 billion with the MVR 6.5 billion supplementary budget.