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Transparency Maldives proposes to deduct committee allowance

Transparency Maldives has proposed to deduct the allowance of MVR 20,000 given to members on parliament committees.

While the Extraordinary Committee of the parliament is currently working on revising the rules of procedure of the parliament, opportunity was opened for the public to submit their thoughts on what changes should be brought. Transparency Maldives submitted a paper on their viewpoint before the deadline for submissions ended on Monday.

In their paper, Transparency Maldives proposed to scrap the allowance given to committee members, while also proposing to make a table that shows the expenses that can be made by lawmakers in relation to parliament work. The funds being utilized to pay committee allowances can then be funneled toward covering these expenses, TM suggested. This includes trips taken by parliamentarians to their respective constituencies to meet with their constituents.

Transparency stated that they decided to submit their paper at the parliament in order to empower the people through holding lawmakers accountable as well as encouraging the parliament to work alongside citizens by taking the opinions of the people into account.

Transparency Maldives also proposed to review the rues of procedure so that the members of the parliament do not decide their own salary, remunerations and allowance.

They further proposed to have a law in place that does not allow parliamentarians to vote for bills where a conflict of interest exists for the particular member. Transparency also suggested revising rules to ban parliamentarians from being employed during their term.

Transparency also called for the financial statements of parliamentarians to be publicized, in addition to that of their direct family, details of assets and businesses in Maldives and broad and details of gifts and allowances received as a member of the parliament.

Transparency Maldives (TM), is a National Chapter of Transparency International, the leading global movement against corruption. Transparency promotes collaboration, awareness and undertakes initiatives to improve governance and eliminate corruption from the daily lives of people.