PNC PG Leader Falaah says ministers' salaries were not increased; explains changes to driver allowance package

The Finance Committee of the Parliament decided last week not to increase the salaries of Cabinet ministers, according to the Parliamentary Group Leader of the ruling PNC and MP for Inguraidhoo constituency, Ibrahim Falaah. Speaking in Parliament today, Falaah explained that the changes made were to the car allowance package for ministers, not their base salary. He stated that the previous allowance of 7,000 rufiyaa for fuel and a driver was insufficient, and it has been revised to a package of 17,000 rufiyaa. Falaah said this was a correction of an anomaly in the government system. The base salary for cabinet ministers remains at 58,500 rufiyaa. The decision to change the allowance package was made alongside a proposal to increase the Speaker's salary by an additional 22,000 rufiyaa. The changes were proposed by PNC MP for Funadhoo constituency, Mohamed Mamdhoo, and seconded by PNC MP for Fuvahmulah North constituency, Hamad Abdulla, passing through the committee with the PNC majority. The only committee member to oppose the changes was the MDP MP for Hanimaadhoo constituency, Abdul Gafoor Moosa, who argued that such a change should not be made at this time due to the global economic situation. With the new package, the total remuneration for cabinet ministers will rise to 75,500 rufiyaa.