MPs lack interest in debating 2023 budget
Only 28 out of the 85 MPs debated on the budget in two days.
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The second day of the parliamentary debate on the proposed budget for 2023 concluded on Wednesday without much interest from lawmakers.
Finance minister Ibrahim Ameer presented the budget for 2023 in parliament on October 31. A week later, the debate on the budget started on Tuesday, but not many MPs turned up for it.
Prior to the start of the debate, deputy speaker Eva Abdulla who was presiding over Tuesday's sitting, explained how the three-day debate would be held.
She said:
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The time allowed for sittings will be extended based on the interest of MPs
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The session will continue till 10pm
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The debate will continue only if the members seeking an opportunity are present on the floor at the time
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MPs who want an opportunity should inform them by 12pm Thursday
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Each member will get 15 minutes
In Wednesday's sitting, Ihavandhoo MP Mohamed Shifau took a procedural objection saying that if the session continues Thursday evening, lawmakers may face hurdles in attending the official Republic Day function.
"It's an event where all MPs areinvited. It seems that there may be an upsurge in the conduct of the session [of parliament] that night, so it should be brought to the notice of the same," Shifau said.
Eva did not believe it was a procedural issue. She said that Thursday's session will go till the night only if there are members with pending requests for speaking.
Only a handful of MPs debated the budget in Tuesday's meeting. Ameer was scheduled to attend the meeting, but he did not attend due to the low turnout of MPs.
At Tuesday's meeting:
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When the parliament met for the day, there were 34 members on the floor
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Only 12 MPs participated in the debate
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It took nearly three hours to debate
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The sitting concluded at 2.13pm as the members who wanted to participate in the debate were not present in the parliament
Eva raised the issue of some members who had sought a chance to speak being absent on the floor. She said the parliament could not function till the members participating in the debate arrived.
In Wednesday's meeting:
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When the house met for the day, 24 members were present on the floor
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Four members on leave
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16 MPs participated in the debate
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It took nearly four hours to debate
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The session ended at 2.40pm
Only 28 out of the 85 MPs debated on the budget in two days. Opposition PPM/PNC lawmakers are currently in Addu and are yet to participate in the debate.
Most of the lawmakers who have debated the budget so far are pro-government and have been in favour of the budget. Their statements were based on the 'talking points' sent to them by the government.
The document, a copy of which had been received by Atoll Times, instructs MPs to speak about projects in their respective constituencies, why they will vote for the budget, and defend the budget.
Finance minister Ibrahim Ameer presented a budget of MVR 42.68 billion to the parliament last week. It has a deficit of MVR 8.4 billion.
Regarding the budget, opposition leader and former president Abdulla Yameen said that the government is trying to mislead the people.
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