DQP sues Finance Ministry for non-payment of fisheries subsidies
12 Oct 2011, 7:22 PM
Ahmed Nazeer
Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) has filed a lawsuit at the Civil Court against the Finance Ministry and Fisheries Ministry claiming that the government is withholding the budget allocated for fuel subsidies for fishermen.
The party has requested the court to order the Finance Ministry to issue the Rf100 million included in the 2011 budget for fisheries subsidy immediately.
According to local media, the state attorney said that it was not in the mandate of political parties to get involved with issues such as this.
Meanwhile, DQP MP Riyaz Rasheed has submitted a resolution to the parliament calling on the government to release the fisheries subsidy.
Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP and Media Coordinator of the MDP Parliamentary Group Ahmed Shifaz told Minivan News that the resolution has been accepted by the parliament and sent to parliament committee for further review.
Finance Minister Ahmed Inaz told parliament last week that the state would have to reduce other subsidies before issuing Rf100 million (US$6.4 million) as oil subsidies for fishermen.
“It would have been easier if parliament had decided to reduce from a particular item,” he said, noting that potential items included subsidies for water, oil and foodstuffs as well as state benefits for persons with special needs.
“If we cut any of the [budget] items, we will be cutting basic needs,” he said. “The Majlis has not asked the government to cut any particular item so the government cannot cut any item and provide funding, and so hasn’t been able to find a fair way to issue subsidies for fishermen.”
Inaz told Minivan News today that it was too early to comment on the resolution that was submitted by Riyaz.
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