Deductions on civil servants

President Mohamed Nasheed has said today that deductions from the wages of civil servants cannot be paid back, and that the government would go to Supreme Court over the issue.

Answering a question asked by a reporter in a news conference held at the President’s Office today, the President said that considering the limited government income and overburdening debt issues, it was very clear that deductions from civil servants’ salaries could not be paid back.

“We cannot pay the money back. The government has to go to the Supreme Court about the matter”, President said.

The President said that he couldn’t envisage a situation where the Supreme Court ordered the money to be paid back, and that in such a case, the government would have no choice but to send the matter to the People’s Majlis and mint money. The President said that such a move would add to inflation and create further problems.