Data on government expenditure to be published on a weekly basis

President Mohamed Nasheed has said today that public expenditure data would be published on a weekly basis in the future. Speaking in the Inaugural Ceremony of Government’s Economic and Financial Reform Program, the President said that this would be done in order to ensure full transparency in the area of public expenditure.

The President stated that every penny in the state treasury belonged to the people and that it is generated by the Maldivian businessmen and that the funds should, as such, be utilized in a responsible and trustful manner. He said that the government did not want any spending from the public funds to be kept away from the public scrutiny.

President Nasheed said that his government had a commitment to spend from the treasury for the betterment of the people, in a simple and transparent manner so that every citizen could see how the process of spending is undertaken. He also stressed on the importance of creating a culture of disclosing details of public expenditure for public scrutiny via independent institutions.

Speaking about the proposed tax system, the President said that things to be done with tax funds had been clearly defined, and that those things would include the provision of effective and efficient healthcare services, education, and shelter for the people. He also said that the money raised from taxes would be utilized for developing the national transport network, and to find and implement solutions for drug problems and rising living costs.

Referring to heated debates on the issue of introducing a tax system in the Maladives, the President said that in many countries introduction of taxes had been a chaotic affair. However, the President assured that it could be done smoothly here if all parties agreed to talk to each other and discuss disagreements for the sake of national development and unity.