Speaker of the Parliament Mohamed Nasheed has expressed his displeasure over Finance Minister Ibrahim Ameer's refusal to answer questions related to the State Usable Reserve.
At the parliament's session today, the Vice-Speaker of the Parliament Eva Abdullah had questioned how much would be left in the State Usable Reserve at the end of next month to buy essential goods like staple food, oil, and medicine.
The Finance Minister had given his response in a letter to the parliament in which he said that central bank MMA was in charge of the foreign reserve and that the bank should manage the reserve and compile the required estimates.
Minister Ameer further said that the MMA would not reveal the usable amount of the foreign reserve and only said that there was enough cash that would last the next five months. He added that the parliament should ask the MMA for more details.
After the Minister's letter was read at the parliament today, the Speaker reminded that as per the constitution compiling the state budget as well as managing public finances and income are responsibilities of the Finance Ministry and that the Minister cannot say that these were not his responsibilities.
Nasheed further said as per Article 134 of the Constitution, the Minister is mandated to answer to the parliament and urged the Minister to revise his letter and resend it to the parliament.
