Government spends half a million Rufiyaa on travel in first five days of fiscal year

According to data from the Maldives finance ministry, the government has spent a significant amount on travel in the first five days of the current fiscal year. The cost of travel between January 1st and January 5th, 2023 was MVR 5 lakh, an average of MVR 1 lakh per day.

It has been revealed that President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has been travelling since the start of the new year. Although these trips have been officially labelled as government visits, they have been a part of the President's campaign for the Presidential primary elections.

This year, MVR 210 million has been budgeted for travel expenses, a similar amount to what was spent last year. With the current year being an election year, it is expected that President Solih will continue to travel to different parts of the country, and possibly even abroad, at the cost of the state.

In a previous interview, President Solih had revealed that he had a fondness for travelling. However, this spending has raised questions about the government's priorities, as the money could have been used for other important needs. As the election year progresses, it remains to be seen how much more the government will spend on travel and how it will affect the economy.