The parliament sitting today was again cancelled this morning, with the political deadlock over the cabinet endorsement issuing immobilising the legislative branch of government for the third week runnig.
Speaker of Parliament Abdulla Shahid canceled the sitting and suggested the political parties come to an understanding over the cabinet endorsement issue, the same request he made last week.
The previous sitting was also canceled after the opposition and ruling party MPs clashed over the issue of cabinet endorsement, and MPs refused to debate other bills.
The opposition and the ruling party MPs have been continuously blaming each other for parliament’s repeated cancellation.
Opposition MPs claim that the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MPs were declining to follow the parliament’s rules of procedure and alleged they were trying to influence parliamentary proceedings.
Opposition MPs have demanded individual approval of each member of the cabinet, and announced that they intend to disapprove six current cabinet ministers.
However, MDP MPs believe that the parliament should amend the rules of procedure and shall give consent to the cabinet as a whole rather than voting individually, as the no-confidence motion already exists.
President Mohamed Nasheed has said in his weekly radio address that although the parliament voted to dismiss any member of the cabinet, they will still remain in office, despite parliament’s disapproval.
Opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP Ahmed Nihan once again said that MDP MPs were deliberately forcing the speaker to cancel the parliament by constantly creating point of orders, to try and dismiss the cabinet endorsement issue from parliament’s agenda.
”After what the president said during his radio address, we were comforted at the thought that MDP MPs would remain silent as they were told and would let the cabinet endorsement issue continue,” said Nihan. ”We condemn this act of the ruling party, it is regrettable that the parliament has malfunctioned for nearly three weeks now.”
Nihan said there was a lot of other work that the parliament needs to complete.
”There will be the budget that has to be passed by the end of November, work on the Tax Bill is also at a halt, and the committee meetings as well,” he said.
He called on all the political parties to discuss the issue and to arrive to a common understanding so that the parliament could reinstate its work.
President Nasheed said during his weekly radio address that disapproval by parliament would mean ministers would be dismissed, and suggested MDP MPs to remain silent during the vote so parliament’s agenda could proceed.
Press Secretary for the President Mohamed Zuhair told Minivan News that it was unfair to say that only MDP MPs were responsible for the parliamentary deadlock.
”The real issue is due to a misconception in the meaning of the constitution, for there are MPs in the parliament who still have an ancient way of translating the constitution,” said Zuhair. ”It is regrettable that the parliament have arrived to a halt .”
Zuhair said the opposition was now effectively obstructing the president from establishing his government.
”Some of them cannot accept defeat and are attempting to obstruct the president from establishing a government,” he said. ”
Speaker Shahid said that the next sitting will be held tomorrow.
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What a brilliant job - go to work - do nothing but shout or sit at a desk - get paid 2,600Rufiyaa EACH DAY!!!
sack the whole lot of them
perhaps the Speaker meant the next sit-in will be held tomorrow.
It is very good to see that we are able to speak our heart out freely finally, I don't think our parents, grand parents or great great great etc grand parents had this opportunity; and there's a lot of political discussions going on, even though, sadly most of them are as yet based on more "amilla edhun" than for the country or people.
For example, this parliament deadlock is a joke unless ofcourse they deadlock their salaries whenever they are forgetting all responsibilities for the people.
The big issue talked about is about some Ministers should be there or not. Pls correct me if wrong, I'm not a lawyer or politician; but logically speaking, on the one hand we say there must be 3 independent pillars (parliament, govt, judiciary) in a democracy, and on the other we say the parliament has to decide who should be in the govt. That would mean 1 pillar would be an arm/extension/sub unit of another; making it a 2 pillar democracy.
And to top it, the parliament seems fit to freeze work and forget all the OTHER very important bills which has to be decided(and very soon) for the sake of the people, while the govt seems to make an effort to run the nation and also trying to fulfill some of their promises even with the dead lock.
It can't be right to just point out and say these, these or these people are ineligible. Instead if there are issues or reasons why some people should not be there, that should ofcourse be brought out. But even then, not in a way to halt the bigger issue! And those who point fingers at others also must make sure you are not wearing a nappy to cover your own shit!
In the end the 80 to 90% of struggling to survive, takes the shit. After all, the bigger issue relevant here is to prosper the needy general mass of Maldivians(and it's a tiny population) and our Nation! And ofcourse there is nothing wrong with the not so needy, and they are definitely needed too; and would be lovely if they can or continue working constructively and not use the "needies" as tools or stepping stones always!
@Idiot
Your nick belies the important messages you have.
I'm afraid, our Parliament's average IQ is way below that which is required for intelligent thought and deliberation. It's more of a medieval circus than anything else.
Money and money alone is the reason why most of these low IQers are in Parliament, i.e. bribery and corruption brought them there. Who are responsible for that? The general public, of course.
Now you may say that money and money alone brings in members of the legislature in Western democracies too. This is true. The difference is, their IQ is way higher than the lot we have.
I totally agree with bringing in a law so that Parliamentarians can only be paid for the number of productive sittings of Parliament they attend. Unfortunately, that's not going to happen, since these very people are responsible for making the laws too! Dammit!
@PS Zuhaur the whole problem is the memebers of the parliament & the leaders of the executive are behaving like kindergarden kids. Why would the ministers resigned in the first place. What did they achieve? Is that the only way you found to grab Yaameen give him a warning injection? C'mmon you ppl are rulling a nation and not your backyad garage. Grow up people. You all have brought shame to our nation.
Parliament is committing a crime by not working for the People of this Country as per their vows.
@Rasheed So does the executive powers.
for once in our lives lets face the truth.
We, maldivians, (majority) are a delusional hypocrites who lives in this fantasy " me and only me" world (I know sounds harsh)
No change will happen unless we know what is it that we are trying to change.period.
Everything will be normal once GMR starts operations of the airport this month. Its a deal between President, Thaasmeen and Shahid. After that everything will be ok.
Don't worry idiots!
@Ahmed Ibn Addu
Thanks for the comment. I'm sure some people grasped the gist, like you did, but there must be some who don't read all the lines or the little bits in between them.
The idea is for people "heylunveri kurun" and start looking at things in between the spectrum of black and white. Because that is how politics seem to run; talk and argue about some things for the sake of support or public vote but the real wedge is totally different and mostly more complicated. It should be understood that there's little use (other than to let know you are committed with a blind vote) in just reading and commenting on the face of things.
I totally agree with all you said but have a comment on the last para. It might not be the best of ideas to keep looking for laws in all departments; especially parliamentarians or executive or judicial. Pls don't get me wrong, ofcourse there should be the basic laws to keep order in all aspects. But the so called pillars where no one is supposed to override lawfully, cannot be addressed with more laws. It'll just be going tit for tat (make antivirus, make more virus), and going for ever in terms/time of the people in need. The quick and longest lasting solution is in the human mind; and that's the only thing we humans cannot foresee of ever conquering forcefully!
How long for moderation and what is it?
This is the signs of cold turkey of a nation. We have started to see the rising of the goose pimples and the echoes of the peoples elected & molded group of people stubborn over greed. Its the Business,Gangsters,Bribers & Thieves