The Elections Commission (EC) has announced that parliamentary elections will be on March 22, 2014.
The EC also decided not to declare by-elections for three vacant seats due to the proximity of the elections, according to local media.
The current parliament was convened on May 28, 2009 with a majority to the opposition Dhivehi Rayithunge Party (DRP), which had just lost to the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) in the 2008 presidential elections.
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(0)Ibrahim Muaz has been appointed President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom’s spokesperson, according to the President’s Office.
Muaz was candidate Yameen’s official spokesperson during the Progressive Party of Maldives’ (PPM’s) presidential campaign.
He previously served as communication director at the Foreign Ministry during former President Dr Mohamed Waheed’s administration, before which he worked at Television Maldives (TVM) and other media outlets.
(0)Dislikes(0)Jumhoree Party (JP) Leader and MP for Maamigili, Gasim Ibrahim, has been elected chair of the parliament’s Budget Review Committee for the fourth consecutive year.
The 22-member committee comprises of the combined Finance Committee and Economic Affairs Committee.
The business tycoon and former JP presidential candidate was chosen with 12 votes in favour. Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party MP Dr Abdulla Mausoom was elected deputy chair with the same number of votes.
The committee is tasked with reviewing the budget and presenting a report to the People’s Majlis floor by December 1.
(0)Dislikes(0)President Abdulla Yameen has dismissed the CEO of Maldives Ports Limited (MPL), Mohamed Latheef, and the Financial Controller, Mohamed Ahmed, reports local media.
According to reports, reasons for the dismissals were not given, and replacements have yet to be nominated.
The Commissioner General of Customs, Mohamed Aswan, and Managing Director of the State Trading Organisation (STO) have also been dismissed.
According to local media, replacements have not yet been appointed.
While Latheef was appointed MPL CEO by former President Dr Mohamed Waheed, Aswan and Ahmed Mohamed were appointed during the tenure of former President Mohamed Nasheed.
Speaking to press yesterday, President Yameen said he was awaiting nominations from coalition partners to appoint cabinet ministers, senior officials and board members to state-owned enterprises.
The PPM-led coalition that won the presidential election includes the Jumhooree Party (JP) led by business tycoon Gasim Ibrahim, the Maldives Development Alliance led by tourism magnate Ahmed ‘Sun Travel’ Shiyam, the religious conservative Adhaalath Party, former President Mohamed Waheed’s Gaumee Ihthihad Party and a number of smaller parties.
Of the five cabinet ministers appointed so far, Transport Minister Ameen Ibrahim was from the JP.
Yameen meanwhile told reporters that coalition partners should propose “capable and educated persons” who could “produce results.”
“Our party has first shown such persons in the cabinet. So I urge coalition leaders to show such capable, talented and experienced persons of a calibre the public can accept for their slots [in the government],” he said.
(0)Dislikes(0)MP for Baa Kendhoo Ahmed Thasmeen Ali has resigned as the leader of the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) today.
The former running mate of both former Presidents Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and Dr Mohamed Waheed in 2008 and 2013, respectively, backed the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) candidate Mohamed Nasheed in this year’s presidential election.
Following his resignation, Thasmen told local media that he believes the development that the public wishes for could only be brought by the MDP.
A DRP council meeting was scheduled for later today to appoint an interim leader. The party’s charter or regulations stipulates that a new leader must be elected within 60 days.
Local media reported that MP ‘Colonel’ Mohamed Nasheed has been nominated as the interim leader.
(0)Dislikes(0)State Trading Organisation (STO) Managing Director Shahid Ali has been dismissed from the post and replaced by Adam Azim, formerly the government-owned company’s General Manager.
Shahid confirmed his dismissal by the incoming administration of President Abdulla Yameen to local media and made parting remarks to his staff today.
The new MD is the brother of President Yameen’s newly reappointed Defence Minister Colonel (Retired) Mohamed Nazim.
(0)Dislikes(0)After fielding applications from 267 individuals, the Majlis has selected 25 people to be interviewed as security officers, local media reported.
MDP MP Imthiyaz ‘Inti’ Fahmy told Sun Online that the Majlis intended to employ one hundred officers.
The selection process follows Speaker Abdulla Shahid’s swearing in of former Maldives National Defense Forces (MNDF) officer Mohamed Haleem to the newly announced position of sergeant at arms last month.
The sergeant at arms is to oversee security of the Majlis premises – a task currently carried out by the MNDF.
The Ministry of Defence has criticised the move, arguing that the role is constitutionally reserved to the military, an argument which Shahid has expressed surprise at.
“I personally believe that the MNDF personnel should not be asked to come into confrontation with politicians, especially Members of Parliament. MNDF is a much higher institution,” Shahid told Minivan News earlier this month.
(0)Dislikes(0)Ballot papers are being transported to the atolls in preparation for tomorrow’s presidential run-off.
Police are working alongside the Elections Commission (EC) local media had reported. The EC announced that 6,299 voters had re-registered to vote in locations other than their home island.
Representatives of both the Maldivian Democratic Party and the Progressive Party of Maldives began signing the voter lists on Wednesday (October 14) in accordance with Supreme Court guidelines.
The EC also announced earlier this week that voters left-hand ring fingers will be marked in tomorrow’s election, with the right and left-hand forefingers having been marked in the two previous polls on September 7 and October 9.
Ballots will be cast into the 475 ballot boxes between 7:30am and 4:00pm tomorrow.
(0)Dislikes(0)The People’s Majlis has returned the no-confidence motions against President Dr Mohamed Waheed, and Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim, arguing that the pair’s appointments had expired on November 11.
Following Waheed’s decision to stay in office beyond the end of the constitutionally specified term, Speaker of the Majlis Abdulla Shahid wrote a letter informing Waheed that he was no longer in command of the country.
A motion passed in the Majlis to hand interim power over to the speaker was overruled by the Supreme Court as the presidential election took place on Saturday (November 9).
“Today, as the head of state, my responsibility is to protect the country’s highest interests. Many Maldivians, international organisations and countries are pressuring me to resign and temporarily hand over the government to the People’s Majlis Speaker. On the other hand, even more citizens want me to stay on, to continue with administration of the country, to carry out my duty,” Waheed told the nation on Sunday evening.
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