The secretariat of the former president has accused senior government officials of blocking funding for his office and attempting to obstruct its work.
A press release issued by the office of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom states that it was created on 11 December 2009 under legislation passed t last year by parliament to provide protection and privileges for former presidents.
“Under article eight of the law on protection and privileges for former presidents, the state has to arrange up to Rf175,000 a month for an office, employees and ‘other matters’ for former presidents ‘should they want to’ do social work of benefit to community,” reads the press statement.
It adds that the legislation leaves the formation of the office to the discretion of former presidents, and not parliament or the government.
Article 140 states, “A member of the cabinet shall be given responsibility for each authority or institute established by government or the People’s Majlis, except for independent institutions specified in this constitution or established pursuant to a law.”
However the statement adds that “it is clear” that a cabinet minister does not have to be responsible for the office and moreover, it was “regrettable” that senior government officials were claiming that the former president did not have the authority to create such an office and were “attempting to obstruct” the work of the former president.
Speaking to Minivan News today, Hassan Afeef, political advisor to President Mohamed Nasheed, denied the president’s office was obstructing the social work of the former president.
“What he has to do first is state what kind of social work he wants to do and then inform the relevant authority – that is the finance ministry,” Afeef said.
When the request was made with the finance ministry, he said, it will issue funds depending on the type of work and the number of employees needed.
Afeef argued that the office would be created by a law passed by parliament and therefore would be overseen by a ministry.
Since the law clearly states that funds should be issued for “social work” the former president must specify the kind of work he wants to undertake.
“I don’t understand why he is trying to do everything by using power instead of respecting the law,” he said.
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let this old guy live.. hehe
i wonder if botox trips to singapore is the 'social' work maumoon has in mind
Afeef let me tell you this don't you sense reluctant to be a political adviser to the president?, i believe you should leave politics , your one of the Mps who is abandoned by the people , and from the same breed of politicians that we don't require any longer, but presume, your guys are greatly obsessed by diplomatic passports and privileges, that's the motive ! you guys are screwing with our president and making him sightless to the real movie in this country, forcing him to produce new placements in order to shape you people by exploiting of democracy which heavily depend on votes , please resign like dictator maumoon and do some social work .. please don't ravage our money 45000rf which your ingesting every month from our funds.. What’s the work you are doing there other than to piss people of this country, everyday some robbery, mugging, killing, gang violence what are you guys doing there? we are powerless here to stop these menace!! still you guys after the DRP and the hooligans.. i remember when an incident occurs in male, you guys wander around male calling for the resignation of “commissioner of police” .. Now where is he? Please Afeef try to comprehend fundamental duty of a President is to “construct an environment where his people and the properties safe” after this we can talk about the economy and flats .. , if not what's the use of a president? That’s the main reason why people rejected the so called DRP and the dictator maumoon, but after one year the situation is the same people depend on the gangs much more than the police it’s more like a Hindhi movie .. the legacy follows …
what social work is he doing?.
persuade the majlis for no confidence votes is good social work.
persuade the majlis to add another 800 million when the finace minister says that there is no wway of getting it social work.
its sad to say that this guy has gone crazy. May be he still feels that he is the president. Maumoon - For God sake why dont you let the people of this country live decent life n let the present government do something (different/for betterment) to the people of this country.
If there is a difference between the two concepts 'social' and 'political', what social work can a leader of the largest opposition party (also the biggest political party ) do without being political?
what Maumoon did for the country and that is truly remarkable! ... he gave us inspiration and I would love to see you back in the saddle again. May ALLAH Bless you.
I laughed. Hard.
It's high time we tear this parasitic leech off Maldives once and for all. He's forced to hide like a criminal, now. Perhaps he's AFRAID of retaliation from those families his cruel regime has destroyed.
It is truly remarkable what Maumoon had done for this country and himself!
To mark a few:
1. He had stopped and eradicated drug abuse since 1979.
2. He ravished the 60 plus strong shipping fleet this nation had and rumbled it down to 3 (representing each 10 year of his cruel rule)which today is a burden on the nation.
3. Devoured the sizable reserves that President Nasir stashed for a rainy day for the little or whatsoever love he had for the nation.
4. Introduce 2 generations of addicts for a bright future.
To fellows who hail this Maumoon!
He could have done better. He may have done something for the people, but be able to swallow facts of life and see through them with real eyes!
Apart from those who formed "the ring" around him perhaps for their personal greed, who would or could believe what this guy say!
Well well well Mohamed,
45% of the people who voted in the last presidential election does not seem to share your view, and you're talking about some 80,000 plus people (much more now as evident throughout the country due to the petty excuse of a leadership MDP has been for the past 1 year since they came to power). Now these tens of thousands of these people were NOT part of the so-called "ring" of people around Maumoon, so one wonders why they fail to see your notions of reality. It is time for people like you to face the facts instead - for all his faults Maumoon was and is still a far better leader than Anni will ever be (the far lesser of the 2 evils in any case)! And 30% of the people who supported Gasim & Hassan Saeed and voted for Anni under the now-defunct banner of change are now openly admitting their obvious mistake. Enjoy your brief spell in power while it lasts - as it wont last very long...! See around you - everyone in Maldives is calling for a change to the "change" they brought about just an year ago.... heh.