Parliament today unanimously approved a proposal to invite Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to address parliament during a maiden visit to the Maldives.
The proposal was put to a vote after an amendment to the rules of procedure was passed yesterday to allow foreign heads of state or heads of government to deliver speeches before parliament.
“The fact that [the invitation proposal] was passed with unanimous consent of all MPs who participated in the vote has shown our Majlis’ sincerity and desire to invite and welcome Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh,” said Speaker Abdulla Shahid after the vote.
Shahid said he would work with parliamentary group leaders to “offer a warm welcome” to the Indian Prime Minister and sent the official invitation to the Indian government today.
During the debate on the proposal, MP Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, parliamentary group leader of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), said he was pleased that the Indian Prime Minister would become the first foreign head of state to address the Maldivian parliament.
MP Dr Abdulla Mausoom, deputy parliamentary group leader of the opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), said Dr Manmohan Singh’s address would benefit the fledgling democracy in the Maldives.
MP Abdulla Yameen, parliamentary group leader of the newly-formed Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), observed that Dr Singh was an economist by profession and “what the Maldives needs the most today is to strengthen our democracy and economy.”
“I am sure he will highlight these two areas in his address,” Yameen said.
Meanwhile at today’s sitting, MPs voted 52-8 to approve the signing of a treaty between the Maldives and India on mutual legal assistance on criminal matters.
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The prime minister should raise the case of Indian school teacher Shijo Kokkattu who was imprisoned on Raa Atoll merely for having christian hymns on his laptop. He should ask your parliament that Indian citizens, particularly the 'nonbelievers', be treated with a bit of respect and common sense........both sadly lacking in your country.
Dr Singh will no doubt arrive in the Maldives will all the symbols of his sikh faith...........the granth sahib (sacred book), kirpan(symbolic dagger), kara(sacred bangle) and ofcourse his turban. Will bringing these items into the Maldives contravene your silly religious laws?
Maybe Dr Singh should give the Maldives a miss. Intolerance to other faiths can work both ways you know.
This is a very bold step for all Maldivians. Inviting such an esteemed and a well respected international figure to our zoo of a parliament might turn out to be a terrible fiasco.coz we got such disciplined and professional morons as politicians in our Majilis. I wont be surprised if somebody jumps up in between the Prime Ministers speech accusing India of being a corrupt country where you can hire to kill for just 500 bucks, and already the clown Riyaz Rasheed is threatening to interrupt the speech with "Nizami Nuquthaa" unless he be allowed to meet the Prime Minister in person to bitch about President Nasheed. Such is the level of our beloved MP's...exemplary diplomacy and political foresight. I really would ask the parliament speaker to reconsider this matter, and also believe that foreign officials of this level should think twice before accepting such an invitation. The truth is most of the idiots in our parliament do not deserve to be there,sadly most of us are so ignorant, ungrateful and shamelessly fail to realize how vulnerable and dependent we are.
The best thing or country has seen in decades
We got democracy after 30 yrs and now leader of largest democracy (India) who is a renowned Economist will address our Majlis is an honour. This will be a learning lesson for our MPs and good for bilateral relations with India.
@Indira NewDhelhi
He will be here as our guest - and as such should not raise any issues that are dipllomatically sensitive, which would offend the feelings of Maldivian citizens.
Within our shores, we are free to treat expatriates however we want, especially when they flout our religious laws. So please keep your Islamophobic bigotry to yourself.
If the Indians try anything funny, we will simply crush them like the insects they are, just as we did once put the Portuguese to flight, utterly destroying their once mighty empire.
@ Indira NewDelhi on Wed, 19th Oct 2011 11:09 PM
This is what happens when you drop out of school.
You don't even know how to read properly.
The Indian teacher, S. Kokattoo transferred stuff from his personal laptop to a school computer.
He was arrested for that.
I wish you did complete at least grade 5 of your Delhi Public School.
Why has Singh been invited? Why does he wish to attend? Does this have anything to do with China?
These are the questions that spring to my mind.
Oh and also, one of us making fun of public schools anywhere else in the world would have sounded better if we didn't have complete idiots jampacked in a national top ten ranking which is a well-celebrated joke the world over. As scams go, our education system is not the cleverest.
Our education system, which I am a product of, is perhaps the finest in the world!
Our education system, dear friend, like all other systems, have not remained static.
The factory line you came out of depends on the time and place you studied in. The education system does not churn out the same quality of graduate in the Shaviyani Atoll Education Center of 1995 that it does in the Majeedhiyya of '85.
This is my field so trust me on this. The current education system is one of the biggest cons in world history. Students are actively encouraged in schools to learn question and answer sheets by rote, after which they repeat them on the exam paper.
Have you seen the national top ten ranking? This country, I am sad to say, has not progressed enough to produce so many geniuses. What we have now are good rote-learners who have never had a critical thought in their whole childhood life.
They become unemployable after leaving school after which the public service is forced to give them jobs which they cannot and will not perform.
Yes our education system has expanded its reach, but at what cost?
What is your solution then?
@ tsk tsk
Why has Singh been invited? Why does he wish to attend? Does this have anything to do with China?
Mr.Singh will be here to attend SAARC Summit. He is a renowned Economist and has also worked in World Bank. He is a Prime Minister of largest democracy. We should all welcome him.
Besides, do you know how much India has contributed for SAARC Summit?
India is and will always be our best friend. India was there every time and again when Maldives needed protection, financial aid, technical expertise, military advancements and so on. The time has come for us to show our best friend that how important they are to us. India is in need for security which can only be achieved by our cooperation. India is facing a fierce competition from rival China on business growth. Maldives is without any doubt, an emerging market in terms of world tourism. Think of yesterday and think about tomorrow. Today is irrelevant. (Thanks for reading)