Tag: Majlis

Week in review: February 16 – 21

The Maldives’ judiciary continued to dominate headlines this week, in particular the Supreme Court’s decision to use privileged Majlis testimony in its case against the Elections Commission.

Citing the establishment of justice as a fundamental tenet of Islam, the court declared the evidence admissible in its ongoing contempt of court case.

Speaking at a campaign event for the Majlis elections, Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) leader Mohamed Nasheed suggested the Supreme Court was fearful of an MDP majority in the parliament, pledging judicial reform should this happen.

On the lower benches, televised claims of bribery within the judiciary by Civil Court Judge Aisha Shujoon prompted both the Anti Corruption and the Judicial Services Commissions to launch separate investigations.

The JSC’s investigations into Shujoon’s claims will take place without the Majlis’ representative MP Ahmed Hamza, however, who has been removed as a result of his standing for re-election.

The Human Rights Commission this week called upon the Majlis to expedite the appointment of a new Prosecutor General (PG), before the Criminal Court finally agreed to accept new cases from the Deputy PG.

The court was immediately presented with 20 new cases, although the PG’s Office has said the backlog will take a month to clear. This may hamper new court regulations which requires the office to file criminal charges within 45 days of arrests being made.

The court did find time this week to sentence MDP MP Abdulla Jabir to one year’s imprisonment for failure to provide a urine sample to police in late 2012.

Three more cases are likely to land on the PG’s desk in the next six weeks after police arrested two Bangladeshi men and one woman in Malé for pre-marital sexual relations. For those recently married foreigners, however, the Maldives continues to be the number one holiday destination, an online poll revealed.

Fears were raised by the Tourism Employees Association that the amount of service charge disbursed to resort workers was being reduced as the government plans to raise taxes on the industry. An IMF delegation in the country noted its surprise at the resilience of the economy, suggesting that taxes on the industry were still relatively low.

The new nominee for the governor’s position at the central banking authority suggested that increasing local productivity and reducing reliance on imports – on which 75 percent of the country’s dollars are spent – was vital.

During the SAARC Council of Ministers’ Meeting – hosted on Bandos resort – President Abdulla Yameen stated his belief that trade and commerce were the “magic wand” for achieving the regional association’s goals.

Earlier in the week, while campaigning for the Progressive Party of Maldives, Yameen had labelled the Nasheed government’s transport policy corrupt, vowing to reclaim land given to private companies for ferry services.

He also said that the government would not be seeking to expedite Nasheed’s trial, though he did suggest that the former president must be sentenced for the arrest of Judge Abdulla Mohamed in 2012 if the rule of law is to be upheld.

The police’s campaign to reach out to the nation’s youth continued this week with the third ‘Blues for Youth’ camp. Home Minister Umar Naseer told participants that there was “no task too menial or lowly for a Maldivian”.

Meanwhile, Naseer signed an order shutting down Malé’s Dharumavantha Rasgefaanu mosque after an unauthorised congregation had prayed for the government’s destruction.

As Yameen’s administration approaches the one hundred days’ milestone intact, the policy to provide greater access to healthcare was introduced in Villinigili – albeit on a more modest scale than initially promised.

In nearby Gulhi island, a pioneering desalination project was launched by the UK’s Aquiva Foundation. The project – a joint venture with STELCO – will produce drinking water using the excess heat from electricity generators.

Further north, Alifushi island council has complained that emergency drinking water supplied to the island arrived contaminated with dust and bacteria.

Finally, the Olympic Committee this week announced plans to increase female participation in sports, setting a target of 33 percent of contingents sent to major international games to be women.

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Speaker expresses concern over weakening of parliamentary privileges

Speaker of the People’s Majlis, Abdulla Shahid has expressed concern over the weakening of parliamentary privileges and fears over a return to how pre-2008 restrictions on politicians.

“As the speaker of the People’s Majlis I would like to say that all the constitutional rights guaranteed for the members of the parliament to express themselves without any fear in order to protect citizens’ rights have now been taken away,”  he said, speaking at the inauguration of a campaign center for MDP Gaddhoo-Vaadhoo constituency candidate Ibrahim Ameer,

Shahid noted that Jumhooree Party leader Gasim Ibrahim was imprisoned under President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s administration for expressing an interest to become the speaker of the People’s Special Majlis(constitutional assembly), after which Abbas Ibrahim -Gayoom’s brother in-law – was elected speaker.

He said it was to prevent such thing from happening that the Parliamentary Privileges Act had been designed in a way that no MP could be detained during a no-confidence vote against the president, cabinet, or institutions.

“We made that decision because such things have happened in the Maldives’ past. But this article has now been invalidated by the supreme court,” he said, stating that the government can now once again control votes by arresting MP s over petty charges.

Shahid also said that,  if the government coalition wins a majority in the upcoming parliamentary elections, the constitutional mandate for the People’s Majlis to hold the government accountable will become ‘useless’, adding that was crucial for the opposition MDP to win the election for this reason.

“The Majlis has a duty to hold the government accountable, how can one hold oneself accountable? If those who control the government win the parliament, Article 70 (b) 3 of the constitution will become useless.”

The article in reference states that parliament has the power to supervise the exercise of executive authority and to ensure executive authority is accountable for the exercise of its powers.

Shahid said that, prior to the 2008 constitution, Maldivians never got the chance to hold their government accountable and that anyone who dared to do so faced suffering, pain, and torture.

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Politicians blame powerful individuals behind gangs for Alhan stabbing

MPs have today condemned the stabbing of Maldivian Democratic Party MP Alhan Fahmy, decrying the apparent impunity enjoyed by the criminal gangs deemed responsible for the attack.

Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party member Mohamed ‘Colonel’ Nasheed called for community to root out those who use local gangs to carry out politically motivated attacks.

Saturday’s attack has been described by Alhan’s family and colleagues as premeditated and political in nature.

Meanwhile, one of the three men arrested in relation to the stabbing of MP Alhan Fahmy has been released from police custody today.

Mohamed Kinanath Ahmed was arrested shortly after the incident. Police have confirmed that, after appearing before judges yesterday evening, Kinanath was released before being re-arrested the same evening, then released once more this morning.

Kinanath is the brother of Hussain Humam Ahmed, who currently faces the death sentence for the murder of Progressive Party of Maldives MP Dr Afrasheem Ali in October 2012.

Alhan is reported to be recovering from surgery in Colombo after receiving a stab wound to the back while in the popular Breakwater cafe in Malé.

Speaking with local media today, members of Alhan’s family have said that the surgery to repair damage to his spine was a success, though whether he recovers fully from paralysis in his right leg is yet to be determined.

Police arrested one man at the scene, with a further two individuals – including Kinanath – being taken into custody the same evening. Two suspects remain in custody, having had their detention extended for 10 days.

Kinanath is well known to authorities, previously having been listed as one of the most dangerous gangsters in the capital. He is said to be a member of Malé’s prominent Masodi gang.

Debating a motion condemning the attack in the People’s Majlis today, MPs expressed alarm at the dangerous gang culture in the country’s capital.

“There is no motive for gangs to attack and kill Alhan or the Ungoofaaru constituency MP Dr Afrasheem. I say this, because there are no reasons for people like Alhan or Afrashim to have issues with the gangs,” said Mohamed ‘Colonel’ Nasheed.

The real killers hidden behind a curtain includes businessmen and politically motivated killings through paid gangs, he continued.

“We have to find the Ace hiding behind the curtain if we want to reform this community.”

Maldivian Democratic Party MP Ilyas Labeeb suggested that gangs were not hesitant to commit such acts in public because they are protected. He also warned that, at this point, gang members would not hesitate to enter the Majlis chambers and slaughter MPs.

A 2012 report by the Asia Foundation found that Malé’s 20-30 gangs worked closely with politicians:

“Political and business elites exploit gangs to carry out a range of illegal activities that serve their political or business interests in exchange for financing the gangs,” read the report.

After being sentenced to one year’s imprisonment for possession of a knife in 2011, Kinanath was released under the President Mohamed Nasheed’s ‘Second Chance’ programme, Sun Online has today reported.

After the ousting of Nasheed in February 2012, the programme – designed to improve rehabilitation and reduce recidivism – was blamed by then Home Minister Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed for a rise in crime rates. The programme was subsequently shut down.

The new administration of President Abdulla Yameen – in which Jameel serves as vice president – has adopted its own policies to reintegrate offenders deemed not a threat to society, involving the commuting of sentences and the removal of criminal records.

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PPM MPs support abolishing tourism bed tax

Deputy leader of the ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives’ (PPM) parliamentary group Moosa Zameer has supported abolishing tourism bed tax if the Tourism Goods and Service Tax (T-GST) is raised from 8 to 12 percent.

Reintroducing the US$8 tourism bed tax, which was discontinued on December 31, 2013, is among the raft of revenue raising measures proposed by President Abdulla Yameen.

However, speaking at an eleven member sub committee set up to review the government’s revenue raising measures, Zameer said that government aligned MPs now believed bed tax should be abolished if T-GST were to be increased.

Finance Minister Abdulla Jihad has denied any change in the government’s stance.

“It has not changed. And if the government does not go on with the bed-tax, the numbers will not match in the budget,” Jihad told Minivan News.

According to the Madives Tourism Act, bed tax must be abolished within three years of the introduction of T-GST. The Finance Ministry has said discontinuation of bed tax will cost the state MVR100 million (US$ 6.4 million) every month.

The government expects MVR3.4 billion (US$ 224 million) from revenue raising measures. These also include revision of import duties, raising airport departure charge for foreign passengers from US$ 18 to US$ 25, leasing an additional 12 islands for resort development, introducing GST for telecommunication services, and collecting resort lease extension in advance.

Government aligned MPs requested the People’s Majlis hold an extraordinary session during the ongoing recess, contending that failure to pass the revenue raising measures will hamper the implementation of the 2014 budget.

Meanwhile, the Maldives Association for Tourism Industries (MATI) has questioned the practicality of collecting resort lease extensions in a lump sum.

Speaking at the sub committee yesterday, Secretary General of MATI Ahmed Nazeer said only 17 out of more than one hundred resorts had paid resort lease extension fees upfront during former President Mohamed Nasheed’s administration.

Nazeer pointed out that the Civil Court had said the government could not ask for resort lease extensions upfront during Nasheed’s tenure.

Further, resort owners had amended their agreements to pay lease extension in installments during President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan’s administration, and as such it would be difficult to amend legislation, Nazeer said.

Then Governor of Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) Fazeel Najeeb at the time opposed many of those measures, arguing that asking resort owners to pay lease extension fees upfront was robbing the state of future revenue for a “temporary benefit.”

Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MPs said changing agreements could reduce investor agreement in the country.

MDP has described the government’s revenue raising measures as excessive.

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Incumbents prevail in MDP primary

Eight of nine incumbent MPs who contested opposition Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) Majlis primaries on Saturday have won the party ticket.

Sitting MP for Henveiru Dhekunu Hamid Abdul Ghafoor only gained 47 votes and lost the party ticket to Malé City Council member Mohamed ‘Rukuma’ Abdul Kareem who won 328 votes.

Of the 85 People’s Majlis constituencies, 27 MDP candidates won the party ticket uncontested. The MDP had initially scheduled voting for the remaining 58 constituencies on Friday, but cancelled polls for 56 after administrative and voter registry issues. Polling was completed in only two constituencies on Friday.

The MDP rescheduled polling for 18 constituencies – including 10 of the 13 Malé city constituencies – and is to hold voting for the remaining 38 constituencies this week.

In Malé City, MP and party Chairperson Reeko Moosa Manik competed against former Minister of Youth, Human Resources and Sports Hassan Latheef, and won the ticket for the Hulhuhenveiru constituency.

MP Mariya Ahmed Didi won against former Judicial Services Commission member Aisthath Velezinee with 249 votes. Velezinee gained 75 votes.

People’s Majlis Speaker Abdulla Shahid who currently represents Vaavu Atoll Keyodhoo constituency won the MDP’s ticket for Malé City’s Henveiru Uthuru constituency.

Malé MPs Eva Abdulla, Ali Azim, and Imthiyaz Fahmy won the MDP ticket without a primary.

In the atolls, MPs Rugiyya Ahmed, Mohamed Aslam, Ilyas Labeeb and Ahmed Hamza retained the party tickets for Mahibadhoo, Hithadhoo Uthuru, Hulhudhoo, and Bilehdhoo constituencies, respectively.

MP for Kaafu Atoll Thulusdhoo constituency Rozaina Adam won the party ticket for Addu Atoll Meedhoo constituency.

Non-incumbents who won the MDP primary are:

  • Malé City Council member Ibrahim Shujau for Galholhu Dhekunu in Malé
  • Former Housing Minister Mohamed Aslam for Maafannu Dhekunu in Malé
  • Malé City Council member Mohamed Falah for Maafannu Hulhangu in Malé
  • Former State Minister for Home Affairs Sheikh Hussein Rasheed for Vilimaafannu in Malé
  • Former MP Ibrahim ‘Ibra’ Ismail for Machangoalhi Dhekunu in Malé
  • Aishath Leena for Kulhudufushi Dhekunu in Haa Dhaal Atoll
  • Ibrahim Jihad for Meedhoo in Dhaalu Atoll

Leena is the wife of MP Ali Waheed and Jihad is MP Ahmed Hamza’s brother.

Speaking to Minivan News, MDP’s election committee chair Ibrahim Waheed said polling had proceeded smoothly on Saturday.

He claimed members of the ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) had attempted to hijack the MDP’s primary on Friday, by disrupting the vote claiming their names were not on the party register.

Waheed said the MDP received 12,000 new membership forms between December 10 and 19 – the deadline for registering new members to vote in the MDP Majlis primary.

Of the 12,000, over 4,000 forms were members of parties belonging to the ruling coalition. The MDP believes the new members were added to manipulate the vote and had decided not to accept forms of individuals who are registered with other parties, Waheed said.

The MDP received 50 complaints regarding the voter registry, and resolved 11 of them, he said. The complaints do not affect the results, he added.

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Q&A: MP Mohamed ‘Colonel’ Nasheed – Nolhivaram constituency

In a series of interviews to lead into the the 2014 parliamentary elections – scheduled for March 22nd – Minivan News will be conducting interviews with incumbent MPs.

All 77 sitting members have been contacted, from across the political spectrum, to be asked a standardised set of questions with additional topicals. The interviews will be published as and when they are received.

Mohamed ‘Colonel’ Nasheed represents the Nolhivaram constituency and is currently interim leader of the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP).

Daniel Bosley: What made you enter the political arena and how?

Mohamed Nasheed: During the 2004 reform movement, I was actually a columnist in Minivan Daily and that column was very popular among the readers – I was writing a political column called ‘shoot’, [which means] something like new beginning. When there was a vacancy in the the People’s Special Majlis – when Mr Ibra Ismail resigned – to go to the parliament, I was asked to run in the by-election. That was in late 2004, early 2005.

DB: Based on your attendance and work in this ending term, how would you judge your performance as an MP?

MN: I have almost one hundred percent attendance and I’m happy with what we have achieved in this parliament because, despite this is a hung parliament, and politically divided, and even though we are sitting with MPs who are not qualified to do some sort of legislatures we were able to actually involve them and get something out from this. I am quite happy with what we have got and with what we have achieved.

DB: What are the main committees you worked on? What particular bills did you focus on?

MN: I’m actually in a committee where no bills are going – I’m in the Public Accounts Committee, and I’m also the chair of the Petitions Committee.

DB: What would you say are the biggest achievements within your term; in terms of what you have accomplished for your constituency and the country as a whole?

MN: The biggest achievement is the tax regime. We have changed the whole system and now that people are aware about the taxes even though we have not finished all these bills, still we can get good revenue through tax. That’s one good achievement and also one big achievement is the penal code. Even though it’s still in the committee, before the end of this term we will be able to make it as a law. There are a few small things that we need to scrutinise, fine tune.

DB: What would you say is the biggest mistake or worst step you have taken in your political career? Why?

MN: Biggest mistake is the Supreme Court – definitely. I’m not saying that all the justices are not perfect, but the way we did it is not good. There was political will that day and everyone was awake at midnight and we passed a bill, and we amended that bill the same day, and the same day the president [Mohamed Nasheed] again gazetted it and published it. That was selected to the Supreme Court and we could have – if we had more time, if we had more compromise – we could have achieved a better Supreme Court with democratic fundamentals.

Today what I feel is that the Supreme Court as a whole is lacking the democratic fundamentals. They might even charge me with contempt of court for making this statement.

DB: Are you taking the optional committee allowance of an additional MVR20,000? Why or why not?

MN: What I believe is that People’s Majlis salary is fine, but at the same time what I believe is that civil servant salaries are very very low. So, we need to have an efficient civil service in order to minimise the number of people serving in the civil service. I mean we need to have multi-tasked people, we need to have technology and thereby we have fewer staffs and we can give them better salaries.

DB: But the committee allowance for MPs, is that something you’ve been taking?

MN: Yes and no.

DB: What is your view about parliamentarians and other public servants declaring their financial assets publicly for the electorate to be able to refer to?

MN: I think it’s good – then corruption and some misconduct could be minimised. We can’t totally get rid of these things, but we can minimise these things.

DB: Are you re-contesting in the next elections? Why? What do you hope to accomplish should you be elected for a new term?

MN: Yes. I had a second thought that I would not run for the parliament because this is my ninth year in public office, so I thought I would not run. But when I see some of the candidates who are running – some people who are running for party primaries in some parties – I think it’s my moral obligation to be in the parliament.

Otherwise, I feel that our parliament might lack intellectual people and parliament might lack sensible people. When we don’t have sensible and intellectual people in our parliament, we can’t have sensible laws and we will have bias. Now, we can’t see through pink-painted glass or yellow-painted glass, we have see through see-through glass – then only can we see it clearly.

DB: What do you think the DRP’s role will be in the next five years?

MN: DRP is all the time declining because after President [Maumoon Abdul] Gayoom left, we had a rough time, and just after the 2013 presidential election out leader Thasmeen Ali had also left the party. Now I’m working as the interim leader, but what we are trying to do is salvage this thing from the storm, and right now we have achieved a lot of milestones.

What I believe is that we are the third biggest party in the Maldives and we have our organs, our island branches functioning, and we have our grassroots support. The thing is that, in Malé, we are very low – and all the political activity happens in Malé. But if you want to have a rally in an island or an atoll, it will be easy for us. So we have to build everything from scratch.

I can see that the DRP is the only party with an ideology because PPM [Progressive Party of Maldives] is President Gayoom’s party and everybody knows that, and MDP [Maldivian Democratic Party] is MDP’s party and everybody knows that. Definitely, you have to ask the question with JP [Jumhooree Party] – JP means Gasim, Gasim means JP. Sun Travel Shiyam’s party [Maldivian Development Alliance] – we don’t know the name of the party.

In time there will be about six parties and the only party with an ideology is Adhaalath, but because of the scholars and because they are using religion as a political tool, people have lost faith in these scholars. So, DRP is the only party with an ideology.

DB: What improvements do you feel the 18th Majlis will need to make to improve as an institution?

MN: We need to elect educated people. We need to elect people with experience. If we elect a bunch of uneducated people, irrational people, to the parliament, it’s very difficult to work with these kinds of people. Sometimes when we stay overnight and build a lot of hard work on the budget, some might come and mess up the place for all the wrong reasons. We can’t entertain these things – for the last nine years we have been entertaining these things. We need calm, we need to go forward in order to achieve something in the parliament as well.

I believe in the 17th parliament we have done a lot but if we can get more educated people there, they will behave properly and they will achieve something. They will at least have some sense of responsibility – the problem is that they don’t have any sense of responsibility.

DB: What are your thoughts on party switching? Do you think it undermines the party system?

MN: I have switched my party – I feel that because we are a very young democracy, we don’t have parties with political ideologies, this is the main reason that we switch parties. Back in 2004, as a young person, I wanted President Gayoom to go and that a new president should come but still between President Yameen and President Nasheed, I’d choose President Nasheed because I think he is a dynamic and energetic person who can change everything here in the Maldives.

What I feel is that all these systems are hijacked by a few individuals and people like me with ambition and who want to achieve bigger political portfolios, we don’t have the space to move around. In time to come there will be two or three parties – I believe that will be PPM, MDP, and DRP – other parties will vanish.

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Q&A: MP Rozaina Adam – Thulusdhoo constituency

In a series of interviews to lead into the the 2014 parliamentary elections – scheduled for March 22nd – Minivan News will be conducting interviews with incumbent MPs.

All 77 sitting members have been contacted, from across the political spectrum, to be asked a standardised set of questions with additional topicals. The interviews will be published as and when they are received.

As part of the series, Minivan News interviewed MP Rozaina Adam,

MP Rozaina represents the Thulusdhoo constituency of Kaafu Atoll and was elected on a Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) ticket, she joined opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) in November 2013.

Ahmed Rilwan: What made you enter the political arena and how?

Rozaina Adam: My family was involved in politics – my father was an MP and my mother served in the Special Majlis. So I have been interested in politics since childhood. But the system back then didn’t make it easy for anyone new to enter politics, but the introduction of party system provided many with this opportunity. So in 2008 I decided to run for People’s Majlis the following year.

AR: Based on your attendance and work in this ending term, how would you judge your performance as an MP?

RA: I am very satisfied with the work I did.

AR: What are the main committees you worked on? What particular bills did you focus on?

RA: I am currently in the Committee on Independent Institutions, National Security Committee, and the 241 [security services oversight] Committee. I am serving as the vice chair in all three committees now and the Chair of Sexual Harassment Bill Review Committee.

Earlier I was in the National Development Committee, and was the Chair of Domestic Violence Bill Review Committee as well as the subcommittee that reviewed the Anti-Torture Bill.

As for bills, I introduced the Domestic Violence Bill and proposed an amendment to the Majlis regulation to create a dedicated committee for women and children’s issues. I was working on the Sexual Harassment Bill when I discovered that the government is also preparing one, so I introduced the bill on behalf of the government.

I have also drafted a bill on medical negligence, it has been sent to the Ministry of Health for comments. It is still pending as I had to send it to each new minister with the government changing thrice recently.

I proposed an amendment to the Maldives Family Regulation to increase the child support payments, another amendment for the Decentralization Act to reserve a seat for women in the local councils and to arrange allowances for women’s committees. And the [second] amendment to the Public Finance Act requiring [the government] to send the budget to People’s Majlis earlier. These are the main bills that I worked on.

AR: What would you say are the biggest achievements within your term – in terms of what you have accomplished for your constituency and the country as a whole?

RA: I was able to include all major needs of my constituency in the budget, but there is not much I could do about the government halting some of these projects.

During my term in Majlis, harbors of K.Huraa and K.Dhiffushi were completed. Thuslusdhoo land reclamation and harbor projects were included in the budget, water and sewage system of Himmafushi and Thulusdhoo were completed. A set of classrooms were constructed in Huraa, work is in progress for classrooms in Thulusdhoo and Dhiffushi.

One major issue that my constituency faced was the controversy that followed the changing of Atoll Council from Thulusdhoo [when the Atoll Council decided to move the office from Maafushi to Thulusdhoo the government fought against it]

I see that as a major achievement. Even as an opposition member I worked against the government – with DRP members – to find a solution to that problem within the Majlis.

My main focus in Majlis was mostly women’s development issues. I focused more on such issues because only five out of 77 MPs are women. There are plenty of people to focus on other issues, but only a few people focus on women’s issues. So I chose to give more attention to that area.

For instance I put a lot of  pressure to fast-track the Sexual Harassment Bill, especially during the Fahmy controversy [when President of the Civil Service Commission Mohamed Fahmy was accused of sexually harassing one of his staff].

I was in DRP back then, however I supported that [of removing Fahmy for sexual harassment] even though it was MDP [Maldivian Democratic Party] that proposed it. It was because of my vote in the committee [ Committee on Independent Institutions ] that it was passed [to remove Fahmy]. And due to this the issue of sexual harassment came to national attention, I see that as a huge achievement.

AR: What would you say is the biggest mistake or worst step you have taken in your political career? Why?

RA: I can’t say it was completely wrong, but in hindsight, I am not entirely happy that I supported President Maumoon [Abdul Gayoom]. When I look back now it seems so, but my decision was based on the information I received at the time.

Later I found from President Maumoon’s words and actions, especially what he said when Theemuge [Presidential Residence] audit report was published and how he justified it. It was all very different from the reality which was revealed when the original bills and documents were sent to the Majlis.

There is nothing else that I see as mistake. I was in DRP because I accepted the party policies. But with the presidential elections we realized that DRP’s goals cannot be achieved as it still remains a party created by Maumoon. I decided to change to MDP because I believe the political sphere will actually have [just] MDP and PPM. And I don’t believe PMM was established to serve the people.  We know exactly why they left us [DRP], it was to sustain President Maumoon’s family rule. So I believe a lot of good can be achieved for the people through MDP. If we look in to the background of MDP we can see there are opportunities for everyone in this party.

AR: Are you taking the optional committee allowance of an additional MVR20,000? Why or why not?

RA: I have no personal feelings towards it, neither for nor against it. But I do take it. For the most part of my term I served as an opposition MP, so it was tough to manage problems faced by my constituents.

MP s don’t have to provide financial assistance to their constituents, but we should understand that it still is the established culture in Maldives, it doesn’t seem to be changing. It is hard to ignore when someone approach for assistance especially for medical purposes. The common mindset is that MPs are supposed to provide this assistance, so we have to.

AR: What is your view about parliamentarians and other public servants declaring their financial assets publicly for the electorate to be able to refer to?

RA: I don’t have any problem with that.

AR: Are you re-contesting in the next elections? Why? What do you hope to accomplish should you be elected for a new term?

RA: For the next Majlis I am running for Addu City’s Meedhoo constituency seat. I chose that constituency because my mother is from Addu City, and as a person who fights for gender equality I don’t believe that people only belong to their father’s island. So I believe I belong Addu City as much as I belong to Malé City.

We can see that instead of developing, Addu City is going backwards. It used to be one of the most developed regions in Maldives even during the early days of President [Ibrahim] Nasir. But day after day more people had to migrate to Malé City for various reasons and the place now seems abandoned. It is because there are no basic services. Even now, while we call it a city,  there are no water and sewage services, roads are not repaired, electricity services is weak. If we take a look at education and health we don’t see services adequate for a city. I am going face the challenging task of develop Addu City as a city, doing whatever could be done within the Majlis.

If I am elected, my vision is to propose a bill to Majlis that would set standards and detail the services that should be available in a city. I wish to state in the bill that basic services – such as water, sewerage, repairing of roads – should be provided within a certain period of being declared as a city. Addu City should have university campuses, have services such as renewal of ID cards, paying migrant worker visa fees if it is city. Actually the services provided in Malé City is also not that good. So all cities will benefit from this bill.

AR: What improvements do you feel the 18th Majlis will need to make to improve as an institution?

RA: I think MPs should work more responsibly in serving the people through the Majlis. Speed up the committee stage of bills.

And we see that it is the government, and not MPs, who propose most bills to the Majlis. There are some difficulties in doing this. We don’t get the necessary legal assistance from our Majlis, in other countries there are legal assistants to help MPs draft bills. We as MPs discuss the issues and how those issues have to be dealt with, but drafting a bill is a technical work. Currently we have to pay private firms to draft bills, and it is costly.

I think this is something the secretariat should work on, there should be a drafting department capable of providing this assistance.

AR: What are your thoughts on party switching? Do you think it undermines the party system?

RA: It does not undermine party system. Party is actually a political ideology, so if a person’s thinking changes and that the current party does not follow the same line of thinking, one has to go where that thinking exists.

I don’t believe in changing party for money. But changing to a party that fit’s one’s political thinking and ideology is a right, and it is a right guaranteed by the constitution for every citizen.

When the general thinking of majority membership of the party varies from mine, if I stay in that party I will always have to work against the common members of the party.

There are not much of difference ideological between MDP and DRP, especially DRP leadership. The split up came during the presidential elections when it came down to MDP versus PPM – DRP had to take a side. We found that common members wanted to side with PPM, but most people in DRP leadership has a thinking similar to MDP.

I assure to all members of MDP that I came to MDP because I wanted to. And despite what some anti-campaigners say, I did not change party for the seat and I will never change to PPM.

AR: What do you see as major challenges for political participation of women in the Maldives?

RA: There should be equal rights, and you could say women can run for parliament and they can also get elected even without reserving seats. But we can see the results, that it is not the reality. If that was the case people would be elected equally [from both genders].

Another issue is financing campaigns, most cannot fund campaigns by themselves. We need to find ways to provide funding for women who compete in elections. The government also need to create awareness and encourage women to get into politics.
But we can’t reserve seats without amending the constitution. Another way to deal with this is for parties to encourage women to compete in their strongholds. If I’m elected I will do whatever is necessary for the empowerment of women.

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Q&A: MP Mohamed ‘Shippe’ Shifaz – Baarah constituency

In a series of interviews to lead into the the 2014 parliamentary elections – scheduled for March 22nd – Minivan News will be conducting interviews with incumbent MPs.

All 77 sitting members have been contacted, from across the political spectrum, to be asked a standardised set of questions with additional topicals. The interviews will be published as and when they are received.

As part of the series, Minivan News interviewed MP Mohamed ‘Shippe’ Shifaz.

MP Shifaz represents the Baarah constituency in Haa Alif Atoll, and is a member of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

Daniel Bosley: What made you enter the political arena and how?

Mohamed Shifaz: In my constituency there are about four islands – during Gayoom’s regime there was no development in my area, there was no sewerage, no proper education, there was no harbour, there was nothing. That’s what most of the people are demanding for – their needs. But during our previous term, we didn’t provide these things – in our government, the MDP government.

DB: Based on your attendance and work in this ending term, how would you judge your performance as an MP?

MS: Very few sessions missed – my attendance is good. Also I am working in the parliamentary group – I am also one of the top level. So, I can be there. I think my constituents like me. There are not questions about my performance in parliament.

DB: What are the main committees you were acting on? What particular bills did you focus on?

MS: The General Committee and also the Government Responsibility Committee. [I worked on] freedom of media, and right to information and also the establishment of the broadcasting corporation.

DB: What would you say are the biggest achievements within your term; in terms of what you have accomplished for your constituency and the country as a whole?

MS: I think the achievement is we are establishing a new system – our democracy is very young, and also our parliament is very young, MPs also young. I believe the achievement is to change from dictatorship to democracy and also we got a lot to the people. Now they have the right to a demonstration, they have the right to media, the have many rights through the parliament, through the MDP government. So they are out achievements for the people.

DB: What would you say is the biggest mistake or worst step you have taken in your career? Why?

MS: Most of our parliamentary group MPs they have personal events, so in my career also there was something, but I think it’s not an issue. It is through the blackmailing from these coup government peoples.

DB: Are you taking the optional committee allowance of an additional MVR 20,000? Why or why not?

MS: Yeah – I didn’t vote for that.  I’m also taking but I didn’t vote for it. Also my constituents, they don’t have any problems with it – nobody calling. But I didn’t vote for it.

I think, in my constituencies, all these people are demanding for their own development. They are always demanding for proper education, water, sewerage – these things. They don’t care about the committee allowance, because we are spending it all to them. I think it’s separate, in my own view. It’s not a good thing, but we don’t have another choice.

DB: What is your view about parliamentarians and other public servants declaring their financial assets publicly for the electorate to be able to refer to?

MS: I don’t have any business other than this, I’m not doing anything to raise finance. So, I can do everything they need and I show statements and everything. Every year I submit to Majlis so they can collect it from me. I think it’s not a problem also.

DB: Are you re-contesting in the next elections? What do you hope to accomplish should you be elected for a new term?

MS: Yes. I think I can do it. I can do it and my constituents also, they want – because I didn’t fulfil their needs this term. I believe my job is not finished, not done yet. That’s why I need next term.

I am going achieve the water, sewerage, also the harbour, education, health sector. There are major issues, most of the people are jobless – we need to create more jobs. I think my main goal is to achieve that, jobs for them. Also the drug issues, the child abuses – this is also a very serious issue in the constituency, especially the drug issues. Most of our youngsters are the victims of these things.

DB: What improvements do you feel the 18th parliament will need to make to improve as an institution?

MS: From government, we need more support from them. They are favouring their few members – this is not the way I think. We must have these immunities, the privileges. If they want to arrest, they can arrest – anytime. We don’t have any independence to work here. I think this is from government we need support.

DB: What are your thoughts on party switching – do you think it undermines the party system?

MS: I think the party system is the only think we’ve got. Without the party system we couldn’t get anything for the people. The party is very important for the Maldives, these small nations. But I think most people that because of the party system we have some social issues, but after five or ten years everything will be fine.

DB: What do you feel the major issues of concern will be for you constituents over the next five years?

MS: The situation has not changed, several needs they are demanding so I think I am always representing from them. If they don’t want me to do something, I’m sure I will not do that. If they don’t want me to be in parliament, I will not be there.

I think the most important thing is to establish rehabilitation for the youth, I mean for drug victims. Next five years, my target is to establish a rehabilitation centre in my constituency for the drug victims.

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Q&A: MP Abdul Ghafoor Moosa – Kulhuduffushi North constituency

In a series of interviews to lead into the the 2014 parliamentary elections – scheduled for March 22nd – Minivan News will be conducting interviews with incumbent MPs.

All 77 sitting members have been contacted, from across the political spectrum, to be asked a standardised set of questions with additional topicals. The interviews will be published as and when they are received.

As part of the series, Minivan News interviewed MP Abdul Ghafoor Moosa.

MP Moosa represents the Kulhuduffushi North constituency and is from the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), being originally elected as an independent candidate before signing for the MDP in 2010.

Daniel Bosley: What made you enter the political arena and how?

Abdul Ghafoor Moosa: In my area, in the north, during President [Maumoon Abdul] Gayoom’s regime there was no development at all, so we are joining the politics because we wanted some development of the area.

DB: Based on your attendance and work in this ending term, how would you judge your performance as an MP?

AGM: I have been in attendance at all the sessions and also have performed very well in the parliament, so I am happy about that.

DB: What are the main committees you were acting on? What particular bills did you focus on?

AGM: I have been on the Public Accounts Committee, and also the the Members Privileges Committee.

Members Privileges Committee concerns privileges of the members, the Public Accounts Committee involves the whole finance of the country and also to see what are the problems [and] where the government’s funds will be realised.

DB: What would you say are the biggest achievements within your term; in terms of what you have accomplished for your constituency and the country as a whole?

AGM: During the MDP government, we have gotten the maximum number of projects for Kulhuduffushi – like road construction and sewerage. I have looked after my people very well.

DB: What would you say is the biggest mistake or worst step you have taken in your career? Why?

AGM: In politics? So far, nothing. I don’t have anything for which I feel regret – I never did.

DB: Are you taking the optional committee allowance of an additional MVR 20,000? Why or why not?

AGM: Yes. Because my people aren’t bothered about anything I’m doing regarding the financial status – what I get I will spend to them. So they have no complaints about the salary or allowance whatsoever. There’s no complaints from my people – they never asked me not to take it.

DB: And if they did?

AGM: Then I don’t take it. There never have been any complaints regarding that. What we believe is that we are getting what we deserve. You see like government ministers, they are getting paid MVR62,000 salary, their phone bill, their car, their allowance, driver, fuel, transport – all in all it comes to around MVR180-190,000 per month. Same as court judges.

You see, if you want to go to our area, the airfare plus the transport – everything will cost about MVR6000, plus accommodation and everything. A return trip to my area will cost MVR20,000 – because, a boat cost will be MVR2500 one way, so two-way will be about MVR5000. Plus airfare is about MVR2,500.

DB: What is your view about parliamentarians and other public servants declaring their financial assets publicly for the electorate to be able to refer to?

AGM: At the moment it is there, but there is no system in the country to evaluate it. Because they are asking us to declare our assets, but there is no law – they have no right to materialise any of this legally. So what is the use? There should be a law, because the reason to declare the wealth is so they can see if there is any corruption or anything but even other government authorities don’t have any authority to check my account.

It is good to have it, but the effect is not there – there’s no income tax law here, so how can they verify my income and everything? They cannot say anything I have is illegal unless the income tax and all these things are there. The way they are doing it now – we have to declare how much money is in the account, that is my personal money which was in the account, and how much personal expenses I have, and the amount of shares I have in the company. Nothing more than that – so that is not enough to work on an investigation even.

Very rich people are in the parliament – people that don’t want to declare everything.

DB: Are you contesting in the next elections? What do you hope to accomplish should you be elected for a new term?

AGM: Yes. I have a few things to be done. Still the public health sector is lacking. What we believe is that the north is very much different from the south, and also from Malé. So we need a lot of economic activity to be done there, most important is that Hanimaadhoo airport has to invested in – because we see even Haa Dhaalu has no resort, in Haa Alif we have a few but these resorts they have paid their management four times and they’re not paying to the government or even the staff. It is not actually economically viable for these things without the airport. Airport depends on the jobs – everything. You know, we should have more economic activities, because otherwise people are not surviving there – there’s no things happening there.

So that’s my next hope, to have Hanimaadhoo airport invested in and to had Kulhuduffushi hospital developed. You go anywhere – our hospital they only have oxygen and aspirin. How can they call it a hospital? It is like a medical centre – people have to know these things very well. IGMH and  Kulhuduffushi hospitals should be at the same level. We don’t have any facilities – for everything they have to come to Malé. It is worse that when MDP was in power – there’s no proper doctors, there’s no specialists.

DB: What improvements do you feel the 18th parliament will need to make to improve as an institution?

AGM: We are in a changing process. Still things are not in a proper way. This is the first Majlis, we are sitting in the first Majlis, that has been democratically elected. So, even the government is not fully mature to have a fully democratic system. You see, whenever an authority criticises the government, even whether the the government are MDP or PPM [Progressive Party of Maldives] or whatever, the government takes it personally in the sense like they are not acting on a fact basis – and this is the problem.

They are not happy with the auditor general, they are not happy with the Anti-Corruption Commission, they are not happy with the Civil Service Commission, even the Human Rights Commission. Because the government cannot cope with these things. They always think these people are criticising they are supporting some other party – there’s no issue base. Then they don’t want to give budget to them, they are financially tightening, so many things are happening. So this is the problem we are facing today.

Even the present government is not happy with the auditor general. If there’s something wrong he has to write in the audit report. It’s nothing personal, but the government can’t cope with these things. It was happening in the MDP government also – even now we see the same things repeat.

DB: What are your thoughts on party switching – do you think it undermines the party system?

AGM: Party switching – you see we have 35 or 34 members in MDP – there are few people who was always floor-crossing. Those people are doing it, other than these we don’t have these issues with other members.

It is a problem everywhere in the world, not just in the Maldives. That same problem is continuing here and even you are likely to see in India and Pakistan this is happening.

The problem is here, the system is not working – the people they are changing the party due to some issues like the government is influencing the judiciary to attack the actions against all these and all these and these. Those things are there very much.

DB: What do you feel the major issues of concern will be for your constituents over the next five years?

AGM: As I mentioned, the health sector is very poor and there is no economic activity. Over fifty percent in the north are below the poverty level. Most of the families – maybe five or six members – only one or two persons will be earning the income – which is not more than eight or nine thousand. Still they need economic activity. If they don’t get it, it’s very difficult to survive. We have to cross the poverty level – the only option is that we have more economic activity.

The only option we are left with is the guest house policy. In the north we have very big, very beautiful islands where the locals are living, and in those islands we have ample space. A few islands we have about 5-6km beach. You know, guest house policy can work out there very nicely. But even this government is not preparing for that. That is the only option where they can get a job and be on their own island. When they can’t find a job from their island, there are a lot of other social problems – family will be living there and they will be working here [Malé] for one or two year, they went back home, there are a lot of problems.

People want to get jobs in their own place which we can do easily if the government would just support that. But those things are not happening – you know Hanimaadhoo airport? – this airport has been operating for 25 years, but still to develop it into an international airport the government doesn’t need to spend any money on this. Only thing is they have to give it to a party to do it – they can give one or two islands for that, they can give a 50 year contract for that. Last time when they called for tender, 29 parties submitted their plans but when the government changes they have all been thrown to the dustbin now. We want this airport to be a big-time airport. Tourism is the only option for the time being.

We have huge islands where agriculture can be done, plus aquaculture can also be done, but for the time being even Hanimaadhoo could be developed within one year’s time and we could have a good income there.

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