Tag: parliament

PPM-MDA coalition secures majority on government oversight committees as MDP threatens street action

The composition of parliament’s standing committees has been approved today with the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and coalition partner the Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) securing a majority on key government oversight committees.

The seat allocation on the 13 standing committees was decided by a five-member select committee – chosen at the first regular sitting of the 18th People’s Majlis earlier this month.

Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) select committee member MP Ibrahim Shareef, however, walked out in protest after claiming his party had not been adequately included in the decision.

Prior to today’s meeting of the select committee, political parties had been unable to reach an agreement on the committee composition as a two-week deadline stipulated by parliamentary rules elapsed last week.

A proposal by MDA MP Ali Mauroof to have 11 members on each standing committee with the exception of the ‘241’ security services committee was passed with the support of Jumhooree Party (JP) Leader Gasim Ibrahim and Adhaalath Party MP Anara Naeem.

Parliamentary rules dictate proportional representation in standing committees for political parties based on the number of MPs in each party.

The ruling coalition with its 43 MPs secured a majority on the public accounts committee, government oversight committee, independent institutions committee, national security committee, and economic affairs committees with five PPM MPs and one MDA MP on each committee. Former coalition partner JP was allocated two slots on each oversight committee.

The opposition MDP with its 25 MPs was meanwhile allocated four seats each in the government accountability committee, rules committee, and petition committee and three seats in the other ten committees.

On the security services committee, the select committee decided to allocate four seats for the PPM, three seats for MDP, two seats for JP, and one seat each for the MDA and Adhaalath. The sole remaining independent MP, Muaz Mohamed Rasheed, was also given a seat on the 241 committee.

Article 241 of the constitution states, “A committee of the People’s Majlis shall be established to exercise continuing oversight of the operations of the security services. The committee shall include representation from all the different political parties within the People’s Majlis.”

Concluding today’s meeting of the select committee, Chair MP Riyaz Rasheed said the committee report will be forwarded to the Majlis floor for approval.

The 13 standing committees includes four committees dealing with affairs of parliament in addition to nine oversight committees.

Parliamentary proceedings had been stalled pending the constitution of standing committees. A regular sitting has meanwhile been scheduled for tomorrow (June 17).

Street action

Speaking to reporters following the select committee meeting, MDP MP Shareef declared that the minority party would not participate in the standing committees.

The committees were constituted “unjustly” without the participation or input of the main opposition party, Shareef said.

“We will protest in the chamber and we will take to the streets too if we have to,” he warned.

Shareef had warned at a press conference yesterday (June 15) that the MDP would be forced to resort to direct action or street protests if the party was unable to hold the government accountable through parliament.

An opposition majority on government oversight committees – the public accounts committee in particular – was international best practice, he noted. Shareef argued that the opposition party could not exercise proper oversight over public finances without control of the public accounts committee.

The PPM was however unwilling to concede seats on the key oversight committees, he said.

PPM parliamentary group leader, Ahmed Nihan, had told local media last week that the coalition wanted majorities on the oversight committee to ensure that opposition MPs are unable to obstruct the government.

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SEZ bill designed to incentivise investment, says Economic Development Minister

The special economic zone (SEZ) bill submitted to parliament last week is designed to incentivise foreign investment with special privileges and tax exemptions, Economic Development Minister Mohamed Saeed has said.

Speaking at a press conference this morning, Saeed said the current administration’s objective was introducing new industries in order to overcome the dependence on the tourism industry, which was vulnerable to external shocks and global events.

The Maldives had to “outperform competitors” by offering incentives so that investors would choose the country over business hubs such as Dubai, Oman, Qatar, Singapore or Hong Kong, Saeed said.

According to the draft SEZ legislation (Dhivehi), investors would be exempted from paying either import duties for capital goods brought in for the development, supervision, and operation of the zone or business profit and withholding taxes.

Moreover, investors in the SEZ will be exempted from paying goods and services tax for a 10-year period.

Additionally, a board of investment – chaired by a minister – established by the law would have the authority to lease land to foreign companies for 66 years while local companies would be able to purchase land.

Saeed said he expects the SEZ bill to become the first piece of legislation to be passed by the 18th People’s Majlis, which began its five-year term last month.

Mega-projects

The Maldives became the number one destination worldwide for “lifestyle holidays” because resorts were developed in the early 1970s as “a kind of special economic zone,” Saeed contended.

While the tourism industry was the main source of foreign currency at the moment, Saeed said the government did not believe that other industries were “alien” or unsuited to the Maldives.

Saeed suggested that the turnover from new industries set up in the SEZs could be two or three times higher than tourism.

“That is because all the large developing economies of the world are near the Maldives. For example, China and India,” he said.

Referring to the government’s ‘iHavan’ transshipment port mega-project, Saeed noted that the Maldives is strategically located astride major sea lanes in the Indian Ocean, through which cargo ships carry US$79 trillion worth of goods from East to West and vice versa annually.

Nine ships an hour travel through these channels, he added.

“Lagoons with the natural depth needed to service those ships is found in this region only in the Maldives,” he said.

While other countries would have to dredge to build ports, Saeed said the Maldives has “wave-free natural ports” that could provide services such as offshore docking facilities throughout the year.

“If turnover from tourism is US$2.5 or US$3 billion [annually], when a shipping industry with offshore docking, bunkering and bulk-breaking facilities is set up in the Maldives – one of the world’s most spacious ports – then consider the benefits. For example, consider the turnover, the GST [goods and services tax] of the turnover, [and other] taxes,” he explained.

The iHavan or Ihavandhippolhu Integrated Development Project involves a transshipment port facility, airport development, a cruise hub, yacht marina, bunkering services, a dock yard, real estate, and conventional tourism developments.

“Freeholds”

The SEZ legislation envisions nine economic zones across the country, including an industrial estate zone, export processing zone, free trade zone, enterprise zone, free port zone, single factory export processing zone, offshore banking unit zone, offshore financial services centre zone, and a high technology park zone.

President Yameen had declared in April that the SEZ bill would become “a landmark law” that would strengthen the country’s foreign investment regime.

“What we would like to confirm for the foreign investors who come to the Maldives is that foreign investors should feel that Maldives is your second home here,” Yameen said at a function in Hulhumalé.

The SEZs would be “likened to cities in Dubai or the Emirates” and “the [business] environment we have in Singapore.”

The new law would enable investors to have “freeholds” in the country and allow investors “to engage in really, really long gestative projects,” Yameen said.

“We are embarking on an era of growth,” he said.

Moreover, addressing participants of the Maldives Investor Forum in April, Yameen had said his administration was “cognisant of the needs of our investors and the requirements to strengthen and redefine the legal and regulatory environment governing foreign investments.”

“To address investment climate and to facilitate mega investments with attractive incentive packages, a Special Economic Zone Bill will be tabled in the parliament soon. Additionally, the Foreign Investment Act and Companies Act are being revised to cater the ever increasing needs of the modern foreign investors,” he said.

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Bill submitted to raise disability benefits to MVR5,000

Adhaalath Party MP Anara Naeem has submitted an amendment to the Disability Act to raise the monthly allowance provided by the state to persons with special needs from MVR2,000 (US$150) to MVR5,000 (US$324).

The stated purpose of the amendment bill (Dhivehi) is to provide financial assistance to families with persons with special needs to seek medical treatment overseas.

While treatment for disabled persons was covered in the government’s ‘Aasandha’ health insurance scheme, the MP for Makunudhoo stated that securing Aasandha in hospitals abroad was difficult for families.

The first reading of the bill took place at today’s sitting of parliament, after which it will be tabled for preliminary debate.

According to local media, Anara has also submitted a petition to parliament for raising the benefits, which has been signed by 54 MPs.

The Disabilities Act (Dhivehi) was passed in July 2010 to provide financial assistance and protect the rights of persons with special needs whilst a national registry was compiled in 2011 with more than 4,000 active members.

Subsidising

The President’s Office meanwhile announced yesterday that the government would cover advance payments for 15 flats in Hulhumalé allocated for children with special needs.

President’s Office Spokesperson Ibrahim Muaz Ali told local media that at MVR18,500 (US$1,199) per apartment, the total cost would be MVR277,500 (US$17,996).

“The government has decided to provide speech therapy, developmental physiotherapy, and occupational therapy both at Vilimalé Health Centre which is being developed as a hospital, and at Dhamanaveshi [in Vilimalé]. It has also decided to provide special seating services for children with disabilities at IGMH,” he was quoted as saying by Sun Online.

In March, the government raised the old age pensions from MVR2,300 to MVR5,000 a month to fulfil a campaign pledge by President Abdulla Yameen and the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives.

National inquiry

In May, hundreds of people gave testimony to the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives’ (HRCM) “National Inquiry on Access to Education for Children with Disabilities.”

Parents spoke of the state’s failure to provide medical services and education to children with special needs whilst private services were costly. A single diagnostic assessment costs MVR5,000 and an hour of therapy costs MVR500, neither of which are covered by the ‘Aasandha.’

According to the HRCM, statistic from 2009 indicate that, out of 2250 children with disabilities, only 230 were attending schools at the time.

Citing a 2010 report by the HRCM and the UNDP, the US State Department’s 2013 Human Rights Report on the Maldives noted that “most schools accepted only children with very limited to moderate disabilities and not those with more serious disabilities.”

“Children with disabilities had virtually no access or transition to secondary-level education. Only three psychiatrists, two of them foreign, worked in the country, and they primarily worked on drug rehabilitation. No mental health care was available in Male. There also was a lack of quality residential care,” the report stated.

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Majlis speaker announces five parliamentarians to lead in his absence

The names of five parliamentarians who will lead parliament in the instance that both the speaker and his deputy are absent, have been announced by Speaker Abdulla Maseeh.

Parliamentary regulations stipulate that the five members must be those who have served for the longest time in the chamber.

The five names are Holhudhoo constituency MP Ali Mohamed, Kanditheemu constituency MP Mohamed Hussain, Hinnavaru constituency and MDP Parliamentary Group Leader MP Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, former speaker and Henveiru Uthuru constituency MP Abdulla Shahid, and Guraidhoo constituency MP Hussain Manik Dhon Manik.

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Parliament Speaker announces majority and minority leaders

Speaker of Parliament Abdulla Maseeh has today (June 9) announced the majority and minority leaders for the current term.

Parliament’s majority leader is the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP Ahmed Nihan, member for Villimalé constituency, while the minority leader is opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, member for Hinnavaru constituency.

PPM possesses 38 parliamentary seats, while the MDP currently has 25 seats.

Additionally, the Jumhooree Party – which recently left the ruling coalition – has 15 seats, while government coalition partner Maldives Development Alliance holds 5 seats.

The religious conservative Adhaalath Party currently holds one parliamentary seat, while one independent member – for Madaveli constituency – also sits in parliament.

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18th Majlis prepares to review procedures and form standing committees

Parliament began regular sittings today, with reviewing the rules of procedure and constituting standing committees the first orders of business.

“This will be a Majlis that produces results. We will debate and discuss. But it will be done to produce results,” said newly elected Speaker Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed.

A proposal by Maseeh to form a five-member select committee to draft standing orders, and to follow the rules used by the outgoing parliament in the interim, was approved with unanimous consent of 72 MPs.

Mohamed ‘Kutti’ Nasheed from the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), Ahmed Amir from the Maldives Development Alliance (MDA), Anara Naeem from the Adhaalath Party (AP), Hussain Mohamed from the Jumhooree Party (JP), and Mariya Ahmed Didi from the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) were chosen for the select committee.

Article 88(a) of the constitution states that parliament shall “determine and control its administrative arrangements, hiring and firing of employees, determination of salaries of employees, and manage all matters concerning the sittings of the People’s Majlis. The People’s Majlis shall make regulations concerning these matters.”

The article also requires parliament to “make regulations and principles concerning its business, with due regard to representative and participatory democracy, accountability, transparency and public involvement. Such regulations may include rules of decorum and attendance requirements, and, subject to the consent of two-thirds of the members, may provide for non-payment of salary and allowances.”

A second five-member select committee – consisting of Riyaz Rasheed from the PPM, Gasim Ibrahim from the JP, Ali Mauroof from the MDA, Anara Naeem from the AP and Ali Azim from the MDP – was meanwhile formed to constitute the 13 standing committees of parliament.

Parliamentary rules dictate proportional representation for political parties in the standing committees based on the number of MPs in each party. The rules stipulate that the committees must be constituted within two weeks of the session beginning.

The 13 standing committees includes four committees dealing with affairs of parliament in addition to nine oversight committees.

Both select committees formed at today’s sitting held their first meetings today, electing chairs and deputy chairs.

Mohamed Nasheed and Anara Naeem were elected chair and deputy chair, respectively, of the committee selected to review the regulations. Riyaz Rasheed was elected chair of the select committee formed to constitute standing committees while Anara Naeem was elected deputy chair.

After adopting committee rules, Chair Riyaz Rasheed requested that political parties notify the committee of the number of its MPs as well as any changes to party affiliation.

The ruling PPM is the majority party in the 18th People’s Majlis with 38 MPs while the opposition MDP is the minority party with 25 MPs.

The PPM-MDA coalition has 43 MPs while former coalition partner JP has 15 MPs. The religious conservative AP has one MP while Madaveli MP Muaz Mohamed Rasheed remains the sole independent.

Speaker Maseeh meanwhile commenced his first sitting in the speaker’s chair with an appeal for all MPs to provide assistance and cooperate for fulfilling parliament’s constitutional responsibilities.

The veteran PPM MP said he was mindful of the challenges parliament would face as well as the considerable amount of work to be done, adding that the current parliament had the “capacity” to fulfil its duties.

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Independent MP for Nilandhoo Abdulla Khaleel signs for PPM

Independent MP for Faafu Nilandhoo Abdulla Khaleel has signed for the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) today, bringing the ruling party’s number of MPs to 38 and the Progressive Coalition’s tally to 43 out of 85 seats.

Khaleel defeated incumbent PPM MP Abdul Muhsin Hameed by a one-vote margin – which increased to three votes following a recount – in the March 22 parliamentary polls.

Speaking to the press after signing the membership form at a ceremony in Muleeage this afternoon – attended by President Abdulla Yameen, Vice President Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed and Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb – Khaleel said he began his political career alongside friends who were currently in PPM, adding that he saw his future in the party.

“I support this government’s economic agenda very much and God willing I will have a role among Majlis members in achieving the important objectives of that agenda,” he said.

With Khaleel’s signing, four out of five independent MPs elected to the 18th People’s Majlis as well as one opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP have now joined the PPM, leaving Madaveli MP Muaz Mohamed Rasheed the sole independent.

Together with the five MPs of coalition partner Maldives Development Alliance (MDA), the governing coalition now has 43 seats – the simple majority required to pass legislation and approve presidential appointments.

The Progressive Coalition – made up of the PPM, Jumhooree Party (JP) and Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) – had however secured a combined total of 57 seats in the March 22 polls.

Following a dispute over the speaker’s post, the PPM severed its coalition agreement with the JP last week. The JP had won 15 seats.

President Yameen however told reporters at the signing ceremony today that PPM was still willing to work with the estranged coalition partner, professing “respect” for JP leader Gasim Ibrahim.

“I believe there is still the opportunity for us to work together with the JP,” he said.

While nine political appointees belonging to the JP – including Transport Minister Ameen Ibrahim – have been dismissed in the wake of the coalition’s breakup, Yameen noted that three cabinet ministers as well as board members of state-owned enterprises occupying JP slots remained in the government.

Yameen denied pressuring the JP members to sign for the ruling party to retain their government jobs, adding that it was “up to them to decide” how best to serve the nation.

The president also said that a clear majority in parliament would enable his administration to implement the PPM manifesto and carry out mega infrastructure projects.

“We wanted to keep the speaker’s post in our party for that reason as well. God willing, we will be able to carry on our government’s work swiftly when more members of the People’s Majlis join our party,” he said.

Yameen added that the party’s aim was to take the Maldives to “a whole other stage” of economic development.

Some MPs of the opposition MDP – the minority party in parliament with 25 seats – have also given assurances that they would cooperate with the executive, Yameen said.

Most MPs believe that political rivalry should be “set aside” in favour of working together in the public interest, he added.

“So God willing, our hope is to get a clear majority of the People’s Majlis in the not-so-distant future,” he said.

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Progressive coalition will dissolve if Gasim runs for speaker, says PPM

Ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) has announced that the ruling coalition will dissolve if the coalition partner Jumhooree Party leader Gasim Ibrahim stands as speaker of the newly elected People’s Majlis.

The 18th People’s Majlis is due to be sworn in tomorrow, with the new speaker to be elected by secret ballot.

Gasim has responded by saying he will not retract his name, claiming the PPM was the first to breach the coalition agreement made during November’s presidential elections.

“Truth is, they have been trying to kick us out of the coalition for a long time now,” Gasim told the press today.

After coming third in the presidential polls, Gasim’s support was crucial in securing a win for the PPM against the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

Gasim’s support was given in exchange for a 35 percent stake in executive political postings and a promise to work together during subsequent local government and parliament elections.

The Progressive Coalition secured a combined total of 53 out of 85 seats in parliamentary polls, no party won enough seats to reach the 43-vote simple majority alone.

Who broke the agreement?

PPM deputy leader, and minister of tourism, Ahmed Adeeb further warned last night that he would request President Abdulla Yameen replace JP political appointees should Gasim stand as speaker.

“From [Gasim’s] actions, we are seeing him working together with the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) to acquire the speaker’s seat,” said Adeeb.

“As MDP worked to present obstacles to this government when they held parliamentary majority, we cannot accept a coalition member working alongside them,” he continued.

PPM leader and former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom had also written to Gasim, describing a recent meeting with MDP leader and former President Mohamed Nasheed as being against the “coalition’s spirit”.

During the meeting at Gasim’s residence last month, Nasheed had signalled the MDP’s support for Gasim – a stance reiterated today.

Gasim subsequently called a press conference today during which he argued it was not his party but the PPM, which had breached the agreement.

Holding up the agreement, he said coalition partners had agreed to hold discussions to resolve any issues not included therein.

The PPM had unilaterally informed him they would nominate separate candidates for the position, said the JP leader, who also complained of not receiving the party’s quota of appointments.

“The agreement says 35 per cent of political appointments will be given to us, which would amount to between 90 to 40 posts when we consider the total number of political appointments in this government. However, today we have only about 29 slots,” Gasim explained.

Gasim stated that he had received the support of President Yameen, Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim, and Adeeb prior to publicly announcing his candidacy.

“Nazim and Adeeb said it’s a good decision and wished me luck. No one asked me to not put my name forward or mentioned they wanted to further discuss the matter. Then without any notice, they make this announcement about breaking up the coalition,” Gasim said.

“I will always work for the rights of the people. We do not want another administration where the president can unilaterally call the shots on all matters. We need a democratic system,” he continued.

JP MP Ahmed Sameer added that the coalition agreement signed by Gayoom and Deputy Leader Abdu Raheem explicitly stated that the agreement will be in effect until November 11, 2018.

“So how can they just break up the coalition like this? What more is there to say about people like them? Where is the justice in these actions of theirs?” Sameer asked.

“Parliament must be led by PPM”

Speaking to local media yesterday, President Yameen said he believed Gasim must withdraw from the speakership claiming it to be the “general norm around the world” for the majority party to hold the speaker’s seat.

Contrary to the JP’s claims, he claimed that the PPM had sent Gasim a number of letters and held discussions on the matter.

The PPM yesterday announced that it planned to nominate the party’s parliamentarians Abdulla Maseeh and Abdu Raheem Abdulla for speaker and deputy speaker, respectively.

Current Deputy Speaker of parliament Ahmed Nazim – affiliated with the PPM – has also expressed interest in the position, though Yameen has expressed confidence that Nazim would not run against the party’s wishes.

Meanwhile, the deputy leader of second coalition partner the Maldivian Development Alliance (MDA), Ahmed Amir, has also announced he will be running for speaker.

Saying that the PPM announced its nominees after he had already decided to contest,  Amir said he had no intention of withdrawing his name, though the PPM has promised action against any competing coalition candidates.

The MDP announced last Friday (May 23) that the party’s 25 MPs-elect would back a candidate who support’s the parties policies, including judicial reform, empowerment of local councils as well as the introduction of a progressive income tax and a minimum wage.

Following the signing of three out of the five independent candidates elected to the 18th parliament, the PPM currently has 37 seats, followed by the opposition MDP with 25 seats, the JP with 15 seats, the MDA with five seats, and the religious conservative Adhaalath Party with one seat.

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Reeko Moosa to stand for deputy speaker of the Majlis

Opposition Maldivian Democratic Party MP elect ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik has announced he will contest for the position of parliamentary deputy speaker.

Members of the 18th People’s Majlis are to be sworn in tomorrow.

Moosa said he has held discussions with parties in the ruling coalition Jumhooree Party (JP) and the Progressive Party of the Maldives on the matter.

Meanwhile, MDP’s acting president Mohamed Nasheed has announced the MDP will back Jumhooree Party (JP) leader Gasim Ibrahim for the position of Speaker.

The JP and PPM are at loggerheads over the speakership issue. The PPM has said the coalition will fall apart should Gasim decide to contest, though Gasim said he will not withdraw his name.

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