Tag: parliament

MJA condemns parliament’s Privilege Committee’s decision to summon DhiTV editor

The Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) has condemned parliament’s Privileges Committee’s decision to summon DhiTV Editor Midhath Hilmy for questioning, over an issue submitted to the committee by Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Chairperson and MP ‘Reeko’ Moosa Manik.

Moosa submitted a complaint alleging that DhiTV had violated his and his family’s privacy and personal life in different reports broadcast by the organisation.

The MJA noted that it was the parliament that made laws to make the news organisations responsible and handed the work to another institution.

MJA claimed that the committee made the decision in violation of the regulation and procedures made to summon people to the parliament.

“If the committee should decide on a matter concerning the media it will be a huge challenge for the media and it could narrow freedom of press,” the MJA stated.

The MJA called for the matter to be instead submitted to an institution with oversight of the media.

Last year the DhiTV editor was summoned regarding the same issue. He told local media that he did not have anything to say on the matter because he already responded to the committee last year.

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Parliament rejects resolutions on torture commission, committee allowance

Parliament yesterday (November 12) rejected resolutions proposing the formation of an inquiry commission to investigate torture in prisons and scrapping controversial MVR 20,000-a-month committee allowances.

A resolution submitted by Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Mohamed Rasheed ‘Kubey’ to form an independent commission with foreign judges to investigate torture and custodial abuse during the 30-year rule of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom was rejected 40-28 with two abstentions.

MDP MPs voted in favour of the resolution while government coalition MPs and some independent MPs voted against the proposal.

A resolution submitted by Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP Ahmed Mahloof to scrap committee allowances was meanwhile rejected 33-23 with 12 abstentions.

During preliminary debate on the resolution, MPs from both the MDP and government-aligned parties questioned MP Mahloof’s sincerity in submitting the allowance, with many alleging that the Galholhu South MP has one of the poorest attendance records in Majlis.

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MDP withdraws no-confidence motion against Home Minister Jameel

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Monday withdrawn a no confidence motion submitted to parliament against Minister of Home Affairs Mohamed Jameel Ahmed.

According to parliament, MDP parliamentary group leader Ibrahim Mohamed Solih had submitted a letter stating that the group had “decided not to carry forward at this time the no confidence motion against Home Minister Dr Jameel which was submitted under Article 177(a) of the Parliament regulations.”

Solih declined to share the reasons behind the withdrawal when speaking to local media, saying instead that “perhaps the reasons may be revealed later”.

Following the submission of the motion in early October, MDP MP Imthiyaz Fahmy had said that the action had been taken over concerns regarding what he alleged was an “unprecedented increase in murders and assault” since the transfer of power. He further criticized Jameel’s failure to probe human rights abuses conducted by police on February 8.

MDP has also submitted a no confidence motion against President Mohamed Waheed Hassan, which has not yet been placed on schedule in the parliament.

Furthermore, the Public Affairs Committee has approved an amendment to the parliament regulations allowing secret ballots when conducting no confidence votes. The matter is now pending review and voting on the parliament floor, which is currently scheduled for November 19.

Home Minister Jameel was unable to speak to Minivan News this afternoon, and was later not responding to calls.

MDP Parliamentary Group leader Ibrahim Mohamed Solih was not responding to calls and deputy leader Ali Waheed’s phone was switched off at the time of press.

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JP backs hiding of votes during no-confidence motion against President and Home Minister

Jumhoree Party (JP) MP Alhan Fahmy has said that the party supports the motion submitted to the parliament committee by Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) proposing that votes during the upcoming no-confidence vote filed at the parliament against President and Home Minister be hidden.

Speaking to local press in the Villa TV conference hall, Alhan Fahmy said that his party’s parliamentary group was following instructions from the party’s leader and MP, Gasim Ibrahim.

Alhan said it would be difficult to cooperate with the government unless it gave a fair reason as to why Transport Minister Dr Ahmed Shahmheed was this week dismissed from his position, after he awarded a 99 year lease to Gasim’s Maamagili airport.

Alleging that Dr Shahmheed was dismissed because he did not support every decision made by the President, Alhan questioned why President Waheed had failed to take action against the Nexbis project, and alleged corruption in the recent sale of a 30 percent stake of the Addu International Airport Company Pvt Ltd (AIA) to business magnate ‘Champa’ Hussain Afeef’s Kasa Holdings.

He also alleged that President Waheed was not fair in taking action against those accused of corruption, and noted that Thilafushi Corporation’s Managing Director Mohamed Latheef was dismissed from the position on allegations of corruption but later appointed to another position.

Alhan likewise noted that Felivaru Chairman Mohamed Imthiyaz – a member of the JP – was dismissed on allegations of corruption but said Waheed did not appoint him to another position.

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IMF urges parliament to expedite fiscal responsibility legislation

A delegation from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has urged MPs to expedite legislation on fiscal responsibility, at a meeting with parliament’s Finance Committee and Economic Affairs Committee on Wednesday.

According to the parliament secretariat, the IMF team told MPs that passage of the fiscal responsibility bill currently being reviewed by the Economic Affairs Committee was the most important measure the People’s Majlis could take to improve the country’s economic outlook.

A fiscal responsibility bill to impose limits on government spending and ensure public debt sustainability was submitted to parliament in 2011 by the administration of former President Mohamed Nasheed as part of an economic reform package.

Presenting the bill in August 2011, MP Ahmed Easa of the formerly ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) said a lot of effort was needed to “change the inherited, outdated and indebted economic system.”

As measures to legally mandate fiscal responsibility, the legislation proposed setting limits on government spending and public debt based on proportion of GDP (Gross Domestic Product).

Borrowing from the central bank or Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) should not exceed seven percent of the projected revenue for the year, according to the bill, while such loans would have to be paid back in a six-month period.

Moreover, the bill proposed that a statement outlining the government’s mid-term fiscal policy must be submitted annually to parliament at the end of the financial year in July.

Meanwhile, according to parliament, members of the IMF mission currently in the Maldives are Overall Coordinator Dr Koshy Mathai, Dr Fazurin Jamaludin, Nicholas Million, Dr Nandaka Molagoda, and Jules Tapsoba.

Ahmed Munawwar, Manager of the Monetary Policy Section of the MMA also attended yesterday’s meeting.

According to the latest figures from the Finance Ministry the fiscal deficit as of November 4 stands at MVR 2.4 billion (US$155.6 million), with government spending of MVR 10.4 billion (US$674.4 million) outstripping revenues of MVR 8 billion (US$518.8 million) so far this year.

Of the MVR 10 billion in expenditure, MVR 7.6 billion (US$492.8 million) was on recurrent expenditure – salaries and allowances for government employees and administrative costs – while MVR 1.5 billion (US$103.7 million) was spent on repaying loans and interest payments.

Fiscal imbalance

In April 2012, Jonathan Dunn, chief of the IMF mission to the Maldives, told Minivan News that the country’s fiscal deficit was “substantially understated.”

The remarks followed the IMF warning of dire consequences if expenditure was not curbed to rein in the ballooning budget deficit.

Speaking in parliament on behalf of the former government in August 2011, MP Easa meanwhile noted that according to the World Bank, a 66 percent increase in salaries and allowances for government employees between 2006 and 2008 was “by far the highest increase in compensation over a three year period to government employees of any country in the world.”

“We are seeing the bitter consequences today of spending out of the budget without any control or limit,” MP Easa had said.

Dunn had meanwhile emphasised in April 2012 that “fiscal imbalances in the Maldives have been present for many years” and that “fiscal adjustment remains necessary”.

Faced with increasing pressure from the IMF to lower expenditure after failed attempts in 2010 to keep in place unpopular pay cuts for civil servants – a maneuver blocked by the Civil Services Commission (CSC) and backed the then opposition – former President Nasheed’s administration insisted that increased revenue from the new taxes would match expenditure, and boasted that the 2012 budget was the first in many years to balance income and expenditure.

Following the police mutiny and controversial transfer of presidential power, spending by President Dr Mohamed Waheed’s administration had escalated as it sought to shore up support in a fractious political environment.

Moreover, in September 2012, a pair of government-aligned MPs blamed President Waheed’s lack of solid policies for the increase in state expenditure.

Newly-announced expenditure in first few months of the Waheed administration included:

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Independent Commission’s Committee sends CSC Chair’s harassment case to parliament to approve his dismissal

Parliament’s Independent Commission’s Committee has decided that the committee has enough evidence to find Civil Service Commission (CSC) Chair Mohamed Fahmy Hassan guilty of harassing a female staff member working under the CSC, and has decided to send the issue to parliament sitting to approve Fahmy’s dismissal.

According to local media, the committee has now sent the report from the committee regarding the issue to the Speaker of Parliament.

The incident is said to have occurred on May 29. In June this year, Police Spokesperson Sub-Inspector Hassan Haneef told Minivan News that the case was lodged at police as well, who were investigating the matter.

Both Fahmy and the victim were summoned to the parliament’s Independent Commission’s committee after the complaint was lodged.

Fahmy was alleged to have called the female staff member over to him, taken her hand and asked her to stand in front of him so that others in the office could not see, and caressed her stomach saying ”It won’t do for a beautiful single woman like you to get fat.”

According to local media, the woman told her family about the incident, who then called Fahmy. Fahmy then sent her a text message apologising for the incident, reportedly stating, ”I work very closely with everyone. But I have learned my lesson this time.”

In response to the allegations Fahmy told Minivan News that the female staff member made up the allegation after she learned she had not won a scholarship to Singapore offered by the CSC.

He alleged the claim was politically motivated, as she would have otherwise filed the case with police and not parliament.

Earlier in July this year, the Independent Commission’s Committee gave Fahmy 14 days to resign after investigating the matter, however he then informed the committee that he would not resign.

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Parliament rejects motion to delay recess until bills passed on criminal justice proceedure

MPs have voted to reject a resolution submitted by Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP Ahmed Mahlouf to delay parliament’s recess until necessary bills on criminal justice procedure have been passed.

During Tuesday’s parliament sitting 29 of the 57 MPs present voted against accepting the resolution submitted by Mahlouf, while 23 MPs supported accepting the resolution and delaying the recess.

Parliament will go to recess at the end of December.

Dhivehi Rayithunge Party (DRP) MP Rozaina Adam was reported as saying that it would have been easier to accept the resolution if it was submitted with sincerity, and alleged that Mahlouf was one of the MPs who took the most leave and holidays.

She said that while Mahlouf was only involved in one committee, he had no idea what was going on in it.

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP for Dhaandhoo constituency, Mohamed Riyaz, said that crimes were uncontrollable because of problems with the judiciary and not because the country was lacking laws.

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MPs oppose limiting presidential prerogative on appointing Police Commissioner

Several MPs yesterday objected to a clause in proposed legislation for a new Maldives Police Service Act limiting presidential prerogative to appoint the Police Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner, during preliminary debate on the bill (Dhivehi) submitted by Independent MP for Kulhudhufushi South Mohamed ‘Kutti’ Nasheed.

While all MPs supported the 137-page legislation as a whole, most MPs insisted that the presidential prerogative to appoint the Commissioner of Police should remain unchanged and that the head of police should answer to the commander-in-chief.

The bill

Presenting the draft legislation to parliament, MP Nasheed said he sought to “restrict the role of the Home Minister over police” by limiting the minister’s powers.

The Home Minister’s role would be limited to entrusting responsibilities to police for achieving “strategic requirements” or objectives pledged by the ruling party’s manifesto, as well as providing necessary resources and monitoring the implementation of “instructions concerning the main policies and objectives for developing and strengthening the institution”.

“The minister should not state how particular investigations should proceed and interfere in such matters,” he said. “Police should be provided the operational independence or operational autonomy to do police work.”

The bill would also provide new powers over police to the parliament’s Security Services Committee (241 committee) and the Prosecutor General, he added.

Under the proposed procedure for appointing a Police Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner, senior officers from the executive command would themselves apply for the post or propose colleagues, after which the Home Minister would submit their names for evaluation by the Police Integrity Commission (PIC) and the police professional command unit.

Based on the reports by the PIC and professional command, the minister would then take a vote on the chosen candidate among senior officers of the executive command through secret ballot.

The Home Minister could only propose a nominee to the President if he or she is approved by “a majority of the total number of members of the police executive service.”

Moreover, the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner would be appointed for a four-year term.

“Revolutionary change”

As all powers currently exercised by police were derived from a regulation formed under one article of the existing Police Act, Nasheed said one of the purposes of the new law was to ensure that all powers vested in police were derived from specific articles in the law.

“These are not just one or two amendments to the Police Act currently in force. These are basic changes to everything in the Police Act from cover to cover,” MP Nasheed said.

Nasheed said MPs and the major political parties had the choice to leave the police service in its current form or “modernise” the institution in light of past experiences.

Police was the one institution that came under the fiercest criticism during the reigns of Presidents Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, Mohamed Nasheed and Dr Mohamed Waheed, the MP said.

He added that the new law was intended to “bring fundamental, revolutionary change” to the institution.

If passed, the new law would come into effect on November 11, 2013, which would be the end of the five-year presidential term that began on November 11, 2008 and the ostensible date for the swearing-in of a newly-elected president.

Debate

During yesterday’s debate, MPs from both the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and parties in the ruling coalition objected to the proposed procedure for appointing the head of police.

Jumhooree Party (JP) MP for Kaafu Atoll Kaashidhoo, Abdulla Jabir, warned that the police service could become “a small government” if the president could not directly appoint and dismiss the Commissioner of Police.

“If not, wouldn’t that be like riding a horse without a saddle?” he asked.

Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP for Thaa Atoll Thimararushi, Adam Ahmed Shareef, concurred that the executive or parliament should have the power to appoint the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner

“My proposal is that the highest authority in the police, that is the Commissioner of Police, should be appointed, in my view, with parliamentary approval after a nomination by the President,” he said, adding that the President should have to seek parliamentary approval for removing the commissioner.

MDP MP for Faafu Bilehdhoo Ahmed Hamza meanwhile objected to the procedure specified in the bill for dismissing a Police Commissioner – which was in effect a no-confidence vote by senior officers.

Hamza contended that the bill “mixes up the three powers” as it was unclear whether the President, parliament or Prosecutor General would answer on behalf of police.

He added that turning the Home Minister into a “symbolic” official was “unacceptable” as ministers in the executive should be accountable to the public.

Contrary to most MPs’ belief that the proposed reforms would free police from undue political influence, Hamza argued that the institution would become more politicised when its chief could be removed through “an election.”

“The Commissioner of Police should be answerable to the Home Minister and the Home Minister should be answerable to the President,” he said.

However, Hamza said the bill should be accepted and amended during the committee stage.

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Government threatens legal action against parliament

President’s Office Spokesperson Abbas Adil Riza has threatened legal action “using all the powers of the government” against the People’s Majlis to “bring parliament back to the right path” in an appearance on government-aligned private broadcaster DhiTV on October 25.

Referring to parliament’s General Affairs Committee approving an amendment to the rules of procedure to conduct no-confidence motions through secret ballot, Riza said that the government could not “turn a blind eye” to what he contended was a move that violated the constitution.

“The constitution and parliamentary rules of procedure clearly state which votes are to be conducted through secret ballot. The rest of the votes should be open,” he claimed.

Riza went on to heavily criticise the committee decision, insisting that it violated the parliamentary rules on conducting committees meetings and votes.

The formerly ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has submitted no-confidence motions against both Home Minister Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed and President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik.

While the motion against Home Minister Jameel has been tabled in the agenda for November 14, the impeachment motion has yet to be tabled.

The MDP-dominated General Affairs Committee approved the amendment for a secret ballot last week with four votes in favour and none against, committee chair and Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP for mid-Henveiru Ali Azim told local media. Only five MPs reportedly attended the committee meeting last week.

The amendment to parliament’s standing orders or rules of procedure would have to be approved in a vote at the Majlis floor to become official.

While a minister can be removed from his post through a simple majority of the 77 MPs in parliament, a two-thirds majority or 52 votes would be needed to impeach a sitting president.

Meanwhile, responding to Riza today, MDP Spokesperson and Henveiru South MP Hamid Abdul Gafoor told Minivan News that the party believed the remarks constituted a threat to violate separation of powers.

“It is simply second nature for the 7/2 police and military-backed coup-invoked dictatorship to use force to stay afloat,” the MP said.

Hamid had earlier tweeted that Abbas’s remarks were “open threats of use of force to stop secret ballot.”

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