Tag: parliament

Majlis committee demands details from education ministry over deputy principals’ removal

The Majlis government oversight committee has demanded the ministry of education submit all relevant information regarding the removal of deputy principals from the schools.

Vice-Chair of the committee Maradhoo MP Ibrahim Shareef told local media that the letters demanding information will be sent today, with the ministry being given until tomorrow to submit the information. The committee also decided to summon serving deputy principals to clarify information.

The post of deputy principal has been abolished under a new organisational structure approved by the ministry for public schools. The ministry has said persons currently serving as deputy principals would be transferred to different posts in lieu of dismissal.

State Minister for Education Dr Abdulla Nazeer told state broadcaster Television Maldives last week that the change was intended to strengthen school management.

The decision came as a surprise to the 188 deputy principals in the country, with some telling media they were not previously informed of the decision, expressing shock upon hearing the news.

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) submitted the case to the government oversight committee, stating that the party wants to clarify the reasoning behind the decision and that the government could not dismiss civil servants without due process.

An unnamed deputy principal told Raajje.mv that they were offered two options by the ministry – either take up administrative or other relevant posts or be laid off with three month’s salary paid up front.

State Minister of Education Dr Abdulla Nazeer – while speaking to state television – said that the ministry’s aim was to eradicate the deputy principal level in the organisational structure in order to bring the principals closer to the teachers.

“The majority of the deputy principals are performing administrative level tasks at the school which should be done by administrative officers instead. We want to task the deputy principals with more academic related work,” said Nazeer.

The MDP severely criticised the government for its plans, however, stating that the decision was “inhumane” and “uncivilised”.

Speaking to Minivan News, former Education Minister Dr Musthafa Luthfee said that the government decision lacks any professional reasoning, speculating that it was taken to appoint more political figures to the ministry.

“Right now there are around 12 political figures at the education ministry therefore all the decisions regarding the education are made at a political level. This leads to problems because such decisions should be taken by educated academic professionals instead,” said Luthfee.

He also pointed out that, even though the deputy principals should have been contacted by the civil service commission regarding the issue, some were consulted through mobile phones and at cafes by political figures.

Deputy Minister of Law and Gender Aiminath Nadira said in a tweet that the decision would leave a lot of women in a vulnerable position (most deputy principals are women) and that the government needed to find a good alternative solution.

Luthfee also alleged that a circular was sent to the schools specifying that the chief guests for school-related events should only be brought after consultation with the ministry.

The MDP has also taken issue with the government’s spending plans for the education sector, which includes money for eight new political postings and over 2,000 new staff members.

Despite unrest among teachers this year, education minister Aiminath Shiham has said that the government has brought significant changes to the sector, including introducing Quran classes for the entire primary education and vocational training.

Around 90 percent of the teachers across the nation protested in September 21 by wearing black clothing to raise issues such as poor pay, inadequate  protection of teachers, and the failure to grant the Teachers Association of Maldives (TAM) official recognition.

The government avoided a full on strike at the eleventh hour after sitting down with TAM and creating a timeline in which to meet the demands of teachers.


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Parliament approves import duty hikes

The People’s Majlis yesterday passed government-sponsored amendments to the Export-Import Act to raise import duties on 17 items from April 2015 onward.

The amendments (Dhivehi) submitted on behalf of the government by Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) MP Mohamed Ismail were approved with 49 votes in favour and 16 against.

Following ratification by the president, import duties for tobacco would be raised from 150 to 200 percent and from 90 laari to MVR1.25 for a single cigarette.

Finance Minister Abdulla Jihad told parliament’s budget review committee last month that the government anticipated MVR533 million (US$34.5 million) in additional income from import duties.

Among other items, custom duties for luxury cosmetics and perfume would increase from the current zero rate to 20 percent.

Additionally, duties for liquor and pork would be raised to 50 percent and a 200 percent custom duty would be levied for land vehicles such as cars, jeeps, and vans.

While the day prior to the budget’s approval the cabinet’s economic council reversed a decision to impose a 10 percent tariff on staple foodstuffs such as rice, flour, and sugar, the import duty for oil or petroleum products was raised from the current zero rate to 10 percent.

About 30 percent of the Maldives’ GDP is spent on importing fossil fuels. In 2012, US$486 million was spent on oil imports, and the figure is estimated to rise to US$700 million by 2020.

According to the Maldives Customs Service, of the MVR7.2 billion (US$466.9 million) worth of goods imported in the first quarter of 2014, one-third was spent on petroleum products.

The latest monthly economic review from the Maldives Monetary Authority noted that “the price of crude oil fell by 4 percent in monthly terms and by 12 percent in annual terms and stood at US$95.9 per barrel at the end of September 2014,”

Revising import duties was among several revenue raising measures in the record MVR24.3 billion (US$1.5 billion) state budget for 2015 currently before parliament.

The forecast for additional revenue for the 2015 budget was MVR3.4 billion (US$220 million), including US$100 million expected as acquisition fees for investments in special economic zones and MVR400 million (US$25.9 million) from the sale and lease of state-owned land.

The other measures included introducing a green tax of US$6 per night in November 2015 and leasing 10 islands for new resort development.

Tariffs were last revised in April this year after parliament approved import duty hikes for a range of goods proposed by the government as a revenue raising measure.

During last month’s parliamentary budget debate, opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MPs strongly criticised the proposed tax hikes, contending that the burden of higher prices of goods and cost of living would be borne by the public.

The current administration’s economic policies – such as waiving import duties for construction material imported for resort development as well as luxury yachts – benefit the rich at the expense of the poor, MDP MPs argued.


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People’s Majlis disrupted after disorder over water crisis

Allegation of assault against opposition MPs followed disruption in the People’s Majlis today as MPs attempted to debate the ongoing Malé water crisis.

Water services have been cut off from the capital for six days following a fire at the capital’s sole desalination plant.

The Majlis convened today – with debate on the proposed 2015 state budget and an urgent motion of the water crisis on the agenda. But proceedings were prematurely concluded after numerous points of order were raised by the opposition MPs.

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Mariya Didi expressed her discontent that the parliament was receiving running water while water services for Malé residents were disrupted.

“While there is no water for the general public, there is water in the parliament. There is even running water in the toilets,” local media reported Mariya as saying.

This subsequent commotion saw Mariya standing in front of the Speaker of the Parliament Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed in protest, while former Speaker of the Majlis and MDP MP Abdulla Shahid has alleged he was attacked by members of the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM).

Shahid had since submitted a letter addressed to the speaker urging an investigation, while the MDP released a statement condemning the attack on Shahid and alleging an additional attack on Mariya by a pro-government MP.

However, PPM Parliamentary Group Leader Ahmed Nihan has denied the attacks when speaking with local media.

“Shahid started calling for the resignation of the government during the commotion. Some of our younger MPs went near the table and then there were some disagreements,” Nihan told Haveeru.

Questioning the water fund

The MDP also raised several queries regarding the US$20 million ‘Malé water crisis management fund’ set up by the government in order to recover the cost of dealing with the situation.

Speaking at a press conference today, MDP Vice Chairperson Ali Niyaz said that the government’s demands for US$20 million without a detailed breakdown of how the money is going to be spent might lead to corruption.

“Even though MWSC managing director is present during the press conferences, he has not been given any opportunity to speak and we have not received any information on the damages from a technical viewpoint,” complained Niyaz.

Following calls from the defence minister not to politicise relief efforts, Niyaz said that the party is not trying to politicise the US$20 million fund but was demanding answers and correct information from the technical staff at the MWSC rather than the “political figures” in the president’s task force.

The team assigned by President Abdulla Yameen to deal with the crisis includes Minister of Defence Colonel (retired) Mohamed Nazim, Economic Development Minister Mohamed Saeed, Minister of Environment Thoriq Ibrahim, and Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture Dr Mohamed Shainee.

Meanwhile, 5 people were arrested last night at a protest voicing the public’s frustrations with the government’s handling of the water crisis.

A police media official told Minivan News that the people were arrested for disobeying police orders and that all have now been released.

The MDP denied involvement in the protests, saying that the protests did not feature any of the MDP flags and that it was merely people expressing their frustrations with the government.


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Government scraps plan to impose import duty on staple foodstuff

The government has reversed its decision to impose a 10 percent import duty on staple foodstuff such as rice, flour, wheat and sugar, Minister of Tourism Ahmed Adeeb has revealed.

“Emergency economic council meeting ongoing where President [Abdulla] Yameen has just decided not to impose any duty on sugar, rice, flour (staple foods),” the council’s co-chair tweeted this morning.

Speaking at a press conference at the President’s Office later today, Adeeb said parliament and the Progressive Party of Maldives’ parliamentary group have since been informed of the decision.

“The president’s decision was made in light of requests from a lot of people as well as the current situation [with the capital’s water crisis] we are faced with,” he said.

Finance Minister Abdulla Jihad told parliament’s budget review committee last month that the government anticipated MVR533 million (US$34.5 million) in additional income from import duties.

The new duties were to represent 15 percent of the new revenue anticipated in the 2015 budget.

Revising import duties

Revising import duties was among several revenue raising measures in the record MVR24.3 billion (US$1.5 billion) state budget for 2015 currently before parliament.

Government-sponsored amendments (Dhivehi) to the Export-Import Act – which proposed raising custom duties from the current zero rate to 10 percent for staple foodstuffs – were subsequently submitted to parliament last month.

Scrapping plans to levy import duties on staple foodstuff from October 2015 was meanwhile among several amendments submitted to the budget by opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MPs last week.

The minority party has issued a three-line whip for its MPs to vote against the budget if none of the proposed revisions are passed.

During last month’s parliamentary budget debate, opposition MPs strongly criticised the proposed tax hikes, contending that the burden of higher prices of goods and cost of living would be borne by the public.

The current administration’s economic policies – such as waiving import duties for construction material imported for resort development as well as luxury yachts – benefit the rich at the expense of the poor, MDP MPs argued.

In addition to a 10 percent tariff for oil, the government’s amendment bill also proposed raising custom duties for tobacco from 150 to 200 percent and raising the duty for a single cigarette to MVR1.25.

Additionally, a 20 percent custom duty would be imposed for luxury cosmetics and perfume and a 200 percent custom duty for land vehicles such as cars, jeeps, and vans.

The forecast for additional revenue for the 2015 budget was MVR3.4 billion (US$220 million), including US$100 million expected as acquisition fees for investments in special economic zones and MVR400 million (US$25.9 million) from the sale and lease of state-owned land.

The other measures included introducing a green tax of US$6 per night in November 2015 and leasing 10 islands for new resort development.

Tariffs were last revised in April this year after parliament approved import duty hikes for a range of goods proposed by the government as a revenue raising measure.

Targeting subsidies

Adeeb meanwhile told the press today that the government still planned to shift to a model of targeting government subsidies to the needy as part of efforts to consolidate public finances.

In his budget speech to parliament last month, Jihad also revealed plans to revise the electricity subsidy, which he said currently benefits the affluent more than the needy.

Targeting the electricity subsidy to low-income families or households would save 40 percent of the government’s expenditure on the subsidy, Jihad explained, and allow the government to provide a higher amount to the poor.

While Maldivians were not legally required to declare income and assets in the absence of an income tax, Adeeb said today that the National Social Protection Agency (NSPA) currently used criteria for means-testing for subsidies.

Minister of Economic Development Mohamed Saeed meanwhile noted that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has recommended targeting subsidies and reducing recurrent expenditure to reign in the fiscal deficit.

“The electricity subsidy is one that goes to even the richest strata of society. Basic food subsidies are being enjoyed now by the resorts, and never mind the resorts, are being enjoyed by wealthy foreign visitors who stay at the resorts,” Dr Koshy Mathai, resident representative to Sri Lanka and Maldives, told MPs on the public accounts committee in February.

“That to us seems like a totally unnecessary policy.”

He added that “substantial savings” could be made from the budget by targeting subsidies to those most in need of assistance.

Meanwhile, in May, MMA Governor Dr Azeema Adam called for “bold decisions” to ensure macroeconomic stability by reducing expenditure – “especially the un-targeted subsidies.”

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35 percent of Asian MPs’ human rights cases from Maldives, says IPU

The Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU) has revealed that the Maldives accounts for 35 percent of all its human rights cases concerning Asian MPs.

“Maldives has a very high number of MPs (27) with cases before the Committee. Arbitrary detentions and violations of freedom of expression are the most common complaints reported, followed by torture, ill-treatment and other acts of violence,” said the IPU.

The union’s ‘Human Rights Abuses of MPs – 2014′ report – released to mark Human Rights Day (December 10) – shows that Africa and Asia are the most dangerous regions for parliamentarians.

Earlier this year, the union had suggested that the authorities’ response  to the growing number of threats against MPs would represent a test of the Maldives’ democracy.

The union emphasised the “high price parliamentarians are paying to defend fundamental human rights and exercise their right to freedom of expression”.

Despite being the smallest country in Asia, the Maldives made up 27 of 78 parliamentarians from 12 countries in Asia who have cases lodged with the IPU’s human rights committee.

Previous statistics from the IPU show that the global average number of inhabitants per parliamentarian is 146,000. With 85 MPs, the Maldives’ 2014 census shows the country has 1 MP for every 4,014 inhabitants.

In October, opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Eva Abdulla – the first Maldivian member of the IPU – met with the committee to raise concerns over the personal safety of parliamentarians and journalists in the Maldives.

At the time, Eva highlighted the lack of thorough investigations in cases of threats and assault, perpetrators not facing trial, the failure of law enforcement, the failure of the parliament to look into cases, and the creation of a culture of intimidation in the Maldives.

In a year in which MDP MP Alhan Fahmy narrowly avoided paralysis following a stabbing, threats against MPs and their families have become commonplace.

In October, the Maldives National Defence Force temporarily offered MPs additional personal security as well as urging Majlis members not to go out at night time unless absolutely necessary.

The IPU’s list of Maldivian cases also included the late Progressive Party of Maldives MP Dr Afrasheem Ali, brutally murdered outside of his home in October 2012.

MDP MP Ali Azim was controversially removed from the Majlis over an issued of decreed debt last year

Cases from around the world

The IPU explained that 311 parliamentarians from 41 countries had cases referred to the IPU Committee in 2014 – a 13 per cent increase from 2013, which saw 270 parliamentarians lodge cases, from 40 countries.

The most common human rights complaints are arbitrary detention, lack of fair trial, violation of freedom of expression and unlawful suspension and loss of parliamentary mandate.

Other dangers faced by parliamentarians include death, torture, threats and arbitrary arrests, explained the IPU

As per the 2014 statistics, the highest number of parliamentarians who have lodged cases at the committee are from Africa with 38 per cent, followed by Asia with 25 per cent.

Middle East and North Africa have 18 percent, while the Americas have 14 percent, and Europe 5 percent.

71 percent of these parliamentarians are from opposition parties, and 89 percent are male.

“These figures are extremely worrying as they show that all over the world MPs face serious harassment and sometimes even death, in a clear attempt to intimidate and silence critical voices and dissent,” said IPU Secretary General Martin Chungong.

“The figures we are presenting today are cases reported to IPU, but there are other abuses that remain beyond our scope, as the Committee can only intervene at the request of the MP concerned, family members, legal representatives, fellow MPs or human rights organisations,” he continued.

The statement reads that the majority of cases have been under the committee’s consideration for less than five years, while 10 percent of the cases are from more than 10 years ago, and another 5 percent date back to the 1990s.

It also notes that 101 new decisions were adopted by the IPU this year, calling on authorities of the relevant countries to “take effective steps towards a satisfactory settlement of the cases”.

Of the 314 cases, 71 are new cases involving parliamentarians from the Maldives, Cambodia, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, Iraq, Israel, Oman, Palestine, Venezuela and Zambia.

The Committee also closed cases involving 12 parliamentarians in 2014.


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28-year-old man stabbed to death in gang-related violence

A 28-year-old was stabbed to death in the capital Malé in the early hours of this morning (December 7) near the People’s Majlis.

Local media identified the man as Ahmed Mafaz also known as ‘Masodi Mafaa’ from Seenu Maradhoo Island. Haveeru reported Mafaz as belonging to the Masodi gang.

A Maldives Police Service (MPS) media statement read that Mafaz died at ADK hospital while being given emergency treatment for numerous stab wounds including fatal cuts in his neck and shoulders.

An MPS official told Minivan News that the stabbing case was reported to the police at around 1.45am and that the police officers at the scene took Mafaz to the hospital after stopping a taxi on the street.

An eyewitness told online news outlet Vaguthu that he saw two men stabbing and beating up Mafaz near the Alora furniture store while another group of people wielding machetes and other sharp weapons were banging on door of  a building used by the Masodi gang’s nearby, threatening to kill everyone inside.

Haveeru commented that the injuries appeared to be even more severe than those inflicted upon Ungoofaaru MP Dr Afrasheem Ali, whose brutal murder shocked the Maldives in October 2012.

In a tweet today, former President Mohamed Nasheed accused the President Abdulla Yameen’s government of failing to investigate violent crimes.

“Over 20 cases of knife attacks and 7 murdered in such attacks this year. President Yamin’s Govt has failed to investigate these crimes,” read the tweet

While speaking at a rally held to celebrate the first anniversary of the current government, President Yameen said that his administration has established peace and order in the country.

“We have peace and order in Malé and all regions of Maldives. We have peace. However, this is not to say that isolated and significant dangerous crimes do not occur,” said President Yameen.

“Saving the Maldives from these big atrocities is the biggest aim of this government,” he added.

He also pledged to implement the death penalty – reintroduced under his government – for the sake of human rights and dignity.

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has expressed concern over rising insecurity while claiming that the current administration has failed to protect right to life and security during its first year in office.

The MDP highlighted Yameen’s failure to find missing Minivan News journalist Ahmed Rilwan. An investigation into the disappearance by a UK based private investigation firm concluded that radicalised gangs were the most likely suspects in his disappearance.

Meanwhile, ruling Progressive Party of Maldives have submitted amendments to the law prohibiting possession of dangerous weapons – a move which some civil society groups say violates constitutional rights such as the right to remain silent and to retain legal counsel.

A joint statement by Maldivian Democracy Network (MDN) and Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) urged the parliament to withhold from passing the amendments saying that it would “absolutely violate rather than limit fundamental rights of the people”.

The amendment bill states that suspects arrested for assault with sharp objects or dangerous weapons will not be able to exercise the right to remain silent “to any extent”.

Police could also question the suspect if he or she is either unable to have an attorney present within six hours, or waives the right to retain legal counsel.

Moreover, the suspect could only consult a lawyer in the presence of a police officer for the first 96 hours after the arrest.

The government’s intention to narrow constitutional rights came after a spate of violent assaults in the capital – which police said were a series of gang reprisals.

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Majlis approves president’s nominees to Elections Commission

The People’s Majlis today approved two nominees of President Abdulla Yameen for vacant seats on the Elections Commission (EC).

Mohamed Shakeel and Ahmed Sulaiman were approved with 54 votes in favour and 16  against.

The pair were subsequently sworn in and presented letters of appointment at a ceremony this afternoon at the President’s Office.

Despite being presented with three nominees last month, the Majlis only approved Amjad Musthafa, leaving the five-seat commission with just two members following the expiry of Mohamed Farooq and Ali Mohamed Manik’s five-year terms.

The five-member commission that oversaw last year’s presidential election was reduced to four after Ibrahim ‘Ogaru’ Waheed resigned for health reasons during the poll.

The commission was further reduced in February this year, with the Supreme Court removing Chair Fuwad Thowfeek and Deputy Chair Ahmed Fayaz.

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Islamic minister dismisses rumour of President Yameen not performing Hajj

Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed has dismissed rumours of President Abdulla Yameen not performing the Hajj pilgrimage despite traveling to Saudi Arabia in September.

Asked to address the speculation during minister’s question time at yesterday’s sitting of parliament by opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Ibrahim Shareef, Shaheem suggested the rumours were being spread by former President Mohamed Nasheed, who he said was unable to make the pilgrimage while in office.

“The president of the Maldives made the Hajj [pilgrimage]. As you know, he was supposed to go the UN assembly but went to Hajj after cancelling it,” he said.

He claimed that former President Nasheed declined an opportunity to perform the pilgrimage during his tenure and had sent the first lady instead.

Shaheem was state minister for Islamic affairs under the Nasheed administration.

Nasheed’s remarks concerning President Yameen’s Hajj pilgrimage “opens the door for others to talk further about the things they have done,” Shaheem said.

“So I think it would be better to stay quiet without going around talking about such personal matters,” he said.

In an interview with Minivan Radio last week, Nasheed repeated calls for President Yameen to publicly address speculation concerning the trip to Saudi Arabia and his health.

The opposition leader referred to former President Mohamed Ameen informing the public about his health in a letter sent from Sri Lanka to the Maldivian parliament.

Nasheed claimed that according to close associates President Yameen was unable to perform rituals at Arafat due to poor health.

He implied that the source of the rumours was government-aligned Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) Leader Ahmed Siyam Mohamed, who accompanied the president to Saudi Arabia.

The public deserved to know the truth about the president’s health as speculation creates fear and doubt, he added.

Following numerous unofficial trips to Singapore by President Yameen this year, President’s Office Spokesperson Ibrahim Muaz Ali denied rumours that the president underwent brain surgery in Singapore.

“Rumours being spread about the president’s health are false,” he tweeted on October 23.

Nasheed meanwhile contended that President Yameen was ruling “in absentia” or away from the public eye.

If the president is “incapacitated” and could not execute the duties of his office, Nasheed said the Constitution requires the vice president to assume the president’s powers.

In late October, an anonymous senior government told newspaper Haveeru that the MDP were using areca palm trees planted in Malé by the city council for black magic to curse President Yameen with ill health.

A close associate of President Yameen told the newspaper that the president did not seek treatment for a brain tumour.

Instead, the associate claimed, the president sought treatment for infections caught during his Hajj pilgrimage and had to be admitted at a Singapore hospital.

The anonymous government official said the president’s close associates believe that black magic or sorcery using the palm trees were responsible for the president’s ill health.

“[They] believe that [President Yameen’s] health worsens with every palm frond that falls off the areca palm trees. And that his health would worsen further with every tree that blossoms,” the anonymous official was quoted as saying.


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Parliament removes its requirement to authorise government loans

Parliament passed amendments to the Public Finance Act today reversing changes brought to the law in 2010 requiring parliamentary approval for obtaining loans, providing sovereign guarantees, and leasing or selling state assets.

During the final debate at today’s sitting of the People’s Majlis, opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Ibrahim Mohamed Solih said he believed the government should have “the power and discretion” to obtain loans and conduct its programmes.

However, the MDP parliamentary group leader objected to scrapping a provision in the public finance law that prohibits expenditures in excess of funds allocated in the annual budget.

If Article 34(b) is abolished, Solih said the finance minister would not have to ensure that spending was in line with the budget approved by parliament.

If MVR800 million (US$51.8 million) was allocated to the police, Solih explained that the finance minister could approve MVR1 billion (US$64.8 million) for the institution.

“The purpose of passing the budget would be completely lost if this article is abolished,” he said.

Following the debate, the government-sponsored amendments (Dhivehi) were passed with 41 votes in favour, 25 votes against, and one abstention.

While Jumhooree Party MP Hussain Mohamed proposed adding clauses to require the government to provide information concerning loans and financial assistance to parliament within 45 days, neither amendment passed after pro-government MPs voted against the proposals.

The MP for Mathiveri had argued that the current law would not hamper the daily functions of the government as a decision to take a loan or provide a sovereign guarantee would not be made “one morning at the office”.

On the issue of delays in securing parliamentary approval, Hussain noted that the economic affairs committee completed its review of the amendments in two and a half hours.

“So what is the delay here? [The amendments] will be passed today. It has probably been just a week since it was submitted,” he said, noting that pro-government MPs were in the majority.

He further urged pro-government MPs to read Majlis minutes from 2010 to see how then-opposition leaders spoke in favour of the amendments.

Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP Jameel Usman meanwhile said parliament unduly assuming executive powers would pose difficulties in providing services to the public.

“Our responsibility should not be stopping things but monitoring,” he said.

Restrictive

Last week, Finance Minister Abdulla Jihad told parliament’s economic affairs committee that the government faced serious difficulties due to the requirement to seek parliamentary approval before obtaining loans.

Similar requirements did not exist in any other country, he added.

Jihad referred to a loan obtained from the Bank of Maldives during President Dr Mohamed Waheed’s administration without parliamentary approval as Majlis was in recess at the time and the funds were needed to pay salaries of government employees.

In December 2013, the Auditor General’s Office revealed that President Waheed’s administration violated finance laws in securing a domestic loan worth MVR300 million (US$ 19.45 million) from the Bank of Maldives (BML) for budget support.

Meanwhile, in May, President Abdulla Yameen suggested that the requirements of the public finance law were hampering the functioning of the executive.

The government was forced to seek parliamentary approval “even for a MVR1,000 (US$65) loan,” he said.

Yameen contended that laws imposing “various restrictions” on the executive were passed by the previous People’s Majlis due to the “irresponsibility” of the former head of government.

The passage of the amendments in 2010 prompted the en masse resignation of former President Mohamed Nasheed’s cabinet on June 29, 2010 in protest of the opposition’s alleged obstruction and “scorched earth” policy.

While former Special Majlis MP Ibrahim Ismail ‘Ibra’ characterised the amendments as the “grand finale of decimating the executive,” the Nasheed administration filed a case at the Supreme Court contesting the constitutionality of some provisions.

Yameen, who was leader of the minority opposition People’s Alliance at the time, said Nasheed’s “selling off of state assets and giving up uninhabited islands” had prompted the opposition’s actions.

“When many such actions that were harmful to the public occurred, a group of people advocating as the people’s representatives – myself included – determined things that cannot be done without a say of the parliament and passed a law called the Public Finance Act to hold the government accountable,” he had said in May.

Following the controversial transfer of power in February 2012, the new administration – made up of former opposition parties – sought to reverse the restrictions concerning the sale and lease of state properties.


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