News

Three ministers rejected by parliament reappointed

Published

3 months ago

29/01/2024

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has reappointed the three ministers the parliament voted to deny approval to earlier today, to their respective ministries.

An opposition MDP-dominated Parliament on Monday voted to deny approval to Housing Minister Dr. Ali Haidar Ahmed, Islamic Minister Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed and Attorney General Ahmed Usham.

Sun has learned that the three ministers retook the oath of office during a ceremony held at the President’s Office on Monday evening.

The oath was administered by Supreme Court Justice Husnu Al Suood.

Haidar was rejected with a vote of 46-24, while Usham was rejected with a vote of 44-24, and Shaheem with a vote of 31-30, with eight abstinences.

The Parliament had been scheduled to vote on the cabinet on December 18, but the original report by the Government Oversight Committee was rejected. The Parliament held an extraordinary sitting on Sunday to take the vote on the committee’s new report, which was passed on December 30.

But just ahead of the vote, the main opposition MDP – which holds a majority in the Parliament – issued a three-line red whip to deny approval to the four cabinet members.

They were:

Ahmed Usham, attorney general
Mohamed Saeed, economic minister
Dr. Ali Haidar, housing minister
Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed, Islamic minister

The move sparked clashes between pro-government and opposition lawmakers, leaving the Parliament unable to hold the vote.

The long-delayed vote finally took place on Monday afternoon.

Saeed, against whom the whip also applied, narrowly passed rejection with a vote of 37-32.

Ahead of today’s vote, MDP threatened to withhold approval to Defense Minister Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon and Home Minister Ali Ihusan if pro-government lawmakers continue to disrupt the Parliament. However, they had allowed the vote to proceed.

The reappointment of the rejected ministers comes after, MDP, on Monday, announced they had gathered enough signatures to submit a motion to impeach President Muizzu and are preparing to submit the motion to the parliament.

Notably, the ruling PPM-PNC, on Sunday, submitted no-confidence motions against Speaker Mohamed Aslam and Deputy Speaker Ahmed Saleem – both from MDP. The motions were submitted with the endorsement of 23 lawmakers.

Source(s): sun.mv

News

Maldivian FM meets Qatari PM; both commit to stronger ties

Published

6 hours ago

12/05/2024

Maldives and Qatar reaffirm the commitment to strengthening the partnership between the two countries on Sunday, in a meeting between Maldivian Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer and Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Qatar.

Zameer, who is on an official visit to Qatar, met with Al Thani on Sunday morning.

At the meeting, Zameer reflected on the growing Maldives-Qatar partnership, and thanked Qatar for the generous assistance in Maldives’ socio-economic development.

According to a statement released by the Maldivian Foreign Ministry, both Zameer and Al Thani reiterated the commitment to deepen bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

Zameer also conveyed appreciation for Qatar’s role in the mediation process on the Gaza crisis.

Both reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen the partnership in the multilateral fora on matters of global concern.

Zameer was accompanied at the meeting by Secretary, Bilateral, Dr. Hala Hameed, Ambassador-at-Large, Dr. Fazeel Najeeb, and Assistant Director, Lamha Saleem.

This year will mark the 40th anniversary of bilateral relations between the Maldives and Qatar.

According to the Foreign Ministry, Zameer is also scheduled to meet with other senior officials from the Qatari government to explore opportunities to enhance cooperation in various sectors between the two countries.

Zameer’s latest trip comes at the heels of a similar visit to India last week.

Source(s): sun.mv

News

President recognises forefront services of nurses

Published

6 hours ago

12/05/2024

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has praised the dedicated efforts of nurses, stating that they fulfil a national obligation by providing forefront services. He made the remarks on a social media post, commemorating International Nurses Day.

In the post shared on social media, President Dr. Muizzu recognised the unwavering commitment of nurses, characterising their contributions and services as a valuable, significant responsibility for humanity. The president additionally commended the dedication of nurses for ensuring the provision of cutting edge care.

The International Nurses Day is annually celebrated on May 12, aiming to acknowledge the pivotal role nurses play, as they are the backbone of the healthcare system. The theme for International Nurses Day 2024 is “Our Nurses. Our Future. The economic power of care.” The purpose of selecting the theme was to emphasise the significance of reshaping perceptions of the economic and societal advantages of the nursing field, such that nursing can be seen as an investment rather than a cost.

Source(s): PsmNews

News

Government launches Hope Island for crime-exposed kids

Published

6 hours ago

12/05/2024

The Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology has announced the launch of Hope Island, a rehabilitation initiative aimed at children exposed to crime.

Speaking at a collaborative press briefing involving agencies under the homeland ministry, Minister Ali Ihusaan outlined the planning efforts for Hope Island. He emphasised the provision of fundamental education and religious guidance for the children residing there. He also highlighted the implementation of psychosocial intervention and sports programmes on the island.

Additionally, Minister Ihusaan disclosed that children would reside on Hope Island until they turn 18 years, and serve a designated term in either the Maldives Police Service (MPS) or the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF). Subsequently, he said that they would be granted opportunities to pursue their chosen careers.

Furthermore, Minister Ihusaan announced a reduction in the age of criminal responsibility to 15 years, with previous advocacy for lowering it to 12 years. He cited instances of 12-year-olds engaging in criminal activities and revealed ongoing legal initiatives, in collaboration with the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO), to effect the change.

Moreover, Minister Ihusaan revealed plans to direct 12-year-old offenders to Hope Island for rehabilitation, with a dedicated facility established to mitigate exposure to criminal influences. He also disclosed intentions to develop a separate island specifically for this rehabilitation facility.

Source(s): PsmNews