News

MDP agrees to expedite debate on referendum motion

Published

8 months ago

18/09/2023

Parliament speaker, former president Mohamed Nasheed says the MDP, which holds a supermajority at the Parliament, has agreed to fast-track the resolution submitted by the Democrats, which calls for a constitutional referendum to decide on changing the system of governance in Maldives from a presidential system to a parliamentary system, before the end of September.

The resolution was submitted by Hulhudhoo MP Ilyas Labeeb on September 12.

It calls for a referendum to be held before September 30 – which is when the second round of voting in the presidential election is slated for.

Ilyas said he decided to submit the resolution based on the experience from the administrations that have come since 2008. He said that the time has come to put the question of a system change before the people.

At Monday’s parliamentary sitting, Nasheed, who himself is a member of the Democrats, said the MDP’s parliamentary group leader, North Hithadhoo MP Mohamed Aslam had agreed to expedite the debate on the resolution.

He said that Aslam made the decision based on a request from the Democrats’ parliamentary group leader, Central Henveiru MP Ali Azim.

“The Democrats’ parliamentary group leader has said that the majority leader has agreed to fast-track this. So, we will conduct this as soon as possible,” he said.

He said that the preliminary debate on the resolution will be scheduled “soon.”

Azim told Sun that resolutions submitted to the Parliament can be expedited, if both the majority leader and the minority leader are in agreement.

He said that both parties have come to an agreement to expedite the debate.

“They agreed to expedite the debate. They did not agree to support the resolution,” he said.

Democrats, which placed third in the first round of the presidential election with seven percent of votes, has been courted by both the MDP and the opposition PPM-PNC for a potential coalition deal for the runoff.

But the Democrats set a key condition for any deal; support for a constitutional referendum to change the system of governance in Maldives from the current presidential system, to a parliamentary system.

Democrats want the referendum held before September 25th.

Maldives held a constitutional referendum on a system change in 2007. The majority decided to stick with the presidential system. Former president Nasheed and Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom had advocated for a parliamentary system, back when the vote was held.

Differences in opinion regarding a system change had been the main point of conflict between Nasheed and President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, which led to members loyal to Nasheed leaving the MDP to form the Democrats.

Source(s): sun.mv

News

Developmental projects of Maldives progressing substantially

Published

2 hours ago

18/05/2024

India’s Minister of External Affairs Dr. S. Jaishankar has affirmed that the developmental projects of the Maldives carried out with the assistance of India have been progressing considerably. The remarks were made by the minister during the Confederation of Indian Industry (CIIs) Annual Business Summit.

Speaking at the summit, Minister Jaishankar stated that some developmental projects were slightly politically influenced, hindering the progress. However, he assured that the progress of the projects have propelled at a notable rate.

Following the Minister of Foreign Affairs Moosa Zameer’s official visit to India at the invitation of Minister Jaishankar, discussions were held highlighting the spectrum of initiatives across the nation has been kickstarted through loans and grants from the Government of India during the previous administration. He emphasised the current government’s commitment to prioritising the resumption and completion of these projects.

Meanwhile, the Government of India has reaffirmed its commitment to the development and prosperity of the Maldives by extending a budgetary support of USD 50 million to be repaid within a term of one year.

Source(s): PsmNews

News

Police officers complete training to prevent maritime terrorism acts

Published

16 hours ago

17/05/2024

A team of 22 police officers has successfully completed a specialised training programme focused on thwarting maritime terrorism activities.

Entitled “Training on Strengthening Capabilities to Disrupt Maritime Crimes as Related to Terrorist Threats,” the program was conducted through a collaborative effort between the Maldives Police Service (MPS) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Running from May 13 to 15, the intensive training equipped participants with essential skills and knowledge crucial for combating threats in maritime environments.

The concluding ceremony, graced by the presence of Chief Superintendent of Police Ibrahim Adnan Anees, Head of Marine Police, along with senior officials from the Marine Police Department, UNODC’s Head of Office Enrico Boninsegna, and course instructor Kenneth Alferdo Pennington, highlighted the significance of such initiatives in enhancing national security.

Addressing the gathering, Adnan underscored the importance of ongoing education and skill development, urging participants to actively apply the knowledge garnered from the program in their professional endeavors.

The training, conducted at Dhoonidhoo, Kaafu Atoll, imparted vital insights into the prevention and detection of maritime terrorism activities, emphasizing protocols for safe navigation in high-risk areas. Furthermore, officers received guidance on investigative procedures essential for effectively addressing such crimes, thereby bolstering the nation’s capabilities in combating maritime threats.

Source(s): PsmNews

News

President reverts land act amendment to parliament

Published

16 hours ago

17/05/2024

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has reverted the Ninth Amendment Bill to the Maldives Land Act to Parliament for further consideration.

This bill, which seeks to establish criteria for recipients of residential land and mandates that land be allocated within three months of the publication of the permanent list of recipients in the gazette, was initially passed during the twenty-second sitting of Parliament’s first session this year and sent to the President’s Office for ratification on May 2.

In returning the bill, President Muizzu invoked Article 91(a) of the Constitution, which grants the President the authority to return legislation to Parliament for reconsideration.

The President’s Office has confirmed this, indicating the need for further review and potential revisions to the proposed amendment.

Source(s): PsmNews