News

MDP agrees to a constitutional referendum post election

Published

8 months ago

18/09/2023

Main ruling MDP’s Chairperson Fayyaz Ismail, on Monday, said the party has informed The Democrats of the party’s agreement to hold a constitutional referendum after this year’s presidential elections.

MDP’s candidate President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih secured 39 percent of the votes in the first round of the presidential elections held on September 9th – placing second. The greatest number of votes was opposition PPM-PNC coalition’s candidate Dr. Mohamed Muizzu with 46 percent of the votes. The Democrats, placed third, with 7.18 percent of votes becoming the choicest party to form a coalition for the runoff.

The Democrats, however, have put forth a condition to agree to a coalition; holding a constitutional referendum.

MDP’s Chairperson Fayyaz Ismail told Sun on Monday that the party was not agreeable to hold a constitutional referendum before the runoff, however, was agreeable to holding a constitutional referendum after the runoff. He noted that the party’s decision has now been informed to The Democrats.

“Have informed that we are agreeable to hold a constitutional referendum after the election,” he said.

However, The Democrats has been advocating to hold a constitutional referendum on September 25th. Opposition PPM-PNC coalition has refused the condition, while the imprisoned PPM’s leader, former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayyoom has rejected a meeting with The Democrats’ driving force, Parliament Speaker Mohamed Nasheed.

Therewith, The Democrats has previously said they were only in discussions with MDP at the moment.

Meanwhile, The Democrats is set to make an official decision on their stance for the presidential election’s runoff at an interim council meeting of the party slated for 9:00pm tonight.

The Democrats was formed by a breakaway faction from MDP after major divisions between pro-government and anti-government members. Former members of MDP who left the party to join The Democrats have previously criticized the government, while also making major allegations.

Source(s): sun.mv

News

Developmental projects of Maldives progressing substantially

Published

18 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

1 day 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

1 day 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