News

People will decide whether to allow or not allow to obstruct the govt: President Muizzu

Published

3 months ago

29/02/2024

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, on Wednesday night, remarked that it is in the hands of the people to decide whether the parliament will allow or not allow for the government’s projects to proceed.

He made the remark while speaking to the residents of N. Manadhoo during his stop at the island as part of his ongoing tour of the atolls.

Speaking at the meeting, President Muizzu said his administration was undertaking efforts to formulate and pass legislatures required to resolve prevalent issues in the Maldives such as housing.

“At the moment we undertake efforts in the right direction to improve the economy and pave way for the aforesaid opportunities, the citizens are met with the opportunity to decide whether they will allow or disallow the parliament to obstruct this work,” he said.

He expressed confidence in the people that they would pave the way for the parliament to obstruct the government and elect candidates who would produce benefits for the whole nation.

President Muizzu, underscoring housing as the most prevalent issue in Manadhoo – affirmed the government will resolve the housing issue not only on the island, but across the whole Maldives, if they can proceed without obstructions.

“Then all things that would need to be done to achieve this can be done. At the conclusion of this five year term, there will not a be single person across whose housing needs have not been addressed,” he said.

President Muizzu also pledged to undertake efforts to resolve issues apart from housing if the government has opportunities within the parliament.

Prior to this, President Muizzu has established that the ruling PPM-PNC coalition’s goal for the parliamentary election is to secure a supermajority.

Main opposition MDP holds the majority in the ongoing 19th parliamentary assembly.

Notably, the MDP-dominated parliament amended the Parliament’s standing orders so that vacated seats aren’t counted when determining the total number of MPs.

According to the amendment to the standing orders by MDP, the total number of MPs would now be 80, instead of 87, excluding MPs who have resigned to assume posts in President Muizzu’s administration.

MDP has warned they plan on filing a motion to impeach President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu before the current term ends in May, claiming they have collected enough signatures to file an impeachment.

With 56 MPs between MDP and Democrats which recently announced an alliance to work together in the parliament to hold the government accountable, they have the power to impeach the president and the vice president, if they wish.

This prompted AG Office to file the Supreme Court – seeking to nullify the amendments. The judgment in the case is scheduled for Thursday morning.

In addition to this, the MDP-dominated parliament has passed a bill to postpone the parliamentary election slated for March 17th, which falls within Ramadan, for a second time after President Muizzu rejected the bill.

According to the constitution, if the Parliament passes a bill that is rejected by the president for a second time without any amendments, and with a clear majority of the legislative body, the president is compelled to ratify the legislature.

Source(s): sun.mv

News

Maldivian FM meets Qatari PM; both commit to stronger ties

Published

2 days 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

2 days 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

2 days 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