Several changes need to be made to the Constitution: President

President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik has said that several changes need to be made to the Constitution, and that importance must be given to making regulations under the current Constitution that suit our society.

The president said this while addressing the people of Raa Vaadhoo yesterday evening, as part of his current tour of Raa Atoll.

He said that the laws that govern us must suit our financial situation, social habits and aspirations for the future.

The president noted that under the current Constitution, one person’s actions can adversely affect other people, resulting in conflicts between groups. He said that efforts by people to obstruct him from carrying out his duties should not be activities targeted at a particular person, and that the system will not be complete unless the powers, respect and responsibilities assigned to a post by the Constitution can be fully enforced.

He said that the powers given to different groups by the Constitution vary, and that the relevant institutions must be allowed to follow these rules. He said that the Supreme Court would be the body to issue the final rulings on disputes regarding the Constitution, and that the Supreme Court’s rulings must be respected. He said that the Constitution cannot be implemented properly if people refuse to accept Supreme Court rulings.

The president said that peace and order in the country is of utmost importance and that our nation is more important than our individual selves. He said that people should concede more often and urged people to follow these principles even at island level. He said that we may not be able to implement developmental projects at the speed that we want to; however, the most important thing amidst the current political changes is to ensure peace, order and safety in the country.