President Yameen meets with PPM council members

President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom is holding meetings with some council members of ruling People’s Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) at President’s Office on Thursday.

A PPM council member confirmed to “Sun” that President Yameen was holding meetings with council members of the party – especially parliamentarians.

He said that the President had not made an official invitation to all PPM council members, but was meeting select council members.

Major changes were brought to PPM overnight, with PPM Leader Maumoon Abdul Gayoom stripping the party Deputy Leader Abdul Raheem of his powers and taking over the management of the party himself.

He has also ordered that no meeting by any official body of the party – including any committee – should be held without his permission.

The changes come after PPM parliamentarians voted for the Tourism bill which gives Ministry of

Tourism the authority to lease islands, lagoons and land for tourism without an open-bidding despite Maumoon’s request that they reject the bill, saying it was detrimental to the development of the country.

Only two PPM parliamentarians, Maumoon’s son MP Ahmed Faris and MP Mohamed Waheed Ibrahim voted against the bill.