Riyaz: I don’t see any of Maumoon’s reform work

Deputy Leader of Parliamentary Group of ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), Vilufushi MP Riyaz Rasheed has declared that he hadn’t any work by PPM Leader, former Maldivian President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom to reform the party.

Speaking during the Sangu TV show “Khabarah Fahu” last Wednesday night, Riyaz said that he had received word of Maumoon’s reform agenda through media reports, but hadn’t seen any such work being carried out in actuality.

“That I have appointed five people and am carrying this out – I haven’t seen any of the alleged reform work with my eyes to this day,” said Riyaz.

He said that if Maumoon claimed there to be internal issues within the party, then he needed to discuss on a solution with the party Council and PG.

He said that Maumoon had done nothing of the sort.

“The only thing he does is, whenever we work on passing a bill or supporting a bill at the People’s Majlis, he makes his opinion on it know. He voices out against what the PG, or President Yameen wants. This will create conflicts, will it not?” asked Riyaz.

Maumoon announced his reform agenda for PPM on June 30.

He said that the reforms included making the management of the party more efficient, analyzing the current status of the party, ascertaining the validity of its various offices, identifying the challenges facing the party office and its offshoots, and ensuring that it’s only the party’s main office that has the authority to issue orders.

Maumoon had set up an advisory committee to assist him in the reform process. The members of the committee are:

• Former Speaker of People’s Majlis – Ahmed Zahir

• Former Cabinet minister – Aneesa Ahmed

• Former Cabinet minister – Hamdhoon Abdulla Hameed

• Former senior government official – Rashidha Yoosuf

• Former senior government official – Aminath Athifa

• Former coordinator of Ministry of Gender – Aminath Nadhira

• Mohamed Zuhair

According to the timeline of Maumoon’s reform agenda, a PPM National Council meeting will be scheduled from November, 2017 – during which important decisions will be made, including amendments to PPM Constitution to reduce democracy deficit.