Emergency motion citing Hafthaa-14 pledge unfulfillment

An emergency motion has been submitted to Maldives parliament on Wednesday, February 28, 2024 citing the current government's claims of fulfilling its pledges for first 100-day were falsified.

The motion was presented to the parliament by South-Galolhu MP Meekhail Ahmed Naseem.

In the motion, Naseem argues 56% of the tasks the current government claimed was achieved as part of the Hafthaa-14 (Week-14) roadmap, have not been completed in reality, while 18.9% of statistics were completely falsified.

The motion claims that the government has achieved just 24.3% of the objectives from the roadmap.

Additionally, the motion argues that a top-level committee meeting on addressing the deportation of Indian soldiers cannot be held as sufficient fulfilment of the pledge for complete deportation; a major pledge of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu led administration.

"The announcement by Maldives government that the technical officers assigned to operate the helicopters [gifted by India], having agreed to wear civilian clothing, is indicative that [India] never dispatched armed soldiers in the first place," the motion read.

The current government has made multiple allegations the former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih led administration made multiple agreements with foreign countries, in a manner that endangered the sovereignty of the Maldives.

According to the motion, the current administration has failed to present sufficient evidence backing their claim.

Though the government pledged to appeal the Maldives-Mauritius boundary demarcation issue with the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), it has failed to do so within the first 100-days of Dr. Muizzu's presidency.

The motion also highlighted potential economic risks Maldives is facing as well.

While the government claimed to launch debt refinance for external loans acquired by the previous administration, no efforts have been launched on the matter.

Additionally, the state is alleged of mishandling state funds within the first 100 days, while it has agreed to a funding package of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). 

The motion also highlights that though the current government created the policy framework to establish an investment development company, as per the Companies Act, a paper company was created for the purpose.

As per the motion, state also failed to fulfill its pledge to facilitate local entrepreneurs and businesses to launch their ventures on e-commerce platform, and have not made proper transfers to the Sovereign Development Fund (SDF).

The opposition further alleged through the motion that the state has failed to adequately address and fulfill its pledges of urban development, housing, and other projects within the first 100 days.

A total of 43 members out of the 59 members present at Wednesday's parliamentary sitting voted in favor of debating on the bill, with 14 members voting against it.

Upon approval, the MPs had deliberated on the bill.