PG leaders say Parliament work remains ongoing, despite lack of sittings

The leaders of the parliamentary group of both the majority party, People’s National Congress (PNC), and the minority party, Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), insisted on Wednesday that the Parliament is continuing its work uninterrupted, despite the lack of sittings the past two days.

The Parliament had gone into recess for the last 10 days of Ramadan and the Eid al-Fitr holiday after its sitting on March 19. The legislative assembly reconvened for sittings on Monday after an 18-day break. But the Parliament did not hold a sitting on Tuesday nor on Wednesday – both of which are official working days for the institution.

This has prompted criticism against the Parliament.

Inguraidhoo MP Ibrahim Falah, the leader of the ruling PNC’s parliamentary group, told Sun on Wednesday morning that the Parliament is conducting its work despite the lack of sittings for two days. He added that parliamentary committees are conducting “a lot of work.”

Falah also said that roughly half of parliamentarians had been busy with parliamentary work during the last two holidays.

“…Parliamentary work goes something like this right? Sittings will resume again starting Monday next week. Work remains ongoing at committees,” he said.

South Hithadhoo MP Ibrahim Nazil, the leader of the main opposition MDP’s parliamentary group, expressed similar sentiments.

He told Sun that the Parliament may not necessarily have a lot of pending work when it reconvenes after holidays.

“Work will be set in the agenda depending on the rate at which committees complete their work. Committee work was done tomorrow and continues today,” he said.

The Parliament has not provided any explanation regarding the lack of sittings through its official channels.

On Tuesday, South Galolhu MP Meekail Ahmed Naseem, a politician from the MDP, alleged that the Parliament’s failure to hold sittings for no apparent reason is on direct orders from President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu.

He said that the Parliament has been turned into “a counter of Muliaage.”

“Sittings aren’t being held with no explanation given, despite the pileup of notices to summon ministers for questioning, because of direct orders from @MMuizzu,” he said, in a post on X.

Meekail also expressed frustration over how the Parliament is being run, including failure to provide parliamentarians appropriate notice of sittings. He also said that parliamentarians often don’t get the agenda for next-day sittings until midnight.

The PNC has been repeatedly accused of abusing its supermajority in the Parliament to block anti-government bills and motions, as well as attempts to summon government ministers to the Parliament for questioning.

The only sitting this week had been on Monday, with the only items in the agenda - an emergency motion and a resolution submitted by the MDP.

Kendhoo MP Mauroof Zakir presented an emergency motion demanding the expedition of legislature submitted in May 2024 to ban entries on Israeli passports in protest of Israel’s genocidal acts in Palestine.

But Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim rejected the motion citing that it does not meet the criteria for an emergency motion under the Parliament’s Standing Orders.

Next, South Hulhumale’ MP Dr. Ahmed Shamheed presented a resolution seeking the Parliament’s opinion regarding seeking an explanation from the government regarding claims of the decision by the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) to print money.

The sitting concluded following a preliminary debate on the resolution.

The only committee meetings held on Monday and Tuesday had been meetings of the Public Accounts Committee. But three committee meetings are scheduled for Wednesday – of the Public Accounts Committee, the Foreign Relations Committee, and the Independent Institutions Committee.