Shihab says he will not be biased


Mohamed Shihab , the newly elected Speaker of the Majlis, has declared that he will not be biased in the discharge of his Majlis responsibilities and duties and that he will discharge his responsibilities with due consideration to national interests . Shihab made the statement yesterday in his opening remarks of the 31 sitting of the People’s Majlis, first sitting to be held since his assumption of office on the 12 of August this year.

Male’ MP Shihab who is from Jumhoory Party asserted that national interests and the interests of the people will take precedence over the party interests in the discharge of the functions and duties as the Speaker.

According to Shihab changes are to bring to Majlis standing orders as per the new constitution and that work is already being processed by the General Affairs Committee of the Majlis. He also thanked all members for electing him as the Speaker.

Majlis yesterday as required by the new constitution elected a member to the Judicial Services Commission. In the vote taken members elected President’s member Ahmed Zahir by 23 votes in favor out of 34 members in attendance. 6 members voted against and 6 members abstained. The member proposed for the Commission was Maria Ahmed Didi, MP for Kaafu atoll as well as Chairperson of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

After the election of Ahmed Zahir to the Judicial Service commission, the next agenda item considered was filling the vacant positions of the various Majlis Committees created due to the member resignations. 11 members spoke on the subject and two amendments to the issue was moved and seconded. The proposal got passed with 21 votes in favor out of the 34 members that were present was proposed by Gdh member Abass Ibrahim and seconded by MP for Maulak atoll Aneesa Ahmed. 10 members voted against while one member abstained.

The appointments to Majlis Committees were ;Lubna Mohamed Zahir Hussain, President’s member to the Majlis Internal Affairs Committee, President’s members Moosa Nizar and Ahmed Mahloof to Majlis working Committee, President’s member Abdul Rasheed Nafiz to Economic affairs Committee, President’s members Moosa Nizar and Ruzaina Adam to Petions Committee, President’s member Moosa Nizar to Committee on Jails , MP for Hdh atoll Ilyas Ibrahim to Committee on General Regulations and President’s member Ahmed Zahir to Committee on Regulations.
The next agenda item considered at today’s sitting was the second reading of the Bill on solitary confinement. Five members spoke on the subject and more members were waiting to speak when the sitting was adjourned having run out of the allocated time for the day.

At the beginning of yesterday’s sitting, Minister of Construction and Public Infrastructure Mohamed Mauroof Jameel was asked Parliamentary Questions by Dhaalu atoll MP Ahmed Nashid. The Minister provided answer to the question and 7 other supplementary questions. After the question time, the Majlis passed the minutes of 4 previous sittings (Minutes Nos. 62/2007 to 65/2007).

Yesterday’s sitting, attended by 40 Members was chaired by the Speaker of the People’s Majlis, Mohamed Shihab. The People’s Majlis will meet again on Monday, 18th August 2008.

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