The controversial Decentralisation bill submitted by the Government has finally been passed yesterday by the Peoples Mailis, after the meeting was boycotted by the MPs of ruling MDP and meeting extended till evening.
There have been heated arguments between MDP and main opposition DRP, PA and other parties including independent MPs which lead to suspension of some meetings delaying the bill considerably. The Government wanted to establish 7 provinces as a basis for the decentralization of local administration while the opposition and their supporters were totally against the concept of provinces. The opposition chose to maintain the present 20 atolls and capital Male as the centers of the new local administration system.
In yesterday’s meeting Speaker Abdullah Shahid first deliberated on the amendments proposed by MPs before taking a vote on the bill which was amended by a special committee. The committee in the process has omitted the whole concept of provinces in the bill. This has made the ruling MDP MPs unhappy and they wanted the bill to be sent back to the Committee for further amendment but this proposal which came first in the voting was turned down by DRP and their supporters. MDP Parliamentary Leader Moosa Maniku thus in a point of order announced they were withdrawing all their amendments and boycotting the meeting because of the mood and spirit in the meeting to turn down their amendments. Only Hoarafushi Constituency MP Ahmed Rasheed remained and all other MDP MPs left the chamber at 1.10 pm.
The Speaker initially accepted the request of MDP Parliamentary Leader and said he will not take a vote on amendments of MDP MPs. But this was refused by Kulhudhuffushi South MP Mohamed Nasheed, Maamigili MP Gasim Ibrahim and Kendhoo MP and DRP Leader Ahmed Thasmeen. The Speaker then reversed his decision and had put all amendments to vote. All amendments proposed by MDP MPs were turned down while 61 amendments were accepted before the bill in final was passed in the late afternoon with the approval of all 42 MPs present.
The bill stipulate that capital islands at the time of the new Constitution came into force will remain so. This will require the Government to reverse their decision to change the capital islands of K. Maafushi to Thulusdhoo and Sh. Milandhoo to Funadhoo. The bill also provides to establish local councils including island councils, atoll councils and city councils. Only Male will have a city council for the present because a city council requires the island where it is to be established to have a population over 25,000.
President Mohamed Nasheed in his radio address last Friday has said he will not have any problem accepting whatever decision taken by the Mailis. The bill will become law as soon as the President ratifies it.
The Mailis has also passed a motion proposed by the opposition DRP not to go on May recess before concluding the bills of decentralisation and local council elections. Earlier the Mailis has rejected a motion proposed by the ruling MDP to seek the opinion of the Supreme Court on the establishment of Provinces as a means to find a solution to the dispute between MDP and DRP.
There have been heated arguments between MDP and main opposition DRP, PA and other parties including independent MPs which lead to suspension of some meetings delaying the bill considerably. The Government wanted to establish 7 provinces as a basis for the decentralization of local administration while the opposition and their supporters were totally against the concept of provinces. The opposition chose to maintain the present 20 atolls and capital Male as the centers of the new local administration system.
In yesterday’s meeting Speaker Abdullah Shahid first deliberated on the amendments proposed by MPs before taking a vote on the bill which was amended by a special committee. The committee in the process has omitted the whole concept of provinces in the bill. This has made the ruling MDP MPs unhappy and they wanted the bill to be sent back to the Committee for further amendment but this proposal which came first in the voting was turned down by DRP and their supporters. MDP Parliamentary Leader Moosa Maniku thus in a point of order announced they were withdrawing all their amendments and boycotting the meeting because of the mood and spirit in the meeting to turn down their amendments. Only Hoarafushi Constituency MP Ahmed Rasheed remained and all other MDP MPs left the chamber at 1.10 pm.
The Speaker initially accepted the request of MDP Parliamentary Leader and said he will not take a vote on amendments of MDP MPs. But this was refused by Kulhudhuffushi South MP Mohamed Nasheed, Maamigili MP Gasim Ibrahim and Kendhoo MP and DRP Leader Ahmed Thasmeen. The Speaker then reversed his decision and had put all amendments to vote. All amendments proposed by MDP MPs were turned down while 61 amendments were accepted before the bill in final was passed in the late afternoon with the approval of all 42 MPs present.
The bill stipulate that capital islands at the time of the new Constitution came into force will remain so. This will require the Government to reverse their decision to change the capital islands of K. Maafushi to Thulusdhoo and Sh. Milandhoo to Funadhoo. The bill also provides to establish local councils including island councils, atoll councils and city councils. Only Male will have a city council for the present because a city council requires the island where it is to be established to have a population over 25,000.
President Mohamed Nasheed in his radio address last Friday has said he will not have any problem accepting whatever decision taken by the Mailis. The bill will become law as soon as the President ratifies it.
The Mailis has also passed a motion proposed by the opposition DRP not to go on May recess before concluding the bills of decentralisation and local council elections. Earlier the Mailis has rejected a motion proposed by the ruling MDP to seek the opinion of the Supreme Court on the establishment of Provinces as a means to find a solution to the dispute between MDP and DRP.
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