Sittings adjourned due to lack of work despite nearly 100 pending questions for ministers: MDP PG Group

The Member of Parliament for the Kendhoo constituency, Mauroof Zakir, has stated that the People's Majlis currently lacks a clear legislative agenda as the government has failed to submit a sufficient number of bills. He further noted that while the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has submitted 100 questions to be posed to government ministers, progress on these inquiries has also come to a standstill.

Speaking at a press conference held by the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) parliamentary group, Mauroof stated that the opposition is consistently working to keep the public informed about the proceedings of the Parliament and the conduct of the government.

The member highlighted that one of the most significant challenges is the lack of productivity within the Parliament, as the government has failed to submit a sufficient number of bills for deliberation. However, Mauroof noted that the MDP has submitted a substantial number of inquiries to cabinet ministers, with approximately 100 questions currently put forward.

Ministers are being summoned to Parliament quite frequently lately. This primarily occurs on days when the Parliament has no other legislative business on its agenda. As you can observe today, the session concluded around 11:30 a.m. because there was no further work to conduct. Furthermore, it is highly noticeable that when ministers are summoned, we are being denied the opportunity to question them. Instead, members of the ruling PNC appear to be arriving with pre-planned, written questions. This seems to be a coordinated effort to elicit specific, scripted responses regarding the actions of the former MDP administration or previous governments.

Mauroof Zakir, Member of Parliament for the Kendhoo constituency.

The member stated that the current conduct of the Parliament, where the ruling PNC holds a supermajority, presents significant challenges for the MDP in its efforts to hold the government accountable.

Instead, the Member proposed that the parliamentary session be extended until 2:00 p.m., suggesting that ministers be summoned every half hour to ensure answers are provided for the pending questions. Furthermore, the Member noted that several questions submitted last year remain unanswered. He pointed out that when ministers resign or are dismissed before appearing, the process is reset, forcing members to resubmit the same questions all over again.

During the meeting, MDP Parliamentary Group Leader and MP for South Hithadhoo, Ibrahim Nazil, stated that over the past two to three weeks, 80 percent of the Parliament's proceedings have involved ministers attending sittings to respond to inquiries submitted by MDP members.

Following the ministers' responses, a thirty-minute window is provided for related follow-up questions. We have significant concerns regarding the ministers' failure to provide adequate answers, particularly to questions posed by MDP members. Instead of addressing our inquiries, they consistently deflect by shifting the blame onto the previous administration. These ministers must speak about the current government’s actions; their constant reliance on criticizing the past only confirms the incompetence of this administration and its inability to serve the people. Otherwise, there would be no need to keep dwelling on the previous government.

MDP Parliamentary Group Leader and South Hithadhoo MP Ibrahim Nazil.

Nazil stated that ministers are being questioned regarding the delays and reasons behind the non-completion of projects initiated by the previous administration. He noted that inquiries are being made into why these projects have come to a standstill. According to Nazil, when ministers are asked why the construction of school buildings or mosques is not progressing, they respond by claiming that the budget allocated when these projects began three or four years ago was insufficient.

However, the Member noted that ministers also seem to lack an understanding of the fact that major projects are implemented over a period of two to three years, with budget allocations structured accordingly in the official records.