Ameeth: Nation Cannot Endure Constant 24-Hour Policy Changes

Former Member of Parliament for the Maduvvari constituency, Mohamed Ameeth, has stated that the current administration is amending laws and implementing policies within 24 hours without conducting any prior research, warning that the nation cannot endure if such practices continue.

Speaking on RaajjeTV’s "Fala Surukhee" program, Ameeth stated that many of the laws passed by the 20th People’s Majlis were enacted without proper research, leveraging the supermajority held by the People's National Congress (PNC). He further noted that the current culture within parliament involves utilizing this supermajority to pass legislation solely as directed by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu.

Consider our current situation: our economy is in severe distress, the dollar shortage has reached a critical point, and our citizens are struggling just to make ends meet. Despite these hardships, the Parliament is passing laws exactly as President Muizzu dictates, without conducting any proper research or impact assessments. The government is now forcing resorts to convert a significant percentage of their earnings through the MMA—revenue generated from investments built on the hard work, sweat, and tears of the investors themselves.

Mohamed Ameeth

Ameeth stated that the current administration is amending laws at its own whim, without any consideration for whether such changes conflict with the Constitution. He further warned that the consequences of these actions would be dire, noting that the effects are already becoming apparent.

Ameeth stated that the government failed to conduct a proper assessment of the country's situation when introducing legislative amendments to tobacco regulations. He noted that while the government increased tobacco duties under the guise of curbing smoking, they failed to evaluate the actual impact on the economy and the public, or whether such measures would effectively reduce tobacco consumption.

Ameeth stated that the consequence of this policy was that young people were forced to roll their own cigarettes on street corners. However, noting that smoking rates have not decreased at all, Ameeth emphasized that reducing or stopping such habits is not linked to the taxes levied on them.

He noted that despite the increase in duties, the volume of tobacco imports has not decreased. Ameeth further stated that although the government is amending laws, these changes are being implemented without careful consideration or proper systems in place, allowing smugglers to continue their illegal activities unabated. In this regard, Ameeth alleged that large containers are still being used to smuggle goods into the country through collusion with senior Customs officials.

Ameeth stated that one thing remains clear from these developments: if the supermajority in Parliament is misused to push through legislative changes and implement policies within 24 hours, the nation’s stability will be compromised. He further noted that such actions would instead lead to significant complications.