Environment minister to be questioned at Monday's sitting

Parliament will question Environment Minister Hussain Rasheed Hassan on Monday.

The minister has been sent a summon notice to present himself for the sitting, following a proposal by Felidhoo constituency MP Ibrahim Fazul Rasheed.

MP Fazul proposed to inquire the minister of when the V. Fulidhoo island waste management project will be contracted. He noted the delay in doing so, despite being included in this year’s budget.

The lawmaker also wants to know whether the project will commence this year and details of the ongoing work.

In addition, the parliament is to deliberate on the president’s nomination for the post of the country’s representative to the Organization of the Islamic Corporation (OIC); the president has forwarded the name of Maldives’ Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Mohamed Khaleel.

The parliament will also deliberate on the president’s nominations for Commissioner General and Deputy Commissioner General of Taxation.

All nominations are to be forwarded to the respective committees for further review.

While two individuals had applied for the post of commissioner general, six had applied for the deputy post. As per last month’s amendment to the Tax Administration Act, a commissioner general must be appointed within 30 days from the date of ratification; the amendment was ratified on September 17.

The parliament will also continue with some of last week’s unfinished work, including the removal of two members of the Maldives Broadcasting Commission (MBC).

While the committee on independent institutions decided to impeach MBC president Mohamed Shaheeb and Vice President Fathmath Zaina, the former has since resigned from the post.