Shahid elected Speaker

In an avoidably chaotic first meeting of the new People's Majlis, Keyodhoo member Abdullah Shahid has been elected Speaker. Ahmed Nazim was elected Deputy Speaker.

When the Majlis convened at 11 am today, it went into an avoidable debate allowed by the interim speaker Mohamed Hussein, following a point of order taken by Mariyaa Ahmed Didi saying that if the speaker uses his casting vote following a secret ballot, his vote will no longer be secret. Instead of going on with the agenda, which is to elect a Speaker and Deputy Speaker, Mohamed Hussein decided to ask for members' opinion on the hypothetical situation: what to do if there is a tie in the secret ballot? One clause of the Constitution says the speaker must not take part in a ballot. Another clause says the speaker must use his casting vote in case of a tie.

Interim Speaker Mohammed Hussein thought there was a contradiction between the two clauses. However, many members felt there was no such contradiction. This difference of opinion led to a volley of 'points of order,' which wasted more than one and half hours of the Majlis's valuable time. In the end it was decided to go ahead with the vote first and to deal with the issue later if it arose.

When the floor was opened for proposing names for the post of speaker, Ahmed Thasmeen Ali proposed the name of Abdullah Shahid and Abdullah Yaameen seconded it. Mariyaa Ahmed Didi proposed the name of Ibrahim Mohammed Solih and Reeko Moosa Manik seconded it. When the names were put to vote Abdullah Shahid won the election 42 to 33.

When the floor was opened for proposing names for the post of Deputy Speaker Mariyaa Ahmed Didi proposed the name of Ahmed Hamza and Moosa Manik seconded it. Ahmed Thasmeen proposed the name of Ahmed Nazim and Abdullah Yaameen seconded it. Gasim Ibrahim proposed the name of Mohamed Nasheed and Ahmed Shyam Mohamed seconded it. But Mohamed Nasheed withdrew his name. When the names were put to vote Ahmed Nazim won the election 41 to 33.

The way the vote went is a strong indication of the strength of the two major parties. It does not augur very well for the ruling MDP.

Police Search for Evidence in Nazim’s Office

The police raided opposition MP Ahmed Nazim's office Sunday, apparently in search of incriminating evidence in relation to allegations levied in the Auditor General's report on the former Atolls Ministry. Released on 8th May, the report suspects three companies (in which Nazim holds shares, though he is not mentioned by name) of using corrupt practices to win a contract worth about 2 million rufiyaa for supplying harbor lights.

The three companies under suspicion are Namira, Standard and Neyza, which the report believes belong to the same owners who used them as fronts to bypass regulations that require a minimum of three quotations for a bid to be valid. The report does not specifically say whether the three are legal companies duly registered with the Trade Ministry, though this appears to be the case when one considers indirect references to their shareholders.

Police raided Nazim's office at 1.20 am on the night of 24th May and seized a number of documents, a laptop computer and two hard drives. This was done under a search warrant issued by the Criminal Court.

The raid comes two weeks after the Audit Report and one week after President Mohamed Nasheed created a presidential commission to investigate misappropriation of state funds by members of the former government.

Nazim who was recently re-elected to the parliament from Dhiggaru constituency has been the subject of many unsavory rumors, perhaps partly because of his meteoric rise to fame and fortune. Notable among the rumors are alleged misuse of his position in STELCO to promote his personal trade in electrical goods and alleged corrupt practices relating to rural electrification projects. However, none of these allegations have ever been proved against him.

Serious Allegations against Former Ministers

Dhivehi Observer (DO) has exposed alleged unexplained payments from the Defense Ministry to former ministers Hamdhun and Ahmed Nazim. (http://doreview.blogspot.com/2009/03/leaked-documents-from-defence-ministry.html ) Many people believe that if these ‘special expenditures’ were actually made, they could have had something to do with the violent mobs that attacked political gatherings. So far, the concerned ministers have made any no denials. This has led to further speculation.

The following is a chronology of events that occurred around the time the alleged payments were made. This blog wishes to make it very clear that this chronology does not in any way suggest or claim that the events mentioned have any relationship to one another.

30 April 2005: MDP Chairman Mohamed Nasheed arrives in the Maldives from his self exile, to strengthen party activities. On arrival in Male his entourage was attacked by thugs near IGMH.

4 May 2005: Hamdhun Hameed (allegedly) receives Rf 110,000 from the Defense Ministry for undisclosed ‘special’ expenditure.

6 May 2005: Thugs go on rampage in Esjehi Gallery and Al Fresco, and threatening the owners with dire consequents if they continue to serve MDP Chairman and his supporters.

8 May 2005: Authorities erect floodlights to prevent MDP from gathering at West Park area.

12/13 August 2005: Reformists plan prolonged rally in Republic Square to mark the first anniversary of Black Friday rally . Thugs disrupt rally.

16 August 2005: Ahmed Nazim (allegedly) receives Rf 20,000 from the Defense Ministry for undisclosed ‘special’ expenditure.