Motion over Commonwealth withdrawal reaches parliament

 

 

President Yamin Abdul Gayoom’s letter, which was read out at the sitting, stated that the Maldives must reevaluate its ties to the Commonwealth and cabinet ministers had thoroughly discussed the matter at the last cabinet meeting. The letter further stated that the President wishes for MPs’ opinion on the matter. 

“Parliamentarians are the representatives of the public and therefore, I wish to hear their thoughts on the Maldives’ withdrawal from the Commonwealth” the letter read. 

MP Riyaz Rasheed had immediately conveyed the government’s call for Maldives’ withdrawal and said that if it is delayed, it would cause ‘grave ramifications’.

The Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM)’s parliamentary group leader Ahmed Nihan said that despite Maldives being a small nation, it would not allow itself to be bullied by larger governments. He noted what he described as an ‘incessant effort’ to include Maldives in the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) and said that this was a ploy to restrict its sovereignty. 

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s Mariya Ahmed Didi had criticized the government’s dismissal of international concerns and said that it was important to heed their advice in order to further develop the country