News

Fuad: Highly probable Yameen’s candidacy will be accepted for election

Published

3 months ago

17/03/2023

Elections Commission’s (EC) President Fuad Thaufeeq has remarked that it is highly probable the candidacy of opposition PPM-PNC’s presidential candidate, former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayyoom will be accepted if filed.

Questions have been raised about whether Yameen, the opposition coalition’s presidential candidate, can contest the election as he presently is serving an 11-year prison sentence for a money laundering and bribery conviction.

Speaking to Sun regarding the matter on Thursday, Fuad, noting Yameen has the opportunity to file his candidacy, said it is highly probable his application will be accepted.

Fuad reasoned that this was because the case was in the appeal process. He added that EC would seek legal advice regarding accepting the candidacy based on the circumstances at that time.

“Chances being there is extremely likely if the case is the appeal process. The Commission will make a decision after seeking legal advice based on the circumstances at that time,” he said.

Fuad also noted that EC’s decision can be appealed to the court if discontent with it.

He emphasized that accepting Yameen’s candidacy was highly probable based on a previous case where a former parliamentarian was allowed to contest an election as the appeal process was stalled.

Last date to submit candidacy for the presidential election is August 5th.

Yameen revised his appeal, as per the instruction of High Court, and resubmitted the petition to the court on Thursday.

Yameen was sentenced to 11 years in prison and fined USD 5 million on December 25, 2022, after he was found guilty of money laundering and bribery in connection to the sale of V. Aarah for resort development. The conviction was appealed to the High Court on February 12.

Source(s): sun.mv

News

Nasheed touts parliamentary system as fix for delay in ministers’ response

Published

2 days ago

30/05/2023

Speaker Mohamed Nasheed stated during the parliamentary sitting Tuesday that switching to a parliamentary system is the solution to delays in response from government ministers to queries by MPs.

During Tuesday’s sitting, Thimarafushi MP Abdulla Riyaz expressed concern over the delay in getting a response from government ministers.

He said that while parliamentary regulations require ministers to respond to question from MPs within 14 days, ministers usually take two-three months to send a response.

Riyaz asked the Speaker to solve the issue.

“I called the Secretariat of the Parliament even yesterday, because of the lack of response to some of the questions I have sent. I was told the ministers hadn’t had time to send a response because they are so busy. I don’t believe the regulations states that ministers must send answers when they have the time,” he said.

Nasheed responded that he doesn’t believe the delay in response is from ministers alone, and said it would continue to be a recurrent problem so long as the Parliament doesn’t switch to a parliamentary system.

“All of you would agree that expediting this requires changing the entire system of the Parliament. This will continue to happen as long as the Parliament does not switch to a parliamentary system,” he said.

MPs are waiting for answers to 45 questions from ministers, 22 of them in writing.

Nasheed said the Parliament will not be able to clear the backlog even if 10 ministers are summoned for questioning in a single day.

Nasheed has long advocated for a parliamentary system in Maldives, something which he often finds himself at odds with other political leaders over.

Source(s): sun.mv

World

Sri Lanka to require heavy metals report for fruit imports

Published

2 days ago

30/05/2023

COLOMBO, May 30 (Xinhua) — Importers of fruit into Sri Lanka will be required to obtain a report on heavy metals starting from June 1 as part of the country’s efforts to improve food safety, the Health Ministry said on Tuesday.

The new requirement came after a recent survey by the Sri Lankan Ministry of Health, which found that many imported fruit samples were contaminated with lead, the ministry said in a statement.

The heavy metals report must come from an accredited and independent laboratory from the exporting country and will be a mandatory requirement for the release of fruit consignments into the country.

Importers are advised not to import any fruit with heavy metals above the Codex levels, as they will be rejected at the port of entry, said the ministry.

The country has been working to strengthen its food safety regulations in recent years, in response to concerns about the safety of imported food.

Source(s): Xinhua

World

India launches next-gen navigational satellite

Published

2 days ago

30/05/2023

NEW DELHI, May 29 (Xinhua) — The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) on Monday successfully launched a second-generation navigation satellite NVS-01, officials said.

The navigational satellite weighing about 2,232 kg was launched on board an expendable Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle rocket from Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh state.

According to the ISRO, NVS-01 is the country’s first second-generation satellites envisaged for the Navigation with Indian Constellation services.

Officials said an indigenous atomic clock was flown in NVS-01 for the first time.

Source(s): Xinhua