Haveeru Daily News Article 12 April 2005
http://www.haveeru.com.mv/?page=details&cat=urwbwK&id=24536

Quick Translation

Issue on Determining Members’ Speaking Limit and Time Failed to Pass

New members selected to the Rules Committee
12 April 2005
Ismail Naseer

In the sitting of the Special Majlis today, save for selecting members for the Rules Committee, votes called for two other issues failed to come to a result thus ending today’s sitting.

Vote was first called on determining the number of chances to be given for a member to speak and the time limit to be given in such speaking time when adopting and concluding the Rules of Procedure of the Special Majlis.

Vote was called on 3 propositions regarding the issue. The first proposition was that suggested by Thaa Atoll Member Dr Hussein Rasheed that had been seconded. He did not consider it wise to determine the number of chances to be given for a member to speak and the time limit for speeches. When vote was called on this proposal among the 83 members sitting at the time 31 voted for the proposal and 51 members did not vote. Therefore the proposition failed to pass.

A second preposition regarding the issue was suggested by the President’s Member Mazeena Jameel. She proposed to give each member two chances to speak on a given issue; 5 minutes on the first instance and 3 minutes on the second. Forty-five members voted for this proposition while 37 did not and therefore it failed to pass as well.

The third proposition called for a vote regarding the issue was that suggested by Haa Alif Member Ahmed Sameer that had been seconded. He suggested for the Chair to determine the time limit before opening the floor for a given article in the Rules of Procedure and when the floor is opened to give members the opportunity to speak according to the chronological order by which it was requested and to limit each member’s deliberations to five minutes on the first instance. Twenty-one members voted for the proposal and 61 did not.

Following this issue the next was selecting members to the Rules Committee of the Special Majlis. This issue was included in the agenda because some members sitting in the Rules Committee had left the Majlis or had changed their constituency. In the sitting today members were selected for the Rules Committee from 14 constituencies that had come upon such changes.

Before calling for a vote on the second issue, since the end of the sitting was coming up, a vote was called on a proposal of a member – that was seconded – to continue the sitting until decision was reached on the issue. Among 74 members sitting at the time 64 agreed to continue the sitting.

In the extra time of the sitting, the second issue that was called for a vote was to determine how to proceed on matters that arise until a decision was reached on the second draft of the Special Majlis Rules of Procedure. Vote was called on two propositions on the issue. The first proposition was that suggested by the President’s Member Dr Fathin Hameed that had been seconded. The proposition was for the Speaker of the Special Majlis to determine proceedings – until a decision was reached on the second draft of the Special Majlis Rules of Procedure – according to the discretions given to him under article 99 of the Constitution of the Maldives and according to the principles in the second draft. When vote was called on the proposition 42 members voted for it among the 75 sitting at the time. Since 32 members did not vote the proposition failed to pass.

The Chair then called for a vote on the second proposition suggestion on the issue; that proposed by Thaa Atoll Member Riyaz Rasheed that had been seconded. He suggested for the Speaker of the Special Majlis – to act on such matters – according to the discretions given to him under article 99 of the Constitution, making use of the Rules of Procedure of the People’s Majlis as a guideline. Fifty members voted for the proposition and 24 members did not vote. Therefore the matter was not passed.

When these two propositions failed to pass the Speaker of the Special Majlis Abbas Ibrahim said according to the powers given to him under article 99 of the Constitution, in acting until the Special Majlis Rules of Procedure was endorsed, he will make use of the draft Special Majlis Rules and that of the People’s Majlis.

Next sitting of the Special Majlis will be held next Sunday.

Ends