Composition committee to discuss standing committees issue tonight

The five-member select committee assembled to determine compositions of the 13 standing committees in parliament is scheduled to meet tonight following a request by the Speaker of the Parliament.

Speaking to Sun Online, Parliament Secretary General Ahmed Mohamed said that members of the composition committee have been notified of the meeting to be held at 8:00 p.m. tonight.

Hinnavaru MP Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, Parliamentary Group (PG) leader of the minority opposition party Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) told Sun Online said that all discussions to sort out the standing committee compositions have been futile so far.

Last sitting of the parliament held on Tuesday was prematurely adjourned over a lack of consensus on the committees' compositions and the subsequent disruption of proceedings.

“Discussions with the parliament speaker to solve the standing committees' issue were unsuccessful. We had a meeting with the parliament speaker again today, but there was no agreement,” said MP Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

The opposition MDP is insisting on 4 slots in 3 key committees; Committee on Independent Institutions, the Committee on Oversight of the Government and the Public Accounts Committee.

Paliament has 13 standing committees. The select committee on Monday finalized the compositions for all committees with 11 members in each committee and the ruling coalition holding majority of seven major committee.