MDP lawmaker submits bill to require parliamentary approval for health emergency declaration

A Maldivian Democratic Party lawmaker has submitted an amendment to the Public Health Act which will require declarations of state of public health emergencies to be submitted for parliamentary approval within 48 hours of declaration.

The first reading of the bill, submitted by North Fuvahmulah MP Mohamed Rasheed, was held at the parliamentary sitting on Wednesday morning.

The bill is designed to add clauses to the Public Health Act, to make it compulsory for public health emergency declarations to be submitted to the Parliament for approval within 48 hours.

It will also mean the Parliament will need to convene within 14 days, including public holidays, if the declaration is made while the Parliament is in session, in order to pass the declaration.

The bill is also designed to empower the Parliament to make changes to public health emergency declarations, including the power to cancel such declarations.

THE POWERS IT WILL AAWARD THE PARLIAMENT

• The power to pass the declaration as a whole, or sections of the declaration
• The power to extend the declaration by 30 days at a time
• The power to cancel the declaration
• The power to make changes to the declaration

The bill states that if the Director General of Public Health deems it necessary to extend the state of public health emergency, the request must be submitted to the Parliament for approval before the duration of the declaration expires.

CONTROL OVER SPENDING DURING STATE OF PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY

Mohamed Rasheed’s bill states that if the isn’t finance allocated on the budget to spend during a state of public health emergency for any reason, or if the government requires financial support above the amount allocated on the budget, the government will need to submit a request with the specific amount of additional financial support required along with other relevant details.

It states that the government may not spend the additional financial support that is approved unless it is to the extent allowed by the Parliament, and in line with the guidelines established by the Parliament.

 It also states that Cabinet ministers will be required to provide detailed monthly updates of spending during state of public health emergency by the 15th of each month, along with spending projections for the next 30 days.

And the President’s Office and the Auditor General’s Office will be required to submit audits on all spending during the state of public health emergency within 30 days after the state of public health emergency ends.

THE PARLIAMENT MAY HOLD SITTINGS WHERE IT WISHES

Mohamed Rasheed’s bill states that despite the state of public health emergency, the Parliament will be allowed to hold regular sitting at a location of its choice.

In such a situation, the Director General of Public Health is required to provide guidance on preventive measures, and the Speaker is required to ensure that parliamentarians and staff of the Parliament are not exposed to a health risk.

The changes are designed to take effect the moment is its passed, ratified and published on the Government Gazette.