.svg)
Economic Development and Trade Minister Mohamed Saeed has retained Parliament’s confidence after 54 MPs voted against a no-confidence motion submitted by the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).
Mariyam Adheela
Economic Development and Trade Minister Mohamed Saeed
MALÉ: Parliament has rejected a no-confidence motion against Economic Development and Trade Minister Mohamed Saeed, with a majority of participating MPs voting to retain their confidence in the minister.
The motion, submitted by MDP members in August, was put to a vote on Wednesday, approximately three months after it was filed.
Of the 64 MPs who participated in the vote, 54 voted in favour of retaining confidence in Saeed, while 10 voted against him.
The motion was submitted on August 1 with the signatures of 13 MDP MPs. It accused Saeed of neglecting responsibilities assigned to him under the Constitution and failing to remain accountable to Parliament.
The opposition also alleged that the minister had engaged in actions prohibited to members of the Cabinet.
Among the concerns raised was the government’s failure to implement policies aimed at economic reform, which the MDP said had contributed to difficulties in accessing US dollars and rising dollar prices on the black market.
The motion was considered and debated before Parliament proceeded to the vote, ultimately rejecting the opposition’s attempt to remove the minister’s parliamentary confidence.
