Interim Government for political reasons

18 November 2007
Report: Soodh

DRP has revealed that parties who have no share in the running of the government want to establish an interim government for various political reasons especially to share the powers of the government. DRP made the statement at news conference organized by the party yesterday.

Speaking at the news conference DRP’s Deputy Leader as well as Minister for Atolls Development Ahmed Thasmeen Ali said those who want share the powers of the government by forming an interim government are those who had placed the most hurdles in the path of the constitutional reform process. He further said that an interim government can only be justified when the running of the government is rendered impossible through the failure of the powers of the government and political turmoil.

According to Deputy Leader Thasmeen, no political party has the authority to make a decide on issues like shorten the term of an elected President by for an interim government, especially when the President is making good on the principles accepted by the people and showing good results. Thasmeen noted that forming interim governments are not characteristic of democratic system of government but rather a parliamentary concept. Thasmeen noted that a presidential system is symbolic of having a Cabinet Ministers who support the President and work with a common aim. He further said to have members of the cabinet from different political parties is not in line with the principles of democratic system of governance.

He further said DRP would not support the formation of an interim government as it would obstruct the reform agenda, cause divisions within the community and especially when the elected President, who is much loved and supported by the people has considerable time left of his term.

The most important objective of the new constitution would be hold free and fair elections said Thasmeen Ali. He said without introducing an interim government, we should be introducing a strong and independent Elections Commissioner, and strong and independent mechanism to verify the results of the elections.

Velidhoo News contacted Dr. Munnawar President of MDP to obtain his comments on the DRP’s views on the formation of interim government. MDP has been strongly campaigning for the establishment of an interim government.

Dr. Munnawar said that the Leader of DRP does not understand what MDP is saying.
“What we are saying is those elected under the present constitution will not any constitutional mandate, their authority will cease to exist once the new constitution comes in to force, people will elected to the positions stipulated under the new constitution, whether it is the President or Members of the Parliament, what I am saying there should be people to run the government during that period” said Dr. Munnawar.

Whist MDP is the main advocate of the interim government; all other parties except DRP have already said they will support the formation of an interim government.