Mahibadhoo MP Ahmed Thoriq
Following several changes to the Parliament Committee on Public Finance, lawmaker of ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) Ahmed Thoriq has been expelled from the committee.
Public Finance committee is one of the most influential committees of the parliament, which is fully controlled by the ruling coalition, PPM and Maldives Development Alliance (MDA).
The expulsion has come at a time when lawmaker Thoriq has publicly slammed Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture Mohamed Shainee, calling for his resignation.
The chair of Parliament announced the name of Ahmed Rasheed, lawmaker of Gahdhoo constituency, to replace Thoriq on the committee. However, another committee to which Thoriq is to be appointed has not been announced.
In addition, Thinadhoo MP Abdulla Khaleel has been appointed to replace Nilandhoo MP Abdulla Ahmed, along with Gemanafushi MP Jameel Usman who is replacing Machangolhi South constituency lawmaker Abdulla Sinan on the Public Finance committee.
It is a common practice of PPM Parliamentary Group to demote lawmakers, who criticize the government, from influential committees to lower level committees .
Recently, MP Thoriq stated six reasons as to why Minister Shainee has to take responsibility for failing the fisheries sector.