The responsibility of
parliament members
The
following article was first published by
Haveeru News Service by Moosa Latheef , Friday,
14 May 2004
A bill was submitted to the
Peoples’ Majlis (parliament) a few years ago in which it was
stated that the tax charged for items such as sunglasses and
musical instruments would be lowered.
I attended one of the meetings that discussed the issue
regarding this bill. In the meeting, a member commented, “I
won’t wear sunglasses even if my eyes turn red because of
the heat”. He said this while criticizing this bill.
Members are allowed to voice out their opinions. According
to the Constitution, any member of the parliament could
voice any comments on issues presented to a parliament
session, provided that such comments are not blasphemous.
The issue is not whether this particular member chose to
wear sunglasses or not -- the issue here is the member’s
failure to comprehend the importance of wearing sunglasses
as a means of protecting one’s eyes, especially in a
tropical, sunny country like Maldives.
Parliament members have a huge responsibility. They have to
sincerely discuss any bill that is submitted. They have to
research on the content of the bills. Normally, any bill
that is submitted comes with a copy to be given to the
members prior to the discussion. This gives members time to
do relevant research and reading regarding the bill.
The layperson may not take note of what members actually do
at the parliament. They sometimes fail to understand whether
the member whom they had voted for has a say in the meetings
or is worthy of the post. Honestly speaking, there are
parliament members who do not comment at all or seem not to
have any opinion at all at what is discussed at the
parliament.
We may feel that “homework” is something reserved only for
schoolchildren, but parliament members need to do their
homework as well. They have to find information so as to
prepare themselves with what they wish to say regarding a
bill. Failure to do so result in a narrower role for the
member concerned.
Some of the bills submitted to the parliament are quite
technical. For example, the bill submitted on April 25
highlights issues regarding monetary security. But members
did not even spend five minutes in discussing this bill --
it was immediately decided that this bill be sent to a
committee. There are economists and business professionals
in the Maldives. But the question is, how many members took
the initiative to discuss this bill with such an expert?
The role of parliament members can be strengthened only by
members increasing their capabilities. Such capable people
are in fact required for all fields in Maldives.
Parliament members receive numerous benefits. Therefore, the
responsibility they have in fulfilling their work is a
service they provide for the public. The public may be
unaware of how their chosen member carries out his or her
duty at the parliament as many do not attend parliament
sessions. The layperson may not even understand the real
purpose of having a parliament. But this does not mean that
members should keep their opinions to themselves without
voicing it. They have a right to talk at the parliament
sessions. After all, the parliament is the place to speak
their mind and share ideas. It is the place to question and
seek answers.
Dhivehi Observer
editorial note
The people
when voting for the coming elections should understand what
their candidates stand for and what their policies are
before you cast your votes. Politicians are only judged by
their policies and how committed they are.
KNOW
YOUR CANDIDATES AND THEIR POLICIES BEFORE YOU CAST YOUR
VOTES. MAKE INFORMED CHOICES THAT SUIT THE YOU NEEDS AND THE
PEOPLE IN GENERAL.
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