Former Vice President Faisal Naseem has unveiled a comprehensive set of proposed amendments to the Constitution.
Taking to social media, Faisal emphasized that constitutional reforms are essential to establish a governance system that commands full public trust, fosters economic self-sufficiency, and ensures stability and progress for all citizens.
"There is public concern that the nation is not heading in the right direction because the boundaries established in the 'Green Constitution' have been blurred, leading to extreme influence of one branch of power over another," he said.
Among the key reforms proposed is reducing the number of Parliament members to 60 and changing the electoral process so that members are elected by entire atolls. He also suggested revising the appointment processes for the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and the Chief Justice to guarantee judicial independence.
Furthermore, Faisal’s proposals include removing the President’s role in appointing heads of independent institutions by shifting the nomination and approval process entirely to Parliament. He also advocated for amending Article 115 of the Constitution to curb the President’s currently unrestricted powers.
Additional reforms proposed include:
- Transitioning atoll administration to a fully decentralized system and empowering local islands.
- Establishing a long-term national development plan and mandating that ongoing national projects continue uninterrupted, regardless of changes in government.
- Implementing changes to the business and labor markets to increase opportunities for Maldivians.
- Expanding agriculture and fisheries to ensure food security and reduce dependency on foreign imports.
- Launching a specialized human resource development project aligned with international standards, prioritizing fields most critical to national needs.
- Constitutionalizing the state’s responsibility to ensure an adequate standard of living for every citizen.
- Establishing a National Procurement Office to ensure transparency in all government projects and the procurement of goods by the state and state-owned enterprises.
- Reforming the executive structure to include a Head of State elected by popular vote, in addition to a President elected by the people to head the government.
- Clearly defining and separating the respective responsibilities of the Head of State and the President.
Faisal expressed confidence that these amendments would pave the way for good governance and bring about the meaningful changes desired by the public.
These proposals come at a time when former President Mohamed Nasheed and former MDP Chairperson Fayyaz Ismail have also presented a series of constitutional reforms under the initiative titled "Bodu Badhalu" (The Big Change).
