President Mohamed Nasheed has today returned Members of the People’s Majlis Privileges Bill, National Language (Priority) Bill and Thalassaemia Bill to the People’s Majlis for reconsideration.
All three Bills were passed by the People’s Majlis on its sitting on 28 December 2010.
In separate letters sent to the Speaker of the People’s Majlis returning the three Bills, the President detailed the issues noted by the Attorney General regarding Bills.
The President’s letter on the MPs Privileges Bill state that the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives had alerted the President that the Bill has contradictions with the Constitution and if ratified could limit the rights and independence of many people and institutions.
He also noted that many people from the public had also petitioned to the President against ratifying the Bill.
In his letter to the Speaker regarding the National Language (Priority) Bill, the President said implementing the Act, if ratified, would be costly for the state.
On Thalassaemia Prevention Bill, the President’s letter noted that although the Bill states that National Thalassaemia Centre (NTC) will be abolished after the establishment of Thalassaemia and Other Haemoglobinopathies Centre following the commencement of the Act, if ratified, there is no legal ground on which NTC, which is under the Male’ Health Service Corporation, could be taken over by the government.