North Galolhu constituency and MDP MP Mohamed Ibrahim (Kudu) has expressed concern over the Committee on Social Affairs' decision to extend the timeframe on the bill to amend the Thalassemia Control Act.
The bill for the first amendment in the Thalassemia Control Act was passed by the Parliament and sent to President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu for ratification, which was rejected and sent back.
The bill for the first amendment of the act was sent back to Parliament by the President to add in additional changes in consideration of documents that were sent from the Maldives Blood Service, those suffering from thalassemia and their families, as per the President's Office.
During today's Committee on Social Affairs session, they decided to postpone the deadline in passing the bill to August.
With the proposal to postpone the deadline, Mohamed Ibrahim stated that he is concerned that there is no progress on the side of the Parliament and the committee, and that MPs receive a salary and benefits totaling "MVR 82,000 so that they can work." He also stated that delaying work as they please and hastily finishing other work is something that he does not believe in.
"The Committee on Social Affairs has on its plate, an organ transplant bill, which has not progressed either. People who experience kidney pain are still in pain. I grow concerned when we come to Parliament and put down our signatures just to get our committee allowance and leave," said Mohamed Ibrahim.
He went on to say that Parliament members need to complete work on the important bills even if they have to "stay awake", and that it is not work that should be done at their convenience.
"I want to finish work on the Thalassemia Control Act amendment bill even if we have to stay up all night and even if we have to keep working tomorrow. That is our responsibility," said the MP.
Even as Mohamed Ibrahim expressed his concerns, the Committee on Social Affairs postponed the deadline of the bill. The proposals submitted by Komandoo constituency MP Mohamed Ibrahim (Mohamedbe) and Kaashidhoo constituency MP Muthasim Ibrahim in postponing the deadline to 31st August was passed by the committee with seven members in favor.
While responding to Mohamed Ibrahim's (Kudu) concerns, Chair of the Committee on Social Affairs, West Maafannu constituency MP Mohamed Musthafa Ibrahim stated that the committee has spent many hours on tending to the bills and that the MPs would be aware of this.
"There are days where we start in the morning and keep working until the evening and sometimes until night time," said Musthafa.
He said that he does believe that the committee has a lot of work to do, and that they are working to schedule their tasks in order to move forward.
According to Musthafa, the committee will work to finish the bills, even if they have to hold two sessions per week.
