Former Vice President Faisal Naseem stated today that as the currently operating Green Constitution reaches 18 years today, numerous amendments need to be brought due to the excessive influence of one branch over another.
In a lengthy post on X, Faisal said that as the Green Constitution reaches 18 years today, the public has witnessed four presidential terms, and various positive changes have been seen in the country during these administrations.
"However, contrary to how boundaries were defined in the Green Constitution, due to the current excessive influence of one branch over another, there is great concern among the public that the nation is not moving in the required direction," Faisal said.
He stated that during the work done to draft the Green Constitution between 2004 and 2008, high hopes were held. However, it is also crucial to reflect on the extent to which those hopes were achieved for the public, said Faisal, who served as Vice President to former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih during the most recent MDP administration.
Faisal said he believes that to establish a system of good governance in which the public has full trust, to make the country economically prosperous, and to ensure peace and progress for citizens, numerous amendments need to be brought to the constitution.
Faisal, who also served as a member of the Special Parliament that drafted the current constitution, shared several amendments he sees fit to bring to the constitution in his post. Among them:
- Reducing the number of Parliament members to 60, with members elected through voting across the entire atoll.
- Changing the manner in which members are appointed to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and how the Chief Justice is appointed, to ensure the independence of the judiciary.
- Submitting names directly to the Parliament for approval without any role for the President in appointing individuals to independent institutions.
- Amending the powers granted to the President under Article 115 of the Constitution without any limits or boundaries.
- Determining a specific limit on the number of political staff that can be appointed to ministries, offices, and state companies to run the government, as well as setting criteria to be considered when appointing these staff.
- Transforming atoll administration into a fully decentralized system and delegating powers to individual islands. Additionally, designating special regions to develop the Maldives in a way that facilitates opportunities for education, healthcare, housing, business, and employment. Giving special priority to expanding tourism in areas where international airports are developed, and prioritizing the advancement of other sectors to diversify the economy in those special regions.
- Establishing a long-term development plan for the Maldives and adhering to it, while making it mandatory to continuously proceed with initiated national development projects even if the government changes.
- Expanding agriculture and fisheries in the Maldives to ensure food security and reduce dependence on other nations.
- Conducting a special human resource development project aligned with international standards by prioritizing sectors most needed by the nation, while structuring this project to connect with the job market and create employment opportunities for youth.
Faisal, who is also the only Vice President to have completed a full term among the administrations that came after the Green Constitution was put into effect, said there are also many changes that need to be brought to increase opportunities for Maldivians in the local business and job markets.
Among them, Faisal said, are shaping policies so that senior positions in the tourism sector are attained by Maldivians, introducing special schemes for small and medium enterprises to encourage and pave the way for Maldivians to enter business, and consulting with the tourism industry to open avenues so that third-party resort businesses transition to Maldivians within a specified period.
While Faisal made such a post, rumors have also been circulating that he is interested in competing for the opposition MDP ticket for the presidency in the 2028 presidential election.
