Governor gets last chance to reply to dismissal motion
The governor was also given the opportunity to respond to the committee meeting on Tuesday, but he did not attend due to illness.
Parliamentary finance committee has been informed for a second day that the governor of the central bank, Monetary Authority of Maldives (MMA) Ali Hashim, who is ill, will not be able to attend the meeting scheduled for Tuesday.
The governor was first given the opportunity to respond to the committee on Monday. However, the governor has responded in writing, informing the parliament that he will not be able to attend due to illness.
The governor was also given the opportunity to respond to the committee meeting on Tuesday, but he did not attend due to illness.
The committee chairman, Mamigili MP Gasim Ibrahim, said the governor had informed that he was on two days leave due to illness. He suggested giving the governor one more chance to appear before the committee.
"I have a suggestion. Ask for a third day, tomorrow again at 11am, and if he doesn't come, we'll make a decision based on the report," he said.
The committee approved the motion and asked the governor to appear before the committee at 11am on Wednesday.
"We will decide tomorrow," Gasim said, noting that the issue is already too late.
Hashim said on Monday that the government has always been advised on the then situation to avoid an economic disaster and the current situation is because the authorities did not pay attention to the advice and guidance given by the central bank and international financial institutions.
According to the MMA Act, the governor is removed from office by the president in consultation with parliament. According to the rules of the parliament, the committee that will hold the MMA governor accountable is the parliament’s Public Accounts Committee.
Deputy speaker of the parliament, Dhiggaru MP Ahmed Nazim accused Ali Hashim of not discharging his duties as governor. This was part of the debate on the state's fiscal responsibility bill.
“Monetary policy is a responsibility entrusted to the governor of the central bank of Maldives. We do not see the Governor fulfilling that responsibility,” Nazim told the parliament on July 1.
In his case:
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Nazim said the government and parliament have not received any advice from the governor in the past seven months since the government took office
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A motion was submitted to parliament to recommend the removal of governor Ali Hashim and sent to the committee on July 2
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The committee approved the same day to summon the governor to respond to the allegations
