Yameen: Independent institutions aren’t functioning because of the Parliament

Former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayyoom has expressed his belief that independent institutions are not functioning independently because the task of holding them accountable lies with the Parliament.

The former president has repeatedly criticized the function of independent institutions.

Speaking during a program by Adhadhu media, Yameen reflected that his greatest mistake in office was allowing independent institutions to function without oversight.

He pointed out that the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) graft scandal –the biggest in the Maldivian history – that had taken place during his administration as a consequence of these institutions not fulfilling their responsibilities; a failure Yameen acknowledged as a lapse he permitted.

“If the works of these institutions had been overseen more, maybe it would not have escalated this badly,” he stressed.

“(I) let institutions be, to carrying out their work independently. Not every issue is probed by the President’s Office at its own discretion. (We} did not have arrangements that required permission from the President’s Office in every matter. Because it was left be, this was heavily leveraged for undue benefits,” he said.

Yameen remarked that since the end of his administration, independent institutions have had five years under former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and more than two years under the current government, but still have nothing of substance to show for their work.

In this regard, Yameen questioned what work Auditor General’s Office (AG Office) has to show for the past years. He also strongly criticized Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and its president Adam Shamil.

“Was he [Shamil] able to investigate a single case in the Anti-Corruption Commission? What is he even talking about now? That a special department will be incepted to investigate such cases? That whole office is the department,” the former president said.

Yameen said the issue arises from the fact that it is the Parliament which is responsible to hold independent institutions. He underscored the dire need to explore an alternative.

“Every single one of them wants the salary and the designation. They do not intent to fulfill the responsibilities bestowed on them. They do not want to,” he added.

Yameen remarked that every issue related to person or an independent institution need not to be submitted to the Parliament.

In this trajectory, he explained that when issues concerning independent institutions are brought to Parliament, they end up in the hands of whichever leader or political party is in power at the time, meaning there is no system in place to guarantee the true independence of these institutions.

Yameen noted that he had other ideas to hold independent institutions accountable. However, he did not go into the details.

“We should immediately bring an end to going to the Parliament to question independent institutions when they fail to fulfill their responsibilities,” he urged.

“The independence of institutions should be safeguarded by creating an alternative mechanism for accountability, rather than relying on Parliament. Then, the people appointed to these institutions will have the guts to do their work. Then, they will not have to listen to the ramblings of political figures. Then, they do not stand to lose their jobs when the Parliament passes a no-confidence motion against them,” he said.

The question of the autonomy of independent institutions has been raised during each administration by whoever is the opposition.

According to Yameen, MMPRC graft had happened because of independent institutions' failure to fulfill their responsibilities. In this regard, he stressed that independent institutions had failed to take any action while millions owed to the state were deposited into the accounts of private companies.

Notably, Yameen was charged in two separate cases linked to MMPRC. He was convicted of the charges and handed prison sentences of five and eleven years, both of which were later overturned on appeal.

According to a 2019 report released by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) following its investigation into the MMPRC scandal, the state suffered losses amounting to MVR 1.4 billion due to the corruption. Of the USD 77.4 million owed to the state for the leasing of 57 islands, only USD 12 million had been received.

Only two people have been convicted in the case: former vice president Ahmed Adeeb and then-MMPRC managing director Abdulla Ziyath.

However, at the end of the last administration, then-president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih had pardoned Adeeb.

Nevertheless, the current administration has decided to reinvestigate the MMPRC case.