Parliament approves Ameena for BroadCom membership

The Parliament, on Tuesday, voted in favor of appointing VTV’s senior editor Aminath Ameena (Ana) for the vacancy on Maldives Broadcasting Commission (BroadCom).

Ana secured the backing of the Parliament with the vote of 63 parliamentarians on Tuesday afternoon.

Ana had been on the top of the list of candidates passed by the Independent Institutions Committee following its vetting process, followed by RaajjeTV reporter Mohamed Fazeen.

The Parliament did not call a vote on any other candidates after Ana secured the vote.

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih had sent a list of 15 nominees for the BroadCom vacancy, topped by veteran TV reporter Shifla Ibrahim, Ana and former RaajjeTV reporter Aminath Nuzuha.

Fazeen, who had lost in the MDP primary for Thulaadhoo constituency during the last parliamentary elections, had been ranked fifth on the President’s list.

THE LIST OF 7 CANDIDATES PASSED BY THE COMMITTEE:

1. Aminath Ameena (Ana)
2. Mohamed Fazeen
3. Zubair Ahmed Manik
4. Abdul Azeez Jamal Abubakr (former Information Commissioner)
5. Ismail Sajid
6. Ahmed Khaleel
7. Ahmed Fairooz (Sangu TV reporter)

The vote is taken based on the order of the names on the list, which is ordered based on preference by the committee following its vetting process.

Shifla, who was omitted from the list of candidates during the committee process, had also been on top of a previous list of nominees sent by the President. However, she failed to secure parliamentary approval and was cast aside in favor of Ahmed Gais, a former G. Dh. Atoll Councilor and MDP activist who had been listed third.

The committee noted in its report that some of the President’s nominees later withdrew their names; TVM producer Moosa Rilwan and Imrana Binth Abdulla. Meanwhile, Nuzuha, who had been ranked third on the President’s list, also withdrew her name during the committee interview citing personal reasons.