After a four-year process of development, the Maldives’ constitutional assembly voted on Thursday to pass a final set of amendments to the country’s new constitution, meaning the document is now complete.

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I congratulate the Honorable Speaker of the Constituent Assembly that struggled for four years to come up with a revised constitution for the People of Maldives. They showed their colors to the masses by adopting a new constitution that will now be sent to President Maumoon for ratification, in under 35 minutes of the first meeting after editorial checks by a lower committee and the drafting committee itself. The editorial revisions also included some material revisions.

However, the most historic of all was the ommission of Male’ Atoll from the constitution went unnoticed during the initial draft adoption of the relevant chapter, scrutiny by the lower committee and even the full drafting committeee.

Fortunately for the people of Kaafu Atoll, the fact that they were left out as an atoll was noticed and a rush correction was made by the Speaker himself and the Assembly was told that the final draft for adoption will be as such. Otherwise, the people of Kaafu Atoll would not have representation in the People’s Majlis or Parliament, atleast for the few months of the transition period, until a full parliament with full powers to amend the constitution was elected.

Perhaps, the first few months of the next parliament would be spent bringing the necessary amendments to the unpractical and uninteded clauses of the constitution. But Alas! Thank God that the people will be finally free from servitude on Sunday, when the President is expected to ratify the constitution. It is widely believed that a delay by the President, though not expected, is still possible.

Our thanks to Speaker Gasim and the Lousy Members of the Special Majlis for what they did at utmost and unncessary cost to the people and the nation.