Day: November 6, 2012

Parliament orders Elections Commission to drop fingerprint verification for party membership forms

Parliament’s Independent Institutions Committee has requested the Elections Commission (EC) cease requiring fingerprints on applications for political party membership.

According to local media, the parliamentary committee today decided that no law or regulation existed that required the EC to request fingerprints to verify the authenticity of new party members.

The committee members questioned the efficiency of fingerprinting technology, arguing that no mechanism or database presently existed in the Maldives that could store the required amounts of information.

However, local NGO the Maldivian Democracy Network (MDN) told Minivan News that while it was unsure of the efficiency of the previous fingerprint system, fraudulent membership registration for Maldivian political parties remained a significant problem that needed to be addressed.

“The problem that exists right now is that there is a lot of fraudulent membership within political parties. Often, people are not aware they have been signed up,” MDN stated. “It is imperative that it is down to an individual to decide which party they want to belong to and no one else.”

MDN Executive Director Humaida Abdul Gafoor said it was vital that some form of verification mechanism was in place to ensure party memberships were genuine, adding that a bigger issue facing the committee should be finding an alternatives to the fingerprint technology, rather than simply halting it.

“We don’t know if the EC’s adoption of fingerprinting was a move in the right direction in first place,” she added.

Verification systems

Explaining the decision to discontinue the EC’s request for fingerprints, Deputy Chairman of the Independent Institutions Committee, Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Ahmed Sameer, said that the Maldives did not presently have a mechanism or system to collect and store such information.

“In regards to issues with the fingerprinting system, the EC, Department of National Registration and the Maldives Police Service all agreed they didn’t have enough records or verification systems available,” he told Minivan News.

The Department of National Registration, which had also been summoned before the committee, was reported to have confirmed that no fingerprint database presently existed in the Maldives.

Elections Commission President Fuad Thaufeeq was not responding to calls at time of press.

System critics

One critic of the EC’s fingerprint system is MP Ahmed Mahloof of the government-aligned Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM).

Back in September, Mahloof alleged via local media that close to 8000 membership forms from his party have been rejected by the Elections Commission (EC) – mainly due to the quality of fingerprints appearing on the forms.

The MP claimed that the fingerprint issue had arisen because the EC did not have sufficiently modern machinery to look at the fingerprints, relying instead on the perception of its staff – drastically limiting memberships numbers for the party.

A spokesperson for the EC told Minivan News at the time that similar complaints had been received from other political parties including the Jumhoree Party (JP), Dhivehi Rayithunge Party (DRP), and the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

“Party membership forms go through a 50 step verification process. We are doing this to minimise chances of fraud. After we introduced this procedure, we are no longer receiving any complaints from individuals who have been placed in parties without their knowledge,” the spokesperson said.

The EC accepted that did not have machinery to verify fingerprints, but claimed that it had been able to forward complaints to the Maldives Police Service, which was able to use its resources to look into the matter.

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Global trade union claims President’s Office still failing to address port workers’ rights abuses

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has accused President Mohamed Waheed Hassan of failing to respond to ongoing concerns it has over certain rights violations of workers employed at the state-owned Maldives Ports Limited.

A spokesperson for the ITF, a global trade union representing 4.5 million transport workers across 154 countries, said it expected to send a third official letter this week to President Waheed after it had not received a response from his office on two previous occasions.

In the last letter sent to the President’s Office on October 29, ITF General Secretary David Cockroft raised concerns over what he claimed was a “dire” situation facing members of the Maldives Port Workers Union (MPWU)  employed by the Maldives Ports Limited (MPL).

Some former port workers employed by the MPL have claimed they have been victimised at the work place for taking part in anti-government protests.

The MPL has previously stated that it has only ever exercised its right to discipline staff when “in breach of their employment contract”, adding that it had never deviated “from any Maldivian government regulation” in the way it operates.

However, Cockroft claimed that MPWU members appeared to be having their rights to freedom of association and to organise within a trade union movement attacked by the MPL on the basis of their political beliefs.

“Further to my letter of September 29, I am disappointed to have to write to you again as you have decided not to respond to my first letter,” he wrote to President Waheed at the time.

Cockroft added that allegations of port workers being denied union rights was taken very seriously by the ITF.  He therefore requested that the president intervene to try and resolve the matter where possible.

“[I] call again upon you to use your office as President of the Republic of Maldives to instruct the chairman and management of the Maldives Port Limited to respect the country’s Constitution and Employment Laws and immediately halt their anti-union campaign against members of the MPWU and to enter into a real dialogue and conciliation process with MPWU which will result in a negotiated settlement which addresses the legitimate grievances of members of the Maldives Port Workers Union,” Cockroft wrote.

Speaking today, President’s Office Spokesperson Abbas Adil Riza said he would need to confirm if any letters from the ITF had been received. Minivan News was still awaiting confirmation from the President’s Office at the time of press.

Meanwhile, Deputy CEO of the MPL Ahmed Faiz requested that Minivan News meet him at his office tomorrow instead to address the concerns raised by groups such as the ITF.

Political considerations

In April 2012, seven staff members at MPL were said to have been suspended from their jobs at the state-owned company for participating in protests held by ousted Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s anti government protests.

MPL Media Coordinator Ibrahim Rilwan at the time confirmed the suspensions, but said he did not know the specifics regarding the case. The code of conduct does not prohibit participation in political activities, but staff can be disciplined if they transgress good behavioural norms, he added.

However, some staff at the MPL alleged that the senior officials of the state corporation had warned employees to not to participate in protests, and that action would be taken by those who do.

Disputes between the MPWU and the MPL later escalated to a point where the trade union back in September accused the state corporation of forming a “paper union” to shove aside the alleged violations of employee rights.

Sacked MPL employee and President of MPWU, Ibrahim Khaleel, alleged at the time that MP was trying to “fabricate the truth” about the violations of rights.

The ‘Maldives National Port Workers Union’ was formed just five days after MPL received a letter from the Asia Pacific Regional Office of International Transport workers Federation (ITF), which had raised concerns over the alleged employment rights violations.

In a document received by Minivan News, MPL Chairman Abdul Matheen Ahmed allegedly responded to queries raised by ITF’s Asia Pacific Regional Office, stating that MPL was “extremely surprised” by the statements in a letter it had been sent by the group.

The letter addressed to ITF official Mahendra Sharma further stated that the MPL as “a corporate entity” exercises its “right to take disciplinary action against staff when they are in breach of their employment contract”, and said it had been the practice since the formation of the company.

MPL, in the letter, further claimed that it did not “deviate from any Maldivian government regulation” during the course of its action and “will not do so in the future”.
“Hence we are quite surprised on this issue you are talking about. Please make this clearer to us. As to the events you have stated in the letter, we are sure it has not taken place in our company and nor is our human resource department aware of any such issues,” read the letter.

The letter also goes on to describe the MPWU as an “unfounded, illegal association”, attempting to defame the MPL.

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Parliament rejects motion to delay recess until bills passed on criminal justice proceedure

MPs have voted to reject a resolution submitted by Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) MP Ahmed Mahlouf to delay parliament’s recess until necessary bills on criminal justice procedure have been passed.

During Tuesday’s parliament sitting 29 of the 57 MPs present voted against accepting the resolution submitted by Mahlouf, while 23 MPs supported accepting the resolution and delaying the recess.

Parliament will go to recess at the end of December.

Dhivehi Rayithunge Party (DRP) MP Rozaina Adam was reported as saying that it would have been easier to accept the resolution if it was submitted with sincerity, and alleged that Mahlouf was one of the MPs who took the most leave and holidays.

She said that while Mahlouf was only involved in one committee, he had no idea what was going on in it.

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP for Dhaandhoo constituency, Mohamed Riyaz, said that crimes were uncontrollable because of problems with the judiciary and not because the country was lacking laws.

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Allegedly fraudulent head of Maleesha Hajj Group in Malaysia, reveal police

Superintendent of Police Mohamed Riyaz has told parliament’s Government Oversight Committee that police have received reports that the Head of Maleesha Hajj Group, Ismail Abdul Latheef is in Malaysia.

Police began searching for 42 year-old in late September after it was alleged that he had defrauded 175 people of MVR 12 million (US$778,000) after they made payments to the Maleesha Hajj Group to travel to Mecca to perform Hajj.

Riyaz said police were trying to verify the information concerning Latheef’s whereabouts.

Officials from the Ministry of Islamic Affairs and police were summoned by parliament’s Government Oversight Committee to determine the progress they had made in locating Latheef, and the missing money.

Latheef was reported to police after people who had made the Hajj payment realised that the group’s office had been closed for days without any response.

On October 2, Interpol issued a red notice to locate and apprehend Latheef.

Attending the Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam. Clients of the company were not able to go to Mecca this year to perform the religious obligation.

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Resolution calling for Dr Shaheed’s dismissal from UN post removed from Majlis agenda

Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim – presiding in the absence of Speaker Abdulla Shahid – removed from the agenda a resolution submitted by Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) MP Riyaz Rasheed calling for the dismissal of former Foreign Minister Dr Ahmed Shaheed from his post as UN Special Rapporteur on Iran.

Nazim said at the beginning of today’s sitting that the item could not be tabled in the agenda and apologised for having previously tabled it for debate and announced a first reading.

He noted that the UN and not the Maldivian government had appointed Dr Shaheed to the post.

The People’s Alliance Leader made the apology after Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Ahmed Sameer raised a point of order to object to the resolution being accepted in August, contending that in doing so parliament had defamed Dr Shaheed.

“If someone told him that a resolution in the parliament is not going to strip him of his FIFA referee accreditation, he might understand,” Dr Shaheed told Minivan News when the resolution was first submitted by the DQP Deputy Leader.

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Audit of GMR airport deal to be completed in February

Auditor General Niyaz Ibrahim has said that a special audit of the awarding of a concession agreement to develop, manage and operate Ibrahim Nasir International Airport (INIA) to a consortium of Indian infrastructure giant GMR and Malaysian Airports Holding Berhad (MAHB) is currently underway and will be completed in February 2013.

Niyaz told state broadcaster Television Maldives (TVM) yesterday (November 5) that an experienced British auditor was expected to join the team conducting the audit during the first week of December.

“We have completed a large portion of [the audit] with a special team dedicated to it,” Niyaz said. “We have been able to collect almost all the documentation we need and have reviewed them.”

He added that the audit of the bidding process has been completed. “After that, we will carry out a study of the contract and different analyses,” he said.

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Addu airport stake sold to Champa Afeef’s Kasa Holdings

An agreement was signed last night to sell 30 percent of the Addu International Airport Company Pvt Ltd (AIA) to tourism pioneer ‘Champa’ Hussain Afeef’s Kasa Holdings to raise finances to develop the Gan airport in Addu City.

AIA is a joint venture formed by the Gan Airport Company Ltd (GACL), Maldives Airports Company Ltd (MACL) and the State Trading Organisation (STO).

The airport infrastructure and facilities in the uninhabited Gan island of the southernmost Seenu atoll was leased to the government-controlled consortium for 50 years with a mandate to develop and operate the asset as an international airport.

The agreement to sell a 30 percent stake in AIA for MVR 60 million (US$3.9 million) was meanwhile signed on behalf of the company by Managing Director Shahid Ali – also Managing Director of STO – and ‘Champa’ Mohamed Moosa on behalf of Kasa Holding.

The agreement was signed in spite of a public threat by Jumhoree Party (JP) Leader and MP for Alif Dhaal Maamigili, Gasim Ibrahim, that Shahid Ali would be sacked from his post if the sale went through.

Gasim, who had previously alleged corruption in the deal, told reporters on Sunday night that Shahid could not “stay in his post if he signs it,” according to newspaper Haveeru.

He also warned that the STO MD could “not live on this island” if the sale was finalised.

Shahid meanwhile reportedly said after the signing ceremony last night that the agreement was signed after the Finance Ministry and Public Enterprises  Monitoring and Evaluation Board (PEMEB) gave clearance for the sale.

Shahid noted that Afeef’s stake in the seaplane operator Trans-Maldivian Airways (TMA) would be an advantage in the development of the Gan airport.

Following the signing ceremony, Shahid told private broadcaster Raajje TV that the sale was made after a decision by the AIA board of directors, a public tender, evaluation of shortlisted candidates and “authorisation from the Finance Ministry”.

Proceeds from the sale would finance “a major project to develop Gan airport,” he said, including expanding the runway and repairing damages in the airport as well as establishing a new drainage system and a seaplane base.

“The estimate of the consultants for all this is US$40 million. So even if we obtain loan finance or contractor finance for this US$40 million project, we would need an equity injection,” he explained. “Therefore, we need an investment to get this equity injection – a party that would give this money to the company as an equity injection.”

The AIA board in consultation with the government decided to invite proposals from Maldivian companies, Shahid said, adding that Kasa Holdings was the only local company to submit a bid.

Shahid stressed that Kasa Holdings was sold a stake in the management company AIA and not the Gan airport.

On the allegations of corruption by the government-aligned JP, Shahid insisted that the sale was made “through an open and transparent bidding process,” adding that AIA would “welcome” an investigation.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) revealed to local media today that it commenced an investigation into the sale of the AIA stake last month based on assertions in the press.

ACC Deputy Chair Muaviz Rasheed told newspaper Haveeru that the investigation would be completed this week.

Letter to the President

Speaking in parliament yesterday, JP MP Alhan Fahmy claimed that the “self-interest” of Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) was behind the sale of the AIA stake, alleging that DQP senior officials Imad Solih and the party’s leader and Special Advisor to the President Dr Hassan Saeed were complicit in corrupt dealing.

“The government should not sign this agreement. This case should be investigated at a national level,” he said, claiming that the 30 percent stake “could be sold tomorrow to an Israeli party.”

“Addu Atoll Gan is a military strategic location the whole world is watching,” he claimed, calling on the government to reconsider the decision.

Alhan told Raajje TV last night that JP would submit the case to the ACC and parliamentary committees, repeating the corruption allegations and questioning the valuation of the 30 percent stake.

Alhan claimed that Dr Saeed had asked JP Leader Gasim not to oppose the deal at a meeting at the President’s Office yesterday.

In a letter to President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik last week, Gasim contended that MVR60 million for 30 percent of AIA’s share was “a very small amount” as the value of the airport would exceed MVR 3 billion (US$200 million).

Moreover, while US$44 million had been estimated as the cost of developing the airport, the JP MP claimed that the project could be completed with US$24 million.

An “open tender just in China alone” for the project would suffice to prove his assertion, Gasim wrote in his letter to Dr Waheed.

Gasim warned that Kasa Holdings would be positioned to acquire 70 percent of AIA by moving to sell 40 percent to a buyer of its choice.

“If a member representing the government does not attend a board meeting held to sell this 40 percent, Kasa Holdings will have the power to sell 40 percent of shares to whoever it pleases at whatever price it wants,” Gasim wrote. “In light of my experience on how these [deals] are completed, I have to say that the ultimate result would be the remaining unsold 40 percent being sold to a buyer of Kasa’s choice and the opening up of the opportunity for Kasa Holdings to control 70 percent, and within this opportunity, for [Kasa] to sell 51 or more percent of AIA to another foreign party.”

Gasim further contended that the move would pose a risk to national security, as the government would have no legal powers over the company.

Cancelling the agreement would mean paying the foreign party a “huge amount in compensation,” he claimed.

Gasim insisted that the Gan aiport should be developed by MACL and offered in his letter to reclaim land for the project free of charge “using my own dredger, employees and machinery with the government only providing oil.”

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38 year-old man arrested on suspicion of molesting six year-old boys

A 38 year-old man has been arrested in the island of Ihavandhoo in Haa Alif atoll on suspicion of molesting three 6 year-old boys, reports Sun Online.

A police media officer confirmed that the suspect was taken into custody on October 29 but declined to reveal further information.

The suspect is reportedly from Meemu atoll and was married to a woman from the island. He had previously been arrested on drug-related charges.

Newspaper Haveeru meanwhile reported yesterday that the suspect had sexually abused six under-aged boys.

A resident of Ihavandhoo told the paper that the man had been living in the island for many years and had two children. The male victims, aged 6 to 12, were however not related to the suspect.

The Ihavandhoo islander claimed that the man took his victims to boat sheds and that the abuse had been going on for some time.

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Resolution on fuel subsidies for fishermen sent to committee

A resolution (Dhivehi) submitted by Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Mohamed Rasheed ‘Kubey’ calling on the government to issue without delay MVR 100 million (US$6.4 million) allocated for fuel subsidies to fishermen from the 2012 state budget was sent to committee at yesterday’s sitting of parliament.

The resolution was accepted and sent to the Economic Affairs Committee for further review with 42 votes in favour and five abstentions.

On October 17, parliament’s Finance Committee approved guidelines for the Fisheries Ministry to issue the subsidy directly to fishing boat owners.

However, Auditor General Niyaz Ibrahim then questioned the legality of issuing the subsidy, suggesting that it could be in violation of the Public Finance Act.

Fisheries Minister Ahmed Shafeeu told Sun Online yesterday that legal issues remained to be resolved before releasing the funds.

“We requested the AG [Attorney General] for advice, because subsidies cannot be provided without a [specific] law. The AG said that if it’s identified as a basic right, it can be provided based on the former Supreme Court’s ruling. But it involves legal problems. We are prepared to provide subsidies, we just have to follow the legal procedures,” he was quoted as saying.

Shafeeu said that the subsidies could not be released until the legal issue was resolved but expressed hope that it could be done before November 15, leaving one and a half months for the ministry to release funds to 1,053 vessels registered for the subsidy.

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