Category:

DRP plan protest to “serve red notice” to government

The main opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) is organising a mass demonstration in Male’ tonight to protest the government’s decision to raise electricity tariffs.

The protest will take place near the tsunami monument at 8.30pm and will call on the government to restore the price of electricity units to the rates that existed in December 2008.

At a press conference yesterday, DRP MP Ahmed Nihan said “the government will be forced” to reverse the hiked rates as a result of the protest.

Nihan warned that the protest “could get heated and might be drawn out.”

Participants at the protest rally will be wearing red shirts symbolizing the “red notice” received by many citizens unable to pay their electricity bills.

Galholu South MP Ahmed Mahlouf said tonight’s protest will be “very different” and other political parties have signaled their support.

“You will see different things in this protest,” he said. “We want to leave it a surprise.”

Moreover, the party intends to continue the protest until its demand is met.

Imad Solih, vice-president of the Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP), announced on private broadcaster  DhiTV that the party will join the protest as the issue was of national concern.

He alleged that the government was “deceiving the people” about electricity subsidies to poor income families.

Energy policy

In a campaign rally before the second round of the 2008 presidential election runoff, President Mohamed Nasheed pledged that the price of a unit of electricity would not go up in his government.

However, the State Electricity Company (STELCO) raised its tariffs in November as part of a restructure to bring electricity charges in line with operating costs.

The company revealed at the time that it was operating at a loss of Rf320,000 (US$25,000) a day, while it faced losses in excess of Rf540 million (US$43 million) in 2008.

Moreover, it was revealed that the company had debts to the tune of US$18 million.

The government announced that the changes were part of its policy to stop providing over Rf100 million in annual subsidies to STELCO in favour of targeted subsidies.

But, in January, MPs of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) expressed concern that the average monthly electricity bill for households had risen almost overnight from Rf545 ($US42) to Rf725 ($US56).

The MPs called on the government to broaden its criteria for eligibility to ensure that more households would be receiving assistance.

“We have to get rid of this mentality that if a house hold electricity bill is high, they are well off,” urged MDP MP Eva Abdulla. “We have to assume that it might just be 12 people living in that household, chipping in for the bill – this is the reality.”

Under the revised rates, the price of the first hundred units consumed was up from Rf1.60 to Rf2.25, while the second and third hundred units had risen from Rf .70 and Rf2.15 to Rf2.50 each.

Earlier this week, the National Social Protection Agency (NSPA) announced that it would subsidise the fuel surchage in the electricity bill for low income families.

As part of the tariff restructure, STELCO decided to introduce a fuel surcharge of three laari for every eight laari increase in the price of diesel in the world market.

However, the surcharge would only be levied if the price of diesel exceeds Rf8 per litre.

Republican connection

Nihan said today that he doubted the validity of the procedure followed by NSPA to identify low income families.

He added that the municipality council was informed about the issue two weeks ago but no solution was found.

The MP for Vili-Maafanu further claimed that STELCO had a tank that could store fuel for three months and the reserves were purchased at “a cheap price”.

He called on all MDP MPs to join the protest tonight.

Meanwhile, Mohamed Zuhair, press secretary for the president office, claimed that the protest rally was connected to Gasim Ibrahim, business magnate and former presidential candidate of the Republican party.

Although Gasim backed the MDP in the runoff of the presidential election in exchange for posts in the coalition government, he quit as Home Minister 21 days into the new administration.

”You can see very clearly they are using Jumhoory [Republican] Party’s colour when DRP has their own colour,” Zuhair said. ”We have so far received a lot of information from local people that the rally is connected to Jumhoory party.”

Yellow standard

On the same day the DRP announced its protest, President Nasheed formed a task force to “assist and expedite” the provision of subsidies by NSPA.

Zuhair said the task force will monitor the awarding of subsidies and identify deserving recipients.

Meanwhile, Ibrahim Waheed, NSPA chairman, denied claims by DRP Vice-President Umar Naseer that subsidies were awarded exclusively to supporters of the ruling party.

Waheed said a DRP MP has been receiving subsidies from NSPA since January, but declined to reveal the identity of the opposition MP.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

PA-MDP alliance will “operate in secrecy” reports Miadhu

A rumoured alliance between the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and the People’s Alliance (PA) will “operate in secrecy”, daily newspaper Miadhu has reported.

The newspaper quoted a “reliable source” that both sides would deny reports on the coalition agreement, in which the PA would assist the MDP in gaining a parliamentary majority for passing bills the government considers critical.

The first of these is expected to be Majlis approval of the President’s choice of economic minister.

A public coalition agreement would likely anger hardliners in either party, and risk alienating the PA’s current coalition partner, the opposition DRP.

Head of the PA Abdulla Yameen has already announced he will seek presidency in 2013.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Nasheed congratulates UK Prime Minister

President Mohamed Nasheed has congratulated  the new Prime Minister of the UK, David Cameron, on becoming the country’s 54th Prime Minister and its youngest in 200 years.

Nasheed said he was confident Cameron’s leadership would lead to a “golden era” of political and economic development in the UK.

Nasheed also encouraged the UK to play “a more prominent role in the global climate change.”

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Foreign Minister meets Pakistani Foreign Secretary

Foreign Minister Dr Ahmed Shaheed has met his counterpart in Pakistan, Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir.

The pair discussed regional and international issues, and how the relationship between the two countries could be strengthened.

Areas of further cooperation included trade, agriculture, energy, environment, culture and tourism, Dr Shaheed reported.

Dr Shaheed was also attended a lunch hosted by Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Nawabzada Malik Amad Khan, and also met Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Commerce.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Parliamentary committee to investigate “resettlement” of Gitmo detainees in Maldives

Opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) MP Ali Waheed has filed a motion without notice at the parliamentary national security committee to investigate the government’s decision to allegedly “resettle” inmates from the controversial Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba that houses terror suspects.

Speaking to press after filing the motion, Ali Waheed said that based on his information, the released prisoners would not necessarily be held in custody, but could be resettled in the Maldives.

“They are to be released among Maldivians and kept under watch in whatever way,” he said. “So while we don’t even have a proper jail and the society is drowning in gang violence and crime, the Maldivian government has reached the point where they are forming agreements with another country and creating a legal framework to bring in people from the jail that has the world’s dangerous terrorists and citizens aren’t aware of what’s happening. The People’s Majlis elected by the Maldivian people aren’t aware of it.”

He added that the government’s actions was “a bit too much”.

“Even if the Majlis is on recess, I ask that the committee look into this and take action against those culpable in this matter,” he said.

The DRP vice-president, who is also the deputy chairman of the national security committee, said the case should be investigated as a matter of urgent concern.

He called on the national security forces, Maldives Police Service and the Human Rights Commission to “stop this from happening.”

“And the Maldivian people should come out and stop this,” he said, adding that the government’s failure to seek the parliament’s opinion showed that personal interest was involved.

Moreover, it was regrettable that the government was planning to bring in “convicts” at a time when the social fabric “has been destroyed”.

“We can’t even properly control the convicts in this country,” he said.

Ali Waheed told Minivan News today that the DRP “fully supported” the closure of the Guantanamo Bay prison, but bringing inmates to the Maldives poses dangers to the country.

Nobel Peace Prize

In December last year, President Mohamed Nasheed said the Maldives will receive prisoners released from the jail.

“If a Muslim does not have a place to live in freedom, we will help in whatever way we can. We don’t want anyone to suffer any harm. We know that the Maldives, in helping just three people from Guantanamo Bay, does not mean that either the Maldives or the world would be free of inhumane treatment,” he said. “However this jail, Guantanamo jail, is very symbolic.”

US President Barack Obama pledged to close down the jail in the first year of his presidency. However, the American government now foresees that the prison will be closed at the end of the year.

In his radio address in December, President Nasheed said investigations have cleared most of the detainees of any involvement in terrorist activities, while the others will be taken to trial.

He said most of the detainees at Guantanamo Bay were innocent people caught up in the war in Afghanistan, and that offering assistance to other nations in whatever capacity was “a national duty.”

DRP MP Ahmed Nihan told Minivan News today that Saudi Arabia, Philippines and many other countries have refused to take in any Gitmo prisoners.

President Nasheed was trying to “win the Nobel peace prize” and secure American financial assistance, Nihan suggested.

He further warned that the move could leave the country open to attack by terrorist groups.

Nihan said Foreign Minister Dr Ahmed Shaheed was the one who came up with the plan.

Shaheed said today that it was important to remember that not everyone incarcerated in Guantanamo Bay prison was a terrorist or a criminal.

“There was once a Maldivian taken there,” he explained. “He is living here and nobody has attacked us.”

Shaheed claimed that DRP’s motion was driven by personal animosity towards him.

Last year, the DRP failed to pass a vote of no-confidence against Shaheed for his part in deciding to establish diplomatic ties with Israel.

On whether he advised President Nasheed on accepting the detainees, Shaheed said he did not have to answer that question.

The president said investigations have cleared most of the detainees of any involvement in terrorist activities, while the others will be taken to trial.

He said most of the detainees at Guantanamo Bay were innocent people caught up in the war in Afghanistan, and that offering assistance to other nations in whatever capacity was “a national duty.”

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

‘ConDem’ coalition announced in UK

UK Conservative Party leader David Cameron has announced a historic coalition government with the Liberal Democrats, following the resignation of Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

The deal between the two parties, which are ideologically opposed on issues such as engagement with Europe, marks the country’s first coalition government since Winston Churchill’s wartime coalition 70 years ago.

Cameron has already moved into the Prime Minister’s residence at Number 10 Downing Street, 90 minutes after Brown’s departure. He becomes Britain’s 53rd Prime Minister, and its youngest in 200 years, while leader of the Liberal Democrats Nick Clegg will serve as the Deputy Prime Minister.

Cameron promised he and Clegg would put their political differences aside – of which there are a great many – and seek to rebuild public trust in politics. The catchphrase of the new government would be: “Those who can, should, those who cannot, we will always help”, Cameron said.

Clegg received backing for the deal from his party last night, and committed to a five year coalition government with five of the 23 members of cabinet coming from his party.

The agreement also forced the Conservatives to make concessions on many of their policies. Key among these was a move towards raising tax thresholds for the wealthy, and a referendum on political reform – namely an alternative voting system that would force elections on the House of Lords.

Conservative plans for welfare reform, immigration caps and independent state schools will remain, while disagreements still exist over nuclear power plants and the Trident nuclear deterrent.

The deal marks a bitter day for Labour. Despite losing seats five seats in the election, the Liberal Democrats have a five year opportunity to take control of left-wing politics in the UK, leaving Labour completely offside in the next election.

Brown’s resignation was Labour’s last card to play, hoping that their own negotiations for a Lib-Lab coalition would taste sweeter with Brown out of the way.

But the jubilation among both the parties now in government masks widespread dissatisfaction in the ranks of both. United only in their dislike of Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats are fundamentally different creatures and it will be a test of British politics whether one’s small-government approach will tolerate the welfare innovation of the other.

The change in government is a net gain for the Maldives. The Conservative party played a key role in training the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) from street campaigners into a political party, and pressured the British government to condemn alleged human rights abuses occurring in the country.

“Their human rights group took up our case and put pressure on the British government. At their conference they put me in touch with centre-right parties from Serbia to Sri Lanka and gave me a platform from which to tell the world about what was happening in the Maldives,” President Mohamed Nasheed said, in an interview with the Telegraph newspaper in January 2009.

It led a visit by a Conservative delegation including vice-president Richard Spring and recently-crowned Redditch MP Karen Lumley to give the MDP advice on campaigning and “strategic alliance building”.

“They deserve our support and they will certainly get it. We want to keep a spotlight on events unfolding in the Maldives,” Spring said, at the time.

After the election, Lumley wrote in the Birmingham Advertiser that she “was humbled by people who just wanted a better future for themselves and their families. I am so proud that I was able to a very small part of that change.”

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Home Minister askes Interpol for more assistance with international crimes

The Maldives is suffering from three years of soaring crime rates,Minister of Home Affairs Mohamed Shihab said at the  inauguration ceremony of the Asia-Pacific meeting Interpol held on in Bandos Island Resort.

Crimes such as human trafficking, money laundering and drug trafficking were being committed with increasing technological sophistication, Shihab said, requesting assistance form Interpol when dealing with severe crimes.

Also speaking at the event, Chief Inspector of Police Mohamed Hameed said the Maldives needed to pay more attention to international crimes committed in the country and extend Interpol assistance to other law enforcement agencies in the country.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Wave breaks a boat in half

A boat was split in half when a strong wave hit it yesterday, report Manadhoolive.

The newspaper reported that there were 16 passengers aboard when the incident happened, who were rescued by two other boats travelling in the area.

Manadhoolive reported that the boat was 90 feet long
.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Expat lost at sea

A Bangladeshi man was lost overboard after he fell into the sea around 10:40am this morning, police have said.

Marine police and islanders of Meemu Atoll Muli where the incident occurred are searching for the lost man. The Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) has also been informed about the case, reported police.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)