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No casualties reported in Kaafu Atoll fish processing plant blaze

Authorities have said there have been no reported casualties following a fire at a fish processing plant on the island of Hinmafushi in Kaafu Atoll today.

Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Spokesperson Colonel Abdul Raheem told Minivan News that no one had been seriously hurt in the blaze, which had been brought under control by fire-fighters earlier today.  Colonel Raheem added that the suspected cause of the fire was presently unknown.

The Maldives Police Service also confirmed that it had not been informed of any casualties as a result of the fire.  However, Police Spokesperson Sub-Inspector Hassan Haneef said he could not provide further details on the incident at present as investigations were continuing.

According to local media, the factory, which is used to process fish products such as yellow fin tuna, was severely damaged during today’s blaze, resulting in the site being declared inoperable.

The Sun Online news service reported that authorities had first been notified of the fire this morning, with Hinmafushi Council President Shaan Ibrahim claiming that diesel barrels in the nearby area were believed to have been the cause of the blaze.

The councillor was reported as claiming that islanders, as well as local police and staff from a nearby resort, had attempted to try and control the fire before MNDF officers arrived about an hour after the blaze had been reported.

The factory itself is operated by a company called Maldives Quality Seafood Pvt Ltd.

Attempts by Minivan News to contact the company through details provided on its website were unsuccessful at time of press.

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Former President’s Office under-secretary placed under house arrest

Former President’s Office Under-Secretary Ibrahim Rasheed ‘Hoara’ Ibbe, who stands accused of sexual offences against a 17 year-old girl, has been placed under house arrest.

Rasheed, who served in the President’s Office under the previous government of Mohamed Nasheed, had been kept in pretrial detention until yesterday (January 5) over the allegations.  The Maldives Police Service today confirmed that his detention had been extended for an additional 15 days under house arrest.

Rasheed was arrested on December 6, 2012, after being discovered at a house in the Galolhu Ward  of Male’ with a seventeen year-old girl.

A Criminal Court Spokesperson had told local media that Rasheed was brought before a judge yesterday for a hearing on whether to extend the period of his detention. The presiding judge decided that the suspect was to be placed under house arrest for the next 15 days, according to reports.

Police Sub-Inspector Hassan Haneef today confirmed to Minivan News that Rasheed was now placed under house arrest, but could not give further details of the case as it was related to a minor.

‘’In such cases related to minors we do not provide details,’’ he said.

Haneef also declined to confirm local media reports alleging Rasheed and the 17 year-old girl had been found naked when discovered together by police.

Ibrahim Rasheed is a well known politician and a senior figure within the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

Legal grounds

According to Maldivian law, any person under 18 years of age is considered a minor.

Special provisions relating to child sex abuse cases state that “for the purpose of this law, unless proven otherwise, the courts shall not accept that the sexual activity was carried out with the consent of the minor, if the minor is between the ages of 13 to 18.”

Sexual offences involving minors is punishable by up to 25 years imprisonment.

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Maldives Customs Service installs system to monitor Exclusive Economic Zone

The Maldives Customs Service (MCS) has today installed an Automated Identification System (AIS) it claims will help better determine the movement and location of vessels entering the country.

In a statement issued today, customs officials said that the AIS would assist the department in monitoring the Maldives’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) zone more effectively.

According to the statement, the new device is able to determine the speed, location and the movement of vessels in Maldivian waters.

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President returns from private visit to Malaysia

President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik has returned to Male’ following a private visit to Malaysia.

President Waheed, along with First Lady Ilham Hussain, returned to Male’ on Saturday (January 5), the President’s Office website has reported.

On Thursday (January 3), President Waheed met with the Malaysian Foreign Minister Dato’ Sri Anifah Aman at the Maldives High Commission in the country as part of his trip.

According to the President’s Office website, discussions at the meeting were focused on improving bilateral relations between the two countries.

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Certain parties leasing city hall failed to pay rent: LGA

The Local Government Authority (LGA) has revealed that certain parties who have leased Male’ City Hall from the local municipal council had failed to pay the required amounts of rent.

A report compiled by the LGA, which was commissioned to probe difficulties faced by Male’ Cty Council (MCC) in fulfilling its mandate, showed that the decision to rent out city hall in order to generate revenue for the council had not been regulated.

Under the agreement to rent out the city hall, MCC members had decided to charge MVR 1,500 per day as rent.

LGA also alleged that the city hall’s availability for leasing had not been made public, which according to the authority violates the equality clause in Article 17 of the constitution.

Local media reported that MCC had been advised to recover the funds and establish a system to document the transactions of the council.

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Auditor general alleges several inconsistencies in Ministry of Human Resources 2010 audit report

Auditor General (AG) Niyaz Ibrahim has alleged that several inconsistencies in spending have been identified in the Ministry of Human Resources, Youth and Sports’ 2010 audit report.

The discrepancies highlighted in the report (Dhivehi) include a failure to prepare the ministry’s financial statements in accordance to legal standards, as well as certain spending on a number of projects and events.

Speaking to Minivan News today, former Minister of Human Resources, Youth and Sports Hassan Latheef questioned how complete the AG’s research had been, adding that the documents identified as missing in the audit report would have been available.

Latheef who was in charge of the ministry until the controversial transfer of power in February last year, claimed that the AG’s report was misleading.  Although he did not dismiss the report’s conclusions outright, Latheef maintained that the AG’s findings were incomplete and would have been more accurate if it had consulted with staff working at the ministry during his tenure.

Copies of the AG’s report are to be sent to President Waheed and parliament, as well as other relevant authorities. The AG has also called on to the authorities to investigate the findings of the report and take action against those who are found responsible.

In the report, which was released on Thursday (January 3), the AG’s office stated that it did not believe the Human Resources Ministry had spent its budget in compliance with the Public Finance Act (Act No. 3/2006) and Public Finance Regulation.  The findings therefore included recommendations to reclaim the sum of money believed to have been spent outside of the regulations.

Inconsistencies

Amidst the AG’s findings, the report claimed that the Human Resources Ministry had failed to prepare its financial statement for 2010 as stipulated in the Public Finance Regulation.

“The Ministry of Human Resources, Youth and Sports’ financial statements were not prepared in accordance with the standards set by the International Public Sector Standards (IPSAS) board,” the report stated.

AG Niyaz also alleged that the ministry had failed to recover funds owed to the state by different parties from several outsourced projects, including a project to set up and run a canteen at the Maafannu Cricket Stadium.

The AG claimed that a sum of MVR 487,875 (US$ 31,639.15) was owed to the state as a result of the project, which included rent and fines.  The report added that the Human Resources Ministry had failed to take adequate measures to recover the outstanding sum of money.

In an another claim, the AG alleged that the ministry had failed to recover a sum of MVR 237,000 (US$ 15,369.65) owed to the state as both rent and fines from “Ekuveni Canteen”.  The report recommended the ministry recover money from the parties, calling on authorities to take action against those found to have failed to comply with the laws and regulations.

Illegal transfer of funds

The report also highlighted several cases where funds were transferred by the Human Resources Ministry to projects that the AG claimed were carried out in contradiction to national laws. Included among the highlighted cases was a transfer of MVR 130,000 (US$ 8,430.60) to the Cricket Control Board as a payment for work carried and payment of MVR 14,500 (US$ 940.33) for another company.

The report also raised concerns over sums of MVR 75,000 (US$ 4,863.81) and MVR 50,000 (US$ 3,242.54) transferred to two NGO’s said to have close ties with an unidentified senior ministerial figure. Another issue was a sum of MVR 153,274.80 (US$ 9,940.00) that had been provided to a music band who had not even requested for the money “according to the documents”.

Spending on travel expenses of a parliament member

The AG’s report stated that the Human Resources Ministry budget had also been used to cover an MP’s travel expenses during a trip with then Minister Hassan Latheef to watch the finals of 2010 AFC Challenge Cup held in Sri Lanka.

According to the report, the Ministry spent a total of MVR 15,280.60 (US$ 990.96), which  included a sum of MVR 12,057.60 (US$ 781.95) for pocket money, incidental allowance, accommodation and meals.  The remaining MVR 3,223 (US$ 209.01) was used to cover the MP’s air ticket to watch the football match.

The AG’s office recommended that the ministry bring its budget spending in accordance with the Public Finance Regulations. The report also raised questions as to what capacity the MP had travelled with the minister, as well as the grounds for the government to cover the subsequent travelling expenses.

According to the report, the ministry was advised to retrieve all monies spent by the MP, referring again to measures within public finance laws and regulations.

Former Minister’s response

Responding to the AG’s Office report today, former Human Resources Minister Hassan Latheef said that the MP who travelled with him, as mentioned in the report, was Hamid Abdul Ghafoor of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).  According to Latheef,  Ghafoor – formerly a state minister in the ministry prior to his election to parliament – was accompanying him as a “technical consultant” on the trip.

“Actually it was not just simply a final match. I went there to meet the President of Asian Football Association (AFC) Mohammed bin Hammam. I had sent a letter to Hamid Abdul Ghafoor to accompany me as a technical consultant because I do not possess the technical knowledge of football. So I had requested Ghafoor in official capacity. I even can assure you that a copy of the letter would also be there,” he explained.

Latheef contended that after looking at the numbers, it would be clear that the ministry had spent the minimum required amount for travel expenses and had not intended to “award [MP Ghafoor] a stack of cash”.

“It was neither carried out in a politically motived way nor as a friend. He went as a technical consultant. Now people would ask why Ghafoor was selected. I believe the minister would have the discretion to decide who he would take,” he added.

“This is not something new. For instance, a person who is not even in the government or even in politics went as a chief guest to attend the SAARC Youth Camp held in Addu City in 2011. But it will be our ministry who would be giving his accommodation and travel expenses. How can that be called corruption or politically motivated?”

According to Latheef, the AG had been requested to audit the Human Resources Ministry’s operations back in 2008 shortly after he assumed his position under the government of former President Mohamed Nasheed. According to Latheef, the AG had at the time said that it had already audited the former Employment Ministry and could therefore only look at the youth and sports operations.

“When it was getting delayed, I even sent a letter in 2009 as well asking the AG to audit the ministry” he said.

“I know the AG would only base his report on documents, but if he had asked our collaboration, we would have helped. Things get confusing when you wake up the next morning to see a new government has taken over through a coup. Had we been there when the auditing took place, I am sure the documents which the AG had noted missing would have been found,” he explained.

Amidst other concerns identified in the report, Latheef dismissed claims he had failed to try and retrieve funds spent by the ministry. He added that the ministry, during his tenure, was working on retrieving funds from the said parties and some of the cases were being investigated by police in cases where the ministry had filed for non-payment of rent.

Responding additionally to concerns about providing payment to the band identified in the AG’s findings, Latheef claimed that the report had said it was the responsibility of the National Sports Council to set the procedures for which performers can be paid. Latheef however dismissed the claim, stating that it was the ministry’s responsibility.

“The sports council does not do that. It is the responsibility of the [Human Resources] Ministry.  The Sports Council can set the mechanism on how the sports associations are given money. They don’t have to do that for music bands,” he said.

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Foreign Ministry claims resolution found to Indian visa “difficulties”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said recent difficulties experienced by Maldivians in trying to obtain medical visas for travel to India have been resolved through ongoing discussions between the two countries.

Late last month, Maldivian citizens wishing to apply for visas allowing them to travel to India for medical treatment were forced to queue outside the Indian High Commission in Male’, sometimes for days, as a result of tightened restrictions by Indian authorities.

Indian authorities stressed last week that tighter visa restrictions for Maldivians were  a “signal” for the country’s government to address a number of its concerns about how the nation treated migrant workers.  Among its key concerns was the practice of Maldivian employers confiscating the passports of foreign workers.

The Indian High Commission has maintained that the tightened restrictions were nonetheless in line with a bilateral agreement signed back in 1979 and its appropriation by Maldivian authorities in the intervening years.

Ibrahim Muaz Ali, Communication Director for the Minister of Foreign Affairs, told Minivan News this week that talks with the Indian High Commission were ongoing in an attempt to resolve difficulties facing people wishing to travel to India for treatment.

He confirmed that the discussions were focused in areas such as facilitating the transfer of Indian prisoners suffering from ill health.

Muaz added that the issue of tighter restrictions for medical travel had been “directly linked” to concerns raised by the Indian High Commission.  He added that although no agreements had as of this week been made on issues such as prisoner transfer, Maldivians were once again able to travel for medical care without facing significant queues.

“Before there have been lots of difficulties [with getting medical visas],” he claimed. “But we have now been given 50 to 60 ticket numbers a day [for processing the documents].”

Muaz said that with discussions ongoing, the foreign ministry has been able to start a phone service allowing applicants seeking a medical visa to India to SMS their details to a special number. Under its agreement with the High Commission, the ministry has said it can then follow up with each person using the service to facilitate medical travel.

Muaz added that in cases of serious illness, such as patients wishing to travel abroad for cancer treatment, patients were receiving fast tracked entry into India.

High Commission concerns

Asked about the efforts being undertaken to address concerns raised by the Indian High Commission – such as the transfer of prisoners – Muaz said that the Foreign Ministry had been looking at the issue.

Local media reported Thursday (January 3) that efforts were being made by Maldivian authorities “within the contours of the law” to release Indian nationals imprisoned in the Maldives in cases where they were found to have been in ill health.

Muaz added that after having been asked to facilitate such a transfer by the High Commission, no decision had yet been taken on how the request would be handled.

“What we have been asked to do at present is a very broad request [from Indian authorities],” he said. “It is an ongoing process and we are looking at the issue, but we have not yet confirmed any agreement.”

Speaking to Minivan News last week, a spokesperson for the Indian High Commission said that the issue of transferring ill prisoners was one of a number of concerns it hoped to see addressed.

“This is one of the areas [for the Maldives to address] and we have requested for either a pardon or repatriation as per an agreement signed during the visit of the Indian Prime Minister in November 2011,” the spokesperson said.

Back in October, a senior Indian diplomatic official in the Maldives expressed concern over the Maldives’ culture of confiscating passports of migrant workers arriving to the country from across South Asia – likening the practice to slavery.

The High Commission also claimed during 2012 that skilled expatriate workers from India, employed in the Maldives education sector, had continued to be “penalised” due to both government and private sector employers failing to fulfill their responsibilities.

Meanwhile, a senior Indian medical official working in the country also alleged last year that expatriate professionals were regularly facing intimidation and fraud in the country from employers and some members of the public.

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MBC to request staff salary increase

The Maldives Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) will propose a salary increase for all of its members to parliament this year, MBC Chairman Ibrahim Umar Manik has said.

Speaking to local media, Manik said that the request for an increase in salary had been made as MBC members were not allowed to be employed elsewhere.

“The law states that the corporation should be free of all political and financial influence and influence from affluent persons. Only then can the corporation be independent,” Manik told local media.

Manik stated that the corporation is accountable to the parliament independent institutions committee, and that a request is to be made from the committee to increase staff salary.

“We are not necessarily demanding that the salaries are the same level as independent institutions and commission member salaries,” he was reported as telling the Sun Online news service.

“We informed the Public Accounts Committee of the difficulties we face because we are not allowed to be employed elsewhere, and requested that our salaries be increased. We sent this in writing, and they did not think it was necessary to do this [increase salaries]. But we will request again.”

The current salary for MBC members, as reported in local media, stands at MVR 10,0000. However, the salary of Maldives Media Council’s Board Members is just MVR 5,000.

Last year, the salary of Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA) board members was increased from MVR 10,500 to MVR 15,500 following a new salary structure passed by parliament, Sun Online revealed.

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Man arrested on suspicion of performing black magic

Police have arrested a 46 year-old man living on the island of Ihavandhoo in Haa Alifu Atoll on suspicion of performing black magic.

Police Sub-Inspector Hassan Haneef today told Minivan News that a man had been arrested Thursday (January 3) on the basis of reports received by authorities.

According to Haneef, the suspect was brought before a judge to decide on his detention period, with the presiding court granting police 10 days to detain the suspect.

Haneef said that lots of tools that could be used to perform black magic, such as documents, books and other materials were found at the suspect’s home.

Local media has reported that the man arrested was believed to be the Imam of the island.

An Ihavandhoo Island councillor has told local media that the suspect, originally from Fuvamulah, had moved to the island of Ihavandhoo last year December.

The councillor alleged that after the suspect arrived on the island, fears had risen among islanders that he had been performing black magic.

The councillor pointed to rumours that had been circulating since the suspect’s arrival on the island that disturbing incidents had been occurring on the island.

Back in June last year, the Maldives Police Service (MPS) arrested an opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) activist on charges of practising black magic.

The Activist’s arrest at the time was made just days after the MPS had raided the MDP protest camp at Usfasgandu on the basis of “suspected black magic performed in the area”.

A warrant released at the time approved the raid on the basis of evidence alleged to include that people at the site had previously thrown a “cursed rooster” at Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) officers.

A case is also presently being heard in the country’s courts concerning the murder of a 76 year-old male alleged to have been a sorcerer, whose body was discovered with with multiple stab wounds on the island of Kudahuvadhoo in January 2012.

Back in 1953, Hakeem Didi was executed by firing squad along with some alleged accomplices after they were found guilty of conspiracy to murder by black magic.

The case was the last time the Maldives judicially executed a criminal suspect.

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